Update 9.22 Starts the New Year with a Bang

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It’s the first update of 2018 so we made sure it’s a good one. 9.22 is set for 7 February and here’s your look at what’s to come. There are changes to USSR medium tanks, new Soviet heavy tanks rolling into battle, a second Soviet tank destroyer line, matchmaking improvements, and a new season of Ranked Battles.

  • DOWNTIME
  • PREMIUM ACCOUNTS & PAYMENTS
DOWNTIME

World of Tanks servers will be down on 7 February from 01:30 to 08:00 CET (UTC+1) to get everything in order.

PREMIUM ACCOUNTS & PAYMENTS

Current Premium players will be credited an additional 24 hours of Premium Account time to make up for the maintenance period. If you’d like to make any in-game purchases, please wait until the servers are running again.

Please note: the Strongholds mode won't be available for 24 hours after the release of Update 9.22.

What’s New

As you remember, our initial design was to replace rear-turret medium tanks, add rear-turret heavies, and update the Object 263 line, thus bringing consistency into the three branches.

We thoroughly analyzed community feedback and stats gathered after a series of tests, and decided to take a step back with the original plan on the MT line. As a result, rear-turret mediums will keep their place in the USSR tech tree, while the Object 430, together with the brand-new Object 430U, will form a full-scale branch of assault vehicles.

In addition to our usual tools, like following up Common Test forums and reviewing live data, this time we also conducted several surveys of CT participants to ensure we are doing what is right for the game.

As for the additions to heavies and tank destroyers, the additional data we received has proved that the two lines are a good fit and will have a positive impact on the game balance.

Let’s now take a closer look at the changes that Update 9.22 brings.

Changes to USSR Medium Tanks

We announced changes to both medium and heavy lines a little while ago, and, following a series of playtests, the A-44 line has undergone a series of adjustments, including several shifts and the inclusion of the Object 430U (that we’ll get to in a moment).

As part of this shift, we moved the 430, which has been overshadowed by the T-62A and Object 140, to Tier IX of the traditional layout line so now it’s the successor to the T-44.

The T-44’s powerful 122mm gun will mark a new line of Soviet medium tanks with great alpha damage. And it’s important to note that the A-44 line won’t have a top tier tank for now. We’re still figuring out which vehicle will fit best and will share this information after a series of tests.

ProTip: save the XP accumulated on the Object 430 II until the new tank makes its debut.

Object 430U

The purpose of the 430U is to be a good damage dealer with its 122mm gun, capable of shaving off 440 points per shot. While it may take a while to reload, it’s a terrific addition to any MT Platoon.

Its upper front plate and turret can reach up to 320mm and 380mm of effective armor, respectively, with well-defended hatches to boot. This doesn’t make your impervious, though. An enemy tank destroyer or heavy can still send you packing, especially if they hit you in your 180mm lower front plate.

Speed-wise, the Object 430U isn’t the fastest medium at 50 km/h. But it’s got a decent kick of acceleration and good dynamics to make it maneuverable in the heat of battle.

In short, you’re best off using your mobility to exploit the alpha damage on offer.

New Soviet Heavies

One of the issues the Soviet heavy line had was that some top-tier vehicles didn’t feel unique enough when viewed as whole. To remedy this, we introduced a heavy-armored close-range fighter in the Object 705A.

The vehicle crowns the new alternate line of Soviet heavy tanks, which begins with the IS-M at Tier VIII, continuing to the Object 705 at Tier IX. What ties these three tanks together is their rear-mounted turrets, which define their play style.

The classic IS will act as the foundation for an upcoming branch, so start amassing your XP points to be up for exploration.

Object 705A

The 705A put us in a unique position as there’s nothing quite like it, but it’s not too difficult to pick out its hulking frame on the battlefield—especially its 152mm gun. This barrel can crank out 650 alpha but will only remain effective at short and medium distances.

This tank is no sniper with 390 meters of view range, so you’re best off just getting stuck into battle. The 705A excels in head-on fights, able to withstand a lot of punishment with its upper plate of 340mm effective armor. However, your lower plate is only 244mm, so it’s best to angle away or dive behind some cover.

