First: Sorry, Nosara, for the unintentional hijack of your thread. Your point of needing more "tank-towns" seems to be seconded (and thirded, and fourthed, etc) judging from the number of vehicle-junkies that play the game and keep posting on threads like this one.
It also speaks well of HTC to have put something on as almost an afterthought and to have it be actually better than 90% of what else is out there for armor-to-armor combat (at least that I have ever seen).
Regarding specific tank types, I go back to my original point about the Panther vs. Tiger. In pure AH Game Terms (if there is such a thing) there would not be much difference between the two. Unlike air combat where every 10mph or that 30mm variant vs the 20mm can and do make a big difference to a fight, I am not sure we need a VAST number of different vehicles. Seriously, a pzkwIII with a 37mm gun vs a Czech38(t) with an identical gun really wouldn't make a difference in game play (other than asthetics). I would be interested in adding vehicles that would bring something to the table that would make it unique vs. what we have now.
Lets consider the PzkwIV(H) as modeled to be the "baseline" tank in AH. It has a good gun, fair armor, good visability, and is unperked.
T-34/76 is faster, poorer gun but in a faster turret, poorer crew visability, but is slightly more survivable due to the sloped armor. Also unperked.
Osti is the same basic tank as the (H), but with an AA gun in the turret instead of a vehicle fighter. Also unperked.
M-8 is faster than all the above and offers a much smaller target, but the gun is far less powerful. Obviously the weakest of any vehicle yet mentioned, but still good enough to have a role.
M-16 is faster than the Osti with much faster rate of fire, but is definitely weaker in all other respects.
Now that this is our "base" of unperked vehicles, what do other models bring?
Tiger I - Obviously much up-armored and up-gunned vs the base (H). Only drawback is that it is a larger target and has a very slow turret. Perked for a reason.
Suggested Sherman. Armor basically same as (H), gun same as T-34/76 if you want a 75mm version. Possible advantage in game terms would be the .50cal pintle mount vs. (H) pea-shooter and possible gyrostabilizer. The more I think about it, this really may still be too similar to the (H) or 34 to warrant the modeling, so maybe the version with a 105mm is really the best way to get it introduced. Either way, it would be unperked.
Suggested StgIII or SU-85 or Hetzer, etc. Lack of turret makes it completely different from any of the other tanks regardless of which one is picked and modeled. Advantage would be a lower cross-section to fire against and slope of armor. IMHO, something that should be added. Whether it is perked or not would depend on whether it is an StgIII (unperked) or something like a Jeager-Tiger with the 128mm naval gun (very perked).
Suggested T-34/85. As with the T-34/76, already faster and better armored than the (H). Gun would out-perform the (H). Therefore I would call it a "perk" vehicle, but only modestly so.
Suggested Panther. In game terms, not much different from the Tiger I excepting for speed. Would be perked higher than Tiger for that reason.
Getting outside of the above mentioned I just don't know. What could be added that would really "add" to the game, i.e. be different enough in game terms without being dominated by the baseline (H)?
Churchill tank could be interesting. I think its armor was roughly that of the Tiger. Depending on the version, though, it would be hopelessly outgunned -- and quite slow.
M3 Lee was my personal favorite tank of WWII. But unless you are willing to "crew" it properly, not sure it would work well in AH game terms.
Be interested in hearing thoughts.
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