Hello!
So we’ve all heard or participated in the discussions of the new nations that should be added to war thunder, countries like South/North Korea, Turkey, India, Romania, etc., etc.
I believe I can safely say that we would all love to see them enter the game, as they all are able to stand on their own with respective trees, but are other brought down by a draw back that prevents them from being added easily as a independent tree or a sub-tree:
- Too Small
- Not Unique Enough
- No Low-Rank (Israel currently the exception)
- Political/Historical/Personal Tensions
So, we have potential nations that are too big to be a sub tree in any nation, being able to support themselves in lineups (especially since that Gaijin has stated that they won’t add an 6th line to any trees) but are also just not big enough to be there own proper independent tree, this leaves a lot of nations in a interesting limbo state where there is currently no easy way to add them.
My proposal then is to create a new category for nations to be added, known as the Minor Trees, which will sit as a nice in-between for the Major trees we already have in game, and the sub trees that already bolster the Major ones.
Wheras the Major Trees have nations that have roughly ~100-150 vehicles per tree (Air, Ground, Naval, etc.), The Minor trees are for nations that have roughly ~30-70 vehicles per tree. This allows for many nations to be added without being forced to add many copy-pastes, worry about low rank, or political/personal tensions due to being a sub tree, while still being given the room to grow to reasonable sizes.
The Minor Trees in my opinion can be sorted or “Familized” into being linked with a Major tree. For example, for Turkey to be added, which lacks any major or viable low-rank vehicles, but has a large and unique endgame lineup potential, can be connected to the US tech tree based on the collaboration between the two nations, and would require a player to perhaps reach rank 4 (Based on the Turkish Ground Tree suggestion by lLiberté, found here: Turkish Ground Forces Tech Tree - #3 by lLiberté) in the US tree to unlock the Turkish tree, similar to how Israel currently is now.
Examples for all major nations:
US - Turkey Minor Tree
The US and Turkey have long maintained a strategic alliance, both being members of NATO, in addition turkey being known for its use of M60 tanks. The US tech tree already has a Turkish tank, that being the M60 AMBT. However, Turkey has a large variety of vehicles starting from Rank 4 to endgame. Examples like the…
Altay MBT
Kaplan Light Tank
F-16s
Augusta Helicopter
Shows that they would be capable of creating a more than decent lineup for themselves, they simply don’t have a low rank, thus I say that the Turkish Minor Tree should be unlock once a person reaches rank 4 in the US, then they are free to play the Turkish tree, without having to play the US tree.
Turkish Ground Tech Tree Suggestion:
Turkish Ground Forces Tech Tree - #3 by lLiberté
Germany - Switzerland or Minor Tree
Switzerland, despite being neutral throughout history, still operates a capable military with a variety of vehicles and weapon systems that would make a fantastic tree. Switzerland is also closely Allied with Germany, hence it being linked. Vehicles include:
Mpz 87 MLU
Piranha APC
F-5E
Eurocopter
Switzerland would be a capable Minor Tree for Germany, allowing a representation on its small, but rather unique vehicles, perhaps requiring reaching rank 3 in germany to unlock.
USSR - Ukraine Minor Tree
While Russia’s Invasion of Ukraine currently is indeed a true tragedy and both sides did not wish to wage, It is important to consider that politics should not temper with how we play and enjoy our games, hence why I believe that Ukraine, while lacking a low rank, Deserves to be added into the game, simply as a minor tree, still Independent from Russia’s tree.
During the Soviet Era, Ukraine and Russia shared many vehicles, however during the cold war and the collapse of the Soviet Union, Both Ukraine and Russia heavily modified their vehicles to better fit there doctrines, and Ukraine is one of these examples. While it’s tanks are still rooted in Soviet/Russian works, Ukraine has given each vehicle a unique blend of its own modifications and variants, creating a blend of familiarity and unique features. Vehicles Include:
T-84 Oplot-M
BTR-4
MiG-29MU-1
Mi-24
Ukraine has more than enough potential to become a phenomenal minor tree, with capable lineups that can punch well above it’s class, showing that despite less than stellar odds, it is still a force to be rekoned with. The Ukraine tree can start after reaching rank 4 in Russia, which is where Ukraine vehicles begin.
Ukrainian Ground Tree:
Ukraine Ground Forces Tree
Ukrainian Air Tree:
Ukraine Air Force Tree
Great Britain - India Minor Tree
As for Great Britain, we have begun seeing Indian Vehicles begin entering their tech tree, which I see as unfair as India has a more than capable roster to make one of the best Minor trees if added, as they are rich in a military history and are confident in creating indigenous vehicles, both when under the rule of the British and as a nation, easily standing by themselves as a independent minor tree. Vehicles from India include:
Arjun Mk.1A MBT
Kestrel APC
Tejas Mk.1A
Prachand
India could be unlocked once reaching rank 3-4 in the British tech tree, then afterwards be a independent tree, having a large variety of vehicles to choose from, each unique from each other.
