2S38 works fine as spaa because it has no radar making it difficult to detect for incoming HE with time fuse. It take more shells taking one jet down.
Oh my favorit line-up as well. Peoe were calli g the AM-1 with the Brezhnevs eyebrows on it OP, however I have experienced the AMD to be the better tank. Its lighter due to the lack of the composite screen, same ammo loadout, and it can actually counter certain threars. The composite screens are only good for certain angles. Due to map design, flat urban maps, I havent noticed them being too good, but on some of the larger maps, where sniping actually happened, the composite screen could save my life at times too.
Then I could have added the Strela, the BMP-1 or BMP-2 and I was set for a good time.
I think it will still reliably hold up at 9.0.
Honestly I think 8.7-9.0 were some of the best times to play as Russia.
I still remember how happy I was to finally unlock the T-72 and the T-64B - only to be met by how underwhelming those tanks were compared to what I had before.
With that said, I still enjoy Russian Top-tier, or close-to-top-tier, but I started grinding air trees recently, besides getting to Rank 5 in Germany Ground. Germany has I think 3 planes left + the upcoming Swiss Air Force, USA mostly just the bomber line and foldered vehicles, USSR the Su-30SM, and Im at the Mig-27, + some foldered vehicles.
But I wish I could just enjoy the Russian 8.7-9.0 lineup.
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I believe that there are some slight issues with Russia within WarThunder.
The combination of the best SPAA and Kh-38MT platforms is one of them.
Their tanks are… actually quite okay. Somewhat good frontal protection with small weak-spots. The slow reverse speed teaches you not to rush ahead and forces a more methodical playstyle which is why US /Germany teams are bad. The realisation that even if you dont get Mobility killed, you cant pull out is a huge gamechanger. The ERA can eat a few shells - however yes it only is a problem at longer ranges where it reallt is pixel hunting, combined with the small silhouette of most Russian tanks.
Ive seen Russian tanks survive shots that no other western tank would have survived within War Thunder. Side shots that get absorbed by the cumulative effect of ERA, Armour, and Spall Liners. I have seen darts tumbling away from autoloader due to it - I havent noticed tumbling for darts for Western tanks yet. It is a realistic thing though. Hence “overperforming”.
The gun mantlet area, and the drivers hatch are weak spots for all modern tanks.
But lets compare it to the main rivals of Russian tanks: both Abrams and Leo 2 have a very weak and perhaps wrongly modelled Turret ring which is made worse by the claustrophobic ranges normally in game with the laser accurate guns. Its worse for the Abrams, shots from the UFP can be bounced into the turret ring that will pen it. Both tanks have abysmal and very big LFP, that is basically auto-pen, occassional bounce happens.
The gun depression… let me add that this game does a horrible at showcasing hull-down fighting. If anything its more akin to firing from a trench. With the exaggerated hills we have on the maps, even western tanks have to roll over it, exposing the LFP.
Lets say that Russian tank gun depression is good enough for typical hull-down fighting. Obviously not fighting over hills. But this is one thing that is both misunderstood by the player country and misrepresented by Gaijin.
As for maps. Some sections of the Top-tier maps would actually make very interesting Ground maps - I point here at the Denmark.
As for reload speed - this one is one of the dumbest ways to compare tanks in game as it really does not matter as much as people like to claim. Not saying it doesnt have a place. But lets put it down in a way: if you both shoot at each other at the same time, and dont kill each other, one of you might end up being firepower killed, meaning reload speed is less relevant. But lets say its not as important as people like to claim. The autoloader has both ups and downs: one less crew, fixed reload speed. Currently autoloader damage is very bad. You can totally manually load the gun in case of autoloader malfunction. Takes a lot of time and effort, but you can. But you can totally bin the good reload speed of an abrams if the loader is killed.
Also: you do get a HE shell. You can just aim at certain spots and overpressure superior western armour.
The other non-Russian tanks are all the definition of glass-cannon, with the Merkava being an outlier of falling behind in every category when it comes to Top-tier. The engine can absorb some spalling, but at times creates further spalling. Good depression, but see my comment on it further above. The crew survivability, which the Merkava is well-known for is okay. However its slow, big, and fairly average in armament, something shared by the Challenger tanks in game. Oh the Challenger has the worst weak-spots.
Russia is not underperforming objectively. Its people misunderstanding why people say Russian bias and what it actually means.
Lower BRs Russian tanks tend to be volumetric hell.
Then unique gimmicks. (Applique armour, Drozd on 55-AMD.
Then getting mechanics and weapons that outmatch everything. (Pantsir, Kh-38MT), with certain things performing bettet than Western counterparts.
27ER/ET against Sparrows.
The 73 is arguably better than the 9M.
Now the Kh-38MT.
Yeah I get that the R-77 performs worse than AMRAAMs but the AMRAAM meta is not that hard to counter.
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The first country is always the least fun cause you suck massive balls.
I had a more enjoyable time grinding GB than i did the US.
His turms t kd is kinda wild ngl, his bmp2m is good too.
Base model r-77 yes. R77-1 is just a plain upgrade. Faster and much more maneuverable with equal range up to 25km
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Sums it up.I remember getting a twitch drop p 36? a while ago and trying it out. At the time soviet props with their 20mm shvaks (and the other 20s but mostly shvaks) did absolutely 0 damage. Felt like i was playing a different game. Same with the leopards on the ground.
you are so right, if enemy shot hull t14 dead. if enemy shot turret bridge out. even if it will be a little good on game then german cries “russian bias” and gaijin nerf it.
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Issue you are all missing is the 2S38 is 10.3 yet it can regularly perform as well in an uptier or even brought into 12.0 lineups.
How well does the Bradley do when you put into a 12.0 game?
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Really?
Can you show me, how do you do with 2s38 in 12.0 lineup? Honestly asking.
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It’s got great rate of fire and can easilly take out any tanks barrel and then destroy them from the side or criple them and leave them for the tanks to clean up.
It’s probably the best IFV in the game.
I did not asked about any of this.
I asked:
Please answer it, as i am honestly asking.
This refers to every single one of IFV in game
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You think 25mm or 30mm kills barrels as fast as rapid fire 57mm…hmmm
I dont have the 2S38 but have used it and have played it and it does everything pretty good.
M3A3 is 10.0 the 2S38 is 10.3. 2S38 is superior in every way even at it’s own br and when it is taken up to top tier.
But no you I feel are trying to set me up because you genuinely believe Russia is suffering in game?
I honestly asked how do you do with 2s38 in 12.0 matches.
Why do you get so defensive?
Please, answer my question, as i do not have any ill intent, i just want to find any good player that does good in 2s38
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2S38 saga continues.
Allegedly brokenly OP vehicle deserving of 11.3+ but seemingly no one is able to perform with it, especially those that are calling it out for being broken.
This is one interesting situation.
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I am sure he is the chosen one.
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As stated I do not have the vehicle,
There are lots of vidoes of this thing taking apart tanks and IFVS and air targets.
Everything i need to know.
You don’t know what you are talking about, so you just say something that youtuber told you.
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Oh look, after stating multiple times I dont have it. No friend I have been killed by it multiple times it has a great rate of fire, its fast greast optics and can take a hit. It always wins in autocannon duel and it can even snipe low flying aircraft.
Please go on though Russia suffers