World of Warships 0.4.1 release date

Ranked Battles

Implemented a new game mode: Ranked Battles

Ranked Battles are available during a regular season and for a limited period of time. The launch of the first season will be announced additionally.
Ranked Battles become available once Service Record Level 9 is reached. Battles take place in a 7×7 format in the Domination mode. Each team may have no more than one aircraft carrier and no more than two battleships. The tiers of ships that may participate in Ranked Battles are governed by the rules of the Ranked Battles season.

Every participant of a Ranked Battle is awarded a star for every victory of their team. A player is promoted to the next rank once a certain number of stars has been earned. In case of a defeat or a draw, players may lose their ranks or stars. Ranks are divided into several groups. The first group is characterized by easier conditions for obtaining ranks and terms for losing ranks and stars. Players are selected to enter battles within their respective group of ranks.

For achieving certain ranks, as well as based on the results of a Ranked Battles season, players may get rewards in the form of unique game valuables.

In version 0.4.1, Ranked Battle scenarios are implemented on the following maps:

• New Dawn
• North
• Fault Line

 

Ships

General changes:

• Extended the action time of the Hydroacoustic Search consumable
• For the Japanese ships, bonus to a chance of setting enemy ships on fire is at maximum for 200 mm and 203 mm caliber guns with the other calibers having a lower bonuses
• For all destroyers, casemate resistance to damage was decreased to match the respective hull values
• For all destroyers, added a fourth point where the fire may potentially be started.
• For all ships, increased gunfire accuracy at close quarters (i.e. at distances of 0.2 km to 4 km), which resulted in a minor increase in the accuracy of fire at medium- and long-range distances
• The ‘value’ of a hit into the middle part of a destroyer was reduced to match the ‘value’ of hits into the bow or stern of these ships. Now, ‘alpha strike’ damage to the bow, stern, superstructures and the central part of the ship will not differ
• For all ships, changed the display of the rudder shift time. The time itself remains the same, the change affects its display only.
• AA characteristics scale of display has been changed. AA capacity has not changed, but in the integral characteristics view mode in the port the value has been lowered – this is necessary for correct display of increase in characteristics when ships modules and commander’s skill are applied.

 

Consumables:

• Extended the action time of the Hydroacoustic Search consumable from 40 to 90 seconds
• For U.S. Navy destroyers, extended the action time of Smoke Charges. The previous time for setting a smokescreen (20 seconds) was increased to 22 – 30 seconds depending on the tier of a destroyer. The ‘lifetime’ of a smokescreen was increased as well: it used to be within the range of 65 to 97 seconds depending on the tier of a ship. Now it will be within the range of 106 to 130 seconds.

 

U.S.A:

• Increased action time of smoke charges,
• Beginning from Tier VI, introduced the Defensive Fire consumable.
• For the destroyers Farragut and Benson, the ‘AA defense-oriented’ hulls will become optional for research.
• The top (AA-defense-oriented) hulls of U.S. Navy destroyers will receive the Defensive Fire consumable.
• For the cruiser Cleveland, fixed the incorrect armoring of 6″/47 (152 mm/47) turrets: the armor of the bottom side of a turret was increased from 37 mm to 38 mm, and the armor of its rear side was decreased from 37 mm to 25 mm.
• For the cruiser Baltimore, fixed the incorrect armoring of 8″/55 (203 mm/55) turrets: the armor of the bottom side of a turret was increased from 19 mm to 38 mm, and the armor of its rear side was increased from 37 mm to 38 mm.
• For the battleship Wyoming, fixed the incorrect armoring of the 12″/50 (305 mm/50) turrets when mounted on the stock hull: the armor of the bottom part of a turret was decreased from 60 mm to 38 mm, and the armor of its upper part was decreased from 160 mm to 76 mm.
• The 152 mm AP/SC Mk27 mod. 2 shell was replaced with the 152 mm AP/SC Mk27 mod. 5 shell. The changes affected the cruisers Omaha, Marblehead and Phoenix
• Fixed the bug that prevented damage to the 12″/45 Mk5 (305 mm/45 Mk5) gun turrets. The change affected the battleship South Carolina
• Decreased the traverse speed of the 12″/50 Mk7 guns to 3.5 degrees per second.The change affected the battleship Wyoming
• Fixed the bug related to the high detectability of the Bliss-Leavitt Mk7 mod2A torpedoes: the detectability was reduced from 1.6 km to 1 km
• For the battleship Wyoming, changed the stock hull modification; the firing range with the stock hull was reduced from 12.790 m to 10.965 m; the viewing distance with the stock hull was reduced from 20.33 km to 17.71 km
• For the cruiser Omaha, fixed the bug related to the firing range with the top hull. The firing range was increased from 11.500 m to 13.465 m. The viewing distance with the top hull was increased from 18.39 km to 21.08 km
• For the cruiser New Orleans, fixed the bug related to the power of the AA defenses: the power of the stock hull AA defenses (40 mm Bofors guns) at a medium AA engagement distance underwent a twofold reduction.
• For the destroyer Sampson, increased the traverse speed of the main battery guns from 10 to 11.5 degrees per second.
• For the destroyer Wickes, increased the traverse speed of the main battery guns from 10 to 11.5 degrees per second.
• For the destroyer Wickes, converted the Bliss-Leavitt Mark 9 torpedoes into a researchable module.
• For the destroyer Nicholas, added the Defensive Fire consumable to Hull B instead of the Engine Boost consumable.
• For the destroyer Farragut, Hull C became optional for research. On this hull, the Engine Boost consumable was replaced with the Defensive Fire consumable.
• For the destroyer Mahan, added the Defensive Fire consumable to Hull B instead of the Engine Boost consumable.
• For the destroyer Benson, Hull C became optional for research. On this hull, the Engine Boost consumable was replaced with the Defensive Fire consumable.
• For the destroyer Gearing, the Defensive Fire consumable became available in addition to the Engine Boost consumable.
• For the destroyer Sims, separated the engagement areas of the Browning M2 and Oerlikon AA machine guns. The total engagement power has not changed: the firing range of the Oerlikon machine guns remains standard (2.1 km instead of 1.2 km earlier) while the firing range of the Browning M2 machine guns is reduced from 1.2 km to 0.9 km as compared with the previous range
• For the destroyer Sims, added an option to mount torpedoes 
• For the destroyer Sims, the Defensive Fire consumable became available in addition to the Engine Boost consumable.
• Reduced the traverse speed of the main turrets on the battleship Wyoming
• For the destroyer Sims, added alternative torpedoes
• Added a new type of shell (152MM AP/SC MK27 MOD5) for the 152mm/53 guns: the change of the shell affected the cruisers Omaha and Phoenix
• Increased the firing range for the top hull (C) of the cruiser Omaha (the same increase is applied to Murmansk)
• Increased the rate of fire and the main battery traverse speed of the U.S. Navy destroyers Sampson and Wickes

 

Japan:

• For ships without obvious superstructures, increased by 10% the distance of surface detection (the change affected the aircraft carriers Hosho, Zuiho and Ryujo)
• Modified the flight control modules; now, each research path offers at least one group of fighters
• Increased aircraft servicing time and takeoff/landing time
• Increased the traverse speed of the 120mm/45 guns from 4 degrees per second to 6 degrees per second. The change affected the destroyers Wakatake, Minekaze and Mutsuki
• Increased the traverse speed of the 127mm/50 Type C guns from 5 degrees per second to 6 degrees per second. The change affected the destroyers Fubuki and Kagero
• Increased the traverse speed of the 200mm/50 guns from 4 degrees per second to 5 degrees per second. The change affected the cruiser Furutaka
• Increased the traverse speed of the 203mm/50 guns from 4 degrees per second to 5 degrees per second. The reload time of the gun was decreased from 17 to 15 seconds. The change affected the cruiser Furutaka
• Decreased the traverse speed of the 155mm/50 guns from 4.5 degrees per second to 3.5 degrees per second. The number of the gun’s ‘hit points’ was reduced by 20%. The changes affected the cruiser Mogami
• Increased the range of the 450 Type42 mod. 1 torpedoes from 4.5 km to 5 km. The changes affected the destroyers Tachibana and Umikaze
• Increased the arming time for the Type91 mod. 1A torpedoes from 2.5 seconds to 3 seconds. The change affected all Japanese aircraft carriers.
• The aircraft carrier Hosho: due to the re-adjustment of the visibility system (for easier identification of ships in absence of an explicitly visible island or a superstructure), increased the detection and identification distance as seen from the water surface (surface detectability range) from 7.92 km to 8.82 km.
• The aircraft carrier Zuiho: due to the re-adjustment of the visibility system (for easier identification of ships in absence of an explicitly visible island or a superstructure), increased the detection and identification distance as seen from the water surface (surface detectability range) from 8.46 km to 9.18 km.
• The aircraft carrier Zuiho: changed the composition of the Type 5 mod. 1 flight control to contain 1 torpedo bomber, 2 bomber and 1 fighter squadrons instead of 2 torpedo bomber, 1 bomber and 1 fighter squadrons
• The aircraft carrier Zuiho: changed the composition of the Type 5 mod. 2 flight control to contain 2 torpedo bomber, 1 bomber and 1 fighter squadrons instead of 3 torpedo bomber, 1 bomber and 0 fighter squadrons
• The aircraft carrier Ryujo: due to the re-adjustment of the visibility system (for easier identification of ships in absence of an explicitly visible island or a superstructure), increased the detection and identification distance as seen from the water surface from 9.0 km to 9.9 km.
• The aircraft carrier Ryujo: changed the composition of the Type 6 mod. 1 flight control to contain 1 torpedo bomber, 2 bomber and 1 fighter squadrons instead of 2 torpedo bomber, 1 bomber and 1 fighter squadrons
• The aircraft carrier Ryujo: changed the composition of the Type 6 mod. 2 flight control to contain 2 torpedo bomber, 2 bomber and 1 fighter squadrons instead of 3 torpedo bomber, 2 bomber and 0 fighter squadrons
• The aircraft carrier Ryujo: changed the composition of the Type 6 mod. 3 flight control to contain 1 torpedo bomber, 1 bomber and 3 fighter squadrons instead of 2 torpedo bomber, 2 bomber and 1 fighter squadrons
• The aircraft carrier Hiryu: changed the composition of the Type 7 mod. 2 flight control to contain 2 torpedo bomber, 2 bomber and 2 fighter squadrons instead of 3 torpedo bomber, 3 bomber and 0 fighter squadrons
• The aircraft carrier Hiryu: changed the composition of the Type 7 mod. 3 flight control to contain 1 torpedo bomber, 2 bomber and 3 fighter squadrons instead of 2 torpedo bomber, 2 bomber and 2 fighter squadrons
• The aircraft carrier Shokaku: changed the composition of the Type 8 mod. 2 flight control to contain 2 torpedo bomber, 2 bomber and 2 fighter squadrons instead of 3 torpedo bomber, 3 bomber and 0 fighter squadrons
• The aircraft carrier Shokaku: changed the composition of the Type 8 mod. 3 flight control to contain 1 torpedo bomber, 2 bomber and 3 fighter squadrons instead of 2 torpedo bomber, 2 bomber and 1 fighter squadrons
• The aircraft carrier Taiho: changed the composition of the Type 9 mod. 2 flight control to contain 3 torpedo bomber, 2 bomber and 1 fighter squadrons instead of 3 torpedo bomber, 3 bomber and 1 fighter squadrons
• The aircraft carrier Hakuryu: changed the composition of the Type 10 mod. 2 flight control to contain 3 torpedo bomber, 3 bomber and 2 fighter squadrons instead of 3 torpedo bomber, 4 bomber and 1 fighter squadrons
• For the battleships Kongo, Fuso, Nagato and Amagi, added an intermediate hull (B) as a researchable module.
• For the battleship Yamato, reduced the chance of fire on the ship by 3.3%
• For the cruiser Atago, corrected a misprint in the text of the torpedo description (Type90 mod. 1 instead of Type93 mod. 1). The characteristics of the torpedoes remain unchanged.
• For the cruiser Yubari, the Defensive Fire consumable is now effective for the medium-range engagement distance (heavy AA machine guns) as well
• For the cruiser Hashidate, decreased the number of hit points for the stock hull from 10,700 to 8,800 and for the top hull from 12,400 to 10,300
• For the cruiser Furutaka, reduced the rudder shift time for the top hull by 1.1 seconds.
• For the cruiser Furutaka, changed the research system. Implemented a straightforward gun research procedure whereby guns will be researched successively. Added Type8 mod. 2 torpedoes as a researchable module
• For the cruiser Myoko, increased the probability of a fire on the ship by 6.6%
• For the cruiser Mogami, decreased the probability of a fire on the ship by 6.6%
• For the destroyers Minekaze and Mutsuki, increased detectability distance from 5.94 km to 6.2 km
• For the destroyer Minekaze, excluded the Type89 torpedoes from researchable modules.
• Reduced the national bonus related to the probability of setting fire for all shells (except 200 mm and 203 mm caliber shells)
• For the cruiser Kitakami, added the Engine Boost consumable
• For the cruiser Kitakami: increased the effective aiming angles for torpedo tubes For the cruiser Mogami, reduced the aiming speed of the main turrets, and reduced the hit points of these turrets by 20%
• For the battleships Kongo, Fuso, Nagato and Amagi, added intermediate hulls as researchable modules
• For the cruiser Myoko, decreased the reload time of the main battery guns by 2 seconds.
• For the Japanese destroyers Minekaze and Mutsuki, the detection distance was increased by 0,3 km
• Excluded the 533 mm Type 89 torpedo from researchable modules.
• Decreased the aiming angles of Minekaze’s torpedo tubes.
• Increased the turret traverse speed of certain Japanese destroyers
• Increased the rate of fire and the main battery traverse speed of the Japanese cruiser Furutaka
• Reduced rudder shift time for the cruiser Furutaka
• Added the Engine Boost consumable to the cruiser Kitakami
• Increased the aiming angles of Kitakami’s torpedo tubes

