We continue the traditional column on our website and publish the most interesting answers from World of Tanks developers.

sp15- this is the nickname of a person who is busy researching the Swedish branch of tanks for World of Tanks (ideologist and consultant), at least so says Rita, who published his answers on her blog, which were translated by the WOT Express community.

• There will be no LT and ST in the initial branch; they will appear later.
• For art there are contenders for levels 3-10, but they won't be available any time soon.
• Most of the tanks will be based on real projects, some of which were never made in metal.
• The highlight of the Swedish branch will be UVN (down to -15 degrees and more), and TT, PT and ST will be lighter and smaller than you can imagine.
• While researching the thread, the most interesting thing was reading about Swedish plans to liberate Denmark from the Allies in 1945, and regarding tanks, there were interesting UDES projects from the 70s, many experimental ideas, right before the introduction of combined armor.
• The hardest part was making compromises with Wargaming when putting together the research tree.
• If the Strv 103 becomes the top of the line, then perhaps they will add hydraulic suspension.
• The branch will only contain original cars.
• Swedish tanks will have 3 to 4 tankers, like most TOPs.
• Most shells will be AP and AP.
• Strv 103 will not be a PT, it was designed and used as a ST.
• Swedes can fully gain 4 full branches and one mini branch. This includes TOPs for each branch.
• WG make their own camouflages; they did not consult us on this issue.

Other answers

Maxim Chuvalov in an interview with Gamanoid:

• WOT Blitz already has over 45 million installations worldwide.
• WG also makes games for the female audience, for example Melesta Games, with which it has a strategic partnership, released My Cafe, where you manage your own coffee shop.
• Tanks in VR do not go beyond prototypes and now it all looks very funny. There is no market yet, but WG want to be ready when the market appears.

Mikhail Zhivets on LiveJournal:

• They don’t change all the minimaps at once, because they might not like it. If you like it, we'll redo everything.
• Less than half of the players use the HD game client.
• The loader in the Bat.-Châtillon 25 t AP was added by mistake and will be removed. The procedure will be clarified; there are no plans to reset perks.

Murazor:

• An alternative branch of the French TT is just for show: " if in short there are multi-turreted vehicles with so-so guns and no mobility, why they decided not to make them, I think you understand".

Yuri Pasholok (historical consultant for Wargaming):

• The French TTs are not needed for show. Any branches should be different in some way, have their positive and negative sides. It should have been a unique thread. Large, but well-protected vehicles with quite reasonable speed and good weapons for their levels. TT6, for example, are in great demand in different modes. I’m already silent about the fact that so far there hasn’t been a single TT3, let alone TT2, in the game.
• Regarding Batignolles-Chatillon 35t. A 35-ton buttchat means someone ate mushrooms. The program itself began with a 12-ton truck, then it was transformed into what will be at level 9, and the well-known baht was built in metal. There was no 35-ton truck. The combat weight of one version of the artobate was 34,334 kg, and 35,434 kg for the second. From this point of view, yes, buttchat 35 tons exists, and it is even in the game.

Anton Pankov, chief operating producer at Wargaming:

• Skill balance will probably be added when the main problems are sorted out.
• Our crew system is quite old, it needs to be reworked, we also need new perks, but only after we have rebalanced all the equipment, because crews have a significant impact on the tank.
• The crews have outdated interfaces that are not at all obvious.
• Implementation of the role model is insufficient. Everyone has the same perks: combat brotherhood, repair, the commander’s “light bulb”. I want more perks to provide more different options to enhance a tank's strengths and compensate for their weaknesses.
• I dream of legendary crews with legendary perks: well-known tankers with special skills.
• Crews deserve to be a complete matai game.
• In recent years, we have been trying to devote more time to regional content, locations that are recognizable and have a distinct regional setting. For example, maps "Berlin" and "Paris". We understand perfectly well that each region wants to have something of its own.
• Czechoslovakian tanks were planned as part of a large branch of the European team, but thanks in no small part to the enthusiasm of the players, we released a separate branch.
• Tank customization is a big feature, it has been in development for a long time, we will bring it to fruition. In addition to the current camouflages and emblems, there will be new features, for example, hanging a log
  to the tank.
• Thanks and likes will be given. Viktor Kisly promised this at a meeting in San Francisco
  with players, and at GDC. The development of a complaint system, the ability to complain and find out the result of a complaint against a violator will also be implemented.
• We will fine self-destructing players economically, or give a cooldown upon entering battle (the player will not immediately be able to enter the next battle and will have to wait until the end of the previous one).
• There are no plans to change anything regarding non-historical damage points, this is part of the game, part of the gameplay. Yes, this is not very historical, but aiming at this turret, finding it is a player’s skill that he develops. We cannot deprive him of this.

