Here's a new video from the World of Warships team.

Subtitles can be enabled in the video player separately.
https://youtu.be/_56UOafRz_Y
Enjoy watching!

Join us on a tour of the new Japanese cruiser Azuma, or, perhaps we should call her a “super-cruiser”, since this predator of the waves walked a fine line between what’s considered to be a heavy cruiser and a battleship.

The historical equivalent of American large cruiser Alaska, fans of the Japanese fleet now have a new refreshing brand of long-range punishment in the form of Tier IX Azuma. Discover all of the ins and outs of the new ship in our article below!



Imperial Japanese Navy ship Azuma: a powerful piece built to fill a very specific portion of the jigsaw puzzle that was the Japanese naval doctrine. In this case, the project B-65 cruiser (which Azuma is based on) would play a key role in the dogma of the “Decisive Battle”, a philosophy which was central to Japanese plans for victory in a potential war with the United States. This idea was inspired by the singular naval victory at the 1905 Battle of Tsushima, which virtually settled the Russo-Japanese war in favor of the latter. Their goal in future wars was to whittle down the numerically superior enemy with mobile carrier strikes and night-time torpedo attacks, before dispatching the protective escort of lighter ships and then closing in and destroying the enemy capital ships with their own battleships. It’s in this capacity that Azuma would have come in.

In order to eliminate the protective cushion of destroyers and cruisers in this hypothetical event, the plan was for the Night Battle Force (Yasen Butai)—composed of destroyers, cruisers, and battlecruisers—to engage and neutralize them as night fell. The battleships would then duke it out with whatever forces were left the next morning. The initial requirements placed on these new cruisers called for a 40-knot top speed, three triple 310 mm gun turrets, and a heavy layer of armor.

Anticipating the new American ships that might be deployed as part of the enemy’s outer escort screen in their vision of the Decisive Battle, the Japanese design entered its second iteration—B-65. The new design, modified to deal with the new threat, strongly resembled a downscaled Yamato-class battleship and could reach 34 knots with her 32,000-ton standard displacement. Two B-65 ‘Azuma-class’ ships were ordered as part of the 1942 shipbuilding program, but their construction contracts were never awarded. The Battle of Midway had shown that a lot had changed since 1905, and that surface engagements were no longer the key to victory. Accordingly, the Japanese super-cruiser project was postponed indefinitely in favor of aircraft carrier and auxiliary ship production.

The Azuma that can be seen in World of Warships is the B-65 type as it would have appeared if it had been completed in the originally planned timeline of 1945-1946. As such, Azuma strongly resembles Yamato in her physical features, from her tower mast and swept-back funnel, to her gun configuration and stern aircraft catapult facilities.


Main armament: Nine 310 mm/50 Type 0 guns mounted in the standard 1940s battleship configuration of three triple turrets—two forward in a superfiring position and one on the stern. These guns were to be specially designed and built for the ‘Azuma class’, but they never even reached the prototype phase after the whole ship project was put in doubt. If she’d been completed, Azuma would have possessed the largest guns in the history of Japanese cruisers.


Secondary armament: Sixteen 100 mm/65 Type 98 dual-purpose guns in twin mounts on either side of the superstructure. These enclosed mounts were one of the most effective naval anti-aircraft weapons to come out of Japan in World War II. In addition to being used as the main armament for Akizuki-class destroyers, their success led to them being so popular that they were also adapted for use as anti-aircraft defense on land.


AA: 25 mm/60 Type 96 anti-aircraft cannons. Based on the Hotchkiss machine gun design, this weapon was perhaps the most widespread in the Japanese Navy during World War II, with over 30,000 constructed. By the end of the war, these guns would have become mostly obsolete due to the superior range and muzzle velocity of the 40 mm Bofors guns that were in heavy use on American ships.



When it comes to prepping your Commander to take control of Azuma, here’s a 10-point configuration to work off as a base, favoring survivability and gun handling:

Priority Target
The detection indicator will show the number of opponents currently aiming at your ship with their main battery guns. For an aircraft carrier's squadrons, the detection indicator will show the number of ships whose AA defenses are currently firing at your planes.

Expert Marksman
Increases the traverse speed of main battery guns.

Superintendent
Increases the capacity of your ship's consumables. Does not apply to the consumables of an aircraft carrier's squadrons.

Concealment Expert
Reduces the detectability range of the ship and the aircraft carrier's squadrons.

Azuma has access to three consumable slots besides the standard Damage Control Party. For the first slot, you have a choice between Defensive AA Fire to add extra spice to your anti-aircraft defenses, or Hydroacoustic Search for spotting torpedoes and nearby destroyers. Since Azuma excels at long-range engagements and lacks the maneuverability required to go weaving between islands hunting for destroyers, you may get more out of the first option. The last two slots are occupied by a spotter plane, which will allow you to bring your deadly accurate guns to bear on the most distant of targets, and a unique version of Repair Party with a shorter cooldown and one extra charge.

