Commanders!

One of the issues you’ve brought up recently concerns the diversity of AI vehicles in PvE battles as well as their composition.



Or, to be more specific, you’ve pointed out two issues:

The first concerns the fact that the newest vehicles in Armored Warfare are not appearing in the role of AI opponents. This concerns mostly the French branch, but there are other vehicles affected by this issue as well.

Secondly, there are cases where too many vehicles of the same type spawn in a short span of time. Let’s face it – no-one likes to fight against a horde of T-15 Armatas on Tier 10 or to get trampled by a wild herd of roving Swingfires.

When it comes to the first issue, starting from Update 0.30, we’d like to address it by automatizing the whole process to a considerable degree and introducing an internal mechanism that will add all new vehicles to the AI spawn pool while notify the developer responsible to approve them. The approving developer will then review them and have them tested.

The reason why this requires human oversight is fairly obvious – AI vehicles are not that different from player ones and use, for example, the same firing mechanisms (they don’t “bend bullets” or have different penetration resolution).

Some vehicles are therefore inherently unsuitable to become AI opponents because to play against them would be frustrating. The older players of you might remember the old times before we removed artillery from the AI vehicle pool. Another such potentially toxic cases might include top-down ATGMs or the new Javelin ATGM mechanism with high trajectory. And, of course, there is the Object 490 – we are currently not interested in having it in the game as an AI opponent due to the potential frustrations it might cause.

We have already identified around two dozen vehicles that pose no threat to PvE balance and will be added to the PvE spawn pool in Update 0.30, including:

• Low-to-mid Tier French tanks
• Al-Hussein
• BM Oplot
• Leclerc series
• VT-4, Magach 7A and other random vehicles that didn’t make it to the list until now for whatever reason

The vehicles we still need to check and test thoroughly include, for example:

• Chieftain series (HESH in AI hands is just nasty)
• Scorpion Kastet and a few other vehicles with powerful autocannons
• IT-1 and its hard-hitting ATGMs
• C-13 and Leclerc T40 due to the top-down mechanism
• MTLB S-8, Ontos and other such outlier vehicles that hit extremely hard if they manage to connect their shots

The second issue – diversity – will partially solve itself after we introduce a number of new vehicles to the AI spawn pool. Nevertheless, we will take a close look at the issue where multiple same vehicles spawn at once, analyze it and will eventually impose some diversity restrictions to limit such cases.

Are there any special vehicles that you would like to see as AI opponents specifically? Let us know on Discord!

We hope you will enjoy these changes – see you on the battlefield!

On the 30th of July 2019, starting from 8:00 CEST (29th of July, 11 PM PDT), the server will not be available for 4 hours due to the application of Update 0.29.5627.




New Special Operation

The fourth Moscow Calling Special Operation is now available, finishing the Moscow Calling story arc with a prisoner rescue raid. It’s bringing three new achievements:

• Moscow Resident 4
• Before They React
• Emergency Service

Contract Missions Review

We’ve reviewed the Contract Missions that require you to help your allies deal damage as such:

• The Best Hand mission now requires 6.000 assist damage in PvP or 13.000 in GLOPS
• The Tireless Support mission now requires 1.000 assist damage in PvP or 5.000 in PvE or GLOPS
• The Bulldozer mission can now be completed over the course of multiple battles

Additionally, the Perfect Streak mission that requires you to win 5 PvE missions in a row without dying now also takes platoon deaths into account and cannot be completed if one of your platoon members dies.