Good afternoon, dear reader!

If you have already played in the open test updates 9.17, then you are unlikely to be interested in this material. Although, even those who did not play in the general test have also already read and watched a lot about the Swedish cars that will appear in 9.17 . But just a week ago, on a general test 9.17 there was a small update where some Swedish cars underwent changes. And so, the personal opinion of the portal editor regarding all Swedish cars.

In total in the Swedish nation, as you already know, in update 9.17 there will be 20 units of equipment. One of them has already been introduced into the game - a premium Tier VI medium tank Strv m/42-57 Alt A.2.

Let's start with the branch of heavy tanks, which starts with light ones. Located on level I Strv fm/21, on II - Strv m/38 and at level III Strv m/40L. I think that there is absolutely no need to talk about these three cars. All three vehicles will be completed in a couple of dozen battles, and some will even complete them for free experience. Following the light tanks from tiers IV to VII are medium tanks in the following order: Lago, Strv m/42, Strv 74 And Leo. All four vehicles turned out to be very interesting in that they have very good vertical aiming angles. A Leo at level VII it also has high mobility and an excellent weapon. And the top cars at levels VIII, XI and X are of great interest. Here we have heavy tanks, which are quite different from those we already have in the game. Let's talk in more detail about top cars.

VIII level - Emil I. Emil I before that very update at the super test it had good mobility, armor and weapons. And you know, it seems to me that Emil I I could move it AMX 50 100 from the niche he now occupies. But on November 25 an update came out, where Emil I The power of the top engine was reduced by 21%, and the reload time of both guns was increased from 3 seconds to 3.51. Now Emil I is not as imbued as it was at the very beginning. The car has become quite balanced.

IX level - Emil II. With the second Emil The same thing happened as with the first one. Engine power has been degraded, recharge time has been increased from 3 seconds to 3.51. But in this case, they also cut off the armor from the VLD. In principle, the tank remained playable and enjoyable.

X level - Kranvagan. Before the update on November 25, this car was a real imbo. Kranvagan had everything you needed for a pleasant bend: mobility, armor, mobility, etc. With the release of the update, engine power was significantly reduced by as much as 28%. The Swedish top heavy tank has become significantly slower than its competitor - AMX 50B. We increased the time both inside the drum and the drum itself. From 2.75 to 3 seconds and from 28 to 33 seconds, respectively. They cut off the armor from the VLD, like Emil II. Now Kranvagan differs from other drum TTs only in that its main shells are sub-caliber.

Swedish tank destroyers start from level II and go up to X. Level up to VII, inclusive, here are the usual classic vehicles that do not particularly stand out among other tank destroyers in the game. They're not even worth talking about. Let's talk about Tier VIII, IX and X vehicles.

VIII level - UDES 03. The car is somehow extraordinary. It seems UDES 03 has a powerful weapon, but it is very difficult to realize its potential due to the complex control of raising and lowering the hull with free aiming of the weapon in the vertical plane.

At levels XI and X there are located Strv 103-0 And Strv 103B. The cars turned out to be very pleasant in terms of gameplay, but the controls... The controls, and therefore the gameplay itself, turned out to be a little difficult. And many players who played and are playing in the super test speak about this. In principle, one could not expect a different initial opinion about the new mechanics.

This is the opinion I have about the cars of the new nation. Over time, of course, all players will get used to the hydraulic suspension mechanics. After all, when the first drum tanks, which were the French nation, were introduced, the players also did not really accept it. And now... And now you can see for yourself how it is played.

Updated

Important! The final characteristics of the Swedish equipment will become known with the release of version 9.17 and may differ from those presented in the article, since the equipment is currently in the testing stage.

Few Swedish heavy tanks were realized in metal. However, it cannot be denied that rational armor, which would theoretically allow these vehicles to finish battles without a scratch, as well as their firepower, could clearly turn the tide on the battlefield. Well, World of Tanks gives you the opportunity to test these theories!

Emil I, Emil II and Kranvagn are three new heavy tanks from the Swedish branch, which will appear in version 9.17. In this article we will look at their strengths and weaknesses, and also touch on the history of these machines.

Content is available at larger browser widths.