With regards to Upgrades, if you want to play to your strengths while minimizing your weaknesses, you can try this setup:

• Main Armaments Modification 1 or Spotting Aircraft Modification 1
  
• Damage Control System Modification 1 or Defensive AA Fire Modification 1
  
• Aiming Systems Modification 1 or AA guns Modification 1
  
• Steering Gears Modification 2 or Damage Control System Modification 2
  
• Concealment System Modification 1 or Steering Gears Modifications 3
  
• Main Battery Modification 3

• Azuma’s greatest strength lies in her 310 mm guns. The combination of an excellent base range of 19.1 km, pinpoint accuracy at a distance, Japanese HE shells with increased damage, and especially hard-hitting AP shells can suddenly and unexpectedly ruin an enemy cruiser’s day.
  
• Your survivability is good with a considerable pool of 58,350 HP and an augmented Repair Party consumable. However, your armor won’t hold up well against battleship AP salvos or torpedo spreads. Always keep your distance and single out vulnerable targets while staying aware of how many enemy ships have a bead on you.

Cruiser IX Alaska's nemesis—the powerful and fast Japanese cruiser IX Azuma—is already in the game! To bring her to life, some design solutions were borrowed from Yamato-class battleships. Nine 310 mm guns and good anti-torpedo protection allow her to confront any enemy ship. Azuma will join the list of Premium Tier IX ships.

You can also obtain this cruiser without signals, consumables, or a commemorative flag in the game for 1,000,000 Free XP.

Azuma is a special ship that requires a reverential attitude!
https://youtu.be/RknNa5eBErU

Bundles are available for purchase until Fri. 19 Apr. 07:00 CEST (UTC+2)

Please note: through July 31, owners of this bundle will have access to a special combat mission for quicker upgrading. The first 25 battles played with this ship in any battle type will bring you three times more XP than usual. You can receive this combat mission only once per account.

For a detailed look at the ship's technical specifications, follow this link.

Commanders!

Some of you might have noticed that we recently started broadcasting video streams on Thursdays, with our EU community managers playing World of Warships. After a series of test streams, we’ll now not only continually broadcast, but make them even better! We're announcing a unique Stream on Steam. You'll only be able to watch it there, and nowhere else!

This Saturday, April 6, at 16:00 (UTC), open the World of Warships Broadcasts tab or visit the World of Warships Store Page. Crysantos and MrConway will be playing event and standard modes, answering your questions in the broadcast chat, and generally having fun!

Additionally, you’ll be able to win World of Warships DLC codes by either taking part in the giveaway (you'll have to submit a request by using a link in the chat) or being among the first to answer a question about the game.

Welcome to our broadcast!

Countdown

In Update 0.8.2, you can take your place at the helms of an array of spaceships and engage in battles on unknown distant planets!

Meet the new game event—Space Warships Intergalactic Games! This publication will tell you all about its rules and details.

https://youtu.be/kRmXUKsQAVw
All players with access to combat missions and tests in their Service Record are eligible for Space Battles. Beginners in World of Warships will have to play 70 battles in any of the available modes before being granted access.

Please note that you need to switch to Space Battles in the "Select a battle type" tab, and you can participate in them only on special ships.

Space Battles are not available in the Training Room, and special spaceships can't join Training Battles.

The event is spread over 3 stages, each with its own particular modes:

Starts: Mon. 01 Apr. 07:00 CEST (UTC+2)

Starts: Mon. 08 Apr. 07:00 CEST (UTC+2)

Starts: Mon. 15 Apr. 07:00 CEST (UTC+2)

The event will end with the release of Update 0.8.3.



Ordinary naval ships obviously are not suited to Space Battles. It takes special types of spaceships to conquer the galaxy. Don't let yourself be discouraged by Tier X varieties—we have reduced the cost of their service. Economically, all the spaceships are equivalent to Tier VII ships. Also, these ships have no upgrades, camouflage patterns, or enhanced consumables. The spaceships' characteristics have been modified since their prototype versions to make them fit for Space Battles. This has been done to improve balance, enabling you to fully enjoy the new modes.

VII Paris

Want armor and speed combined? Try Paris, with her smooth form and shameless, quick-firing guns! And don't forget about the unique ion thrusters designed specifically for this ship type. With their helm at your command, you'll reach any star in the blink of an eye. Her original model is X République, a French battleship.


VII Zaya

Floating like a butterfly formed of stars, as beautiful as the supernovae of a thousand suns, as menacing as a Talurian vacuum serpent—that's what you need to know about the elegant Zaya-class spaceship. This beauty is based on Japanese cruiser  X Zao.


VII Galaxy

Galaxy will suit those who take pleasure from finding that which is carefully hidden, and surprising their enemies with her quantum-cumulative shells. Her black hole neutrino armament will also come in handy in any other combat situations. This ship is based on American cruiser X Des Moines.


VII Blue Aster

Blue Aster is a good choice if you need to disintegrate another disintegrator, to avoid your disintegrator being disintegrated. Her sensors are sensitive to any oscillations in space and a salvo of eight excellent Chrysalis-type rockets will help you dispatch your foes promptly. Her prototype is German destroyer X Z-52.


