Incredible decisions from gaijin as always, because gaijin never makes mistakes, we all know that right, the glorious snail is never wrong. All hail the snail!
Anyway, as of the most recent major update, gaijin decided the BUK-M3 was underperforming (it was doing fine tbf, it wasn’t worse than the other SAMs by a considerable margin). Little history lesson for anyone that either doesn’t remember or wasn’t around:
Back after update Apex Predators, gaijin decided the 2S6 was under preforming (it also wasn’t then, but funnily enough they nerfed it just so they could be right, I’m not kidding).
Gaijin’s solution to this non-issue? Adding the brand new Russian Pantsir-S1… and thus the problems began
This thing was, and maybe still is for its BR, overpowered. It outranged every SPAA at the time by considerable margins, had the some of the most maneuverable missiles of the time if I’m not mistaken, uses a K-Band tracking radar which no fixed wing aircraft of the time could detect (meaning silent RWR launches and tracking), and had some potent guns for close range as well. This thing reigned as king with no true counterparts (still really aren’t any like it) from early 2023 all the way up until mid/late 2025, nearly 2 and a half years of uncontested Russian SPAA dominance.
Well anyway, flash forward to today with the brand new major update “Ninth Wave”, that released today as of writing this, and I’m feeling a little déjà vu. Today Russia receive a new top tier SPAA to replace the BUK-M3, everyone meet the new king of top tier SPAA, and it’s a… another Pantsir that’s absolutely busted, with the only singular downside being a lack of ARH missiles, which it doesn’t even need. This is the Pantsir SM-SV:
“Wake up babe, it’s 2023 and gaijin just added the Pantsir which is the new best SPAA cuz they overreacted to the current one not doing exceptionally well”
To summarize, this thing gets new 95Ya6M 40km range missiles (range isn’t the issue) and up to 12 of them (24 with boxes) if you take the full loadout. It’s gets the classic K-Band tracking radar meaning silent launches unless you’re in one of the lucky aircraft with K-Band coverage (some top tier jets, not all). The most notable feature is the addition of these smaller missiles, called the TKB-1055, which this thing can carry up to BLOODY 48 OF THEM, things an iron dome, and then you gotta consider that with ammo boxes too. They’re incredible for munition interceptions, making this SPAA nearly unkillable, and very hard to overwhelm, it does have short range at least, according to the stat card
If you’re using any munitions that take time to deploy, such as IR guided missiles or bombs, you won’t have the time to deploy enough to overwhelm this vehicle.
Using GPS munitions? Oh no he moved because he’s one singular unit and he can do that… oh and they probably intercepted them all anyway
Oh you just spawned in? Guess what, on most maps you’re within his no escape range already just like most of the new top tier SAMs so start diving!
The hardest thing to deal with about this vehicle is how fast the new M missile accelerates. It’s capable of MACH JESUS, being nearly a hypersonic missile and surpassing speeds of some top tier APFSDS shells, * reincarnate as a SAM missile, is that you*? Long range standoff against SPAA is hardly a thing, as with most maps, you’re never even able to be outside the 40km range of this thing, forcing you to fight close in most of the time. The problem is that with that missile, this is where it shines and happens to be what makes it the best SPAA in the game. Oh and there’s no such thing as too close, since it gets guns too :). Oh, and it’s new M missile a 50G, compared to the originals 32Gs which was more manageable.
Simply put, unless they increase the map sizes and distance from spawns (but maybe give a closer option so the A-10 and friends aren’t rendered useless), this thing is a problem for the health of top tier as a whole. Unless you’re on the same team as Russia, you’re at a heavy disadvantage when it comes to CAs, where your team struggles to deal with one (let alone however many they spawn), and their CAS with the ever potent fictional Kh-38MT will reign hell upon you.
Im not usually a fan of suggestions like this but, perhaps the new 95Ya6M missile needs to be removed for the time being, refunding players who got the modification for it, and adding it someday later down the line when the game is ready for it. It’s far too potent, and ruins the balance of CAS/Air Defense between other nations. At the very least I don’t see how this isn’t easily placed as the first 13.0 SPAA. I can only imagine what the Russian win rates are going to look like now after this. I don’t even think there’s enough decompression possible to fix this.
Allow me to re-echo the exact sentiment form everyone the moment this vehicle was revealed: This vehicle wasn’t needed, its addition is unnecessary.
Anyway skies are closed unless you’re playing with Russia on your team or are playing Russia, welcome back early 2023. Oh and if any are on your team, no point in spawning anti air cuz they’ll snag all the kills. Can’t wait to not play top tier ground for the next few months. What’s y’alls take on this, think it’s fair or hella busted?
