Era 3 Tier 3 Lights

[obsidian meteor]

I do quite enjoy CW light tanks. I generally gravitate to those with ATGMs, but I am honestly happy with any light tank.

The fact that there is no highest tier light is something of a disappointment in my opinion. I enjoy such tanks, and would like more.

Admittedly, the line between a tier 2 and a tier 3 is a bit blurred. There's arguments to be made that the Era 2 Stingray could work in Era 3, although I personally wouldn't like that.
As such, I'll try and stick to vehicles that are a notable improvement in one way or another.

The attached image is of a M8 Pre-production with level 3 armour attachments. I believe our existing example has Level 2?
Either way, it's a light tank with a notable increase in armour, and should help resist ATGMs and other ammunition easily defeated by spaced armour. I cannot remember the additional weight, but considering the nature of the programme I can't imagine it being too excessive.

[rare ridge]

If you were to do this it would open up a can of worms and all tank classes would want armour packs

[obsidian meteor]

Another potential tier 3 is one of the later TCM AGS prototypes. Armed with the XM35 gun I believe.

In addition, there were proposals to give the TCM AGS a 120mm and/or ATGMs.
LOSAT, TOW and Hellfires.

[obsidian meteor]

It's as a separate vehicle, not as a module.
Higher tier vehicle too

[rare ridge]

Players will want to be able to put armour packs on their heavies if lights can have them

[obsidian meteor]

If there's any available as options pre-1999, I'm not inherently against the idea.

The M8 had examples built before 1995, so should be included.

The RO2004 is a private British light tank armed with the incredibly powerful 105mm IWS.
About as powerful as contemporary 120mm guns, this is an unusually strong gun for a light.

The tank chassis was built, although the tank itself was not.

[wanton horizon]

We need top era3 lights and medium,s

[obsidian meteor]

You are quite welcome to make your own thread on uparmoured tanks. This is not that threat, being about top tier lights

[wanton horizon]

Could we get the bmd-4 as top era3 eastern light?

[obsidian meteor]

This BMPT (934) is an early prototype of the BMPT armed with two 30mm autocannons and a twin ATGM launcher.

Effectively an upgrade over our BMP in terms of Firepower, although probably not top speed.

[obsidian meteor]

No. Too modern.

It's also a worse BMP-3 effectively

[wanton horizon]

Damn

[obsidian meteor]

The BWP-2000 would make for an excellent tier 3 light.
Armed with your classic TOW and your non-classic 60mm OTO gun, this would be almost an Era 3 Bagel.
The 60mm is a remarkably powerful gun for the calibre.

This is a Polish design from the 90's. Prototypes were built, no production.

[wanton horizon]

Interesting

[quartz tiger]

I wish they would do everything that you have said. However free tech lines. It would help diversify Era 3 and give more fun options for light tanks.

However what about TDs theres only like 3 in era 3 now two being premiums. Era 2 isnt much better. Light tanks go well with TDs and its sad theres so few.

[obsidian meteor]

TDs don't really exist in the Cold War period.
In fact, lights and TDs were frequently interchangeable depending on the nation operating them. The AMX-13 is a great example of this.

[quartz tiger]

I know war of thunder has an endgame TD class. What did they call it?

[sharp prawn]

Mymhmhmhhmhm

[knotty stream]

Too lazy to get a photo, but an M3A2 with ERA bricks please

The description in game literally states it could mount ERA

Yet in game it doesn't? Why bother including the detail at all then?

And we got the Desert Warrior with ERA before the M3A2 ever got a real "buff"

Screw it I'll go find a photo

Couldn't find a photo of an M3 with ERA, but I found one of an M2

This was taken in 1994 during UNOSOM II

[knotty stream]

Note that the M2 and M3 are almost 1:1 vehicles, with the only major differences being the extra TOW missiles and lack of firing ports on the M3 version.

So while these technically are different vehicles, they're basically the same. Sorta like the T-72 and T-90. Different but the same.

[obsidian meteor]

Thanks for reminding me, the Bradley is perhaps the vehicle with the most Tier 3 options.

