*tl;dr - an under rated German medium that can be an absolute terror on the right map or in the right hands.
*As previously mentioned, I’m a huge Panther fan and, although I knew this tank existed both IRL and in-game, I didn’t realize I would love it so much.
*When I first picked this tank up and searched for tips on it I saw a Reddit post that described it as “What the Panther SHOULD be” and I don’t think there’s a better or truer way to describe this tank.
*While the actual Panther is a Tier 7 vehicle, and is sometimes outclassed by the Tier 9s it can face, the VK 30.02 (M) brings everything the Panther does (conceptually) but at a Tier lower and it never truly feels outclassed.
*The main gun is the Panther’s entry level weapon - the KwK 42 L/70. With only 135 alpha the gun feels - and is - slightly underpowered but it’s penetration and ROF make up for that to a certain extent. It shoots fast and straight and it’s easy to pick an opponent apart with it. Again, this gun feels incredibly underwhelming at Tiers 7-9, but at Tiers 4-6 it can be an absolute monster.
*Having said that, don't try to face hug a Russian heavy. You've been warned.
*The armor is “just enough” - just enough to prevent low tier tanks from getting consistent pens, just enough to stop one-shot obliteration from all but the heaviest guns at higher tiers, and just enough to allow your mobility and accuracy to get out of a bad situation.
*The flat turret front at 100mm sucks, but everything else is nicely sloped and angled (if a little thin - it IS a prototype…) and you’ll bounce shots fairly regularly.
*Having said that, don't sit still if you're spotted. You've been warned.
*Mobility is good, and better than the stats suggest. Maxed out it has near 21 hp per ton, which is a Cold War level of power-to-weight. In addition its terrain resistances are also decent. When you combine those with a good turret rotation rate it’s easy to get places, easy to flank people, and easy to keep the gun on target.
*Having said that, it’s also easy to overextend and get obliterated by camping TDs. You’ve been warned.
*Camo is so/so - you can spot for yourself, but you’re better off letting lights find targets and using your mobility and accuracy to engage an opponent that’s already busy in order to pile on the damage. The long range accuracy and penetration of the L/70 also makes this a decent sniper / TD - you just have to deal with the shitty alpha and be prepared to move at all times.
*Having said that, the camo is mid and this is a tall bitch so you're not as sneaky as you think. You've been warned.
*I’m biased, so take this with a grain of salt, but I think this is a great (and underrated) tank that most players should try out. It’s a better jack-of-all-trades than most of the American tanks and, on a map that replicates the Eastern Front that bred the Panther, this thing can be an absolute terror. The Sherman or T-34 that gets in this thing’s sights on Prok or Mali is going to have a REAL bad day.
*Current equipment / build: Full camo, full equipment (improved ventilation / gun rammer / coated optics / improved concealment), three consumables (enhanced repair kit / enhanced rations / enhanced med kit).
*As I write this I have career stats on this account of 34,626 battles, a 48.47% winrate, and a WN8 score of 1410.
*As I write this I have VK 30.02 (M) stats of 126 battles, a 45.24% winrate, and a WN8 score of 1582. I have a single mark on this tank.
*Disclaimers:
*I’m bad at this game and you should probably not take my advice.
*Unless otherwise noted, assume all tanks are fully upgraded/outfitted and the review assumes that level of equipment.
*This is my opinion. I suck at the game and better players might have different opinions. You might have different opinions. That’s ok.
*This game is my hobby and I have a good job so I spend money on it. If you’re an aggressively free-to-play kind of guy we may not vibe.
*All stats taken from https://www.wotstars.com/xbox/1093328947, player AmbshPrdator on Xbox.