Unperk the T-34/85 & tune tank ENY values

[Karnak]

Tiger I:	K/D Ratio: 3.71 to 1	Kills: 4993	Deaths: 1346
Sherman Firefly VC:	K/D Ratio: 2.46 to 1	Kills: 13189	Deaths: 5358
M4A3(76):	K/D Ratio: 1.36 to 1	Kills: 25597	Deaths: 18813
T-34/85:	K/D Ratio: 1.24 to 1	Kills: 7318	Deaths: 5914
Panzer IV H:	K/D Ratio: 0.75 to 1	Kills: 23560	Deaths: 31430
T-34/76:	K/D Ratio: 0.51 to 1	Kills: 2431	Deaths: 4765
M4A3(75):	K/D Ratio: 0.45 to 1	Kills: 2614	Deaths: 5825

A few things to note about this data:
1) Panzer IV H usage is higher than it will be going forward as the M4A3(76) was not available for the whole tour.
2) Sherman Firefly VC, M4A3(76) and M4A3(75) tanks probably have a slightly boosted K/D ratio due to the recently fixed bug that was giving extra armor behind the gun mantlet.
3) The new found ability for rounds to hit at angles shallower than 70 degrees will have an unknown effect on each tank's K/D ratio.


Those qualifications acknowledged, is there a reason to have the T-34/85 perked and the M4A3(76) free?  Wouldn't it be better to have those two tanks as the top free tanks as they seem to be the two most competitive tanks unless we drop all the way back to the M4A3(75) and T-34/76.  Having the M4A3(76) and T-34/85 both free, if low ENY, would mean that there are two tanks sharing the top spots rather than one tank dominating it as has always been the case in AH prior to now.  This is an opportunity to diversify the tank fights, and it should not be passed on in my opinion.

As I noted earlier in the thread, that leaves the Panzer IV H, M4A3(75) and T-34/76 as tanks to use for perk gathering and for situations in which ENY denies access to the M4A3(76) and T-34/85.  It also pushes the Panzer IV H into a new, valuable role, that of a higher ENY tank that actually has a gun that can hope to accomplish something and that gives sides with a moderate ENY limitation a new option.  No longer does a moderate ENY penalty have to make your tanks 100% less effective, that can now be tuned and reserved for only extreme ENY penalties.

I would suggest something like the following ENY:

Tiger I:	ENY: 5 (Perked)
Sherman Firefly VC:	ENY: 5 (perked)
M4A3(76):	ENY: 7
T-34/85:	ENY: 7
Panzer IV H:	ENY: 18
T-34/76:	ENY: 27
M4A3(75):	ENY: 30

[Tec]

T-34/85 is IMO a great tank and well deserving of a perk.  Now that the Firefly price has been bumped up and the turret armor nerfed I think the 85 could start seeing a spike in usage.

[Lusche]

I say: Let's first wait a full tour, to let M4 usage settle down and see how the armor changes will play out.

[waystin2]

T-34/85 is IMO a great tank and well deserving of a perk.  Now that the Firefly price has been bumped up and the turret armor nerfed I think the 85 could start seeing a spike in usage.

Ditto.  No to unperking the 85.

[Tec]

I say: Let's first wait a full tour, to let M4 usage settle down and see how the armor changes will play out.

I agree with this as well, with all the new additions and changes it could be a while before the proverbial chips fall where they may.

[SmokinLoon]

I think the OP's ENY scale is about smack on.  However, I'm going to suggest keeping the T34/85 still perked but continue to have it low.

That thing moves fast at 35mph, the frontal armor is still quite impressive (save for the turret frontal armor made of cheese), the turret traverses like a champion trap shooter, and the 85mm gun packs a mean punch with an average reload time in the pack of AH tanks at 6.8 seconds.  Aside from the weak frontal turret armor, its only real disadvantage albeit a minimal one is no DP28 MG on top of the turret.   

[Lusche]

That thing moves fast at 35mph, the frontal armor is still quite impressive (save for the turret frontal armor made of cheese)

And that's exactly what it makes really suffer as an offensive tank, something it would be really great at due to it's mobility. But if you are attacking, a busted turret is almost the same as being outright killed.

I still have the feel something might be wrong with the turret. Historically, it had no worse armor thickness than the /76's turret, but while it's very difficult for me in a Hurri D to disable a T-34/76 , it's quite easy to disable a T-34/85.

[E25280]

I say: Let's first wait a full tour, to let M4 usage settle down and see how the armor changes will play out.

Ditto this.

But I agree with Karnak that the T-34/85 and the M4A3(76)w are on virtually equal footing.  The T-34/85 has a speed advantage, but the Sherman has a rate of fire advantage.  It seems to me that your choice of ride would largely depend on which factor is more important to you.