PROScout Tutorials: Anti-Scouting

Source: http://forum.worldoftanks.com/index.php?/topic/361565-proscout-tutorials-anti-scouting/

Anti-Scouting is exactly what it sounds like; your job is to find enemy Scouts and destroy them.    The team that eliminates enemy Scouts while keeping theirs alive has a huge advantage for the remainder of the battle. Because of this, if the enemy has any Scouts alive, you should ALWAYS be Anti-Scouting as either a primary or secondary role. While your main purpose in Anti-Scouting is to take away the enemy’s eyes, you sometimes also Anti-Scout simply as a means of vision control or to deprive the enemy a path to your back lines.

If you see an enemy Scout breaking for your rear lines, GO GET HIM!  Do not rely on your teammates to react - they can prove amazingly obtuse to what is transpiring on the battlefield.  So don't hesitate to respond.  Even if the Scout is on the opposite side of the map, start to intercept him.  If you see your team react, then you can break off your pursuit.  But until you see an adequate reaction from your team, assume you are the only person who will go get the guy. 

As with Spotting, you can approach Anti-Scouting either passively or actively. No matter whether you set up passively or actively, the 3 steps of Anti-Scouting are the same: Locate, Intercept, and Eliminate.

LOCATE:

The means of locating him vary depending on how you decide to Anti-Scout but until you figure out where the sumbitch is, you can’t take him out.   Many times you will spot the Scout yourself but, just as often, your first glimpse of him will come via the mini-map.

INTERCEPT:

Once you spot the Scout, your goal becomes to position yourself in a place which lets you inflict damage on him.  If you have Arty, you may need to position yourself where you can ram him to stop his forward progress before he lights your Arty up.  If you don’t have Arty, simply getting to a position from which you can Snipe may be adequate.  Just remember, if he is moving and you go to where he is now, he won’t be there when you arrive. Plot a course that will intercept him along the route he is taking.

ELIMINATE: (destroy)

Ahh…the fun part.   Hiding and getting free damage is always a great idea.  However, if you are protecting Arty, you may need to move in and ram him to keep him from infiltrating so far he lights them up.  Ram him to arrest his forward progress then take him out.  If no Arty is involved, only ram him if you need the emergency damage to save your own life or the life a of an ally.  Ramming costs you Hit Points; Hit Points which may be critical later in the game- spend them with care.

PASSIVE ANTI-SCOUTING

In Passive Anti-Scouting you set up in a bush which provides overwatch along a known Scout infiltration route then you wait for an enemy Scout to come barreling down the route.  Unless the spot doubles as a good Passive Spotting bush don’t do this unless you have Arty to protect.   If the enemy Scouts are spotted in places where it is obvious they will not use the route you are watching and you aren’t getting any other spots, go do something else.

PROS:

You frequently get the first shot and good position on the enemy Scout, a huge advantage in a 1 on 1 fight.

Almost always guarantees you will fight their Scout with help nearby for you and none nearby for him.  Those are the kinds of odds you want!

Many times your team will kill the Scout before you have to fire, allowing you to eliminate the enemy’s eye without ever being seen.  

CONS:

 If the enemy Scout never invades and you aren’t in a good passive spotting bush, you end up wasting lots of time.

Less perceptive team mates may shoot or TK you for “not scouting”.

If you guess wrong, the enemy Scout may go down a different route and still get to your Arty.

PRIME CONSIDERATIONS:

Turn your scout around so it is facing the direction you will most likely pull out in to begin your interception or pursuit.

Tell your team what you plan to do during the countdown timer.    Don’t wait until some goofball on your team shoots you to attempt to explain why you are where you are.

The moment you see the enemy Scouts in other areas of the map doing other things, switch roles.   Don’t waste time waiting on an enemy which isn’t headed for your trap.

ROLE COMBOS: 

On many maps, Passive Anti-Scouting can combine with Passive Spotting.

ACTIVE ANTI-SCOUTING

Active Anti-Scouting is much more fluid and dynamic.  You are constantly moving around your half of the map until an enemy Scout is spotted then you zoom in and kill him.  

While your goal is to eliminate enemy Scouts, it is also to deny them spots on your team.  Frequently shadowing or mirroring a Scout will do this.  Shadowing is simply copying their movements on your side of the map.  If you move laterally with them, you prevent them from popping too far over mid-field and getting good spots because the moment they attempt to spot, they are seen and open to fire.  You can also time their movements to give you chances to fire at them.

PROS:

Staying at full speed allows you to quickly react to any situation on the battlefield.

Allows you to Anti-Scout and spot at the same time.

Allows you to bait enemy Scouts and pull them into a field of fire.

CONS:

Your location is frequently known to the enemy.

Much more risky than Passive Anti-Scouting if you do not have Sixth Sense.

Initial shots are low percentage on-the-move shots.

PRIME CONSIDERATIONS:

If the enemy Scout is shadowing you, he probably knows what he is doing - treat him with respect.

Be wary of chasing Scouts onto their side of the map.  They are probably trying to bait you just as you are trying to bait them.  “Welcome to my web said the spider to the fly.”  Be the spider – not the fly.

ROLE COMBOS:

Active Anti-Scouting combines perfectly with Half Court Spotting

GENERAL RULES FOR ANTI-SCOUTING

Unless you have Arty, and usually even just 1 Arty isn't enough, you should not set up in an Anti-Scout passive bush that doesn't double as a Passive Spotting location.   You will help your team spotting enemy tanks.

Remember, as long as the enemy has Scouts alive, if you are doing something else, your secondary role should be Anti-Scouting.  Not many or none of your team mates will have the speed needed to intercept an enemy Scout if he makes a break through your lines.

Be alert to your team taking damage from invisible tanks.  This means their Scout is getting spots.  Use your knowledge of the maps to determine where he is and try to expose him and/or call for fire into his hiding spot before your team gets too far behind.  It is sometimes worth dying to expose a Scout who is lighting up your team.

HAPPY HUNTING!

Soviet premium “light T-54″

Source: 
VK Wotleaks community
For The Record

This is the upcoming tier 8 Soviet premium medium tank, the “light T-54″. Right now it’s being supertested on the test. Compared to regular T-54, it has lighter armor. Currently, its ETA is unknown (possibly 9.3). The description says:

“A project of the lighter variant of the T-54 medium tank. The work on this vehicle began in May 1949. It was proposed that this vehicle, thanks to its increased terrain passability, could be used for tasks, in which the use of the regular serial T-54 tanks was not practical. While the project was being developed, the T-54 Model 1949 was finished and mass-produced and there was no more need for the lighter medium tank.”

Statistics:

Gun: D-10T
Penetration: 175
Damage: 250
Reloadtime: 8,24s (this is most likely with 100 percent crew and such)
Aim time: 2,7s
Accuracy: 0,4
Gun depression: -5 deg

Weight: 30,79 tons
Engine power: 520hp
Power-to-weight: 16,89
Hull traverse rate: 44 deg/s
Ground resistance: 0,959/1,151/1,918

Viewrange: 385m
Radio range: 800m
Battletiers: 8,9,10 (regular tier 8 medium MM)
Hitpoints: 1300

New Ranzar Video

9.1 TD Shooting Camo Nerf in Numbers

Source: For The Record

Soviets




Germans



Everyone else

[WoT Awesome Replays] Last Line of Defense (T110E3 with 9,6k dmg)

9.1 Update Review

"Girls und Panzer" Voice Pack No. 3 - Saori Takebe

Source: SEA Forum

"World of Tanks" Meets "Girls und Panzer" Voice Pack Part 3 is released!

The third Voice Pack will feature Anglerfish Team's Radio Operator and love specialist, Saori Takebe!

By installing this Voice Pack, the crew voices during your World of Tanks battles will be changed to Saori's voice.

The new character voice for this Voice Pack are all newly recorded and exclusive to this Voice Pack. Also, the Voice Pack is free for everyone to use, so everyone can enjoy Sensha-do with Saori.

