The little monster known as a Dragoon

Every now and then, Matchmaker in Armored Warfare pulls a weird rabbit out of the hat. One of those odd match-ups, I knew something was very different from the start, since I was on a team of Main Battle Tanks and I wasn't in one myself. 

Despite not really used to, nor liking, the effects of rubber tired vehicles in the game, I was still able to maintain control and maneuver around, making good use of available cover to my advantage.

Right about here, I knew this was going to be a very favorable match for me. Even though I had taken a few hits by this point, I was dealing out a fair amount of damage in return and collecting more kills than I have before in this vehicle. The question was, would I be rewarded according to my efforts and results? 

The game was still far from over and certain numbers kept on climbing for me. Luck would have it where I was able to mitigate taking any more additional damage myself. 

What a way to call the end of the match.

Not bad, coming in second place for this team. While not quite as good as I thought it was going to be, I'll take it.

So, I took a chance and created a thread in the Media section of the forums https://aw.my.com/en/forum/showthread.php?64191-Tanking-Tales-test-videos to see if pursuing the creation of YouTube videos would generate and interest or feedback from the Armored Warfare community.

The first day results are disappointing, to say the least. Perhaps, since I am not dangling any promotional bait to check my channel out....

Anyways, I went ahead and made another video, a not-so-stellar battle with my Sheridan. Go here https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XY_WVNMlT2A&index=3&list=PLMXC3XKu6Lvv4XhonNAoIKHp_u-HiMU9N to check it out.

Mumblings from a Monday morning

The closing number for Mercenary Showdown Round 2, from Armored Warfare. Follow the discussion here https://aw.my.com/en/forum/showthread.php?64149-Mercenary-Showdown-%E2%80%93-Round-2-Results

The first day of Round 3 is starting off like this.

My current Zhang dealer access progress.

Today's bonus login rewards.

Testing a new feature from a upgrade

So, I took advantage of upgrading the operating system on the Dell laptop from Windows 8 up to 10, since the claim it's a limited time, free offer. An interesting little feature called Game Bar comes with the new OS, a little pop up window told me how to activate it.

Now, I have dabbled with video capture software in the past, with some mixed success. However, being a Youtube star or starting an amateur production studio has never really been in the plans for me. I think my best talent is being a writer, or I am just more comfortable in the format of the written word.

Still, I gave it a try and published a video, in the raw, to my Youtube channel.

Or, you could go directly here https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yGHtZ3SjHFI I live about seven and a half minutes of this battle, dying a very lonely death, in an attempt to collect on one of the last secondary objectives. The video is disappointing, very blocky video quality in spots, but since I didn't adjust any of the settings and just gave it a try right out of the box, I guess that could have been expected.

Also, no commentary, nothing more than a pure gameplay video of me in a BMP-1. Perhaps, I might look into polishing up any future projects.

****UPDATE****

Fiddled with the settings and uploaded a second video here https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vK3dOCx33IU a little solo play in my T-72A that doesn't end well for me.

A standing offer

Here is my proposal to anyone willing to take me up on this offer.

Take a look at the above screenshot. From here on out, if you contact me like that, through the ingame chat and follow up with a private message through the forums or the chat window in the garage, I will do my best to promote you through this very blog.

Sounds simple? It is! If you are a Youtuber, fellow blogger, a rising Twitch star or have some creative connection to Armored Warfare, flash me a message ingame and follow up with links and details afterwards.

An easy two step process and I will make a post about you and what you do, time and real life events pending, of course.

Too bad, Heavymetal11 didn't get back to me....

A fight between a horse and dog, with a cat exiting the scene

The Mercenary Showdown numbers, for this last day of Round 2.

Slowly chipping away at getting into the new Chinese branch. No hurry, lots of time.

Last night, while I was platooned with a few friends, I was able to complete the grind on the tier V Leopard 1A5. The best part is that I ended that journey on a high note.

Most tanks of their respective nations can be a source of national pride for people in their respective countries. The Merkava could instantly bring to mind Israel. Search the internet on the hype surrounding the Russian T-14 Armata or just ask an American about an Abrams.

In Canada, we don't have a modern native tank of our own. During World War Two, Canadian companies assembled the Vickers Valentine, under license, as well as a unique variant of the Sherman called M4A1 Grizzly, among others.

However, during the Canada did build one tank that could be called their own. By taking the chassis of the M3 Lee, adding modifications and fabricating a turret, the Ram Tank was created. Almost 2,000 vehicles of this type were built, but never saw combat in this form.

