20 replies to this topic

[Mahrs]

Let me start by saying I liked and came to enjoy the T-44. We made a good team and I confidently loaded into matches.  It occurs to me that I was pretty good at playing the T-44 like an overgrown light tank...not so much as a true medium.  My best T-44 games tended to feature a LOT of spotting and assisted damage.  Even so, I maintained a very good for me 1.48 KD.

 

I haven’t been able to make the transition to the T-54. I burned about 100k fxp so as not to start from scratch...basically ran the T-54 with the T-44 gun for a dozen or so matches...now 63 matches in and my WR/KD has been in steady decline since equipping the top gun. I’m negative both now, actually. That’s largely because I’m not pulling my own weight...costing me and my teams games...and losing a lot of silver (first time ever for that to happen consistently).

 

I cannot seem to keep myself alive - it’s like I’ve either forgotten all my old T-44 tricks or the T-54 requires me to learn new ones...and I’m not sure which it is.  Having armor that actually bounces shots from time to time is nice. The gun is no issue, I have both unlocked and use the better handling option, by Tier IX I’m used to crap pen on USSR med tank guns and there’s always “skill rounds.” I know it’s a more capable tank in the same MM spread...yet I am just sucking.

 

Thoughts?

[ATHFjman18]

Spam HEAT. There’s a reason the tank’s official nickname is the “HEAT-54”. 

[I_TriffNix]

ATHFjman18, on 10 April 2019 - 03:15 PM, said:

Spam HEAT. There’s a reason the tank’s official nickname is the “HEAT-54”. 

Pff HEAT is for tomatos. I was always using the 201 pen gun with standard mun. 

Try to hide hull. Play over the turret and learn weakspots 

Thats all. 

[Mahrs]

I’m not opposed to HEAT and have fired some, of course.  That said, I find that things have usually gone pretty sideways at that point because it means I’m trading shots with a tank I probably shouldn’t be trading shots with.  Firing HEAT, when it comes to that, and surviving has been problematic. Depending on the tank, side shots with HEAT seem dicey, too. It hurts sending that much silver down range for a zero damage hit.

 

It's no coincidence that the only decent game I played last night was also the only game my team won. I did some spotting, some trolling of fellow mediums and traded one hit to knock out a heavy at close range. I might have saved myself the trade with some HEAT,  not sure.  I was playing the middle of the map and active throughout the match...is that the right way to go, generally? Play the middle and look for a flank to exploit? I tended to favor flanks more in the T-44, but I think that perhaps the T-44 lends itself to a more support role based in its tier and the T-54 needs to “produce” rather than support. In a nutshell, that’s my problem, I think - not making the transition from special teams / utility infielder to franchise player.

[Haukkis]

If you have a good crew with Camo and Silent Driving it helps quite a bit. 

[Sammael85]

If you know how to play the T-44, sooner or later you'll realize how to master the T-54. There's only a good gun and it doesn't need HEAT spam at all if you know what you're doing. Still, an actual game changer is having a decent crew on it.

[Mahrs]

Currently running a six skill crew...think it’s 6S, BIA, Repair, Silent Driving, Camo...snap shot?  I’ve got exp for a good chunk of a 7th skill, but haven’t chosen one (that did allow me start the T-54 w/ a 100% crew, not all bad).

 

I’m trying to make some more crews...but that’s slow going because I don’t have time to play a ton of tanks. I’m also grinding the IS right now, not sure which direction to go with that since it’s now a three way split to Tier X.

 

I’ve got another 359k exp to grind...hopefully I figure it out soonish or I’ll be spending a lot of time derping about in my IS-6 or Motherland just to afford the T-54, heh.

[SpeedyCZECH]

You need wievrange. What for equip you have on? I have all ready both medium tanks from this line. I play T-54 for fun full gold to troll oponnents. I dont care about the silver lose after the game. 

[TheKleinKid7]

I too struggled with this tank. It doesn't penetrate very well. I love when people say, "Well you're not hitting the weak spots". Oh yes I am actually and without using HEAT it doesn't penetrate consistently. I bought the Object 140 and at first I didn't like it either. I think it had to do a lot with my disappointment with the T54, but soon enough the Obj. 140 became one of my favorites to play with. So, keep grinding because the tier 10 is worth it.

