A new member has joined the League of World of Tanks Nations.
Swedish vehicles will soon join the game.
Their specifications haven't been finalized yet,
so we still don't know the precise armor thickness or speed.
But the most important thing is already clear—their character.
Let's take a look at them.
SWEDISH VEHICLES
The Swedish tech tree starts with
a tank that has a rich history: the Strv fm/21.
Designed by German engineer Vollmer,
the tank was disguised as tractor parts
when delivered to Sweden.
In other words, it's all about intrigue and mystery.
If you want to find out more, watch a special video about it.
In our game, the Strv fm/21 is a classic Tier I light tank.
The only peculiar thing about it is its size.
Large dimensions are compensated for by its hit points.
But there's no need to go into detail,
as you won't play the tank for very long.
The first vehicle is followed by the Strv m/38 and Strv m/40L.
These are decent tanks for their tier,
without any visible drawbacks or outstanding strengths.
Good, sturdy combat vehicles.
And they already reveal some features of Swedish tanks.
Light armor, small dimensions,
and excellent elevation and depression angles.
The Tier IV Lago tank is in line with this.
A versatile vehicle, good for any task.
A nice improvement is its slightly better dynamics
as compared to its predecessors.
At Tier V, the speed of research in the game slows down,
and players have time to feel what their tank is like.
There are many interesting vehicles of different nations at this tier.
Some are preserved in the Garage forever.
The Swedish Strv m/42 has every chance
of becoming a mainstay.
Its mobility, speed, and firepower are ordinary.
What make it extraordinary are the elevation and depression angles.
With 15 degrees of gun depression,
the tank can fire while
hiding almost its entire hull behind the terrain.
All in all, the Strv m/42 is on a par
with the best medium tanks at its tier.
At Tier VI, players will face a challenge.
They will have to rethink the tactics they are used to,
when playing the m/42.
The Strv 74 cannot boast good dynamics and armor.
You could put up with this, if not for the size...
It is too big for a medium tank.
You hit, you penetrate
—that's the kind of vehicle it is.
As compensation for all these troubles,
the tank received one of the most convenient guns in its tier.
The gun features top-notch penetration capability and accuracy.
It is convenient for firing at long range.
And its depression angle is also 15 degrees.
This helps you hide this tall tank in terrain.
It terms of gameplay, the Strv 74 resembles a tank destroyer.
The next vehicle, Leo, will bring new challenges.
It is the direct opposite of the Strv 74.
Being comparatively small,
it is a fast and maneuverable Tier VII medium tank.
The vehicle resembles a light tank,
so even its thin armor doesn't look like a drawback.
The gun causes mixed feelings.
It has problems with accuracy, aiming, and stabilization.
But the AP shell damage is great —300 HP.
Tier VIII is where medium tanks are replaced
with the era of heavies in the Swedish tech tree.
The top vehicles have similar character,
so you can gradually refine your skill and reach perfection.
In different periods, Swedish tank designers
drew inspiration from different sources:
first from the Germans, then from the Czechs.
There was a period when they were keen on French ideas,
like that of the oscillating turret.
And this is apparent in the Tier VIII, IX, and X tanks.
Emil I, the Tier VIII tank.
It's like the AMX 50 100,
both have a drum-type autoloader.
From the French tank, the Emil I differs only
in thick and well-sloped front armor.
The armor is good enough to absorb damage
from lower-tier vehicles and most tanks of the same tier
—a forgotten feeling for fans of autoloaders.
From its Swedish predecessors,
Emil inherited a high depression angle—12 degrees.
This allows it to harass enemies from behind the top of a hill.
The AMX is faster, both in how it moves and maneuvers,
and in how it fires and reloads.
The French tank has higher potential damage per drum,
coupled with higher penetration capability.
In general, the Emil One will deal less damage,
but you'll feel safer in it.
Due to its better armor, you can take your time
firing all the shells in the drum and feel safer.
At Tier IX of the Swedish tank branch
you will find the Emil II.
When comparing it to the АМХ 50 120,
you'll see a similar situation.
The Scandinavian tank is ahead in terms of armor,
elevation and depression angles, and size: it's a little smaller.
The AMX has better armor penetration and dynamics.
Meet the Tier X Kranvagn heavy tank.
It has inherited all the strengths and weaknesses
of the Emil vehicles.
The tank features thin side armor and a tight layout,
so its modules can be easily damaged.
The gun's penetration capability is not very high.
So how does it compensate for these drawbacks?
The Kranvagn's key strength is a combination of
a well armored turret and superb gun depression angles.
And this determines your play style.
Hide your hull and empty the drum.
You armor is good enough to do this without too much haste.
If necessary, you can always change position
—the vehicle has sufficient mobility to do so.
In general, Swedish tanks have several common traits.
For example, most of them feature
thin armor and small dimensions.
But the key feature for the branch is
the superb gun depression angles.
If you like to make use of the terrain,
this is probably the branch for you.
That’s all for now. Good luck on the battlefield!