With the 1.0.2 update, there were balance changes for the Obj. 268 4 and Obj. 430 II. Not that much change was applied to the Obj. 268 4, but for the Obj. 430 II, big changes were made; the style of play for the tank has been completely altered.

Starting with the improvements: the gun power was buffed. Notably, the final gun upgrade (D-54U), which was said to be worse than the stock weapon, is now essential. Comparing the original stock M-63 to the D-54U, the latter is now better at penetration, reloading, aiming time, accuracy, and shell velocity.

However, it has lost its strong armor. Since the past Obj. 430 II was like a heavy tank in the medium tank field, this could be a drastic nerf. As a result, it shouldn’t be played like an infighter anymore. Now it should be played more like a high-mobilily tank destroyer. This is similar to the next tier tank, the K-91, so those who expected to become a strong infighter with this tank should be going for other tanks.

◆ 100m M-63 ▶ 100m D-54U

Penetration: 201 ▶ 246
Reload Time: 7.29 ▶ 7.19
Aiming Time: 2.21 ▶ 1.92
Accuracy: 0.35 ▶ 0.34
Dispersion during movement: 0.13 ▶ 0.12
Dispersion on hull traverse: 0.13 ▶ 0.12
Shell velocity: 895 ▶ 1,015

◆ Armor

Hull Armor: 120/80/40 ▶ 80/60/40
Turret Armor: 248/185/63 ▶ 180/120/50
Durability: 1,700 HP ▶ 1,600 HP

◆ Mobility and other stats

Weight: 35,893 ▶ 36,450
Power/Weight ratio: 16.16 ▶ 15.91
View range: 390 ▶ 400

▣ The main strategy is sniping! – The changed playstyle of the Obj. 430 II

To play well with the Obj. 430 II after the patch, you have to dump the original playstyle completely. This is because of the drastic armor nerf. Of course, it’s not like tanks with weak armor cannot stand at the vanguard, but with the ambiguous speed, limited gun depression/elevation, and the rear mounted turret, it’s nearly impossible to be successful when fighting a frontal assault. This means that staying concealed and sniping like the previous tier, the Obj. 416, is more effective.

Because of these changes, the buffed gun doesn’t feel that buffed. You now need to make more long range shots, but the accuracy doesn’t seem reliable enough, and making full use of the DPM is nearly impossible. The impactful improvements are the standard ammo’s increased penetration, which reduces the need for premium ammo, and increased velocity, which makes it easier to make lead shots.

Most of the stats imply that the Obj. 430 II is closer to a TD rather than an MT, so if its played like a TD, players can expect decent results. That method is likely preferable to being quickly melted at the vanguard. However, many good sniping spots on the maps are being removed; new map points or a unique style of play for the Obj.430 II should be researched.

The best potential focal point for a new strategy would be the 400m view range. Although there are tier IX tanks that have a 410m view range like the M46 Patton or Centurion 7/1, max view range can still be retained with Coated Optics and Brotherhood.

This means that the Obj. 430 II can spot enemy vehicles in place of LTs. If the distance is alright, you can stay concealed while taking a shot at a 15m distance from a brush as well. Although its camouflage value isn’t as good as the Obj. 416, it still has one of the highest among the tier IX MTs. This is a big advantage that the Obj. 430 II has over TDs. Furthermore, the not-so-fast but faster-than-most-TDs mobility makes it easier for the Obj. 430 II to get to important points on the map that are harder for slower tanks to reach. Advancing and retreating is more convenient as well.

The Obj. 416 had similar attributes, but compared to the paper-thin armor of the Obj. 416, the Obj. 430 II actually has some plating that can be called armor. It is somewhat thick enough to play at the vanguard, so you don’t need to be too obsessed with trying to hide.

The best defensive strategy is hull-down. Obviously, it’s harder to take accurate shots in long range combat, and the oval-shaped turret can ricochet the shells that fall a bit wide from the target. Also, the upper hull has a good angle; even if the shots hit the hull, a decent amount can be deflected. Unfortunately, the gun depression is only -4 degrees, so there aren’t that many spots that can be used for the Obj. 430 II to hull-down.

Plan B would be sidescraping. Although the side armor is only 60mm thick, you can avoid penetration with an absolute-deflection angle. If it is at a bad angle though, the turret could be penetrated, so it’s recommended that you bait shots from your enemies by utilizing the fast tank traverse speed.