General Changes

• Fixed an exploit that allowed players to force complete Battalion Contract Missions for free
• Fixed an issue that caused items activated from your Inventory to disappear
• Compensated the T-90, Warrior and Centauro 105 Experience lost due to a previously present issue with the Rage skins
• A number of MBTs had their roof armor reduced and fixed (Object 640, Challenger 2, Challenger 2 ATDU, T-90MS, Merkava Mk.4, Merkava Mk.4M, C1 Ariete, Leopard Evolution, Leopard Revolution, Leopard 2A5, Type 96B, Type 99A, Type 99A2, BM Oplot)
• Challenger 1 Fionn: fixed an issue that caused the mantlet to be only 150mm thick instead of the intended 800mm
• Challenger 2: fixed an issue where this vehicle received an unintentional armor nerf (upper frontal plate weakspot) as well as the armor above its mantlet
• Challenger 2 ATDU: fixed an issue where this vehicle received an unintentional armor nerf (upper frontal plate weakspot)
• Leclerc T40: ATGM lock-on time reduced by 10 percent
• Leclerc T40: fixed an issue that caused the Improved Missile Launcher upgrade module bonuses to not work correctly Leclerc T40: the Improved Sights module now improves maximum spread and aiming time by 40 percent (from 20 percent)
• Leclerc T40: the Improved Missile Launcher module now allows you to have two ATGMs in the air at the same time
• M-95 Degman: the LAHAT ATGM was replaced by a more powerful Falarick ATGM
• Moscow Calling Special Operation 1: fixed an issue where the achievement awarded for protecting Magnus’ tank and preventing it from taking any hitpoint damage was not awarded if the tank received any module damage (immobilization, for example)
• Moscow Calling Special Operation 3: fixed an issue where the first wave of flying drones had 0 hitpoints
• Moscow Calling Special Operation 3: fixed an issue where the transports carrying the cargo could sometimes get out of their final objective capture circle
• Immobilizing your team’s players in Global Operations now carries a hefty Credit penalty
• Fixed several mission description issues
• Fixed a number of small UI issues

Commanders!

Today, we’d like to show you the first of the high-Tier progression vehicles that are coming during the next season. These vehicles will not be a part of the portfolio of a new dealer – they will, instead, be added to an existing dealer, Oscar Faraday. Each of these vehicles will be unique in its own way – from interesting additional mechanics to entirely new concepts, this group has it all. With that being said, let’s take a look at the first vehicle of our menu – the Griffin Light Tank.



But, let us start from the beginning. In 2014, the NATO forces found themselves in a new reality. The War on Terror ended, and a new era for the western militaries began with Russia once again coming to the forefront of military interest by its involvement in the War in Donbas. Conventional large-scale war, the light NATO anti-terror expeditionary forces were ill-suited for, found its way back into the spotlight, and rapid response to potential Russian attacks became one of the main topics of military discussions.

In the eyes of the west, the most threatened regions were (and are) the Baltic countries – however, both sides of the potential conflict in the region realize that the NATO response options are seriously limited. Measures, such as the creation of the NATO Response Force unit, were taken to remedy that situation, but it is not enough to simply attach troops to a certain dedicated unit – their equipment must be suitable for their task as well.

For the United States Army, it meant the launch of several new programs (limited in their scope in order to not repeat the mistakes of the Future Combat Systems program) and one of them was called MPF (Mobile Protected Firepower).

The goal of the MPF program was – still is, in fact – to provide the U.S. Airborne forces with a highly mobile Light Tank with ample firepower, capable of being air-dropped from the C-130 Hercules. This Light Tank is to replace the Stryker in the Infantry Brigade Combat Team units. But, unlike the older, ill-fated American armor programs that swallowed billions of dollars with nothing to show for, the MFP program prefers existing technology.

The first vehicle to be dusted off for this program was the latest iteration of the venerable M8 Thunderbolt Light Tank that’s been around in one form or another since the early 1990s. Another candidate brought up was the Light Tank version of another older platform, the CV90. But there was also a third sort-of-candidate of which we will talk about today – the Griffin.

The Griffin started out in 2016 as little more than a technology demonstrator. Just a little explanation first, though. Tech demonstrators and prototypes do get mixed up a lot – the difference is that where a prototype is an actual prototype of an actual concept that’s supposed to be tested or evaluated in other ways, technology demonstrator is basically just a platform with components thrown together for demonstrative purposes. In other words, the goal of a prototype is to evaluate the vehicle as a whole while the goal of a tech demonstrator is to show off its components. Technology demonstrators are sometimes immobile or are missing critical components and are not intended as fully functional vehicles.

With that being said, the Griffin technology demonstrator first appeared in public during the Association of the United States Army (AUSA 2016) conference. By then, it was little more than a slapdash of existing components and cardboard that, after all, took only a few months to assemble.



