Commanders! The first Common Test of Update 1.16.1, featuring the new Art of Strategy event, is about to begin!

It's time to test yourself as a Strategist—or as one of the seven Tankers who oppose them. Get ready to join the Common Test, starting soon, to be the first to try out the new Art of Strategy event and provide your feedback! Let's dig into the details.

CONTENTS

How to Start Playing

Click the special 3D object to enter the main screen of the Art of Strategy event.

Set Up Your Strategy!

Art of Strategy battles take place in two formats for Tier X vehicles only.

• 1v7 format. Those who participated in the test of the event on the Sandbox server last year will be familiar with this format: Seven Tankers fight against one Strategist who commands seven AI-controlled vehicles in real time. For combat, the Strategist also selects three (out of six) types of defenses. In addition to the three defenses from last year's test, we have added three completely new units. See the details here (Defences).
• 1v1 format. In this duel, two Strategists will fight for supremacy. Both players start on an equal footing with seven AI-controlled vehicles on each side. Before battle, the Strategists can deploy three types of defenses on pre-arranged positions.

To play as a Strategist, you will first need to prove yourself as a Tanker and earn a certain amount of in-game currency: Intel and Orders. They are credited depending on the result of battles within the event and are distributed among the players on the Tanker team.

• To play as a Strategist against the Tankers in the 1v7 format, you need 100 Intel.
• To fight against another Strategist in the 1v1 format, 100 Orders are required.

General Rules

• Battle duration: 15 minutes
• Battles will be fought on the following maps:

In the 1v7 format

• Airfield
• Ghost Town
• Siegfried Line
• Mannerheim Line
• Abbey
• Cliff

In the 1v1 format

• Airfield
• Ghost Town
• Siegfried Line
• Paris
• Mines
• Cliff

The Strategist has a squad of seven AI-controlled Tier X vehicles under their command. They can fight without directly controlling each vehicle, but if they do not set Stances or issue the appropriate commands (e.g., attack, withdraw, capture the base, etc.), they will not be victorious. The Strategist also sets routes for their vehicles, watching the battlefield from a bird's-eye view and moving freely over the map.

Additionally, the Strategist has auxiliary defenses at their disposal. They cannot be controlled directly. Their positions are fixed, and they act as independent combat units.

During the countdown before battle (60 seconds), the Strategist should deploy their vehicles and defenses at the pre-arranged key positions on the map or use the Auto-deploy function. If you run out of time for deployment, the system will deploy the remaining units automatically.

At any time, the Strategist can assume control of any vehicle in their squad and command it individually.

In each battle, the Tanker team and the Strategist will earn credits, depending on the battle outcome and their personal performance.

Objectives of the Teams

Each team in the Art of Strategy event has its own objectives:

• The Tankers should destroy all the Strategist's vehicles or capture their base before the battle ends (i.e., within 15 minutes). It is not mandatory to destroy defenses to achieve a victory!
• The Strategist should destroy all of the Tankers’ vehicles or capture their base.

• If neither team completes its objectives within the allotted time, the battle ends in a draw.

Preparing Squads

Vehicles for the Strategist's squad are selected in the event Garage. Click the squad composition button and fill all seven slots with Tier X vehicles. You will be able to select any Tier X vehicles that exist in the game, with the following exceptions:

• Vehicles earned for activities on the Global Map and for Personal Missions (e.g., the X T95/FV4201 Chieftain , X Object 279 early , etc.)
• The X Panhard EBR 105
• The X ST-II  
• The X Strv 103B
• The X M-V-Y  
• The  X CS-63  

Slots for the Strategist's vehicles have restrictions on the vehicle type. Additionally, you cannot have two identical vehicles in a squad. Experiment and choose a squad composition that best suits your playstyle. This will allow you to fend off the Tankers more effectively and to increase your chances of victory.

Once the squad is ready, click the "Battle!" button to start the battle.

To enter battle, the Tankers need to select a Tier X vehicle in their Garage. It should be repaired and have a full crew and ammo loaded. The Tankers cannot join battle in a wheeled vehicle or in vehicles earned for activities on the Global Map and for Personal Missions.

Playing as a Tanker

During the countdown before battle, the Tankers can decide on their tactics and distribute the roles in the squad, taking into account the vehicles they have selected. Act as a team—this is the key to success. Breaking the defense of the Strategist and repelling their counterattacks alone will be extremely difficult.

Always be aware of the defenses that the Strategist has at their disposal. Concealed Watchtowers will warn the Strategist of your approach. At the same time, Flamethrowers, MRLs (Multiple Rocket Launchers), and other defenses can repel even the most rapid attack and provide support if the Strategist starts an offensive.

Depending on the battle results, the Tankers will receive Intel and Orders—in-game currencies that are distributed among all Commanders. The better your performance and the more base experience you earn, the more Intel and Orders you will receive.

Playing as a Strategist: Stances and Commands

Each of the seven vehicles in the Strategist's squad is a full-fledged AI-controlled combat unit. Watching the battle from a strategic view and assessing the combat situation, you can set routes and one of three Stances for the vehicles. Stances are certain patterns of behavior on the battlefield that the vehicles follow when under AI control:

You can set Stances for vehicles not only in battle but also before it starts (during the countdown).

In addition to setting Stances, the Strategist can give commands to attack, withdraw, defend the base, etc. There are seven commands in total. Here's how the vehicles respond to them.

In battle, each vehicle from the Strategist's squad will be marked with a special commander icon and a sequence number. You can quickly switch between them by using the corresponding number keys. You can also command several vehicles at once by adding them to groups.

Manual Control of Vehicles by the Strategist

Are you ready to finish the enemy and ensure a spectacular victory? Or maybe the situation on the battlefield is becoming critical and it is necessary to repel an attack by the Tankers at all costs? Assume control of any vehicle in your squad and command it individually. This way, you can show your skills and turn the tide of battle at the right time.

Defenses

The Strategist has defenses at their disposal. They will automatically assist the Strategist in battle. The Strategist cannot give commands to defenses but can deploy them on key positions on the map during the countdown before battle. Each defense has its own range and parameters.

Leaderboards of the Event

There are three leaderboards within the Art of Strategy event: two leaderboards for playing as a Strategist (1v1 and 1v7 formats), and one leaderboard for playing as a Tanker. To get placed on the leaderboard, a player should fight a certain number of battles in the corresponding mode.

The position on the leaderboard will depend on the number of points earned for victories, defeats, and draws. The better the results you achieve, the higher your position on the leaderboard will be. Players who end up at the top of the respective leaderboards can consider themselves to be the most competent Strategists and true Ace Tankers!

Get ready to join the Common Test, fight as Strategists and Tankers, and share your feedback!