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Original Hype - Considering the Type 59
By:
IrmaBecx
From what I’ve managed to understand of the Blitz Fair, you could end up paying truly extortionate amounts of money for the Type 59 this holiday season. I ate noodles for weeks to be able to afford mine last time it was on sale in a regular bundle, which if I’m not mistaken was a little more than a year ago.
Still, with a bundle you at least get to see the price tag beforehand, and you know exactly what you are getting. And even though I thought it was ridiculously overpriced even back then, I would still do it again any day of the week, because it’s easily one of the best purchases I ever made in the game.
I drove almost 500 games in the Hype to date; it’s my fifth most driven tank ever. As far as Premiums, I’ve only gotten more mileage out of the Panther/M10, and I’ve had that one longer.
So yeah, I’m a Chinese convert, and I have been for a long time. I think the 59 is way overpriced, and anyone who buys one should really have their head examined. But if you, like me, are dumb enough to dole out the cash, then I am sympathetic to that, because I mean it’s a great tank. Really fantastic. A true legend.
With that caveat, I thought I’d have a quick look at the old 59, for any prospective buyers out there thinking about making the economic mistake of their life, or any lucky player who happen to get one for free in some manner during the fair. I cannot stress enough I think the “get one free” tactic is the one you should be pursuing.
Hype Life
So what is the Type 59, and why is it so good?
Well, basically it’s a tier VIII T-54 with a stock 100 mm gun on it. The only difference, really, is 20 mm of frontal armour, 10 mm of turret side armour, 300 hitpoints, and 200 horsepower. Oh, and the 59 gets seven degrees of gun depression.
Also it’s Chinese, which usually means Russian but not quite as good. I’m sure I will have reason to revise that opinion when the actual Chinese Medium tank tree finally drops, but the lasting impression of the Type 59 is a tuned down Russian Medium tank.
If you hear “tier VIII T-54” and think a tier IX tank at tier VIII, you’d be wrong. It’s not that strong. But if you think a tier VIII version of a tier IX tank you’d be on the right track.
It’s not a fire breathing Russian brawler Medium moved down a tier, it’s more like driving a stock T-54 with +0 -2 matchmaking.
Hype Love
This is actually the main reson I like the Hype so much. It’s not a high strung sports tank; it’s a solid and dependable beater; a daily driver in the truest sense of the word.
It’s not super fast, it doesn’t have massive firepower, and it’s not quite as agile as the Russians are. But the thing is it has a very decent armour profile, and there isn’t a single thing the Type 59 does especially badly. It doesn’t have any key weaknesses or quirks you need to work around.
In fact, it doesn’t really have any weaknesses at all.
So when you come home from grinding your latest obsession, tired from getting beat all the time, and you just want to settle down, drive a few games and maybe make a few credits, that’s exactly the kind of tank you want to go for. Something simple, well balanced, easy to drive, and able to deal with pretty much any map, game mode, or team setup.
I think the whole “Chinese knock-off” thing is pretty funny, but my love for the 59 has very little to do with philosophy or aesthetics, it’s all very pragmatic. I like the Type 59 because it’s a simple, robust vehicle, it’s a great all rounder, and if you’ve ever seen or heard about a Russian Medium tank with sloped armour, you can pretty much drive it already. There are tanks I like on general principle, or for curious and roundabout reasons, but this one I mostly just like because it works.
The Bottom Line
Is it going to work for you? I don’t see why it wouldn’t. The thing with the turret and front plate is easy to learn, and the rest is just standard Medium playstyles.
Quite simply, the Type 59 is one of the best all rounders in the game; may be even the best. It’s not overpowered, but like I said it doesn’t really have any weaknesses at all either. If you like your Medium tanks, and you don’t mind post war designs, there’s really no way you can go wrong with it.
If you heard the Hype 59 is OP, and you want to stat your pads a little with it, then I think that’s a mistake. The Hype doesn’t really do anything differently from other Medium tanks, it just does everything with a little less effort, and there’s really nothing it can’t do.
I still think I’m a complete idiot for paying so much money for a pixel tank, and I’m not proud of myself for doing it or anything like that. But I also have to be honest and say owning the Type 59 has been one of the best things I’ve done, because it’s so dependable, so accessible, and it just works every time.
So if you can get a good deal, or you manage to get lucky in some way, IrmaBecx says don’t hesitate making it your daily driver.
If you don’t get lucky, and end up paying through the nose for one, IrmaBecx says I feel for you, and I told you not to do it. Welcome to the club, and yes, that’s the “more money that brains, and I’m not saying I’m rich”-club.
Norinco Power!
Edited by IrmaBecx, 22 December 2017 - 12:30 PM.
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and looks mad fine. The time reloading can be spent admiring the tank..