VII Century Hawk

The legendary Century Hawk. The cruiser's hull is made of the strongest and lightest alloys of Sarcasium and Ironium, effectively protecting the ship's crew from any threat. Her shells are enriched with Lolinite, and are capable of striking down any enemy. The ship's contours make it clear that her ancestor is cruiser X Hindenburg.


VII Norma

A concealment gear with crystals from the planet Khetta, special turbolaser shells with a unique reloading system, and good ion rockets that obliterate all matter in their way. Frigate Norma is based on British cruiser X Minotaur.


VII Aurora

Phantoms shall not pass was the main motto of the engineers who designed the powerful and majestic cruiser Aurora. Remember these well-spoken words when you command this invincible titan. She originates from the no-less-majestic Soviet cruiser  X Moskva.


VII FlyFire

Would you like to command a spacecraft that’s hard to spot unless you want her to be spotted? Then FlyFire is the perfect choice for you. Among her notable advantages are her elegant design, excellent rocket armament, and awesome concealment gear. American destroyer X Gearing  served as the prototype for this beautiful ship.


VII Alldestroyer

One of the gems of the spaceship building industry—Alldestroyer. She is excellent in all aspects—armor, number of guns, and small laser turrets. The designers used the model of German battleship  X Großer Kurfürst  to create this spaceship.


The first four spaceships ( VII Paris, VII Zaya, VII Galaxy, and VII Blue Aster) will arrive in your Port with the start of the first Stage of the event. To obtain the others you’ll need to complete combat missions.

Please note: battles with spaceships are not considered in statistics. Spaceships will be removed from accounts with the end of the event, and the XP earned with these ships will be transferred to Tier I cruiser Orlan.

Your space fleet will be helmed by unique Space Commanders with 19 skill points. They may be assigned to any special ships without retraining. Skills can be reset using doubloons or Elite Commander XP. Please remember that all XP earned by a Commander with 19 skill points is instantly converted into Elite Commander XP. This can be used for retraining, changing specializations, or resetting the skills of any other Commander.


Attention! If for whatever reason Space Battles are not your cup of tea, you can hide the events special camos in the filter carousel by unticking the "Spaceships" field in the "Special ships" section.


In the first week, battles will take place on the Ludus and Navis maps in the Rings of Saturn and Binary Star modes, in the second week—on the Ludus and Risus maps in Space Assault mode. Which of the modes you get during the first stage is determined randomly during matchmaking.

Ludus is a planet with a dense atmosphere and levitating stone fragments. The arrangement of its islands resembles the Tears of the Desert map.

Islands on Navis are covered with frozen lava rings, some of which vividly contrast with the cold color scheme of the map. While creating the map, our star architects were inspired by the Warrior's Path map.

Risus, which resembles the Estuary map, is distinguished by the Ironium crystals rising from its otherworldly ocean.


Two teams with 12 ships in each will fight to take control of three zones arranged in a similar way to Epicenter mode. However, there is a difference: in the Rings of Saturn, each of the zones is captured independently. For example, an enemy can't prevent your team from capturing the intermediate ring while being in the center. The number of points awarded for capturing and holding zones has been changed as well.
Both teams start with 450 points. You can win by destroying all enemy ships, gaining 1,000 points, or reducing the number of the enemy team's points to 0.


The teams' control points are located on the side where enemy ships spawn. At the beginning of a battle, the control points are enormous in size, but are initially inactive. Starting from the 5th minute, the control points can be captured, and their size begins to gradually decrease until the 11th minute of the battle.

Capture lasts 120 seconds and holding the control points brings 15 points every 5 seconds. Teams start with 400 points and can win by destroying all enemy ships, gaining 1,000 points, or bringing the number of the enemy team's points to 0.

Keep in mind that in order to protect your control point you will need to face the enemy, but don't forget about the capture of the enemy team's point.

Team sizes are standard—12 vs. 12.


Teams of 9 ships take the role of either attackers or defenders. Both follow this set of rules:

• The task of the attackers is to destroy the station in the allotted time. The initial station assault time is 10.5 minutes on the Ludus map and 11 minutes on the Risus map.
  
• The station is invulnerable until all generators have been destroyed. Each generator destroyed extends the assault time by 2 minutes.
  
• The task of the defending team is to prevent the destruction of the station during the assault.
  
• Attacking ships reappear in their spawn zone 30 seconds after being destroyed.
  
• Defending ships have 120 HP restored per second, and their main battery guns and torpedo tubes reload faster by 4%.
  
• Destruction of a force field generator adds 2 minutes to the attacking team’s available time for task completion. It also results in defenders having another 60 HP recovered per second, with the main battery guns and torpedo tubes reloading speed accelerated by another 3%.
  
• The loss of an ally gives the defenders the same bonuses as the loss of the generator.
  
• The generators can be destroyed with main battery guns from a distance of 10 km or less, or with torpedoes from any distance.
  
• The generators constantly restore 75 HP per second and are visible from a distance of 10 km.