The Object 705A weighs in at around 100 tons, so its mid-range in terms of acceleration. But there’s enough power under the hood to get the beast where it needs to be.

Updated Soviet TDs

With a revamped TD line, USSR vehicles can play a few more roles on the battlefield. The line kicks off with the SU-100M1 at Tier VII, then the SU-101 through to the Object 263. Capping it off at Tier X is the Object 268 v.4.

Like their medium and heavy tank counterparts, these TDs also feature rear-mounted guns and good mobility offset by low maneuvering skills, and robust frontal armor. Being natural-born attackers, they live life on the frontline where they can make a positive impact on battle.

Object 268 v.4

The new top TD exemplifies the new line. It’s a pack animal that’s effective in group attacks. Its top speed (50 km/h) and good acceleration will let you take superior positions, but low maneuverability means you’ll depend on the support of your teammates, so that enemy medium tanks won’t run rings around you. Lead your group, but make sure your allies have your back.

Matchmaking Improvements

9.22’S update will improve the matchmaker to allow tankers to encounter different Battle Modes (in your preferred list) more often.

This means, in your next Random Battle, the mode (Standard, Assault, Encounter, or Grand Battle) has less chance of reoccurring if you’ve already fought one.

This will help avoid encountering the same Battle Mode several times in a row (more often with Grand Battles). But entering a Grand Battle every other match is still possible.

To get the most out of the new mechanic, the matchmaker needs data on the last 50 matches played after 9.22’s release. It works best when you’ve played 50+ battles after the update.

When it takes too long to assign a player to a battle, the matchmaker may add extra Battle Modes to those you’ve marked. If the wait takes more than 50 seconds, you’ll enter the first available match in any mode.

Ranked Battles Ready for a New Season

The last season of Ranked Battles has been rather successful and engaging, and we’re ready to kick off with a new one—more exciting and fun.

Starting from 7 February, a season will only have one stage— now it’s just 21 days and a 15-rank ladder to climb. Ranks 5, 10, and 13 will grant you special protection from losing a rank in case of defeat. Rewards have been supercharged, too: reaching Rank 9 will grant you 1500 bonds, with bigger numbers given for higher ranks.

We hope you take the new vehicles in the Soviet line for a spin and get a kick out of the new matchmaker settings. Don’t forget to stop by the forum to let us know what you think!

Full List of Changes

Expand

Improvements to the Matchmaker

  • The improvements to the matchmaker will ensure more even distribution among the battle types enabled by players (Standard Battle, Attack/Defense, Encounter Battle, Grand Battle). The battle type selector will consider the history of the player's previous battles. The Grand Battles will not come in a succession.

Improvements to the Vehicle Customization

  • The lower panel of the customization interface will contain the Applied sign for elements that are applied to the vehicle.
  • Increased the clickable spots for the Emblems and Inscriptions.
  • When purchasing customization elements, the Purchase and Exit text will be displayed to players. If a player does not make a purchase but only changes a customization element (elements), the Apply and Exit text will be displayed.

Changes to the Ranked Battles

Changes in the new season:

  • Now a season will last 21 days and is not divided into stages
  • Increased the number of ranks from 5 to 15
  • Reworked the conditions of earning chevrons:
    • The top 10 players on the winning team and the top player on the losing team will receive 1 chevron
    • The top 3 players on the winning team will receive 1 additional chevron
    • Players who took places 11-15 on the winning team and places 2-5 on the losing team will retain a chevron
    • Players who took places 6-15 on the losing team will lose a chevron
  • Added new functionality: rank shield. Some ranks will be "shielded". The shield will have a particular number of durability points.
  • Reworked the interface of the main screen in the Ranked Battles for proper display of information about 15 ranks
  • Reworked the interface of the rewards for the ranks and season. It can be entered from the main screen and includes:
    • Information about the rewards for each rank
    • Information about the rewards for the season
  • Changed the art of the vehicle ranks: they were replaced with the rank points. The principle of earning rank points remained unchanged.
  • Removed the display of the vehicle ranks from the vehicle panel; the vehicle ranks were replaced with rank points in the vehicle statistics.
  • Reworked the progress interface of vehicle ranks: upon reaching the maximum rank players will be able to see the number of the earned rank points in the Garage.
  • Revised the Leaderboard interface for the Ranked Battle mode.

