Armored Warfare News

Commanders!

Some time ago, during the overhaul of the APS mechanics as a whole, we mentioned a concept that afterwards did not make it to that update – manually activated Active Protection System. We haven’t forgotten it though and in the Spirithaven season, it will be introduced under the name of Supercharged APS.

Supercharged APS will come in two categories:

• Supercharged Hard-Kill APS
• Supercharged Soft-Kill APS

Both systems will work like an Active Ability that you’ll be able to select from the Active Ability menu. What that means is, you’ll have to make a choice – either you select the Supercharged APS ability, or something else (for example Mechanized Infantry in some cases).

However, please note that the passive APS (the way it is now) will work the same way as it does now and will only deactivate for the duration of the Supercharged APS activation.



Supercharged Hard-Kill APS creates a zone around the vehicle that will intercept almost every projectile (up to one per half a second or so) with the exception of autocannon rounds (the threshold is the caliber of 100mm – anything of the same caliber or above will be intercepted). The duration of this ability is short and the cooldown is long but for a certain time, the vehicle will become practically invulnerable when it comes to shooting damage (ramming and falling will still deal damage of course). Think of it as a shield that protects you from enemy fire. The downside is that it will only be available to several tanks:

• Merkava Mk.4M with its Trophy Next Gen system
• Armata series (T-14, T-14 152mm and T-15) with its Afganit system

It’s worth noting that each discharge during the operation of this mode will consume one standard passive hard-kill APS charge.



Supercharged Soft-kill APS also works like an activated shield, but only against guided missiles and, contrary to the hard-kill APS variant, instead of being destroyed outright, any guided missile entering the protected area will be deflected elsewhere. Also unlike the supercharged Hard-Kill APS, this mechanic will do nothing against kinetic shells. On the bright side, this ability will appear on lower Tiers, for example on the T-90A MBT (Shtora system) and will not be limited by charges. While the Supercharged mode is not active, the passive APS works as usual.

Finally, please also note that:

• Other players will be able to see that you activated these abilities, as demonstrated by the screenshots above
• Destroying the APS module will prevent the Supercharged mode from being activated

We hope that you will enjoy this new mechanic and, as always:

See you on the battlefield!

Commanders!

With the American Dream season slowly coming to an end, we’d like to tell you more about the next, Asian-themed one that will be arriving in Armored Warfare in the near future. We call it Spirithaven.



The core of the Spirithaven season will be a new set of Asian (mostly Japanese and Korean) vehicles as well as the continuation of the Special Operations storyline, but also the addition and improvements of various aspects of the game.

[previewyoutube][/previewyoutube]

Without further ado, here’s what awaits you at the launch of the Spirithaven season with Update 0.31:


[h2]New Asian Vehicles[/h2]


A new set of Asian progression vehicles will be added to Francine De Laroche’s vehicle pool. Much like the American Dream additions, the Spirithaven vehicles will (apart from all being Asian) be fairly individual with each one offering a different playstyle.



Update 0.31 will launch with the following vehicles being available:

• Type 16 MCV Tier 7 TD – unlocked either from C13 TUA (Francine De Laroche) or Type 90-II (Zhang Feng), this wheeled Tank Destroyer will be somewhat similar to the Centauro. It will, however, feature a unique ability called AI Target Assistant, allowing you to aim more precisely at moving targets. You can read more about it in our dedicated article
• Harimau Tier 8 LT – this Indonesian Light Tank will be the embodiment of what makes the Light Tank class so fun to play – fast and well-armed, it will be perfect for aggressive gameplay the Light Tank drivers love so much. You can read more about it in our dedicated article

Additionally, a Premium vehicle will be available at launch:

• K21 Tier 8 AFV – this fast Korean IFV with powerful armament will be available for Gold directly in the game. With its excellent mobility, it will be the perfect tool for delivering infantry right where it needs to be. You can read more about it in our dedicated article

But that’s just the beginning.



Three more progression vehicles will be arriving at a later date during the season:

• K-153C Tier 9 TD, a light four-wheeled highly mobile platform armed with a double Javelin-like Raybolt ATGM launcher
• AS21 Redback Tier 9 AFV, a heavy IFV with all the gameplay systems you know and love – top-attack Javelin style ATGMs, 30mm PELE rounds and more
• And yes, finally, the long-awaited K2 Black Panther Tier 10 MBT itself with its own slew of interesting characteristics and gameplay elements

Of course, what would be a new line with additional customization elements? New camouflages, decals and vehicle-related achievements await you as well as a brand-new commander, Kwon Han. This Lodestar GmbH veteran will come with a unique set of abilities suitable for the fast-paced gameplay the new vehicles offer. We’ll tell you more about him in the near future!