Japan - South Korea Minor Tree
Despite the historical precedents, Japan and South Korea today are very close allies, and they could still could be linked. South Korea is a technology advanced nation with a small, but powerful military, as well operating multiple indigenous designs, proving their self-reliance. Though they have only recently began designing unique vehicles, those vehicles have quickly captured the international market as well as military service, being a testament to the quality of their Vehicles. Vehicles include:
K2 Black Panther
K21
T-50 Golden Eagle
MAH
South Korea is a often Debated country to be added, however would struggle from the fact that it lacks any unique low-rank vehicles, but would have a amazing mid-tier and end-game lineups, thus I believe that The South Korean Minor Tree should start after reaching rank 4 of the Japanese tree, when afterwards the independent tree would unlock and be playable.
South Korea Ground Forces Tree:
South Korean Ground Forces Tech Tree
South Korea Air Force Tree:
South Korean Air Forces Tech Tree
China - North Korea or Pakistan Minor Tree
China could have 2 potential minor trees, either Pakistan or North Korea, as both are closely tied to China, and rely on china for tech, and collaboration. Both if either added has the potential to become good trees to advance through.
North Korea’s Minor Tree could include:
M2024
M2010
MiG-29
MD-500E
North Korea, while obscure in it’s data and information, still operates a interesting plethora of unique vehicles that could make a decent minor tree if added.
North Korean Ground Tree:
North Korean Ground Forces Sub-Tree
If a Pakistani Minor Tree was added, it could consist of:
Al Khalid
Talha APC
JF-17 Thunder
Z-10ME
Pakistan shares a large amount of technology and equipment with China and would make for a good minor tree if added, having a good number of vehicles to choose from with plentiful variety.
For both nations, believe rank 4-5 to unlock would be good to have.
Italy - Romania Minor Tree
Romania is often not considered as a nation to have many unique vehicles, but as a matter of fact they do operate their own indigenous MBTs and vehicles. Italy and Romania have always had a close relationship, both tied in culture and strategy. If Romania were added as a minor tree to Italy, we could possibly see:
TR-85M1
Agilis
F-16s
IAR-330
Romania, while often forgotten when compared to other countries that could be added, more than deserves addition, having even more early-era tanks than most, and would have multiple unique tanks to fight with, even though they may seem old or outdated, they still are capable and can punch well above their class, and would make a fantastic independent tree after reaching rank 3 in Italy.
France - Indonesia Minor Tree
Indonesia has remained a close ally to France since the colonial era to the current day, using multiple French vehicles, and train together. Vehicles that can be included in a Indonesian Minor tree include:
Harimau
Badak
Hawk 209
AS550 Fennec
Indonesia will be one of the more interesting additions, having a much larger wheeled army than most other nations, but they are still just as a capable minor tech tree addition compared to any other, perhaps requiring to reach rank 4 to unlock.
Sweden - Poland Minor Tree
Sweden already had both Finnish and Norwegian vehicles in its tree (And to be honest I had no other ideas on what to put here…), and the Nordic countries share a very close relationship with Poland, including their NATO & EU memberships. Vehicles from Poland could include:
Leopard 2 PL
Borsuk IFV
Su-22
Mi-2
Poland already sees much discussion to be added, and I believe would make a great minor tree, although maybe not for Sweden… and would require reaching rank 4 on some tree to unlock.
Israel & Iran...
Now this is a lot more difficult…
Ok… IGNORING the entire situation/current events right now… Iran and Israel are somewhat in the same boat, having little to no low-rank vehicles, but a good number of mid to endgame vehicles. Iran really only falls under the Israel tree due to Israel already being in game, however if possible could become a minor tree. Vehicles can Include:
Karrar MBT
Makran IFV
Saeqeh
Shahed 285
Iranian Ground Tree:
Iranian Grounds Force Tech Tree
Ok, now that that’s out of the way, we can talk about how they could be implemented. I believe the way that these minor trees could be implemented is in a sort of “Folder”, similar to the ones already seen in the tech trees. For example, if you were to click on the US nation tab, as its highlighted, the minor tree, in this case turkey’s flag would pop out the side of the US flag to show itself as “Foldered” within the US nation tab, disappearing when clicked off again. The flag at first could be all gray to represent it being locked, and thus when it you reach the requirements to unlock it, the flag could then be in color and clickable.
in addition, if necessary, the minor trees themselves could receive sub trees, further bolstering its lineup and allowing for more vehicles/nations to be added.
So then… In conclusion, I believe that by adding minor trees, war thunder would be able to include a new and massive variety of nations with fewer vehicles than needed to qualify as a “Major Tech Tree” in a safe way that allows for the UI to remain mostly the same, while allowing for the expansion of the game to whole new levels.
Thanks for reading, what do y’all think?