Update 1.26 Common Test 1: Czechoslovakian Light Tanks, Crew Perks Update, and More

Commanders!

Join the Common Test and share your thoughts on Update 1.26, one of our most significant releases of the year! Take to the battlefield with a brand-new branch of Czechoslovakian light tanks featuring autocannon mechanics and enjoy the updated crew perk system!

But that's just the beginning. Dive into new Random Events on three maps, try out 18 rebalanced vehicles from three branches and a fresh Onslaught Season, and explore a variety of refined Random Maps. And there's more—jump in and give us your feedback!

All features on the Common Test are currently in active development. Any values, rewards, technical characteristics, and other feature settings that are relevant for the Common Test are not final and may not correspond to those in the release version.

Czechoslovakian Light Tanks with New Firing Mechanics

With the release of Update 1.26, a new line of light tanks will appear in World of Tanks—Czechoslovakian light tanks! The new line consists of four swift flankers, designed for striking the enemy's sides and rear, ranging from Tier VII to Tier X. The transition to the new branch will begin with the VI Škoda T 25 .

The first vehicle in the branch is the Škoda T 17, sitting at Tier VII. High-tier vehicles are represented by:

  • Vz. 64 Blesk (Tier VIII)
  • LPT-67 Šelma (Tier IX)
  • Vz. 71 Tesák (Tier X)

The Škoda T 17 is a transitional vehicle with good armor for a light tank and decent dynamics but without outstanding gameplay features. However, the new branch's Tier VIII–X vehicles will have autocannons with unique firing mechanics.

Though autocannons can be compared to machine guns of some lower-tier vehicles, they are quite different from them and have a whole range of special hallmarks:

  • Extremely Rapid Fire: The two fire sequentially and spit out thousands of rounds per minute. The shells are in cassettes that require reloading; potential damage per cassette is up to 900 HP.
  • Relatively Low Armor Penetration due to the low caliber of the guns: Aim carefully for vulnerable spots!
  • Mind the Dispersion: It will steadily increase during a burst, so it makes sense to fire bursts at medium and long range. You'll find an efficiency indicator for your convenience to help you master the new mechanics.
  • Cause Damage at Close Range: Accuracy also decreases as the range to the target grows.
  • Rapid Fire Draws Attention: Your camo values become lower than those of typical light tanks once you start firing.

Stay tuned for an upcoming article where we'll dive deeper into these unique light tanks. In the meantime, join the Common Test and take them for a test drive!

Crew Evolution: New Perk System

Improving the crew system continues to be one of our main focuses. We are committed to systematically improving its various aspects to make it more convenient, comfortable, and useful.

This time, we are concentrating on refreshing the perk system. Many of you participated in the early test and have already tried out the changes. Now, with some refinements and your feedback considered, we are ready to bring the updated perk system to the Common Test.

Here's a brief reminder of the most important changes you can expect:

  • Max Perks: Each crew member can train up to six perks for their major qualification (including zero perks). Experience you have invested in perks above six is compensated by national Crew Books according to the formula "tanker experience / 4.5".
  • Perk Choices: Choose from six individual perks and three group perks for each major qualification.
  • Bonus Perks: Crew members with additional qualifications train a chosen individual perk at 50% speed alongside their main perks. No extra XP needed. Up to three bonus perks are available.
  • Efficiency Requirement: For perks to be 100% effective, all crew members with the same major qualification (e.g., multiple Loaders) must fully train the same perk.
  • Extra XP: Crew members with six fully trained perks will keep earning Crew XP, which converts into Universal Guides after reaching certain thresholds (starting at 100,000 XP), with no limit.

Also, thanks to your feedback, we have changed the characteristics of five perks. Check them out.