It was built to look impressive and to promote the MPF program since it was coming along slowly and the first-line units it was intended for the most – the 101st Airborne and the 82nd Airborne – needed it to replace the aging Stryker.

The Griffin was built by General Dynamics Land Systems to conform to the requirements laid out by MPF:

• Light weight (the vehicle had to be airmobile and deployable by parachutes, although the second requirement was dropped later)
• High mobility
• Light protection (mostly against enemy autocannons)
• Sufficient firepower to fight off enemy tanks (in other words, a MBT-class cannon)
• The use existing technologies (not necessarily the best of the best)

The last point was, in a way, a reflection of the Abrams approach. Instead of a hyper-expensive program that would use 100 percent cutting edge technology but end in failure, the U.S. Army wanted something that would be slightly lower tech but considerably more affordable.

The Griffin met those requirements on paper. It was built around another property of the GDLS Corporation – the Ajax platform – with an aluminum turret on top using the same layout and internals as the M1A2 SEP v2 Abrams turret (in order to minimize training requirements) and featuring an experimental 120mm smoothbore gun called XM360.

You might remember the XM360 cannon from our article series about the Abrams MBT – it was basically an attempt to build a gun with similar dimensions and general performance to the already used M256 120mm smoothbore, but lighter and with higher barrel pressure, allowing it to fire more powerful kinetic rounds. The gun was developed during the FCS program with a variant called XM360E1 built specifically to be retrofitted to the Abrams.

The gun was built and tested but never produced en masse, even though the program is still going and it is expected for this gun (or its variant) to appear on a future Abrams variant (unofficially but commonly referred to by press as M1A3). Its abilities also include firing guided ammunition (XM1111) at the distance of up to 13 kilometers.

It’s worth noting that GDLS declared the Griffin to be capable of also carrying a 105mm gun, which would make for a less powerful but, at the same time, much more affordable solution. Interestingly enough, due to the advanced components used in the abovementioned XM360 gun, the 105mm variant would actually weigh more.

The whole thing weighed some 27 tons and was declared to be deployable by parachutes from a C-17 Globemaster III. If you are wondering how something so big can weight so little, it will not surprise you to hear that the vehicle offered protection from small arms only. Additional armor and an APS would make it heavier, of course.



In any case, the whole show seems to have had an effect with the U.S. Army procurement mechanisms awaking from their deep slumber. In 2017, the MPF requirements were refined and amended further, as such:

• The vehicle has to weigh between 25 and 35 tons
• The vehicle has to carry at least a 105mm gun
• Its armor should protect the crew from 30mm autocannons with additional protection ensured by advanced APS
• The vehicle must have top-of-the-line sensors to ensure its first strike capability
• A single C-17 plane has to be able to carry two of these vehicles

The parachute deployment requirement was, however, dropped.

The U.S. Army was expected to start issuing actual prototype contracts for this program by 2020 but as it turned out, they’ve been in touch with BAE Systems (responsible for the M8 Thunderbolt) and General Dynamics with their Griffin. A contract for 12 prototypes to be delivered between 2019 and 2020 was signed with both companies with the winner to be decided in 2022 and the first of the 500 planned production vehicles being available between 2024 and 2025.

But that’s not there is to the Griffin.

You see, MPF is not the only U.S. Army armor program currently running. They are looking for a Bradley replacement as well as a part of the Optionally-Manned Fighting Vehicle program. As its name suggests, the goal is to find the next IFV with some robotized capabilities.

This program is quite complicated because, unlike the MFP where a domestic solution exists (sort of) in the form of the M8 Thunderbolt, there are no suitable domestic candidates for the OMFV platform – unless developed from scratch in the U.S.A., the platform would have to come from abroad. The program is being also pushed hard by the military – originally, the Bradley replacement would enter service in 2032 but these goals have changed as such:

• 2023 – declaration of the OMFV program winner
• 2026 – the OMFV vehicle enter service

All in all, the program’s goal is to replace all 1600 or so active Bradleys as well some Abrams tanks that are currently attached to the Armored Brigade Combat Team units. The requirements are roughly as follows:

• The vehicle has to weigh 41.5 tons at most (in order to fit into a C-17 and for it to carry from the U.S. to Europe)
• Two man crew (optional, remote control at 1500 (at least) to 3000 (ideally) meters is a requirement)
• Advanced sensors and communications equipment, including third generation FLIR sensors
• The ability to carry at least 5 troops and enough ammo and other equipment to operate for 72-96 hours
• Excellent main gun elevation and the presence of a RCWS in order to optimize the vehicle for urban combat, each weapon system must be able to engage a separate target independently
• Sufficient capacity for future modernizations

As you can see, building such a vehicle will be no small feat.

