T54 Prototype

[Trobs 670]

Very Very fun at tier 8.

Adequate at Tier 9

Very Very Fearful at Tier 10

 

And that's why I wish it had Pref MM. It would literally fall in line with the KV-5, IS-6 and FCM

[CarbonatedPork 1,585]

This tank is so broken. I love it. Easily my favorite of the batch of new non-preferential premium tanks. I can now move my 416 crew up to the 430 II and have a Russian Bias tank for each of the top three tiers.

 

Not a money maker, though. You kinda need APCR for tier 9 and 10 matches and the AP is even anemic in most tier 8 fights. Still, I'll take it. For the cost of profitability, you get a fantastic tier 8 tank and crew trainer. lol wargaming y u do dis. STALIN WOULD BE PROUD.

 

Edit: a taste of how broken it is:

Edited April 28, 2015 by CarbonatedPork

[Trobs 670]

I've started spamming gold and it's silly. Makes me sad I need to spam gold to be successful in it though.

[TPT924 35]

This tank is so broken. I love it. Easily my favorite of the batch of new non-preferential premium tanks. I can now move my 416 crew up to the 430 II and have a Russian Bias tank for each of the top three tiers.

 

Not a money maker, though. You kinda need APCR for tier 9 and 10 matches and the AP is even anemic in most tier 8 fights. Still, I'll take it. For the cost of profitability, you get a fantastic tier 8 tank and crew trainer. lol wargaming y u do dis. STALIN WOULD BE PROUD.

 

Edit: a taste of how broken it is:

 

Stop telling people! The bar for Ace tanker keeps going up I've noticed!

[jokobet 217]

What equipment to put as 3rd on it tho? The base view range is pretty bad, so just go Vents? Or run Coated Optics nonetheless?

 

Edit:

 

It's a brawler but the camo value is excellent, better than a T-54s. I am running Optics atm with a 5-skill crew (BiA, camo & repairs, smooth ride, snap shot, offroad, 1/3 SitAw = 410m viewrange) and damn, this and the CDC are both so much fun. Whenever I am tired of one, I pick the other. Whatever type of map is in the rotation - I don't care. It's like the med equivalent of IS-6 and FCM.

 

With regard to the downsides - I don't mind the low speed and 235 APCR seems sufficient although it cuts into profits. The low ammo count hurts the carry potential, i.e. no bush spamming like with the CDC and seeing T10s is a pain. However, it makes up for this via the excellent bully factor. The aim time I didn't find too much of a problem - the low ammo count forces you to think before firing anyway.

 

My real interest is the performance in strongholds. The low AP pen is gonna be a pain but it provides an alternative to the CDC.

[CarbonatedPork 1,585]

What equipment to put as 3rd on it tho? The base view range is pretty bad, so just go Vents? Or run Coated Optics nonetheless?

I've been running optics to make the view range suck less. I've been doing the Jack of All Trades thing with food instead of medkit for those all around boosts, so I probably wouldn't feel much of a benefit from running vents.

[jokobet 217]

I've been running optics to make the view range suck less. I've been doing the Jack of All Trades thing with food instead of medkit for those all around boosts, so I probably wouldn't feel much of a benefit from running vents.

 

Jack of All Trades sounds nice, the gunner seems to get hit often.

 

Edit: Mastery badges will likely go up as people realize the potential of the tank - got mine now cheap with 1254 base xp (+ 125 for being a prem) w/ 3k dmg sidescraping against tier 9s on Ensk. The prices of these APCR shells tho, got below 30k profit out of it, fighting frontally against an IS-8...

 

Edit2:

Best illustration of what this tank can do when needed.

http://wotreplays.eu/site/1833974#abbey-jokobet-t-54_first_prototype

[TPT924 35]

Jack of All Trades sounds nice, the gunner seems to get hit often.

My anecdotal experience has led me to believe that the driver is driving with his head out of the hatch.  

[Trobs 670]

I swear to god this tank got a buff between test and release.

 

http://www.vbaddict.net/battlereport/trobs-na-bedce6e5e4e5285f393a593647a4077a/siegfried_line-soviet_union-t_54_first_prototype-3432217170682977

 

Holy fuck.

 

http://www.vbaddict.net/battlereport/trobs-na-bedce6e5e4e5285f393a593647a4077a/mines-soviet_union-t_54_first_prototype-3427999512793134

 

Second game I was down half my HP 1 minute in taking the hill. Didn't matter. Fuck your shots. 

 

http://www.vbaddict.net/battlereport/trobs-na-bedce6e5e4e5285f393a593647a4077a/sand_river-soviet_union-t_54_first_prototype-6900583650760643

 

Sand River OP.