Perk Early Test Update 1.26
Emergency Increases the crew efficiency bonus by 7.5% for 15 s after taking enemy damage. The effect does not stack. Increases the crew efficiency bonus by 5% for 15 s after taking enemy damage. The effect does not stack.
Quick Aiming Increases aiming speed by 2.5%. Increases aiming speed and turret rotation speed by 2.5%.
Reliable Placement Increases HE shell damage absorption by 7.5% and decreases damage received from falling by 30%. Increases HE shell damage absorption by 10% and decreases damage received from falling by 30%.
Signal Interception Decreases the time to determine whether your vehicle has been spotted by the enemy by 0.5 s. Decreases the time to determine whether your vehicle has been spotted by the enemy by 0.75 s.
Practicality Decreases consumable cooldown time by 7.5%. Decreases consumable cooldown time by 10%.


Join the Common Test and try the updated perk system right away! Inside the game, we also have tips on what has changed and how the crew system works.

Comprehensive Vehicle Rebalancing

We continue our ongoing work to update vehicle performance characteristics, making them more competitive in the game. This time, we've taken a comprehensive approach, reviewing:

  • Three branches
  • The logic of researching different vehicle modules in these rebalanced branches
  • Vehicle Stock Configurations
  • Five Premium vehicles

We'll soon provide a detailed article on all the changes. For now, let's briefly outline the updates.

Rebalancing of Three Branches

We're primarily focusing on rebalancing Tier X vehicles, which are the pinnacle of any Tech Tree. The selected branches have tanks with outdated characteristics that haven't been refreshed in a long time and have become less popular. These branches clearly need performance upgrades, which will start from Tier V and end with the top vehicle.

Head to the Common Test Patch Notes to find the changes for all rebalanced vehicles.

Tank Tree Module Reworking

  • The quantity and assortment of vehicle modules and upgrade paths in these three branches will be revised starting from Tier V (from Tier VI for the X K-91 branch). The optimization aims to make the upgrade process more efficient and understandable, especially for beginners.
  • Less useful modules (including those with historical significance that conflict with gameplay requirements) will be removed, and the characteristics of the many remaining modules will be improved. Some new modules will be added with new characteristics. The new module research paths will be more straightforward and more intuitive.

All removed modules will be moved to the Depot, where you can either sell them or mount them on different vehicles. Note that one specific module, the cannon on the V AMX ELC bis , will be entirely removed from the game.

If this cannon has been mounted on a tank, it will be replaced with a new stock module. If the cannon is in Depot, it will be sold for its cost price in credits.

Enhanced Stock Configurations

To elevate your experience and gameplay comfort, we will be increasing the efficiency of stock configurations across these three rebalanced branches. Improvements will vary for different tanks, with some receiving more enhancements and others less, but all will be improved in some way.

Some outdated stock modules will be replaced with new ones with improved characteristics. This change will make it more comfortable for you to start playing in new vehicles, creating a higher quality gameplay experience in specific vehicles without jumping directly to top configurations.

Performance Improvements for Premium Vehicles

Finally, we're enhancing the performance characteristics of five Premium vehicles to increase the comfort of playing in them. Check them out.

List of Premium Vehicles and Improvements

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Head to the Common Test Patch Notes to find the changes for all rebalanced vehicles.

New Random Events

We're continuing to expand the content for these spectacular events and add them to more maps. With Update 1.26, Random Events will appear on the following locales:

Pilsen

  • Destruction in the Central Plant: The bombing of the central hangar collapses the roof, creating new gameplay cover with the wreckage.
  • Moving Trains: Trains leave from different ends of the map and move across the entire map, providing dynamic gameplay shelters.

Malinovka

  • Plane Crash: A plane crashes onto the mountain, breaking into several pieces and colliding with the mill.

Karelia

  • Rockslide: A section of rocks is bombarded, causing a rockslide that blocks the main straight shot.

Map Reworking

Like our vehicle rebalancing efforts, we continue improving your gameplay experience by reworking various maps, making them more comfortable for different vehicle classes. This ongoing work has led to improvements across eight Random Battle locations. The most notable and extensive changes have been made to Mannerheim Line—check them out.

  • Shoreline Adjustments: The shape of the shoreline in squares K6 and J7 has been modified to improve the safety of movement for the western team's firing points and the eastern team's advancement after winning the direction.
  • Northern Base LT Positioning: The light tank positioning in the middle square D5 has been improved, making it safer and comparable to the western team's light tanks in square E4. Additionally, a shot has been opened on the western team's medium tank roll.
  • Defensive Position Weakened: The powerful defense position of the north base blocking access to the enemy's base has been weakened. Trees near the cliff's edge in square B8 have been removed, and the "dragon's teeth" have been partially destroyed to allow a more comfortable move toward the north base along the cliff's edge.

