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| 5s | Tanks of the Pershing series were accepted into the US service near the end of WW2: |
|---|---|
| 11s | they were positioned as a new generation of vehicles based on a promising platform, |
| 15s | and a counter to German Panthers. |
| 18s | In War Thunder, Pershing tanks are found at the mid ranks |
| 21s | of the American and Italian tech trees, |
| 24s | and are usually played as highly versatile all-rounders. |
| 31s | The M26 Pershing is very easy to pick up at any level of player experience. |
| 36s | Its turret is well-defended against the 75-mm cannon of the Panther, |
| 41s | the gun of the T-34-85, and all similar calibers in general. |
| 46s | Be wary, though, that more powerful armaments |
| 49s | can KO most of your crew in one go. |
| 52s | Hull armor is sloped at favorable angles and as such |
| 55s | can sometimes bounce pretty powerful shells |
| 59s | but doesn’t really allow you to be reckless. |
| 61s | The vehicle’s 90-mm gun has good depression and elevation angles, |
| 66s | making it well-suited for use on uneven terrain. |
| 69s | Keep in mind though that M82 APCBC shells |
| 73s | can’t penetrate the defenses of the Tiger II, the IS-3, and the Ferdinand, |
| 79s | so aim for the barrel... |
| 80s | or lure them into a bad position where you can hit them through their weak points. |
| 87s | Basically, the only big flaw of the original Pershing is its low mobility. |
| 92s | 500 horsepower is simply not enough for a tank that weighs 40 tons. |
| 97s | The tank has a transmission with six forward gears |
| 100s | and two reverse gears, which certainly helps... |
| 103s | but this vehicle really struggles going uphill. |
| 106s | Nevertheless, the M26 is a good fit for a player of any skill level |
| 111s | and is pretty decent at basically everything... |
| 114s | except for lightning-quick flanking attacks that is. |
| 122s | Experimental Pershings are considerably more specialized. |
| 126s | Take a look at the T20 medium tank, one of the earliest prototypes of the series. |
| 131s | Unlike the Sherman, it features a layout with a forward-mounted turret |
| 135s | and is really fast in reverse. |
| 137s | The tank is armed with a 76-mm cannon. |
| 141s | Granted, the gun is outdated, but it comes with a stabilizer, |
| 144s | allowing the T20 to play the role of a close range brawler. |
| 151s | The T25 is yet another prototype, |
| 154s | developed as a faster, but less protected alternative to the M26. |
| 159s | It is still not very mobile, but thanks to its reverse gearbox, |
| 162s | it can move really quickly in reverse. |
| 165s | Keep in mind, though, that due to its lighter armor arrangement, |
| 168s | you have to be extra cautious when going around the battlefield: |
| 171s | even the T-34-85 is a serious threat to the T25, so there is that. |
| 181s | The Т26Е5 was developed as an affordable heavy assault upgrade for the original M26. |
| 188s | Engineers worked on a very tight schedule, |
| 191s | but we have to give credit where credit’s due: |
| 194s | the armor arrangement of the T26E5 is very impressive. |
| 198s | Even the gun of the mighty Tiger II doesn’t have |
| 201s | enough penetrating power to pierce it reliably, |
| 204s | and the tank simply laughs at lesser guns. |
| 206s | It has very few weak spots as well: |
| 209s | just a few small zones around the mantlet and on the turret roof, |
| 212s | as well as the machine gun port. |
| 215s | The T26 also received better optics, making it more effective at medium range... |
| 220s | but it’s still armed with the same old gun. |
| 223s | That’s why you have to employ the same tactics as the Sherman Jumbo |
| 227s | when facing King Tigers and other opponents in the same weight category: |
| 231s | wreck their barrels first! |
| 240s | The T26E1 Super Pershing is an up-armored |
| 244s | and up-gunned version of the production M26. |
| 247s | The new gun easily pierces the turret front of the Tiger II, |
| 251s | the lower glacis of the Jagdtiger, and the mantlet of the Soviet T-54... |
| 256s | But that doesn’t mean that the tank isn’t without flaws. |
| 259s | The gun is very powerful indeed, but it takes ages to reload. |
| 263s | You also have to keep in mind the specifics of the layout: |
| 266s | additional armor plates only cover so much, |
| 269s | and an experienced tanker will quickly notice |
| 272s | the remaining weak spots on the turret. |
| 274s | Furthermore, add-on armor doesn’t cover the outer edges of the lower glacis plate. |
| 280s | That’s why the Super Pershing is mostly used as an armored platform |
| 284s | for destroying heavy vehicles. |
| 289s | Finally, there are several Pershings that are mostly like the original |
| 293s | but also have a unique defining feature. |
| 296s | For instance, the premium M26, apart from its 90-mm gun, |
| 300s | is also equipped with the T99 rocket pods. |
| 304s | That’s 44 rockets to use against lightly armored targets! |
| 312s | Another premium, a T26 variant armed with the T54 cannon, |
| 317s | was an attempt to make the Pershing more viable in the postwar era. |
| 321s | Stats-wise, its gun is very similar to the cannon of the Super Pershing, |
| 326s | and the tank plays like a hybrid of the original vehicle and its heavier variant. |
| 333s | The M26A1 found in the Italian tech tree is equipped with an improved gun |
| 339s | of the same caliber as the one used by its regular counterpart, |
| 343s | with punchier APCBC rounds and an access to the M332 APCR, |
| 350s | which is more powerful than the M304. |
| 356s | We also have to mention the M4/T26 prototype: |
| 360s | basically, a T26 turret on the M4 chassis. |
| 364s | It might look somewhat bizarre, |
| 366s | but it’s actually a pretty effective tank destroyer armed with a capable 90-mm gun. |
| 374s | The M48 Patton and the M60 that later became the backbone of the US MBT line, |
| 380s | were both based on the heavily modernized Pershing platform. |
| 384s | As highly versatile tanks that prioritized ease of use, |
| 388s | they proudly brought the core concept of the M26 into the new age. |
| 392s | That’s why playing tanks of the Pershing series is an excellent way |
| 396s | to get ready for the mid-to-high ranks of the American tech tree! |
| 400s | By the way, what do YOU think about the venerable M26? |
| 404s | Tell us in the comments below! |