The rules for Torpedo Beat mode are significantly different, and we will describe them in a separate article to be published on April 12.

To gain access to the spaceships and replenish your Ironium stocks, the following combat missions need to be completed:

The missions are completed in Random, Co-op, Clan, Space Battles, and Operations with Tier III–X ships.

Each bundle can be obtained only once.

In addition to the permanent space camos from Space Battles, the game gets a new permanent Bionic camouflage pattern for researchable Tier VI–X American and French cruisers. The new design will make your favorite cruiser look more futuristic.

You can also purchase these camouflages by selecting a ship in your Port and opening the Exterior section.

If you want to purchase all the space camos at once, the Armory has two bundles available for you: all camos, excluding Bionic, with 10% discount for 79,200 doubloons; and all camos, including Bionic, with 20% discount for 102,400 doubloons. If you already have some of the camos in your collection when purchasing any of these bundles, you will receive compensation to the amount of their full value in doubloons.

Space camouflage bonuses are similar to those of other permanent camos of the corresponding level.


By completing Directives of the Fly! Strike! Win! event, you can obtain the Bionic permanent space camouflage for the American and French Tier VI–IX cruisers:  VI Pensacola,  VII New Orleans,  VIII Baltimore,  IX Buffalo,  VI La Galissonnière,  VII Algérie,  VIII Charles Martel, and  IX Saint-Louis.

You'll be able to earn special achievements and rewards for heroic displays of skill and might in Space Battles! Achievements for the Torpedo Beat mode will be described in a separate article.
All achievements, except for the Star-Enshrined Olympian, can be obtained numerous times, but the reward for them is given only once per day.

To obtain the Star-Enshrined Olympian achievement, you'll have to wait for the Torpedo Beat mode, which will take place on the Appulse map.

Now, armed with this knowledge, it's time to launch your spaceships from the Space Port and set off to conquer distant planets!

Commanders, the fifth season of Clan Battles, codenamed "Land of Fire", is knocking at your door—earn up to 11,000 Steel!

The basic rules remain the same, with Clan Battles being available for teams of 7 players who are part of the same Clan. All Tier X ships are eligible, except for aircraft carriers, and there’s a maximum of one battleship per team.

Between April 1 and April 8, you’ll have an opportunity to redistribute your Commanders’ skills for free. Plan your time properly when preparing for Clan Battles!

Starts: Wed. 03 Apr. 14:00 CEST (UTC+2)
Ends: Mon. 27 May 08:00 CEST (UTC+2)

Gaming sessions available on: Wednesday, Thursday, Saturday, and Sunday.

On the days of any update releases, no Clan Battles will be held.

• ASIA 11:30 — 15:30
  
• CIS 16:00 — 20:00
  
• EU 17:00 — 21:00
  
• NA 23:30 — 03:30

Please note: You can select your preferred prime time only once per day. The selected prime time settings will be reset once the prime time of the American server ends, and you'll be able to select the most convenient time for you once again. The settings reset time can be seen in the game client.



The specific prime time of a Clan is an essential restriction that allows the matchmaker to promptly pick opponents with a similar Rating to that of your own Clan for battles. However, a prime time available on one of the servers will not necessarily be suitable for all players primarily due to the large number of time zones. To make your gameplay experience more comfortable, we've designed a new technical feature called the "cross-server matchmaker".

Now, Clan Commanders can select their preferred prime time for any of the four servers: Europe, America, Asia, or the CIS. Thus, if the "standard" prime time of your region happens to be inconvenient for your Clan on a given day, or if you want to demonstrate your skills to players from other regions, you have the possibility of finding opponents on another server at a more convenient time. Moreover, you’ll still get all pertaining rewards from fighting as a guest on whichever server you are on, while your accounts remain on their “native” server.

The matchmaker picks opponents based on the Clan’s skill, which is reflected in the Clan's Rating. The more Clan Battles you play, the higher the probability that you’ll be matched against worthy opponents.

To select a prime time, create a Division with your Clanmates and play your first Clan Battle of the current day’s gaming session. After hitting the "Battle" button, your Division's Commander will see a screen prompting them to confirm their choice of server. You can select your desired prime time for Clan Battles beforehand using a special menu that’s available under the Clan Battles icon in the Battle Types section. The prime time can be selected by a Clan's Commander, Deputy Commanders, or the Clan's Recruiter.



Please keep in mind that after the prime time has been fixed for the current day, you can change the prime time of subsequent days only.
Also note that when you participate in battles held in a different region (other than your "native" one), you may encounter latency issues. This can occur when the server for your battle is located in another region.

As you might remember, there are five main leagues in the Clan Rating system, each divided into three Groups.

• The starting—Squall League
  
• Gale League
  
• Storm League
  
• Typhoon League
  
• And for the most battle-hardened Clans—Hurricane League

The Hurricane League doesn’t have any interim Groups, hence there are no limits on the Rating points you can earn there. To progress to the next League, players need to win three out of five Progression Battles. When their number of Rating points is 0, they will need to win three Relegation Battles to stay in the Hurricane League.

