The Chi-To is a BR4 tank avaliable to Japan in the tech tree, however it’s power level is not good enough to be BR4. There is a direct upgrade at the same BR, the Chi-Ri II, which is well balanced. The cannon has is the same (basically a long panzer 4’s cannon) but reloads so much faster, an extra 37mm cannon in the hull, and better in other minor aspects. This also comes as the current main BR3 tank for Japan is unable to frontally penetrate M4a2 Shermans, ehich is alread a huge issue as is, but God forbid you see KV1s once the Manchuria update comes out.But now I’ll compare the Chi-to to another BR3 tank, to show how it would be balanced on BR3.
The Panzer 4H
This is by far the most similar tank to the Chi-To, and is a lot better in some areas. The machine guns on the Chi-To are quite bad with only 20 rounds and mounted in the hull and on a pintle mount, while the Panzer 4H also has two; one in a coaxial mount and a pintle mounted one, but these both have 150 round belts. The cannon is also better between the two - reloads 0.6 seconds faster, has 32 more total shells, 5mms thicker front hull armor, and only penetrates 3 more milimeters with it’s APHE shell (148mms for the Chi-To vs 145 for the 4H). The only notable advantages the Chi-To has is the top speed, which is 6 Kph faster, and the turret being frontally thicker by 25mms. If the panzer 4H is BR3, the Chi-To should definitely be BR3 as well.
Note that this is an older screenshot from a long time ago when the panzer 4H was on a different BR
While the Chi-Nu II can and should also be lowered to BR3, this tank would also solve the problem of insufficent penetration against Shermans (and soon KV1s and likely T34s), but also give said solution BR3 worthy armor and generally better performance.
I’d argue against that, while those tanks certainly are bad for BR4 since they can’t do anything in upteirs, the Chi-To is weaker in most every regard. It has a BR3 cannon, BR3 armor, and terrible MGs, and feels to me like a panzer 4 with a long 75. I don’t really see where this would be too strong in if it gets moved to BR3.
the cannon of this tank are definitly BR IV, CHi Nu’s cannon is BR III level, armor for this tank need to be strengthen But I disagree put this in BR III
The same cannon that has only 3 millimeters more penetration than the cannon of the BR3 Panzer 4H? The Chi-Nu’s cannon can’t even frontally penetrate M4a2s, which is heavily inadequate for BR3.
not an argument german cannons are almost always the strongest at there br with the best penetration, now if its pen was comparable to a br3 us cannon i might agree with you
German cannons have the best penetrations because it is needed due to their enemies having heavier armor, and allied cannons not needing as much due to German tanks being softer than them, which makes the entire thing pointless because both German and US tanks die from one or two hits from each other anyways.
There isn’t any better shell to give the Chi Nu, and the only “better” shell for the Chi-To gives a measly 3 millimeters more penetration in exchange for losing a bunch of explosive filler. At BR3, this would finally give Japan a decent BR3 tank to use that can penetrate enemy tanks on the same BR.
Comparing it to the 4H is meaningless, because its armor is superior to the 4H in every aspect. Lowering such a tank with a long 75mm gun to BR III would create a huge imbalance in the game.
If Chi To is useless in its BR IV, then Strengthen it. If Chi Ha is useless in BR III, then Strengthen it.
The Japanese already had the best submachine guns and the best fighter jets in BR3, so why lower this monster to BR3? I think both American and Soviet players would strongly oppose this.
No? The hull armor is 5mms weaker than the 4H, but the turret armor is the same thickness. Even then it’s still easily penetrable by a good amount BR2 tanks and every BR3 tank, it’s not an issue.
You should take a closer look at the pictures you showed. This tank’s flank armor is clearly better than the 4H, and it also has a more powerful cannon.
I really can’t think of any reason why it should be placed in the BR III. The one that truly deserves a BR III is the Chi Nu II because of its thin armor, but the long 75mm gun compensates for this.
The side armor is only 20mms thicker, which is a negligible difference for a BR3 tank since 50mms are easily penetrable by any BR2 or 3 tank. The Chi-To’s gun has a slightly more powerful AP shell due to it’s higher explosive filler content, but the difference in penetration is almost nothing, It’s not a BR4 gun. Have you used the Chi-To in public matches? If not, I recommend you try it out.
The difference between side armor and rear armor is an objective fact and doesn’t disappear just because you say it’s “negligible.”
Secondly, I reiterate my point: this tank gun is undoubtedly BR IV level. If it’s insufficient against other BR IV tanks, then better armor-piercing rounds should be provided (this is a necessary modification; there’s no “no room for improvement”).
