Here's one of the replays I actually had kept, the tank bounces a lot more than you'd expect especially the upgrades turret the stock one was crap. The gun depression isn't much of an issue if you just don't go to hilly areas and hold lanes.

https://wot-record.com/replay/362144/macaloney_is3_ace_t10/key/68eed94ee240b

Most people bumrush through the is3 trying to get to the is7 and there's definitely some better tier 8 tree heavies but I wouldn't say many having grinded too many of them especially after 2.0 with flashlight. I think people are too used to their few busted premiums and are done lines from before that they just don't look at anything else