The Ratings of all Clans will be reset to standard values, but for each battle played in the various Leagues (except for the starting “Squall” league) during the "North" Season, Clans will get 50 bonus points (up to a maximum of 200 points). All battles count towards a unified global Rating, which enables you to compare your results with those of other Clans from all over the world, as well as from your server.

We are continuing the work of enhancing the way the matchmaker functions in Clan Battles, which has resulted in the following improvements for the "Land of Fire" season:

• Clans with an average Rating will face opponents that are closer to them in terms of their Rating.
  
• Matchmaking for Clans with high or low Ratings has been significantly accelerated, while still maintaining the quality of matchmaking.

Clans have two Ratings: Alpha and Bravo. The Clan's lead Rating will be the one with the highest value. To unlock the ability to select a team (i.e. a particular Rating), you need to erect the first Expansion for the Officers' Club in your Clan's Naval Base. Once you have set up a team, and before you press the "Battle" button, the Commander, Deputy Commanders, or the Recruiter can use the team menu to select the Rating to play for. Thus, Clan players will be able to choose a Rating depending on their style of play—whether serious battles to grow their influence and occupy the top position, or relaxed battles to play with friends and test new tactics and ship combinations.

Personal achievements in Clan Battles are issued after a battle played for any of the Ratings. Combat missions in the Clan season remain personal, and can be completed in battles played for any of the Ratings. Battles will be counted towards a combat mission’s progress only if the player fulfilled them in the specified League.

The new season of Clan Battles brings a new set of special achievements for players. To claim them all, you’ll need to play at least one battle in each of the following Leagues:

During the "Land of Fire" season, players can earn up to 11,000 Steel!

The total amount of Steel you can earn remains the same, but in the new season we’ve changed the order of its accrual. You still need to complete more combat missions, but they are much shorter in comparison with the larger missions of the previous seasons. Thus, it will be easier for players to accumulate this valuable resource.

For example, during the "North" season you could receive 200 Steel for 7 victories in the Squall League, another 500 Steel for 8 victories in the Squall League, and an additional 500 Steel for completing these two missions, making 1,200 Steel altogether. Now, each of the first 15 victories in the Squall League will bring you 80 Steel, totaling the same amount of 1,200 Steel.

In each League, you can earn valuable rewards by winning battles. All you need to do is win!

You can complete the combat mission chain only once and only in the specified sequence. We're giving you 30 days of Warships Premium Account time for completing the chain.

You can complete the combat mission chain only once and only in the specified sequence. The final reward is 1 Molybdenum.

In Clan Battles, you can complete other combat missions, too. The following combat missions, once completed, will bring you extra Free XP per battle and Oil for your Clan. You’ll also be able to replenish your supplies of signals and other valuable in-game goodies.

You can complete the combat mission chain only once and only in the specified sequence. The final reward is 3 Naval Aviation containers.

We’ve carefully considered your feedback and improved the map selection algorithm in the "Land of Fire" Season. Now the probability of the same map being rolled out several times in a row is significantly lower.

In the new season, battles will rage on the following seven maps: Islands of Ice, Land of Fire, Warrior's Path, Mountain Range, Sea of Fortune, Tears of the Desert, and North. All battles will use Domination mode.

• Number of key areas: 3
  
• Capture time: 40 seconds
  
• Points from a captured key area: 3 points per 4 seconds

These changes have been made to improve the balance between teams in Clan Battles, and have no noticeable effects on other battle types.

• Ships will spawn closer to the center. This will help ships acting mostly on the flanks to make it to their positions quicker at the beginning of a battle, enabling them to join the action earlier.

• Key areas have been relocated. The key area once located on the left side of the map has been moved inside the central key area.

This key area arrangement was used in the first season of Clan battles and, considering the changes made in the game, it stimulates more active and offensive playing tactics of the teams.


When the season starts, any player who plays a Random or Clan Battle with a Tier VIII–X ship, will be given a set of three special Tier X ships for temporary use: British battleship X [Conqueror], Japanese cruiser X [Zao], and Soviet destroyer X [Grozovoi]. On April 19, they will be replaced by German battleship X [Großer Kurfürst], Soviet cruiser X [Moskva], and Japanese destroyer X [Shimakaze]. The last trio—Japanese battleship X [Yamato], German cruiser X [Hindenburg], and American destroyer X [Gearing]—will arrive in your Port on May 3.

• The ships will be available in Clan Battles only.
  
• A special timer near the ship image in the Port will warn you about the expiration of the rental period.
  
• You won't be able to mount any type of camouflage on these ships.
  
• You’ll be able to re-assign Commanders to rented ships without penalty.
  
• Rented ships will bring you the same rewards as researchable ships.
  
• When these ships are removed, their Commanders will be automatically sent to the Reserve, and the upgrades, consumables, and signals will be moved to the Inventory.
  
• If the ships have alternative modules like Gearing's torpedoes, you can mount them at no cost.
  