Edited by TheKleinKid, 12 April 2019 - 07:36 AM.

[Mahrs]

I’ve got optics, vents and stab on it right now...thought about rammer, but the gun seems a little derpy and I wanted to help it some...question that choice some matches.  I could do one of the view range crew skills - I’m a big fan of view range, which makes my choice of the USSR mediums an odd one, I suppose.

 

I had some better matches last night, but also seeing some clear areas for improvement in terms of decision making.  Concur on the pen issues - shots that I think should penetrate on sides/rear bounce.  Hell, I even had a heavy bounce a HEAT round off its side last night...I hardly load HEAT because it doesn’t seem to help that much...which then leads me to forgetting about it...and not loading it when I should (e.g. when some Cent 7/1 pinned my [edited]in a corner and it was DPM or die).

[Symbiot911]

Mahrs, on 11 April 2019 - 01:09 AM, said:

Let me start by saying I liked and came to enjoy the T-44. We made a good team and I confidently loaded into matches.  It occurs to me that I was pretty good at playing the T-44 like an overgrown light tank...not so much as a true medium.  My best T-44 games tended to feature a LOT of spotting and assisted damage.  Even so, I maintained a very good for me 1.48 KD.

 

I haven’t been able to make the transition to the T-54. I burned about 100k fxp so as not to start from scratch...basically ran the T-54 with the T-44 gun for a dozen or so matches...now 63 matches in and my WR/KD has been in steady decline since equipping the top gun. I’m negative both now, actually. That’s largely because I’m not pulling my own weight...costing me and my teams games...and losing a lot of silver (first time ever for that to happen consistently).

 

I cannot seem to keep myself alive - it’s like I’ve either forgotten all my old T-44 tricks or the T-54 requires me to learn new ones...and I’m not sure which it is.  Having armor that actually bounces shots from time to time is nice. The gun is no issue, I have both unlocked and use the better handling option, by Tier IX I’m used to crap pen on USSR med tank guns and there’s always “skill rounds.” I know it’s a more capable tank in the same MM spread...yet I am just sucking.

 

Thoughts?

I sucked with that tank too, actually there's plenty of tanks I suck with, like the E100 and the IS7, even the E75, yet I do quite well in the King Tiger. I think I suck in the bigger tanks because I don't take enough care. But I'll never  ever try to 'git gud' in tanks I struggle with. I might try and get good at some stage though. As it is, I very rarely play them these days  I just get frustrated lol

[Orbtastic1]

I enjoyed it that much I ground it out for the 140 again.

 

It has good camo, use it.

It has a low profile, use it

It has reasonable turret armour, make use of it

It has amazing frontal hull armour (actually better than either of the T10s above it and better than the T59, the Chinese T9 counter part (WZ120 or whatever), use it

It has a good gun, it also has reasonable snap shotting abilities too

 

You don't need heat, I don't remember using it that much either. Sure, it's nice to be able to pen super heavies from the front but it has excellent mobility and camo so get flanking with it.

 

Rammer/optics/vstab

 

sixth sense/repairs/recon/sitaware/BIA/safe stowage

 

 

[Mahrs]

@symbiot911 - yeah, I wouldn’t necessarily be worried about performance if I didn’t have another 340k exp to grind for the T-62 and Obj-140.  That’s a long time to suck!  

 

Things are marginally improved...I’m doing a slightly better job staying alive, but still struggle to do damage. Good players average like 2.5k+ dam/game...it’s a good game for me if I break 2k at all.  My damage standing has come up to like 55%, but still a long way to go.  I accept that I’m a one MOE player in general, but I’m not there with the T-54.

[ALF EXTREME]

unfortunately the t-54 isn't a good tank so premium spam is kind of mandatory to perform in it

[FinlandRed]

Mahrs, on 12 April 2019 - 12:28 PM, said:

I’ve got optics, vents and stab on it right now...thought about rammer, but the gun seems a little derpy and I wanted to help it some...question that choice some matches.  I could do one of the view range crew skills - I’m a big fan of view range, which makes my choice of the USSR mediums an odd one, I suppose.

