The World of Tanks Supertest has recently introduced a new contender to the American tech tree: the XM94 Shadow, a Tier VIII versatile medium tank. Designed to bridge the gap between heavy-hitting support vehicles and nimble flankers, the Shadow is built around a philosophy of adaptability.
Versatile Gun: 310 HP Alpha Damage
The heart of the XM94 Shadow is its reliable and punchy armament:
310 HP Alpha Damage: In a tier where 240 or 280 alpha was once the standard, the Shadow steps up with a healthy 310 damage per shot. This allows it to trade more effectively against lower-tier opponents and hold its own in medium-to-medium brawls.
8-Second Reload: With a base reload of roughly 8 seconds, the Shadow maintains a competitive DPM that keeps it relevant in sustained firefights.
Good Handling Parameters: The “Shadow” moniker likely refers to its ability to snap shots and disappear; its gun handling is described as smooth, making it effective at both mid-range sniping and active maneuvering.
Pressure Management: The combination of alpha and handling ensures that the XM94 can punish mistakes quickly, forcing enemies to respect its line of sight.
Top Speed 50 km/h Mobility
True to its classification as a versatile medium, the XM94 Shadow doesn’t sacrifice speed for its firepower:
Top Forward Speed of 50 km/h: While not a “speed demon” compared to light tanks, 50 km/h is more than enough to reach key positions early or rotate to a collapsing flank.
Exceptional View Range: With a base view range of 400 meters, the Shadow is a spotting powerhouse at Tier VIII. It can often out-spot its peers, allowing it to dictate the terms of engagement before the enemy even knows it’s there.
Positional Flex: The mobility allows it to easily transition from a supporting sniper to an aggressive flanker as the battle evolves.
All-Around Tactical Presence
The XM94 Shadow is designed to be a “fluid” vehicle on the battlefield:
Tactical Niche Mastery: It fits comfortably into multiple roles—whether holding a ridge line using its turret or performing surprise flanking maneuvers to catch heavy tanks off guard.
Environmental Excellence: Wargaming suggests this vehicle “can excel in any environment,” implying a well-rounded kit that doesn’t suffer from the crippling specialized weaknesses found in more extreme tank designs.
No Adversary Unharmed: The goal of the Shadow is consistent performance. It has the view range to see, the mobility to move, and the gun to hurt anything it encounters.
Tactical Considerations
When piloting the XM94 Shadow, commanders should keep several factors in mind:
Leverage the View Range: With 400m base view range, optics can push this vehicle into scout-tier territory. Use your vision to get the first shot off.
Flank with Purpose: Don’t just sit in the back. The 50 km/h top speed is meant for relocating. If a flank is stalling, the Shadow is the perfect tool to reset the momentum.
Trading Discipline: While 310 alpha is good, it isn’t “big” compared to Tier VIII heavies or TDs. Use your reload time to fire twice for every one shot you take from higher-alpha enemies.
Playstyle Implications
The XM94 Shadow rewards proactive gameplay rather than static camping:
The Aggressive Spotter: In matches with few light tanks, the Shadow can effectively lead a push by spotting targets for its team while having the HP and armor to survive a return shot.
The Opportunist: Success in the Shadow comes from identifying gaps in the enemy line and exploiting them. Its versatility means you are rarely “stuck” in a bad situation—you almost always have the tools to escape or adapt.
Community Reception
Initial reactions from the community have been a mix of excitement and “power creep” concerns:
“Cries in T25 Pilot”: Long-time players have pointed out that the XM94 Shadow seems to overshadow (pun intended) older American mediums like the T25 Pilot 1 or the T44, which struggle with lower alpha and worse handling.
Power Creep Fatigue: There is a general sentiment that Tier VIII is becoming increasingly crowded with “super-mediums” that make older premiums feel obsolete.
The “Shadow” Hype: Despite the balance concerns, players are eager to see how the 310 alpha feels in practice, as it sits in a very comfortable “sweet spot” for medium tank gameplay.
What Sets the XM94 Shadow Apart
In a sea of American premiums, the Shadow stands out through balance:
Better Vision than Most: A 400m view range at Tier VIII is a significant advantage that many other versatile mediums lack.
The 310 Alpha Niche: It hits harder than the 240-alpha “needle” guns but fires faster than the 360/390-alpha “heavy-mediums.”
True Versatility: Unlike the TL-1 LPC which focuses on a specific brawling/DPM mix, the Shadow feels more like a modernized, high-performance evolution of the classic Pershing/Patton playstyle.
What’s Next?
As a Supertest vehicle, the XM94 Shadow is currently being balanced. Key questions remain:
Will the armor hold up against Tier IX and X opponents?
Will the 310 alpha be adjusted if the DPM proves too oppressive?
How will it be distributed? (Premium Shop, Marathon, or Loot Boxes?)
