12 replies to this topic

[LuckyStarr]

I don't understand how I can fail so hard with this tank. I think the tank itself is pretty bad at tier 9, but get this: my average damage per game in it is worse than 90% of the playerbase. Just how???

Here's a page from my service record showing my stats in various vehicles.

 

Spoiler

 

You can see that I'm a pretty average player, perhaps even sub-average, but I play many heavy tanks and I'm not that bad with them. Not this bad. The number of 0 dmg or 400 dmg games I have in this tank (one penetrating shot) is insane. And it's not like the tank has no armor at all, it does bounce a shot here and there like you can reasonably expect from a mobile heavy. The gun is not stellar, but it's OK (I'm using the first 120 mm, grinding for the top gun which is only a tad bit better).

 

 

I've had a few more awful games just a few hours earlier, and in each of them, I can identify my mistakes post-mortem. I may not know what was the best way for me to behave there and then, but I can definitely see things that I've done that were very bad moves. However, they weren't bad because I was playing M103, they would be bad in any tank. I didn't make those moves specifically because I was playing M103 either; I would have done the same silly thing in any other heavy or maybe even TD. So why then my M103 performance is so particularly horrible?

 

Did any of you guys have a similar epxerience with M103? Any advice for me?

Edited by LuckyStarr, Mar 02 2019 - 11:27.

[Firemoth]

LuckyStarr, on Mar 02 2019 - 20:25, said:

I don't understand how I can fail so hard with this tank. I think the tank itself is pretty bad at tier 9, but get this: my average damage per game in it is worse than 90% of the playerbase. Just how???

Here's a page from my service record showing my stats in various vehicles.

 

Spoiler

 

You can see that I'm a pretty average player, perhaps even sub-average, but I play many heavy tanks and I'm not that bad with them. Not this bad. The number of 0 dmg or 400 dmg games I have in this tank (one penetrating shot) is insane. And it's not like the tank has no armor at all, it does bounce a shot here and there like you can reasonably expect from a mobile heavy. The gun is not stellar, but it's OK (I'm using the first 120 mm, grinding for the top gun which is only a tad bit better).

 

 

I've had a few more awful games just a few hours earlier, and in each of them, I can identify my mistakes post-mortem. I may not know what was the best way for me to behave there and then, but I can definitely see things that I've done that were very bad moves. However, they weren't bad because I was playing M103, they would be bad in any tank. I didn't make those moves specifically because I was playing M103 either; I would have done the same silly thing in any other heavy or maybe even TD. So why then my M103 performance is so particularly horrible?

 

Did any of you guys have a similar epxerience with M103? Any advice for me?

its a support tank. you let someone else take hits and score free shots and thats about it. its a huge departure from the T29/T32, because you dont have good gun dep and the turret has many many frontal weakspots. it is also has a very very large side profile, so if you get caught in crossfire you are going to be hard to miss.

 

think of it more like a KT than an E75.

[cKy_]

I'd almost be inclined to put that down as bad luck

 

I kinda want to play the M103 in the current meta now to see how I do

[F1O1]

Mini-buffs for M103-  increase to -9 gun dep, 14km/hr reverse,1.05/1.15/2.11 terrain soft stats, ammo cap increase to 36 rounds

Mini-buffs for T110E5-  increase to -9 gun dep, 18km/hr reverse, 43km/hr speed, 1.05/1.15/2.11 terrain soft stats, 44mm side armour increase to 76mm 

 

As far as mini buffs go, good way to ease population back into playing and accepting these tanks. Rather than single patch mega-buffing tanks like Maus or Type 4 or 5.

However, l do think the better way to solve the issue, is rather to nerf conqueror and Super conqueror, rather than hop-scotch buffing tier tens to match them

 

 

 

[LuckyStarr]

cKy_, on Mar 02 2019 - 13:40, said:

I'd almost be inclined to put that down as bad luck

 

I kinda want to play the M103 in the current meta now to see how I do

 

I definitely make a lot of mistakes when playing, I don't have a good understanding of what I can do and what I must never do in this tank, but it seems that in M103 I get punished for th esame mistakes harder than in many other hulls, even than in T32 which is just objectively awful, but at least has a good turret.

