We want to see you at the helm of your battlestation with your First Mate —be it cat, dog, or weasel— at your side. Anything goes!

It's very simple!

Follow these steps, and you may see your pet pop up in future WoWS content!!

• Step 1. Switch on your camera/phone/webcam and either snap a picture, create a gif or record a short video of yourself playing World of Warships with your pet.
  
• Step 2. Post the image, gif, or video on a social media network such as Facebook, Twitter, or Instagram with the following 2 hashtags:

#AllPetsOnDeck + #WorldofWarships

Important: you must include the two hashtags with your post!

By participating, entrants agree that Wargaming may use their submissions at any time.

If you're in need of inspiration, here are some prime examples provided by the Wargaming team:

Already got some great shots? Leave a comment below with a link!

https://twitter.com/Wargaming_netEN
https://www.instagram.com/wargaming/
https://www.facebook.com/WorldOfWarships/

Animals have never truly disappeared from the battlefields; they just became harder to find. Be it for rescuing stranded soldiers, hunting vermin on a ship, or boosting morale, some tasks will always be better suited for the honed instincts of our furry/feathered friends.

What function did animals serve at war? Let's find out through the stories of five fascinating animals who left their marks on the history of warfare.

When hearing animals and warfare in the same sentence, it's only natural for our minds to jump directly to an image of a uniformed animal storming a trench and mauling the enemy soldiers. While it may seem over the top and unrealistic for a 20th-century setting, some animals were indeed trained for aggressive combat roles.


Chips was a young mix of German Shepherd, Collie, and Husky from upstate New York that was 'donated' to serve his country by his owner shortly after the US entered the Second World War. This type of initiative was made possible by the recent creation of the first ever K-9 unit in the US military, which intended to train the volunteered dogs for patrolling, mine detection, and message-carrying, but they were ultimately used mostly at stateside military installations. In 1943, a select number of these canines were assigned to active fronts in the Mediterranean and Pacific theatres. Chips would see action throughout Europe and North Africa, but he would earn his stripes during the Allied invasion of Italy when, after being wounded, he broke loose from his restraints and charged into an Italian machine gun emplacement, forcing the 4-man team to surrender. Later that day, Chips would also be credited with aiding in the capture of another ten Axis soldiers. For his actions and bravery, Chips would be awarded the Distinguished Service Cross, a Silver Star, and a Purple Heart.

Of course, as stated previously, most military animals would not be expected to perform in an aggressive role. At least, not against enemy soldiers...


Although the story is widely challenged nowadays for its unlikeliness, the story of Unsinkable Sam (A.K.A. Oscar, or Oskar) is perhaps one of the most lauded and repeated tales of remarkable animals at war, making it worth a mention. Oscar—as he came to be known by British sailors—was a German black-and-white cat that was serving aboard battleship Bismarck at the time of her sinking in 1941. Keeping cats aboard ships is an age-old tradition still practised today for the purpose of hunting down any rodents that would threaten to spoil food reserves or chew through electrical components. For their effectiveness at this job, cats were often cherished by the sailors, who also appreciated their companionship as pets on long sea voyages. When Bismarck finally foundered after being pummelled beyond recognition, sailors aboard destroyer HMS Cossack found the stubborn feline floating on some wreckage when combing the area for survivors and affectionately adopted him as their own ship's cat. Later that year, HMS Cossack would itself sink in a U-boat attack, and yet again Oscar survived long enough to be rescued by a nearby vessel. After the incident, the cat was taken to port and joined the crew of the Royal Navy Carrier Ark Royal to return to his rat-hunting duties. This would be the last military ship he would serve on, and it wouldn't be for very long, as in November of 1941 Ark Royal was destroyed in a torpedo attack. Luckily Oscar still had seven lives to spare and was once again found floating on a plank and rescued. His track record in surviving sinking ships earned Oscar the new name Unsinkable Sam.

Sometimes, in the heat of battle, communication between the frontline and commanders far behind becomes quite difficult. Whether the equipment fails or there's a danger of the enemy intercepting transmissions, there's always the option to use runners to establish a line of communication. However, humans are slow and make big targets.