Other Changes to Mannerheim Line

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The following maps received less significant, yet still important, updates:

Oyster Bay

  • Upper HT Sub-Direction Redesigned: Square F6 now has many protected positions at various distances, allowing you to push through and reduce the distance toward enemies.
  • Cave Connection: A cave now connects the upper and central sub-directions in square F6, offering more varied gameplay by allowing direction changes.
  • Shoreline Terrain Reworked: In squares D3, C3, and C4, the terrain has been reworked and cover has been added to improve opportunities for playing and approaching medium tanks.

Other Changes to Oyster Bay

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Outpost

  • New Heavy Tank Positions: New positions for heavy tanks have been added in squares B1-B2, C1-C2, and A3-B3, allowing more active movement in this direction.
  • Castle Zone Building: A building has been added in square B3 to block shot lines from the center in the castle zone.

Other Changes to Outpost

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Lakeville

  • Flora Removal: Flora in square B1, which made it challenging to detect AT-SPGs, has been removed. It previously provided a significant advantage for the north base team.

Other Changes to Lakeville

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Finally, some minor adjustments have been made to the following locales:

  • Studzianki
  • Steppes
  • Tundra
  • Abbey

List of Adjustments

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Onslaught: Season of the Azure Manticore

Prepare for new challenges and exciting rewards in the Year of the Manticore! The 2024-2025 Onslaught annual cycle will be dedicated to the mythical manticore and will consist of three consecutive Seasons with a shared Progression system.

With the release of Update 1.26, the first Season, the Season of the Azure Manticore, begins. Here's what it brings to Onslaught:

Revised Rating Points

  • We have rebalanced the earning of Rating Points to simplify Progression. The number of Points earned and lost has been adjusted in favor of easier advancement. It is now significantly easier to progress in the Iron rank, moderately easier in the Bronze rank, and slightly easier in the Silver rank.

Range of Potential Damage Decrease

The range of potential damage dealt in the mode will be reduced from +/-25% to +/-12%.

This change is specific to Onslaught and will only apply to the opening Season of the Azure Manticore. We will decide whether to keep this change for future Seasons depending on the Season's results and your feedback.

Onslaught Modifiers Update

Modifier Random Battles Previous Season Season of the Azure Manticore
Vehicle durability N/A +25% +650 HP
Time remaining visible 10 s 3 s 4 s
Inner module damage reduction N/A N/A 50%
Engine fire chance 10-20% 10-20% 0%

Onslaught Shop Update

  • A new item of improved equipment, the Stealth Exhaust Unit, is available for purchase after you reach the Silver rank.

Annual Reward

  • You can get up to six Onslaught Colors each Season during the Year of the Manticore, depending on your rank at the end of them. Collecting all 18 Onslaught Colors within one rating year will earn you the maximum Annual Reward.
  • Your Annual Reward may include the Onslaught annual 2D style, Tokens for selecting improved and Experimental Equipment, badges, stripes, and the exclusive Stinger—a special reward Tier X tank with a unique crew and a gorgeous 3D style. This vehicle is a replica of the legendary X T57 Heavy Tank , featuring a striking appearance.

New Maps

  • Himmelsdorf returns to the map pool after reworking. We’ve also added Murovanka and Live Oaks to the map roster.

New Vehicles Available in Onslaught

Now, you can go into battle using the special vehicles listed below.

Consumables Update

To amplify your gameplay comfort and effectiveness, we're unifying and upgrading Small and Large Repair/First Aid Kits in Update 1.26.

Currently, they serve similar functions, but the small consumables are less convenient. When equipped with only Small Repair/First Aid Kits, you often have to choose which module to repair, or which injured crew member to heal in the heat of battle. This reduces your efficiency and can influence your performance.

