The M18 Hellcat: A glaring inaccuracy

Does this look lighter, less-armored and faster than the M10?

My reporter sense started tingling when Relic let it be known that the M10 Wolverine would be replaced by the M18 Hellcat (optionally) in Tales of Valor. Relic has largely preserved the basic historical strength of the tanks and vehicles in COH; for example, the M4 Sherman is less powerful than the M26 Pershing in terms of armor, cannon damage and penetration.

This simple concept of translating real-life units into the game goes by the wayside with the M18. In the current game, the Hellcat has more armor, a better cannon and slower speed than the M10. It’s like an American version of the Hetzer, particularly since it can cloak and gains first-strike damage bonuses when firing out of cloak.

But historically, the M18 was much lighter and faster than the M10. To make this possible, it had far less armor. The only thing Relic got right was the M18’s superior cannon. Both the M10 and M18 packed .50 cal machine guns, though the M10 lacks this option in-game.

A much better choice would’ve been to ditch the M18 and instead add the M36 Jackson, yet another American tank destroyer similar to both the M10 and M18. The Jackson had an open top, an optional .50 cal MG, and the same 90mm gun used by the Pershing. It was roughly the same weight and size as the M10, but had much more armor — double the armor of the M10 in some places. Does this sound like the unit represented by the “M18” in the game right now? Sure does. For balance reasons the 90mm gun on the M36 could be made less powerful than the Pershing, but this doesn’t change the fact that the M36 — not the M18 — should be in the game.

NOTE: All data below comes from Wikipedia. Who has no reason to lie about World War II armor specifications.

M-10 Wolverine tank destroyer.

M10 Wolverine
Weight: 29.6 tonnes (65,000 lb)
Crew: 5 
Armor: 9mm to 57.2 mm (0.3″ to 2.3″)
Primary armament: 76.2 mm M7 gun
Secondary armament: .50 cal Browning M2HB machine gun
Speed: 51 km/h (32 mph)

M18 Hellcat, post-war.

M18 Hellcat
Weight: 17.7 tonnes (39,000 lb)
Crew: 5 
Armor: 5mm to 25 mm (0.2″ to 1.0″)
Primary armament: 76 mm (76.2 mm) M1A1 gun
Secondary armament: .50 cal M2HB machine gun
Speed: 88 km/h (55 mph)

The M36 Jackson, the only tank destroyer able to kill Tigers at range.

M36 Jackson
Weight: 29 tonnes (64,000 lb)
Crew: 5
Armor: 9mm to 108 mm (0.35″ to 4.25″)
Primary armament: 90 mm M3 gun
Secondary armament: .50 cal Browning M2HB machine gun
Speed: 50 km/h (30 mph)