Source: Rock Paper Shotgun

Ordinarily straight-laced free-to-play WW2 combat sim War Thunder is well known for its silly April Fools events. This year, it’s an impressively well fleshed-out UFO combat scenario named Earth Thunder. With a HUD full of incomprehensible alien text and instructions that aren’t much more helpful, two teams of UFOs clash above a besieged modern-day city. Being advanced alien craft, they’re capable of operating on the land, in the air or even underwater, each with different attack modes, making for an arcadey but very unusual fight. The event runs until April 5th, and Below: A trailer FROM BEYOND.

The Earth Thunder scenario is pretty simple stuff. A capture-and-hold mission with two teams, and five respawns per player. The UFOs themselves are impossibly agile compared to War Thunder’s planes, able to turn on a dime and hit targets with pinpoint accuracy with their beam lasers. Of course, as you’re shooting at tiny UFOs in the distance it’s hard to land a killing shot unless you manage to catch an enemy from above or below. Your UFO’s powers change when you’re close to the ground or underwater, too, making for an unpredictable rhythm to fights.

When you’re near-landed (you can’t crash), your UFO moves slower but with more agility, and is protected by a shield. You also get a railgun cannon to try your hand at sniping. While underwater, you can’t use your main beam cannon, but you can fire a shotgun-blaster, although its shots are only short range. You can also fire homing torpedoes underwater to catch enemies unawares, although they can just as easily hit the ‘fly up’ button (R and F on the keyboard control height by default) to get them out of the water, where neither shotgun blasts nor torpedoes can follow.

I feel there’s a bit more subtlety to the UFO fights than there were in some of War Thunder’s past joke-modes, like the mech-battles they’ve had previously, or the My Little Pony rainbow-powered dogfights even further back. It’s a fresh, fun mode and worth playing a round or two. You launch an Earth Thunder match by clicking the logo in the top-right of the hangar screen.

The Earth Thunder event runs until April 5th. War Thunder is free-to-play and can be found on its official page here or on Steam.

One of the most commonly requested features is the ability to avoid a particular map in matchmaking. We’re pleased to announce that we’re rolling out such a feature in Update 1.5! Now you’ll be able to block one map of your choice and avoid it in the matchmaking queue.

How Will It Work?     

With the release of this feature, we will have to make some additional tweaks to the matchmaker. This will ensure that you won’t get matchmade on your ‘blocked’ map under any circumstances. The Excluded Maps feature will only be available for Standard Battles, and not for Assault or Encounter Battles.

The feature will only work when playing Tier IV vehicles or higher and will be disabled for all three Grand Battles maps (Klondike, Nebelburg, and Hinterland).

Finally, if you wish to block a different map, you will have to wait at least 4 hours to pass since you banned the previous one.

How Will This Feature Work for Platoons?  

The feature will be available only to Platoon creators. The other Platoon members’ Excluded Maps will be overridden by the Platoon creator’s map list as long as they are part of that Platoon.

We are still working on the concept, so this feature may change significantly in the future. We would also like to hear your suggestions, so feel free to ask your questions and share your feedback!

Forum warrior has been shifted to video? Why? Is this the end of the beginning of the end? First MHM and now EEK? Lets just hope BBV is the next to be #@$%@#$%@$%6%^^%!

On a serious note, EEK was very influential and important in WOT community, switching to a total different aspect of WOT is kinda strange.

This is a post from a WW2 Wargaming 3d print group, where people make models share them and print them for playing tabletop wargaming.

Source: Reddit

Before we get down to the heart of the matter, let’s start off with the fact that World of Tanks Premium Account will cost the same as the regular Premium Account that is available today. For example:

Regular Premium Account = 250 gold per day

WoT Premium Account = 250 gold per day

And now, let’s get into the details.

Enhance your Premium Account!  

Currently, the regular Premium Account works across the entire Wargaming trilogy (World of Tanks, World of Warships and World of Warplanes). We are not going to change this, so the regular PA and its bonuses across the whole trilogy will remain exactly the same as they are today.

