In the era of fast and agile French wheeled vehicles, fewer and fewer people drive slower and less speedy tracked fireflies. Many players don't even bother developing these branches or try to quickly "skip" the uninteresting light tanks.

However, among all the mid-tier light tanks, the Soviet tier VI MT-25 stands out.

Until 2018, it was simply a miracle tank capable of causing chaos among the enemy ranks right at the beginning of the battle, spotting the entire enemy team and evading return fire due to its exceptional maneuverability and a top speed of 72 km/h. Unfortunately, this tank has been heavily nerfed, and its maximum speed has been reduced to a mere 62 km/h, which no longer allows it to perform the same miracles in turns. However, it still has many features that make playing with this tank just as interesting.

Unusual Shape

The MT-25 has a relatively short hull, which makes it difficult to hit when it's moving obliquely or sideways at medium and long distances. The relatively wide hull makes it easier to hit when moving head-on or chasing after the firefly, but it has a clear advantage during rapid turns, as the tank is quite resistant to overturning.

But even if the MT-25 somehow flips over, it won't stay in that position on its side or roof. Instead, it will perform a ninja-like somersault, jump back on its tracks, and be ready to continue the race. The significant downside is the height of the hull, which prevents you from hiding behind bushes like an "elk" or "flea." The hull armor is only 45 mm in the front and 40 mm on the sides and rear, but the angles of the armor are very favorable, and you'll often hear the beautiful French word "ricochet."

The tank weighs 25 tons, so you can ram all wheeled vehicles and most light tanks of the same tier head-on, as well as the sides of other tanks.

High Rate of Fire Gun

The 57mm ZiS-4 gun works excellently on the MT-25, firing a shell with 112mm of penetration every 3 seconds, which is sufficient to penetrate the sides and rear of many opponents up to tier VIII. We're not interested in the front armor of the opponent because the maneuverability and speed allow us to outmaneuver any enemy and pepper them with shots, even the well-armored dinosaurs.

You won't have to aim precisely with this gun; most of the work is done with the auto-aim. With a fantastic damage per minute of around 1700, you'll often see the "Fire for Effect" medal, especially when playing at your own tier.

Active Scouting Tactics

The view range for a tier VI light tank is modest, only 360 meters, but you can boost it to 410 meters, which is quite good. With average concealment, this view range allows you to spot enemies even while on the move. The first skill to develop for active scouting is the "Sixth Sense" perk, and as soon as it activates, start maneuvering actively and changing direction randomly. When the MT-25 is detected, usually everyone starts shooting at it.

From the moment it's spotted to the activation of "Sixth Sense," add another half-second for aiming. In total, it takes about 2 seconds before a shot hits your turret. So, when the indicator lights up, make a sharp turn, and projectiles of various calibers will fly past you. Needless to say, when shooting at you, almost all other enemies become exposed. Congratulations, you're already on your way to earning the "Scout" medal for detecting nine enemies.

If friendly artillery is active, you can even earn the "Patrol Duty" medal. After the initial spotting, it's better to retreat to the second line and, after half a minute to a minute, pop out from behind a hill or bush like a jack-in-the-box, helping allies deal damage to the spotted enemies. If you manage to survive until the middle of the battle, it's time to search for enemy artillery and flank and harass the remaining enemies. With full upgrades, you can even try passive scouting with approximately 28% camouflage when stationary, but this tank is designed for active gameplay.

What to Upgrade

For the crew, prioritize "Sixth Sense," "Camouflage," and "Brothers in Arms," and then focus on skills that are useful for maneuvering and active scouting.

As for modules, you'll need Coated Optics and Enhanced Ventilation. Improved Hardening is also recommended because everyone will try to cripple the MT-25, and this option will provide the necessary durability for the tracks. Enhanced Hardening also reduces suspension damage by 50% when falling from a height, which is very useful at high speeds and on hilly maps.

A fire extinguisher, small repair kit, and small first aid kit are optimal in the equipment slots, although fires on the MT-25 are very rare, so you can replace the fire extinguisher with "Lend-Lease Oil" if you prefer.

Overall, this tank is very comfortable and allows you to earn a good amount of credits even on a regular account, and it's very difficult to end up without any medals when playing with it.