The HSTV-L

[florble mcfumperdink]

Alright so as an American tanker who is also a bit of a history nerd I was surprised to see this thing show up in a dev-blog.

Now, I didn't know much about it at first so I asked around and did a (probably unhealthy) amount of research on it and it is ♥♥♥♥♥♥♥ TERRIFYING!!!

Firstly it did have thermals IRL so expect it to be above 8.7 in-game if it gets them.

So of course the 11 shots-per-minute is scary but it isnt like its uncommong for light tanks to have that at high tiers, some times even lower reloads. However, the reason that it is scary is that it could like, hydraulically elevate its gun above the turret so it could engage targets without being in danger. Now, it is a soft target so it's not like that's the worst thing in the world, also I'm assuming an entirely new gun elevation feature wouldn't be added for a single oddball vehicle (that isn't premium).

Here comes the EXTREMELY terrifying part, I found-out that apparently this thing had a burst-fire mode used to wear down heavily armored targets from the front, 2-5 round bursts which could be fired in quick succession, similar in RPM to a handheld burst rifle.

So you're probably asking "What makes you think it will have that feature?". Well.... I noted that when the 11 round-per-minute fire-rate was mentioned the dev-blog said "in this engagement mode".... >THIS<!!!

I don't know why I was expecting a tank with a gun literally named the "Ares" to NOT be terrifying, but it turns out it very much IS terrifying.

Also for those of you pilots thinking "Meh, it's made of aluminum, piece of cake!" there was a version modified for dual purpose complete area denial against ground vehicles and aircraft, the main cannon was capable of being used in both roll and it has missiles to assist in the AA roll (they may have also been dual purpose but tbh if they are 65 millimeters in caliber or bigger with a large HE warhead you could just trap-shot MBTs anyways).

Also, I personally want to eventually see the Stryker the Stingray and the Puma along with their counterparts... MOAR IFVs!

I can bet the SPAA version will be a premium if it ever shows its face...

TL;DR American aluminum tub light tank can elevate its own gun above its turret to remain safe behind cover but still engage, has a 2-5 round burst-fire mode, its gun is nick-named the "Ares", there was an SPAA version with SAMs attached, and it had thermal sights. Sorry if I gave any Russian or German mains nightmares,

[armaghgeddon™]

American technology is the best in the world

[83athom]

Originally posted by florble mcfumperdink:

Also, I personally want to eventually see the Stryker the Stingray and the Puma along with their counterparts... MOAR IFVs!

Personally I'd like the Expeditionary Tank more. Interestingly the turret from which ended up on the cannon armed Stryker.

Originally posted by florble mcfumperdink:

TL;DR American aluminum tub light tank can elevate its own gun above its turret to remain safe behind cover but still engage,

Wrong version. That was a separate vehicle within the same little 'competition' the army likes doing where all the vehicles share a similar name... because reasons. That was the Block 2, we're getting the completed Block 3.There were 4(?) different vehicles (not counting the AA version) in that RDFLT competition, 3 of which were designated as the HSTV-L.

[florble mcfumperdink]

Originally posted by Armaghgeddon:

American technology is the best in the world

The most ironic thing about all of this is that IRL the HSTV-L has suspension problems and its weight and shape made its marine assault capabilities come under question, causing both the US Army and Marines to drop the contract order, rendering the tank defunct. However it still lives on today in an interesting way, the lessons learned from its failures and the improvements made by its successes lead to the weapons and command systems present on the Bradley and the Stryker.

[florble mcfumperdink]

Originally posted by 83athom:

Originally posted by florble mcfumperdink:

Also, I personally want to eventually see the Stryker the Stingray and the Puma along with their counterparts... MOAR IFVs!

Personally I'd like the Expeditionary Tank more. Interestingly the turret from which ended up on the cannon armed Stryker.

