allright, finally at PC so lets get down to it.
so lets compare Strv103C to T-55AM then, but instead of you cherrypicking, we compare all aspects of these two vehicles, shall we?
Against HEAT-FS, the only place they can really frontally pen 103C is the LFP and the small patch of armor directly under the gun not protected by grille and commander cupola.
T-55AM is much easier to pen with HEAT-FS on the turret becaseu the composite blocks only really protect the outer turret cheeks.
Against kinetic, T-55AM composites do literally nothing. 103C DM23 will slice right through the UFP and most of its turret, again, bar the aforementioned outer cheeks. T-55AMs 3BM-25 will struggle against the 103Cs armor bar the same weakspots HEAT-FS can pen.
Even the 9M117 wont pen 103C reliably.
let me put it this way - firing on the move and corner peeking with 103C is the same as playing ridges with T-55AM. You are putting yourself in disadvantage by playing into the tank weaknesses, instead of strengths.
Thats not tank issue, thats player issue.
yes, 103C sucks at CQB when compared to 55AM. but it will absolutely obliterate it on open maps or ridgelines playing hulldown.
not to mention 103C has better mobility than 55AM with much better reverse speed and small increase in HP/T.
its casemate. it trades turret for being heavily focused onto frontal arc protection and firepower. again, its up to player to play into its strenghts, rather forcing it into disadvantegous positions.
this literally has nothing to do with you saying that
Leopard 1, T-55A, Centurion MK10 are all MBTs, they sit at 8.0 (8.3 for 55A). T-72s, MBT-70s, TTDs are also MBTs and they sit at higher BR. Hell, even things like M48 sitting at 7.7 is still MBT.
saying that “103C should be compared to MBTs” just doesnt make sense. It is compared to other MBTs.
now with that out of the way…
i love how fast you glossed over the firepower differences as if it doesnt matter, completly ignoring 103C can send DM23 (much better shell than that aviable to 55AM AND which will slice right through the 55AM unless it hits the aforementioned outer turret cheeks, ie. place when player will never intentionally shoot) down the range every 4 seconds (when even aced 55AM will reload almost twice as slow).
to conclude, dont force 103C into disadvantageous situations and it will do just fine. if A1A1 and 55AM can be at 9.0, so can 103C; and it wont completly destroy the 7.7 BR range.