Why substantially buffing the Merkavas mk.4 would benefit everyone

How or why would that make it heavier? A fully combat loaded Merkava weighs around 66 tons. Its about making the armor accurate.

From what I can see, you want it to get armor that’s equal or better than that of 2A7 while having no other disadvantages bar smaller ammo number behind a blowout panel and spall liners. Even in the current state, Merkava 4s have some advantages over tanks such as 2A7, so giving them similar/better armor would make them better than tanks that are already too much for 12.0.

As I said, I wouldn’t mind seeing armor improvements for mainly the turret (2A7 level), with UFP being able to tank some hits from worse shells like 3BM46 and such. That should be more than plenty.

I don’t know about that I had heard that the Merkavas wighed 80 tons. Although I find it hard to believe that such a big tank with armor can weigh ‘only’ 66 tons.

The tank would weigh 84 tons if it got its proper armor.

But 84 tons??? where are you getting these numbers from???

An IDF video once said it was 80 tons. As far as I know, it’s the only source saying its that heavy. IDF does have a history of using buzzwords and whatnot to “twist” things to be different, despite not being so, example being with things like the ROEM 155mm SPH, where they said it was the worlds first “automatic SPH” or something along those lines. Unless more sources exist, I would not trust that, but that’s just in my view

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why can china, russia, usa and the 4 nations that get access to 12.0 leopards have tanks with relliable hull and turret armor while the least grinded nation in game needs to comfort with a big practice target? When you come across a T90, Leopard, ZTZ or Abrams you have to turn on your brain for at least a fraction of a second to avoid shooting at anythig that isnt the guntlet, turret ring or LFP. The Merkava already has the biggest LFP with the abrams and it also has the BIGGEST UFP. Also, you dont seem to mind that there is already a tank with the handling of the merkava and armor of a leo 2A7… well there is 2, the 2A7 and the 122+…

its not IDF. Both the ministry of defense and Rafael (the comany that makes the APS) say that a fully combat loaded merkava stay at around 66.5 tons…

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I don’t understand the argument that it was made for CE and that then excludes KE protection.

It was designed for both, as mandated in the Chariot project. Using advanced materials and design and is likely why it’s so heavy in real life.

That argument was POSSIBLY appropriate for 1990 tech and manufacturing. That’s 35 years ago.

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Merkava 4 is okay, imo still better than M1A2. At least you don’t lose your horizontal aiming after enemy looks in your direction. My biggest issue with Israeli top tier is that 99% of time we’re in the same team with America, and against Russia. Should I remind you, how bad lvl 15 Clikcbait players are.
No wonder Israel has the second worst winrate at 12.7, right after… America.

As you can see from my status card, after using Merkava up to this point, I would argue that Merkava is weak.
If you want to criticize me, you must have a higher Merkava record than I do.

What do you see in this game that makes you think it is based on reality?
Even if you could claim that the game is based on reality, there are parts of this game that are absolutely not realistic.
So I don’t think it is wrong to say that the game is bad and should be enhanced OR nerfed, even though it may be different in reality.
Merkava is in a position in WT where armor is suffering, so I would like to see armor strengthened. I don’t see anything wrong with this argument.
There is no doubt that to many civilians, Merkava = weak tank.

Only the designer knows the specific defensive performance of CE armor and KE armor, and since we are playing a game, there should be no problem if these values are increased or decreased slightly.
However, I think there is a limit to this increase or decrease. Although it is better than the Merkava, the Merkava is still thinly armored.

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America´s winrate is unforgivable. Having the second best tank in game with that winrate is just a skill issue. Merkava has paper armor, worse penetration and its lineups lack variety and a decent SPAA (the machbet isnt shooting anything down at 12.7) You can see how nations like Japan and France that dont have tanks with anything thats skill numbing relly on skill and have good winrates. Its the same with italy although it has a 2A7. What would make the merkava different from the leclerc other than the leclerc can be supported by a Rafale and a Ito 90? Also, I doubt anyone would grind Israel to get the merkavas. If they were the best tanks in the game, it wouldnt change anything, it would be an american lineup with prettier tanks and cooler camouflaged planes and also lacking a “decent” SPAA. Also, where did you get this numbers from? Is it from the forum or what? Im new to using these kind of things, IS there a war thunder discord server or something?