Emil I

The combination of strong armor and a gun with a magazine loading system makes Emil I a serious threat in close combat. In addition, the accuracy of the gun allows this tank to fire confidently from the second line.

brief information

• Durability: strong frontal armor, low profile and small size allow this vehicle to be most effective in a frontal attack; It's difficult to aim and hit. Use the gun declination angles (−12°) wisely, and you won’t have to return to the Hangar ahead of time.
• Mobility: smaller dimensions compared to the AMX 50 100 and the ability to reach speeds of up to 50 km/h (cruising speed 42-43 km/h) allow the Emil I to quickly find a protected position and shoot a magazine while remaining hidden behind uneven terrain.
• Firepower: a 4-round magazine is enough to “disassemble” almost any Tier VIII vehicle, except for heavy and medium tanks with particularly strong armor. The Emil I discharges a full magazine faster than the AMX 50 100, allowing it to get out of the line of fire faster and making it more versatile overall. Good stabilization of the gun while moving allows you to shoot from the hip or immediately after a short stop.

Emil II and Kranvagn

Emil II gives a good idea of ​​what awaits you at level X. This Tier IX ricochet master is designed specifically for sneak attacks and taking advantage of uneven terrain. Nevertheless, the full potential of Swedish heavy tanks is revealed at the last level represented by the vehicle Kranvagn with powerful armor and low profile.

brief information

• Strength: Kranvagn's armor is stronger than that of the AMX 50 B and T57 Heavy: a hull with rational armor angles (90 mm), a strong turret (210 mm) with good angles, small hatches and a strong roof. The relatively small size, low profile and special placement of the gun in the turret significantly increase the survivability of this vehicle. The enemy must be a real sniper to penetrate your Kranvagn into the turret, which, combined with rational armor angles, makes this tank truly reliable.
• Mobility: The tank surpasses the T57 Heavy in cruising speed and engine power. If we draw an analogy with sports, the American T57 Heavy would be a champion in race walking, the French AMX 50 B would be an excellent sprinter, and the Swede would be a stayer.
• Firepower: The tank is equipped with a 120mm gun, the armor-piercing shells of which are excellent for sending moving targets into the Hangar. Despite the fact that the Kranvagn's reload speed is lower than that of the AMX 50 B and T57 Heavy, the excellent gun depression angle (−12°) more than compensates for this disadvantage. Thanks to this parameter, the Swede can effectively use uneven terrain and even reflect enemy shells (with proper use of angles).

Story

The Swedish Army did not use the "medium tank" classification for its vehicles during World War II. The tank brigade (yes, initially there was only one brigade) had only light and heavy tanks. Light tanks included the Strv m/37, m/38, m/39, m/40 and m/41; considered heavy Strv m/42, which, with a mass of 22.5 tons, was lighter than most medium tanks from other manufacturing countries. Despite the military's desire to get a tank with a more powerful gun and strong armor, the Swedish army was initially unable to approve the design of a vehicle that would have more mass than the Strv m/42.

The main reason was concerns about the deterioration of overall mobility. The Swedish army had no experience with heavy tracked vehicles. In addition, the country's less-than-ideal infrastructure could become a serious obstacle for heavy tanks: the Strv m/42 that was put into service was already more than twice as heavy as previous vehicles. A study of the condition and quality of the country's bridges showed that only half of them could support a 22-tonne vehicle without any damage. Of course, the enemy faced the same restrictions, so there was no particular need for a heavier tank.

After the war, the Swedish army came to the conclusion that heavy tanks had no problems with difficult terrain, and also realized that it was better to fight enemy equipment with their own tanks. Thus, the need arose for a vehicle that could fight a potential enemy on equal terms and would have protection against weapons of mass destruction.

Work on the “heavy” tank project began in 1949. In the 1950s, 18 tank prototypes were created, all of which were designed to counter the Soviet IS-3. After discovering the main drawback of a potential enemy tank (large mass), the Swedes paid special attention to creating a heavy tank that would have less mass, choosing a lighter oscillating turret instead of the classic IS-3 layout. Taking the French AMX 50 B as a basis, the engineers provided for the possibility of installing two versions of the gun with a magazine loading system, which would allow the crew to save precious seconds. Despite the fact that this project looked good on paper, the excessive originality of the turret ultimately led to the cessation of work on the heavy tank project in 1954.

Thus, the future of the tank remained unclear. The military realized that the Strv m/42 was hopelessly outdated and was only suitable for firing high-explosive fragmentation shells at infantry. The Swedish army needed a modern tank, and the Centurion (and the ability to get one quickly) was the answer. The acquisition happened at lightning speed, with virtually no assessment of the advantages and disadvantages, and the priority of the internal heavy tank project was downgraded. Later the project was completely canceled.

