Commanders,
There is a saying that everything is bigger in America. If you look at the highlight of this Top of the Tree special, you will definitely think that’s true. For the next two weeks, we will be focusing on the biggest, meanest mobile-fortresses to roam the World of Tanks battlefields – the top tier American turretless tank destroyers!
Follow the research line leading to the T110E3 and enjoy great discounts and credit income bonuses:
30% discount on purchase and 30% more credits earned with the following American vehicles:
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Use this opportunity to earn extra credits while driving these ferocious steel giants, or get them for 70% of their normal value!
These bonuses will be available from 1st April at 07:10 until 15th April at 07:00 CEST (GMT +2).
T110E3
“I don’t know who you are and I don’t care – I will find you and I will bust a cap in yo’ tank!”
In-Game Performance
The T110E3 is definitely a vehicle that you love when it’s on your team, and hate when the enemy has it. This superb tank destroyer sports simply insane frontal armour, which makes it virtually indestructible in face-to-face situations. The 305mm-thick plating, combined with a well-rounded gun mantlet, is capable of bouncing anything and everything fired upon it: AP, HE, APCR, HEAT, holy hand grenades, your in-laws – regardless of what you decide to use against it, the chances of you dealing damage from the front are close to zero.
The T110E3 is not only about the bounce, it can also bite. Hard. Approaching this American avenger head-on is definitely the worst idea you can come up with, because for every paint scratch you give it, you will receive a 155mm-wide hole in response. Its gun is powerful, accurate, and can pierce through almost 300mm of plating at the rate of 3.53 rounds per minute. Needless to say, there is not much of the enemy left to clean up after your gunner is done with them.
The vehicle is not invincible, however. In fact, the right approach by an enemy can turn this mean machine into scrap metal rather easily. First of all, this tank destroyer has quite restricted mobility and slow turning speed - not as bad as its predecessor, the T95, but it’s still enough to make you grit your teeth each time you’re trying to turn this thing around. In addition, the sides below the superstructure are relatively weak and the engine compartment is basically unprotected.
Furthermore, the vehicle’s front, sturdy as it may be, is not free from weak spots either. The biggest of these is definitely the lower glacis – sure, it is nicely rounded, but a well-placed shot still has a very good chance of penetrating. The machine-gun cupola on the top of the superstructure can potentially be considered a weak spot as well. Why “potentially”? Because it is also well rounded and has a mantlet just like the main gun, which makes it rather difficult to penetrate. However, if you cannot aim at the lower glacis, this cupola is the only part you have any chance of penetrating when facing this tank destroyer head on.
Tactics
The T110E3 does allow a certain level of versatility in combat. The gun is accurate enough to let the vehicle engage effectively in mid- to long-range sniping, and the thick frontal armour makes it a valuable addition to the first-wave attack squad. However, regardless of the duties you take upon yourself in battle, you should mind the vehicle’s weaknesses at all times.
While playing as a sniper, remember that the T110E3 is quite big and has rather poor camouflage values as a result. If there is artillery present on the enemy team, you can be certain that you will become their prime target if discovered. That is why you should pick your sniping spot carefully and make sure there is some cover you can retreat to, to avoid unwelcome airmail presents.
Also, it is beneficial to have at least one teammate to watch your back – your sides and rear are so weak that even some scout tanks can penetrate them. If you’re flanked and there is no one to keep the assailant away from you, it’s game over – bag packing and tearful farewell time for you. Remember that you have neither the turret nor the turning speed to protect yourself from a circling light or medium tank. Therefore you should not stay too far behind your other teammates.
If you decide to join the assault squad on the frontlines, you should be especially mindful of your surroundings at your sides. Your ideal position is to block bottleneck passages – there you have the walls to protect your weak side armour and usually some piles of rubble to use as cover for your lower glacis.
If you place yourself correctly, there is virtually no way of getting past you. While pushing the line forward on open terrain, always try to be the middle vehicle, with your teammates on both sides. This way you can provide the armour and firepower where it is needed most while your sides are neatly covered at the same time. Last but not least, whatever you do, never go anywhere without backup unless you’re hunting an enemy that is less mobile than you and/or there is no one in the area who could flank you.
In order to maximise your performance on the battlefield, we suggest installing the following equipment:
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| Improved Ventilation Class 3 | Large-Caliber Tank Gun Rammer | Enhanced Gun Laying Drive |
The T110E3 is a rather well-balanced vehicle, and as such is quite comfortable with the basic equipment setup: Ventilation for the overall boost in performance, Gun Rammer for a better reload speed and Gun Laying Drive for a faster aiming speed. However, remembering that it takes your gun only 2.5 seconds to fully focus, you may consider replacing this last equipment piece with either the Superheavy Spall Liner (better protection against ramming and artillery) or the Binocular Telescope (better view range). Pick the setup that you find most effective for you.
In addition, your crew members should learn the following skills and perks:
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| Gunner | |
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| Driver | |
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| First Loader | |
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| Second Loader | |
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Just like for equipment, the skill set of your crew should be aimed at improving the vehicle’s general performance. Sixth Sense is very useful when you’re sniping as it will give you a warning if you’re spotted by the enemy, Repairs will help you to keep your vehicle operational, and Brothers in Arms will enhance the effectiveness of the Improved Ventilation.
Designated Target can also be quite useful because it will keep the vehicle you’re aiming at visible for 2 additional seconds (provided that it’s in your view range). This way, your team will be able to fire at your target effectively for a bit longer. Clutch Braking is of course meant to improve your rather bad turning speed, Safe Stowage will reduce the chances of your ammo rack being blown up and Adrenaline Rush may give your loader the extra edge you need when you’re close to being sent back to the garage.
You can also consider going for Camouflage at some point, but please remember that due to the large silhouette, your T110E3 won’t profit that much from this skill. Therefore, it may not be the best skill to prioritise early on.
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.
History
In 1954, the US requested Chrysler to look into the possibility of a super-heavy tank fitted with a 120mm gun. Chrysler proposed the T110 and designed several other variants. However, the initial proposal was rejected as it would not have been able to fit through the tunnels in the Swiss Alps – a requirement of the project.
Chrysler attempted to redesign the vehicle to fit the requirement but this introduced new problems with the engine and transmission. Eventually, with more success being seen on the M103, the T110 project was scrapped in 1956.
The T110E3 in World of Tanks is based on their third proposal, in which the main gun was placed into a rigid mount.
All sources refer to: ‘Firepower: A History of the American Heavy Tank’ by RP Hunnicutt
Roll out, Commanders!
