WoT: Light tank theory
 

How the heck do you play these things?

I got my BT-7, and she's fast. 65 kph. Weak gun (especially since it doesn't traverse that fast!), and almost no armor!

So how do you guys play these light tanks?

I've been doing mainly 2 things, the Banzai and the scout and cover. If there's no arty to scout for, then I stay in the back and scoot over to where the line is weakest.

If I'm at the bottom of the stack, and we have decent arty, I'll do the suicide run around, try to spot all the positions that the arty and defenses are sitting in, and hope my guys are smart enough to do decent counter battery.

For the scoot and cover scouting approach, this tank is too damn big! It's ass is huge, and I can't effectively hide. But I try. I'll get to a forward position, and just lie doggo spotting the enemy passing by.

How do you guys play them? And tips?

Once while a game was loading for me the hint section said something very wise.

"A light tank is either immobile or unharmed, never both."

I would try to gang up with 3-4 other tanks either light or mediums, that way you are always associated with something, I can snipe a lone light tank but if hes with a couple medium tanks I will be looking elsewhere.

In my opinion, a light tank would be best for scouting a platoon, or a large push. once an enemy is detected, the light tank should get behind cover and let the force he's scouting for get rid of the enemy, then the light tank can move up, scouting again for enemies up ahead, kind of a leapfrog tactic, I guess.

You know that you make the light tank as a long-range scout. Only you can add the 500m stationary binocular and camouflage net.

I think besides recon, the fast light tanks would be typically used for flanking the enemy. The heavier units pin down the enemy from the front while the light tanks flank the enemy and attack them from the side where they might have a chance to achieve some penetration.

that brings up a good question, Which gun do you use?

Now, I assume in the sims, light tanks stay way from heavier tanks. They just make contact, report, and retreat. Obviously no suicide runs through the lines just to get contact credit.

But it's different in WoT.

So what gun do you use?

A heavier, slower firing gun, like a 37mm or 45mm, or a smaller, high rate of fire cannon, like 20mm auto cannon?

I wish they would let you see what map/tanks your up against, then choose your weapon.

If I'm a low tier tank, I like the auto cannon, as I can zip through the enemy lines, staying agile and picking multiple targets and tagging as many targets ass possible. The cannon works almost like a shotgun, spraying rounds everywhere, increasing my chances of a hit. Not increasing damage, but just a hit. And the longer I can stay alive, the more targets arty can hit and I get assist credit for that.

If I see that I'm one of the upper tanks, and it's mainly light tanks, I prefer a bigger gun. that way I can play the role of medium, and anchor the lines. I can deal more damage with each hit, then scoot back behind cover, while the rest of my team annoys the heck out of them.

I haven't even unlocked BT-7 currently at BT-2. And bow these BT-2 are FAST beyond imagination, armed with decent gun for its class and sufficient armor to go against other light tanks.

And I thought my fully upgraded MS-1 was the light tank :haha:.

In game My BT-2 is churning up more money than ever with other lower tier light tanks.

So I expect improvement with BT-7.


What I like from these BT-2s is that it suits my temperament just fine. I like its maneuverability as I can dictate when and where to engage the enemy.

Aahh now I'm getting killed all the time in BT-7 too. Not only they are putting you against heavier tanks but also much better opponents.

BT-7 is not really a full fledged fighting tank.

No, not at all. it's a scoto and shoot without pause. You can see why I like the autocannon now? I lock onto a target at range, and just let the turret track. firing as much as I can while still running at top speed. I usually try to seek out arty and kamikaze them. If your real lucky, you can use them as cover from the other guns, which don't seem to think shooting arty is TK if theres a bad guy right on the other side of em.

Ack there's nothing I hate most about tanks than it being armed with little cannon. :damn:


I'll stick with my 45mm even when it's painful. AS20 will have 76mm gun with upgrade and I'll be in heaven when I get my hands on the T-34 :DL

Now Im having a much better luck with my BT-7. It's a great tank suitable for commanding initiative. Most kill I've ever had in one battle with it is 5 enemy tanks.

It's a very good tank though with just barely adequate gun but its speed enables it to dictate where and when to engage.

Of course with its thin armor and light gun you can't go lone wolf on this one. But when properly used it's a very good tank capable of assisting friendly heavier tanks and making some kills on its own.

You just have to know where to place it but the tanks helps that a lot by having powerful engine(if upgraded) thus high mobility. Shoot a few, change position and always aim at side armor instead of frontal. Rinse and repeat.

I downloaded this as my custom BT-7 skin

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v3...kudus/BT-7.jpg

And add the following wording,

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v3...dus/BT-7-2.jpg