• If the Commander was recruited specifically for a rented ship, their specialization will remain the same after the ship is removed from the account.
  
• If the Commander was recruited for a rented ship and then re-assigned to another ship, their specialization will remain the same after removing the ship from the account.
  
• The ships are added together with a Port slot. The slot will be removed from the account together with the ship.

We wish you the best of luck in Clan Battles and new record highs for your Clan's Rating!

After a long road we've managed to bring you the long-awaited Steam trading cards for World of Warships! Play, collect them, and profit while enjoying the game. To learn how they work for Free to Play games — please see here.

We've put a lot of work into those and hope you'll enjoy adorning your Steam profile with World of Warships badges and backgrounds, while using the emoticons in our chat and discussions. If not, you can always sell them to the connoisseurs over at the Steam Market, or alternatively exchange them in the Trading subforum or Trading channel of Steam chat.

If you've spent some funds in World of Warships on Steam, check the inventory notifications — there already might be some cards waiting for you! For all F2P games on Steam each $9 spent grant one card drop, but it's just a bonus, don't forget you can also craft booster packs using gems, which is cheaper. If you want only a specific background or emoticon — you can trade or buy them on the market directly.

• Marblehead Lima — 1 drop
  
• Huanghe — 1
  
• Starter (Ishizuchi) — 2
  
• Anshan — 2
  
• Graf Spee — 2
  
• Texas — 2
  
• Indianapolis — 5
  
• Haida — 5
  
• Monaghan — 5

(includes both past and future purchases)

• Community Market
  
• Steam trading, trade offers and recommended trading practices.

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.

The new update will go live some time after it's been downloaded because the client and server sides are updated separately. While the client begins to update immediately, it takes time for the servers to be updated across all regions.

If there are problems with downloading or launching the update—please perform files integrity check.
https://youtu.be/s4fIl86KXR4 Subtitles can be enabled in the video player separately.

Commanders!

Let’s welcome in Update 0.8.2! It brings with it Space Battles, the branch of British aircraft carriers, an updated Arsenal with Premium ships, and Season 5 of Clan Battles.

Attention! From April 1 until April 8, you’ll have the opportunity to retrain your Commanders and reset their skills, as well as demount upgrades, for free.

With the release of Update 0.8.2, the option in the Inventory section to exchange researchable aircraft carriers for XP and credits, or Premium aircraft carriers for doubloons, will cease to be available.

Our spaceships are being prepared for battle! April Fool's Day in nearly here, which means that the time is almost upon us to travel to space once again to fight among the stars.

You can test your strength against other players in 4 new battle modes!

With Update 0.8.2, the final part of the "Fly! Strike! Win!" event begins. Its rules are similar to those of the previous parts, except for the difference that this time there is only one Stage consisting of four Directives, each comprising 10 missions. The event’s Directives will be unlocked on a weekly basis, and completed in a sequential order. Various in-game items, permanent space camouflage patterns for researchable U.S. and French Tier VI–IX heavy cruisers, and Naval Aviation containers are the rewards for completing its missions and Directives.


Early access to the carriers is finally coming to an end, and British aircraft carriers are taking their official place in the Tech Tree. Those ships already familiar to players from the previous update will be supplemented with researchable Tier X aircraft carrier Audacious. She can boast of her aircraft's combat efficiency being the most impressive in the game. Her attack aircraft and bombers carry a large number of rockets and bombs, and the converging torpedo cone of her torpedo bombers enable them to accurately attack the enemy's bow or stern when fully aimed, in addition to their broadsides.


The Port will see significant changes in displaying the current event, Premium Shop, Armory, combat missions, and other banners on the left side of the screen.


Progress will also be displayed in this menu for players who haven't reached Level 15 in their Service Record. The Service Record section of the profile has been updated, and now tracking progress and rewards will be more convenient for players. As the distinctive insignia modification settings have been moved from the Service Record section to the upper-left part of the Port, the server information and online player counter have been transferred to the main menu, which can be opened with the ESC key.



Starts: 03 Apr 19 12:00 UTC
Ends: 20 May 19 06:00 UTC

More details about Season 5 of Clan Battles are available in a dedicated article.

Learn more about these new features and balance changes on our official website or in the in-game browser!
https://worldofwarships.eu/news/game-updates/update-082-intergalactic-games/

Here's a new video from the World of Warships team.
https://youtu.be/86wMeenXQKs Subtitles can be enabled in the video player separately.

Enjoy watching!

In the months immediately after the events of Pearl Harbor, Allied forces scrambled to establish a strong presence in the Western Pacific, while maintaining control of the turf already in the hands of their European fleets. Concurrently, an ascendant Imperial Japanese Navy was sweeping upwards through the island territories, asserting their dominance in the region. Their fight for control of the Pacific saw the opposing fleets clash in a number of epic naval battles, with one such confrontation occurring in the Java Sea. It was there that our storied cruiser HMS Exeter met her fate...

