So after T 80 U I decided my next squadron tank is gonna be Leopard 2PL (unless something more interesting pops up lol).
Though looking at it, I think - is it comfortable at 0.3 BR lower from the top tier? I’m mainly speaking of it’s 2A4 basis (the shell looks good, 450mm is plenty enough tested on T 80 so 480-530 is gonna be even better). Absolutely paper hull iirc penetrated even by ancient 3BM22 you wont ever meet at this tier, decent turret armor but with lots of holes in spots like gunner optics and gun mantlet. And again, Leopard’s gyat is bigger than any western tank I know, which limits it’s gun depression past 90° of horizontal traverse.
If I look purely at the numbers, look at the comparison:
minor nations tanks (Ariete, Leclerc, Type 90/10) have brilliant reload speed and Leclerc is much better armored in it’s one-shot-spot. Even Ariete with manual loader has potential 12 RPM vs. Leopard’s 9 RPM (I think it’s 6.5sec at ace crew, not 6sec? correct me if I’m wrong, I’m away from PC, I may mix it up with T-80’s 6.5sec).
major nations tanks (Abrams, Leopards/Strv122, Soviets) also feature faster, same or slower reload, and have stronger hull (2A5 gets much better composite materials, perhaps steel instead of aluminum? And Strv122 are even less of a joke). Abrams is, again, quicker firing, more survivable placing crew all over the tank, and Soviets are impenetrable (but I’ll mention again it’s probably due to them having garbage reload and reverse speed).
So, is placing Leopard 2PL that high is just, or I miss some key features of it? (I know about 3rd gen thermals - 2nd gen are no differrent and are present in every nation’s top tier but Sweden iirc. Some tanks have 2nd gen being as low as 11.0).
Was very good. But I very rarely play it. Has very good thermals, beside 2A4M and 2A7V gunner has good quality thermals. Very good armoured turret beside weak spots, and it’s fast. It should get its historical DM53/63 because now everything shoots at it better shells
Before the addition of PSO and 2A7V it was good backup vehicle to 2A5/2A6 due to its thermals, but nowadays its pretty much obsolete and I personally wouldnt bother.
Only practical reason to play it is in 11.7 lineupso you get downtiers to 10.7, with caveat that currently there are no TT 11.7 MBTs to bolster your lineup so you gotta shill 70 euros for 2A4M. 2PL alone cant carry the game.
well since im 1-spawner and do not waste money on games I’ll use it and maybe some scout vehicle, just that…
I still don’t really get it how 3rd gen thermals justify it’s 11.7 position, as there is minimal difference between 2nd and 3rd. Also I get pretty decent results without thermals on stock T 80, and wise people say “thermals are made for the fields, and fields are made for leaving them”. So there is really nothing different between 2A4 and 2PL aside of thick turret in my opinion, 11.7 still feels too high…
but what makes it best, still? Worse hull armor than any of the 11.7-12.0 tanks aside of Ariete, I believe. There isn’t many other things to compare, as they don’t matter much (not the best mobility, not the best ammo choice, not the best firerate). Is it’s turret protection really that good even with big weakspots?
What a question. Its a modded Leopard 2A4 at top BR. Its only ‘pro’s’ are good thermal viewers, but these are mostly not really important. I don’t need thermals on small maps and almost all maps are close combat ones. Gajin wanted to lower Its BR several times, since it produces horrible ingame stats. But community always goes nuts when Leopard tanks get lower BRs. So they tried to spice it up with better shells. But it just didn’t change anything. It doesn’t change how you have to aim at other tanks.
Its just not possible to operate a tank without working armor. They pen you almost everywhere. Not even the turret is safe. Trash can vehicle.
You can try to use it as ambusher on large maps. Just…there are almost no large maps with good line of sights. Niche vehicle which should be ignored. Its not even a viable backup anymore, since there are enough TT Leopards with proper turret armor.
