I'm terrible in the m103. Help :(

[AnArmyofBun 1,122]

Hi everybunny.  I've been playing my m103 since I unlocked it, and I'm having a Really hard time getting damage out in this tank.  I have 100% crew with BIA and 2nd skill at 84%.  I'm wondering, would it be better to drop BIA as 1st and pick up stuff like snap shot, and driving skills + 6th and just do bia next?  Well, anyway moving on from that.  How am I supposed to be playing this tank?  I keep running into major issues, bouncing, getting just Demolished.  I try to stay back but, even when I have an Okay game, only played like 30 or so, I do like 1600-2500 damage, which isn't very much. 

 

I can put out like 2000-4000 with not so much trouble in my t54, but I know, totally different tank.  I'm just having a lot of trouble getting it to work for me.  Maybe I just need more time to learn it?  Using optics, rammer, and vstab. Here are some replays from today so far.  I'm very very unhappy with my performance. 

 

Any advice is greatly appreciated.

 

http://www.mediafire.com/download/m41m9hzck51i4ti/20130727_1620_usa-M103_36_fishing_bay.wotreplay

 

http://www.mediafire.com/download/yfbc8r9vw2or2pe/20130727_1553_usa-M103_35_steppes.wotreplay

 

http://www.mediafire.com/download/xivnsdobwf3xkhm/20130727_1601_usa-M103_04_himmelsdorf.wotreplay

 

http://www.mediafire.com/download/od1819ik5zyzbt3/20130727_1607_usa-M103_05_prohorovka.wotreplay

 

Is it my bad understanding of the tank?  Or am I just playing poorly(er).   Thank you all very much for any help.

[Hitty40 1]

Leave your perks as is.

 

If you are using the stock gun, you're gonna have a bad time. Primarily get to the first 120 and you'll be good.

[CrazyScientist 93]

I really dont see any major issues with in those 4 replays.  the last 3 you had 2 kills, 5 kills, 3 kills...

 

The first one was really bad map awareness--cross the middle like that is just asking to get punched by TDs.  Same thing on map 4--pushing that ridge is asking to get sniped.

 

The himmelsdorf replay you probably spend too much time sniping when you could of pushed with your hill team.  If anything I would say when you react you could probably be more aggressive in some cases. 

 

In Steppes i think a case could be made that you could have reacted more forcefully, but that could be hind sight (and I'm not a purple).

 

So the big thing I saw was map awareness, but that should affect all your tanks, not just the M103.  You had a couple lousy teams as well.

[Leclerc 0]

you should start to put 6th sence instead of BIA in the first skill 

i also use vents instead of optics, 

i find optics works better on mediums than heavy tanks

 

 

 

 

[Icantmove 25]

1.) Waaaay too aggressive. Need to be more conservative.

 

2.) Bad deployment.

 

3.) Bad deployment, again.

 

4.) I prefer going 6-line, or at least having one teammate there. Almost too aggressive on hill, but you stayed alive so it was ok. Overall a good game.

[MrBobolo 19]

I would link the post for you but I'm at work on my phone so instead I will just tell you to go to the vehicles thread, go to American and then click trolling pubbies in the M103 it's got a lot of great info on how to play the tanks strengths.

[AnArmyofBun 1,122]

I really dont see any major issues with in those 4 replays.  the last 3 you had 2 kills, 5 kills, 3 kills...

 

The first one was really bad map awareness--cross the middle like that is just asking to get punched by TDs.  Same thing on map 4--pushing that ridge is asking to get sniped.

 

The himmelsdorf replay you probably spend too much time sniping when you could of pushed with your hill team.  If anything I would say when you react you could probably be more aggressive in some cases. 

 

In Steppes i think a case could be made that you could have reacted more forcefully, but that could be hind sight (and I'm not a purple).

 

So the big thing I saw was map awareness, but that should affect all your tanks, not just the M103.  You had a couple lousy teams as well.

 

I appreciate everyones replies.  I'll address this one before going to bed.  My map awareness could be better yeah I can agree with that.  Thing is, I do very very well in tanks that can flex like my 54, even the 44, and the t34.  I find myself bouncing Constantly in the m103.  Even vs other m103's.  The cupola?  I don't get it.  I can't pen it to save my Life, but I'm swiss cheese.  I have the top gun for it.  I just have issues with the machine. I find myself firing a few rounds, taking Loads of damage. 

 

I'll work on it.  Getting my 62a tomorrow. 

[BoilerBandsman 427]

I appreciate everyones replies.  I'll address this one before going to bed.  My map awareness could be better yeah I can agree with that.  Thing is, I do very very well in tanks that can flex like my 54, even the 44, and the t34.  I find myself bouncing Constantly in the m103.  Even vs other m103's.  The cupola?  I don't get it.  I can't pen it to save my Life, but I'm swiss cheese.  I have the top gun for it.  I just have issues with the machine. I find myself firing a few rounds, taking Loads of damage. 

 

I'll work on it.  Getting my 62a tomorrow. 

 

Turret cheeks are great for getting through other M103s with the first 120.  They're also not commonly known/trusted/aimed for, so you have to worry less about hiding them.

