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I definitely think you are getting the hang of it. For some reason, the T-34 is my favorite tank so far. I am looking forward to the '85 as well, but I'm going to miss being able to put storms of bullets into an enemy. I've also found that if you hang behind a heavy tank, such as a KV-5 or Lowe, things become much easier, because you don't have to take the enemy fire. Fun tank for all roles.

I just finished getting all the modules for the T-44 and I can tell you that the T-44 is essentially everything you've busted yourself for the past four tiers (A-20 on up.) Not saying you won't enjoy the trip up here, but even with my experience I would say that at best the T-43 is an adequate medium for that tier.

I used to love the T-34-85 with its awesome mantlet (bounces 175 pen guns!) I used to have the second most games in it by a wide margin. Now however the T-34 is rapidly catching up as I gained more experience in flanking from the T-43 (the T-43 is the first medium that gives you enough HP to be riskier and find out when you can flank or not.)

Simply put the sluggishness, low hp, weak gun choice (1600 dpm in the 100mm and 1900ish in the 85mm compared to 2200 for the short 88 and 2400 for the m1a2) have turned me off the T-34-85. Sadly it doesn't emphasize or cannot make use of flanking as much as the other soviet mediums can. It's still a reliable support medium and can definitely still flank; you just have to be WAY less aggressive than when you're in the T-34, T-43, or T-44. Trust me, if you learn to flank like in the T-34, becoming LESS aggressive is incredibly hard. Just can't return to the old playstyle of my T-34-85; I move out at foolish moments that the T-34 or T-43 can typically do but the T-34-85 definitely cannot.

All that experience that comes from flanking and working with 175 penetration pay off in dividends in the T-44. You can afford to be even MORE aggressive than in the T-34, which sounds silly but oh my god it works. I only have a hundred games on my T-44 and already have two Boelters; that engine and the LB-1 is a very nasty buff.

Interesting learning experience too. Make sure you try to hide your right side from enemy fire. I've been racked only a few times in the T-43 but I've noticed it's usually to the right rear of the tank. I've been racked about 7-8 times in the T-44 these past 80 games or so until I got into the habit of exposing only my left hull and left turret. I rarely get racked now (and don't carry WAR.) Try not to let them shoot your right side unless you wanna explode.

These days it s fodder, not as fast as the T-50-2's [about the same armor - though takes hits worse], bot able to survive an AMX 12t ... cant stand up to any of the tier 5 lights for that matter [even has less hp's].  Not a good sniper like the PZ-5 or thump brawler like the M4 ... even the lowly T-28 has more over all utility.  Its out gunned by just about everything at Tier 5.  Support and anti-scouts about its only viable roles and that's with a skilled driver.

The T-50-2 is much faster and overall performs better than the T-34. It does however get crazy high MM and should not actually be treated as a tier 5.

The AMX 12t does does nice burst damage, but the T-34 has comparable DPM while the two are slugging it out. Once the AMX is out however the T-34 still retains its DPM. Furthermore the AMX really needs to get close for those shots to have a chance of pen and damage. That's where the Zis-4 is the most dangerous.

The PZ-4 is only a sniper, it simply can't do anything else really well. You get close, or go at high speed and it'll have to react like any TD. That slow traverse will cost it a few shots, which make killing them even easier once you're close.

The M4 is disgustingly easy to kill these days. High profile for a medium, fairly slow, not as maneuverable as the E8, and most people have given up on the 105mm. Even if they still mount it that would just give a bigger advantage to the T-34.

Oh and the T28 has at best 120 pen and attracts attention like the KV. Hey look one big easy to pen guy with a big gun; Shoot first! You're not gonna flank as well as the T-34.

The T-34 is one of the most dangerous of the tier 5 mediums versus those tier 5 lights. 54 turret traverse and the Zis-4 ensure you take a huge chuck of health while they come in on approach. If they try to snipe you (unlikely as most Chaffee drivers don't tend to snipe and the VK drivers prefer trying to derp some sides) the Zis-4 ensure you deal a crapload of damage in return to them. Typically though they would usually come in and approach you. Use that time to negate their health advantage with the hyper accurate and high turret traverse Zis-4.

Seriously, none of the tier 5 lights have a chance of circle strafing you even IF they track you (dunno why they'd bother either, since the T-34 has essentially uniform armor.)

The trick to the T-34 is playing aggressively. With the fast fire rate of the Zis, you can afford to run and gun, and not get caught with your pants down as you scoot around. In a typical match up, you'll see at least 2 or 3 tier 5-7 heavies on the enemy team. Those are your targets. Play forward observer until the slower heavies have been located, then go hunting.

The T-34 is a very good tank, with decent-enough responsiveness and a killer gun for low-tiers.

Like the Ram and (I presume) the M7, It's especially good at knocking off those pesky little light French tanks, but can adopt many roles depending on tactical necessity. The trick is to know when to blaze away, and when to fall back to another firing position, but that's true of every tank to a certain extent. Like every tank, the T-34 will have its fair share of dud games but I'm winning nearly 2 out of every 3 games in mine which is well above my average win rate, so there must be something good about the tank



Here's the kind of stuff you can be doing even when there are Tier 7 tanks in the game:

http://dl.dropbox.co...g_bay.wotreplay

-Thanks to the Zis-4's great penetration, I'm pretty confident about engaging higher-tier tanks, so I'm prioritizing them whenever possible, hopefully carving off enough damage for somebody else to finish them off. If I can catch somebody out in the open I'm happy to do it myself!

-Also, I know that my view range isn't the greatest, so I'm relying on others to do the spotting and instead lending supporting firepower.

I just bought a T-34,

I haven't played it since early beta, after the softwipe - and even then only briefly. I vaguely remember them buffing the 57mm and thinking that it seems necessary, as the tank was already good.

Threw a 75% crew on it, GLD - vents - coated optics , and I'm having a blast. Much more fun than the Pz IV or BDR or most other tier 5s. If you CAN penetrate something, you're going to wreck it , and fast. I don't even mind tier 7/8 matches, since the gun is so accurate even with my rookie crew, that I can work out on the flanks with the bigger medium tanks and really make a difference.

Good times.

After 18 battles already doing pretty well,  only going to get better when the crew gets nearer to 100% and gets some camo/repair going.