[h2]Spirithaven Special Operations[/h2]


Almost a year has passed since Hana Buric and Austin Harper helped Magnus Holter to escape Enigma's Moscow prison. The Resistance grew stronger, but it's still not powerful enough to wage a large scale war. That is why Magnus offered to capture a key asset of the enemy — James Todd Litteral, the leader on the National Patriot Activist Army.



He's one of the few people on the planet, who can provide the Resistance with Enigma's command center coordinates, allowing them to take out Enigma and its leader, Victor Blaze, in one fell swoop.



Much like in American Dream, four new Special Operations await you with two being available initially at launch and two more coming during the course of the season itself.


[h2]New Contract Mission Campaign[/h2]


A new Contract Mission campaign awaits you in Update 0.31 with similar mechanics to those used during the American Dream one. We’ve made a few tweaks for your convenience but the core of it will remain the same. In fact, there will only one major difference – the main prize.



This time, you’ll be able to unlock the Type 89 Tier 7 AFV with its excellent mobility and firepower. You can read more about it in our dedicated article


[h2]New Battle UI[/h2]


This season, we’re introducing a brand-new in-battle User Interface. This is something we wanted to do for a while now and are happy to introduce the first results of this plan.



In this dedicated article, you can learn more about the details.


[h2]Graphics Improvements[/h2]


Along with the new UI, we’ll be introducing a number of visual enhancements to the game. Take a look:

[previewyoutube][/previewyoutube]

Not only will the new models look amazing, we are also introducing the following changes to the appearance of the existing ones:

• Dynamic Dirt system
• Overall graphics improvements for all models

You can read all about these improvements in our dedicated article.


[h2]Further Season Plans[/h2]


All of the above is, however, only just a portion of what the Spirithaven season will offer. A steady stream of content will be available throughout the season. Here’s what you can look forward to in the next couple of months:

• Three progression vehicles (mentioned above)
• Two Special Operations missions (mentioned above)
• Improved Team Damage punishment system
• Reintroduction of Artillery to Global Operations and its rebalance

But that’s still not all. There’s much more coming, including new mechanics, rebalances, bug fixes and a new type of event for you to enjoy. Even though the Last Patriot Battle Path is also finishing soon, we can guarantee that you’ll have plenty to do in Armored Warfare in the coming months. We are looking forward to your first feedback from a PTS session that is launching soon.

See you on the battlefield!



Bez obaw – ten system nie będzie obniżał płynności gry.

Mamy nadzieję, że spodobają Wam się wszystkie usprawnienia i że czekacie na sezon Spirithaven. Aktualizacja 0.31 zostanie zaprezentowana na publicznym serwerze testowym w najbliższym czasie.

Do zobaczenia na polu bitwy!

Commanders!

Along with the recently unveiled Battle UI overhaul, we’ll be introducing another significant change to how the game looks and feels in the Spirithaven season. Starting from Update 0.31, the tanks are bound to look far better than in the past. These improvements will consist of three parts:

• New visual model quality
• Visual model improvements for all vehicles
• Dynamic Dirt system

Let’s check these out one by one. But, first and foremost, a few words about the entire set of changes.


[h2]New Visual Model Quality[/h2]


As you might have noticed from our previous unveils for this season, the models for vehicles introduced in Update 0.31 look quite a bit better than the older ones. Since the launch of the entire season system, we’ve been steadily improving the visual quality of newly introduced vehicles to the point where we are indeed happy with the way they appear. Just take a look:



Polygons, high-resolution textures, improved shaders – it now all blends into a stunning display of current gen visuals and we are more than pleased to confirm that all newly introduced vehicles will come with this level of quality.





Of course, there’s the matter of old models as well. We’d like to fix the older models that are especially wrong. Yes, we are talking for example about the infamous T-72B model that we’d like to overhaul this season by introducing a completely new one (along with all vehicles that use it as a basis, such as the Polish T-72M2 Wilk MBT).







Recently, we’ve conducted a poll on Discord regarding which vehicles you’d like to see fixed first. The T-80U model was mentioned a lot and we also found some partial problems with the Abrams series as well as the Leopards, plus some more individual issues. We will be fixing those in the future, one by one.

But, back to the Spirithaven season...


[h2]Visual Model Improvements for All Vehicles[/h2]


This season, we aren’t only introducing new models or fixing specific model bugs. We are improving the looks of all models. Simply put, without losing any FPS, we’ve optimized the way our rendering algorithm works, allowing for better detailing and image quality even at longer distances. We’ve also improved the used vehicle surface rendering methods (including the calculation of metallic gleams and texture masks) in order to make all models look as realistic as possible.









