Steel Hunter

Welcome to Steel Hunter, one of the most exciting modes in World of Tanks. In this last-man-standing battle, you or your Platoon will fight in special vehicles on dynamic maps. In the latest version of this mode, we have added several new mechanics and features to the existing rules, aiming to make the game even more dynamic while remaining comfortable for both beginners and veterans.

Event Summary

Steel Hunter is a battle royale mode. Your main goal is to survive at all costs, becoming the last Steel Hunter or the last Platoon standing in battle.

How to Start Playing

To enter the game, select the appropriate option (Solo Battle, Random Platoon, or Platoon with a Friend) by clicking the event banner under the Battle! button.

If you chose to play in a Random Platoon, the game will find you a teammate with the most suitable skill level according to your own statistics in this game mode.

You can also offer to convert your Random Platoon into a regular one. This option is available on the battle results screen.

Communication with the Platoon

Voice Chat

To use this feature in the game, you need to do the following:

1. Enable Voice Chat in the game settings.
2. Assign a Voice Chat key in the key bindings menu.

Voice Chat works for both Random and Regular Platoons.

Quick Commands Menu

This feature is designed to improve communication with your Platoon mates in case you are unable to use the Voice Chat. By default, the radial quick command menu is activated by pressing Z.

Special Vehicles

All eight special vehicles available in Steel Hunter: Evolution have different tactics, gameplay, and Abilities. Each of them can be upgraded from Tier I to Tier VII while in the heat of battle.

Combat Abilities

Each vehicle has one regular and one ultimate Combat Ability unique to it:

Additionally, there are two Combat Abilities that are common for all vehicles, as follows:

	Recovery: Gradually recovers a fixed percentage of the vehicle's HP, but stops working if you take damage.
	Repair Kit: Repairs vehicle modules (analogous to Large Repair Kits) and reduces stun duration.

Vehicle Upgrade System

To upgrade your vehicle, you need to earn Battle XP by picking up loot and damaging enemies. Don't forget that you can also choose Marauders as your opponents. They happen to be easier prey than real players.

Each vehicles has different modules available, and at each level you will have a choice of two options.

Go wild and choose the configuration that best suits your play style!

Crew

Crew members are exclusive to the vehicle they come in and can't be dismissed, injured, or sent to the Barracks. They do not earn Crew XP. Also, the commander of each vehicle has access to the following set of skills and abilities:

Maps and Danger Zones

The hunting will take place on three maps—Dreamland, Arzagir 4.04, and Firnulfir. Each of them has a different setting and a unique game atmosphere. The scale of the battlefield is far bigger compared to Random Battles.

Dreamland is a dangerous abandoned town with plenty of space for hiding. Arzagir 4.04 is a vast desert laced with sand dunes and dried-out rivers. Firnulfir is a picturesque Scandinavian tundra that will enchant you with its northern landscapes, frozen ponds, and small abandoned settlements.

All three maps shrink with time, leaving less space to play and survive. If you're in an area that turns orange, that means it is about to become a Danger Zone and you need to leave it as soon as possible. A special countdown will indicate how much time you have before it turns into a Destruction Zone. The fewer players on the battlefield, the less time you'll have to escape the Danger Zone. When a Danger Zone turns red, it becomes a Destruction Zone.

You will have very little time to escape from it, as shown in the countdown. Once the countdown ends, your vehicle will receive continuous damage until it is destroyed or until you have left the Destruction Zone. However, don't worry too much: The boundaries of the zones are clearly displayed, and you can easily identify each of them.

Looting

You can upgrade your vehicle with the help of special loot that contains Battle XP, shells, charges for your Abilities, and more. You can pick up two or more items of loot at the same time. There are four types of loot available, as follows:

Respawn Mechanics

In the early stages of the battle, you have a chance to take revenge on your opponents. When playing solo, you'll be able to automatically respawn in a safe location after your vehicle's destruction—but only during the first 5 minutes of the battle.

