TIER 9 TANKS - MERKAVA IV
Commanders,
We are excited to officially reveal the first out of the 4 tanks composing the Tier 9 Line-up; The Merkava IV!
The Merkava is a main battle tank used by the Israel Defense Forces. Its development started in 1970 after plans to locally produce the British Chieftain tank were cancelled by the UK. The Merkava IV is the most recent variant of the Merkava tank, which has been in development since 1999. The first Merkava IVs were in production in limited numbers by the end of 2004.
| Mass | 65 Tonnes (143k Pounds) |
| Length | 9.04 m or 29.7 ft (incl. gun barrel) 7.60 m or 24.9 ft (excl. gun barrel) |
| Width | 3.72 m or 12.2 ft (excl. skirts) |
| Height | 2.66 m or 8.7 ft (to turret roof) |
| Crew | 4 (commander, driver, gunner, and loader) |
| Main armament | 120 mm (4.7 in) MG253 smoothbore gun, capable of firing LAHAT ATGM |
| Secondary armament |
1 × 12.7 mm (0.50 in) MG |
The Merkava IV in War Machines
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The Merkava IV is an amazing machine! Art implementation was smooth and it is looking mighty and fierce in-game. It is bulkier than the average Tier 9 vehicle, heavier and better armoured too, but not that much slower than its T9 partners. We chose a dark grey colour with white details as to its default paint job, great for hiding in darker maps and surprising enemies, but beware of its height when trying to hide behind lower obstacles, you might get spotted!
In terms of the general playstyle, the Merkava IV has been set up as a very versatile MBT, with a flexible skill set and very good overall stats, it really sets the bar for Tier 9. It can fit many playstyles, from an aggressive rushdown fighter to a more nomad “kill stealer” style, all depending on your skills and on what the Commander decides to upgrade first.
Below you can see the blueprints of the Merkava IV for its conception inside the game.
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Merkava IV Stats & Skills.
We know how important it is for you to know about the statistics of each tank. We are happy to share these numbers with you upfront. Just keep in mind the numbers are bound to change overtime to make sure the tanks are well balanced. We will always communicate clearly changes and the reasons behind them.
| INITIAL STATS | FINAL STATS | |
| ARMOUR | 6800 | 17181 |
| DAMAGE | 2000 | 3700 |
| ROUNDS PER MINUTE | 11 | 20 |
| TOP SPEED | 59 | 84 |
We are also happy to share with you the tech skills that will be available on the Merkava IV:
- Slippery: Speed bonus after taking damage
- Heavy: Less speed and more armour
- Critical Repairs: Regens below 50% HP
- APS: % Chance to block incoming damage
- Impetuous: +RPM per good hit
- Furious: Damage bonus after taking damage
Once the multiple tech skills will be available, you will have different possibilities of builds! Here are some fun ideas of possible builds for you to prepare for this incoming feature!
| Build Variant | Skills Required | Gameplay Strategy |
| High Ground Variant | Heavy, Critical Repairs, Impetuous | A defensive build that requires making good use of critical repairs, smart use of cover and trying to stay alive as much as possible to get the best advantage out of Impetuous bonuses. Great build for grinding with a team! |
| Scion Variant | APS, Impetuous, Furious | A very dominant build, balancing defence, utility and damage output, but very endgame oriented, since it requires a fully researched tech tree. |
We hope that you found this information useful and we would love to know what you think about the Merkava IV. Tell us if you like the idea of having different builds and what kind of set-up you already have in mind! Join the discussion.