Release history and the "early" chief (past):

– In 2018 WG released the Chieftain on the supertest. Do you remember when chief had -7 gun depression? – No? – Yeah, me neither, but on the supertest chief HAD -7 gun depression till 2018 november, when they did buff it to make more annoyi.. I mean competitive of course.

– In 2019 January on the global map campaign the tank was finally released to change the meta.. and indeed it did change to what we call today "hulldown" meta. The Chief came, saw, and conquered the random as well as the competitive segment of the game. (Who would have thought? Kappa)

– Old meta tanks became useless in the competitive segment, 5A, 277, Super Conqueror, and the old 907 became overshadowed by the Chief.

Chief nowadays (present):

– As how i wrote earlier, Chief was released in 2019 since then, it was available 5 times, (2019 winter, summer, 2020 winter, summer, and 2022 winter) Why is it a problem, or rather is that a problem at all? The chief is the meta, but how do you fight against the meta? That's the neat part, you don't. if you can't beat them, join them, the problem is that chief is required to be able to play most of the maps (Serene Coast, Murovanka, Fisherman's bay, Live oaks, Prokhorovka, Redshire, Westfield, etc.) But what do you need the most to be able to get the chief on a campaign – if it's available of course – a Chief, yeah, you read that right, Chief is the most necessary tank to get the Chief (other than skill or money), isn't that funny? You want the chief, but you need a chief to be picked, eternal cycle.

Is the Chief a problem? (future)

– If there is a problem there is a solution and the power-creep is real maybe in the future WG will release a better all around tank than chief, but today we should think about a solution, I have some:

1. Remove the chief entirely from the game, and let's pretend it did not even exist at all. (with or without compensation to players who have it).
2. Nerf some of it's aspects to make it more "tech tree" like (top speed, gun handling, turret armor, etc.
3. Make it available on all campaign – starting from 2023 summer campaign – and let the players to get it by placing in the alley of fame, (if everybody – or the best players – would be able to get it, would it be still op? or not?)
4. Make the Campaign and tournaments tech-tree and/or personal tank rewards (260 and 279 so far) only this would make the chief only usable in random but still would not be problem in the competitive segment.
5. When the Chief would be available on a campaign as reward, make that campaign tech-tree only so players would be on equal foot to be able to get it.

– IMO the 3rd or the 4th would be the most effective, and healthy for the game.