Vehicle Name: Merkava Mk.3B(Israeli Ground Tech Tree)
Current Game Status:
Current Battle Rating: 11.3 (Realistic Battles)
Proposed Action: Implement structural chassis and armor fixes and improve the optics configuration of the Merkava Mk.3B to justify 11.3 OR decompress the vehicle to 10.7BR.
The Merkava Mk.3B currently sits at an unsustainable 11.3 BR in Realistic Battles. While its access to the M322 APFSDS projectile gives it competitive top-tier firepower, the platform itself is critically underperforming in every other metric.
At 11.3, it routinely faces Main Battle Tanks like the M1A1, Leopard 2A5, and T-72B3. which are all way superior than the Merkava mk3b since it is crippled by obsolete Gen 1 gunner thermals, a completely unstabilized Commander Sight with inadequate zoom, and a severely flawed internal armor model. Currently, the Mk.3B can be reliably penetrated through its thickest frontal composite arrays by early sub-caliber darts like the Soviet 3BM3 (introduced in 1968) or 3BM42 from the T72 at 9.3.
With the upcoming addition of the external turret basket—which further inflates the vehicle’s physical silhouette and vulnerabilities—the mechanical and structural inconsistencies of this tank must be addressed.
Failure of Core Design Philosophy (Crew Survivability)
The foundational doctrine of the Merkava series, established by IDF Major General Israel Tal, strictly prioritizes crew survivability over all else. The front-mounted engine and transmission were explicitly engineered to act as a massive structural kinetic shield to absorb high-velocity penetrators before they could breach the fighting compartment.
The In-Game Flaw:
In War Thunder, the front engine block acts as if it has a negligible kinetic stopping multiplier. Early-generation Soviet darts (3BM3, 3BM42) slice cleanly through the frontal hull, pass entirely through the massive cast-steel engine and transmission block, breach the rear firewall, and detonate the ammunition or fry the crew.
The Mechanical Fix:
The structural steel equivalent value of a complete front-mounted propulsion block must be re-evaluated. A solid block of moving engine machinery and heavy transmission casings should radically degrade the residual penetrative force and spalling energy of an incoming kinetic projectile.
Severe Electronic and Optical Limitations
In the modern War Thunder meta, 11.3+ engagements are defined by long-range counter-sniping (2km+) and rapid situational awareness. The Merkava Mk.3B is entirely blind compared to its peers:
- Generation 1 Gunner Thermals: At 2km, the low pixel density of Gen 1 thermals makes it nearly impossible to identify hull-down, stationary targets (like an M1A1 or Leopard 2) amidst ground clutter.
- Unstabilized Commander Optics: The Commander’s Panoramic Sight (CMM) completely lacks vertical and horizontal stabilization. It bounces violently when the tank is in motion or adjusting positions, rendering it useless for scanning.
- Lack of Zoom: The lack of high-magnification optics forces the player to engage in pixel-hunting against opponents who possess crystal-clear Gen 2/2+ thermals and fully stabilized sight systems.
Proposed Solutions
To bring the Merkava Mk.3B into a balanced, competitive, and historically logical state, the developers should implement one of the following two balancing paths:
Option A: Retain 11.3 BR but Fix the Structural Modeling
- Recalculate the volumetric density of the modular turret wedges so their physical mass matches their armor value.
- Increase the kinetic energy (KE) protection multiplier of the front engine block to properly simulate historical IDF crew-protection doctrine.
- Fix the stabilization properties of the Commander’s CMM optics to align with modern battlefield capabilities.
- Fix the sights being too incompatible with other 11.3 MBTs
Option B: Decompress the Vehicle to 10.7 BR
- If the armor and optical flaws are deemed unfixable due to classification restrictions, the vehicle must be moved down to 10.7 BR. At 10.7, its lack of armor and poor thermal optics are fairly compensated for by its excellent M322 round, aligning its gameplay loop with vehicles like the IPM1 or T-80B.
edit: i found a community member who shared this post Buff Merkava Mk.3 Now - #42 by 甘雨
it shows the in game thickness of the Merkava and how it can be penetrated easily from different spots which shows how the merkava armor in game is lacking and not correctly modeled. since the real life documents showing the merkava armor is hard to find, i suggest improving the armor multiplier in the engine and the UFP
Thank you for reading.