Despite the fact that Swedish heavy tanks never roamed the battlefields, the project "Emil" contributed to the further development of tank building in Sweden thanks to some extremely interesting and original ideas.

2. Review of Swedish technology

Updated

What do you know about Sweden? Medieval architecture, furniture with outlandish names, a lot of rocks and snow. At the same time, for all World of Tanks players, the achievements of the Swedish tank industry are of much greater interest. Interesting engineering solutions and special attention to the local peculiarities of using armored vehicles made it possible for Swedish tank builders to create a number of versatile and interesting projects, which formed the basis of a new gaming nation.

In update 9.17, the Swedish nation will be represented by two branches of vehicles: a tank destroyer branch and a mixed branch with light, medium and heavy tanks. There is not much time left before the start of hostilities involving Swedish armored vehicles, so we invite you to get to know them better. So, off to the cars!

Mixed branch

“Buffet” is the ideal phrase to describe all the variety of techniques in this branch. There are light, medium and heavy tanks, as well as tank destroyers, so everyone can choose a vehicle to their liking.

• Tier II is represented by the light tank Strv m/38. The car has balanced characteristics and will be an excellent start to getting to know the nation.
• Next comes the Tier III light tank, Strv m/40L, which has an unusual hull and extremely comfortable gun elevation angles.
• What is Lago? This is a high-quality Tier IV medium tank that has adopted the features of its predecessors.
• Next on the list is Strv m/42, a Tier V medium tank. Its characteristics are comparable to such proven vehicles as the Sherman M4, T-34, and Pz.Kpfw. IV, however, not all peers can boast of such a gun declination angle: as much as 15 degrees!
• Next is the Tier VI medium tank Strv 74, which has one of the best weapons at its tier.
• You will probably remember Leo - the fastest Tier VII tank with huge one-time damage. This vehicle can clearly make a splash on the battlefield.
• Let's move on to Tier VIII: the Emil I heavy tank with a magazine loading system similar to the loading system of the French AMX 50 100, which is nevertheless slightly inferior to the French: a slightly longer reload (3 seconds versus 2.75) and weaker penetration (217 mm against a 232 mm sub-caliber projectile). His armor copes well with shots from vehicles of his own or lower levels. And the relatively small size and excellent gun depression angles (12°) give the Emil I an undeniable advantage in many situations.
• At level IX you will meet Emil II. Many players will notice its similarity to the AMX 50 120, but it has a more compact size and much more reliable frontal turret armor. Optimal gun depression angles will allow this hot Swedish guy to seek out and punish enemy vehicles without having to go into the thick of it.
• Last on the list, but not least. Meet the Tier X heavy tank - Kranvagn. According to its characteristics, it is something between the AMX 50 B and T57 Heavy.

Tank destroyer branch

After researching the Strv fm/21 light tank, a branch of nine tank destroyers opens to you. Fast, well-armed, and also stealthy thanks to their low profile, these vehicles will no doubt be appreciated by many of you.

• Pvlvv fm/42, Ikv 72 and Sav m/43 (levels II-IV) are a group of universal tank destroyers for play at low levels. Take an advantageous position and stay close to your allies - only then will these daredevils be able to bring down a barrage of fire on the enemy. Don't rely on armor; your advantage is high speed and an accurate weapon, as well as a low profile that will allow you to remain undetected for as long as possible. Tier III and IV tank destroyers can brazenly use the feature of an excellent gun depression angle and take non-standard positions in order to unpleasantly surprise the enemy. The Sav m/43 has a choice of two guns: a more accurate 75mm with good penetration or a more powerful but less accurate 105mm gun.
• At levels V-VII, three classic ambush vehicles await you: Ikv 103, Ikv 65 Alt II and Ikv 90 Typ B. Thanks to the gun depression angle, they perform well on maps with high hills and ridges. The Ikv 103 has a choice of two powerful 105mm guns, which fire HEAT rounds, although they are not very accurate. Tier VI-VII vehicles are equipped with an excellent 9cm Bofors cannon with impressive penetration. Don't rely on armor when playing these beauties - follow your allies and be alert!
• At levels VIII-X, new opportunities await players. Here are vehicles with new game mechanics - tank destroyers with marching and siege modes. If you get to UDES 03, remember: try not to fire in traveling mode. Just take an advantageous position and enter siege mode: this is where you can unleash the full combat power of your vehicle. Only in this mode does it turn into one of the most dangerous Tier VIII tank destroyers in the game.
• Playing the top tank destroyers Strv 103-0 and Strv 103B will require lightning-fast reactions. In marching mode, you will have to forget about shooting: just forward, looking for an advantageous position, where you can safely switch to siege mode and take advantage of the advantages of your weapon. Don't forget about the armor: if played correctly, large angles of inclination will help you deflect shots at your vehicle with impunity.