However, in order to make Premium Account more valuable and convenient for players, we’ve spent the last few months rethinking our vision for Premium Account as a whole. As such, we would like to provide you with some additional opportunitiesand bonuses the current version of PA lacks. We intend to do this by introducing a separate WoT Premium Account with truly unique options, exclusively for World of Tanks players.  

And now, to end the suspense, let’s take a look at all the bonuses and new opportunities that you’ll get with a WoT Premium Account.

• Applicable modifier to XP. We would like you to have an extra XP bonus besides what you earn in battles. Thanks to the WoT PA, you’ll be able to apply a x3 modifier and increase the experience earned in your latest victorious battle. You can use this modifier several times a day, whenever you want, when playing on vehicles of any tier, and research new vehicles and their modules much faster. Also, if you have a x2 modifier (for example, for the first victory), then you can additionally apply the x3 bonus and earn immediately x5 XP in a battle!  

• Reserve Stock. We made sure that you had enough Credits for a comfortable and enjoyable game, for refilling your ammo and consumables with no worries. With the WoT PA, an additional 10% bonus to Credits on top of you earn in battles will fall into a special vault. It’s an extra bonus which is a plus for your battle income. For example, if you earned 10,000 credits in a battle, your vault will receive 1,000 thanks to the 10% bonus. Within a week, you can accumulate a maximum of 750,000 Credits in the vault. Every 7 days, regardless of whether your WoT PA has expired that week, the vault will open, and all Credits accumulated in it will be automatically moved to your account.

• Daily battle missions. Stock up on ammo and rework your loadouts, Commanders! Owners of a WoT Premium Account will have the opportunity to fulfill special consecutive daily missions. Completing these missions will bring you Credits, Bonds and more. You’ll enjoy exciting and challenging tasks to diversify your gaming experience and win tons of rewards along the way!   

• Platoon bonus. Even more Credits and XP! Play with your friends in a Platoon, it’s not only fun, but also very profitable. With the release of WoT Premium Account, we’ll completely overhaul the XP bonus while playing in Platoons. As such, the XP bonus won’t depend on a vehicle tier, the outcome of a battle and whether you have a WoT Premium Account or not. Now playing as a Platoon, you will always get +15% XP. Also, speaking of what the new WoT Premium Account gives you, we should mention a Credit bonus. If at least one player in a Platoon has a WoT PA, that player will earn + 15% Credits for every battle, and the one who doesn’t have it, will receive + 10% Credits.   

• Map blacklist. Just like we outlined before, we’ll roll out a map blacklist feature soon.  Now you’ll be able to block one map of your choice and avoid it in the matchmaking queue. However, all owners of WoT PA will have one more slot for blacklisting, so you can block 2 maps in total. Play on maps you really enjoy!   

You’ll be able to access and manage your WoT PA and all its options in one place: the updated Control Center. Check it out!

But wait, there’s more to it!

As we mentioned above, WoT PA and regular Premium Accounts are different game elements, but we know that many of you are playing different games of our trilogy at the same time. In order not to confront you with a choice right now, we decided to launch a special grace period after the release of the WoT Premium Account for a limited amount of time.

During this period, we’ll automatically credit you with a WoT Premium Account, regardless of where you purchased or received your regular Premium Account. Let’s clarify this with an example.You have purchased or received 1 day of Regular Premium Account. Logging into World of Tanks, you will find in your profile 1 day of WoT Premium Account. In the other games of the trilogy, you will receive 1 day of regular Premium Account.

Please consider that period offer won’t last forever, but we will let you know in advance when it’s over.   

Below is not exactly the typical F.A.Q. section you’d expect. Instead, we’ve focused on some critical points and detailed clarifications on different WoT PA aspects. You will find a lot of helpful information in this block, so please don’t skip it and read really carefully.

F.A.Q.