Little Gustav came from a long, distinguished line of so-called homing pigeons. These birds have been valued throughout history for their exceptional ability to find their home roost from great distances. For this reason, they were often employed for quick messaging long before electronic communication became widespread. This was accomplished by first training the pigeons to recognize a certain outpost as their home, then transporting them to the desired location—often a dangerous border region—and released with a written message attached to their legs in times of emergency. However, this wasn't an optimal system, given that the birds could only recognize one home and could not be expected to make return trips. The use of homing pigeons is well documented in the First World War, and on occasion, they became necessary during World War II. One such case was that of Operation Overlord, on June 6, 1944: The invasion of Normandy. Allied commanders had ordered radio silence for the invasion force, so the only possibility of communication of the mission's success was through physical means. Gustav was released from the beachhead on the very day of the invasion bearing an announcement of success. He traveled over 240 km across the Channel in just five hours and is credited for bringing back the first news of the operation's success. Gustav would receive the Dickin Medal for animal gallantry later that year.

Not all animals at war would have a job that would give palpable returns. Some were just expected to be friendly.


While a cat on deck could serve in the dual role of pest controller and pet, some crews took on animals with the sole intention of keeping them as mascots to boost the morale of sailors. Naval mascots could be of any number of species, from cats and dogs to monkeys and goats. One of these pets was a British dog named Judy. This English pointer served aboard the gunboat HMS Grasshopper when it was attacked and sunk by Japanese torpedo bombers in 1941. The crew was captured and were allowed to take Judy with them to the prison camp they would spend the rest of the war in. The prisoners managed to convince their captors to register the dog as a Prisoner of War in order to keep her around. She was known to be very protective of the prisoners and would bark angrily at the camp's guards, and reportedly brought food to the malnourished POWs. For her courage and ability to maintain the Allied prisoners' morale, Judy would also be awarded the Dickin Medal in 1945.

An important part of the sailor's diet at sea was provided by meat. The best way to have fresh meat on long voyages was keeping certain animals onboard...


This story comes from an episode of the First World War, when the German Light Cruiser Dresden was forced to engage Royal Navy Cruisers Kent and Glasgow off the coast of Chile. The ship was scuttled and most of the crew captured. One of the survivors, however, was abandoned on the ship by the fleeing German sailors. The crew of the Glasgow was rather surprised when they saw the frightened pig swimming for its life and one sailor jumped in to save him. Though originally intended to be consumed as meat, the pig was adopted by the crew as a mascot. Their new porcine pet was given the name Tirpitz, after the German admiral. The sailors aboard the Glasgow even awarded Tirpitz a fake Iron Cross for being the only one to not abandon his ship. The pig served in the Royal Navy for one year before retiring at Whale Island Gunnery School near Portsmouth. Unfortunately for Tirpitz, his original intended role would come back to haunt him in 1919, when he was auctioned off for pork. Tirpitz's head is preserved today at the Imperial War Museum, London.

Do you think your pet would fare well aboard a naval vessel? What role do you think they would be best suited for?

The previous episodes of How it Works told us everything about dealing damage with armor-piercing and high-explosive shells. Now, it’s time for repairs! Everything you wanted to know about Repair Party—in the sixth episode!

What impacts HP restoration and how? Watch the new episode of the most useful series on our channel to learn about it!

Watch other episodes here

The Premium Shop welcomes our very first Pan-American! Purchase her and sink your enemies at medium ranges!

Two ships have been added to the game: the first Pan-American ship Nueve de Julio and U.S. Navy ship Boise. Both warships are Tier VII cruisers with identical characteristics, different only in the nations they represent. They carry fifteen precise and powerful 152 mm guns, effective AA defenses, and the Repair Party.

Please note: Cruiser Nueve de Julio comes with a special combat mission to get cruiser Boise as a reward, or compensation in credits if the ship is already in your Port. These ships are identical in terms of their technical characteristics and differ only by nationality: Boise proudly represents the U.S. Navy while Nueve de Julio is the first ship of the Pan-American fleet.

The primary mission of a cruiser is to hunt down enemy destroyers and counter air groups. At medium distances, the cruiser has an advantage over many same-type ships owing to a larger number of main guns and the Repair Party consumable.

