In a World Of Tanks, one tractor has to stand up for what he believes in.

[Tensei]

So I've recently had the pleasure to stumble across this nice little freeware MMO called World of Tanks.

It's something like TF2/Counterstrike with WWII era tanks and an xp/gold grinding aspect. While the controls are extremely simple (you only need WSAD + mouse), the combat, damage model, and handling are quite realistic and indepth.

It's currently in closed beta which means you need to fetch a beta key from somewhere (google), but the game is surprisingly polished for being in such an early state, with nice graphics to boot. The way the game works is that you're thrown into a team with 15 other guys (matchmaking is incredibly fast, thankfully) and your goal is to either destroy all tanks on the enemy team, or capture their base (capturing works exactly the same as control points in TF2). Tanks come in different classes and fulfill different roles on the battlefield.

Currently only Soviet and German tanks are implemented (which is still more than enough, especially if you get to drive crazy prototypes like the Maus), but there's a shitton of content on the horizon (infantry, clan wars, American tanks), so if you're a bit of a tank buff or just looking for a nice, session-based action game (games typically don't take longer than 10 minutes), I can definitely recommend this game.

Just keep in mind that you start with absolute crap tier tanks for both factions (Panzer I "Leichttraktor" for Germany and a T-18/MS-1 for the USSR), so you're not only slow as shit but you can't take any hits and you will probably get killed a lot. Before long you'll be able to upgrade to either slightly less shitty tanks, or get yourself a Self-Propelled Howitzer or a basic Tank Destroyer.

There are so-called "recruit games" which restrict you to only tier 1 and 2 tanks, which can be a godsend since you won't have to face a King Tiger in your glorified tractor (though you will still get oneshotted by even the shit-tier artillery).

Obligatory TF2 Class analogy:

Light Tank - Scout: zips across the battlefield, scouts out enemy positions, circlestrafes the fuck out of tank destroyers/SPGs.

Medium Tank - Soldier: the meat and potatoes of every team, still relatively fast, and able to hold it's own against most classes.

Heavy Tank - Heavy: Usually able to withstand amazing amounts of punishment from lighter tanks, and oneshots most of them, but vulnerable to higher tier artillery/Tank destroyers because it's too slow to dodge shells.

SPG/Artillery - Sniper/Demoman: Capable of laying down the hurt from a significant distance, and will probably ruin your life the first few times you play. Vulnerable to lighter tanks due to being turretless and having a mediocre turning speed. They require other tanks to scout out enemies for them.

TD(Tank Destroyer) - Sniper/Spy: Pretty much turretless tanks with a bigger caliber gun and massive frontal armor. They also get a bonus to hiding/camouflage, but are weak to flanking.

Some vids:

Some random guy in a Tier 2 Soviet Tank Destroyer fucking shit up.

[Schwaltzvald]

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RJi1F_AVmrc

Seriously though it looks like a lot of fun, but it also makes me disappointed there isn't a "Metal Slug" like version of this.

Also...

[EC2151]

This topic's title first lead me to think something like "Man, pixar will try anything these days"

[Skyline Drop]

Now that you point it out, it would make for an interesting sequel to Cars...

[Tensei]

Haha, that was exactly what I was going for with the thread title.

[OverCoat]

I saw you playing last night TenseiSan but you didn't say hi :V

[Tensei]

I didn't notice you! What were you driving!

[OverCoat]

Probably the PzKph III A

I'm in a PzKpfh III now, fuckin zooming along at 64 kph, ramming into KVs

[Tensei]

Being able to ram people is absolutely hilarious and I've pissed off a lot of SPG players doing that.