The New Alpha in Town: Meet the Object 430U

Wargamings explanation/Justification as to how and why.

The common test for Update 9.22 is going full speed, and it’s a great chance to get hold of enhancements to the Soviet line of medium tanks—the A-44 line, to be exact. This is where we’re preparing a few shifts and one important addition that you’ve probably seen in our USSR Tree Revision article. We reported it here.

Reshaping the Object

The Object 430 has always been a decent Tier X medium tank. It had what it takes to become a popular choice for those who opt for close-range fights, as opposed to sniping out rivals or assisting frontline folks from mid-range.

But the Object never managed to become as successful among players as the T-62A and Object 140. The 430’s specs have always been very similar to those of its “elder brothers,” making it just a copy of renowned models. There’s more: to reach it, you had to go through a few machines with rear-mounted turrets and a completely different playstyle, forcing you to eventually throw away that experience gained at tiers VII–IX.

With an excellent gun, mobility, and view range, it’s still a good choice if you want to lock horns with an enemy. It even has decent armour for a medium tank, but it lacks something that could make it a fun-to-play machine—character. That’s why it’s not often you notice it on the battlefield.

Here’s how we want to fix it

First and foremost, we’re moving the 430 to the Tier IX of the classic-layout line, where it becomes the successor to the T-44. Second, since the T-44 already has the mighty 122mm gun, starting from Update 9.22 this tank will pave the way for a new line of Soviet machines—medium assault tanks with frightening alpha damage.

With these changes made, the A-44 line will remain without a top-tier tank for now. There is an option we’re considering at the moment, but we want to make sure the tank fits the role well enough, so please expect some testing to unfold before hearing from us on the approved candidate. So, if you’re planning to explore the top vehicle from the A-44 line, it might make sense to keep the XP points amassed on the Object 430 II until we introduce it to the tech tree. On the other hand, getting the 430 before 9.22’s release can save you time on your way to the 430U.

OBJECT 430U
X
Average Damage
440/440/530 HP
Turret Armor
300/195/65 mm
Average Damage per Minute
2,587 HP/min
CREW
Commander (Radio Operator) / Loader / Gunner / Driver
GUN
Average Damage
440/440/530 HP
Average Penetration
252/340/68 mm
Dispersion at 100 m
0.4 m
Aiming Time
2.3 s
Average Damage per Minute
2,587 HP/min
Rate of Fire
5.88 rounds/min
Gun Depression/Elevation Angles
-5°/+18°
TURRET
Turret Traverse Speed
38 deg/s
Signal Range
730 m
View Range
400 m
HULL
Hit Points
2,000 HP
Load Limit
45 t
Ammo Capacity
50 psc
MOBILITY
Engine Power
600 hp
Specific Power
14.29 hp/t
Traverse Speed
52 deg/s
Top Speed / Reverse Speed
50/18 km/h

So, there’s a new sheriff in town. What’s up with the specs?

Firepower

As we’ve said before, the main goal is to emphasize the role of the line as assault vehicles. To reach that, both the 430 and the 430U will get a 122mm gun. Face the 430U in combat and brace yourself for a mean slap from that 122mm damage dealer, as the gun churns out a massive 440 points per shot from your health bar. In a battle of MT platoons, this can become the most compelling of arguments, so it’s better to have it among your teammates. As an inevitable drawback, reloading takes considerably more time. Not a feature you would expect from a Soviet medium, but that’s a fair price to pay for the firepower.

Armour

The effective thickness of the upper front plate reaches as much as 320mm. The turret’s “head” gets even more with up to 380mm. There are hatches of course, but they are well-armoured as well, so your input can be more than valuable for your team if you position the tank well. You’ll have to think twice before turning superhero against enemy tank destroyers or heavies (especially if you leave your thick lower front plate open, which is only 180mm in effective armour), but battling against “classmates” can leave you pretty confident. Don’t forget about the 60mm side armour that allows you to tease opponents by unveiling your hull under sharp angles.