In order, a 35mm autocannon, a 40/45mm autocannon, a kinetic ATGM system and a 30mm autocannon.

[opaque crow]

The 40mm also got ATGMS?

[obsidian meteor]

I believe so, yes. I think that's a TOW box on the right side of the turret

[knotty stream]

For the Kinetic ATGMs, I'd rather they do the RDF/LT LOSAT test-bed

[knotty stream]

No doubt that's a TOW box. I can see the cover for the tubes.

[obsidian meteor]

Going to need those images

[knotty stream]

Sorry it wasn't an RDF/LT, it was some other airborne Light

[obsidian meteor]

The M8 one?
Post-2000 unfortunately

[knotty stream]

And the "image" I've seen of it isn't an image, it's an artistic depiction of it being mounted on what I think is an M8 AGS hull.

Airborne vehicles all look the same 😭

[knotty stream]

NO

Dammit

[obsidian meteor]

Yeah, it was actually built.

[knotty stream]

Oh cool

So yeah I guess we'd need a Bradley unless I find the most obscure DoD source ever

Anyway

Also

Soviet stuff

A lot of Lights can come from that

[knotty stream]

Object 952, the 2S31, and BTR-90 are all neat options.

The 2S38 could be added as well but I'm not sure of its history and when it was designed.

[sharp prawn]

im trying to find stuff on the 2s38 with regards to design years

but i cant find anything concrete

if the 2s38 started design pre-2000 then it would be an includable tank

2010

:(

thats when it was developed

[knotty stream]

Really?

Seems kinda odd

Russia has barely produced any of them

I figured it'd be one of those late Cold War designs put on hold due to Russia going broke in the wake of the Soviet collapse

Regardless

[knotty stream]

The tanks I listed here all fit

[sharp prawn]

russia has a history of making designs or developing stuff and putting them on "hold" for years

before any sort of real production is set for the tanks

same sort of thing happened with the bmpt

[sharp prawn]

this yes

heck, the object 952 might as well be the poster child for that

was designed way back in the early-mid 80s but didnt go into production till 2004

like a 20 year gap

[obsidian meteor]

The Object 952 could potentially fill multiple spots as well

[knotty stream]

It'd do best in Era 3 tbh

Era 2 deals with way too many autocannons and MWS platforms for it to do well

Plus in Era 3 it'd really shake things up

A Light that actually packs a mean punch that isn't negated by spaced armor, ERA, or arming distance like ATGMs are

[obsidian meteor]

I mean multiple spots in Era 3

[knotty stream]

Oh

[obsidian meteor]

We know an Object 934 based examples were built, so if any BMP/D examples existed pre-99 we're golden

[knotty stream]

The BMD-4?

Oh absolutely

I have no doubt something existed pre-2000

[obsidian meteor]

Otherwise? Well, there's options.

[obsidian meteor]

The BMD-4 would be a downgrade almost to the BMP-3.

I don't see much point in adding them.

[opaque crow]

Main benefit I see is their reverse speed

The BMDs from 1 to 3 went forward AND backwards at the same speed

[knotty stream]

zoom zoom :3

[obsidian meteor]

I would argue that the BMD-3 is a good premium option, but I doubt anyone would want the BMD-1

As for the 4, is it that different?

[opaque crow]

Not really? Think it's a BMD 4 with the transmission of the BMP 3 so it can't go backwards at the same speed forwardz

[knotty stream]

The BMD-4 is essentially just a BMP-3 visually

The systems and equipment are different though

Obviously

[wanton horizon]

Sigh if only wargaming would go past the 3rd era we could have all sorts of crazy things but nah why do that

[knotty stream]

Honestly I wish WG did stuff up to 2005 or so

That's when a lot the final Cold War era conflicts kinda finished up and the new era really began

[knotty stream]

1999 is just such an awkward cutoff date

[wanton horizon]

My guess is because they wanted the game to stay in the 20th century

Only reason I can think of

[knotty stream]

I mean I get that view

But historically 1999 is a very awkward point

[wanton horizon]