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They don’t better than Mav overall yes but not really second best probably second easiest tank to kill.

America´s problem is literally skill issue, go to 11.3 and all you see is clickbaits, the abrams is already very good. It has gun handling, penetration, mobility and not paper armor (at least in the turret). Israel has no SPAA (Althoug IRL it has the Spyder SR that could easily be added) and paper armor, and again, there is no actual reasons to grind Israel other than being israeli or really liking the merkava, the only difference would be that rare ocassion when you encounter a merkava at 12.0, you would shoot its lower plate or other weakspot instead of shooting anywhere to kill it

The M1 series and the Merkava series suffer from a critical issue known as “shoot the hull anywhere to kill” syndrome.

Dunno where this guy is getting “second best” when there are multiple nations sporting 2A5+ tanks and the BVM + 90M have existed for a long time now.

Im saying the abrams is second best because the Leopard is better and this wouldnt be a problem if literally 4 nations got 12.0 Leopards. The T90M and BVM have easy and relliable weakspots that usually kills or incapacitates them ( the BVM´s turret can be easily penned if not hit on the ERA) and they have the worse reload and reverse speed in the game. Although I hate playing against russia with Israel, if it wasnt for their CAS and my inability to stop it, I wouldnt mind facing T90s and BVMs all the time

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“Every tank have that problem including Uparmored Leopard it not something exclusive for Russia”
Mav MK IV deserve at least it pre nerf LIC turret armor at least i don’t see reason nerfed it to the ground too.

If by “reliable” you mean “seldom actually work because the autoloader catches all the spall” then yes. Compare that to an actual “reliable” kill being that you can shoot any merkava in the hull from nearly any direction and always kill the entire turret crew, and now with the M1 series basket change, you can easily kill the entire turret crew and disable everything present in the turret with a shot to any part of the hull. It is comically easy to do and only required the firing party to just fire into the general mass of either tank and you score a easy kill. Meanwhile for the BVM or 90M you have to hit either the LFP or the side, as the drive ports now more commonly do volumetric BS, or the mantlet only disables the gun due to the autoloader catching spall for the crew.

The Merkavas are easily the worst tanks at top tier bar the Arietes, which also suffer from having non-functional armor but can at least move. The M1s sit right beside the Type 10 in the middle of the pack for viability but are easily far from the top.

^

Yes, I mean relliable. Its very easy to kill russian mbts from the front, it just requires to shoot at the right places, this combined with the fact that they are small and cramped it just usually sends them to hangar or hinders them in a way that is just better to J out. The nerf to Abrams´ and Leos is good and deserved because not only they are the most seen and used tanks, they have relliable armor, best mobility and reload speed. Again Im telling you, 4 nations get 12.0 leopards, even sweden when it already has the 122s. It happens to me a lot that I blunder a shot but just my commander/loader is killed when I play the merkava. Tell me, wouldnt it just be easier to shoot the lower plate or turret ring to instantly ammo rack or knock my crew out by forcing the other player to target those weakspots instead of him just shooting the moment he sees a pixel of my tank?

We must be playing completely different games then.

So you just explained the average Merkava, Ariete, or M1 gameplay experience, shoot anywhere within the hull or just any pixel you can see of the hull to kill it. Anything below the turret ring on all of these tanks is a guaranteed 2 crew members at absolute minimum or the entire crew.

Meanwhile Leos have a armored nose pike and are immune there, while the entire UFP of the BVM and 90M are immune to damage. The 90M in particular is even more resilient due to it’s fuel tanks being spall shields and it having actual spall liners, most of the leopards have this boon only on side shots.

Such is not at all comparable.