There’s a reason I put both on the poll. Thailand makes sense in terms of political and historical reasoning while SK makes sense in terms of gameplay. Both have their valid points.
I agree with this one. I feel it would be better for trees to be one side or the other, instead of both.
A unified Korea tree just makes it into a “both sides” tree so you’d have, for example, Western MBTs and Eastern Bloc MBTs in the same tree, similar to China. It would kind of ruin the feel of asymmetry that is a selling point of the game but has been sort of disappearing recently. North Korea would fit very well in China, using a lot of imported Chinese equipment (along with Russian stuff, which would also fit).
The only problem with that is where to put South Korea. I think they could stand on their own, they have enough things, but it would just be another Japan where its got enough to make it a tree but not enough to make it fleshed out. For that reason, I would say it should go to Japan, but obviously people might not agree with that because of social issues.
While South-Korea has some cool stuff, I go with Thailand as sub-TT and agree with AlvisWisla, they have overall more interesting stuff to offer, incl. the Oplot-T and three different BTR-3s, which seem to have a chance only with Thailand atm.
Their F-5s, Alpha Jet, A-37, T-50TH and L-39 could also close some gaps to some degree, not to mention their modified vehicles, like M60A3, M41GTI and funny Starstreak missile trucks.
While the Chinese would be the ones crying about their beloved VT-4 being in a Japanese subtree, lol.
Edit: Japan just can’t get a rest when it comes to the idea of a subtree. Almost no nations would properly fit it; Thailand works but Chinese players will absolutely mald over the fact that the VT-4 gets added to Japan, can’t get SK on the basis of political and historical reasons even though ties between both countries have improved since then, and if it doesn’t get a subtree, Japan as a nation will have lots of holes at top tier.
I genuenly think that we need to think MORE about the game than of fantapolitics.
They should all all the nations possible in the game for the sake of inclusivity and diversification, BUT they should add NOT A SINGLE STANDALONE tree anymore. Everything now on should be added as a subtree. I don’t think if the rename “Japan” to “Pacific Tree” or “Italy” to “Pan-Mediterranean Tree” or something, but we have proofs that standalone trees can’t really work on their own (even if you add a ton of vehicles nobody will play them, like israel) and we have a ton of holes in existing tree to patch up, and this can be done with subtrees (Italy is still missing a Heavy Tank in its tree, and it can be fixed by a hungarian Tiger).
So SK and Thai can go to Jap, China can have NKorea of whatever. Decided not by “historical reasons” or “fantapolitics”, but only on what the TREE IN THE GAME NEEDS.
It’s essentially basement-dwelling keyboard warriors. My family is Japanese/Korean and no issues at all.
So many precedents already set within the game of formerly warring nations or even ones actively hostile now being put together.
Another option is to give Japan access to American vehicles given the close military alliance. Not ideal, but Japan needs something as it’s really falling behind.
I think that Thailand should def go into the Japanese Tec tree. When it comes to the south Korean vehicles tho I have no idea. Gaijin had no issues with giving Taiwan to China but if Gaijin changes their stance when it comes to south Korea I think it fits vest into the American tree.
It might fit in the American tree but like… it doesn’t really need it? America as-is is one of the most fleshed out nations in the game so I think that it probably would be the cost of getting through the US tree outweighs the positives of South Korean vehicles, if that makes sense
In terms of gameplay alone, SK makes far more sense to be paired with Japan than Thailand. Thai vehicles are 99% copy paste, and the few vehicles they have that aren’t already in game (T-84M, VT-4) will have trees that suit them better down the line (Ukraine/Eastern European combined tree and China, respectively).
SK has unique vehicles of it’s own, and some additional American ones which can be used selectively to patch lines in the Japanese tree without ending up as complete copy paste.
If needed, I think the Japanese tree should be renamed to something more generic like “Blue Dragon” or similar, that way it’d be a truely combined line, rather than having SK vehicles fighting under the Japanese flag. Might make it a bit more palatable for the rabid nationalists, not that I value their opinions much.
Removing the name ``Japan Tree’’ in order to resolve the Japan-Korea issue is like pouring gasoline to try to extinguish a fire, and it will only make the problem worse.