Tag Archives: T3 tanks

Fear the M3 Lee – Not!

  May 14, 2011 - 8:08 pm | MMO, Rants, World of Tanks
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I’ve finally upgraded to the M3 Lee. After the hugely fun M2 Medium, this tank is a total disappointment. What the hell were the Americans thinking? I’ve read up about this tank before buying it and the comments all pointed to the fact that this tank is bad. Well, it’s worse than bad. I’ve never experienced such a terrible driving machine. Even the VW Beetle is a better feat of engineering and beauty.

The ghastly M3 Lee, next to two devastating Russian KVs

The tank is slow, ungodly slow for a medium. It’s also built like a barn, with a high profile and a very low turret. This means that you’re exposed long before you can shoot at whatever is coming over that hill.The 75mm cannon, which was effective in the M2 medium, is suddenly underpowered against the higher classes you now face. Thankfully it is more accurate than the M2, which could be likened to a shotgun shooting into a dark room and trying to hit an apple hidden behind a wall.

Then there’s the worst feature: the turret itself. Instead of the turret being mounted on top like EVERY OTHER tank in the game, it’s mounted on the front left. This means that it’s effectively a tank destroyer… or should I say ineffectively. Its high profile and flat frontal armor makes it much more vulnerable than the sloped, low profiles of the TDs, and the gun does not suit sniping at distance much either. Your only option is to hide behind buildings and wait for the enemy to stick its nose around the corner, and then pray that you get him disabled or dead before he can swing his turret around you. Against a heavy this doesn’t work very well, and you end up having to run like mad to hide behind something before he one-shots you with his huge gun. Against a light this doesn’t work either, as it can simply outmaneuver you, get behind you and shoot at your soft ass while you try to swing that ungainly body around to get a second shot off.

Thus you’re left to hang around in the middle and hope that the enemy gets distracted by your allies, giving you a chance to fire off a shot or two before being exposed. Or finding another medium and somehow getting that first shot off true.

If it wasn’t for the T1 Heavy, I would have given up on this monstrosity after the first battle, but I so do want one. I’m also working through the USSR ranks, aiming for a KV at some stage. The devastating effects of that lumbering monster is something I must experience.

Anyway, only another 12000 experience (Much more if I want the other tanks this thing unlocks) and MANY more credits to go to the T1, guess I better start grinding…

Booooooom!!!!

  May 6, 2011 - 9:48 am | World of Tanks
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Last night I was playing around with my ‘orrible little M2 Medium tank, just slogging along trying to get enough money and experience for the M3. With its measly cannon it hardly scratches the T4/5 tanks I seem to get matched up against all the time, and I have to snipe some penetrating shots on the much faster lights. Kills were slow, experience slower and it was just a slog. Then I unlocked the 75mm Howitzer cannon…

When I first mounted the thing I almost laughed. This stubby little thing surely can’t be very good, can it? I entered my first game and ran down behind the train tracks in the hopes of doing some early scouting (yes yes, I know it’s a medium, not a scout) for the artillery. To my surprise I ran right into one of their arties. I fired off a shot as I tried to dodge the inevitable mortar fire and… the poor artie was dead!

Hmm, ok lucky shot maybe. I was so stunned I stood still in the open for a few seconds. I got shot at from the flank, quickly ran in behind a building and fired off my second shot at the medium trying to shoot at me. BOOOOM! It was destroyed too. Hey, this is fun! Oh look, some lights have decided to come see who was causing the fuss in their back line. Bang, bang, two more destroyed with a shot each. , 4 Shots, 4 kills, me likey.

Sadly my luck ran out and the remaining arties tracked me and destroyed me, but I was grinning like a madman. The M2 may not be the greatest tank in its class, but boy is it fun with that devastating 75mm Howitzer. Against T2/3′s it’s a force to be reckoned with, and even against T4/5 lights/mediums it can do some serious damage. I’d still recommend running like mad if a T1 or KV comes at you, but at least you can get some impact on them if you flank properly.

I’ll post some screenies of my stubby little monster tonight, and while we’re at it, here’s some links on why the people on the WoT forums love their M2 Mediums:

M2 Medium Tank discussion
M2 Medium Tank appreciation thread

And then of course at the other side of the rainbow:

The horribly horrible M2 Medium tank with some fair arguments for and against it.

Oh, and it’s my birthday today :( 3rd decade on this planet… meh.