As I understand it, the Wargaming developers, before creating the Swedish branch (branches), were faced with a dilemma - to make one, but logical, or two, but at the same time intensively sucking the devices out of their fingers.

A logical Swedish tank branch could look like this:

#1 strv fm/21-29
#2 strv m/38 plus premium strv m/40K
#3 strv m/41

In real life, the developers placed strv m/40K on the third level, and abandoned strv m/41. This is the stupidity here. m/40K had a fundamental difference from m/38 - frontal armor plate 50 mm thick. Well, the motor is a little more powerful. Everything else about these tanks was identical. But the m/41, with the same armament, was slightly larger (that is, its HP immediately became larger) and had a 50mm frontal armor plate in the basic modification, as an upgrade. That is why m/41K as a third-level premium looks much more logical. Further:

The developers worked on levels ##4-6 with a solid “A”:

#4 Landsverk Lago - this experimental tank, created in 1939 for Hungary, is actually an ideal candidate for the fourth level.
#5 strv m/42 - "mini KV", the main tank of Sweden during the Second World War and the Korean War
#6 strv 74 - the result of a deep modernization of strv m/42. True, not everything is so simple with him. Apparently, he will be the weakest sixth-level CT in the game.

On #7-9 it was necessary to install a combination of strv 82-83 and strv 101-102 (in their maiden days these tanks were British "Centurions" of different series, delivered to Sweden in 1952-53) and two modifications of the "Swedish tank" strv 103 - 0 and B, and at #10 put the strv 2000 project, work on which was carried out in Sweden from the late 50s to the late 70s. Several options were proposed, all of which were rejected solely because the price was too high.

Landsverk strv 103
Probably the most unusual tank in the history of world tank building, built in series. The shock in world military and paramilitary circles caused by its appearance is well characterized by the fact that on March 21, 1963, when the Swedish government issued a memorandum announcing the adoption of a new tank, US Secretary of Defense Robert McNamara immediately conveyed its text to President Kennedy, who demanded that the CIA provide as much information as possible about the new product. McNamara in those days expressed doubts about the competitiveness of this tank compared to the American new M60. A total of 335 units of this tank were produced and served in the Swedish army from 1966 to the mid-90s.

You can do without the strv 2000, but then move the two str 103s up one position (that is, to the same position where they are now in the official Swedish tank destroyer branch).

Instead, the developers put a hypothetical tank on #7, created on the basis of sketches of a promising 30-ton Swedish tank, work on which was carried out in 1945-47 and all work on which was curtailed due to the fact that Swedish engineers were able to familiarize themselves with samples of Allied tanks and they reasonably concluded that all their sketches were unnecessarily archaic. By the way, a similar story happened with the French ARl 42, work on which was carried out by French tank designers in secret, starting in 1942, but when in 1944 Leclerc was shown a drawing of a new tank, he put it roughly as follows - “The Americans will give us this kind of crap completely free of charge.” develop something new as much as we ask," and thus ARL 44 was born.

In any case, what the then developers from Landsverk were offering was clearly not suitable for the 7th level. And at levels 8-10, the guys from Wargaming put in three more absolutely hypothetical tanks, developed on the basis of the drawings of the first sketches on the EMIL topic, which was led by Steve Brege, the future creator of str 103. Interestingly, at the first stage of work (1949-53) KB in where Breguet worked, they considered a bunch of different options, up to the maxi AMC 13 with a 105 mm cannon in a swinging turret.

Landsverk Pvkv m/43
Anti-tank self-propelled gun, created on the chassis of the Strv m/42 medium tank. It was armed with a 75 mm cannon with a barrel length of 50.5 cal, which made it possible to impart a projectile speed one and a half times greater than that of the 28-caliber gun of the m/42 tank, which had the same caliber. It also had 80mm frontal armor. The design order was received in 1942, but these tank destroyers only went into production in 1946. A total of 87 pieces were produced. This tank destroyer was in service until 1995. Until 1953, when Sweden received the Centurions, the pvkv m/43 was the only Swedish combat device capable of resisting the main tanks of the USA, Great Britain and the USSR.

