Tank Tears - Renault FT vs Renault Otsu

Comparing the Renault FT to the Renault Otsu in World of Tanks.

Welcome to our first installment of Tank Tears, a series where we take a look at two tanks of a similar tier level in World of Tanks, compare them, look at their history and make, and finally decide which one is better than the other. Two tanks enter. One tank leaves.

Tank Tears: Renault FT vs Renault Otsu

A French-made tank, the Renault FT was a revolutionary tank that introduced the concept of a fully rotating turret. This breakthrough in design would become a standard among all future armored vehicle designs. With the success of the Renault FT, the designer received an order of ten vehicles for Japan which would come to be known as the Renault Otsu.

Both tanks now exist as two of the Tier 1 starting tanks in World of Tanks and the similarities are evident. Though the main chassis is different, they both look as though they use the same turret. In saying this, the turrets have a number of differences, one of which being the amount of armor.

As far as Light tanks go, both vehicles offer the classic nimbleness and fast weapons but suffers from higher top speeds and overall damage. But as always, it’s important to know how to effectively use a Light tank in battle.

Renault FT

The Renault FT is one of France's most influential tanks
The Renault FT is one of France's most influential tanks

The Renault FT is a Tier 1 French Light Tank that saw over 7,000 units being manufactured during 1918, with 3,000 of those being manufactured in France. It was predominantly used during combat on the Western Front toward the end of World War 1.

In terms of its uses in World of Tanks, the Renault FT offers thick and rounded turret armor, which is useful when taking into consideration the angles of the vehicle. However, the accuracy of the Renault FT is lacking, making it only viable in close-quarters engagements.

The Renault FT has more hit points than its Japanese sister tank, with a fast traverse speed, though it suffers from a sluggish top speed. Taking advantage of the rounded armor and greater hit point pool will be important to winning battles with the FT. Unfortunately, the guns on the Renault FT do not offer amazing amor penetration, so it will be even more important to know where to aim at a tank to deal the most damage.

Renault Otsu

The Renault Otsu, while not as revolutionary as the FT, packs a mean punch in World of Tanks
The Renault Otsu, while not as revolutionary as the FT, packs a mean punch in World of Tanks

The Renault Otsu is a Tier 1 Japanese Light tank that only saw a few units being created by the French. The Renault Otsu, being a modified version of the Renault FT, does share some of the faults of its sister tank, but also utilizes some of the benefits of being a Japanese vehicle. One of the obvious differences between the Otsu and the FT is the increase in hull armor, meaning higher chances of survivability with a good probability of bouncing shots.

The Otsu also offers a higher speed limit, meaning a quicker insertion into the battle and faster retreat if necessary. Couple this with a higher accuracy, lower fire chance, and more engine power, and the Renault Otsu becomes a competitive alternative to the FT.

But much like the Renault FT, you will still need to be careful in engagement as the Otsu isn’t an armored powerhouse. Take care when moving in the open and use the decent accuracy and aim time to make shots while a stronger tank is still lining.

Winner: Renault Otsu

Speed, armor, and accuracy make the Renault Otsu a clear winner.
Speed, armor, and accuracy make the Renault Otsu a clear winner.

Despite the fact that the Renault FT was one of the most revolutionary tanks given its rotating turret, the Renault Otsu takes what the FT did and adds just a bit more to the mix. The two tanks share a lot of similarities, at least when it comes to reload time and aim time, but while the Renault FT boasts more hit points, the difference in armor values on the hull cannot be ignored with the Otsu having almost double that of the FT. Add in the better accuracy of the Otsu, the speed, and aim time, and the true winner is the Renault Otsu. Do you think the Renault Otsu is better than the Renault FT? Let us know in the comments!

Sam Chandler is the Australian piece of the AllGamers puzzle. Out of all his gaming-related passions, collecting N64 games, speedrunning, and Souls games rank among the most important. You can reach Sam through Twitter, @SamuelChandler, or through his email, sam.chandler@allgamers.com, at any time of the day or night on either side of the globe.

Nintendo Products

Shop Now

Storage

Shop Now