Attached Files

Download 

First Football Mode Footage

PROScout Tutorials: Peek-a-View and Proxy Spotting

Source: http://forum.worldoftanks.com/index.php?/topic/359677-proscout-tutorials-peek-a-view-and-proxy-spotting/

PEEK-A-VIEW

Many of you are familiar with the Peek-a-Boo /Peek-a-Boom style of fighting.   Peek-a-View spotting is the same concept, but with spots as the goal instead of damage.  The Scout hides behind a building, rock, terrain change, etc then pops out just far enough to get spots before quickly retreating back behind his cover.

Obviously, this is highly risky.  You are essentially playing a game of Whack-a-Mole with only 1 hole - and YOU are the mole.  Despite the risk, Peek-a-View is an outstanding tool to have in your bag of tricks.

Think Malinovka and the passage by the water’s edge along the north edge of the central pond/swamp.  The ramp at either end of that path is perfect for Peek-a-View spotting.  You pop up, get spots and immediately retreat a bit back down the ramp, becoming immune to enemy fire.   As soon as the spots disappear, you do it again. 

The same technique is useful on maps and in battles across the spectrum of WOT.  All you need is a terrain feature to provide cover, tanks to spot, and the skill and willingness to take a risk for your team.

PROS:

Provides spots in areas where Passive and Active spotting may not work.

Usable anywhere you have something to provide cover.

Creates a huge distraction for the enemy team.

CONS:

Vulnerable to enemy fire when you pop up; they know where you are after the first time you do it.

Often results in you getting “stuck” behind you cover until enemy spots are killed. 

Frequently vulnerable to enemy flanking movements.

PRIME CONSIDERATIONS:

Use this style of spotting only when Passive or Active won’t work.

If possible, pop out of cover at different spots.  Peek around the left side of the rock, then the right but don’t be predictable!  Vary your timing, as well.

Only pull out far enough to get spots unless you are certain the enemy tanks are not aimed in at you.   Most of the time, you are more valuable as a spotter than as a sniper.

Before you pop out the first time, it helps to tell your team, especially if you have Arty, to aim in on the location you are about to see tanks.

ROLE COMBOS:

Can sometimes be combined with Sniping.

PROXY

When tanks move to a distance 49m or less apart from each other, they automatically light each other up.  This is called Proximity spotting., or Proxy spotting, for short.    It doesn’t matter if rocks, buildings, whatever is in between them.  Line of Sight is not required.

Scouts can take great advantage of this. 

On maps such as Karelia Assault, the defending team often sends a tank to the base of the balcony on top the donut to light up snipers.   Teams in Sand River Assault often do the same thing.  Sometimes the most effective way to expose tanks in the Murovanka’s Magic Forest is to simply run down the medial outside of the Forest, proxy spotting hidden tanks as you go.

If you think about it, Proxy spotting can be used literally anywhere there are enemy tanks.  As battles progress, an alert Scout can frequently find times where he can sneak up to a rock or building and expose an enemy tank he knows is hiding on the opposite side.

PROS:

Can expose enemy tanks in situations where Line of Sight spotting is unattainable.

Can completely neutralize an enemy tank.

Usable on every map.

CONS: 

By default, you are always lit up when you Proxy.

Susceptible to Arty, flankers, and snipers since they know where you are.

Vulnerabilities limit its use.

PRIME CONSIDERATIONS:

Because you are exposed when you Proxy, you must have a great handle on where enemy tanks are before you attempt it.

Pay close attention to the mini-map so you can egress before enemy flankers and/or snipers move into position to attack you.

If needed and possible, playing ring-around-the-rosie with the enemy vehicle can keep you alive long enough for your team to eliminate the tank you are spotting.

If your team has no one able to shoot your spot, you may end up accomplishing nothing but trapping yourself in an untenable position.  Don’t proxy unless you have support available!

ROLE COMBOS:

Because Proxy spotting puts you in a vulnerable position dependent on your team’s support, it is difficult to combine with other Scout roles.

So there you have it – the 4 basic methods of spotting:  Passive, Active, Peek-a-View and Proxy.  Learn them all; you could very well employ every one of them during the course of a single battle! 

Now, I know some of you are thinking, “Taz, you left out what equipment and skills are good for each type of spotting – wut’s up with that?”  (changed my mind)  I don't include them here because what equipment and skills to use involve consideration of much more than spotting style you will use.  The SCOUT series will take an in depth look at equipment and skills later on in the series.