Mobility

With a top speed of 50 km/h, the Object 430U is not the fastest tank in the roster. However, this average number is compensated by good acceleration and low speed loss under active manoeuvring. The available dynamics are enough not to lag behind the pack. When it finally gets to action, the tank’s ability to move really turns its performance into a waltz of destruction.

View range

The base view range is 400 metres. Not the best value, but still enough to deal those massive shots. The 430U is an assault vehicle, so it’s all about finding your way around in the heat of close combat.

How to Play

  • Use your mobility to make the most of your alpha power and armour.
  • Don’t rely on the gun’s accuracy. Cut the distance, make sure you’re close enough to hit enemy weak spots and proceed to wreak havoc.
  • Be a team player. Going head-to-head against a same-tier medium tank can cause you trouble due to lower DPM values. Your best option is to help lead the charge with teammates.
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The New Alpha in Town: Meet the Object 430U

29 thoughts on “The New Alpha in Town: Meet the Object 430U

  1. Anonymous says:

    this thing is hilariously overpowered and WG should be ashamed for even considering putting it into the game(same with Obj. 257)

    1. Ion7 says:

      In their rundown of the tank they say, “There are hatches of course, but they are well-armoured as well, so your input can be more than valuable for your team if you position the tank well.” In other words literally saying, sit hull down and you are a heavy. These tanks are utterly OP and this practice of making armor more relavent, while allowing pen to creep up is rearing its ugly head this patch.

  2. “Second, since the T-44 already has the mighty 122mm gun, starting from Update 9.22 this tank will pave the way for a new line of Soviet machines” what the heck? So this is your reason for putting that tank on this line? I mean, who the F*** uses the 122 on the t44? NOONE! that gun is shit on this tank.

    1. Ion7 says:

      Not only does it look absolutely hideous stock, but they do this too…
      Customization is broken on most new tanks too.
      With how OP everything is maybe this is by design???

  3. The new Russian 5anks are a fucking joke. And people actually believe Soviet bias doesn’t exist.
    Obj v4.
    430u
    Obj 257
    Is-M
    All of these are so blatantly broken….
    The OBJ 257 can literally zit out in the open sideways on at a 90 degree angle and still over 2 thirds of the tank is an auto bounce. The designs and balance is absolutely retarded.

  4. Compare the Chinese tier 9 and 10 meds to the new 430 meds. What a fucking joke.
    Compare IS-M to pretty much any tier 8 heavy in the game except the IS-3 and Defender (which it is on par with!) Oh and it’s a thousand times better than even the Chrysler GF which is even more retarded.
    Look at the recent buffs to the IS-3, IS-7, T-54 and Obj 140.
    But on the other hand we have half the Jap meds line and heavy line. The French mid tied heavies and td. Almost all the German lines. All the light tanks. Chinese medium line. The british mid tier heavies. You know….tanks which need buffs.
    And when asked in Q&A they blatantly even said that tank like the Leo 1 won’t be buffed because it would become too OP. What ducking retarded bullshit.

    1. Trololo says:

      It’s because Russian steel must be OP to make Russian player penises feel OP … otherwise the poor Russian guys lose all confidence in themselves, which makes their bone shrink …

  5. Anonymous says:

    Why do they still think these changes are justified? I have a 121 i have a obj 430 and i want a 263 at X. i dont want two 121s and a tier 9 263 no matter how good they are.

    1. Trololo says:

      Moving the Obj 263 down was most uncalled for indeed. The tank worked perfectly fine. It’s replacement is as useful as a hole in the knee.

