Update 0.25 Black Sea Incursion

The first part of the Black Sea Incursion season includes the following features:

Features
As well numerous other fixes and improvements!
 * Kornet-EM Tier 10 Armored Fighting Vehicle
 * New Special Operation
 * World Map (Headquarters)
 * Contract Missions
 * Commander Skill Changes
 * Loot System Changes
 * Camouflage System Changes
 * PvE Mission “Albatross” Overhaul

Kornet-EM
The time has come and the long-awaited Kornet-EM Tier 10 Armored Fighting Vehicle is finally here! The Kornet-EM is a very light four-wheeled Russian Tigr utility vehicle with two Kornet ATGM launchers installed inside it. It features two firing modes:


 * Both launchers are ready at the same time but their firing arc is restricted to the front of the vehicle
 * Only one launcher is ready but its firing arc is unlimited

You can learn more about it in our developer diary. The Kornet-EM comes with three interesting unlocks:


 * New red-brown Desert Blood base color
 * Winter version of the Oscar Faraday Snakeskin camouflage
 * New player title: “Kornet”

Interested in this vehicle’s history? Check our dedicated article!

New Special Operation
This time, the story-driven Special Operations mode will take you to the war-torn country of Georgia as Magnus Holter explains how he became a war criminal in the first place. Be ready for a tale of betrayal as nothing is as it seems in this story. From the coastal city of Batumi to the mountainous Tkvarcheli area, three new challenging PvE missions await you. Explore the tale of Magnus Holter and win unique decals, avatars and camouflages in this brand-new mission pack!

Are you new to the Armored Warfare storyline? Interested in what happened until now? Don’t miss the recent Story So Far update!

World Map (Headquarters)
The World Map replaces the Garage as the default battle management window, making it easier to select your favorite game mode with just one or two clicks. Manage your vehicles, select your missions, learn about the hottest Armored Warfare news and chat with your friends in the overhauled General Chat window – the Headquarters window offers all this and more.



You can learn more about it in a dedicated article.

Contract Missions
Contract Missions are several series of tasks tied into a single campaign that will initially be available upon launch. It will contain PvP, Global Operations and PvE missions connected to the lore of Armored Warfare and will give you the opportunity to win amazing prizes up to and including Premium vehicles!



You can learn more about it in a dedicated article.

Low Tier Global Operations
We are introducing a number of changes to the Global Operations mode and are making them available for low Tier vehicles on newly re-designed smaller maps! Learn more about the changes in a dedicated article!

Commander Skill Changes
Upon carefully evaluating the response to and the results of the introduction of the new Commander system, we are introducing a large number of changes to most commanders in the game. These changes will be accompanied by a free skill reset. You can read more about them in a dedicated article!

Loot System Changes
Another system that we are making changes to in Update 0.25 is the Loot System. Our goal is to make the Loot Crate drop rules more transparent and consistent, which is why we are switching to a different set of conditions players need to meet in order to obtain them as well as improving their contents to include rental vehicles and even Gold! You can learn more about it in a dedicated article.

Camouflage System Changes
Last but not least, we are introducing several changes to the game’s Camouflage system in order to adjust its performance, especially for dedicated scout AFVs as well as the way the camouflage system interacts with certain commanders. You can learn more about it in a dedicated article.

PvE Mission "Albatross Overhaul
The PvE mission “Albatross” has been overhauled in order to improve its gameplay as well as to enhance its visuals.



Second Special Operation
We are introducing the first part of the second Special Operation, taking place in Georgia (Batumi and Tkvarcheli). This operation consists of:


 * Three new missions
 * 15 new Achievements (including 1 hidden)

World Map (Headquarters)
We are introducing a new default UI element – instead of the Garage, the players will normally see the World Map. The World Map includes several features:


 * As its name suggests, the main view shows a map of the world with mission information
 * New ways of choosing what mode to play
 * General chat is now an integral part of the World Map screen
 * Contract Missions (replacing the older Challenges system)
 * News window, bringing you information about the game and its updates

The World Map is separated into two different screens – one for PvP and one for PvE. Each of those screens allows you to select a different vehicle for both modes and to see its equipment (retrofits, shells, insignia etc.) without having to switch to the Garage window (available on the top bar)

Contract Missions
We've prepared a new Contract Mission campaign for you, replacing the older Challenge system. You'll be able to earn awesome prizes by completing a number of missions. More information is available in a dedicated article.

Matchmaking Improvements
We've made a number of adjustments to the Matchmaking system in order to improve the experience:


 * Improvements to the matchmaker in order to reduce match Tier spread
 * Improvements to platoon matchmaking in order for matches to have an equal amount of platoons
 * Fixes to the PvE MM rules that define which vehicles are well armored ("brawlers") for the purpose of team assembly
 * The number of platoon members per team is now limited to 7

Commander Rebalance
Following a thorough analysis of the current state of the Commander system, we've made a number of changes to most Commanders in the game. Detailed changes will be announced in a separate article. Due to the extent of these changes, we'll be introducing a one-time free reset of commander skills.