1. What will happen to my current Premium Account after the release of new PA?

Regular Premium Account will remain as it is. However, we will add the same number of days to your World of Tanks account, in the form of WoT PA. So in a nutshell, both version of Premium will exist on your account, like this:

In World of Tanks: World of Tanks Premium Account will be active

In World of Warships or World of Warplanes: Regular Premium Account will be active

2. What will happen if I purchase regular Premium Account before the release of WoT Premium Account?

You will receive the same number of days of regular Premium Account, in the form of World of Tanks Premium account, on release day.

For example: On release day, a player has 100 days of regular Premium Account, they will also receive 100 days of WoT Premium Account in addition. In this example, the player will have both 100 days of regular Premium Account and 100 days of WoT Premium Account.

3. How much will WoT Premium Account cost?

Just like we outlined above, WoT Premium Account will cost the same as regular Premium Account.

4. What will happen to the regular Premium Account that is valid for the entire Wargaming trilogy?

Regular Premium Account, which works throughout the trilogy, will still be available. However, once WoT Premium Account launches, regular Premium Account will not be available for Gold within the game. Instead, regular Premium Account will be purchasable in the launcher and in the main menu for real money. In such a case, the regular Premium Account will be used in all three games in the trilogy.

5. Personal Missions offer Premium Account as a reward. Does this mean I will receive WoT Premium Account instead of regular Premium Account?

Yes. Starting from the release of WoT Premium Account, regular Premium Account will be replaced through all aspects of the game, including: Battle Missions, Personal Missions, Premium Shop, etc.

6. What will happen to my Piggy Bank if my WoT Premium Account has expired before its opening?

In this scenario, all Credits that you have earnt will automatically be added to your account after the weekly reset. In other words, you will still receive the Credits you earnt from the Piggy Bank, despite the WoT Premium Account expiry.

7. Can WoT and Regular Premium Account work simultaneously?

Yes, they can. However, you will only receive bonuses from one. If you have both, you will receive the benefits from WoT Premium Account.

8. Is the Platoon bonus applicable for dynamic Platoons?

No. Platoon bonuses will only work for manually-created Platoons.

Join the Common Test to Try Out the New WoT Premium Account!  

Throughout the first Common Test of the upcoming Update 1.5, you can see how much more convenient and valuable the updated Premium Account is. Join the Common Test and share your feedback, it’s crucial for the further development of this feature!  

NOTE: The updated Premium Account is available during the 1.5 Common Test only for your consideration and for preliminary testing. The final version of WoT PA, which we intend to release soon, might see some changes to some particular bonus values. However, in general, we don’t plan to rework the options detailed above for Premium Account.

Everything we have shared today is just part of the first iteration of our massive rework of Premium Account. Stay tuned for more detailed news on how we plan to improve and make it even more convenient for every Commander!        

WOT8ANNIVERSARY

Use it here

New Swedish medium tanks are ready to storm World of Tanks! Born in the mountainous regions and deep fjords of Scandinavia, hardened by bitter icy winds and long snowy winters, these steel berserkers are truly formidable adversaries on the battlefield.

Fast and furious, these Swedish medium tanks are destined for mid-to-close combat and can become game-changers if you play them right. Let’s take a closer look at the composition of the new branch and the key gameplay features of the new Swedish machines we’re introducing.

Unique Mechanics and Its Particularities  

Researching the new sub-branch of the Swedish medium tanks will start at Tier VII, with the Leo. As you progress, you’ll be able to move along the heavy tank branch or research these new medium tanks. Together with Update 1.5, the following new vehicles will join World of Tanks:

• The UDES 14 Alt 5 (Tier VIII)
• The UDES 16 (Tier IX)
• The UDES 15/16 (Tier X)

Starting from Tier VIII, the Swedish medium tanks will all have a unique gameplay feature, hydropneumatic suspension, but let’s keep it simple and call it air suspension throughout this article. It’s like the one available in top-tier Swedish TDs through Siege Mode. But unlike the TDs, it will activate automatically when the medium’s speed drops below a certain point. This way, they change their hull inclination angle and their gun depression can reach up to -13 degrees. This is a record high value amongst the Tier X tanks in our game, and a really good angle for Tier VIII-IX machines compared to the original gun depression angles. Check it out:

• The UDES 14 Alt 5: -6 degrees
• The UDES 16: -5 degrees
• The UDES 15/16: -6 degrees

NOTE: The actual bonus in gun depression angles you get from the activated air suspension depends strongly on the turret’s angle of rotation. If the turret of your tank is oriented forward, then the bonus from the air suspension is 100% and it starts helping you. And if the turret of your tank is oriented sideways, then you won’t get any extra gun depression! Use this feature in those game situations when it’s important to get a larger angle of gun inclination and try to align the position of the turret relative to the hull (or vice versa, try to align the hull position relative to the turret of your vehicle).

So, when your speed is lower than 10 km/h, the vehicle switches to this mode. And when you start accelerating, and are going faster than 19 km/h (for Tiers VIII and IX) or 23 km/h (for Tier X), the vehicle turns off this mode and its hull levels out. This mechanic will benefit these tanks in unusual situations, such as: when firing on the move or when rolling downhill.

Commonalities and Gameplay Tips

High damage per shot is a key feature of all three top-tier Swedish medium tanks. By the way, we have carefully tested the menacing 120-mm gun, mounted on the UDES 15/16, and it performs rather brilliantly. A high alpha-damage gives you the opportunity to try different tactics on the battlefield, especially when playing as a support vehicle. Always keep in mind that the high alpha is a very important trump card that can make you a winner in duels even with the most formidable opponents.  

In addition, the new Swedish machines are very compact. They are stealthy and have a low silhouette, and can reach certain positions faster than heavy tanks.   

To make it easier for you to master these Swedish Vikings, we’ve prepared some useful tips that will allow you to play more effectively.

• Never forget about the air suspension giving your tank additional gun depression angles. You may need some time to get used to it, but you will certainly appreciate how convenient it is.
• All the vehicles have hull armor with decent sloping, but it’s not too thick. Be careful not to expose your tank.
• Their top speed seems nothing special, but they keep up well and accelerate fast. And it’s enough to close in on an enemy and surprise them with a destroying shot thanks to their big alpha.
• Both the Tier IX and X tanks have tough turrets with decent frontal armor, so you will be able to shrug off shells of medium tanks of the same tier and some top-tier machines. But this does not apply to the UDES 14 Alt 5, sitting at Tier VIII. Its turret is not so solid, so you should rely more on its high mobility and gun with good alpha.
• The low profile allows you to get close to enemies and pinpoint their location, so on some maps Swedish medium tanks can operate as active scouts.
• When in battle in one of these tanks, try aggressive support tactics. Flank the enemies together with other medium tanks, taking a good firing position, and make a hasty retreat if necessary.

The UDES 14 Alt 5

A versatile medium tank, with a traditional design and a fast-firing gun, sacrificing armor for greater maneuverability. The stock gun is 90 mm, but the top one is a 105 mm with good alpha damage (360 points). You can rely on its accuracy, even on the move, so you can support your team as a proper flanker. Your priority targets are light and medium tanks.

The UDES 16

A really serious adversary with characteristics similar to the top-tier vehicle. The UDES 16 boasts a solid researchable turret, a tough hull with well-sloped armor and a menacing 105-mm gun with excellent alpha damage (390 points). It easily flanks enemies, covers allies and can make use of uneven landscapes to deal massive hits.   

The UDES 15/16

Besides all the above-mentioned gameplay features and the air suspension, the UDES 15/16 also has a well-armored turret, so it can effectively repel hits from other Tier X vehicles. Another feature is its 120-mm gun, with a monstrous alpha – 440 points! Not many medium tanks have such a gun at Tier X. Finally, this will be one of the smallest and the stealthiest Tier X vehicles, with the highest camo values among all medium tanks for its Tier, so it will be hard to spot and hit this berserker.  

We hope that these brave Swedish medium tanks will bring you enjoyable gameplay. Good luck on the battlefield, Commanders!