Here's a list of tanks that shouldn't be added to War Thunder (but I still want them)
First up is the 2B1 Oka
This tank was built during the Cold War as a response to the Atomic Annie howitzer built by the US. It was based on a heavily modified T-10 hull, and fitted with a 420mm mortar, designed to be capable of firing nuclear warheads.
I think this one speaks for itself, but I absolutely love the idea of hitting a Locust with a mini-nuke.
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Next is the Karl Gërat 54cm
For the 2 people who don't know, the Karl Gërat was based on a superheavy self propelled gun built by the Wehrmacht as a response to the Maginot line, and later, some were upgraded with an improved gun (shown in the picture), this 540mm gun was a bit smaller in caliber, but it's shells packed a much higher explosive yield equivalent to over 1,000lbs of TNT.
Once again, I think this one speaks for itself, because each round is basically like hurling a 1,000-pound bomb at anyone unfortunate enough to find themselves lined up in your sights, but I do believe that some arguments for the Karl supermortar being added exist. Namely the fact that it's equipped with the single largest caliber gun ever mounted on a self-propelled chassis, and it was actually used quite heavily in the early days of WWII. So while it could NEVER fit the War Thunder gameplay loop, arguments in favor of the Karl Gërat being added do exist, and I think it deserves to be added for those same reasons, but that doesn't mean Gaijin SHOULD introduce it to War Thunder. Please keep this distinction in mind because the majority of the vehicles on this list deserve to be featured.
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After that we have the T92 GMC
The T92 GMC was a self-propelled artillery piece built by the US during 1945 for the planned invasion of Japan. It was armed with a massive 240mm howitzer, and 5 prototypes were built but the second world war ended before it could enter production, which eliminated the need for such a vehicle and subsequently lead to the project's termination.
Okay this one hurts a little because I want the T92, and under normal circumstances I'd be begging for it. But we already have the M55, which wouldn't change my opinion much if it wasn't already copy/pasted to 5 different tech trees, and as much as I want the T92, I don't think it would be a good addition to War Thunder in it's current state.
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For our fourth addition we have the T-43
Designed in 1942, this tank was intended to serve as a replacement to both the T-34 and the KV-1, combining thick armor with high mobility into a single platform. However during 1943 the Soviet Union halted their plans for widespread adoption of this prototype, as examination of captured German vehicles showed that their tanks need greater firepower rather than better armor, but the project wasn't a complete waste, as the Red Army would go on to modify the T-43's turret, fitting it with an 85mm gun and mounting it on the existing T-34 chassis.
Okay this time it hurts a lot (as do many of the other tanks coming up), but I just can't bring myself to look at the T-43 and say "this tank should be added", as it's just a Soviet Jumbo, which would be nice sure, but we already have plenty of tanks that play exactly like that. Hell we JUST finished an event to grind a Soviet Jumbo! Don't get me wrong the T-43 does deserve a spot in the Soviet Tech Tree, but Russia has already gotten a ludicrous amount of attention over the past year, and as much as I want this tank, I'd much rather get vehicles in smaller Tech Trees like France, Italy, or Sweden. So I think Gaijin should wait on this one.
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Entry №5 is the IS-3 (Object-244)
Our brief history begins with the IS-2, which had recently entered production and proven itself to be extremely capable at knocking German tanks out, however as powerful as the 122mm D-25T was, it had some major shortcomings within the IS-2 platform, as it's reload time was very long, and it's hull also packed the space necessary for a high ammo capacity, so in early 1944 Russia designed the IS-3, which fitted a lengthened 85mm gun capable of firing rounds at over 1,000 meters per second, however the barrel life of this gun was short, as the high muzzle velocity caused extremely high wear and tear on the gun. Moreover the logistics of this new weapon came into question. Afterall, why would you design a new gun which needs it's own type of ammunition to function, and brand new machinery to manufacture when existing weapons systems are already good enough? As such, the IS-3 was cancelled and at the end of WWII the REAL IS-3 became Russia's next generation heavy tank.
This one doesn't feel as bad to me, because it's basically just an IS-1 with the Russian equivalent of a long 88, so once again it just wouldn't add much to War Thunder, especially with Object-248 existing (even if it's a Battlepass vehicle), and even if you couldn't just play any other IS tank between 5.7 and 6.7 for a very similar gameplay experience, the Soviet Tech Tree is absolutely STACKED at those exact battle ratings, and the addition of a better IS-2, would only make it more insane.
