Commanders!
With the arrival of the brand-new British medium line, the French lights are no longer the only wheeled vehicles in the game. Players already have a chance to try out the newcomers in the ongoing Common Test for Update 1.22.
Join us as we examine the soon-to-be-released Tier X Concept No. 5 to understand its place within World of Tanks. This is the second wheeled Tech Tree line, so we'll compare this top-tier vehicle to the Panhard EBR 105 in the French line.
British and French Wheeled Tanks: An Overview
Are you a medium-game hunter or ninja assassin?
- British medium wheeled vehicles: The new branch in the British Tech Tree contains six vehicles. They are hard to stop and have excellent agility but are more reliant on their boomsticks than their wheels. They have an overall larger profile than their French cousins and are not as speedy. Different driving modes were traded for a new mechanic that allows turning on the spot, which makes them easier to operate. Their role in the field is to quickly provide fire support and aid the team’s advancement with their high specific power, good gun accuracy, solid view range, and adequate damage per shot.
- French light wheeled vehicles: The French wheeled light tanks were introduced with Update 1.4 in February 2019 and have gained a lot of attention with their speed and agility. They play up the notion of speedy and agile scouts that can appear out of nowhere and quickly retreat. Their role on the battlefield is to gather vital intel for the team, dodge shells, and outmaneuver the enemy.
Concept No. 5 vs. Panhard EBR 105
Now that we know what we're dealing with, it's time to address the elephant in the room: Although British vehicles are a different class than the French ones, comparisons are inescapable, and burning questions need answers. We looked at each Tech Tree kingpin and put them head-to-head with their strengths and weaknesses. Simply put, these are very different beasts, and we hope to emphasize this with comparisons in the following categories.
Drag Race
When you hear wheeled vehicles, you think of speed. The Panhard EBR 105 has a 70 km/h standard top speed, a 42.35 hp/t specific power, and a 720 hp engine, but don’t underestimate the cunning and agility of the newcomer. The Concept No. 5 enters the game with a 65 km/h top speed, a 25.2 hp/t specific power, and a 580 hp engine.
A speedy start into the battle is not the main forté of most medium tanks, and the British wheeled mediums are no exception. Keep in mind that the Panhard has Rapid and Cruise modes, whereas British wheeled vehicles do not.
Off-Road Top Speed Race
Quickly getting up to speed is one thing, but which ride can traverse a tricky battlefield with its various terrains the fastest?
The British medium tries to keep up, but the EBR 105 pulls away thanks to its Rapid mode. The Panhard also has a 42.35 hp/t power-to-weight ratio, whereas the Concept has 25.2 hp/t.
Taking "Track" Damage
Similar to tanks, wheeled vehicles can take track damage, resulting in reduced speed and wobbly tires. We put our subjects to the test to see which one can take a flat tire or two and stay in motion.
The French light tank with eight wheels keeps rolling a little faster for a little longer than its six-wheeled British counterpart. After three trials, it's clear that the lights are made to keep going no matter what due to lighter armor and other characteristics tailored to their class. It's also worth noting the Panhard gets back on track (so to speak) after a 19.25 s repair time; the Concept's is 25.06 s.
360° Turning
Moving around tight corners or quickly getting out of a narrow position is a well-known weak spot of wheeled vehicles, which, until now, were unable to turn on the spot like tracked vehicles. Enter the Brits, who roll in with the brand-new wheeled suspension mechanic.
The Concept has the advantage, as it has few issues navigating the alleys and tight lanes of city maps and making a hasty retreat in a difficult situation. The French lights need to perform a cumbersome, multi-point turn or make a wide turn in order to reorient 180 degrees.
Causing Damage
Sure, speed is useful in running away, but sometimes you can’t avoid the fight. Who can take out an enemy the fastest? Time to see the impressive boomsticks of our two trial subjects in action.
The British medium and its powerful 110 mm gun brings 430 HP of alpha damage, decent accuracy, 260 mm of penetration, and 2,205 DPM to the field to outgun the Panhard's 105 mm cannon cocktail of 390 HP of alpha damage, 190 mm of penetration, and 1,950 DPM. As a medium, the Concept's firepower edges out the Panhard so as to compensate for the latter's higher mobility and faster top speed.
Conclusions
These trials illustrate the French light tanks clearly specialize in speed and mobility. The new British medium tanks, on the other hand, have a solid leg—or rather wheel!—up in firepower and turning with the wheeled suspension mechanic. There's more to it than boiling things down to which nation's wheels are better.
Roll Out!