Last year Steel Hunter became my favourite World Of Tanks gamemode by far. I was winning something like 50% of my games and loving every second of it. I have been playing the new one for a few hours now and I can confidently say that the new Steel Hunter is better than the last one in every way. It's better balanced, it's got more variety and the tanks feel like they fulfill different roles. What you may have noticed is that everything has been redesigned and last year's tanks are now completely different in terms of playstyle. This means that you need to forget what was meta last year because that is all gone now.
So do you want YOUR end screens to look a little something like ? Then you should follow this guide!
Tank selection
This year we have had two new nations added to the roster of SH tanks, French and British. Although it would be more accurate to say that six tanks have been added since there all new upgrade paths and models for all nations. In my opinion the new meta tank is the British one. Why you may ask? Well it's an approximation of last year's Soviet meta, a fast hulldown brawler with a high DPM. This year the Soviet tank has become more of a hulking behemoth with low DPM.
This is the you want to take on your British Harbringer. Here is why I choose each upgrade.
Tier 2: The first upgrade is on the radio, a short cooldown is better than a wider range as it allows you to avoid being flanked and it also means that you can trace enemies better, which is important as an aggressive brawler/flanker the range isn't that bad anyway, at 440m it has the second highest 20sec radio range after the French.
Tier 3: The top speed upgrade is better in my opinion (which I wouldn't have said last year) as the tank is already agile enough and the engine power is adequate, also high top speed is crucial in countering the swift Frenchies. The traverse is also adequate and you won't be flanked easily if you play well.
Tier 4: This is where the fun begins, despite your stock gun being the best stock gun your first gun upgrade is crucial. You should choose the fast firing option because we want a sustained damage output and at 3600DPM we sure have just that.
Tier 5: The hull upgrade seems pretty clear to me. Neither hull is really well armored and the HP upgrade is the same, but the Chimera offers a lower weight and a better traverse. If you play hulldown or facehug you can get away with the Chimera just fine.
Tier 6: Both options could work but we choose the FV as it allows us to mount the big gun and also offers better frontal protection.
Tier 7: This tank has the best DPM in the game and the joint best penetration when using the big gun. At 4900DPM it's an absolute beast and it eats through the overarmored fatties with it's 370mm of penetration. When paired with the Berserker power up you will tear through anything even on the move.
Gameplay
Now that you know how to setup your tank it's time to find out how to earn the points to actually upgrade it. I will go over the different stages of the gamemode and list some strategies.
Early Game: When you spawn the first thing you should do is try and get some supplies to earn points. Try and choose corners, this way the areas behind you are going to be yours to loot first. Avoid early fights unless it's safe, You might be able to win a 1v1 but it will cripple you and leave you vulnerable to a third party. Although if you get the jump on an enemy you should punish him as much as you can but don't commit unless it's just you two, pop a radio and check your surroundings. If it's clear it that thing alive! After all you can beat anything in a 1v1 thank to your best in the mode DPM and penetration. If it's a fight and you arrive as a third party, try to help the underdog first, shoot the tank that is healthier so you can have an easier time finishing the crippled one. The corrosive mist is also good if you find two tanks brawling. You should also consider that your reload is just 3.3 seconds, it takes 4 seconds to pick up supplies which means that you can lock an enemy in place and deny him repairs. When you pop a radio and see where the supplies are try and set courses to get as many as you can in a straight line while heading in the right direction, which is toward the center because that's where the airdrops land usually.
Middle Game: For you the middle game will start once you have the first gun upgrade and your goal is to upgrade as fast as possible, if you have it early thanks to some good plays and a decent spawn you are to go absolutely HAM on the stock enemies. Try to keep and eye out for third parties and isolate your enemies. When it's within your range and it looks like you can get there fast go for airdrops, they are super helpful for upgrading faster. Pop your radio as much as possible at this point to keep and eye on your enemies and spot brawl opportunities.
Late Game: The late game for you begins when you get max tier which means BIG GUN. You are a death machine and you should act like it. Now that supplies give no points you should try and save some in an area you know is safe for your own repairs and get those that are contested fast to deny upgrades. When you come against a formidable opponent you should pop your Berserker ability, the health drain is minimal at 300hp but the gains in DPM are insane! Your most formidable opponent is the American thanks to the trap ability. It denies what makes your tank work. When you encounter the French opportunist try and hunt it while it's reloading with your high top speed and shoot on the move with your excellent gun handling. When the last zone is selected try and get there first with your speed to get into a hulldown position and wait. Corrosive mist can also deny areas and the dig out campers effectively in the late game.
Well that's all I have to say. I might make edits as I figure more things out. Good hunting!