Nevertheless, one of the vehicles mentioned in connection with this program was a modified Griffin called Griffin III.

This vehicle first appeared in 2018 – two years later after the original Griffin, once again during the AUSA conference and, once again, as a technology demonstrator.



The whole vehicle weighed “less than 40 tons” and was, once again, only lightly protected, but what made it really interesting was its two-man experimental General Dynamics turret co-developed with ARDEC and armed with a 50mm XM913 Bushmaster chain gun by Orbital ATK.

The maximum elevation of the gun was 85 degrees with the depression being -20 degrees, allowing for some excellent urban combat capabilities and the ability to hit targets hiding in tall buildings as well as low-flying targets such as ground support planes, helicopters and drones. The gun can fire different types of ammunition, including programmable HE. The 30mm XM813 cannon was mentioned as an alternative armament.

The vehicle protection was enhanced by the presence of a laser-warning system, an Israeli Iron Fist hard-kill APS as well as with a next generation Tacticam camouflage system by Armorworks. This camouflage is special by not only concealing the vehicle visually, but also thermally (veiling its heat trace) and acoustically (making it quieter). The fuel tanks (located outside of the main hull) are self-sealing.

The vehicle also carried a suicide drone container and cutting edge MX-GCS sights by L3 WESCAM as well as some truly remarkably sensitive sensors, allowing the on-board computer to detect even sniper fire (and where it is coming from).



The Griffin could carry six troops alongside its two-man crew – only two men were required due to the use of a “robotic assistant” that could, for example, automatically aim the gun in the direction of incoming fire.

It was powered by a conventional Ajax engine (MTU 8V199 V8 supercharged diesel producing 800hp). Maximum speed was, of course, theoretical, as this was a demonstrator only, but likely would be around 70 km/h. The suspension was based on the Ajax one – only shorter with six roadwheels instead of seven.

The vehicle was received positively but its current status is unknown – whether it will pass the MFP trials remains to be seen.

One thing’s for sure, though – you’ll get the chance to drive the Griffin in Armored Warfare. This formidable advanced platform has much to offer. Since it started in 2016 as a Light Tank, introducing it as one is definitely an option. Or perhaps a heavy Marder-like AFV with a powerful 50mm autocannon? Let us know on Discord which variant you would like to see and what special properties would you give it!

There’s definitely a lot to choose from – an advanced counter-fire system? Some AI-assisted features? That high-tech camouflage from the 2018 model? We’re open to your suggestions and will definitely update you on our progress as we work on the vehicle itself – or, vehicles.

And as for those who would find this vehicle a bit too mundane for their taste – don’t worry, we’re just getting started. We can promise you a lot of excitement by the time the line is fully unveiled.

See you on the battlefield!

Commanders!

The Banner Bearer contest is over and now’s the time to take a look at the winners.



The following 26 champions have completed the challenge and obtained the Object 490 Tier 10 Premium MBT by July 19, 2019:

• Tenam (BrutalsPlayersElites)
• Drugs (SNAKE)
• Avan (CLAW)
• Sexy_Nightmare (Mage_Division_1st)
• Enoxxx (BMBCS)
• Omnidon (HAVOK)
• Eskobar68 (Brutals Players Elite)
• Schneefuchs (DGSH)
• PRIMER (HYPE)
• Mateng (MY PANCERNI)
• AktiveMike (Spezial Operation Panzer)
• Buckaroo_Banzai (TheReapersClubs)
• Schnakkel (DragonClaws)
• Lord_Randall (SRY)
• Reky76 (Český takový prapor)
• gre38120 (Le 3ème escadron du 501ème RCC)
• DanishSkull (DKPB)
• akademik2011 (GURT)
• Coyote (AMX30)
• TA55U (SUDET)
• Cybernetic_Fox (Euro_Force_Tankers)
• Howzzat (XARMY)
• dfnce (ENEMY)
• Slow_As_Hell (RNDGS)
• MahoNishizume (AKAMI)
• ceejee007 (SiBa)

They and their Battalions will be rewarded by having their flags introduced especially for them to Armored Warfare. Please note, however, that introducing new assets is a lengthy process and it might take a while. For now, enjoy the Premium Time you’ve also won!