Improvements to the Stronghold Mode

  • In Skirmishes and Advances, the battle room commander can select a player who will use the Combat Reserves (Airstrike and Artillery Strike); it can be any player of the detachment, including the legionnaires. The player becomes the Forward Observer and uses the reserves in battle.

Update 9.22 Will Introduce Two Unannounced Vehicles in the Tech Tree

  1. Tier X vehicle that is researched after the T-10
  2. Tier X vehicle that is researched after the Object 430 Version II

In the Tech Tree, the announced vehicles will be marked with a special symbol in order to inform players that corresponding vehicles will be added in the nearest updates. 

Changes to the technical characteristics of the following vehicles

U.S.S.R.

The following vehicles were added:

  • IS-M (Tier VIII)
  • Object 430U (replaces the Object 430 at Tier X)
  • Object 268 Version 4 (replaces Object 263 at Tier X)
  • Object 257 (Tier IX)
  • Object 263 (Tier IX)
  • Object 430 (Tier IX)
  • Object 705A (Tier IX)
  • Object 705 (Tier X)

Removed vehicles:

  • Object 263 (Tier X)
  • Object 430 (Tier Х)
  • SU-122-54 (Tier IX)

Changes to the technical characteristics of the following vehicles:

  • T-54 first prototype
    • Changed the engine power of the V-44 engine from 520 h.p. to 760 h.p.
  • T-44-100
    • Decreased dispersion during movement by 40%
    • Decreased dispersion on hull traverse by 40%
    • Changed the reverse speed from 20 km/h to 23 km/h
    • Changed the engine power of the V-44 engine from 520 h.p. to 760 h.p.
  • Т-44
    • Decreased dispersion during movement with the T-44 suspension by 20%
    • Decreased dispersion during movement with the T-44M suspension by 22%
    • Decreased dispersion on hull traverse with the T-44 suspension by 20%
    • Decreased dispersion on hull traverse with the T-44M suspension by 22%
    • Changed the reverse speed from 20 km/h to 23 km/h
    • Changed the engine power of the V-54-6 engine from 680 h.p. to 760 h.p.
  • SU-101
    • Replaced the 122 mm D-25S mod. 1944 gun with the 122 mm D-25-SU-101 gun that features the following parameters: 
      Gun elevation angle: 18.3 deg.
      Gun depression angle: 3 deg.
      Dispersion at 100 m: 0.44
      Reload time: 11.1 s
      Aiming time: 2.5 s
      UBR-471: damage 390, penetration 210 mm
      BR-471D: damage 390, penetration 248 mm
      UOF-471: damage 530, penetration 64 mm
    • Ammo rack capacity remained unchanged
    • Decreased dispersion during movement of the SU-101 suspension by 33%
    • Decreased dispersion during movement of the SU-102 suspension by 37%
    • Decreased dispersion on hull traverse of the SU-101 suspension by 33%
    • Decreased dispersion on hull traverse of the SU-102 suspension by 37%
    • Changed the traverse speed of the SU-101 suspension from 34 deg./s to 23 deg./s
    • Changed the traverse speed of the SU-102 suspension from 36 deg./s to 25 deg./s
    • Changed dispersion of the 100 mm D-10S mod. 1944 gun from 0.35 m to 0.4 m
    • Changed dispersion of the 100 mm D-54S gun from 0.35 m to 0.39 m
    • Changed dispersion of the 122 mm M62-C2 gun from 0.37 m to 0.42 m
    • Increased dispersion on gun traverse of the 100 mm D-10S mod. 1944 gun by 25%
    • Increased dispersion on gun traverse of the 100 mm D-54S gun by 25%
    • Decreased dispersion on gun traverse of the 122 mm M62-C2 gun by 25%
    • Changed the reload time of the 100 mm D-10S mod. 1944 gun from 6.2 s to 7.1 s
    • Changed the reload time of the 100 mm D-54S gun from 6.7 s to 9.1 s
    • Changed the reload time of the 122 mm M62-C2 gun from 12 s to 12.6 s
