Volunteer of issues suggests comment in the forums to me as this is not a bug, so i shall talk about my
view if it could be possible to make my suggestion of ZSL92 more acceptable or being negative.
Main Suggestions: Change the vehicle type of the in-game ZSL92 to a light tank, based on in-game performance and reality function.
At present, there are some conditions:
The vehicle function of ZSL92 (WZ551) in reality is APC, which is similar to the vehicle function of BTR and M113, and should be used as a reconnaissance unit rather than an air defense unit.
At the same time, there are light tank vehicles on the air defense line in the game such as Luchs A2.
The elevation angle of ZSL92 (52°) is worse than other air defense vehicles and even similar wheeled APCs such as BTR-80A (70°) and Luchs A2 (69°).
Due to the suspension, ZSL92 will shake violently when shooting, resulting in poor ballistic walking.
The firepower of ZSL92 is weak, and its protection and killing efficiency is not as good as or worse than 20mm gun with the same rank (ballistic walking aggravates the problem).
The Chinese line added PGZ88 (Rank V BR8.0), which BR 2.3 difference between ZSD63/PG87 (Rank IV BR5.7). This similar situation exists, such as the United States line.
At the same time, a considerable number of groups lack 6.0-7.0 effective air defense such as the United States, Britain, Japan, Sweden and Israel.
I think we should supplement the BR 's anti-aircraft vehicles instead of filling the tech tree by adding barely functional vehicles, which is not healthy for the game environment and the combat mechanism.
Summary
Main Suggestions : Change the vehicle type of ZSL92 in the game to light tank.
Three more complex and feasible suggestions :
Change the vehicle type of ZSL92 to a light tank and fold it under ZSD63 / PG87.
Change the vehicle type of ZSL92 to a light tank and incorporate it into the light tank line.
Change the vehicle type of ZSL92 to a light tank and fold it under the M18 GMC carrier of the light tank technology tree development line.
Set a separate research line for the main wheeled vehicles
Thank you for your reading and understanding.
Of course, we need suitable new AA vehicles for these country groups, in whose BR are lack in AA vehicles. (This needs another comment anyway.)
It already has been discussed a lot of times that it should be changed to a light tank, the most common request is changing it to be a LT and give it its APDS ammo even if that means raising the BR, the cannon that it has never fired AP like it is in game
Personally I’m very disappointed with the implementation and this was a vehicle I strongly supported to be added on the old forums, I really was looking forward to this thing and then it got ammo nerfed and labeled as a SPAA, what I don’t get is why they picked the WZ551 hull instead of going for the Type 85 apc one, it would have the same gun, same turret, a better armored hull and even smaller profile
there are a number of other vehicles in game that have a similar problem of effectively being pressganged into being AA by gaijin to fill gaps, like the wiesel 1a4, AMX-10P, R3 T20, SUB I-II, and the USH 204
unfortunately its often the case where if these vehicles got replaced there would be nothing that could replace them at their intended BRs
thank you for telling me such abundant info and game condition as addition.
your view and example is good for replacing it as light tank, and we still needs AA in this BR for these countries.
and when changes to bomber survivability get deployed, it will be hard for ground vehicles to defend themselves, which fighters may probably be not so willing to catch these ‘fighting bunkers’.
would be set a high BR for these bomber in ground battle? for most countries, here are only 20mm cannon to choose for AA near 6.0.
or perhaps we can introduce friendly air defense vehicles as a transition like what high BR or nuke plane be.
for example, if we have Soviet teammates in 6.7, everyone get a BTR-ZD or M53/39 with no modifications.
or even try to divide same-country players into 2 part because most captured and exported vehicles makes it not that historical and balanced
eh, personally im fine with vehicles being mislabeled in terms of their role in game for this cause, imo its better that people get a functional in SPAA role, indigenous but mislabeled vehicle than get just another lendlease or foreign import vehicle
but it would be nice if all of these vehicles got scouting instead of only most of them getting it
though of the ones I listed only the USH 204 and R3 t20 (as well as the ZSL92) dont already have it
Bridging gaps with autocannon vehicles that aren’t actually SPAAs is fine, some of them are even intended to engage slow aircraft anyways. But making ZSL92 one of them was completely unnecessary, especially when it’s gun is so similar to the ZSD which is one of the better low tier AAs.
And to make it worse there’s an actual AA variant of the ZSL, which (as far as I know) practically just means that it has a mounted SAM launcher.
does that really make it worse? that sounds like it would be at an entirely different BR in warthunder
but yeah you are correct on the other stuff, not like it matters now though tbh
these days every nation got the ~6.0 APC/recon vehicle with a 20mm that gets called an SPAA in game (probably symptomatic of a bigger ‘issue’ that occurred within IRL spaa development where there was limited time and place where anyone wanted to develop an SPAA that would be worth around this BR and nobody needs to do it much but what is needed is a light vehicle that is reasonable armed for its size (with the good ol rh202)
The ZSL92 completely fails to meet the air defense requirements at 6.3. It has none of the strength of the ZSD63/87; it is only better in mobility and fire endurance. We should give it APDS and move it to 7.3, then add a new AA.
I’m fine with it as long as it gets scouting. Other light vehicles that get shoehorned into the SPAA role in the game retains their scouting, I believe.
it makes sense that your view further than only thinking of game environment.
there is a blank that with no suitable vehicle, which also no need in reality.
but for WT this must lead to a murder that country without powerful fighters or SPAA will keep being pinned down. (though a considerable number of player cannot use SPAA well anyway)
maybe some players focus on ground vehicles and even never research of SPAA, but for me it will be much agony and unacceptable, being bombed without effective self-defense.
the comment come to a bigger condition that about balance and game mode more than ZSL92 itself.
it seems we can verify ZSL92 situation but not for AA in this BR