Where did the Centurions and strv 103 go? Well, they completely forgot about the “English”. But in vain! And 103 was stuck in the branch of Swedish tank destroyers. We got out. But from a marketing point of view, they made a huge mistake. People wanted a Swedish branch to drive the legendary Swedish tanks, and not just a bulo. And now, yes, gamers will upgrade the tank destroyer branch, but I still don’t understand what interest there is in upgrading absolutely unrealistic tanks from levels 7 to 10.

Yes, and they screwed up hard with the prime minister. The strv m/52 tank never existed, even in the draft. There was an idea from the military to install an AMX 13 turret on the strv m/42. Landsverk engineers very quickly concluded that the linear diameter of the turret of the French tank was noticeably larger than the linear diameter of the strv m/42 turret, and so much larger that to install it, a different hull would be needed (the m/42 hull was very narrow, only 236 cm ), and therefore the proposed modification is not possible in principle.

And now Wargaming offers this, well, very hypothetical tank. For what?

OK. Let's move on to the main topic of the article - self-propelled guns. Here, as in the tank branch, we see both correct decisions and outright nonsense. Due to the fact that, having castrated the line of tanks, the developers transferred strv 103 to the tank destroyer branch, and to the highest levels: 9 and 10. At these levels, the developers placed strv 103-0 and strv 103-B and this solution was specifically for forming the branch The tank destroyer is really the only possible one.

What's below?

This is where it gets interesting. The fact is that Sweden has never been a rich enough and industrially powerful country to have a large fleet of various self-propelled guns, but they still managed to create something interesting.

Probably the most striking example of Swedish tank destroyer construction is the Sav m/43 - an assault gun with a 105 mm field gun, 21 cal. long, built at the end of the Second World War in a series of 36 pieces based on the strv m/41 light tank. What's good about it for WoT is the ability to upgrade several types of weapons. Despite the fact that in the series it was equipped with the above-mentioned 105 mm gun, options with a 75 tank gun and several howitzer options were also considered.

Wargaming developers put Sav m/43 at level #4. And this is also the right decision. But it is almost the only correct one.

Let's look at the thread from the very beginning. At level #2 is the experimental tank destroyer pvlvv fm/42, which was allegedly created in 1942 on the basis of the strv m/38-40 tank and was armed with either a 20 mm Marsden anti-aircraft gun or a 37 mm Bofors anti-tank gun.

pvlvv m/42
The first Swedish self-propelled gun, which the WarGaming developers inserted into the line of Swedish self-propelled guns at the second level, apparently simply out of urgent need.

It seems like a good solution for level #2, but the whole problem is that a.) I don’t think that this device can be considered a tank destroyer, since there was not the slightest sense in 1942 to develop a tank destroyer with a 37 caliber gun mm, and we must clearly admit that it was a ZSU, which, yes, the developers put in the line of tank destroyers, since its guns will actually be able to fight second-tier tanks.

The second problem is - has anyone tried to look for mentions of this device on the Internet? I tried. The first five pages of Google's results provide links exclusively in the context of WoT, and the only photo is also located in an article dedicated to the Swedish thread. So, whether this self-propelled gun existed in real life or not is unclear. It’s as if the developers from Minsk didn’t invent it too. After all, with a company turnover of several tens of millions of dollars a year, it is not difficult to draw a picture that is authentic to the times.

Ikv 72
Light infantry support self-propelled guns, created in the early 50s. Weighing 8 tons, it had 8-15 mm bulletproof armor and a 145 hp engine. It was armed with a 75 mm tank gun, similar to the one installed on the strv m/42. A total of 36 pieces were produced. In 1956, the rearmament of the 105 mm howitzer began. The modernized Ikv 72 received the name Ikv 102

At level #3, Ikv 72 is COMPLETELY FAIR. The story here is interesting. Even during the war, the issue of fire support for motorized rifle units arose, for which the development of the Sav m/43 assault gun began. However, the 105 mm field gun mounted on this self-propelled gun was not very effective against modern tanks. Several variants of light self-propelled guns were proposed, including the fm/49, which was a 6-ton tankette armed with 2,120 mm mortars (or mortars). There was also a project by the Bofors company, which managed to install a 120mm naval universal cannon on the strv m/42 chassis, which was subsequently equipped with several post-war Swedish destroyers.