Next up:  Anti-Scouting

HAPPY HUNTING!

European Tree part IX – FAQ

Source: For The Record

Part I – Introduction
Part II – Italy, Czechoslovakia
Part III – Hungary
Part IV – Sweden
Part V – Yugoslavia
Part VI – Poland
Part VII – Spain
Part VIII – Switzerland and others
 

In our last part of the European tree series, we will talk about the common questions, that arise in connection with the possible European tree, we will be debunking some of the most common myths as well. So, without further ado, once more unto the breach, dear friends!
Myth 1: EU tree would be infested with Soviet (on in rarer cases, American) copies
Possibly the most common myth about the potential EU tree. Obviously, if you have followed the series, you know that it is not true. Granted, some nations are problematic on high tiers (Italy, Hungary, Poland), but – Czechoslovaks do have hightier vehicles (TVP series), Yugoslavia does too, Switzerland does too, Sweden has TONS of original stuff. There would be no shortage of hightier options for the entire EU tree. Granted, that would happen provided that all these nations are a part of the EU tree and not introduced as separate minitrees.
The best case scenario is that additional research would reveal more interesting candidates for the hightier nations, that are currently lacking in this respect. It is not unheard of. Worst case scenario is that some of the important, yet problematic nations would “merge” into one big branch (for example, imagine a single line of Czechoslovak light/medium tanks, with Polish and Hungarian tanks attached to it, merging into the Czechoslovak branch on their respective tiers. Or – in another case, Hungarian into Swedish (after all, they did have common designs). That would work.
But yes, there are many options for high tiers, with even the heavy branch present in form of the Swedish Kranvagn tanks.


Myth 2: EU tree is very difficult to implement
Not really, however you look at it. You need exactly one new thing, that is not yet in the game. A mechanism, where you select the nationality of the crews. That’s like one window, where you pick, which set of names and faces you want to use. Universal “European” crews are neither historical nor good ideas (“why is there a Polish gunner in my Hungarian tank”), but the selection would allow the players to pick their preferences.
Then you need of course a set of names and faces for the crews. Sets of names, that’s pretty easy – one day work, just ask the respective national communities, I am pretty sure for example the Czechs and Slovaks would come up with names and surnames very quickly. Faces – well, that’s a bit worse, but how hard can that be? Again, we Czechoslovaks, do look a bit like Germans, some of the German faces might well be re-used (modified) to look like us. Historical tanker uniforms – info can be easily provided, as well as the ranks. And of course you need historical tank markings, colors, inscriptions and such things. Suffice to say, me and a couple of other guys have already done some research in this department for the EU tree and passed it on to Wargaming. Easy.

Myth 3: Noone really wants the EU tree
Again, not true of course. Pretty much every European language section has its own thread of “add our tanks into the game” – Czechoslovak community does. Polish community does (that’s two out of three largest EU national communities, IIRC). The Hungarians do. There is an ultra-extensive Italian armor thread on US forums by Vollketten. Italian tanks are being researched by WG employees, with interesting finds passed onto Yuri Pasholok. The interest is clearly there. How much exactly of it – that is another matter. I plan to ask the players, then we’ll see. Some of the potential EU communities are very large, as I wrote before – it’s an opportunity to make money for Wargaming. I don’t know about you, but I would buy a hightier Czechoslovak premium tank. I am sure that the Polish would too buy many of theirs – not without the EU tree though, after all, what point is an EU premium tank without training a crew on it?

Myth 4: EU tree vehicles are paper projects, that never fired a shot in anger
Obviously not true. Czechoslovak armor fought – LT Vz.35 and 38 (despite serving with the German army mostly) saw actually action AGAINST the Germans on several occasions (in Bulgarian and Romanian service, during the Slovak National Uprising). Hungarian armor fought practically until the end of the war. Despite their undeservingly bad reputation, Polish armor wrecked the German invaders on several occasions, with the 7TP being superior to the most numerous German tanks, Panzer I and Panzer II. Swedish armor did not fight, but a lot of these vehicles were actually built, ready for war and served with the Swedish army. Swiss army – same thing. Or Yugoslavia – potential lowtier candidates fought the Germans, hightier vehicles were built and tested. Certainly, post-war development, when Europe was split into two hostile blocs, did influence the tank design a lot – and yes, Czechoslovakia and other Eastern Bloc nations used Soviet vehicles after the war, but that does not mean these vehicles have to appear in their trees. Or – if they do – as little as possible. Plus – tell me, how exactly do you want to have really historical battles without Hungarian and Italian tanks?