Final Thoughts
The XM94 Shadow represents the modern era of World of Tanks medium design. It moves away from “one-trick pony” vehicles and returns to the roots of what makes a medium tank fun: the ability to do everything reasonably well. While it may contribute to the ongoing discussion about power creep at Tier VIII, there is no denying that its stats make it an attractive prospect for any commander looking for a reliable, high-performance credit earner.
Characteristics Are Not Final — all information sourced from World of Tanks Supertest announcements.
The World of Tanks Supertest has welcomed a highly unusual addition to the Chinese medium tank lineup: the PGZ-70, a Tier IX support medium tank whose defining feature is its extraordinary clip-based autocannon system. For players who appreciate the Chinese tech tree’s philosophy of borrowing the best ideas from Soviet design and pushing them to creative extremes, the PGZ-70 offers something genuinely unlike any other vehicle at its tier — a continuous-fire support weapon wrapped in the chassis of a medium tank.
40-Round Clip: The Heart of the PGZ-70
The PGZ-70’s entire identity is built around its enormous clip:
40-Round Clip Capacity: With 40 shells loaded at once and a within-clip reload of just 0.1 seconds, the PGZ-70 can empty its entire magazine in a matter of seconds. This is not burst damage in the traditional sense — it is a sustained wall of fire that overwhelms opponents who fail to break line of sight.
600 Rounds per Minute: The rate of continuous fire is staggering. At 600 rounds per minute, the PGZ-70 functions less like a tank and more like a self-propelled anti-aircraft gun turned against armored targets — which, fittingly, is exactly what its real-world inspiration was.
35/35/50 HP Per Shell: Individual shells deal modest damage, but accumulated fire adds up rapidly. A full uninterrupted clip can theoretically deliver up to 1,400 HP worth of damage to a single target — more than enough to destroy many opponents outright.
30-Second Reload Between Clips: The trade-off for this firepower is a 30-second reload once the clip is exhausted. Timing clip usage correctly and avoiding wasteful shots against angled armor or non-penetrable surfaces becomes a critical skill.
600 Rounds Ammo Capacity: With a generous 600-round ammo pool, commanders have more than enough ammunition to sustain aggressive play throughout an entire battle without anxiety about running dry.
Penetration and Shell Velocity: Surprisingly Capable
Despite its support designation, the PGZ-70’s penetration values are meaningful:
236/288/50 mm Armor Penetration: The standard shell’s 236 mm of penetration is more than respectable for a Tier IX medium tank and will reliably punch through the sides and rear of most opponents. The 288 mm premium penetration opens up viable engagements even against heavily armored targets when the situation demands it.
1000/1250/800 m/s Shell Velocities: High shell velocity, particularly on the premium round at 1,250 m/s, makes hitting moving targets at medium range far easier than the gun’s support-class framing might suggest. The PGZ-70 is not helpless against mobile opponents.
Armor Penetration Philosophy: The PGZ-70 is not designed to duel heavy tanks from the front. Its penetration values are tailored for opportunistic flanking strikes, tracking immobilized opponents, and stripping exposed side armor — all consistent with the support medium role.
Mobility: Fast Enough to Reposition
The PGZ-70 offers adequate mobility for a support platform:
60/20 km/h Maximum Forward/Backward Speed: The 60 km/h top speed ensures the PGZ-70 can keep pace with faster mediums and respond to developing flanks in a timely manner. The 20 km/h reverse speed is functional without being exceptional.
24.3 hp/t Specific Power: The power-to-weight ratio is solid for Tier IX, providing brisk acceleration out of cover and smooth cross-country movement. The PGZ-70 will not feel sluggish when repositioning between firing positions.
45 deg/s Hull Traverse Speed: Combined with the solid specific power, the 45 deg/s hull traverse allows the PGZ-70 to pivot quickly, an essential trait for a vehicle that needs to break contact after expending its clip and begin the 30-second reload safely.
40 deg/s Turret Traverse Speed: The turret traverse is adequate for tracking targets at close to medium ranges. The PGZ-70 is not optimized for reactive close-quarters brawling, but it won’t feel helpless when targets move.
Survivability: Fragile but Evasive
The PGZ-70’s survivability profile is defined more by evasion than endurance:
1,800 HP: At 1,800 hit points the PGZ-70 sits in a reasonable range for Tier IX mediums. It has enough buffer to absorb the occasional hit during repositioning, but should never be treated as a tank that can trade freely.
15/15/8 mm Hull Armor / 15/13.5/8 mm Turret Armor: The armor values are paper-thin and will not reliably bounce anything at Tier IX, including autocannon fire from lower tiers. The PGZ-70 survives through avoidance and concealment, not protection.
Concealment — Stationary: 13.4/3.56% / Moving: 10.03/2.67%: The concealment values are modest but workable for a medium tank of this tier. Choosing well-concealed firing positions and letting the clip do its work before breaking contact is the intended loop.