Economy Changes
We are introducing a number of changes to the Loot system. These changes include:


 * Players no longer receive Loot Crates for their battle performance
 * Loot Crates are now received for completing Contracts that are available via the World Map UI
 * Opening a Loot Crate will now award only one type of reward but the amount provided is increased (for example, instead of three Insignia tokens, you will receive ten)
 * Loot Crates (up to Gold level) no longer drop other Loot Crates of higher quality
 * Loot Crates now drop 2-hour boosters instead of 12-hour ones
 * Platinum Loot Crates can now drop Gold
 * All Loot Crates can now drop 3-day rental of the following Premium vehicles: Zhalo-S, XM1 and VFM5 (if you have that vehicle already in your garage, you will receive 10% of its price in Gold instead)

Spotting Changes
We are introducing two changes to the camouflage equation that make very stealthy vehicles less stealthy (due to the excessive bonus recon AFVs were receiving previously) but slightly improve the situation for low stealth vehicles such as MBTs.

APFSDS Improvements
We changed the way APFSDS shell penetration works. It will no longer be possible to receive a "non-penetration" result when firing at lightly armored targets at the areas that are under sharp angles. This change will fix such strange situations as when an MBT could not penetrate Wiesel's side armor. More information will be disclosed in an upcoming developed diary.

High-Explosive Shell Penetration Indicator

The HE shell penetration indicator now works as such:


 * Red: the impact will deal 15 percent of the base shell damage or less
 * Yellow: the impact will deal 16 to 80 percent of the base shell damage
 * Green: the impact will deal more than 80 percent of the base shell damage

General Changes


 * The Order of the Captor medal is now not awarded in battles that end with simultaneous base capture by both sides
 * Shots no longer reset the wheel repair timer
 * The Penetration Indicator now takes ricochets into account
 * The previously hidden Caribbean Crisis achievements are now visible in the Dossier
 * We optimized the client's memory requirements (especially noticeable for 32bit PCs)
 * Customization window performance was optimized
 * Achievement decals no longer display a price when selected
 * The date of account creation and the date of the last battle played are now visible in Dossier (including to other players when sharing is enabled)
 * Tutorial map visual quality was improved
 * Damage received and damage dealt panels can now be again moved separately
 * Improved the platoon matchmaker – it will better take the amount of platoons per team into account for PvP battles
 * Small optimization for the High graphics setting or lower
 * Ready Rack vehicles now can't reload if their ammo rack is destroyed

General Changes

 * We are introducing a new Tier 10 Armored Fighting Vehicle – Kornet-EM
 * Tier 3 IS-7 Premium Main Battle Tank is now available within the client for Gold (Marat Shishkin branch)
 * All the unmanned turrets that are installed on MBTs, heavy AFVs and heavy TDs now receive reduced damage. In all the other cases (for example, light AFVs), such turrets will receive full damage.If a vehicle has multiple modules that can cause reloading to become impossible if destroyed, it will no longer be possible to fire with one of these modules destroyed. Instead, reloading will not work unless all of these modules are repaired
 * Significantly improved the hard-kill APS detonation effect
 * Improved the tracks visual model on a number of vehicles
 * Fixed an issue where a number of vehicles didn't show their decals properly
 * Fixed an issue with a number of vehicles not having shadows appearing correctly
 * Towing Cable models were updated on all vehicles
 * Fixed the appearance of headlights on the lowest graphics settings on a number of vehicles
 * All Premium vehicles purchased from bundles now have consumable auto-replenishment enabled by default
 * Introduced a number of visual fixes to make vehicle bottom surfaces look more realistic
 * Reworked the optics shader to make vehicle optics look more realistic
 * ATGM launch visual effects now become more visible
 * Fixed a number of small visual issues for multiple models
 * Fixed the vehicle's icon on the battle UI panel for multiple vehicles

Abrams AGDS Abrams (all vehicles of the family)
 * Fixed the issue where some elements of the vehicle disappeared upon adding a camouflage to it
 * Fixed the way shadows appear on the vehicle
 * Improved the coated optics visual models
 * Improved the weld visual models

AMX-10P PAC 90 (including Fox)
 * Improved the vehicle's visual model quality

ASCOD LT-105
 * Reduced the camouflage penalty for firing the gun

B1 Centauro
 * Changed the APS visual model

B1 Centauro 120
 * Updated the vehicle model along with its APS

B1 DRACO
 * B1 Draco has an unmanned turret and therefore now receives reduced damage

