Advice sought on my baaaaad play in these replays

I would welcome any advice on how to improve my play and today remembered to save some replays where I played particularly badly and managed not to rage in chat.

If anyone has any tips, please do share.

MTIA,

Josef

http://wotreplays.com/site/432727#el_halluf-josefsvejk-kv-1s

http://wotreplays.com/site/432732#port-josefsvejk-m4a3e2

http://wotreplays.com/site/433003?secret=f82d46dcff19b7ad708987e88f4f7114

Hi Josef,

I just took a look at the replays. I'm no expert nor great player, but I have some experience with the KV-1s (200-ish battles) and to a lesser extent also the M4A3e2.

In two battles you were the lowest tier, top tier was tier 8. This MM is bad for a vehicle like the KV-1s which has a long aiming time and even more bad for the Jumbo with the 76mm, 128mm pen is pathetic on tier 8 in a heavy-medium hybrid.

I am used getting up front with vehicles like the KV-1s, M4A3e2 or the IS. This is good in their own tier. Vehicles like KV-1s have to be played upfront IMO. But hwen you are the lowest tier, you are canoonfodder if you go upfront. It took me some time to learn it (and I still fail every now and then), but hang more back and wait for the battle to develop. Let other tanks take the hits (IS-3, Tiger II, Type 59). Fire when the big tank has fired and retreat afterwards. Just don't keep yourself exposed for a long time and make sure you have some big tanks to hide behind andto make sure you can return to a safe place ( in the Siegried Line battle you fired on the IS-3 in the open, and received a 122mm shot, which took almost half your health. I would have moved backword instead of forward, and maybe haven't engaged the IS-3 at all since it is bouncy). This is Peekaboooing like on tier 6, but you have to play even more careful.

One thing I noticed: when you angle (do some sidescraping) the angle is often to flat (for example the engagement with the Lowe on Siegriedline). It's too easy to get hit in the side. Being hit in the side on the KV-1s is often a bad thing since it will go up in flames (those fuel tanks..).
I think sidescraping in a T-150 or a KV-2 is more easy than in KV-1s, because the turret of the latter is really forward mounted (rear-turreted tanks like VK 4502 ausf B are very strong side scrapers).  You might try some reverse sidescraping (puting your rear in the enemy direction instead of your front), but this takes some training to get use too and it might be a bit clumsy to get into position (I almost never use this technic, should do it though, but it is tricky...).

On the El-Halluf battle there was one nice opportunity, which wasn't taken untill it was too late. Near he end of the battle you were the only one left on that hill with 200-ish health. You pressed F7 for 'Help!' when a friendly ARL44 was flanking the enemy attackers. If you would have noticed him moving before you might have taken out a couple of their tanks I guess, since all guns were now focused on the ARL. You saw the opportunity too late, and came in action, just when the ARL44 died   . I can understand you were too late, those things happen in the heat of the battle ( I'm also often overtaken by the heat of the battle and forget things or don't notice things.) . But it would have been a nice opportunity.

(Am I right you are using the stock turret abd the M1a1 gun on the M4A3e2?)

On the M4A3e2. Your poor Jumbo died in a dogfight versus a amx 12t. Very annoying when such a little bugger comes near to unload it's clip. You went on to do the medium tank thing and started to get into a real dogfight. In the end you died, since you already lost quite some health on the IS (In that engagement your side was exposed, he could put a nice shot into it).
I own a M4A3e2 and a M4A3e8. Difference? -> armor VS mobility. The e8 is a true medium tank and excels in dogfighting. the Jumbo is a medium-heavy hybrid and IMO a heavy in disguise. I don't know heavier armoured vehicles on tier 6 than the Jumbo. I play the Jumbo as a heavy tank ( it actually is, except for it's armament; that's why it is called 'medium'-tank).
In the engagement with the IS I would have taken a snapshot in my e8 and retreated afterwards. In my e2 I would have angled (properly), bounced his shell and put one into him.
In the engagement with the amx12t I would have happily started a dogfight in the e8. ramming the little bugger and abusing the 2000+ DPM to take out the frenchie. Might have got a lucky bounce and if not, I would have died, if I didn't manage to kill it.). In the e2 I would have engaged the amx12t like I do in heavies: Keeping the strong frontal armor to the light, reversing to increase the sime for him to get behind you, and eventually put your back to a hard obstacle (train) and kill the frenchie in the proces. By dogfighting you expose your side armor, which is not especially strong on the e2, your armor is upfront. i think you should just imagine you are a heavy tank, and play it like one. 



Quite a wall of text, I hope it will help you. It's just my 2 cents, I'm no good player, no great player, but these were just the things I noticed and would have done other wise.

I''m playing my KV-1s pretty often atm (elite-ing it before the tank gets split), so when you want to paltoon, just tell in chat and we'll play some battles

Hi Count,

Thank you very much for taking the time to watch my replays and then to write such a comprehensive and helpful reply. It is all good, all makes sense and I will do my best to put your advice into practice. I will revisit the advice again after playing today.

If I see you in game I will take you up on your platooning offer.

Again, many thanks,

Josef

that what i think it will be useful;) 
kv1s replay
1st: park next to rock
2nd : make a little angle to the right to make you armor more effective or or turn left to make a 80 degree side armor ( sorry none english)
3nd: never rush to enemy when there is spg in game in this map alone

4th: you role is covering the A2 from incoming enemy ( espcialy when you are alone - you expose yourself to enemy spg when you try looking other way )
5th: before fireing at m6 you should push the hellcat to the m6 to cover your lower plate.
6th:when you see most of your team mate dead play safe - enemy interest to do risk more at this time and mistake more.( if you see my replay in my topic they mistake a lot when finding me alone.)

m4a replay :
1st:you are expose to enemy spg at first place you stop (normaly i will go to line between c4/d4 - if you look at you tank from bh there is a room/tower/etc:D  on you left side - if you are low tier and medium it's good place to go and cover your self from spg and at the same time stoping incoming enemy from E6 or D3

2nd:iwth 128 mm pen and low tier your role will be flanker and you should never be the first one facing enemy
3rd bofore fire at is come out of zoom mod and look at the red model of IS to find out if he look at you or no
4rd: at 12:40 or 30 when enemy push you better fire at the wall to let ferdi have chance to fire at them
5th you move very expose to spg fire
6th: when enemy look at your team mate fire at them to distroy thair aming and decrease their hp - when they look at you just take cover
when facing amx 12 don't let him see your side - also when you want to turn faster stop moving forward it decrease the speed of turning

3rd replay
1st: when you are low tier in kv-1s play like a slow medium tank and try to flank the enemy or make them busy for stoping their focus on one thing
2nd: take the safe road for moving in city not a fastest way
3rd place when you plan to face lowe at that time better go to place to make lowe harder aiming like D0/D9 to.

sorry if it's hard to understanding ( should be off soon  )

Hi Zed,

Thank you too for taking the time to look at my replays and then to write your very helpful post. I am going to sit and watch the replays again with your and Count's comments.

I am very glad I did this and very grateful for your help.

Josef

Thank you again, Count and Zed22:

Victory!
Battle: Swamp 19/11/2013 20:54:45
Vehicle: KV-1S
Experience received: 2,072 (x2 for the first victory each day)
Credits received: 30,356

:-)