Myth 5: EU tree would bloat the client size too much
Nonsense. For one, currently, there are roughly 350 tanks in the game I think (with cca 25 more in plans). Realistically, without multiple branches per nation, we are looking at like 50 tanks for the EU tree in its most basic version (that wouldn’t come at once anyway). 50 tanks – that’s like a 15 percent increase in model size compared to the current status. If you consider releasing three branches in the first batch, that’s just 30 tanks for example (cca 9 percent increase). Hardly a terrible size increase!
Plus, there are ways of mitigating the size issue (the size in fact is not that big an issue, the traffic is), for example by optional SD/HD selection (coming in 9.2), or by allowing players to select, which HD models they want (what is the point of downloading a HD model of a T-26 for example, when you are never going to touch that tank ever again, or you don’t play lowtiers). Furthermore, remember what Storm wrote about the quality of playerbase computers – somewhat less than 50 percent of RU players play on “calculators” – very poor computers, often below minimal WoT requirements. These will not use HD textures for sure (I wonder how many actually will, because if I remember correctly, only 20-30 percent of WoT players have modern high-end computers).

Myth 6: EU tanks would break the game balance, unbalancing the battles once again
Hardly. Apart from some isolated Swedish proposals, there are no completely outrageous gamebreaking designs in the tree, no shit like WT E-100.
So, the real question is:

Why should you support the EU tree tanks, when you don’t really care about the EU tree?
In 2013, the developers announced that the year 2014 will be a year of changes for the World of Tanks. So far, that is proving to be exactly true, but not always for the better. If you follow FTR, you might have noticed the concern of Russian developers to implement the EU tree. An extreme form of this opinion is that after the Firefly line, there should be no more regular tanks implemented at all, everything new should be either an event tank or a premium tank. This is not just a mere speculation, these are opinions of some of the World of Tanks producers and developers – for example Storm himself is reluctant to talk about the EU tree or other tanks, considering them unnecessary – from what he published anyway. Same goes for “Big Boss” Viktor Kislyi – remember how he squirmed, when, recently, a Polish moderator asked him about Polish tanks during the WGL finals in Warsaw?
This is why you should support the EU tree – allow me to paraphrase the famous quote of Martin Niemöller:
First they came for the EU tree and I did not speak out – because I didn’t want it.
Then they came for the British and I did not speak out – because I wasn’t playing them.
Then they came for the French and I did not speak out – because I wasn’t playing the French either.
Then they came for all the rest – and there was no one left to speak for what I wanted.
Perhaps the above sounds a bit melodramatic (indulge that vice of mine, please), but I think we can agree that a vast majority of players does not want new regular tanks to stop coming, even if some reduction of pace is quite okay. What such a stop would mean – simple: the transfer of World of Tanks from a “developing project” to “milk cow” status, with all the consequences of such decision.
Of course, if you think that someone will suddenly come out publicly and say “we are not going to add any more regular tanks, prems/event tanks only from now on” – you would be wrong. That would be a PR disaster, tons of ragequits, forum shitstorms etc.. It would start… well, exactly like this:
“EU tanks? Sometimes in the future. Maybe. If we decide we need them. And other tanks? Maybe in the future as well. Stay tuned – here are a few premiums you might like to buy.”
Repeat every half a year. Sounds familiar? It should, those, who like the French tanks, know this tune very well. And so, if you are wondering, why am I talking about EU tanks all the time and rallying support for them: it’s not just for them, it’s indirectly for the status of World of Tanks as a developing project. Because whatever you might think of WoT development – as soon as they stop adding more regular tanks, it’s all over. Maintenance/cowmilking mode is what will drive WoT into oblivion.

How can you support EU tree then?
Now, THAT is a good question. One I will get to in due time. You’ll see.