Here's what will change:

  • Small Repair/First Aid Kits: These will now function like their large counterparts, repairing all modules and healing all injured crew members. No more tough choices—just improved survivability and better performance.
  • Large Repair/First Aid Kits and Automatic Fire Extinguisher: The cooldown time will decrease from 90 s to 60 s, allowing you to recover faster and fight with all your might longer. However, only large consumables will provide extra bonuses, such as +10% to repair speed and some others.

The cost of the updated Small Repair/First Aid Kits will remain the same, allowing you to use them without paying extra for their larger counterparts. However, keep in mind that large consumables might still come in handy during intense combat.

Quality and Excellent Fuel

We're making changes to our fuel consumables. All currently existing types of fuel (100 and 105-octane Gasoline, Land-Lease Oil, and Quality Oil) will be removed and replaced with new entities: Quality Fuel and Excellent Fuel. These new consumables will provide a +5% and +10% boost to engine power and turret traverse speed for all vehicles in the game.

Speed Governor Removal

Additionally, we will be removing the Removed Speed Governor from the game. This consumable was only available for Soviet and Chinese vehicles, serving as an analog of the improved 105-octane Gasoline and creating a certain imbalance among vehicles from other nations. With the introduction of Excellent Fuel, it becomes redundant and will be deducted from all accounts.

All credits you've spent on consumables that are being removed from the game will be compensated. We're sure that all these changes will make consumables more user-friendly, enabling you to perform more effectively.

We're sure that all these changes will make consumables more user-friendly, enabling you to perform more effectively.

WoT Plus Update

We continue to upgrade our WoT Plus subscription to offer you even more valuable bonuses!

Now, WoT Plus subscribers can access a new information system—Equipment Assistance. It reveals the most commonly used equipment on specific vehicles. This data is derived from server statistics we collect for each vehicle, helping you understand which equipment can improve your battle results. The report shows data gathered from Random Battles for standard, Bounty, and improved equipment.

You can activate the WoT Plus subscription in the Common Test for gold and try out all its bonuses, including Gold Reserve, Intensive Crew Regimen, Attendance Reward, and the unique VIII TS-54 with a double-barreled system.

Battle Pass Season XV

Battle Pass Season XV will launch with Update 1.26 and will be available until the end of November. This is the final Season in the annual Progression and your last chance to earn Tokens to redeem the newly introduced vehicles—the IX TT-130M and the IX TS-60 —or to obtain previous ones you may have missed.

This Season will be inspired by the Waffenträger universe and unveil the secret, unknown pages of Max von Krieger's early life. You'll be able to earn Waffenträger-themed customization rewards, including stunning 3D styles.

How to Join the World of Tanks Common Test

The Common Test offers a sneak peek at the upcoming game version before its official release. We're eager to hear your initial thoughts on the upcoming features, new game modes, vehicles, game changes, and more. This way, we can understand how the community feels about the next update and catch issues ahead of time.

  • Quick Start Guide
  • Share Your Feedback
  • New to Testing?
  1. Requirements: Ensure you have the Wargaming.net Game Center (WGC), the latest Common Test client, and an active World of Tanks account. Your live account progress was cloned to the Common Test server on 2024-07-29 at 20:00:00 (UTC) and won't include changes made after this date.
  2. Install the Test Client:
    • Run the installer and select a different folder from your main game files.
    • Choose the test client in the WGC's drop-down menu.
  3. Dive In: Test new features with increased resources. Your feedback is invaluable!

For more details, visit the Wargaming.net Game Center guide.

DOWNLOAD TEST CLIENT

Your voice matters! Share your thoughts and insights on the latest Common Test iteration and the introduced features on our dedicated Discord channel.

DISCORD

Your feedback directly influences the development process and helps us to shape and refine the game for the entire community. Join the conversation now and be part of the future of World of Tanks!

Check out our handy public test guide with all the details about Common Tests, Sandbox Tests, and Supertests.

TESTING GUIDE

Patch Notes

List of Changes

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We'll provide more detailed information in the coming weeks as we approach the Update 1.26 release on the live server. Join the Common Test and share your feedback on this big update, Commanders!

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