In 1952, Canada had started to then modernize their tank force by taking delivery of the Centurion Mk 3 and replacing the old war Shermans. For the next twenty five years, this was Canada's frontline tank during the early Cold War period. Although the last tank was retired from Canadian service in 1979, it's heritage lived on through the Canadian Army Trophy. A sterling silver replica of a Centurion was awarded to the crews who had won this prestigious tank gunnery competition, held in Western Europe until 1991.

Entering service in 1978, the Leopard C1C2, which was a modified version of the 1A3/1A5, started to replace the aging and obsolete Centurions and would carry on as Canada's frontline tank during the latter Cold War period, through the collapse of the Soviet Union and into the 21st century.

Starting in 2000, some Leopard C1's would under go a life extension program, with turrets replace and fire control systems being upgraded. Those Leopards would be re-designated as C2's. However, talks were under way to have the aging Leopard replaced, then the War in Afghanistan began and the Leopard C2 saw combat from 2006 through 2011.

Combined with being considered obsolete, a major shortcoming of the Leopard C2 in arid combat conditions was the lack of air conditioning. Seeing this as having an effect on crew performance, the Canadian government secured the Leopard's replacement, the 2A6M and took delivery in 2007. The phase out program for the Leopard C2 started in 2015.

 
 In Armored Warfare, the time with my Leopard 1A5 has come to a close and I move forward to the next tank in the line, the tier VI Leopard 2AV....

....something that I have had a preview of, for a long time now.

Not all tales have happy endings

If you have been following along with my adventures in Armored Warfare, or if you are a new reader, I am mostly a PvE player. I have dabbled with the PvP mode a few times now....

One of the main reasons I avoid PvP is, for the most part, I am a solo player. It isn't because I don't like to hang out with people, it's just hard to find the right people. I do have some internet friends that I have platooned with in both environments, but I believe from experience from other games, such as War Thunder Ground Forces and World of Tanks, being part of a group with good communications and a strong sense of teamwork, would make playing in PvP more enjoyable for me.

Nevertheless, I was part of a three person platoon, with both EspressoForHammy and Gouldy for my session near the end of my day. They gave me a hand with finishing off my Leopard 1A5 to 100%, so I returned the favor by being a part of their PvP team. 

We played twice, but it was the second battle I was more on the ball of capturing screenshots off as it unfolded. The map was the new Coastal Threat that came with the 0.13 update and none of us had played it before. That would come back to haunt us.

As you might be able to see on the mini-map in the lower right hand corner, our team was split up, Hammy and Gouldy taking the north in their Light Tanks, I took the middle road with my MBT-70. 

At first, I was traveling with a T-72 and a M60A3, three Heavys patrolling the war-torn streets. Then, just as I rolled into an ambush coming down from the hill on my left, our M60 rolls off, leaving myself and the T-72 to face a horde of five enemy vehicles.

The T-72 was flanked on three sides and I was trying to get a clean shot off. I punched a single shell into a enemy T-72 and bounced the rest off my evil twin, another MBT-70. I lost my Russian teammate and then became the new focus of enemy attention. With shellfire, movement and smoke, an enemy RDF/LT snuck around behind me and put me out of my misery.

Hammy was removed from the game, at the very same moment, right after his strategic withdraw on the north hill didn't go according to plan.

Gouldy held out for a minute longer as the rest of our team scattered and made their way for the final stand in the town below.

The enemy team had spawned in our south, pushed north and then, swept eastward. Our team crumpled as a lot of other teams before and many more after, will. The last vehicle on our team to be sent back to their garage was the very same M60 that had abandoned me at the very start of the action. 

Yeah, not my finest hour. However, to the other team, well played.

A trio of Heavyweights

Armored Warfare's Mercenary Showdown, the overnight numbers.

Progress on my tier VI T-72A is going slowly, but I have made some noticeable armor upgrades.... 

....now, I can drive around with spare roofing tiles!

It seems the Matchmaker thought this team was a little under weight, hence why I was added, I am guessing.

However, I have learned not to just dismiss Light Tank drivers. The good ones know their craft and can be highly effective in battle, what they lack in armor they can more than make up with speed.

Sometimes, stopping the running around and just sitting still, with cover, is the best way to win a battle. 

Here is a disaster in the making. our nearly-dead XM1 seems to be hellbent on collecting that last kill. I toss out the comment on my observation of the team's health status.

If you look very closely at the top, middle right of this screenshot, you can see they were one hit away from going back to their garage, before the battle ended.

After that sortie concluded, I think I just nabbed the best battle in my Leopard 2AV ICE yet, in terms of results and gains.