 

I'd be very curious about your hands-on opinion on M103, and would love to get my hands on your replays if you decide to give it a try!

[MaximusAurumSpamicus]

I struggled in my 103 till I wrapped my mind around the idea that it is an upside down tank.   All the other US heavies have a turret you can rely on and a hull that you protect, so my instinct was to seek hulldown areas and bank on my turret being strong when I poked.

 

The 103 has a turret made out of napkins and you must always point the goodyear blimp sized turret toward the threat until you can protect the turret.   I ended up using it as a peek and boom because the lower plate is what most people instinctively snapshot when presented and the 103's hull is good with a weak turret.

 

It has a great gun and good mobility IMHO  and that is nice Try my trick of everytime you play say to yourself it's and upside down tank.

 

Hope it helps see you out there.

[Insanefriend]

M103 is just really painful stock, once you get the top gun and turret it's much better.

[LuckyStarr]

Insanefriend, on Mar 02 2019 - 15:18, said:

M103 is just really painful stock, once you get the top gun and turret it's much better.

I immediately free-XP'd to the first 120 mm gun. It's slightly worse than the top gun in all aspects at once, but only slightly. I don't think the top gun will change much for me.

Still struggling with M103, currently at 1050 average damage per battle. I think I can pull the same figure in the tier 8 KV-4 if I keep trying.

[Goat_Rodeo]

I have the 103 on another platform, and as others have said, it’s a support heavy and not the best brawler. It’s just too freakin huge with too many weak spots. Then there’s the meta, throw in lots of auto loading mediums in higher tiers, high alpha TDs, Russian armor profiles, sky cancer, premium ammo spam and blistering HE hits...it’s fun right? Seems the bottom line is not to be the centre of attention if at all possible. 

[GRINCH7777]

.....I play a lot of arty and I just LOVE finding an M103....lots of other heavies bounce my French X shots for zero damage but not the M103.

[The_Chieftain]

LuckyStarr, on Mar 20 2019 - 12:43, said:

I immediately free-XP'd to the first 120 mm gun. It's slightly worse than the top gun in all aspects at once, but only slightly. I don't think the top gun will change much for me.

Still struggling with M103, currently at 1050 average damage per battle. I think I can pull the same figure in the tier 8 KV-4 if I keep trying.

 

The M58 is a odd one, the cannon is better than the sum of its parts. The stats say it’s only a slight improvement, but it feels (and gives results that are) substantially better than one might expect.

 

I personally, disagree with using the M103 as a support heavy. With the mobility and gun handling it has, it begs to be played more like a medium. Avoid the face to face brawls with other heavy tanks, you will lose. You will, however, find huge success acting like the big brother that the mediums bring along to their fight, and then later getting those shots of opportunity against the enemy’s heavies from the flanks. M103 is my highest win-rate researchable tank. It begs to be used aggressively.

[pickpocket293]

The_Chieftain, on Apr 30 2019 - 18:50, said:

 

The M58 is a odd one, the cannon is better than the sum of its parts. The stats say it’s only a slight improvement, but it feels (and gives results that are) substantially better than one might expect.

 

I personally, disagree with using the M103 as a support heavy. With the mobility and gun handling it has, it begs to be played more like a medium. Avoid the face to face brawls with other heavy tanks, you will lose. You will, however, find huge success acting like the big brother that the mediums bring along to their fight, and then later getting those shots of opportunity against the enemy’s heavies from the flanks. M103 is my highest win-rate researchable tank. It begs to be used aggressively.

 

While I don't think you're wrong, the gun also costs 60k xp, which (if skipped) shortens the grind by like... 1/3rd. I skipped the gun, personally.

[Insanefriend]

The m103 takes some getting used to, once you figure out how the armor works and the best places to go you can brawl pretty well.  Also just remember your rate of fire is pretty high so taking snap shots when you know you won't get rushed is a good way to save hp.