Germany is gradually becoming the weakest faction at BR5. I know this may sound controversial, but it is the harsh reality we have to face: Germany is losing both its advantages and its unique identity.
Let’s start with infantry weapons. Admittedly, there are differences between the fully automatic rifles of each faction, but they are not very significant. When it comes to assault rifles, the strongest one may still be debatable, but the weakest is undoubtedly the STG-44. This German assault rifle seems to combine the shortcomings of all other weapons: it lacks the high damage of the Fedorov rifle to compensate for its slower rate of fire, and it also lacks the high rate of fire of the Haider M1944 to make up for its lower damage. In short, the STG-44 has neither a distinctive character nor sufficient power. German anti-tank weapons are equally homogenized and lack identity. Why not offer some historically accurate, or at least more distinctive, options? For example, the Panzerschreck, the American Super Bazooka, or the Soviet “Fist 150” (by the way, Soviet forces did capture weapons of this type, although they were never delivered to German units). As for machine guns, the German MG series performs decently, but at BR5 it struggles to make a real impact during offensive operations.
Now let’s look at vehicles. Germany either suffers from weaker stats or an incomplete lineup. At BR5, most players can only field one top-tier tank. Veteran campaign players might be able to squeeze out two, but what about the United States and Japan? The US can rotate three tanks: the M26E1-1, M6A2E1, and M26T99. Japan can also rotate three: the Prototype Type 5 Gun Tank, the New Prototype Gun Tank, and the Type 6 Heavy Tank. Germany, on the other hand, only has two options: the Tiger II H, the Tiger II P, or the Ferdinand. We simply cannot match the three-tank rotation that other nations enjoy. This means American tanks can afford multiple mistakes, while Germany can afford only one.
The air situation is even worse. The American F-80, the British Meteor F.3, and the Japanese Kikka all outperform the Me-262. Whether in air combat or ground support, German jet fighters are clearly at a disadvantage. The Do-335 is actually an excellent attack aircraft—honestly, if it were given to the United States or Japan, it would perform even better. But for us? Because the Me-262 is too weak to contest air superiority, the Do-335 often becomes a disposable asset, usually shot down after its first bombing run, or even before it has a chance to drop its payload.
At BR5, Germany currently faces the following situation:
- Against the Soviet Union: They dominate urban maps, where our tanks struggle to perform effectively. Backed by body armor, powerful assault rifles, and strong fully automatic rifles, their infantry has the strongest ground combat capability in the game.
- Against the United States: We not only face large numbers of American tanks that can more easily threaten or even destroy the Tiger II and Ferdinand, but also have to deal with bombs and rockets from enemy airstrikes. Moreover, because our Me-262 performs poorly in air superiority fights, few players use it for air combat anymore. Their assault rifles are better, and their Stinger machine gun can go toe to toe with the MG42-100.
- Against Japan: Even our Axis allies have better fully automatic rifles, stronger fighters, and a fictional tank destroyer that outperforms the Ferdinand.
To be honest, Germany’s only remaining advantage over the other three factions is the Tiger II. But just as in history, a single powerful tank cannot save an empire on the brink of collapse. Germany’s current situation feels similar to Germany’s top-tier matchmaking in War Thunder: superior alternatives are everywhere, and we have lost our uniqueness. These days, the United States has basically become an “upgraded version” of Germany—more fun to play, faster to progress, and more balanced. If you want heavy tanks, American tanks may be slightly less formidable than the Tiger II, but you will not get bombed the moment you leave spawn, and most of the time American tanks do not even have to face the threat posed by the Tiger II. On infantry, if you want a strong assault rifle, the Haider M1944 is clearly superior to the STG-44, offering similar damage with a much higher rate of fire. In terms of anti-tank capability, the United States even has access to the German-made RPzB.43 recoilless rifle. In aviation, the United States fields two jet fighters with superior performance. So where is Germany’s uniqueness? We used to be known as the all-around faction, but the United States has now surpassed us in that regard. We also do not stand out in any single area: our infantry is weaker than the Soviets’, our tanks cannot leverage their strengths on most BR5 maps, and our aircraft lag behind those of the United States and Japan. We lack distinctive gameplay, unique equipment, and clear strengths. What Germany needs is a buff at BR5, not the status quo. We need more recognizable and powerful fighters, as well as better infantry equipment.
Here are some suggestions:
- Aviation: Introduce the Me-262A-1/U1 or C-1a variant, or allow the Me-262 to equip R4M rocket pods.
- Infantry: Give Germany the MKb-42(H) with a 30-round magazine or the Scottish naval rifle, or simply increase the damage of the STG-44.
- Throwables: Add cluster anti-tank grenades based on modified M24s, or add PWM anti-tank grenades.
- Engineering equipment: Give us the HHL magnetic anti-tank mine.
- Anti-tank weapons: It would be perfectly reasonable to give Germany the Panzerschreck.
- Tanks: Fill the gaps in the armored lineup with event or premium vehicles, such as the Tiger II Sla.16, Jagdtiger, or Sturmpanzer IV “Brummbär.”
- Yes
- No