Exeter had already proven herself in a showdown with the infamous commerce raider Admiral Graf Spee. Despite being outnumbered and outclassed by the Japanese forces at Java Sea, Exeter managed to hold on until the second engagement, during which it took a swarm of four Japanese destroyers firing a total of 18 torpedoes to take her down.

Throughout March, you can take on a series of special missions to add V Exeter to your fleet!

The ship can be earned as a reward for completing all four combat mission chains of Exeter's Last Stand. The ship is bestowed for completing the fourth chain, which only becomes available after you complete the preceding three.

• A new chain will become available every week. On the first day of the marathon, only the first chain will be available.
  
• The following week will see the next one unlocked, and so on.
  
• The chains will remain available until the end of the marathon.
  
• Thus, you will be able to log in to the game on the fourth week and complete everything.

Shoot down 30 enemy planes over any number of battles
Reward: 5xJuliet Yankee Bissotwo signals and 5xIndia Bravo Terrathree signals
Ship restrictions: US, UK, or Commonwealth Tier V-VIII cruisers or destroyers
Available battle modes: Random, Co-op, and Ranked Battles

Receive 4,000,000 potential damage over any number of battles
Reward: 5xJuliet Whiskey Unaone signals and 5xHotel Yankee signals
Ship restrictions: US, UK, or Commonwealth Tier V-VIII cruisers or destroyers
Available battle modes: Random, Co-op, and Ranked Battles

Deal 300,000 damage over any number of battles
Reward: 5xZulu Hotel signals and 5xMike Yankee Soxisix signals
Ship restrictions: US, UK, or Commonwealth Tier V-VIII cruisers or destroyers
Available battle modes: Random, Co-op, and Ranked Battles

Reward for Part 1: 1,000 Coal

Earn 8,000 base* XP over any number of battles (Base XP is XP unmodified by signal flags, camouflage, or other bonuses)
Reward: 5xPapa Papa signals
Ship restrictions: Japanese Tier V-VIII cruisers or destroyers
Available battle modes: Random, Co-op, and Ranked Battles

Earn 15 "Captured", "Assisted in Capture", or "Defended" ribbons over any number of battles
Reward: 5xZulu signals
Ship restrictions: Japanese Tier V-VIII cruisers or destroyers
Available battle modes: Random, Co-op, and Ranked Battles

Start 10 fires and 10 floods over any number of battles
Reward: 5xEqual Speed Charlie London signals
Ship restrictions: Japanese Tier V-VIII cruisers or destroyers
Available battle modes: Random, Co-op, and Ranked Battles

Reward for Part 2: 1,000 Coal

Deal 100,000 fire damage to enemy ships over any number of battles
Reward: 5xIndia Yankee signals
Ship restrictions: UK Tier VI-VIII battleships, cruisers, or destroyers
Available battle modes: Random, Co-op, and Ranked Battles

Earn 20 "Torpedo hits" ribbons over any number of battles
Reward: 5xJuliet Charlie signals
Ship restrictions: UK Tier VI-VIII cruisers or destroyers
Available battle modes: Random, Co-op, and Ranked Battles

Land 1,000 main gun hits on enemy ships over any number of battles
Reward: 5xNovember Foxtrot signals
Ship restrictions: UK Tier VI-VIII cruisers or destroyers
Available battle modes: Random, Co-op, and Ranked Battles

Destroy 15 enemy ships over any number of battles
Reward: 5xNovember Echo Setteseven signals
Ship restrictions: UK Tier VI-VIII cruisers or destroyers
Available battle modes: Random, Co-op, and Ranked Battles

Reward for Part 3: 1,000 Coal

Earn 7 Battle Achievements over any number of battles
Reward: 5xIndia Delta signals
Ship restrictions: UK Tier VI-VIII cruisers or destroyers
Available battle modes: Random and Ranked Battles

Deal 750,000 damage to enemy ships over any number of battles
Reward: 5xSierra Mike signals
Ship restrictions: UK Tier VI-VIII battleships, cruisers, or destroyers
Available battle modes: Random, Co-op, and Ranked Battles

Destroy 3 enemy ships in a single battle
Reward: 5xIndia X-Ray signals
Ship restrictions: UK Tier VI-VIII battleships, cruisers, or destroyers
Available battle modes: Random, Co-op, and Ranked Battles

Earn 20 "Hits to citadel" ribbons over any number of battles
Reward: 5x Victor Lima signals
Ship restrictions: UK Tier VI-VIII battleships, cruisers, or destroyers
Available battle modes: Random, Co-op, and Ranked Battles

The combat missions of the chains can be completed only once, and only in the specified sequence.

Final reward: V Exeter with a Commander with 6 skill points or 4,000 doubloons if ship is already owned.

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.

The new update will go live some time after it's been downloaded because the client and server sides are updated separately. While the client begins to update immediately, it takes time for the servers to be updated across all regions.

If there are problems with downloading or launching the update—please perform files integrity check.

Update 0.8.1.1 will address issues with sound and music, adjust the combat effectiveness of aircraft carriers, and fix some bugs.

As previously promised, we continue balancing the aircraft carrier class as a whole and, in parallel, continue to balance the individual ships.