Advantages:

1. 15 accurate 152 mm guns for a fearsome salvo. Maximum firing range: 13.6 km; guns reload time: 10 s
   
2. Increased durability due to the Repair Party consumable. The consumable restores 2% of your HP per second.
   
3. Effective AA defenses are a typical feature of American cruisers
   
4. Extra credits per battle and 50% more XP provided by the camouflage

Please note: Cruiser Boise comes with a special combat mission to get cruiser Nueve de Julio as a reward, or compensation in credits if the ship is already in your Port. These ships are identical in terms of their technical characteristics and differ only by nationality: Boise proudly represents the U.S. Navy while Nueve de Julio is the first ship of the Pan-American fleet.

The primary mission of a cruiser is to hunt down enemy destroyers and counter air groups. At medium distances, the cruiser has an advantage over many same-type ships owing to a larger number of main guns and the Repair Party consumable.

Advantages:

1. 15 accurate 152 mm guns for a fearsome salvo. Maximum firing range: 13.6 km; guns reload time: 10 s
   
2. Increased durability due to the Repair Party consumable. The consumable restores 2% of your HP per second.
   
3. Effective AA defenses are a typical feature of American cruisers
   
4. Extra credits per battle and 50% more XP provided by the camouflage

Dear captains!
The developers are often asked, "Why did you choose World of Warships? How did the game influence your life?" Today, we have some stories from the guys in our studio with answers to these seemingly simple questions. They’re quite emotional!

And what about you? What is your story? Why did you join World of Warships? Tell us about it, and you'll receive five containers from the three recent collections (American Cruisers, Vive la France, and Yamamoto Isoroku) as a gift!

The conditions are easy:

1. Make a video telling us about your relationship with the game: why you play World of Warships, how you carry Clan Battles, how the game unites you with your friends, children, parents, and other relatives.
   
2. Upload it to YouTube before August 20 with special hashtags #my_WoWS_story and #World_of_Warships in the video title! Remember to specify your in-game nickname and server in the description!
   
3. Get a guaranteed gift!

Share your stories, captains!

Please note that the servers will be temporarily unavailable due to the release of an update. The schedule is available below.

Maintenance times are tentative and subject to change. Please accept our apologies for any inconveniences.

https://steamcommunity.com/games/552990/announcements/detail/3149589560739802637
Commander, choose your team and enter battle! In Update 0.7.7, all players will be able to participate in the clash between two teams—Sharks and Eagles.

An updated Port of New York decorated in the colors of your team will greet you from the start, you will also see special tabs:

1. Team progress results;
   
2. Individual achievements and rewards;
   
3. Rules of the competition;
   
4. Leaderboard.

Each stage of the competition will last one day. The team that earns the most points wins the stage. All players who contribute to the result of their team receive a special container.
Earning points in the competition is very simple—use Tier V or higher ships in Co-op, Random, Scenario, or Clan Battles. When reaching certain milestones with the points earned in battles, you will be given containers of your team. You can see the details in the My Contribution section. And we can't forget to mention that the more points you earn, the more chances you have to make it onto the Leaderboard. Reach the Top 1,000, Top 100, or Top 10 players of your team and receive additional rewards. Go for it!

In Update 0.7.7, the Arsenal gets a small update: a temporary GO NAVY! section and two new temporary resources—Eagles and Sharks tokens. In the Arsenal, you can exchange these tokens for containers or replenish your stock of camouflages, signals, and other useful items.
You can get new tokens for increasing your team loyalty level. You prove your loyalty to your team by staying in it until the day is over and declining any offer to join the opposing team who can try to convince you otherwise. If you accept the offer, you will receive a container of the team you are joining. You can track your progress in the My Contribution tab.

Do you need Coal for your Arsenal? Choose the More Resources option when you receive a daily container. By doing so, you are guaranteed to find some Coal inside! Also, there is a chance that you will find Free XP and signals in slots 2 and 3.


The Raptor Rescue and Narai operations have changed. In the Raptor Rescue operation, the number of possible routes for the aircraft carrier has increased to four. The enemy fleet has become more diverse, and their tactics differ depending on the route taken by the aircraft carrier.

