Commanders,
This edition of the Top of the Tree will focus on the unique fighting machines straight from the Far East.
Follow the research line leading to the STB-1 and enjoy great discounts and Crew XP bonuses:
50% discount on purchase of the following Japanese vehicles:
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30% discount on purchase of the following Japanese vehicles:
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+50% Crew XP bonus on all vehicles discounted in the special
Your crews will be also very excited about the new toys in your garage!
These bonuses will be available from 15 June at 07:10 until 1 July at 07:00 CEST (UTC+2).
STB-1
“The samurai aren’t gone – they just donned a different kind of armour.”
Vehicle Overview
The STB-1 is definitely a force to be reckoned with in Tier X battles. This is primarily due to the fact that it’s a very well-balanced, well-rounded medium tank that allows its driver to perform a multitude of manoeuvres quite easily. The strong sides of the vehicle include a very well-sloped, low profile turret, good gun depression, an impressive rate of fire for a tier X tank, a well-angled frontal plate and great mobility. What is more, it has an astonishing base view range of 410 metres which is only 10 metres less than that of the M48 Patton. It also needs to be mentioned that the STB-1 has one of the best (if not THE best) damage-per-minute values among tier X vehicles – it beats all medium tanks and many vehicles from other classes as well. It’s basically a medium tank lover’s dream!
However, there are some minor drawbacks to this Far-East steel box of goodness which must be taken into consideration when rolling out into battle. First and foremost, the gun is a lacking a little in terms of aiming time and accuracy which can make sniping somewhat harder than on other mediums of the same tier. Moreover, as with most medium tanks, the STB-1 doesn’t have much protection on its sides and can be penetrated easily when flanked. On top of that, even though the frontal plate can provide some protection and bounce the occasional shot, the lower glacis is still a problem and being shot there may result in ammo rack damage. Lastly, the vehicle’s turning speed and acceleration can be a let-down at times. These values are by no means bad but there are situations in which they can make you cringe, like hill climbing or turning at low speeds.
Playing the STB-1 can be described as intuitive for anyone with at least some medium tank experience. Thanks to the vehicle’s universality, you can perform a variety of roles on the battlefield, like second line support, mid-range sniping, flanking, peek-a-boo manoeuvres and even engage in occasional scouting for the team. Moreover, your good gun depression allows you to take advantage of many hull-down positions and use your well-sloped turret to bounce enemy shells while steadily showering their tanks with return fire. Basically, the only things you need to remember while in battle is that you don’t perform well while driving uphill and that you should never allow yourself to be flanked. Keep your team mates close by for support; don’t rush through open spaces and you should do fine.
Tank Tip: As aforementioned, the STB-1 is quite a nice all-rounder, and as such boasts good values in most of its parameters. As a result, you may want to consider equipping it with an Improved Ventilation Class II. This piece of equipment give your crew an overall 5% boost that may be combined with the Brothers in Arms perk for maximum effect. As a result, the vehicle’s performance will improve in general. This translates into an easier handling for the jack-of-all-trades type of players, so if you’re into strict textbook medium tank tactics, this may be the right choice for you.
In order to maximise your performance on the battlefield, we suggest installing the following equipment:
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| Coated Optics | Medium Caliber Tank Gun Rammer | Vertical Staiblizer Mk 1 |
In addition, your crew members should learn the following skills and perks:
| Commander/ Radio Operator |
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| Gunner |  |
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| Driver | |
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| Loader | |
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As always, please consider the setup for both the equipment and crew skills as suggestions. Feel free to experiment on your own and choose what you think works best for you.
Roll out, Commanders!