Platoon players will have two respawns per Platoon. You will be able to respawn next to your Platoon mate within the first 8 minutes, but to do so, your ally must remain out of battle for 10 seconds.

When you respawn, the following happens:

• You retain your vehicle tier.
• You return to the game with the default set of shells and Abilities, like you had at the start of the battle.
• If your respawn has been spent, you can get a recharge of this ability by collecting Airdrop loot.

Marauders (AI-Driven Opponents)

Steel Hunter features AI-driven enemy models—Marauders. They are weaker opponents than real players. They spawn at certain points on the map and are marked with a square icon. Destroy them to get additional Combat XP and loot.

There are three different types of Marauders, which demonstrate individual behaviors and react differently to your presence as follows:

• Hares are small and dynamic vehicles that try to flee from you after being spotted.
• Wolves are aggressive, versatile opponents that will attack you from a distance.
• Bears are the most powerful enemies guarding the loot. They will engage you in close combat but will stop fighting when you move away from them.

Matchmaker

In Steel Hunter, your experience and individual mastery have always been your main advantages. But in the battle royale format—where only the best contender wins—it may be challenging for new players to compete with more experienced Hunters.

To make the gameplay fairer for both newcomers and veterans, we use specific matchmaking rules. These rules will take your performance in the mode into account and help the game to try and find opponents close to your battle results. The rules apply both when playing solo and as part of a Platoon.

Vision/Aiming Mechanics

The vision system uses Vision Cones. Here's how it works:

• Enemy vehicles and loot that appear inside your Vision Cone will be depicted on the minimap.
• Enemies can be spotted from afar only in the 120° sector according to your turret position. Consider this when sneaking up on an opponent and when trying to prevent them from doing the same. Proximity spotting works, but at a very close range.
• During the battle you may receive damage with no opponent in sight.

Progression

Steel Hunter features a Progression system comprising of successive Stages. The Progression Stages are completed with Progression Points which you earn In Steel Hunter battles and for completing special missions in the mode. Based on your performance, battles also yield credits, Battle Pass Points, and Steel Seals, which can be exchanged for customization elements.

SOLO		PLATOON
Position	Reward	Position	Reward
1	25	1	25
2–4	15	2–3	15
5–7	10	4–5	10
8–11	5	6–8	5
12–15	1	9–10	1

Missions

Completing the missions will reward you with Progression Points, as well as a number of other valuable items.

Post-Progression Missions

You can continue doing special missions after you max out the mode Progression, scoring more Steel Seals and bonds.

Battle Pass Points

Steel Hunter will also bring you Battle Pass Points. The number of Points awarded depends on your rank in the post-battle statistics. There is no Point Limit for vehicles in Steel Hunter. To learn more about Battle Pass, refer to our dedicated guide.

SOLO		PLATOON
Position	Reward	Position	Reward
1	10	1	10
2–6	8	2–4	8
7–10	6	5–7	6

Steel Hunter also has a permanent bonus to credits and Combat XP from WoT Premium Account and allows you to earn 50% more Steel Seals. Additionally, you can now take advantage of the following:

• Personal and Clan Reserves for extra Combat XP and credits
• A 15% bonus to credits and XP when playing in a Platoon

Event Shop

Here you can exchange your Steel Seals for unique vehicle customization elements. The Shop is available from the beginning of the event and some time after its completion.

Statistics

You can track your battle effectiveness in Steel Hunter via the Service Record → Statistics tab in your Garage. Select Steel Hunter from the dropdown menu of available game modes to see the number of vehicles you have destroyed, as well as your average damage per battle, number of wins, and other stats.

Performance in Steel Hunter

Steel Hunter will require more system resources than regular Random Battles. This is due to several key factors that are specifically related to this mode, including the large map sizes and the significant number of objects on them.

Computers with low RAM may experience some performance issues while running this mode. To avoid any problems and ensure you play with maximum comfort, change the graphics settings of your game client in accordance with the capabilities of your CPU and graphics card.