Update 9.19: Supertest

Please keep in mind this is a preliminary set of features for 9.19. We’ll reveal the final details just before release.

Over the years, we’ve heard lots of you asking for ways to test your mettle against players of a similar standing. And at our Facebook Live Developer Panel, we unveiled Ranked Battles. This all-new game mode is built around individual contribution and delivers on your long-standing wish. The idea behind Ranked Battles really seemed to click with everyone, and teams around the studio ramped up their efforts to bring it to you. It’s been a real treat to work on it, and today, we’re excited to deploy it for Supertest, along with other features included into 9.19. So hang tight, it's coming to live servers soon!

Here we’ll explain the mode in more detail and preview other goodness coming in the next update, including a brand-new currency, improvements to Battle Missions and Events interface, and more. Let’s get to it.

Supertests happen at the early stages of development—typically a month and a half before final release—and involve checking the changes of a new update and searching for the most critical issues before open testing. World of Tanks Supertests are divided into production tests (new maps, balancing vehicles, etc.), and version tests (the entirety of the update).

Once Supertests are complete, Common Tests begin, available to all players interested in trying out the new features.

Ranked Battles

Ranked Battles is a 15v15 mode exclusive to Tier X vehicles, where the first team to eliminate the opposition or capture their base secures victory. Basically, the setup is the same as Random Battles. And that’s where the similarity ends. Ranked Battles is all about individual results. Your ultimate goal here is to put on a stellar individual performance to climb the ladder, earning ranks and rewards along the way. Unlike Random Battles, your success depends more on your than your team’s results. The more successful you are in battle, the higher your rank in a special Random Battles ladder. However, teamwork still matters as your camp’s victory significantly raises your chances at earning a chevron.

Matchmaking. The matchmaker puts you in a team with players whose rank is similar to yours (±1). It will also create a team of comparable skill for you to compete against. Just as with Random Battles, if getting a ±1 match would take too long, the matchmaker will loosen its restrictions a bit to get you in a battle quickly. The two teams will always have the same number of players with any given rank. Simply put, you play alongside tankers of similar ranking and have competition to match. The higher your rank, the higher the competition that you face.

If you’re looking for a little extra information on the way the matchmaker works in Random Battles, check out the dedicated article.

Progression. Getting in the Top 12 by XP on the winning team earns you a chevron, taking you a step closer toward earning a new rank. So does getting in the Top 3 on the losing team. If your team wins, but you end up in the Bottom 3, you don’t earn a chevron, but you don’t lose one either. Players who rank 4–15 by XP on the losing team lose a chevron. Lastly, if a battle ends in a draw, the Top 3 of both teams get a chevron, while the Bottom 12 each lose a chevron. The 1st rank will cost you just one chevron, and the higher you climb, the more chevrons it takes you to progress.

For Supertest and Common Tests, the number of chevrons between ranks was reduced to shorten the leveling process, which should help us collect substantial feedback on overall progression.

Upon reaching the 1st and 5th ranks, you progress is saved so you don’t have to start the grind all over if you end up losing a few battles. On top of that, after you reach the 5th rank you get an option to prove your skill on a certain Tier X vehicle by leveling it to the max. The rules remain the same: participate in Ranked Battles in this tank, and the better your individual performance, the faster you progress. Just one exception here: the number of vehicle ranks isn’t limited.

Timeline. Ranked Battles are divided into seasons. The first season will consist of four 7-day stages. When a new stage begins, rank leveling is reset to the beginning. The progress achieved by the end of day 7 is included in the leaderboard. When the season ends, your results over the last 28 days are totaled and you receive rewards, depending on your final standing.

Economy. Along with the usual earnings per battle, you will get bonuses (Credits, consumables, and Personal Reserves) for reaching a new rank and fulfilling the special combat mission, exclusive to Ranked Battles. At the end of a season and each stage, you receive a certain amount of an all-new in-game currency, Bonds, which can’t be bought with Credits or Gold. Bonds can buy Improved Equipment, which provide larger bonuses than their standard counterparts, and Directives that enhance mounted equipment, crew perks and skill efficiency. The higher your score for the season, the more Bonds you earn.

Just as with chevrons, the length of seasons and stages was shortened for Supertest and Common Tests. The number of rewards was reduced, too.

In 9.19, Ranked Battles will be the only way to acquire Bonds. Going forward, we’re planning to add other ways to earn them in-game.

Interface Improvements

We’ve been keeping an eye on your input and suggestions since we last rolled out a bunch of changes to various aspects of UI in 9.17.1. Now we’re excited to brief you on another round of improvements developed from your feedback. Starting in 9.19, you can get a full breakdown of missions, events, and Premium Shop special offers:

The “Strategic Operations” tab informs you on all battle missions available for the vehicles you have in the Garage.
The “Tactical Operations” tab features a complete list of ongoing specials, events, and missions (chained missions will be brought together for easier navigation).
If you want to get up to speed with sets of events and operations (marathons, etc), the third new tab will have full info on them.

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All of these changes are designed to make in-game navigation more intuitive and effective. We’ll continue making adjustments based on your suggestions, so please keep your thoughts coming in!

Sound

We’ve heard many of you wanted a female voiceover, and 9.19 delivers on this request with an all-new “Commander” set of voice messages. This option replaces the “National” voiceover in the sound settings. Just flag “Commander” to enable voice messages that correspond with the vehicle’s nation and the gender of its commander.

The German VK 72.01 (K)

Back in 9.17.1, the German line welcomed the new Tier X heavy, Pz. Kpf VII. Unlike the Clan Wars VK 72.01 (K), the newcomer was equipped with the 12.8 cm Kw. K. 46 L/61. The two top-tier vehicles were extremely similar in appearance, which caused quite a backlash. In 9.19., the VK 72.01 (K) receives an additional loadout with spare chain tracks and an AA machinegun. This should stress the uniqueness of the reward tank that gets credited for stellar performance during Global Map events. The armour protection of the two vehicles remains unchanged.

Perks

Remember how you needed to recruit an all-female Crew to benefit from the Sisterhood of Steel perk? And how that is just the same with Brothers in Arms? Update 9.19 gets rid of this unfortunate complication by uniting these perks into one. Mixed Crews will receive a 5% boost to their effectiveness just as all-new and all-female squads do.

HD Models

Finally, 12 vehicles roll out in 9.19, all sleek, shiny, and in glorious high-definition.

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