The goal was not only to improve the visual fidelity, but also make them look more like battle-worn machines. We’ve heard your feedback that some models look “plastic” – starting from Update 0.31, this should no longer be the case.

Take a look at these comparisons:





And last but not least:


[h2]Dynamic Dirt System[/h2]


In the 0.31 update, we’ll be introducing a visual system where vehicles will get progressively dirtier as they drive through rough terrain – snow, sand, mud, this all will stick to the models in order to make them appear even more realistic. After all, your vehicle wouldn’t be squeaky clean with an intensive battle behind it. Just take a look at the example video.

Please note that, for demonstration purposes, the speed with which the vehicle gets dirty in this video has been increased.

[previewyoutube][/previewyoutube]

Don’t worry; this feature will not come at a cost of any FPS.

We hope that you will like these improvements and are looking forward to your Spirithaven feedback since the 0.31 Public Test Server is scheduled to launch in the near future.

See you on the battlefield!

Commanders!

Celebrate the announcement of the Spirithaven season with two powerful Asian Premium MBTs we are offering today:

• K1A1 Tier 7 Premium MBT (available via Loot Crates)
• Type 90 Tier 7 Premium MBT

As well as several popular camouflages. Between January 30 and February 6, 2020, the following items will be available along with 50% bonus to Crew Experience income:


[h2]K1A1[/h2]


The K1A1 is an upgraded version of the older South-Korean K1 MBT. It’s a very distant relative of the Abrams MBT with the main difference being the presence of a hydro-pneumatic suspension, allowing the vehicle to tilt itself forward, backward and to the sides.



In Armored Warfare, the K1A1 is a Tier 7 Premium MBT. The combination of a 120mm gun, good mobility and solid armor (all of them roughly the same as the M1A1 has) as well as the ability to mark enemy targets for increased damage make it powerful opponent even in its basic form with additional upgrades readily available.

The K1A1 Tier 7 Premium MBT is available in our Web Shop via Loot Crates. Collect 100 blueprint pieces from these crates to obtain the vehicle.






[h2]Type 90[/h2]


The Type 90 is the current service main battle tank of the Japanese Self-Defense Force. On the outside, it vaguely resembled the German Leopard 2, but inside, the vehicle’s completely different. It was adequately armed and armored for the time it was developed in, but what made it really stand out were its cutting-edge Japanese electronics and its hydraulic suspension, allowing the tank to tilt itself forward or backward, enhancing its gun elevation and depression beyond what the turret would normally allow. This trait was considered to be an important for Japan, as much of its landmass is covered by mountainous areas. You can read more about it in our dedicated article.



In Armored Warfare, the Type 90 is a Tier 7 Premium Main Battle Tank. Gameplay-wise, it resembles the Leopard 2 and Abrams version of the same Tier. The difference between the Leopard and the Type 90 MBT lie in the presence of an automatic loading mechanism – otherwise, the firepower and protection levels is roughly the same with the Japanese tank having a little less armor, compensated by more module hitpoints. Overall, it is not the best-protected MBT on the battlefield, requiring careful long-range gameplay. However, the advanced electronics installed in this tank as well as its hydraulic suspension allow it to aim faster than all its class and Tier counterparts.






[h2]Camouflages[/h2]


Additionally, we are returning the following camouflage bundles for you:

The Polish Experimental Camouflage is a digital camouflage pattern that appeared on several Polish prototypes during the 2016 MSPO expo in Kielce.



The three Canadian camouflages are based on real life patterns. You can read more about them in our dedicated article.



Three German camouflages are also available. The first two both represent the standard post-1985 NATO pattern used by the Bundeswehr – one of them is a classic brush paintjob while the other one is spray-painted. Since both camouflages are essentially similar, they are offered together for the price of one standard camouflage. Additionally, please note that the camouflages are visually similar to the previously introduced French ones since both France and West Germany were using the same NATO pattern.



The second pattern is a summer camouflage from the late 1970s, as it appeared on the earliest German Leopard 2 service tanks. If you desire to drive a correctly painted historical vehicle, the Leopard 2 MBT is the perfect candidate for this paintjob.

Please note that each of these camouflages can be installed on any vehicle that has the camouflage customization feature available (any vehicle with the exception of vehicles with permanent skins) and that each of these camouflages can be used in all three environments.





We hope that you will enjoy the offer and, as always:

See you on the battlefield!

On the 30th of January 2020, starting from 8:00 CET (29th of January, 11 PM PST), the server will not be available for 5 hours due to the application of Update 0.30.5930



[h2]List of Update 0.30.5930 Changes[/h2]
 

• Introduced several assets connected to the upcoming launch of the Spirithaven season
• Introduced several critical localization corrections