User:_artek

Hi! I'm ftsartek (just call me artek). I've played Warthunder on-and-off since release, although I only really got into it properly more recently when I first picked up ground forces somewhere around 2016/2017.

I originally made my way up through the Russian ground lineup without touching another nation until I reached the Russian Rank V, when I started grinding the British.

Over time I worked my way up and as of October 2019, I have full Rank VII ground forces lineups for the British, the Russians, the Germans and the Americans and a Rank V lineup for the French. I pretty regularly play Ground RB at just about any rank, though, depending on how I feel at any given time.

I also play a bit of Air RB, although primarily with the intention of grinding aircraft to support my ground lineups.

I have a VR setup and on occasion play Air Simulator Battles with it until nausea (or the ground) gets the best of me (thanks for the advice though AN_TRN_26!).

My intention on the Wiki is to (where possible) keep info up-to-date where possible, clean up any grammatical issues or simply help ensure that people can rely on the wiki for gameplay suggestions and recommendations. I also like the Oxford comma. Don't judge me.

Everything below is my opinion only; take it how you like.

Favourite Vehicles

Centurion Mk.10, Vickers MBT and Conqueror Mk.2: These three tanks make up what is probably my most played individual lineup in War Thunder: 7.3 British. The L7 is amazing, the L1 is amazing, and the Vickers' reload is amazing.

IS-7: This thing is great fun. It's not really the best tank at 8.3, where every game's against 8.7 tanks and armour means nothing... But popping something with a 130mm nuke shell is pretty damn satisfying.

T-80U: This thing is great. Unless you get shot in the side, but eventually you've gotta get used to it. The gun, the mobility, the survivability... Incredible vehicle, extremely competitive at top tier.

FV4005: The HESH Barn is the single most inconsistent vehicle I think I've ever driven in War Thunder. HESH is weird. But I've had a love for this thing since the first time I got a multi-kill; a round hit the side of a Panther, killing it and the Ru 251 directly adjacent, AND a plane that was in the vicinity. I don't even think the plane was that close. Yet to repeat that, but I have had a couple double kills with it since.

ZiS-12 (94-KM): This is not an AA. This is a tank destroyer disguised as a milk truck. I've probably killed like 3 planes for every 20 tanks I've killed with this. Driving around like a maniac in a truck is stupid and amusing. So damn amusing.

Firefly Scorpion: To be honest, the 17pdr is dirty at 4.7. Yeah, okay, the thing can't take a hit, but jeez, nothing it faces can either. Plus the Brit 4.7 lineup is a GREAT SL grinder (if you're good with solid shot, at least).

Sd.Kfz.234/4: Speaking of pesky, this is the king of it. This is like the Centauro before the Italians dreamed of a light, fast vehicle designed just to annoy people in War Thunder. And on top of being light and fast, it's got a really good gun that can actually do some work in just about any uptier.

Hated Vehicles

ADATS: NOW HULLBREAKS ON ANYTHING: GAIJIN HAVE SAVED TOP TIER!

M10 GMC: I paid for a turreted tank destroyer, not a casemate. Whose idea was this? Turret traverse pls.

Flakpanzer 341: Love the concept. Still can't reliably shoot planes down or deal with tanks. Maybe I'm just bad.

Archer: ???????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????

Also, all of the French vehicles prior to the B1 Bis. Anyone else who has also had to grind the reserve vehicles in the French lineup will understand why.

Personal Considerations for WT

I enjoy War Thunder, and I'm happy to put time and money into it. Of course, no game can ever be perfect but there are some improvements I'd really like to see:

Quality of Life

• Dynamic Spawn Points: This is likely a complex implementation, but ideally open up the area vehicles can spawn into on subsequent spawns if there are nearby enemies. Initial spawns can and would work as currently, but respawning would be far more dynamic, denying teams the current 'lockout' ability they currently have if they take an early advantage. If enemy vehicles were detected near or in a spawn, or (using path-tracing) detected with a direct line of sight in a spawn area, vehicles would instead be spawned in a nearby, but non-affected area. This allows for more than 'just get a few kills then die' and avoids the current spawn sniping issues too.
• Cleaning up classic maps for modern gameplay: A number of maps which were made available to top tier in the recent update have areas which are unbelievably good but are simply too easy to get to with MBTs and later light tanks. These need to be further restricted. This also somewhat applies to some newer maps where there are extremely good sniping positions available to one side and no spots available on the other side.
• ULQ: Ultra Low Quality is game-breaking, especially with Thermal in the game now. Being punished for playing the game on higher graphics is sad. There needs to be a compromise, a way to avoid issues for players who genuinely do need ULQ and players who really shouldn't be using it. Pet peeve, but I like my games looking good.
• Night Maps & NVD: Night maps are great fun... for people with NVD. If you don't have NVD you're on the back foot, and if it's one of those pitch black maps, you're basically done for. That isn't fun.

Balance

• Dynamic Battle Ratings: This is, of course, a complex idea; probably requires lots of back-end work. Still, it'd be great for vehicles such as the M48A2 G A2 which is unbelievably out-classed until it gets APFSDS, and even then it's kinda over-ranked IMO.
• Early-Game ATGM Helicopters: I don't think early ATGM choppers are healthy for the game. They make people spawn into missile AA at the beginning of the game, which (unless you're in an ADATS) means your early game impact is basically limited to saving your defenseless teammates. Just doesn't really fit. Make ATGMs something you've gotta earn again. If nothing else, limit how many choppers can spawn simultaneously; it's frustrating for both teams when 80% of a team is in choppers.
• Decompression: Everyone asks about it, and for a reason. Gaijin have made a good start on this but I think it needs to go a bit further. Here's hoping.
• Close Look at Top Tier Balance: I feel like some tanks could do with better rounds now that they've been essentially power creeped (M1/IPM1, Challenger 1s, Chally 2, 2A4)
• Anti-Chopper Aircraft: Ensure aircraft (without anti-ground ordinance) are able to spawn for the same cost as ATGM helicopters. It's fair enough that there's a viable option to fight back against ATGM choppers besides ground-based AA (which may well be superseded with the advent of long range ATGMs coming up). And most late choppers can deal with planes fairly easily if they're attention.

Additions/Updates

• A gamemode similar to Battlefield's Rush would be awesome in WT. It would probably require bigger maps, dynamic spawn points, etc, but god it'd be fun.