 

I had some better matches last night, but also seeing some clear areas for improvement in terms of decision making.  Concur on the pen issues - shots that I think should penetrate on sides/rear bounce.  Hell, I even had a heavy bounce a HEAT round off its side last night...I hardly load HEAT because it doesn’t seem to help that much...which then leads me to forgetting about it...and not loading it when I should (e.g. when some Cent 7/1 pinned my [edited]in a corner and it was DPM or die).

 

I found the gun fast so went with stability rather than increasing the loading speed. Stabs are a must because you should be dodging and weaving to avoid those big hits to the hull. For Stalin's sake don't give them your sides or your turrent will be off. Remember you're a scout and a flanker, not a battering ram. Shoot at distracted targets and do not attempt to go toe to toe with Tier IX/X heavies.

 

HEAT helps, just watch what you're shooting at. Remember HEAT hates angles and spaced armour.

 

Here's a link to the game where I three marked it. The ending is a bit ragged because I got too aggressive.

 

https://gamerdvr.com.../video/71525698

 

Here's the overall result

[Mahrs]

I’ve crossed over 100 games now...and I’ve had one where I was THE impact player.  The first and only time I’ve broken 5k damage actually...and a lot of it was luck that the reds misplayed as badly as I did in a couple instances.  I’m having a hard time reading the maps and adapting my play style to be more aggressive without being reckless.

[iNsaneMilesy]

T44 I marked, I played it as an on the move flanker. Using Vertical Stabilizer, Gun Laying Drive and Rammer. You can do the same for the T54, you just have to grind to the higher upgrades to function the same. Start off by using Binoculars and playing a sniper/flanking role givien you have much better sight range to camo now. Low profile and decent armour means you need to keep moving and try to use cover/hills and keep your front towards the enemy, do this and deflection are commonplace. You cannot sit in the open or hope to out shoot anyone by peaking around corners. Its not a tactic used in reality and not what the tank is designed for. Gun depression as with most Russian Tanks sucks, so choose your landscapes. Every tank and nation plays slightly different, need to adapt and get used to it. T54 like the T44 starts out a little slow and the gun needs punch. Stay at range and as you upgrade be more aggressive and on the move.

[ThermalStone]

Some really bad advice in this thread.  Do not aim at weakspots in the T-54.  Aiming in this tank is counterproductive if you are spotted up. Careful aiming will slow your damage per minute and expose you to return fire.  The poor gun depression means you will have trouble finding spots to sit and go hull down.

 

What the T-54 excels at is snapshotting and shooting on the move.  I call this tank the Snapshot King.  Hit the lock on aim button to snap the gun barrel onto a target then fire almost immediately.  The whole process takes about a second, which means you can fire on target and retreat to cover before the enemy can aim a shot at you.  If you don't pen, so what?  The T-54 loads fast and you can try again and again because you are getting shots without trading hit points.  It's also fast and maneuverable enough to do the circle of death on slower tanks.  Spamming the excellent HEAT shells will help more lock on shots pen. 

 

Never sit still and aim in the T-54.  I had an Ace Tanker/ Radley Walters game where I manually aimed exactly one shot.  Everything else was snap shots and lock on aiming.

[SpeedyCZECH]

I spam full heat. Very funny tank

[SpeedyCZECH]

Mahrs, on 12 April 2019 - 12:28 PM, said:

I’ve got optics, vents and stab on it right now...thought about rammer, but the gun seems a little derpy and I wanted to help it some...question that choice some matches.  I could do one of the view range crew skills - I’m a big fan of view range, which makes my choice of the USSR mediums an odd one, I suppose.

 

I had some better matches last night, but also seeing some clear areas for improvement in terms of decision making.  Concur on the pen issues - shots that I think should penetrate on sides/rear bounce.  Hell, I even had a heavy bounce a HEAT round off its side last night...I hardly load HEAT because it doesn’t seem to help that much...which then leads me to forgetting about it...and not loading it when I should (e.g. when some Cent 7/1 pinned my [edited]in a corner and it was DPM or die).

Heavys have space armor so heat cant do damage. Shot on turret not tracks