 

USSR\Russia:

• Shell of Cruiser Murmansk 152-mm AP/SC Mk27 mod.2 was renaimed into 152-mm AP/SC Mk27 mod.8. Characteristics remained the same.

 

Aviation

• Added an alternative attack mode for fighter squadrons: Air Squadron Assault, activated by pressing Alt + LMB
• An air squadron carries out an assault upon a particular area on the map, designated by the player. Going at a high speed, fighters fly straight through the designated area, delivering massive fire at targets. All air squadrons (including allied ones) that happen to be within the impact area will take damage.
• Added aircraft fire visualization in the form of gun tracers.
• Fixed the incorrect display of a torpedo cone during a torpedo attack in automatic mode.
• Now, fighter squadrons cannot be ordered to perform several consecutive attacks at once (by pressing and holding Shift).

 

Aircraft:

• Changed the turning radii for all aircraft. The average values remain close to those in the previous version.
• Increased ammunition capacity for all fighters
• Introduced a twofold increase (on average) in the self-defense power of all attack aircraft
• Normalized the self-defense power of all fighters in order to avoid significant variations across levels

 

Reporting

• Implemented an automatic system for handling reports regarding chat misbehavior, capable of issuing chat bans to players.

 

Matchmaker

• Implemented a “mirror balance” for aircraft carriers in terms of their number and tier in almost all cases (except for extremely rare occasions when the waiting time in queue is longer than the maximum time allowed).
• Implemented interruption of a series of battles that a player takes part in where the player’s ship tier is lower that the level of the battle
• Now, the matchmaker distributes destroyers more evenly between opposite teams, when a battle is created.

 

Game Maps

• Added two new maps: 

Straight:

The map features an Italian coast where, in 1940, for the first time ever heavy ships were attacked solely by carrier-based aviation. This operation “inspired” Japan’s massive assault on Pearl Harbor. In 1943, the Allied fleet supported Operation “Husky”, Operation “Avalanche” and many other operations of great importance for wartime achievements in Europe.

– Size: 36×36 km

– Modes: Standard Battle, Domination (3 key areas).

 

Solomon Islands:

One of the major Pacific Ocean campaigns carried out during World War II that took place in the vicinity of the Solomon Islands archipelago.  Battles continued from 1942 until 1945. During 1942-1943, the largest sea battle – the Guadalcanal Campaign – took place in the waters of the archipelago. A strategically important airport Henderson Field is located on the island. After the battle, the U.S. President Franklin D. Roosevelt said, “It would seem that the turning point in this war has at last been reached.”

– Size: 30×30 km

– Modes: Standard Battle, Domination (3 key areas)

 

• Added foliage to the following maps: North, Big Race, Islands, Hotspot, New Dawn, Two Brothers and Fault Line
• Fixed gameplay components of the following maps: New Dawn and Fault Line
• Disabled the initial diagonal placement of teams and the Domination mode (with 5 key areas) on the Hotspot map.

 

Graphics

• Implemented a new technology of foliage visualization on maps

 

Sound

• Made an overall improvement of sound effects in the game.
• Reworked the sounds of nearby flying shells. 
• Improved the sound effects of jet-powered aircraft. 
• Work is under way to improve performance.
• Added new music tracks.

 

Interface

• Now, ship’s characteristics are displayed taking into account the equipment mounted on the ship.
• Improved visualization of three-dimensional game interfaces
• Implemented the display of licensers in the game client
• Added an IME language panel (can be enabled in the Settings)
• Added input support for the Chinese, Korean and Japanese languages.
• Improved the Summary tab in the player’s profile
• Implemented the option to display battle statistics separately for Co-op, Standard and Ranked Battles

 

System Changes

• Added a change that will substantially simplify aiming at a ship moving over the border of the map (“kiting”)