UPDATE: Sandbox servers are now online.
Info from portal:
We want to give a big shout out to all those that have participated in the artillery test in Sandbox so far, and encourage even more of you to jump in! The second round of testing recently came to end, which means there’s a status update inbound.
The changes to SPGs worked well on tier X. They facilitate teamplay, boosted battle dynamics, and made matches feel fairer. Moving forward, we’ll continue to refine them within the third phase. It begins February 27 and will add tiers VIII–IX to the test. We will be watching closely how stun, new UI elements, and multi-use consumables affect their gameplay, monitoring your feedback and reviewing logs of data to fine-tune these new mechanics.
Along with new mechanics for artillery, the third phase will feature tier X light tanks. We shared the first details about them during a Supertest. Each light tank branch will get a tier X vehicle, while existing tanks will get rebalanced and stretched to tier IX. The main goal of these changes is to eliminate the frustrating +3 matchmaking that the class currently has. Stretching light tank branches to tier X makes the regular +2 matchmaking possible for them, which should turn them into a standalone battle unit.
Info from the sandbox blog:
The stun mechanic, new UI elements, and multi-use consumables performed well at Tier X. They facilitate teamwork, boosted battle dynamics, and made matches feel fairer.
Currently, we are testing the same scope of changes across Tiers VIII–X to see how they play out on a wider range of vehicles and affect overall gameplay.
The 2nd point on the agenda are Tier X light tanks. The main goal of their addition is to eliminate the frustrating +3 matchmaking that the class currently has. Stretching light tank branches to Tier X makes the regular +2 matchmaking possible for them, which should turn them into a standalone battle unit.
However, with all the internal tests and models, and Supertests, we can’t be absolutely certain that everything works as intended. It’s for you to tell us if we are on the right track here. Join the test to help us check if they really work!
Schedule:
- Feb. 27—Mar. 1. We start with Tier X vehicles to see how the addition of the new Tier X light tanks affects the gaming experience compared to Phase 2
- Mar. 2–5. When Tier VIII–IX vehicles roll out on March 2, we’ll focus on analyzing how these changes affect top-tier gameplay
Light tanks were initially designed as support fire vehicles, rather than a standalone battle unit. That’s why, these vehicles (Tier III and higher) get special matchmaking on production servers. They often end up against tanks that are three tiers higher and can’t contribute to the battle meaningfully.
The original purpose of this setup was to introduce Tier VIII light tanks in tier 10 matches. However, as the game evolved, introducing a few tanks with massive cannons and good enough a view range to effectively destroy light tanks, scout matchmaking grew obsolete. Basically, light tanks are the game’s worst damage dealers. When they trade shots with vehicles of higher tiers, they get send back to the Garage in no time. So, they either stay put to avoid getting destroyed, which leaves their teammates “blind,” or sacrifice themselves in the first minutes, which is little fun.
To bring light tanks on par with other classes and introduce the regular +/-2 matchmaking for them, we stretched their branches to Tier X. Now, the matchmaker can assemble diverse teams, and faster, while light tanks fight in a more balanced environment (in other words, they no longer suffer), and have a chance to contribute to the battle outcome meaningfully. They remain support vehicles focused on scouting, but now they sport decent firepower and best-in-the-game speed on top tiers.
More swift and maneuverable than their predecessors, Tier X light tanks excel in close- and mid-range combat thanks to their solid gun stabilization, penetration power and damage per hit. Gun parameters don’t allow them to pick out targets at distance, which encourages light tanks to always be on the move, maneuver a lot and change positions after firing. Their guns are just a little less powerful than those of medium tanks, and have enough penetration power to pierce through side and rear armor of the majority of heavies.
With the speed to secure key positions, the camouflage to stay there, and the punch to seriously cripple an enemy, they pose a real threat to the enemy, if played well.
We hope you’re all looking forward to these new light vehicles revving their engines on the horizon. With these additions and tweaks, we’ll be getting closer to making light tanks more fun to play and relevant in battle. However, it’s up to you—the players—to let us know if we got it right. We’re looking forward to what everyone has to say.
See you in the Sandbox!