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My 6th pick is the T-80 (VT-43)
As WWII progressed from it's early stages onward, the 45mm 20-K currently in use with Soviet light tanks would prove itself to be increasingly obsolete, the Soviets made many attempts to solve this problem, which led to the development of a T-80 armed with a new 45mm VT-43 gun, however in 1943 the project was cancelled, as light tanks had become completely obsolete within the Red Army.
Once again I want this tank, and once again I can't say it should come anytime soon because of just how much attention the Soviet Union has received. It does at least have SOME good reasons for being added right now, as the B.R's it would be best in are (somewhat) lackluster for the Soviets and they also don't really have any front line vehicles that also have high penning guns at those B.R's. Still though, it should not be added for a while because the Russian Tech Tree already has plenty of vehicles, and even a Russia's more lackluster B.R's are still very strong compared to most other countries.
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My 7th entry brings us to the Matilda I this vehicle was designed in 1935 as an early attempt at Great Britain's "Infantry Tank" concept, which required slow moving, heavily armored tanks that could keep up with Infantry and smash through fortifications while faster moving Cruiser Tanks exploited gaps made by them to get behind enemy lines and deal the killing blow on enemy armies. The first Matilda I's entered service in 1937, and they only ever saw combat once at the Battle of France, where their armor proved exceptional but their low mobility and miserable firepower proved that they were obsolete. They did still remain in limited service however, in the form of Training tanks, eventually being fully retired in 1941 in favor of tanks with actual cannons.
I'll talk more about this one in my next entry, as my reasons for why I want them, and why they shouldn't be added are exactly the same.
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Addition №8 comes in the form of the Panzer I.F light tank
Designed in 1939, the Pz.IF was intended for use as an Infantry Tank by the German Army, where it would use it's heavy armor to absorb fire and break through enemy lines (specifically the Maginot Line). However they weren't used during the Invasion of France, and in 1942 they were sent to fight the Russians where their performance was, simply put, awful. As their extreme weight caused them to sink in mud, their engine was far too underpowered to push them at speed, and being equipped with nothing more than machine guns meant that these tanks were ill equipped to fight other tanks. And so as a result, Germany pulled these tanks out of front line use with the Wehrmacht, using them instead for back line anti-guerilla warfare.
Okay, I want both of these tanks for no reason other than being funny meme vehicles, but they still shouldn't be added simply because they don't have any weapons that would be effective against most of the vehicles in War Thunder, and they could only kill a very limited number of vehicles. On the bright side they would be easy to balance though! Just put them at 1.0, their armor will be insane sure, but most tanks could still kill them from *somewhere*, and on the flip side they also couldn't harm most vehicles either.
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Next up is the Panzer II.J
The Pz.IIJ was designed in 1943 to act as a heavy scouting vehicle, under the premise that it could take hits from anything it encountered while scouting for the Third Reich, it's initial batch of 8 units was given to the 12th Panzer Division and it's performance was abysmal, as it didn't have the mobility to act as a scout, and it's main gun was far to weak for use on the front lines. As a result of this disastrous performance all PZ.IIJ's were pulled from the front, and converted to armored recovery vehicles or ammunition carriers.
Now between the Pz.IIJ and it's two other contemporaries this one is the most likely to actually *be* added to War Thunder because unlike both other tanks like it, the PZ.IIJ was armed with a 20mm auto cannon and could thus do SOMETHING to other tanks. And that's the problem. It's 20mm gun while somewhat decent in the lowest ranks of the game, it isn't remotely good enough to fight against anything higher than 3.0, but it's armor is also FAR too good to justify it being any lower than the next most heavily armored PZ.II in-game, so it would either have to be overpowered, or nigh useless. No exceptions.
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Our next addition will be the Hummel. Please don't lynch me yet!
So the Hummel was designed in late 1942 in order to serve as a mobile artillery vehicle for the Wehrmacht. With the first 5 being delivered in early 1943 the Hummel would go on to be one of the most successful German SPG's made during the second World War, with 705 produced these vehicles would serve on every front during WWII (including service with the Russian Army), and it continued to serve with smaller countries well into the 60's!