[Shackram 4,285]

Took a look at your replays

 

1) Far too aggressive and poor positioning, which cost you too much HP. Always be mindful of where you can be shot from and if you're being shot, reverse to cover, specially in a heavy tank. Turning around just expose your softer side and rear armor. And when you engaged that second E-100, you could have killed him in the first shot if you shot his lower front hull or the drive wheel instead of turret.

 

2) Poor positioning as well, maybe need to practice how to use the terrain better when going hull down. Also with so many arties you have to keep mobile when you're spotted, even just shuffling around can be enough to throw off their aim. But your tiers 10 failed big time, not much that could be done.

 

3) Can't load the replay, they probably changed something in himmelsdorf and it doesn't load on my updated client.

 

4) Some sloppy fighting on the hill and your platoon mate paid the ultimate price when he made the mistake of cresting. That E50M should have been your priority, the tanks in the city can't do much against it without exposing themselves to snipers in the west road(which is how your IS-4 died) but you could get shots on him when he pops out of cover. The enemies on the slope of the hill can't do much against you without cresting and they can't move back down without being shot by the tanks in the village, so they're more or less pinned in place. Again some more attention to positioning the hill would have been useful.

 

All in all your main issues seems to be situational awareness and perhaps some spatial awareness to help with positioning and minimizing exposure, but those are things you pick up with experience.

 

What's the size of your minimap?

[Reiuji 7]

Took a look at your replays

 

1) Far too aggressive and poor positioning, which cost you too much HP. Always be mindful of where you can be shot from and if you're being shot, reverse to cover, specially in a heavy tank. Turning around just expose your softer side and rear armor. And when you engaged that second E-100, you could have killed him in the first shot if you shot his lower front hull or the drive wheel instead of turret.

 

2) Poor positioning as well, maybe need to practice how to use the terrain better when going hull down. Also with so many arties you have to keep mobile when you're spotted, even just shuffling around can be enough to throw off their aim. But your tiers 10 failed big time, not much that could be done.

 

3) Can't load the replay, they probably changed something in himmelsdorf and it doesn't load on my updated client.

 

4) Some sloppy fighting on the hill and your platoon mate paid the ultimate price when he made the mistake of cresting. That E50M should have been your priority, the tanks in the city can't do much against it without exposing themselves to snipers in the west road(which is how your IS-4 died) but you could get shots on him when he pops out of cover. The enemies on the slope of the hill can't do much against you without cresting and they can't move back down without being shot by the tanks in the village, so they're more or less pinned in place. Again some more attention to positioning the hill would have been useful.

 

All in all your main issues seems to be situational awareness and perhaps some spatial awareness to help with positioning and minimizing exposure, but those are things you pick up with experience.

 

What's the size of your minimap?

 

I concur on point 1, that's a very bad spot. When you go center, you never want to get too far into the middle road as you'll have poor vision lanes on various areas, keeping on your side of the map on that point is a bit more tactically better.

 

Point 2, Map awareness also. The East side only had 2 tanks going at it from the start which means it'll need a quick push on the West side (not recommended) or a quick flex back to/near the base.

 

Point 3 is the same on Himmels,

 

Point 4, I also concur though in the closing minutes, I would have personnaly went with the E4 instead of sticking near the rails. The E4 could have died easily if their E-100 pushed up 1/2 line while the 2 TDs backed him up for fire support.

[AnArmyofBun 1,122]

Hmmm.  Considering the points made and yes I agree.  At only 3300 battles, I really still have a lot of problems knowing "where to go" on maps still.  I'm kinda like "Where..to go.."  It comes with time, I agree.  I do have severe spatial awareness issues with the m103, it's such a weirdly tall tank coming from russians to that.  I'm used to having a low profile.  I excell in mediums like the 54 and so far with my small small sample of games the 62a.  The American heavies play so much different than the IS7's line.  My minimap is like, +4 or +5 the normal size.  I do have a tendency to tunnel vision. 

 

In regards to the e-50m.  I couldn't seem to find a shot on him, and was torn between both directions.  In hind sight I said I should have backed off the hill entirely maybe, I don't know.  I Really hate that map.  I do need more pratice in the m103, but playing alone has really soured me from clicking battle with that tank.  I did have some phenominal battles in it yesterday as top tier.  So I think I'm getting a little better.  I Really value all the stuff you guys are telling me.  It's so very helpful.

 

My situational awareness is so hampered by the "What do I do!?" factor.  Do I try to carry hill?  Do I try to work the town?  What do I do?  I don't feel confident in my decisions in that regard. 

 

on point 1.  On fishing bay, I really played poorly.  I exposed myself to SO much enemy fire.  I was trying to play the m103 like I play my t54 on that map and it was an extremely poor choice.  I'm not sure where I should take the m103 on fisherman's like that.  I so rarely get the map.  I need more games, more time.  I'm hoping to learn more from a few players in the near future.  However, applying what I was told just in this thread my m103 experience has improved considerably.  Including a top gun where I really put the tanks strength of gun depression to use.

 

Thank you very very much everybunny!