World of Tanks is a great concept. But it’s rigged. At its core, WoT is a pay to win game. The WoT community is divided into 2 groups: 1) Those who adamantly support the game; 2) Those who claim the game intentionally throws matches. I played it with a few friends hoping to replace a few boring shooters. I noticed that matches were nearly always one-sided and that outcomes of individualWorld of Tanks is a great concept. But it’s rigged. At its core, WoT is a pay to win game. The WoT community is divided into 2 groups: 1) Those who adamantly support the game; 2) Those who claim the game intentionally throws matches. I played it with a few friends hoping to replace a few boring shooters. I noticed that matches were nearly always one-sided and that outcomes of individual tank battles were ludicrous. I reached out to other random players and heard similar opinions. But its problems don’t end there. Once the giddiness of tank warfare wore off, so did my hopes that WoT would earn a place in my game library.
When forming a platoon, players cannot select tanks in tiers higher than their platoon leaders, even if matches allow them. So if the platoon leader selects a Tier III tank, everyone is capped at that tier. If a platoon member wants to play a Tier IV tank, either the leader has to select one, the group must reform so the Tier IV player can become leader thus removing the cap. Regardless of the cap, players will always encounter more powerful, higher tier tanks in every match. Not much fun for people just starting out.
I play sub Tier IV tanks because of the larger player pool. At lower tiers, it’s obvious tank classes aren’t balanced. Light tanks absolutely dominate. There’s really no need to run other classes. Some light tanks move at 3x’s the speed of other tanks, have strong armor, and can pack the same punch as tank destroyers. In the majority of matches I’ve played, light tanks are the top performers. And it’s not unusual to see one with 5 or more kills. Enemy light tanks can deflect dozens of shells from friendlies and then flank around to destroy them all. Even worse, purchased tanks like the Locust are popular because of their impressive stats. Unfortunately, they exist solely to make money. Anticompetitive matches are less important than Wargaming’s need to monetize everything. And some of the best players sink a lot of money into WoT.
All tank stats are misleading since the effectiveness of weapons and armor is arbitrary. Short range heavy machine guns are regularly more devastating than 75mm Howitzer canons at distance. A 105mm tank destroyer can volley 10 rounds at a distant light tank only to be destroyed by a single 37mm shell. Also, consistently aiming for the weakest armor points yield consistently crappy results. I pommeled tanks with 10+ “critical hits” on their sides and backs without destroying them. And then, out of pure luck, I’ll fire into a random cluster of trees and destroy a medium tank with a one shell. Yes, that has happened. Such unpredictability begs the question: How much skill is actually involved?
Better shells cost money, and they’re insanely expensive. Players can use match rewards to buy ammo. But rewards are anemic, so even strong players can earn negative rewards each match if they use upgraded shells. Of course, Wargaming’s solution is to use real money and stock up on supplies. Players can also spend money to instantly train their tank crews thus removing the need to grind out experience. And the advantages stack up as players spend more.
Unlocking one top tier tank could take hundreds of hours, and WoT offers dozens of them. Spending thousands of hours to unlock a handful of top tier tanks that I may or may not like is an intolerable commitment. For players wanting to buy premium, the process is a wee bit faster.
Like most multiplayer games today, lag is bad. It’s Destiny bad. Too often shells pass thru targets. And fast moving tanks are advantageous because WoT will fail to accurately register their locations making them nearly impossible to damage.
One of WoT’s biggest problems is the disappearing tanks. Tanks vanish in every match. They disappear all the time. That’s right. Enemy tanks just vanish while taking damage. They’ll vanish while moving. According to the forums and Wargaming, WoT’s spotting mechanics are the reason tanks disappear. When tanks hide in bushes or stop moving, their camo rating increases. So if a player spots a tank, it can “disappear” because its camo rating increased by remaining stationary or finding cover. However, this doesn’t explain how moving tanks disappear just one hundred feet ahead in the open while charging friendly positions. WoT’s spotting mechanics are absolutely horrid. Combine this with lag, and it’s more frustrating than not.
WoT lacks polish as it’s filled with glitches, omissions and imbalances that shouldn’t exist 5 years after launch. No matter the armor, ammo, or stats tanks possess, battle outcomes feel random at best, and rigged at worst. Many people share this sentiment. Ultimately, WoT is free to play, but players willing to spend money will have access to more tanks, more skills, and more supplies. Even so, players’ skills are trumped by the arbitrary system that dictates how battles play out. So throw down lots of cash and roll the dice, because that’s how success is determined in WoT.… Expand
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