Difference between revisions of "Tanks of Japan"

Revision as of 12:24, 8 October 2016

Japanese Tank was introduced in World of Tanks update version 8.10, and with the introduction of the Czechoslovakian tech tree, it is now the second newest tank nation in WoT (Before Incoming of Swedish tank in version 9.16). Currently, there is one end-tier medium tank line (two branches until tier 5 with mediums and light tanks) and heavy tank line.

0.9.10 Japanese Tank Tree

Althrough Japanese heavy tanks greatly differs from Japanese medium and light tanks, they all share few similarities. All Japanese tanks have great gun depression, (with exception being Chi-Nu Kai and some heavy tanks that have limited depression above their miniturrets), lack of sloping on armor (except on tier 8 - 10 medium tanks), and good firepower.

Japanese medium and light tanks have few more things in common. They all have poor armor thicknesses, however, higher tier mediums (most notably the STB-1) have sloped armor, which may result in lucky bounces. They also combine good gun depression with guns that have excellent penetration and a good balance between alpha and ROF. In the first few tiers, the Japanese tanks can seem to prove to be a real turn off. Guns have generally good accuracy and handling (with expection being Type 61 and STB-1) Most Japanese medium and light tanks have decent camo values for their class.

At tier II, the line splits between medium tanks and light tanks. Japanese light tanks offer good speed and agility, culminating into the Type 5 Ke-Ho, which is small, fast, agile, and packs a surprising punch. However, to balance these overall good characteristics, the three light tanks in the Japanese line lack in armor even more so than their medium counterparts, and are not exactly specialized for scouting in general.

In the diverging medium tank line, agility is traded for additional firepower and flexibility, a shining example being the Type 97 Chi-Ha, which while albeit cumbersome, possesses great firepower and accuracy for its tier, which enables it to play not only as a support medium but also a tank destroyer. The Medium tanks, along with their light tank cousins, are somewhat lacking in armor overall compared to their international peers.

At tier V, the medium and light tanks lines reunite, and the Japanese tank line focuses solely on mediums which have decent accuracy as the line reaches later tanks, all of which have the capability to switch roles seamlessly when required. Past tier V, the medium tanks take rather wild variations between tiers. The tier 6 Chi-to is known for its overall good maneuverability for its size. The tier 7 Chi-Ri is notable for its very large size, rivaling the bulkiness of the German tanks found in the E50M line, being even bigger than some heavies of its tier, which makes it an enticing artillery target. Yet to trade for its large size, the Chi-Ri has the ability to equip a dangerous autoloader, the earliest medium tank in the game to do so. In addition, to compensate for these wild variations, all of the late-tier Japanese tanks feature above-average to good health pools, some rivaling those found along the E50M line as well.

In the last few tiers, the turrets of the Japanese tanks, while not greatly increasing in armor thickness, begin to become well-rounded and sloped like their Chinese counterparts, the STB-1 for instance has among the shallowest sloped turrets in the game, able to bounce nearly any shot. They also likewise have cramped modules and crew. However, in contrast they still retain their excellent gun depression but also abysmal hull armor. In essence they are not jack-of-all trades and masters of none like the Russian Mediums, but are extremely potent as second line support tanks, and if handled properly can even take on primary roles in a pinch, if only temporarily.

Overall those who expect to see Japanese medium tanks brawl effectively will be generally disappointed and surprised, as all of the tanks in the Japanese medium line lack strong armor found in Russian and German tanks that will be sufficient for such. However, those who prefer a supporting role, sniping, flanking, etc. will very much enjoy what the Japanese mediums have to offer.

Other than few similarities mentioned earlier, Japanese heavy tanks are nearly polar opposities of medium tanks. They generally have terrible mobility (with expection being O-I Experimental), flat but extremely thick armor, huge alpha damage, takes a long time for reload. Japanese heavy tanks lacks real weakspots on front (Expect Miniturrets in O-I series expect O-Ho That have thin armor and easy to penetrated by Other tanks in same tier), but at cost they are much worse at angling than their German counterparts due to either terrible side armor or having weak cheeks on front that becomes easily penetratable when angled. They are also the biggest tanks in the game, being notably bigger than even the Maus, making them very easy targets from artillery.

The tier 5, O-I Experimental, is like link between low tiers and higher tiers. It shares monstrous size and great firepower from its bigger brothers, however it still has rather weak armor like its predecessors. It also has something what other Japanese heavy tanks lack: mobility. From tier 6 and up, Japanese heavy tanks are generally similar: very slow, very thick but also very flat armor, highest HP pools for their tier, big gun with high damage but have terrible reload time and being biggest tanks in the game. When going up in tiers, they generally get better side armor and eventually lose miniturrets at tier 9, but at cost gains hull cheeks as weakspot. Tier 6 - 8 Japanese heavies have options for 150mm derp guns, and tier 9 and 10 have 14cm naval guns, which results in unique caliber and alpha damage (600) in World of Tanks.

Light Tanks

I

Renault Otsu

II

Type 95 Ha-Go

II

Type 97 Te-Ke

III

Type 97 Chi-Ha

III

Type 98 Ke-Ni

IV

Type 5 Ke-Ho

Medium Tanks

II

Chi-Ni

II

Type 89 I-Go/Chi-Ro

IV

Type 1 Chi-He

V

Type 3 Chi-Nu

V

Type 3 Chi-Nu Kai

VI

Type 4 Chi-To

VII

Type 5 Chi-Ri

VIII

STA-1

VIII

STA-2

IX

Type 61

X

STB-1

Heavy Tanks

III

Type 91 Heavy

IV

Type 95 Heavy

V

O-I Experimental

VI

Heavy Tank No. VI

VI

O-I

VII

O-Ni

VIII

O-Ho

IX

Type 4 Heavy

X

Type 5 Heavy