Source: Portal
World of Tanks began this spring with the most crucial update in the game’s history. Today, we launch the first Common Test of Update 1.0.1, which builds on the recent visual improvements with a host of new content including the much-awaited return of Province. Read on for a detailed overview!
Italian Tanks
Italy is not just another nation. Equipped with autoreloaders, the top-tier Italian tanks add an original twist to the traditional gameplay. The autoreloader is hard to master but pays off once you learn how to use it effectively.
Eleven light and medium vehicles coming in Update 1.0.1 fall into three main categories:
- Low tiers. The “fledging” period in the Italian tank building, a time of copying successful designs from foreign designers and timid in-house experiments. A typical low-tier Italian tank is a thinly-armored machine with guns in a range of calibers.
- Mid tiers. The “pursuit” period. Combat experience led to revising the approach to armored engineering and attempts to catch up with the leading tank superpowers. Armor got thicker and guns increase in size and firepower.
- Top tiers. The “post-war” period. Influenced heavily by the “western” school, late Italian tanks featured high mobility, excellent guns with superior depression angles, and autoreloading guns paired with non-existent armor.
How the Autoreloader Works
In automatic mode, the autoreloader can shoot one shell every two seconds. You can switch to the classic loading mechanic, however, if combat conditions require.
As opposed to autoloaders, loading time in the autoreloader differs for each of the three shells. In case with the Progetto M35 mod 46, it’s 12 seconds for the first shell, 9 for the second and 8 seconds for the third, and you’ll get similar proportions for the other high-tier mediums. These stats can be improved with Crew training, a gun rammer, or improved ventilation.
Province Revival
Italy advances on all fronts! This time, it’s a striking comeback of one of our most discussed maps—Province. Everyone had a strong opinion about this compact location that embraced highly dynamic tactical combat. Only available for Tiers I–III, the map had been intended to become an optimal firing ground for new players. Instead, it turned into a magnet for highly skilled tankers looking for easy prey.
We eventually took the map out of rotation, but now, after a lengthy revision process, Province is ready to re-enter the fray.
Province has grown from the compact size of 600×600 meters to 850×850 meters, and thanks to this change, the map now welcomes vehicles all the way up to Tier X. The revised design promotes faster engagements. Occupying your slope will no longer mean victory: you’ll need to attack the other one, too. If you don’t press forward, the enemy will—and the things will surely get dire. Running a successful attack will be quite a challenge, but if you manage to reach key positions you’ll be able to break through your opponents’ defense in power.
We tried to keep the environment’s character as a place of constant spotting and long-range shootouts. Along with that, Province has gained in dynamics and the variety of possible moves and tactical tricks.
Our intention was to fix Province’s design flaws, while also emphasizing its strengths. Please keep the feedback coming as it will help us tweak it further, so join the fray and share your thoughts!
Premium Shells & Consumables Now for Credits Only
Premium shells and consumables have been one of the hottest topics on the agenda, and during the upcoming Common Test, we’ll take the first step toward making a key revision to the entire mechanic.
For Update 1.0.1, we’re planning to disable purchasing Premium shells and consumables with Gold. And that’s just the first step as it will take some time to completely phase out the number of shells acquired with Gold. This is when the state of “shell economics” settles down and we can go ahead with rebalancing.
In terms of rebalancing, we will put several models through the paces in upcoming tests. The best “fit” will be decided by the community and dev team, so stay tuned for more news.
Frontline Returns
Among numerous other features, the Sandbox server hosted the 30-vs-30 Frontline mode last year. It will soon return, this time to production servers, inviting you to join the attack/defense fight for dominance on a huge HD map.
Gameplay Basics
- Vehicles: Tier VIII vehicles
- Teams: 30 players on each side with an opportunity to team up in Platoons of five.
- Roles: One team plays in defense; the other attacks.
- Objectives: Attackers must break through defensive fronts and destroy at least three out of five pillboxes (explained in more detail further down). Defenders must hold strong and keep at least three out of five pillboxes intact.
We revised the mode based on your suggestions from the first Frontline testing reworking the battlefield into HD and iterating on its key gameplay aspects, from the vehicle roster through to economy.
Tier VIII Vehicles: Following your vocal concerns about Tier X economy and its constraints, we made Frontline only be available for Tier VIII vehicles
New Consumables:
- Smoke screen: A cloud of smoke conceals tanks
- Morale boost: A tank’s Crew and nearby Crews receive a bonus to their major qualifications
- Engineering crew: Decreases base capture time, increases the effect of knocking down base capture, and is able to halt the base capture if placed within the borders of the base that’s being captured
Overtime: The battle timer often interferes at the most intense moment of a fight. To exclude the time factor as a decisive element, we’re introducing the Overtime feature. If the battle timer expires while the attacking team is capturing an enemy sector, the battle will continue until the sector is captured or the defenders protect their territory
Level Design Improvements: terrain, objects and their positions on the map have been significantly revised to promote diverse gameplay
Sector Capture Mechanic: Now, the fewer Tier I sectors you’ve taken, the harder it will be to capture Tier II sectors
The list of changes is long and substantial, and there’s a high chance that the final version of Frontline will differ from the one that’s being tested now. To help us find a perfect game balance for this mode, feel free to launch the Common test client, find it in the list of available game modes and jump into battle!