As a result, the lkv 72 assault self-propelled gun was created almost from scratch, weighing only 8 tons (the same as the sav m/43) and armed with a tank gun similar to that mounted on the strv m/42. The chassis was designed from scratch. The armor was bulletproof 8-15 mm. The device was powered by a 145 horsepower liquid-cooled Ford V8 engine. The first batch of 10 pieces was delivered to the troops in 1953. The next order for 26 pieces was immediately placed. The “demand” for self-propelled guns was such that in 1956-57, several strv m/42 that had not yet been upgraded to str 73 were retrained as infantry support self-propelled guns, repainted and given the new name Ikv 73. In 1956-58, the Ikv 72 was re-equipped 105 mm howitzers. At the same time, a new modification of this howitzer was developed - Ikv 103, which differed from the Ikv 102 in its propulsion system. The fiery heart of the new product was the four-cylinder air-cooled Saab SFA42 engine with a power of 150 hp. To celebrate, the warriors immediately ordered 81 pieces of the new product.

Ikv 102 or ikv 103
The most popular post-war Swedish self-propelled gun. It was armed with a 105 mm howitzer and was used directly in the infantry brigades of the Swedish army. A total of 118 self-propelled guns of these two models, which differed only in engine, entered service with the Royal Army in 1953-60.

Ikv 102 and Ikv 103 served in the Swedish army until 1984-86, subsequently their chassis were used for the production of armored personnel carriers Pvrbv 551 and Lvrbv 701, which are in service with the Swedish army to this day.

How did the WarGaming developers dispose of these self-propelled guns? You'll never guess. Ikv 72 was placed at level #3, and Ikv 102 at level #5. Which raises questions. But even bigger questions are raised by the absence of another interesting Swedish self-propelled gun - the Pvkv m/43 tank destroyer. The history of its creation illustrates well why Russia always lives by the principle of “Catch up and overtake.” Back in the fall of 1942, the military, having received information on the tank battles of the summer of 1942 on the Eastern Front, came to a disappointing conclusion - the supernova strv m/42, which had not even begun to enter service with the troops, was completely powerless in the confrontation with Soviet heavy tanks. And with promising German ones too. And something needs to be done. This something became a tank destroyer project based on the same strv m/42 on which they installed the latest Bofors anti-tank gun with a caliber of 75 mm and a barrel length of 50.5 cal. The speed of a projectile fired from such a cannon reached almost 900 m/sec, which was one and a half times higher than the speed of a projectile from a gun mounted on the strv m/42. Another feature of the self-propelled guns was the 80mm thick frontal armor. Never before had such thick armor been installed on Swedish tanks.

pvkv m/43

Pvkv m/43 was built in 81 copies and entered service in 1946-48. The tank had a problem - the engine was from strv m/42 - Volvo A8B. He was somewhat capricious and unreliable. As a result, in 1963, remotorization was carried out, during which the engine was replaced with 2 Scania-Vabis type L 603/3 with a power of 162 hp each. every. Oddly enough, the self-propelled guns did not lose speed (45 km/h). Before the appearance of “centurions” in the Swedish army, tank destroyers pvkv m/43 were the only possible opponents of modern main battle tanks in the armies of the USSR, USA and England.

And you know what's most interesting? pvkv m/43 NOT in the Swedish Wargaming branch. Well, no, that’s all. Instead, at the legitimate #5 level sits ikv 102, which doesn’t make the slightest sense. The absurdity of this decision is that the ikv 102 had the same armament as the sav m/43 (placed at the legal #4 level), but did not have the same armor protection as its predecessor and, therefore, should be located at #3, where the ikv itself is located 72. And on #5 you need to put pvkv m/43.

UDES 03
UDES is not the name of a tank, but of a program for the development of advanced armored vehicles for the needs of the Swedish army. It was a lighter tank than the strv 103, armed with a 105 mm cannon with a barrel length of 45 or 51 cal.

The UDES 03 tank was placed at level #8. In fact, under this program in 1972-73, two options were worked out in detail - the UDES 03 as a lightweight (weighing only 26 tons) version of the Strv 103 and the UDES 14 - outwardly reminiscent of the British "Scorpion" tank with normal turret, with the same armament and weight as the UDES 03. The UDES 03 was brought to the prototype stage, while the UDES 14 remained in the drawings. Honestly, I can’t imagine how effective such a device will be able to fight tanks of levels 7-10, which it will face in battles.

Landsverk Ikv 65

At #7 is the development of the Bofors - Ikv 90, and at #6 - the Landsverk Ikv 65. Both of these self-propelled guns were developed in the 1960s by order of the army with the aim of creating a compact tank destroyer for the latest Bofors 90mm / 45 cal PT gun. They weighed only 11 tons and carried anti-tank armor. Landsverk has developed 6 different versions of this self-propelled gun, up to a turret-mounted tank destroyer. One of them has reached the prototype stage.