Begleitpanzer 57
 * Fixed the missing gun flame effect when firing

BMD-1
 * Fixed an issue where a part of the ATGM launcher model disappeared

BMP-1 BMPT Terminator Series
 * Fixed the issue where the turret was not rotating around its axis
 * Fixed an issue where a part of the ATGM launcher model disappeared
 * Installing an APS now makes it appear on the vehicle
 * Fixed an issue where the turret textures were often missing on lowest graphics settings
 * Fixed the armor of its weapons module

C1 Ariete
 * Ammo rack no longer detonates as often when receiving hull hits
 * Fixed the visual model of the vehicle (the Scudo APS was incorrectly placed, making it collide with the PSO upgraded armor blocs and making it not display decals correctly)
 * Fixed the incorrect UI acceleration value with an improved engine

CRAB
 * Fixed the missing autocannon flame effect when firing the gun

Challenger 1
 * Fixed the gun's depression angle
 * Improved the visual quality of roadwheels and lights (making them look smoother)
 * Fixed the gun visual model

Challenger 1 FALCON
 * The turret now receives reduced damage

Challenger 2 ATDU
 * Fixed the visual APS model

Chieftain 900
 * Improved the mantlet armor
 * Fixed an issue where the mantlet could be penetrated under certain angle
 * Significantly increased the armor thickness of driver's periscopes

Chieftain Mk.10
 * Fixed the gun visual model

EE-18 Sucuri II
 * Fixed the way decals appear on the vehicle
 * Fixed the gun model (it does not look as if it was filled with something anymore)

Expeditionary Tank
 * The turret now receives reduced damage

K21 XC8
 * Reduced the camouflage penalty for moving

Kampfpanzer-70
 * The exhaust no longer looks like there's a potato in it
 * Fixed an issue that caused a part of the destroyed vehicle model to become black

LAV-150 90 (and LAV-150 90 Merc)
 * Fixed the smoke grenade launcher visual model (now they look loaded in combat)

Leopard 2AX


 * Optimized its armor model (armor is now calculated more accurately)

M1134
 * The turret now receives reduced damage
 * Reload time reduced from 16 to 15 seconds
 * The vehicle now can fire a new TOW missile variant that combines Fire and Forget with Top Attack mechanics

M1, M1A1, M2A3 Bradley
 * Fixed a bug that caused the headlights to be turned on even in the Garage

M1A1 Abrams
 * Fixed an issue where applying camouflage negated the upgraded armor protection bonus

M1A2 Abrams M1128 Stryker
 * Fixed an issue where applying camouflage negated the upgraded armor protection bonus
 * Unmanned turret now takes reduced damage

M551 Sheridan
 * Fixed the incorrect suspension visual model
 * Updated the armor model of the tank and its accessories (now, if you fire at the top hatch, the vehicle will not take damage unless you also hit the actual armor)
 * Fixed the vehicle's fuel tank model (the fuel does not burn now)

M60, M60A1
 * Fixed the first slot decal appearance
 * Fixed an issue where the drive sprocket was clipping through the tracks

M8 Buford M8 Thunderbolt Merkava IID
 * Improved the visual quality on the grid model on the vehicle
 * Improved the visual quality of headlights
 * Fixed an issue where the first slot decal was not appearing at all
 * Improved the grid quality on the visual model of the vehicle
 * Fixed the UI characteristics weight value of the vehicle

MT LB S-8 (Strela-10 S-8)
 * Fixed an issue causing the vehicle to appear black

NM142
 * Updated the vehicle's visual model (improved turret model and textures)
 * Improved the Top Attack TOW-2B variant by increasing its flight velocity by 30 percent, increased its penetration two times and reduced the camouflage penalty for firing to 45 percent (it is now identical to the other TOW variants)

Object 187
 * Upper and lower frontal armor weld armor slightly adjusted

Object 279
 * Fixed an issue where parts of this vehicle appeared black with low graphics settings
 * Moved the clan decal spot to the hull
 * Numerous smaller visual model fixes
 * Armor increased (anti-HEAT spaced armor now works better)
 * Removed its lower matchmaking weight

OT-64 COBRA
 * Fixed an issue where the missile model was missing

PL-01
 * Installing an APS now makes it appear on the vehicle
 * Fixed the ADAPTIV camouflage description
 * Fixed the issue where an APS model appeared on the vehicle even though it wasn't unlocked yet

PzH 2000
 * Fixed an issue where the turret was flying in the air on the destroyed model of this vehicle

PTZ-89
 * Size of the model was increased

Rooikat 76
 * Fixed the suspension model
 * Fixed the incorrect rear light color

Scorpion 90
 * Fixed the missing gun flame effect when firing

T-14 Armata (including Armata 152)
 * Fixed several small visual issues of the model