Thank you all for participating in the contest and see you on the battlefield!

Commanders!

Like every weekend, we have prepared one of special mode events for you, all belonging to the War Games mode group.

These events include older Special Operation re-runs as well as the newly introduced Labyrinth mode and are open ever weekend from Friday CEST afternoon until Sunday evening.



This weekend, you’ll be able to relive the events of the Black Sea Incursion Special Operation in order to experience the beginnings of Magnus Holter’s rebellion. You can learn more about the story of Armored Warfare in our dedicated article.

Here’s why you definitely should not miss out on this weekend event:

The War Games mode offers you the opportunity to obtain a unique Loot Crate that contains all of the following:

• 500 Bonus Battle Coins for the Age of Rage Battle Path
• 10 Experimental Field Rebuild Kits (normally obtainable only via Battalion activities
• Random diamond booster
• Random 1-day temporary Premium vehicle

In short, the weekend modes are the best way to obtain some bonus rewards!

We hope that you enjoy these weekend events and will see you on the battlefield!

Commanders!

This month, we are celebrating the first anniversary of the launch of the MyLoot marketplace that brought you better and more convenient access to your favorite Armored Warfare items such as Premium vehicles, boosters and, of course, MyCoin and gift Loot Crates!



To celebrate the occasion, we’ve prepared a gift for each and every one of you that’s available until August 1, 2019 on MyLoot along with 300% Experience income bonus (x4) for the first victory of the day for the Global Operations mode.

We hope that you will enjoy this event and will see you on the battlefield!

Commanders!

We’re almost a month into the Age of Rage with the best players already having completed the main objective and obtained the most valuable prize of this Battle Path – the Object 490 Tier 10 Premium Main Battle Tank!

However, if you haven’t reached that goal yet – worry not, there are still more than two months left to do so and, to make it easier, we’ve prepared a special offer consisting of Battle Coin booster bundles!



These boosters are normally available for free in limited amounts as Battle Path Level and Mission rewards, but, between July 25 and August 27, 2019, you have the opportunity to purchase them in discounted bundles on MyLoot!



Each of these boosters grants you 900% Battle Coin income bonus for two hours and can be activated for free, even in the Premium booster slot. And what’s more – if you don’t use these boosters right away, they will carry over to the next Battle Path.

The Age of Rage Battle Path main goal is reachable with some effort without any additional progress boosters apart from those that are available as Mission and Level rewards but if you’re considering boosting your Battle Path progress, know this:

Compared to direct Battle Coin purchases, Battle Coin boosters provide players who take full advantage of them with more Battle Coins per unit of currency, but require active gameplay to do so since the actual benefit depends on your performance.

Please note:

• This offer starts on July 25 at 16:00 CEST (7 AM PDT, 17:00 MSK)
• This offer ends on August 27 at 16:00 CEST (7 AM PDT, 17:00 MSK)

Enjoy the offer and see you on the battlefield!

Commanders!

Today, we’d like to offer you the savage bear-themed Beast skin series that was introduced to Armored Warfare in the current season, Moscow Calling. It consists of the following progression vehicles:

• Challenger 2 ATDU Tier 10 MBT
• Centauro 120 Tier 9 TD
• Merkava Mk.3D BAZ Tier 8 MBT
• VBL INGWE Tier 7 AFV
• AMX-13 DCA Tier 5 AFV

These skins are normally only available as random drops from the Moscow Supply Crate that is, in turn, available for completing the seasonal Contracts after having obtained the ZUBR PSP Tier 7 Premium TD. You can read more about the Crate and the Contracts in our dedicated article.