The Narai operation is back in the Operation of the Week section, and it's had some improvements as well: the eastern part of the map has been updated—now it's not just an additional direction for approaching the base, but also a retreat route for enemy aircraft carrier King. Your team should send some of its ships to intercept her, because sinking her will earn you another star if your team wins!

In Update 0.7.7, for the convenience of players, the Minimap will display the point where the guns of the ship are aimed. This will allow players to better understand the firing and aiming mechanics. Please note that this will barely affect the survivability of ships that prefer the tactics of camping in smoke screens or using the terrain as cover. Firing at an enemy ship without being locked onto her is less effective than firing at a ship in your reticle, because if your guns are not locked on a target, the dispersion of shells significantly increases, which makes hitting the enemy much harder.



You can discuss the update here.

The American cycle is almost over!

In Update 0.7.7, operations Narai and Raptor Rescue will be reworked. Besides this, we are introducing a brand new competition event—Go Navy! Pick a team (Sharks or Eagles) and fight for rewards!

Want to know more? Check out the new episode of Developer Diaries!

Subtitles can be enabled in the video player separately.

Greetings, Captains!

Very soon, a new pretty face will join the commander's ranks! Who will it be? A dolphin? A cat? After all, anyone can be a hero! We’ll give you a hint!

Watch the video and try to solve our mysterious riddle!

In our previous How it Works episode, we told you about HE shells and the way they deal damage to ships and their modules. Now it's time to talk about the main reason behind HE shells’ popularity—their ability to start fires. Learn how the chance of fire is calculated from the new episode of the most useful series on our channel!

If you haven't watched the previous episodes yet, you definitely should! There are only five of them, but they can considerably improve your skills! Subscribe to our channel and stay tuned for a new How it Works episode in two weeks!

See other episodes

Commanders!
We bring you a contest between two teams that you will be able to join in update 0.7.7. Choose either Eagles or Sharks and fight for rewards and glory, side by side with other Sharks and Eagles!

• You can take part in the event only after achieving Level 12 in the Service Record.
  
• The contest will start the day after the update is released at:
  
  • ASIA 21:00 UTC;
    
  • RU 03:00 UTC;
    
  • EU 04:00 UTC;
    
  • NA 10:00 UTC.
• The contest will end one day before the next version of the game is released. Each new day is a new stage!

When you first log into World of Warships after the release of update 0.7.7, you are welcomed by the team selection screen. You will then be taken to the Port of New York, decorated with the colors of the team you've selected.


Eagle—a symbol of bold warriors. It is associated with battle, wisdom, courage and inspiration. The eagle is the embodiment of power and reason, speed and precision. The Eagles team shall hail fearless defenders of freedom and justice, who seek glory and immortality.


Shark—a symbol of lethal menace. It is a predator perfectly fit for sea hunting. The shark is known for its strength, quickness, firmness, shrewdness, and lust for blood. The Sharks team will welcome courageous, self-confident, and steadfast players who know how to achieve their goals.


Have you made your choice? Then, battle! You will receive:

• daily rewards for team and individual achievements;
  
• special combat missions;
  
• a special screen in the Port, where you will find:
  
  • a progress scale with team results;
    
  • your personal contribution, progress, and rewards you can get;
    
  • the rules of the event;
    
  • the Leaderboard.

Every day, you will be able to select which team you want to represent in the event. The team that earns the most points wins the day. All players on the team that wins a daily stage receive a container of their team. Players who joined a team but did not score any points will not receive the container. The current score of the contest is displayed in the team progress bar.

Try not to miss out any stages of the event, because team containers awarded for participation will include not only useful goods but also Coal.

Points for each stage can be earned until one hour before the end of that stage. A special notification in the Port will let you know that the end of the stage is near. If players start a battle before the deadline, their points earned in the battle will be taken into account. Battles that start later than 20:00 ASIA, 02:00 RU, 03:00 EU, 09:00 NA do not count towards team progress.

Every day, a new stage begins at:

• ASIA 21:00 UTC;
  
• RU 03:00 UTC;
  
• EU 04:00 UTC;
  
• NA 10:00 UTC.

For details on the event and the latest additions to the Arsenal, check out the official portal or the in-game browser!

You can discuss the event here.