First Update 1.19.1 Common Test: A New Heavy Tank Branch to Start 2023!
7 min readChinese Heavy Tank Line With Jet Boosters
This new branch consists of four researchable tanks from Tier VII through Tier X, starting from the VI 🇨🇳
Type 58 (with the tier VII costing 56,000 XP to research — if you want to get a headstart, now is the time!):
Jet Booster Mechanic
At the start of battle, the jet booster will take five (5) seconds to prepare for use. You’ll be notified of this in a corresponding indicator bar. After that, you can activate the booster using the X key by default. Once activated:
- Your tank will receive a brief 10-second boost to its engine power (multiplied by 2.5x), top forward speed (52.5 kph), and initial momentum, allowing the heavy combat vehicle to accelerate faster.
- However, your reverse gear (limited to -1.5 kph) and hull traverse (multiplied by 0.15x) will be rendered ineffective while the boost is active, and you will have a limited number of booster charges available in one battle. Therefore, be sure to use your boosts wisely!
When used correctly, this mechanic will allow you to quickly cross dangerous areas at critical moments in battle, ram lightly armored targets more efficiently, or occupy key positions faster.
You won’t be able to cancel the jet boost effect until it is fully depleted. After that, you will need to wait four (4) seconds until the booster is reloaded. Depending on the vehicle’s tier, you can activate it up to six times per battle:
- VII 🇨🇳
BZ-58 – 3 charges - VIII 🇨🇳BZ-166 – 4 charges
- IX 🇨🇳BZ-68 – 5 charges
- X 🇨🇳BZ-75 – 6 charges
Branch Details
Some notable details have arrived since the line was first unveiled a few months ago:
- Whereas some of these vehicles originally featured two gun options in supertest – one being a conventional cannon and the other being a howitzer – none of the vehicles (including the tier IX and X, which were both tested with the two separate gun options) feature the second gun option anymore. The howitzer gun options have been removed — only the conventional-style guns remain.
Unlike some other vehicles in the Chinese tech tree (i.e. the IX 🇨🇳
WZ-120, known for having one of the worst stock grinds in the game), these vehicles feature zero stock gun grinds — even the VII 🇨🇳BZ-58’s “stock” 85 mm is a usable top gun option, and the tier VIII-X vehicles all have only one (1) gun. The grinds are instead primarily focused into the tracks, engines, and turrets (radios carry over from other vehicles in the Chinese tree).
As for the individual vehicles themselves, these are as follows:
Tier VII – BZ-58
The new line kicks off with the 🇨🇳BZ-58 at Tier VII, featuring a tough turret, reasonable damage per shot, and great penetration values on its top 100 mm gun. You will also have a choice between two guns—85 mm and 100 mm—which offer different gameplay depending on your individual playstyle.
Tier VIII – BZ-166
The next newcomer at Tier VIII is the 🇨🇳BZ-166, featuring an unusual hull, well-sloped turret armor, and convenient gun depression angles. The BZ-166’s mobility is relatively low due to its decent armor, but you can always improve your top forward speed by activating its rocket boosters (in the case of this vehicle, up to 4 times in one battle).
Tier IX – BZ-68
Now for the top-tier tanks, starting with the menacing Tier IX 🇨🇳BZ-68. This tank is always ready to shock enemies in frontal attacks with its powerful gun. On the other hand, its long reload time and poor accuracy are valid arguments against engaging in close combat with fast-firing opponents. Luckily, it can make the most of the terrain thanks to tough turret armor and excellent gun depression angles—albeit, be wary of aiming over the vehicle’s front hull corners, as these hamper the vehicle’s gun depression significantly.
Tier X – BZ-75
As the top vehicle of the new line, the Tier X 🇨🇳BZ-75‘s key battle parameters are similar to those of the other Chinese heavy tanks. Like its brothers-in-arms, this vehicle has solid armor, respectable alpha damage, and great gun depression angles. You can rely on its jet boosters often – up to 6 times in one battle – when you need to make a tactical retreat or cross a dangerous area on the battlefield. However, be mindful of the vehicle’s cupolas, as well as the bar in the center of the turret — these all present themselves as very large, easily-exploitable weakspots for the enemy, regardless of terrain!
More details regarding these vehicles will be published at a later date (closer to Update 1.19.1’s official release date). For now, here is the list of changes for the first iteration of the Update 1.19.1 Common Test:
List of Changes (1.19.1 CT1)
Main Changes
New branch of Chinese tanks with jet booster mechanics
Four new heavy tanks (from Tier VII to Tier X) have been added:
- Tier VII—BZ-58
- Tier VIII—BZ-166
- Tier IX—BZ-68
- Tier Х—BZ-75
New Vehicles for Testing by Supertest Players
Germany
The following vehicle has been added for testing by Supertest players: 🇩🇪
Kampfpanzer 3 Prj. 07 HK
China
The following vehicle has been added for testing by Supertest players: 🇨🇳
BZ-58-2
NOTE: This vehicle will likely be exclusive to the 🇨🇳 CN game region, similarly to the other two Chinese heavy tanks which follow the same formula (Chinese hull + other nation’s turret): WZ-113-II and WZ-111 model 6.
JapanThe following vehicle has been added for testing by Supertest players: Type 5 Ho-To
Known Issues
- The vehicle role for the BZ-58, BZ-166, and BZ-68 in the game is displayed as Breakthrough Heavy Tank instead of Assault Heavy Tank.
- During the Common Test some clan-related features may not work properly. In particular clan chat, clan page, and clan search.
- The jet booster mechanic is currently not visually displayed when activated on the following vehicles:
- Tier VII – BZ-58
- Tier VIII – BZ-166
- Tier IX – BZ-68
- Tier X – BZ-75
For info regarding how to download/set up the Common Test client on your computer, check out the dedicated article on the WoT Portal (at the bottom).
The new branch will launch shortly after the New Year. Stay tuned for more info, as well as the official release dates!
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