However, between July 25 and August 1, 2019, we are giving you the opportunity to obtain them directly on MyLoot, either alone, or in one of two major bundles:

• Beast Bundle with 25% discount with all skins and a season flag
• Beast Bundle with 47% discount with all skins, the season flag and 30 valuable Battle coin boosters for those who participate in the Age of Rage Battle Path

Important: These bundles do not contain the vehicles needed to use the skins, only the skins themselves. You have to unlock each of the abovementioned vehicles to use its respective Beast skin.

As for the Battle Coin boosters, they boosters are usable only during an active Battle Path and increase your Battle Coin income by 900 percent for two hours. They are also available on MyLoot in several bundles – find out more!



Please note:

• This offer starts on July 25 at 16:00 CEST (7 AM PDT, 17:00 MSK)
• This offer ends on August 1 at 16:00 CEST (7 AM PDT, 17:00 MSK)
• If you already owned a bundle skin, you will instead receive its Compensation Value in Gold instead

Enjoy the offer and see you on the battlefield!

Commanders!

One of the things we wrote earlier that we’d do was to introduce additional progression elements to existing vehicles the way we tested it on the French line and on the ZUBR PSP Premium Tank Destroyer. Today, we’d like to tell you more about the Improved Transmission module we are preparing for the Light Tank class.



Simply put, the owners of high-Tier Light Tank will have the opportunity to unlock another upgrade module called Improved Transmission.

Once unlocked, this upgrade will enhance the vehicle’s maximum speed. The following tanks will have access to it:

• PL-01
• K-21 XC8
• WPB Anders
• M8 Thunderbolt II
• VT-5 (Premium)
• M8 Thunderbolt II Hades (Premium)

The module will cost XP to unlock and Credits to install (no achievements needed), but here’s the really interesting part – once unlocked, it will become unlocked for all the vehicles that have access to it. In other words, you only need to unlock it once. It’s worth noting that the Premium vehicles will have it unlocked and installed by default.

This way, dedicated Light Tank players will have the opportunity to enhance the performance of their favored vehicles a bit further.

Do you like this approach? Let us know on Discord!

But for now – see you on the battlefield!

Commanders!

A new feature has become available for the rest of the current Battle Path duration – the Age of Rage Loot Crate, containing blueprint pieces of the M-95 Degman Tier 8 Premium MBT!



The M-95 Degman is an advanced Croatian prototype MBT, developed during the 1990s and 2000s. It is based on the previous Yugoslavian project, the Vihor MBT, which in turn has its roots in the improved T-72M series produced in former Yugoslavia. You can read more about its history in a dedicated article.

In Armored Warfare, the tank is relatively fast and fairly agile while carrying some potent firepower for its Tier. In fact, its owners can choose from two powerful guns:

• 125mm 2A46 Russian-style smoothbore gun, known from many Russian MBTs
• 120mm CTG NATO-style smoothbore gun that you know from the Challenger 1 Falcon MBT

It’s worth noting that the 120mm shells have higher penetration values and the gun can also fire Falarick ATGMs while the 125mm gun has higher damage per shot. Both guns will feature good handling as well as overall performance to offset the vehicle’s weakness, which is its mediocre armor. The Degman must rely on its mobility and firepower to survive, making it an ideal vehicle for aggressive, daring players.



The vehicle can be obtained by collecting 100 blueprints that drop from the abovementioned Age of Rage Loot Crates, which in turn are obtainable on the Age of Rage Battle Path screen, specifically the Crates section, in exchange for Battle Coins as such:

• 1 Crate for 850 Battle Coins
• 5 Crates for 4.000 Battle Coins
• 10 Crates for 7.500 Battle Coins

These Loot Crates drop, apart from the abovementioned blueprint pieces, also the following items:

• The vehicle itself (directly, without the need to collect blueprint pieces)
• Pieces of Special Loot Crates (that drop higher quality loot than the standard Age of Rage Loot Crates – collect 10 pieces to obtain the Special Age of Rage Loot Crate)
• Battle Coin boosters

All items that drop from these crates are available in the Inventory, the Goods section. The crates themselves can be opened in the Supply Crates section of the Inventory screen.



We hope that you will enjoy the tank and will see you on the battlefield!