 

EDIT: I run rammer/vertstab/vents. I play it like a heavy. Optics aren't needed since I'm nearly always brawling. Even in 10s, I am rarely sitting back.

[Mamas_Calvin 133]

This tank is so broken. I love it. Easily my favorite of the batch of new non-preferential premium tanks.

I agree, Pork. I haven't had a chance to play it a lot yet, but I like what I have seen so far. Due to the low ammo count I loaded 2 HE and the rest APCR. I don't need to make money with this tank. I just want to expand my Sov med ring and run those crews through an additional x2. This seems just the ticket. It's slower speed works with my sneaky play style just fine and the depression is exactly adequate. Yes, you have to be careful in tier X matches, but what tier 8 doesn't? All in all I am very pleased so far.

[TPT924 35]

 

 

EDIT: I run rammer/vertstab/vents. I play it like a heavy. Optics aren't needed since I'm nearly always brawling. Even in 10s, I am rarely sitting back.

 

I really think playing it like a heavy is key, especially when top tier. You can brawl quite well against your Tier 8 heavy contemporaries. 

[Trobs 670]

I really think playing it like a heavy is key, especially when top tier. You can brawl quite well against your Tier 8 heavy contemporaries. 

 

The smart tier 8s shoot you with gold. Thankfully, most players aren't that smart. You can see it in my Mines replay. The bounces are very real against the T32.

[TPT924 35]

The smart tier 8s shoot you with gold. Thankfully, most players aren't that smart. You can see it in my Mines replay. The bounces are very real against the T32.

The smart/good ones do. Others shoot you with HE out of what I assume is confusion. The lulz are real. 

[Trobs 670]

The smart/good ones do. Others shoot you with HE out of what I assume is confusion. The lulz are real. 

 

HE always scares me. "WTF, Why did I take 54 damage from a Lowe?"

[CarbonatedPork 1,585]

The smart/good ones do. Others shoot you with HE out of what I assume is confusion. The lulz are real.

This thing can outheavy heavies (lol @ 90mm sidescraping w/ stronk Stalinium turret), yet still works as a passable medium. Versatile as hell and fun to play. If it actually made money, it would easily be the best premium tank in the game.

Here's a game where I blocked 5k damage with stronk T-54 proto sidescraping:

[TPT924 35]

Just a snapshot of this morning's session:

 

 

Even in Tier X games I'm able to pull ~2k damage if I play smart (which happens on rare occasions!). I think most of the bad reception this tank has gotten is because of the lack of Pref MM. Even without it this thing is very good for a premium tank. 

[Trobs 670]

Even in Tier X games I'm able to pull ~2k damage if I play smart (which happens on rare occasions!). I think most of the bad reception this tank has gotten is because of the lack of Pref MM. Even without it this thing is very good for a premium tank. 

 

I've been playing it far better in 9.7 than prior to it. I don't know what is different, but the tank is definitely playing better. I should update my review

[Victrix 2,299]

Consensus: Shit tank even against tier 8s. Squishy shit pile turret pennable by 175 AP shell in the mantle, mediocre gun, handling, acceleration and speed. Literally worse than Panther 2 and ISU-130.

 

PM Gandaran for ISU-130 codes.

[Itchi 402]

Consensus: Literally worse than Panther 2

U wot m8? GTFOBBQ

[Shade421 2,952]

 Literally worse than Panther 2

..everything is worse than the Panther 2....

[Gromstorm 22]

..everything is worse than the Panther 2....

No

 

Its different. The Armour is fantastic.  Its a more mobile IS6 with medium gun and No Pref MM.

I just absolutely smash everything at tier 8. Its horribly op at tier 8.  At tier 10 your Armour doesnt count for much and your guns poor performance means it can be trouble to carry your weight.  Heavy APCR use is required.

[Sipher351 241]

I've been playing it far better in 9.7 than prior to it. I don't know what is different, but the tank is definitely playing better.

 

Probably the bugged MM fucking the arty up the ass. Best bug ever.

[hiipanda 299]

http://forum.worldoftanks.com/index.php?/topic/438002-rocketbrainsurgeons-t-54-first-prototype-review/page__p__8906124

 

why is no one talking about the new rbs article?

[rocketbrainsurgeon 1,043]

Thanks for linking that, I didn't see it go up.

 

Mildly disappointed they didn't put any effort into formatting it to fit the space.  It looks like I've never written an article before.  I'm also not what you would call "shocked" at their cherry picking of quotes to lead with on the main page.  Pretty sure more people than this got it as well, but that they lead with the more positive ones.

[Shade421 2,952]

Would you be opposed to publishing both our write ups here on wotlabs? Maybe somebody will actually read the whole things.