Ikv 91
The third most popular Swedish tank in the 1970s-80s. A total of 212 pieces were produced.

However, the winner of the competition was not Landsverk or Bofors, but the Ikv 91 light tank, developed by Hägglund & Söner. It was somewhat larger than the Bofors and Landsverk projects (weighing 16 tons), but had an enviable mobility of 65 km/h) and the ability to swim. As a result, in 1976-78 the Swedish army received 212 tanks of this model, which were in service with the Swedish army until 2002.

The defeat in the competition for a promising light tank crippled Landsverk; the company left the military industry for civilian life, starting to produce excavators, but soon went bankrupt and was bought by Volvo.

But let's get back to our sheep, damn it. Why did this Bofors steal away at the 7th level? What prevented you from putting this same Ikv 91 there? Yes, the gun is the same as that of the Ikv 65, but the presence of a turret and mobility put it at a higher level, isn’t that logical? And the tank can be made in much more detail than the illusory Bofors?

In general, in my humble opinion, those in Minsk who are planning the branches have frankly screwed up. Not those who draw this bullshit, but precisely those who give orders. They could have made candy, but they made another “Japanese thread” about nothing.

24.3.2017 3121 Views

With the release of update 0.9.17, it became available for players to study Swedish tank branch, which is represented by two branches of research. The cars of this nation have specific features that have introduced new opportunities for players into the gameplay.

Unfortunately for players, only tank destroyers and heavy tanks are available in the Swedish development branch. At the moment, there has been no reliable information about the introduction of light vehicles, a full-fledged branch of medium tanks and self-propelled guns, although the archives contain enough information about the developments of Swedish engineers of various types of armored vehicles. This gives hope for the addition of new unique technology that will make the game even more exciting and fun.

Swedish branch of heavy tanks

Swedish heavy tank branch is heterogeneous throughout its entire length. Players start the game on light vehicles, at the fourth level they change to medium ones, and only at the eighth level do heavy tanks come into play. This heterogeneity of equipment brings players some discomfort in the gameplay, since transferring a crew from one type of equipment to another is accompanied by an experience penalty of 20%. In addition, the perks that are needed for comfortable play on medium tanks are not always suitable for playing on heavy tanks.

Therefore, players who decide to pump out Swedish heavy tanks for themselves will be required to frequently reset perks to learn more suitable ones. But all these inconveniences will ultimately be rewarded by the presence of excellent heavy equipment in the hangar. A special feature of these vehicles is the loading drum, which greatly simplifies the process of causing damage.

There are many such tanks in the World of Tanks game, but the Swedes have a clear advantage over them, namely strong frontal armor that can deflect large-caliber shells and thereby increases the survivability of the equipment on the battlefield. More detailed information about the Swedish heavy tanks branch will come later.

Just like the heavy tank branch, Swedish tank destroyers were introduced into the game with their own characteristics. And if until level 8 Swedish tank destroyers are quite similar to vehicles of other nations of the same type, then after reaching this level players receive a unique siege combat mode.

Using it, the player can move around his axis, using a camouflage network and stereo pipes that will be active. Such characteristics of cars have not yet been introduced into the game and many players have already appreciated them. Moreover, when switching to siege mode, the vehicles get fantastic vertical aiming angles, which makes playing with this vehicle very comfortable.

The ninth and tenth levels of Swedish tank destroyers have excellent armor, due to the rational arrangement of armor plates, from which most enemy shells ricochet. It is also worth noting the excellent camouflage parameters of the Swedish tank destroyers, which, in combination with a camouflage network, make the vehicle invisible on the battlefield and can often only be detected by an “X-ray”. Their weapon is distinguished by excellent accuracy.

But there were some downsides. The transition to siege mode takes some time; while in this mode, the vehicle has a low movement speed. When exiting the mode, the speed of the tank destroyer increases many times, but the firing leaves much to be desired. Vertical aiming angles disappear, the accuracy and stabilization of the gun deteriorate.

At the moment, Sweden's premium tanks are represented by only one vehicle - a medium tank Strv m/42-57 Alt A2. It has good mobility, a charging drum and good damage per minute. Its disadvantages include the presence of weak armor, mediocre vertical aiming angles and low penetration of the base projectile. In addition, when transferring crew to heavy tanks, players will pay a large experience penalty.

We will tell you more about this vehicle, as well as other tanks, later.