As we roll into Season 19, the garage is more crowded than ever. From the old-school reliability of the AE Phase I to the high-stakes ‘clip-and-dip’ chaos of the Cobra, choosing the right Tier IX reward tank can make or break your win rate. Today, we’re breaking down the current standings—including the hype surrounding the new Japanese Saryuda—to see which steel beasts are actually worth your grind and which are better left as bonds.
Heavy Tanks
AE Phase 1
- Very good turret armor
- Great HEAT penetration
- Mobile enough
In the 2026 meta, the AE Phase I is the “Old Reliable” of the Battle Pass roster. While newer, flashier tanks like the Saryuda or the Cobra grab the headlines with high-alpha bursts and memes, the Phase I remains a gold standard for consistency and ease of use.
The AE Phase I is essentially a “Super Conqueror Lite” at Tier IX. It lives and dies by its -10° of gun depression and its incredibly tough, rounded turret.
The gun isn’t the hardest hitting at 400 alpha, but its 340mm HEAT penetration is its secret weapon. In 2026, where Tier XI “Ares” tanks and heavy-armor Tier X monsters are common sights, that 340mm pen allows the Phase I to punch way above its weight class.
Price:12 Tokens
Rating: S Tier
BZ-58-2
- The No-Rocket Tradeoff: Don’t let the name fool you—this tank does not have rocket boosters. In exchange, you get better gun handling and superior gun depression compared to the BZ-166 or BZ-68, making it a much more versatile “all-rounder” on hilly maps.
- Reliable Hull-Down Presence: With its 230mm (effective 350mm+) turret armor and the ability to hide its cupolas by using its gun depression, it is exceptionally difficult to dig out of a power position.
- Built-in Large Repair Kit: Like the AE Phase I, it comes with a permanent, free Large Repair Kit. This is a huge “quality of life” feature for a brawler that will constantly be taking track damage and module hits on the front line
The BZ-58-2 is a Tier IX Chinese Heavy that feels like a cross between the Polish 50TP and the Soviet T-10. It ditches the rockets of the main branch in favor of a sturdy, well-rounded turret and a surprisingly comfortable -9° of gun depression (improved from its original release). This allows it to dominate ridgelines in a way many other Chinese heavies simply can’t, using its thick turret face to bait shots while hiding its weak lower plate.
The gun is a hard-hitting 130mm that delivers a chunky 520 alpha damage. In 2026, where “alpha is king,” being able to out-trade most Tier IX mediums and hold your own against Tier X heavies is a massive asset. While its 250mm standard penetration is a bit modest, the 303mm APCR special rounds travel at a rapid 1,250 m/s, making it much easier to hit moving targets or snipe cupolas when the brawling gets intense.
Price: 20 Tokens
Rating: B Tier
TS-60
- The “Heavy Tank” Slot Hack: In the 2026 matchmaking meta, the TS-60 is often matched against other TDs like the glass-cannon Grille 15 or the sniper Strv 103-0. Because you can play the heavy tank line, your team effectively gets an “extra” heavy, giving you a massive tactical advantage in city brawls.
- Rear-Turret Mastery: This is a side-scraping king. By hiding your lower plate and angling your hull at a steep 70-degree angle, you become almost impossible to penetrate with standard rounds. Just be wary of the large cupola—wiggling your turret between shots is mandatory.
- The “Slow and Steady” Price: At 28 Tokens, it is one of the most expensive tanks in the shop. It lacks the explosive “fun factor” of the Cobra or the Saryuda, so only pick this up if you enjoy disciplined, frontline brawling and want a reliable credit-saver (thanks to the built-in Large Repair Kit)
The TS-60 is a Tier IX American Tank Destroyer that plays exactly like a rear-turreted heavy tank (similar to the Obj. 705A or the Chrysler K). Its primary strength is a thick, rounded turret and a highly sloped 120mm upper frontal plate that becomes nearly autobounce when you use your -7° of gun depression on a slight incline. Because it is classified as a TD, it enjoys a higher base DPM than most heavy tanks it faces, allowing it to “out-grind” opponents in a sustained shootout.
The gun is a high-performance 120mm that trades “TD alpha” for pure fire rate. At 400 damage per shot, it won’t scare anyone with a single hit, but its 2,800+ base DPM means you are pumping out shells every 6.5 to 7 seconds. While its 258mm standard penetration is average for a heavy, its 320mm HEAT special rounds are plenty for surgical strikes on weak spots, provided you can handle the somewhat “derpy” gun handling when moving your hull.
Price: 28 Tokens
Rating: B Tier
Medium tanks
Cobra
- 4 shell autoloader
- Troll armor
- Bad gun handling
The Cobra is a Tier IX British Medium that lives and dies by its 4-round autoloader and blistering 1.5-second intra-clip reload. It isn’t a traditional brawler; it’s an assassin that waits for the perfect moment to dump 2,000 damage and then disappears for nearly a minute to reload.
The gun is what makes this tank legendary (and toxic). While its standard HEAT is functional, the true “Cobra experience” is loading premium HESH. With 210mm of penetration and 490 alpha per shot, you can dish out a staggering 1,960 damage in just 4.5 seconds. In the current meta, catching a Leopard or a light tank out of position with a full clip of HESH is one of the most satisfying—and devastating—plays you can make.
