All cultures around the world
have told tales about their great warriors…
They had incredible physical and mental training.
They commanded respect
and instilled fear.
And one of their most distinctive traits
was the ability to handle weapons in both hands
with the same might.
Now such a warrior is heading to World of Tanks.
And his name is…
So… This is the Object 703 Version II.
A Tier VIII Premium Soviet heavy tank.
So, where do we start?
Hmm… Let's think… Well…
Ah, of course! It has two barrels!
As a wise man once said, one is good, but two is better.
And if there is still that impressionable child inside you,
you know what that means.
Two beautiful and menacing guns, both equally majestic.
It's not the Maus' stump that wouldn't penetrate anything even if it could fire.
This is real power!
Well, yes, it is power, but Soviet power. With all the pros and cons.
Accuracy, aiming time, damage per shot, rate of fire,
no-aim shots and armor penetration.
All this is quite typical of a Soviet heavy tank.
However! You might not have noticed, but this tank has two guns!
So, there's one burning question: how do they work?
The Object 703 has new mechanics and can fire shells in three different ways.
Yes! It's true. One tank. Two guns. Three modes.
Let's start with the most familiar one.
The first method is your regular cyclic shooting.
Wait for a shell to be loaded and fire from one barrel.
Wait 12.5 seconds and fire again, this time from the other barrel.
The aim switches to the other gun after every shot.
It looks like someone is giving you a push.
In fact, this is just the camera animation.
You'll get used to it.
In this firing mode, a duel against, let's say,
an IS-3 in laboratory conditions won't end well for our warrior.
Its armor won’t really contribute to the fight.
Our goggle-eyed hero can only block damage with its side
thanks to 100 mm of armor, a side screen, and running gear.
The turret is thick enough to confidently withstand hits
from same-tier heavies, and sometimes of tank destroyers or Tier IX or X tanks.
The key word here is "sometimes".
The second way of firing with the Object 703 may be called "sequential".
And that's why.
When you move between positions or just wait behind cover,
both guns have time to reload.
So, if you fire, the second gun will be ready in 5 seconds.
Like an ambidextrous boxer.
Ambidexterity is the ability to use both the right and left hand equally well.
It can be either a natural or trained ability.
In boxing, it is the ability to strike with the same force with each hand,
when changing stance.
This is what it gives us.
Usually, heavy tanks trade shots, block damage, and hide behind cover.
One tank shoots, and its opponent tries to respond immediately.
And repeat.
Those who block damage better
and manage to cause damage to the reloading enemy usually win.
But our warrior doesn’t play to this rhythm.
He’s a typical counterpuncher.
A counterpuncher is a defensive, counter-attacking boxing style
that relies on taking advantage of an opponent’s mistakes
instead of going on the offensive.
You throw one punch at the opponent and retreat.
The opponent senses weakness, attacks, and… takes another hit!
Demoralization, dismay, and the complex of punishment for their actions
are an excellent Christmas present for the enemy!
Well, since it's the holiday season, let's remember the main tank values,
such as reply to one shot with two.
They say it's the Achilles track of any opponent…
Anyway, every pause that allows for loading two shells
will make the Object 703 stronger.
This will give you the feeling of control over the situation,
confidence, and the opportunity to feel the real joy of the third firing mode…
A powerful and thunderous salvo from both guns.
This, ladies and gentlemen, is an overhand.
Overhand is a hybrid punch in boxing and kickboxing,
a combination of a hook arc and position for delivering a cross punch.
Two times the damage!
Two times the power!
Two times the fear!
Hmm, sounds awesome.
The salvo works the following way.
Load both guns and hold the left mouse button.
Wait until the indicator scale is filled aaand….
The double shot knocks about 800 damage out of the enemy’s hull. On average.
But there's a chance to cause 975 damage!
Oh, and imagine a platoon of double-barreled tanks…
This is the six circles of hell…
However, there are certain rules in hell as well.
Rule one. A salvo needs preparation time—3 seconds.
This makes you calculate the enemy actions in advance more thoroughly,
and, considering the accuracy,
significantly limits shooting at a distance of more than 250 meters.
Rule two. The shells travel parallel to each other, they don't converge.
That's why the opponents
just need to move actively within your sights at midrange,
so that one of the shells sticks in the armor or bounces off.
Rule three. After the shot, the gun reloading is locked for 4 seconds.
This means that the first gun will only be ready to shoot in 16.5 seconds.
Not very fast, but…
Forget about calculations for a second and think.
Our heavy tank has three firing modes.
And this means different damage per minute in each mode.
If you go deeper and consider regular battles…
It appears that its precise damage per minute is unclear.
It just can't be calculated!
You will always use both Object guns differently during a battle!
Because you just need to wait a bit until variability appears.
Although the Object is not very fast,
its armor isn't top-notch, and of course it can't do this…
All these arguments get smashed by one fact.
Or, more precisely, two facts!