400 m View Range: The view range is competitive enough to support an active support role. Combined with a 570 m signal range, the PGZ-70 contributes meaningfully to team spotting networks while operating from second-line positions.
Methodical Frontline Pressure
The PGZ-70’s design philosophy centers on disciplined clip management and positional patience:
Opportunistic Engagement: The PGZ-70 is not designed to initiate duels. Instead, it excels when enemies are already committed — dealing with teammates, crossing open ground, or sitting broadside after a push — and the PGZ-70 can pour sustained fire into their flanks.
Support-First Mentality: The “Support Medium Tank” designation is not cosmetic. The PGZ-70 performs best when operating within a team context, finishing off damaged enemies, suppressing opponents pinning down allies, and punishing overextension.
Clip Commitment Discipline: The biggest mistake a PGZ-70 player can make is committing a clip against a target that disappears behind cover after 5 rounds. Identifying targets who will remain exposed for the clip duration is the single highest-skill expression of this vehicle.
Reload Vulnerability Management: The 30-second reload window is the PGZ-70’s most dangerous moment. After expending a clip, retreating fully behind hard cover and waiting safely for the reload to complete is non-negotiable.
Tactical Considerations
The PGZ-70’s unique characteristics create specific tactical opportunities:
Flanking Windows: Use the 60 km/h speed to reach advantageous flanking positions early in the match. A broadside shot on a distracted heavy with a full 40-round clip represents an extraordinary amount of damage potential.
Tracking and Finishing: The PGZ-70 excels at finishing off tracked or damaged opponents. If a teammate immobilizes an enemy, the PGZ-70 can pour an entire clip into their side and claim the kill before they can repair.
Anti-Scout Application: The 600 rounds-per-minute fire rate, combined with the 1,000 m/s standard shell velocity, makes the PGZ-70 reasonably effective at shredding lightly armored scouts and fast mediums who attempt to rush through your position.
Gun Depression: The -8 degree gun depression is workable for hull-down firing positions, giving the PGZ-70 access to ridge lines that complement the support medium role. Use terrain to expose only the gun while delivering clip damage.
Playstyle Implications
The PGZ-70 rewards commanders who embrace patience and capitalize on opponent mistakes:
Patience Over Aggression: The PGZ-70 does not create opportunities on its own — it exploits them. Waiting for the right moment to unleash a full clip is far more valuable than repeatedly firing partial clips and retreating to reload.
Target Prioritization: Always prioritize unarmored or side-facing targets. Wasting a clip against sloped heavy tank frontal armor is the fastest way to have an ineffective battle.
Team Integration: Communicate with teammates. A coordinated push where teammates draw fire opens premium flanking opportunities for the PGZ-70 to deliver game-changing clip damage.
Second Line by Default: Unless the battlefield situation clearly calls for it, position the PGZ-70 in the second line where it can observe and select the best target before committing. The first line is for tanks that can take hits — the PGZ-70 is not one of them.
Commanders looking to master the PGZ-70 should consider:
Learning which targets will remain stationary long enough to absorb a full clip
Never beginning a clip engagement without a clear escape route to cover
Using the 400 m view range actively to spot opponents before they spot you
Counting remaining rounds to know exactly when the next 30-second reload will begin
Working in proximity to teammates who can draw fire and create clip opportunities
Avoiding frontal engagements with anything carrying meaningful armor
Treating the reload window with the same caution as a fully exposed position
Community Reception
Initial community reactions to the PGZ-70 reveal a broad range of perspectives:
“Finally Something Different for China”: Many Chinese tech tree enthusiasts have reacted with cautious excitement, noting that the PGZ-70’s autocannon system gives the nation a genuinely unique Tier IX option compared to the Soviet-influenced heavies that dominate the tree.
Rate of Fire Balance Concerns: A segment of the community immediately raised concerns about whether 600 rounds per minute with 40-round clips could prove oppressive against lightly armored vehicles, particularly at Tier VII when bottom-tiered.
Support Role Skepticism: Some players expressed doubt about whether “support medium” tanks deliver enough carry potential for solo queue play, questioning if the PGZ-70 can perform without the team coordination it theoretically demands.
Historical Curiosity: The PGZ-70’s real-world origins as an anti-aircraft system have drawn significant interest from history-focused players, who appreciate the creative decision to adapt a SPAA platform into a World of Tanks support medium context.
What Sets the PGZ-70 Apart
The PGZ-70 occupies a unique niche in the Tier IX medium landscape:
Autocannon on a Medium Tank: No other Tier IX medium tank delivers fire at 600 rounds per minute. This fundamentally changes the engagement rhythm and forces both the PGZ-70 pilot and their opponents to adapt.