T-15
 * Fixed the incorrect UI hull traverse value with an improved engine

T-55
 * Fixed the second roadwheel model

T-72 Ural, T-72 Victory
 * Fixed an issue where these tanks incorrectly differed from each other in turret traverse rate and top APFSDS shell accuracy
 * Updated the track model

T-72A, T-72AV ICE, T-72AV Blue


 * Fixed an issue where these tanks incorrectly differed from each other in acceleration, mobility and turret traverse rate
 * Updated the track model

T-72B
 * Camouflage now correctly appears on its ERA modules
 * Fixed the incorrect UI engine properties of the improved engine
 * Updated the track model

T-80U (including all variants)
 * Fixed the exhaust smoke effect

T-80U Spacewalker
 * Fixed the gun texture
 * Improved the textures on the rear of the vehicle
 * Improved the way the first slot decal looks on the vehicle

T-90A
 * Fixed an issue that caused the vehicle camouflage to not appear correctly

Type 62
 * Fixed the armor model of turret hatches

Type 96, Type 96A
 * Mantlet armor improved
 * Resistance to HEAT shells (armor modifier) improved
 * Turret ring armor improved

9910, Type 98, Type 99A1, Type 99A2
 * Fixed an issue where different shells on the same gun had different aiming times

VBL TOW
 * The vehicle can now equip a 20mm Rh202 autocannon as an alternative to the TOW launcher
 * Fixed the visual model of the vehicle on fire

VT-5
 * Improved the vehicle's visual model quality
 * ATGM reload speed now equals that of other shells

Wilk XC8
 * The destroyed model of this vehicle now shows APS correctly
 * Fixed an issue where the first slot decal was not appearing at all

XM1 Fox
 * Improved the vehicle's visual model quality
 * Fixed the engine module appearance in the vehicle's Upgrade window

XM1A3
 * Fixed an issue where the shell counter didn't show the correct number of shells
 * Fixed an issue where the first slot decal was not appearing at all

ZBD-86
 * Fixed multiple issues with shadows
 * Fixed the vehicle's icon on the battle UI panel

Player versus Player

 * Tier 1 to 2 PvP has been disabled and replaced by Global Operations
 * Pleternica: optimized the rain effect for better performance

Player versus Environment

 * We've updated the AI vehicle pool in order to decrease the amount of ATGM spamming vehicles
 * Operation Albatross was completely overhauled
 * PvE difficulties are now limited by Tiers as such: PvE Easy – Tier 1 to 6, PvE Medium – Tier 3 to Tier 8, PvE Hard – Tier 5 to 10

Special Operations

 * Completing a Special Operation on standard difficulty (Tier 1 to Tier 8) now awards a Gold Loot Crate once per

Global Operations

 * Introduced low-Tier Global Operations
 * Changed the map availability to depend on Tiers
 * Grindelwald – fixed an issue where some Wildcard capture zones did not correspond to the way they were displayed on the ground

Issues and Corrections

 * Fixed an issue where attempting to view a Replay recorded by neutral observers causes the vehicles to appear under the map
 * Fixed an issue where, if an enemy bunker spotted a player, the player would sometimes remain spotted indefinitely even though the bunker was destroyed
 * Fixed an issue where match observers sometimes couldn't see player names in the post-battle debriefing properly
 * Retrofits now work on the Alabino map
 * Fixed Loot Crate opening animation
 * Fixed an issue where it was impossible to enter the Alabino map on vehicles not yet purchased
 * Fixed an issue that caused the post-battle screen to display information about a commander receiving a new rank even though he or she did not
 * Fixed a bug where players received no feedback message when hitting enemy ERA
 * Fixed a bug making it impossible to receive skill bonuses for standing still due to the gun's recoil
 * Fixed an issue where it was impossible to add an invited person to a Custom Match room when more than one person accepted your invitation
 * Fixed an UI issue where the bonus damage value was incorrectly shown in the Garage for some shells
 * The name Christina is no longer duplicate in the Crew name list (replaced by Larisa)
 * Fixed some help text issues
 * Fixed a number of smaller UI issues
 * Fixed an issue where the actual vehicle turret position did not correspond to the one other players saw
 * Fixed an issue where player mouse would become stuck after entering a battle
 * Garage vehicle filter no longer resets after battle
 * Improved the Garage shadow quality
 * Turretless vehicles no longer have turret-related parameters in their UI
 * Fixed the Polish name for the Challenger 1 Falcon spall liner
 * Multiple vehicles had their battle icon (the silhouette in the lower left corner in battle) reworked
 * Fixed the base color display in the Customization window
 * Fixed an issue where a player either accepted or rejected a Custom Match invitation but the prompt did not go away either way
 * Fixed an issue where reconnecting to a PvE mission after a disconnect restored used consumables
 * Dossier tab Profile now has additional tooltips with explanatory texts