  6. Anonymous says:

    not my post originally but sums up my feeling pretty well
    “SU 101 and SU 100m1 have been ruined. Not only did they take almost 1000 DPM away from the SU 101 with the D 54s, they also added so much dispersion to every gun so that they are all around 0.4. They also decreased the shell velocities. This basically got rid of the long range sniping ability of the SU 101 making its good camo and viewranges effectively useless whereas the ISU 152 with its big durpy 152mm has better gun handling now. So you might say okay, im going to use the SU 101 for mid-short range then…. Well they took away about 10 degrees/s of traverse speed so popping around corners is impossible. The only buff given was 110hp which it never really needed because of its good front armor… Now that the tank is completely outclassed at tier 8, they also added the new gun, and moved the old gun in line for the tech tree so that you need an extra 100,000 xp to get to tier 9…. Where I was about 100,000 away, after this update comes out I will be about 200,000 away with a tank that is worthless unless it’s top tier… And we all know how broken tier 8 mm is…. ”

    and they said that they will not nerf 263 when it gets tier dropped but it’s completely gutted.

  7. Torgar says:

    Honestly between this, the horrifically broken heavies, and the stupidly armored td’s I think this will be the last straw for me. I have played this game for years and over the last one they have basically thrown all sense out the window and are now just milking it for everything its worth. It sucks being forced to use premium ammo just to be competitive while the newer tanks come out with better all around stats and less weak spots. Wargaming could easily make more money fixing a lot of the outstanding issues with the game. I will no longer be spending my money on them. I always said the change to premium being available for credits would slowly ruin the game balance but damn.

  8. I don’t see what all the bitching is about. It compares unfavorably against the other Russian hovermediums.

    The lower front plate is made of butter and can be penned by most tier 8s (true of the others too, but having 1/3 of the front of your wannabe-heavy an easily-penned weak spot probably isn’t the greatest thing).
    The mobility and maneuverability are terrible; have fun trying to circle heavies when you have to stop for a moment to get the tank turned around, and then slowly drag it back up to speed. I don’t know how they figure it’s 52d/s, the tank turns like it has a dead driver.
    The accuracy is absolutely tragic.
    The gun handling is mediocre.
    The DPM is mediocre.

    People will do the exact same thing as they do with the Jap heavies; load up gold ammo and blow right through its armor again and again while it takes its time reloading. This thing is dead meat if it meets most of the other tier 10 mediums one-on-one.

  9. Gundam says:

    what a stupid overpowered tank, played it on test. bounces 90% of non-td regular rounds. outclasses 121 and 113 in all aspects except dpm

    you remember T-22 Medium?? 430u is it’s retarded cousin

  10. Anyone says:

    I really wish the folks at WG would stop with all this stupid shit and just fix the MM and game play issues. Who needs more broken tanks?

  11. Molukk says:

    If I compare all changes made to Russian meds in the last years, to the changes of the German lines, I feel like vomiting: Best example is the Leopard1, this tank went from mediocre to completely rubbish.
    There is Russian bias at its worst….

  12. stupid russian bias says:

    From now on can you just begin articles about buffs to Russian lines with the following:
    TL/DR: Russian tanks not OP enough so buffed.

  13. DZ says:

    more people that have no clue is a tank is or isnt OP… just screaming what other that are idiots, scream… must be snowflakes looking for the next thing to whine about.. people do ur dam research, or go play it, its not OP.. its actually on par, but OMG if its better then one other tank its OP!!!!! lets have WG take all tanks out and give everybody the same tier 5… shitters will still be shitters, and I imagine all the shitters would still scream OP!!!!

  14. Terr says:

    I don´t get it what are you all whining about, the tank is not OP at all, if we can have an object 907 at tier 10, why wouldn´t we have the 430U ? It´s DPM won´t allow it to fight any other tier 10 mediums, most heavies out dpm it, you won´t hit every shot as it´s not a super accurate gun, you will bounce some shells from tier 8s, and that is if you get to fight them.Whining like a little b*tch because what ? You can´t auto-aim this or the 907, you actually have to aim with you gun, but that might be a challenge for the mentally challenged, hope the tank stays this way or even gets a buff so we have a straight competitor for the 907 which is the standard for CW and SH.

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