Update 9.17: Common Test

Commanders,

Since we invited you to play test 9.17, we gathered plenty of feedback on a variety of potential adjustments. We analyzed your suggestions and improved a few elements—all resulting in a set of tweaks that you can check out by joining the 2nd Common Test:

Changes to Premium tanks and French heavies

The Löwe gained another boost: a more powerful engine and thicker armor. In addition to that, acting on your feedback, we improved the combat parameters for 4 more Premium vehicles: the American T34 and T26E4 Super Pershing, the M46 Patton KR, and the Chinese 112, as well as for two French heavy tanks: the АМХ 50В and АМХ 50 120. Left-click the image below for a detailed rundown:

Swedish tank destroyers

Based on your input from the 1st Common Test, we decided to postpone the overmatch and ricochet mechanics revision, initially planned for 9.17. This postponement (explained in more detail below) called for a number of adjustments to the tier IX–X Swedish tank destroyers.

Under the current ricochet and overmatch rules, they are extremely vulnerable to shells that are 3 (or more) times the nominal thickness of their armor. To fix that we tweaked their combat parameters boosting their overall durability and reducing the cost of errors in-battle. These changes are designed to make them more fit for short and mid-range combat; while keeping them from getting overpowered.

• Shorter switch between modes: Now you can react faster to ever-changing combat situations.
• Increased speed: If your next tactical spot is 20 meters away or on the nearest hill, you can reach it in Siege mode. There’s no need to switch to Travel mode. Also, you can now roll out from behind a hill, make several precise shots, then hide again—all in Siege mode.
• Reduced accuracy in Siege mode: In the initial setup, the accuracy of the Strv 103-0 and Strv 103B was a lot higher than any other tank destroyer in-game. Now, we have brought it closer to similar vehicles to prevent the two from becoming ultimate snipers. They are still great, however, and let you pick off enemies’ weak spots from far away.
• Fixed reload time for both Travel and Siege mode: The Strv 103-0 and Strv 103B used to sport excellent DPM combined with little versatility in play style. Acting upon your feedback, we boosted their versatility, and balanced out this change by reducing DPM in Siege and increasing it in Travel. Now, each vehicle deals the same amount of DPM regardless of the mode.
• Increased gun dispersion in Siege mode: The two tank destroyers used to have zero gun dispersion, which disrupted gameplay mechanics. We fixed the issue by adding it. However, the top-tier Swedes can still take full aim before they fully reload.
• Increased vertical gun traverse speed: Now the Strv 103-0 and Strv 103B have better firing mobility in close and mid-range combat: they can take aim at the enemy when firing from an elevated position, even if opponents are quite maneuverable, which adds to the overall gameplay fun.

Swedish medium and heavy tanks

Kranvagn

• Top engine acceleration dynamics decreased by 22%
• The drum reload increased from 28 to 33 seconds, and per shot drum reload from 2.75 to 3 seconds
• The upper front plate in now thinner

EMIL II

• Top engine acceleration dynamics decreased by 20%
• Stock engine acceleration dynamics decreased by 17%
• The per shot reload time increased from 3 to 3.51 seconds for the 10.5 cm TK 105-9 and 12 cm akan L/40 guns
• The upper front plate in now thinner

EMIL I

• Top engine acceleration dynamics decreased by 15%
• Stock engine acceleration dynamics decreased by 17%
• The per shot reload time increased from 3 to 3.51 seconds for the 10.5 cm TK 105-9 and 10.5 cm lvkan m/42 guns

Leo

• Top engine acceleration dynamics decreased by 28%
• Pre-top engine acceleration dynamics decreased by 27%
• Stock engine acceleration dynamics decreased by 7%

Strv 74

• Top engine acceleration dynamics increased by 16%

Changes to overmatch and ricochet mechanics – POSTPONED

Designed to ensure enjoyable gameplay for tier VIII–X Swedish tank destroyers, the mechanics revision was shown to you during the 1st Common Test. You generated an impressive amount of feedback, providing us with plenty of in-game data and a number of reasonable suggestions on the new setup. This feedback allowed us to conduct a quick analysis, which showed that the reworked rules could influence the overall game immensely. They could lead to some deeper changes to vehicles strong and weak spots: a lot more ricochets where chances of them used to be zero.

Just like you, we wouldn’t want that. That’s why we’ll be taking some extra time to revise and fine-tune the mechanics thoroughly. We won’t release them until we’re sure they have been constructed intelligently and efficiently to reach our high standard of quality and without disrupting the gameplay fun.

Until we do, we’ll stick to the old, time-proven mechanic for all vehicles including the tier VIII–X Swedish tank destroyers.

Aim Reticles

As part of 9.17 we created new elements for Swedish tank destroyer aim reticles. The work on them caused a bug that affected aim reticle sizes of all vehicles. You might have noticed it during the 1st Common Test. We fixed it in the 2nd Common Test. The aim reticles are now back to what they used to be in 9.16.

We’ll continue to tweak mechanics and respond to feedback leading up to the release of Update 9.17. So, if you haven’t enrolled for the Common Test yet, it’s about time you do. Jump in, play test new features and share your thoughts with us!

Scroll down for the full list of the patch notes for the 2nd Common Test.

Discover how you can join the Common Test: