Seeking out a replacement to the ubiquitous M4 Sherman, the US Army produced the T26E3 heavy tank after a long production run fraught with delays. Later re-designated the M26 Pershing, its arrival late in 1945 meant that it had little effect in the course of World War II. Due to their late arrival, and a comparatively large production run of 2212 tanks meant that the US Army soon found itself with a surplus of tanks it had little need for. Thus, most Pershings were used for the Korean war, or lent out to allies such as Belgium and France. While other allies retained on to their M26 fleet for longer, Belgium retaining it till 1969, France quickly swapped them out for M47 Pattons.
The Medium Tank M26 Pershing was made available in the French ground tree in Update "Kings of Battle" . In comparison to the lighter, faster nature of French tanks such as the AMX M4, the Pershing's play style is a considerable departure from previous vehicles. Additionally, its specifications are fairly average, not excelling in any one area but doing well enough in most. The M26 , while not slow, lacks speed to be a quick responder. Armour is similar, and slightly better than the AMX M4's, but many of the higher-velocity cannons employed by other tanks at its rank can penetrate its armour. The 90mm gun present on the Pershing is quite devastating, especially when the M82 APHE is used. The APHE shell contains over 137g of TNT filler, almost always resulting in one shots - a phenomenon not commonly experienced in the French ground tree. However, the Pershing's shells lack the punch needed to go through the front glacis of most enemies it faces, including the Panther and even other American tanks including itself. While HVAP can alleviate this somewhat, its lack of angled penetration forces it to be used only for thick, flat armour. Ultimately, while requiring a great deal of skill from the player, the M26 can prove to be a capable tank in the right hands and situations.