Clip Size Without Parallel: A 40-round clip at this tier is extraordinary. The sheer volume of fire possible in a single clip engagement creates damage outcomes unavailable to any conventional medium tank.
Anti-Aircraft Heritage: The PGZ-70’s real-world identity as an anti-aircraft system gives it an authentic design logic — a high-rate-of-fire weapon adapted for ground targets — that distinguishes it conceptually from other support medium tanks.
True Support Dependency: Unlike many tanks that describe themselves as “support” vehicles but still function effectively alone, the PGZ-70 genuinely flourishes when supported by teammates, creating a more cooperative gameplay dynamic than most Tier IX vehicles.
Evasion Over Armor: In a tier dominated by vehicles with meaningful armor schemes, the PGZ-70’s entirely evasion-based survivability philosophy is a refreshing outlier that rewards positional discipline over raw durability.
What’s Next?
As a Supertest vehicle, the PGZ-70’s characteristics remain subject to adjustment. Key questions for testing include:
Is a 40-round clip with 0.1 s intra-clip reload appropriately balanced, or does it create frustrating suppression loops?
Does 600 rounds per minute at 35 HP per shell create unacceptable damage-per-minute against lower-tier vehicles?
Is the 30-second reload long enough to compensate for the extraordinary clip potential?
Can the 1,800 HP pool sustain the PGZ-70 long enough to use its clip consistently in real battles?
Will this be a tech tree vehicle, premium, or reward tank?
How will the PGZ-70 interact with the existing Chinese medium tree structure?
Final Thoughts
The PGZ-70 represents one of the most creatively distinctive entries into the World of Tanks Supertest in recent memory. By adapting a real-world Chinese self-propelled anti-aircraft gun into a Tier IX support medium, Wargaming has produced a vehicle with a coherent identity and genuinely novel gameplay loop: identify the right moment, commit a devastating 40-round clip, and retreat safely to reload before repeating the process.
For commanders who enjoy strategic patience, team-oriented play, and the satisfaction of delivering enormous clip damage to a perfectly chosen target, the PGZ-70 has exceptional potential. The combination of 600 rounds per minute, a 40-round magazine, and adequate mobility creates a tank that punishes poor positioning by opponents more harshly than almost anything else at Tier IX.
However, the PGZ-70 will not suit every playstyle. Players who prefer direct dueling, aggressive solo carries, or heavily armored brawling will find the PGZ-70’s fragility and support-first philosophy frustrating. The paper-thin armor guarantees that misplays are punished severely, and the 30-second reload gap creates windows of total vulnerability that disciplined opponents will exploit.
Whether you’re excited by China finally receiving a truly unconventional Tier IX medium or skeptical about whether a 600 rounds-per-minute support platform can deliver reliable results, the PGZ-70 is unquestionably one of the most interesting vehicles to emerge from the Supertest in 2026. If Wargaming can land the balance correctly — and the “Characteristics Are Not Final” disclaimer leaves plenty of room for adjustment — the PGZ-70 could become a cult favorite for players who appreciate fire control, timing, and teamwork over raw armor and brute-force alpha strikes.
Since, at the moment, all we have is the statistics list, we can only speculate on how good a vehicle this is going to be. In my opinion, it could be pretty good; it has a lot of mobility, decent armor based on stats, and an accurate gun with good gun handling.
What might hold Ogar back is below the average alpha damage for a tier 9 medium tank, and a low standard and gold penetration. Also, the shell velocity seems very low for a “Sniper” medium; due to that, long-range engagements will be very hard.
Characteristics
Alpha damage: 350 alpha is not very competitive for a tier 9; you will have to expose yourself more in order to deal significant damage
Penetration: a pretty bad penetration all across the board. Meeting heavily armored tier 11 tanks is going to be horrible
Armor: While we don’t know about the exact effective values, the upper plate seems to be angled well; it might have around 250 mm of effective armor thickness on the upper plate, which is pretty good
Mobility:since it has a gas-turbine engine, the top speed is actually 65 km/h. It should enable you to take important positions at the start of the battle.
Gun Depression: 8° doesn’t make it a ridgeline god, but still offers good flexibility on various terrain
Gun handling: exact dispersion values are still not known, but it has a pretty good aim time of just 2 seconds and 0.34 dispersion, which makes it pretty accurate
Potential Playstyle
The Ogar playstyle seems to consist of brawling with other fast vehicles at the start of the battle:
Mid-to-short range engagements due to the bad penetration
Flanking maneuvers: Decent mobility for tactical repositioning
Rushing to positions: with an excellent top speed, it can easily contest for key positions. Since you have pretty good armor, you could easily take out light tanks that have the same ideas as you.
Ogar kinda reminds me of a T-54, but with better mobility.
This is the first well-armored medium tank from the Czech line, which might suggest a new line appearing.
Note: Some promotional details may be subject to change as the vehicle progresses through testing phases.
