We all know the Ho-Ri’s are on their way to the Unobtanium Pile, but given the number of Coelian/Panther II/KT 105s that you still see on a daily basis (relative to how long ago those vehicles were made unavailable), even with the lower popularity of minor nations in general it stands to reason that these two Japanese TDs will be a relatively common sight around mid-tier for some time to come.
Since they are “fantasy tanks” or were based on faulty/sketchy sources, or whatever the case is/may be, would it not make sense to perform a bit of a sanity check on the design and open up the possibility of making a few small adjustments to the vehicle(s)? (I think, with these changes, having the Ho-Ri Prototype be available for GEs at some rare point(s) in the future would be totally workable/acceptable for that matter).
The Ho-Ri’s have good mobility for larger TDs, and their guns are good. The primary issue with both is how difficult they are to pen from the front by most vehicles. There just aren’t any weakspots on the front, especially if the LFP is even slightly obscured or covered/hull down.
There are three areas I think that should be considered for adjustment.
This hatch:
Just roughly (and conservatively, I believe) estimating at 1ft x 1ft x 4.7 (~300mm x 300mm x 120mm) inches thick, this hatch would weigh around 200lbs. (~90kg). What if that hatch was made to be in line with other tanks in the game?
(and 3.) These viewports:
These are clearly meant to be viewports, but are currently modeled only as part of the texture - resulting in a solid wall of 200mm RHA. If these were modeled to be useable as viewports, they would result in (albeit small) two frontal weaker points in the armor that could be potentially exploited. (Nothing like a Sherman or IS-2, but something)
Anyway, just thoughts… if it’s a made up tank, it shouldn’t be an issue to make these small tweaks from a realism standpoint I do not believe.
The prototype’s armor isn’t even that good (120mm flat at the weakest point) and everything at it’s br will go right through it. The production is stronger, but most tanks that it can meet can still front pen it in the viewports you mentioned because that whole 200mm plate is the wekest part. And almost all tanks that it can meet have some means of going through 200mm flat.
This would not fix the primary problem of people not knowing where to shoot and hitting the strongest points
I went 14 and 0 in the Prototype several days ago by bouncing every single shot to the front (one penned my engine). That’s pretty rough to deal with on any map that is not conducive to flanking.
Not everything in its range can pen it reliably even at short distances (which is good).
The viewports just being textures on a monolithic 200mm plate is still an issue, doesn’t make logical sense, and could easily be adjusted.
Then your opponents have a heavy skill issue. The only tanks that can meet the ho ri prototype (not spaa) that cannot front pen the superstructure are both jumbo sherman 75s, which can’t even front pen a tiger 1, and the scimitar.
14 and 0. Mainly T-34-85s. Plenty of vehicles cannot reliably pen it in practice. For sure, the proposed changes are not likely to massively impact the survivability of the vehicle, just bring it into line with what a real tank would have.
Going to completely ignore this post since it’s illogical, and this is my opinion.
Aim for the Transmission, the cannon, the cheeks, and you will kill. Aim anywhere on the slope of cheese, and I’ll see you in the hangar.
I believe it is actually precisely logical, as laid out in the proposal (specifically the hatches/viewports that operate completely illogically compared to the rest of the AFVs in the game).
