On World of Tanks
TWR: Now that you’re nice and warmed up, let’s dig into some of the tough questions! How do you feel about the current state of World of Tanks, the balance, maps, tank selection etc.
Chieftain: I’ve always been something of a maverick in the community, I’m not a fan of the arguments for +/- 1 tier spreads, reducing RNG from the current levels, or that artillery should be entirely removed.
I do wish for fewer corridor maps, though (or at least more non-corridor maps). My favourite map is probably Steppes, simply because there is so much opportunity for maneuver and I believe that fights should be determined more by which side has better tactics than which side is quicker on the draw.
I’m looking forward to some of the upcoming modes which will add back a bit more variety to the game.
TWR: How does Wargaming balance a fictional tank like the Nameless?
Chieftain: I had to ask Minsk for this one, since I had nothing to do with it and don’t follow Valkyria Chronicles. Apparently, and this should not surprise me given I’ve seen it in other franchises, there is something of an ‘expanded canon’ with official and semi-official approval which is out there, to include reference books.
Thus some basic stats for the VC tanks are ‘official’ and publicly available, like dimensions, weight, speed, horsepower. Some less-public questions such as those revolving around armament had to be asked directly to Sega. This made the basic fixed parameters around which the balance team (in Minsk) then made other decisions, keeping in mind also the ‘philosophy’ of the tank (i.e. the German WW2 counterparts), and other in-game tanks of a similar nature.
TWR: What tank do you most want to see in the game?
Chieftain: Chieftain? (duh). Wouldn’t mind seeing the T53 TD show up, just for pure ugliness factor.
TWR: Yeah, wow. What a hideous Tank Destroyer. And I suppose we could have guessed which tank you wanted in World of Tanks! Speaking of which, do you know when the Chieftain is coming?
Chieftain: You guys will probably find out before I do. They have what they need from the historian end, it just comes down to how they decide to implement it. If they can. We have created models for quite a number of vehicles over the years which never made it to the game and have been indefinitely, if not permanently, cancelled due to the vehicle just not fitting into the ecosystem no matter how much we would like them to.
TWR: Which tank line(s) would you like to see added?
Chieftain: Italian. I don’t know how easy it would be, I can think of a number of ‘holes’ at higher tiers which I don’t know how they would fill. Not that they might not show up as a premium mind. A captured M13/40 in the Commonwealth tree with big kangaroos painted on the side? I know I saw an in-game L6 model a few years back… Whether there are any such plans in place is another matter entirely, I’m just throwing out my opinion.
TWR: Opinion is important, and we like to hear it! As a Cavalry officer, what are your opinions on the role light tanks play in the current game, especially at high tier levels?
Chieftain: I’ve not actually encountered many lights since the Tier Xs were introduced. Unfortunately, I don’t believe many of the current maps encourage the use of light tanks in the roles in which they are really best suited: Recon/Counter-recon and raiding: You don’t need a light tank to discover that there’s an E-100 at the other end of Tank Alley in Himmelsdorf….
TWR: That is unfortunate. The new Tier 10 Light tanks are actually extremely fun, but it all seems to be in an odd place at the moment – at least from the community’s perspective. Following that, if you could change anything in World of Tanks, no matter how complex, expensive, or trivial, what would it be?
Chieftain: Clans and clan wars. Way back when, before I got booted from the clan I was in for inactivity, there was a sense of purpose in being in a clan beyond just the feeling of belonging. I look forward to the changes which will actively encourage clan membership and co-operation, and not just at Tier X. After all, fighting is more fun with friends!
TWR: Thank you so much for taking the time to chat with us, Chieftain! We’ve certainly learned a lot and we can’t wait to see you in the next episode of Inside the Chieftain’s Hatch!
Thank you to the World of Tanks subreddit for some of the questions.