Ik

Basically was the main point of my thread about a 4th era

Just dosen't make sense

Not doing 2000+ is just a massive missed opportunity

[sharp prawn]

I wou also want 2005 to be cut of because that makes cold war have a 60 year window

And we can get the Sabra mk.1

To top off the magach line

Heck, the Sabra is a gen 3 tank, so it being in era 3 would be perfect

[wanton horizon]

Why we don't have tier3 era3 medium,s or lights is beyond me some tt,s look odd without a full line the marder1a3 tt for example

[knotty stream]

I get avoiding the modern day bs of loitering munitions, programmable shells, etc, but cmon

A few extra years lets so much more show up

A few extra years lets a lot of packages come too

Muh Freebrams w/ TUSK

[wanton horizon]

Indeed

[knotty stream]

The Challenger 2 CLIP test vehicle as well

Trophy could also be added

So if WG ever adds APS systems to WOT, something that isn't Soviet could have one

Ok so looking at APS systems

There's a LOT

Stuff that could possibly fit:
AMAP-ADS
Iron Fist
Trophy
Maybe KAPS
Arena
Drozd

The vehicles that could use it would definitely benefit from access with how scuffed the meta is rn

[wanton horizon]

If wargaming does era4 aps could be it's new main feature

I'd be down for it

[obsidian meteor]

There is also this derivative of the Stingray entered into the AGS competition, which could work as a tier 3

[obsidian meteor]

It's a rare class of vehicles, but some heavy IFVs were proposed during the timeframe of the game.

Attached are some HIFV proposals based on the Abrams or the Block III chassis.

Another such vehicle was the Object 299, intended to be a universal chassis for a range of vehicles.
The 152mm armed variant is the most well-known, but an ATGM carrier and a HIFV version were proposed too, the latter is of interest.

As it was later developed into the T-15, I suspect the gun jay be a 57mm.

[median tapir]

Is that supposed to be a light tank? I was always under the impression that it was supposed to be like a MBT.

Kinda like the Merkava

[obsidian meteor]

No, the base variant is absolutely a MBT.

However, I am including the heavy IFVs here as well, of which there was a variant.

[median tapir]

Ah

[obsidian meteor]

A heavy "light" basically.

The BMP-T variants could also fall into this category

[median tapir]

Kinda like the Merkava IFV?

[obsidian meteor]

Yes, although that's too modern

In my opinion, IFVs fall into the "light" tank category anyway, so should the heavier varieties.

Otherwise, people would end up confused if they were under other classes

[median tapir]

#MakeTheBradleyATD

[obsidian meteor]

The way I see it:
Autocannon primary: Light
ATGM primary: TD

[opaque crow]

What about an autocannons that fires ATGMs?

[obsidian meteor]

Those are a freak of nature and should be shunned

[median tapir]

The real question though is, what is the Bradleys primary weapon?

[obsidian meteor]

The Bushmaster

[median tapir]

damn

[knotty stream]

ok bot filter

The <BTR-T>

Heavy APC based on the T-55

[median tapir]

(If it can't carry dismounts, it isn't an APC)

[knotty stream]

It carries up to 5 troops with a crew of 2 from what I read

[median tapir]

Oh, I'd be surprised tbh

[knotty stream]

Yeah but then again it's Russia/USSR

They'll shove people into the smallest stuff possible

[knotty stream]

Also so long as people can ride on top of the vehicle it's an APC

Can have a squad of minimum wage grunts on top of my Freebrams and call it an APC

[median tapir]

Ngl, i read this thread as era 3 lights, not tier 3.

But you know what? A TCM AGS with the XM274 would unironically be better than the curret TCM AGS.

[thorn kernel]

Wheeled tanks in CW and I might finally play the mode

There's gotta be a modern wheeled light tank out there

[obsidian meteor]

Yes, but it wouldn't be tier 3 unfortunately.

Although we do know of a TCM AGS variant that could be tier 3

[obsidian meteor]

There's plenty of 105mm armed designs, quite possibly some 120mm armed ones.

I just don't focus on wheeled designs due to their issues

[sharp prawn]

There are some 120s

But mostly 105s