MS-1

Modules

Tier	Gun	Penetration (mm)	Damage (HP)	Rate of fire (rounds/minute)	Dispersion (m/100m)	Aiming time (s)		Weight (kg)	Price ()
I	37 mm Hotchkiss	34/44/19	30/30/36	24	0.54	2.5		104	0
II	45 mm mod. 1932	51/88/23	47/47/62	20.69	0.46	2.5		240	2000

Tier	Engine	Engine Power (hp)	Chance of Fire on Impact (%)		Weight (kg)	Price ()
I	GAZ-M1	55	20		215	0

Tier	Suspension	Load Limit (т)	Traverse Speed (gr/sec)	Rmin		Weight (kg)	Price ()
I	T-18	6.5	48	B/2		1200	0

Tier	Radio	Signal Range (m)		Weight (kg)	Price ()
I	71-TK-1	265		50	0

Compatible Equipment

Compatible Consumables

Pros and Cons

Pros:

• Good armor (for a tier 1 tank).
• The 45 mm mod. 1932 gun has the highest penetration value in tier 1, as well as acceptable accuracy and good damage.
• Decent hull traverse and excellent turret traverse speeds.
• Small size and good camouflage values, making it easy to hide and difficult to detect and hit.

Cons:

• Lowest HP of all the tier 1 tanks.
• Fairly slow.
• Long aim time.
• Poor view range.

Performance

The MS-1 is a very capable and forgiving tier 1 tank, making it an excellent starter vehicle. Stock, it is slower and weaker than the American and German starter tanks, but it has the thickest armor. The frontal armor is almost twice as thick as the T1 Cunningham's (although 18 mm of armor is not going to stop much incoming fire). Against this, the MS-1 has the lowest HP of all the tier 1 tanks, and cannot take too many hits.

The starting gun, the 37 mm Hotchkiss, is decent enough against other tier 1 tanks, but is very inaccurate. The 37 mm B-3 is a substantial improvement, offering superior penetration, damage, and accuracy when compared with the Hotchkiss gun. The 45 mm mod. 1932 is the probably best single-shot weapon available to any tier 1 tank. It has the highest damage and penetration for its tier, effectively penetrating all but the most heavily armored tanks the MS-1 faces. Sniping with this gun can be very effective. The high damage per shot also makes it excellent for taking "snap shots" while playing "peek-a-boom" (moving out of cover, taking a quick shot at close range, then moving into cover again). All the single-shot guns have very long aim times (2.5 seconds), with only the QF 3-pounder on the Vickers Medium Mk. I having a longer aim time. The MS-1 is not particularly well-suited to the play styles that autocannons demand, especially since it is one of the slower tier 1 tanks. Despite this, the 20 mm TNSh and 23 mm VYa are still viable if the MS-1 can close the distance between itself and opponents.

The MS-1 has the lowest horsepower of all the tier 1 tanks, and is one of the slowest for its tier. It is decently maneuverable, with fair hull traverse and excellent turret traverse speeds, but can have trouble climbing steep slopes. Combined with the excellent single-shot guns it can equip, these factors make the MS-1 well-suited to a more careful and deliberate play style, as opposed to the more aggressive play styles of the Leichttraktor or T1.

The MS-1 is also one of the smallest tanks in the game, making it much more difficult to both detect and hit, compared to the other tier 1 tanks. With a Camouflage Net, it is nearly undetectable until it fires.

Please note the Map Restrictions for tier 1 tanks when purchasing a camouflage skin/paint job for the MS-1.

Crew Skills

• Choosing Camouflage for both crew members as their first skills can turn the MS-1 into a near-invisible tank.
• The combination of Snap Shot (Commander/Gunner/Radio Operator/Loader) and Smooth Ride (Driver) are other viable options for first skills, allowing the MS-1 to get its shot off faster after coming to a halt.
• Upon reaching 100% on the first skills, one can drop the commander's skill for Sixth Sense, allowing the tank to be alerted after being detected.
• Brothers-in-Arms will improve the tank's performance, but requires all crew members to have it at 100% before it works. The bonus to crew skills is particularly noticeable when combined with Improved Ventilation.

Early Research

• The 37 mm B-3 is required to unlock the modernized turret, which in turn unlocks the 45 mm mod. 1932 and T-26.
• Upgrading to the GAZ-M1 engine is helpful as it is both more powerful and weighs less.
• The T-18 suspension provides an increase to the fairly low load limit, and is required to unlock the SU-18.
• The 45 mm mod. 1932 is required to unlock the AT-1 tank destroyer, and provides the tank with higher penetration than any other tier 1 vehicle.
• The 20 mm TNSh and 23 mm VYa autocannons are not required to unlock anything, and are not necessary except to provide the MS-1 with elite status, or if a more aggressive close combat play style is preferred.
• The AMO-3 engine does not provide much significant benefits over the GAZ-M1, and can be saved for last. It is required to unlock the BT-2.
• The 71-TK-1 radio is unlocked automatically on the BT-2, T-26, AT-1, and SU-18 as their stock radios, so researching it on the MS-1 is completely unnecessary if one is planning to unlock any of the aforementioned tanks.

Suggested Equipment