"So why shouldn't it be added?" Trust me we'll get there...
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Next up in-line is the Semovente Da 149/40
Initially designed in 1942 by the Italian company Ansaldo, it was intended to serve as a mobile artillery platform for the Italian Armed Forces during WWII, however Italy's surrender in 1943 ruined any hopes of service with Italy, and it was subsequently captured by the Germans, before eventually being captured once again by the US, and put on display at the U.S Army Field Artillery Museum in Oklahoma, where it's still present to this very day.
"So why shouldn't *this* tank be added? Tell me!" Hold your ponies I'm working on it!
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And what's behind door №12‽ It's the M12!
The M12 was designed by the US in 1941 for service with the US Army, with 100 total produced. It was based on the chassis of the M3 Lee, and armed with the 155mm M1917 gun, copied from a French WWI era howitzer (this comes back later). Production ended in 1943, and the M12 didn't actually see any use during it's production run. However in 1944, 74 M12's were refurbished and pressed into action shortly after D-Day, where they were used extensively against the German Army, occasionally reusing captured French 155mm ammunition on the way (told'ja it'd come back) and earned a terrifying reputation. Today only 1 of the initial hundred survive and (ironically) sits on display at the same museum as the Semovente Da 149/40.
"Are you gonna tell me why the M12 shouldn't be in that game or not?" I'M WORKING ON IT SHUT UP!
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Our 13th tank is the M41 GMC
Designed between 1943 and 1944, the M41 would enter service in the middle of 1945, with a plan to build 250 examples of this tank, however only 85 of this planned run would be complete as Germany's surrender meant that these vehicles would be if no use to the US army, and eventually it would be used extensively in the Korean War, with 2 being captured by the PLA and used against UN troops during that same War, France also acquired some of these tanks pressing them into service with the 32nd, and 68th Divisional Heavy Artillery Regiment until it was replaced by their own domestically produced MK F3 155mm.
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Okay, and now, I'll tell you why none of these tanks should be added, and it begins with just two words.
Copy
Paste
Ohhh boy... This is gonna be a long one.
All of these tanks (except the M12) were either used, or owned by at least one other country and every single one of them already has some form of alternative at roughly the B.R they'd be placed called the M44, which is heavily undertiered, extremely overpowered, and sitting in at least 8 different Tech Trees. Now don't get me wrong I love every vehicle listed, but I don't want them to get spammed alongside the already ridiculous M44/55 spam, as they're so easily accessible that they've become impossible NOT to play against. "But how do you know these tanks will be copy/pasted?" Okay the M44 is in 8 different Tech Trees even though virtually every single country that got them either already has, or had their own equivalent and you mean to tell me that Gaijin wouldn't do the same with any other one of these vehicles that the War Thunder Community has been desperately wanted For YEARS? What planet are you from of course the Hummel would get copy/pasted to Russia! Of course the Semovente would be added to the German and American Tech Trees, and of course the Chinese AND the French would get the M41 GMC, and *naturally* all of THEIR alternatives to these vehicles would be copy/pasted to any other area Gaijin could put them without a second thought. "But Gaijin only did that because it takes time to model new vehicles and they didn't want one country to have an advantage of another." I don't care! Of course some nations will have distinct advantages over others that's the whole point of PLAYING DIFFERENT NATIONS! It's so you can use the vehicle built by one country and not this other one! And I don't even have beef with copy/paste either. Copy/paste is perfectly fine when done right, or whenever necessary. Like the Chinese Shermans, yeah you could argue that American tanks shouldn't be in the Chinese Tech Tree, but China genuinely needs those vehicles to help flesh out it's lower B.R's plus, they also have their own unique variant of the Sherman which makes it worth adding. France has the same dilemma, with the M4A4 filling a vital role in the French Tech Tree because they don't have much for domestic production to fit there and guess what? They also have two Shermans unique to them and the standard M4A4 (which was literally designed to be exported anyway, and never served with the US Army, as they had their own Sherman variant), acts as a precursor to the M4A4 (SA-50). Do you see what's going on here? Now tell me, do you see any unique variants of the M44 in any other Tech Trees right now? That's the difference between good copy/paste and bad copy/paste, one of them genuinely has a reason to exist and the other is just a lazy attempt to make Tech Trees look more fleshed out than they actually are.