    • Changed the aiming time of the 100 mm D-10S mod. 1944 gun from 1.7 s to 2.3 s
    • Changed the aiming time of the 100 mm D-54S gun from 2.1 s to 2.3 s
    • Changed the aiming time of the 122 mm M62-C2 gun from 3.1 s to 2.5 s
    • Changed the view range from 380 m to 350 m
    • Changed the gun traverse speed from 44 deg./s to 26 deg./s
    • Improved hull armoring
    • Decreased the velocity of the UOF-472 shell for the 122 mm M62-C2 gun by 10%
    • Decreased the velocity of the BR-472 shell for the 122 mm M62-C2 gun by 10%
    • Decreased the velocity of the BK-9 shell for the 122 mm M62-C2 gun by 8%
    • Changed the gun depression angle of the 100 mm D-10S mod. 1944 gun from 2.3 to 3 deg.
    • Changed the gun depression angle of the 100 mm D-54S gun from 2.3 to 3 deg.
    • Changed the gun depression angle of the 122 mm M62-C2 gun from 2.2 to 3 deg.
    • Changed the gun traverse angles of the 100 mm D-10S mod. 1944 and 100 mm D-54S gun guns from -9.3 /9.3 to -10/12 deg.
    • Changed the gun traverse angles of the 122 mm M62-C2 gun from -7.3/7.3 to -10/12 deg.
    • Changed the reverse speed from 16 km/h to 18 km/h
    • Changed the vehicle durability from 990 to 1100 HPs
  • SU-100M1
    • Decreased dispersion during movement of the SU-100M1 suspension by 30%
    • Decreased dispersion during movement of the SU-100M1 Bis suspension by 33%
    • Decreased dispersion on hull traverse of the SU-100M1 suspension by 30%
    • Decreased dispersion on hull traverse of the SU-100M1 Bis suspension by 33%
    • Changed the traverse speed of the SU-100M1 suspension from 32 deg./s to 23 deg./s
    • Changed the traverse speed of the SU-100M1 Bis suspension from 34 deg./s to 25 deg./s
    • Changed dispersion of the 100 mm D-10S mod. 1944 gun from 0.37 m to 0.42 m
    • Changed dispersion of the 100 mm LB-1C gun from 0.33 m to 0.41 m
    • Increased dispersion on gun traverse of the 100 mm D-10S mod. 1944 gun by 25%
    • Decreased dispersion on gun traverse of the 100 mm LB-1C gun by 25%
    • Changed the reload time of the 100 mm D-10S mod. 1944 gun from 7.3 s to 7.1 s
    • Changed the reload time of the 100 mm LB-1C gun from 5.9 s to 7.1 s
    • Changed the aiming time of the 100 mm D-10S mod. 1944 gun from 2 s to 2.3 s
    • Changed the aiming time of the 100 mm LB-1C gun from 1.7 s to 2.3 s
    • Changed the view range from 360 m to 350 m
    • Changed the gun traverse speed from 44 deg./s to 26 deg./s
    • Improved hull armoring
    • Changed penetration of the UBR-412P shell for the 100 mm LB-1C gun from 235 mm to 258 mm
    • Changed penetration of the UBR-412 shell for the 100 mm LB-1С gun from 183 mm to 212 mm
    • Changed the gun traverse angles of the 100 mm D-10S mod. 1944 and 100 mm LB-1С guns from -8 /8 to -12/12 deg.
    • Changed the top speed from 50 km/h to 54 km/h
    • Changed the reverse speed from 14 km/h to 16 km/h
    • Changed the vehicle durability from 830 to 850 HPs

France

Vehicles that have been remodeled in HD:

  • AMX 40

Changes according to the results of Common Test 2

  • Object 705
    • Improved armoring of the turret ring front
  • Object 705A
    • Improved armoring of the turret ring front
  • Object 268 Version 4
    • The Heavy Spall Liner that was previously available for mounting has been replaced with Superheavy Spall Liner
  • Object 257
    • Insignificantly improved the hull side armor

Vehicles added to the Store

  • 8,8 cm Pak 43 Jagdtiger
  • Panzer 58 Mutz
  • M46 Patton KR
  • M56 Scorpion
  • AMX M4 mle. 49
  • AC 4 Experimental

Vehicles removed from the Store

  • FCM 50 t
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