• Increased speed of aim reduction in the attack phase of the Japanese Torpedo Bombers B6N Tenzan, B7A Ryusei, C6N Saiun, and J5N Tenrai Type 91 mod. 7 on Shokaku and Hakuryu.
  
• Preparation time during the beginning of an attack is reduced from 5 to 4.5 seconds for Japanese Torpedo Bombers B4Y Jean and B5N2 Kate on Ryujo; and down to 4 seconds for Japanese Torpedo Bombers B6N Tenzan, B7A Ryusei, C6N Saiun, and J5N Tenrai Type 91 mod. 7 on Shokaku and Hakuryu.
  
  • Changes will make attacking more comfortable and reduce the distance necessary for attack.
• The number of Torpedo Bombers on the decks of Shokaku and Hakuryu at the beginning of the battle is increased to two full groups, which will strengthen the impact potential of Torpedo Bombers.
  
• To improve the combat effectiveness of Torpedo Bombers, the “Repair” consumable on Shokaku and Hakuryu has been improved: cooldown reduced from 180 to 120 seconds, the number of charges increased from 3 to 4.
  
• The falling time of bombs from the planes of aircraft carrier Kaga has been increased by 10%, which will allow the target to dodge some of the bombs with the help of a well-timed counter-manoeuvre. The recovery time of one torpedo bomber on deck is increased from 75 to 90 seconds, which will require more careful control of Torpedo Bombers and make the aircraft carrier more sensitive to the loss of aircraft.
  
• To reduce the high attack potential of Graf Zeppelin Torpedo Bombers, the damage from one torpedo is reduced from 6,000 to 5,500.
  
• Increased the number of Hit Points of the stock planes of aircraft carriers with researchable modules. Now, the HP of Stock aircraft will not be lower than 95% compared to the number of Hit Points of the top researchable planes. This change will make the game on carriers with stock modules more comfortable. The change does not affect premium carriers and the carriers of tier IV.
  
• For all classes of ships, except destroyers, visibility from the air now cannot be less than the range of the ship’s air defenses. This will prevent cases where a squadron comes within range of a ship with its air defense switched off with the ‘P’ key, after which the ship activates anti-aircraft weapons and causes serious and sudden damage to the aircraft. After this change, a squadron will detect the ship at the same time or before it is within range of air defense, regardless of if the ship has its air defenses activated or not. Changes will affect such ships as Worcester, Minotaur, Cleveland, Atlanta, Flint and others. The interaction of destroyers with aircraft will remain at the same level and the tactics of disabling air defense weapons with the ‘P’ key will also be relevant for this class.

Sound in World of Warships is an intrinsic element of the game and accompanies the player throughout the battle, prompting and helping to navigate the environment. We are constantly working on sounds, music and their quality. Update 0.8.1 has affected most of the sound environment. Unfortunately, not everything went smoothly, and with the change a few bugs crept in. In 0.8.1.1 we correct this annoying flaw so that you can enjoy the roar of the guns and the music again.

• Reduced the volume of the reverb when a shell hit a ship while in the binocular view;
  
• Reduced the volume of switching speed and direction;
  
• Adjustments were made to the sound settings which caused a strong reverberation of individual sound effects;
  
• Fixed a bug that could cause wheezing sounds in the game when firing the main battery and in other cases;
  
• Fixed a bug that caused the sounds of AA guns firing after losing a large number of hit points to sound very loud;
  
• Fixed a bug where a voice message was played while in the tactical or binocular view, even when "Voice message volume" was configured to zero;
  
• Now, while using voice chat, the game sounds are muted less drastically.
  
• Fixed a bug where setting "Music in the Port" did not affect the volume of sale/purchase of the ship, recruiting/demobilization of commanders and other sounds in the Port;
  
• Fixed a bug where the message "Fighter has taken off" was activated for any modification of the voice ARP played in Russian.

• The range of the "Surveillance Radar" consumable on the battleship Missouri is now 9.5 km instead of 10 km. The correct value of 9.5 km was mentioned in the following article and erroneously increased in update 0.8.1;
  
• Improved the accuracy of bombers and stock attack aircraft on carrier Furious; and attack aircraft on carrier Indomitable. The accuracy of these squadrons had remained unchanged after having the number of aircraft in their attacking flights changed. As a result, since there were fewer bombs being dropped, a higher accuracy was required.
  
• Reduced the visibility of test ships from aircraft by 20% in accordance with change in visibility from the air in the update 0.8.0.3;
  
• Fixed a bug that caused a short-term performance drop in battle;
  
• Fixed a bug with incorrect contents in containers "Battle of the North Cape". Now the contents correspond to the cost of a container of 5 000 coal in comparison with other containers in the Arsenal:
  
  • number of Zulu, Juliet Charlie, Papa Papa signals reduced from 25 to 10;
    
  • number of Frosty Fir Tree camouflages reduced from 3 to 1.
• Fixed bug with the width of Exeter’s torpedo aim. Now the second option launches torpedoes in a narrow spread, instead of wide.