Originally posted by florble mcfumperdink:

TL;DR American aluminum tub light tank can elevate its own gun above its turret to remain safe behind cover but still engage,

Wrong version. That was a separate vehicle within the same little 'competition' the army likes doing where all the vehicles share a similar name... because reasons. That was the Block 2, we're getting the completed Block 3.There were 4(?) different vehicles (not counting the AA version) in that RDFLT competition, 3 of which were designated as the HSTV-L.

Ah good to know, watch Gaijoob release the Block 2 as a premium because OP P2W stuff is always needed, but did the Block 3 get the burst-fire mode or was it limited to the 5.4 second autoloader mentioned in the devblog?

Edit: gonna mark your comment as a thread answer to correct my mistake.

[83athom]

Originally posted by florble mcfumperdink:

Ah good to know, watch Gaijoob release the Block 2 as a premium because OP P2W stuff is always needed, but did the Block 3 get the burst-fire mode or was it limited to the 5.4 second autoloader mentioned in the devblog?

All 3 used the exact same gun. It was the 4th that shared the chassis, but used a gun based on an upgraded 76.2mm.

Block 1; http://btvt.narod.ru/3/rdf/LightTank.jpg
Block 2; https://i.imgur.com/F2oqMMy.jpg
76mm; https://i.ytimg.com/vi/YSCCcumTenM/maxresdefault.jpg

[:partyhat:]

It's gonna be something like an upgraded OPmagic gun on a no armor really fast chassis.

[The Mole]

It's what the T92 was meant to be XD.

[En Dement Ostehaps]

Originally posted by Armaghgeddon:

American technology is the best in the world

lol no

[florble mcfumperdink]

Originally posted by 83athom:

Originally posted by florble mcfumperdink:

Ah good to know, watch Gaijoob release the Block 2 as a premium because OP P2W stuff is always needed, but did the Block 3 get the burst-fire mode or was it limited to the 5.4 second autoloader mentioned in the devblog?

All 3 used the exact same gun. It was the 4th that shared the chassis, but used a gun based on an upgraded 76.2mm.

Block 1; http://btvt.narod.ru/3/rdf/LightTank.jpg
Block 2; https://i.imgur.com/F2oqMMy.jpg
76mm; https://i.ytimg.com/vi/YSCCcumTenM/maxresdefault.jpg

Alright nice to know that information now, seems like the one with the ability to peak its gun up over cover is on a sheridan chassis, it also looks like the tank equivalent of a flamingo.

[florble mcfumperdink]

Originally posted by The Mole:

It's what the T92 was meant to be XD.

T92: Who are you?

HSTV-L: I'm you, but capable of doing everything that your original design failed to do, and am therefore stronger.

T92:.... damnit!

[Sobolewski]

I somehow have a feeling it's gonna have a BR so high it's not really gonna be anything special by that point, kinda like what happened to the M551 Sheridan at 8.3 when the 7.3 BMP-1 offers almost everything it does and sometimes even better, outside of the stabilization in the main gun.

In fact, I'm surprised the T95E1 still hasn't been shot up to 8.3 or above for the crime of being an APFSDS american tank at the same BR other nations start getting it too and not being sufferable stock grind crap that is still underwhelming when spaded like the Pattons.

[florble mcfumperdink]

Originally posted by Sobolewski:

I somehow have a feeling it's gonna have a BR so high it's not really gonna be anything special by that point, kinda like what happened to the M551 Sheridan at 8.3 when the 7.3 BMP-1 offers almost everything it does and sometimes even better, outside of the stabilization in the main gun.

In fact, I'm surprised the T95E1 still hasn't been shot up to 8.3 or above for the crime of being an APFSDS american tank at the same BR other nations start getting it too and not being sufferable stock grind crap that is still underwhelming when spaded like the Pattons.

From what I saw on the dev-server stream it's 9.3 in arcade so either 9.7 or 9.0 in RB, it is tier 7 tho, so most likely it will be 9.3+ in RB.

On a separate note I believe they said the U.S. tree is getting a starfighter soon, along with Italy getting its F104.