Price: 28 Tokens
Rating: S Tier
Char Futur 4
- The Sniper’s Autoloader
- Light Tank Hybrid
- High Skill Ceiling
The Char Futur 4 is a Tier IX French Medium that functions like a hybrid between a traditional medium and a light tank. It features a 4-shell autoloader, but unlike the Cobra’s rapid fire, the Char has a 4-second intra-clip reload. This means it isn’t an “assassin” that dumps its clip in five seconds; instead, it’s a rhythmic supporter that punishes enemies from afar while they’re busy with your heavies.
The gun is one of the most accurate autoloaders in the game, boasting 0.34 base dispersion and a blistering 1,461 m/s shell velocity on its standard APCR. This allows it to “lead” fast-moving light tanks or target tiny weak spots from across the map. With 330mm HEAT penetration on its gold rounds, it has no trouble punching through the thickest armor in Tier X or the newer Tier XI encounters, provided you have the patience to manage its long 40-second magazine reload.
Price: 12 Tokens
Rating: A Tier
Kunze Panzer
- The Ridge-Line King: With -15° of gun depression in Siege Mode, you can use hills that are literally too steep for any other tank to fire over. This allows you to create unexpected firing angles and stay completely hidden from return fire.
- Extreme Skill Requirement: This is arguably the hardest tank to play on this list. You have to manage the 2-second mode-switch delay constantly; if you get caught in Siege Mode while being pushed, your lower DPM and reduced speed make you an easy target.
- Camo & Scouting: It has a very small profile and excellent base concealment. In a pinch, it can act as a Tier IX light tank, using its 65 km/h top speed (in Travel Mode) to reach scouting bushes before the enemy expects a medium to be there
The Kunze Panzer is a Tier IX German Medium that features a unique hydropneumatic suspension system (Siege Mode). Unlike the Swedish mediums, this mode is toggled manually with the ‘X’ key. In Travel Mode, it is a fast, high-DPM flanker with mediocre accuracy. In Siege Mode, its reload time increases significantly, but it gains incredible -15° of gun depression and laser-like accuracy, turning it into one of the best ridge-line snipers in the game.
The gun is a 105mm that requires constant mode-switching to master. To play it optimally in 2026, you often switch to Siege Mode to aim and fire over a steep ridge, then immediately switch back to Travel Mode to reload faster and relocate. With 268mm standard penetration and 390 alpha, it punches just as hard as a Leopard PT A, but with the added flexibility of working terrain that no other medium tank can touch.
Price: 12 Tokens
Rating: A Tier
Tank Destroyers
Saryuda
- The Salvo Specialist: This tank is all about the “double tap.” Landing a 1,000-damage salvo is its primary reason for existing.
- Semi-Turreted Flexibility: Unlike most Japanese TDs, the Saryuda has a wide horizontal gun arc (180 degrees total).
- The “Giant” Factor: It is a massive vehicle with poor camouflage and a distinct cupola weak spot.
The Saryuda is a Tier IX Japanese Tank Destroyer built on a massive chassis reminiscent of the Ho-Ri series. Its defining feature is the twin 12.7 cm naval guns, which allow you to fire single shots or a devastating 1,000-alpha salvo. It isn’t a stealthy bush-camper; it’s a semi-turreted assault platform (90° traverse per side) that uses its 250mm frontal armor to stare down opponents before unleashing a double-shot that can leave Tier X heavies questioning their life choices.
The gun performance is a game of patience and timing. You have a 3-second salvo preparation time, meaning you have to predict where the enemy will be, followed by a 4-second gun lock. With 265mm standard penetration and 305mm special AP rounds, it doesn’t quite have the “tank-melting” pen of the Jagdtiger, but the sheer burst potential makes it a terrifying presence on the corner of any city map.
Price: 20 Tokens
Rating:A Tier
K-91-PT
- The Invisibility Cloak: Its base concealment is so high that with a proper “Exhaust and Camo” build, you can often reach aggressive positions or relocate across open fields without ever being spotted.
- The Face-Hugging Menace: Because the tank is so low to the ground and has a very strong superstructure, you can drive directly into the face of many tall heavy tanks.
- Limited Gun Arc: The biggest drawback is the very narrow horizontal gun traverse.
The K-91-PT is a Tier IX Soviet Tank Destroyer that excels in aggressive support. It features a rear-mounted cabin and a sleek, low profile, which gives it ELC-grade stationary camouflage. However, instead of sitting in a bush at the back of the map, the K-91-PT uses its 52 km/h top speed and incredible traverse rate to keep up with medium tanks, acting as the “enforcer” during a flank.
The gun is a rapid-fire 122 mm that trades alpha damage (390) for a blistering reload time. In the current meta, its 2,700+ base DPM allows it to out-duel almost any other Tier IX vehicle if it can get into a rhythm. While its accuracy ($0.40$ m) and shell velocity aren’t suited for long-range sniping, it becomes a nightmare in close quarters where it can use its sturdy 260 mm superstructure to “face-hug” enemies and rip them apart.
Price: 12 Tokens
Rating: B Tier
Check out also the best premium tanks in the game overall: https://permatracked.com/post/best-premium-tanks-in-2025-easy-credit-makers-world-of-tanks/
Here are some other top lists:
– https://permatracked.com/post/best-tier-11-tanks-in-2025-world-of-tanks/
– https://permatracked.com/post/best-premium-tanks-for-bonds-2025-world-of-tanks/
Good luck on the battlefield.
