The South African subtree should be redistributed throughout the British tech-tree. Having a dedicated branch of the sub-tree is stifling the development of the tech-tree, as there is not a place in the tech tree for domestic light vehicles.

Would you like the British tech tree to be re-structured in this manner, with the goal of creating more space for light vehicles.
  • Yes
  • No
0 voters

This may be a controversial title, but please give me a chance to explain. Currently, the South African (SA) subtree occupies the rightmost column of the British tech tree, and the rest of the British tech tree is structured as follows:

WW2 era:

Post WW2:

image

(Note: there are obviously individual exceptions to these rules, and this is not including reserve tier, which is organised independently from the rest of the tree.)

Now there is a relatively large problem with this arrangement- there is no place in the tree for domestic light tanks and wheeled vehicles. Currently the SA subtree is home to the majority of the light vehicles in the British tree, which is fine from a gameplay perspective, but it means a lot of domestic vehicles are missing.

It leaves the tree in an awkward spot. For example, in the WW2 section of the tree, where could domestic wheeled vehicles, like the AECs, Staghounds, Coventrys, etc be implemented? Nowhere!

It’s the same problem with modern light vehicles. There is currently no place in the tree for modern domestic light vehicles like the Saladin 90, Scorpion 90, Fox ARC and many more.

The only two domestic post-war light vehicles are the Vickers Mk 11 and Warrior, which have been squeezed into the Vickers column and ATGM column, respectively.

The solution

I want to make something absolutely clear: the SA vehicles are a fantastic addition to the tree and are generally a joy to play. I am not at all suggesting that they are removed, just redistributed, to create more space to implement light vehicles in the tree.

This would be achieved by moving SA tank destroyers and ATGM vehicles (the G6 and Ratel 20) out of the sub-tree column and into the TD/ATGM column. The same would be done with SA MBTs (Olifants and TTD), these would be placed into the Vickers/Export column, which is in pretty dire need of more vehicles anyway.

This would leave only light wheeled vehicles in the 5th column, with a shed-load of space for new additions. This would then no longer be a dedicated sub-tree branch, but instead a light vehicle column for both domestic and international vehicles, giving plenty of space for future additions.

2 Likes

I mean, you can free up 2 rows if you combine SPAA with SPG’s, then combine the SA branch across the other 3 rows.

You don’t need to remove the SA branch to have light tanks and IFVs, here’s a WIP of an expanded tree I’ve been working on. It adds a couple Jordanian MBTs to the SA branch, and adds light tanks and IFVs into the 3rd branch with the ATGM carriers. With the new foldering it makes it pretty good imo.

Only done Rank V-VIII for the moment:


The only BRs that are missing a light tank from 8.0+ are 9.7 and 10.3. (and 11.0+ but there aren’t any current candidates as far as I’m aware), and it’s far from necessary to have vehicles specifically for those BRs.

3 Likes

That’s a good suggestion.

I would do things a bit differently and have something that is closer than the tree used to be.

From left to right,
Line 1 focuses on cruiser tanks and medium tanks (WW2 era), then MBTs (Cold war to current era)

Spoiler

A13s, Crusaders, Cromwells, Shermans, Challenger (A30), Comet, Centurions, Chieftains, Challengers

Line 2 focuses on infantry tanks and heavy tanks (WW2 era), then export MBTs: Vickers and South-African tanks (Cold war to current era)

Spoiler

Stuarts, Valentines, Matilda, Churchills, Caernavon, Conqueror, FV4202, Vickers MBTs, Olifants, TTD

Line 3 focuses on tank destroyers (and those which used to be)

Spoiler

Tetrarch, Archer, Gun Carrier (3-in), Achilles, Avenger, FV4005, M109A1, Tortoise, Conway, G6, Swingfire, ZT3A2, Striker

Line 4 focuses on SPAAs
Line 5 focuses on wheeled vehicles (that aren’t TDs or SPAAs), IFVs and light tracked tanks.

Spoiler

Daimler Mk II, SARCs, Concept 3, Ratels, Eland, Fox, Warriors, Rooikats, Vickers Mk.11, VFM5