Action/Strategy

First U-boats ready for testing

Developer and publisher Wargaming today confirmed that they’re working on adding submarines as playable vessels in World of Warships, the premier online naval combat game. Closed testing will begin in a couple of weeks and as usual players participating in the World of Warships Supertest will be the first to try out and provide feedback on the new vehicle class.

The initial test phase will feature four playable submarines representing the US Navy and the German Kriegsmarine. More details about submarine models and their unique features will be revealed at gamescom 2019.

The fundamental nature of naval warfare shifted dramatically with the coming of advanced submarines and the new tactics they introduced. Going below sea level will open a completely new dimension for players, who have been asking for this iconic class of ships since the game was launched in 2015. Right now, World of Warships offers more than 300 historical warships to play with, divided into four different ship classes – destroyers, cruisers, battleships and aircraft carriers.

“World of Warships has continually evolved with new gameplay mechanics, innovative game modes and rich content since its release,” said Artur Plociennik, Executive Producer of World of Warships. “The uniqueness of submarines poses very interesting design challenges for our team, which we hope to be able to turn into novel new gameplay tactics for our players and to make online naval combat more exciting than ever before. We are always looking for new ways to make our audience happy and we’re aiming to fulfill every player’s fantasy of WW2 submarine operations.”

Stay in touch with World of Warships to find out more as we progress through development and release more details on this upcoming content.

About World of Warships

World of Warships is a free, historical, online combat game from Wargaming. Command a massive naval fleet featuring some of history’s most iconic war vessels, level up important tech modules and prepare to dominate the oceans in World of Warships.

With four classes of ships, myriad upgrades, and strategically designed environments, the action never ends and every match is a unique experience.

World of Warships brings players endless hours of strategy, tactical gameplay and pulse-pounding combat!

Head over to the official World of Warships website now to sign up and play World of Warships for free!

Gaijin Entertainment today announced the start of the Operation H.E.A.T. player event in War Thunder. From August 2nd to August 26th, players are able to complete in-game tasks in battle to get six new and exclusive vehicles: the BT-7 (F-32) light tank, Bf 110 C-6 heavy fighter, River class (K-246) frigate, AUBL/74 HVG armoured car, P-59A jet fighter and Yūdachi destroyer, as well as camouflages and decals.

The new and exclusive vehicles will be interesting to military history fans and seasoned War Thunder veterans alike, both for their historical and tactical significance.

• BT-7 (F-32): In 1939, a single BT-7 light tank was equipped with the 76 mm F-32 tank cannon for testing purposes. The high speed of the BT-7 (F-32) allows players to outmaneuver their enemies, while the upgraded high-caliber cannon can take on most enemies in low-rank battles head on.
• P-59A Airacomet: The P-59A is the very first American jet fighter. Developed during World War II, it was never used in real combat. In War Thunder, the Airacomet will finally be able to prove its worth on Rank IV, fighting alongside top piston-engined aircraft which are more or less equal in combat strength.
• AUBL/74 HVG: This modification of the powerful FIAT AUBL/74 is equipped with a high-velocity 60mm cannon featuring a two-plane stabilizer. Its light armor makes it a nimble opponent, able to snipe accurately at enemies over long distances.
• Bf 110C-6: The C-6 modification of Germany’s “Zerstörer” series of aircraft is part of a special program to outfit the Bf 110 fighter with a heavy cannon armament. Units outfitted with the C-6 were used during the Battle of France in anti-tank duty. In War Thunder, they will be a formidable force to deploy both against ground and large air targets, such as bombers.
• River-class Frigate: The Royal Navy’s River-class rose to reputation by escorting convoys, fighting Axis submarines and supporting ground troops during the D-Day landings. With cannons ranging from 20mm to 102mm, it is effective against aircraft and small warships.
• Shiratsuyu-class Destroyer Yūdachi: The Yuudachi was part of the famous “Tokyo Express”, which ran night-supply runs to the embattled Japanese forces on Guadalcanal. With five 127mm primary cannons and two four-barreled torpedo launchers, it is a formidable warship in War Thunder.

To participate in Operation H.E.A.T. and to get access to the exclusive vehicles, players can participate in regular Random Battles, where they earn distinct “Marks of Distinction” for tankers, pilots and captains. By earning enough “Marks of Distinction”, players can unlock prizes, such as decals, camouflages and the aforementioned vehicles. For example, tankers will receive a coupon for the BT-7 (F-32)with five “Marks of Distinction” , a special camouflage for the BT-7 (F-32) with six, the AUBL/74 HVG with ten, and so on. Players can use the vehicle coupons to unlock the vehicles for their own account, or sell them to other players on the Gaijin Market.

Click here for a full list of prizes and more details on the event.

For more game information and to download War Thunder, please visit the official War Thunder website.

Update 0.8.6 introduces first French Destroyers, new missions and map.

Developer and publisher Wargaming has launched the new major update 0.8.6. for its popular naval combat game World of Warships. The update gives players the opportunity to unlock the upcoming French Destroyers early through new directives and missions. The first update of the French arc also comes with a brand new map and new seasons of Clan and Ranked Battles.

A new video presenting the update and the French Destroyers is available HERE.

The update 0.8.6. celebrates the French Navy, adding dozens of missions with great rewards at stake for players who complete them, including the opportunity to unlock the Tier V Premium French Destroyer Siroco and earn exclusive containers. Alongside signals and original camouflages, these containers will have a chance to unlock a special mission which, upon completion, will award players with one of the brand new French Destroyers, available in Early Access with this month’s update: the Jaguar (Tier V), the Guépard (Tier VI), the Vauquelin (Tier VII), and Le Fantasque (Tier VIII).

This month’s update also brings a new look for the Port of Marseille, which has been redecorated for the occasion and now features a myriad of hot-air balloons bearing the French colours. Many ships will be marked with the Symbol of France, offering players either Coal or Republic Tokens, a new temporary resource, for their first victory aboard these ships. These tokens can be exchanged for four consecutive bundles featuring a wealth of in-game
items. Once players have obtained all these bundles, 30 new ones will be made available in exchange for doubloons, with one of them immediately unlocking the Tier IX French Destroyer, the Mogador.

The embodiment of naval ambush predators, French Destroyers compensate their lack of Smoke Generator by a specific distribution of HP making them surprisingly resilient, their manoeuvrability and a higher speed than their counterparts, further enhanced through an upgraded Engine Boost consumable. Agility is not the only strength of these ships, as they enjoy at high Tiers comfortable ballistics, devastating Armor Piercing shells and have access to the Main Battery Reload Booster consumable, significantly increasing their damage output for a short time. In the right conditions, the French Destroyers’ firepower and survivability allow them to inflict considerable damage to even larger ships such as cruisers, making them able to surprise and take out threats that would otherwise prove fatal.

The update 0.8.6. also introduces the brand new Crash Zone Alpha map to the game. Inspired by the white cliffs of Dover, this map is available for Tier VIII to Tier X battles in Domination mode in two versions, with three and four key areas respectively. The map will be particularly interesting to Clan Battles fans, as the home key areas of the teams will be located close to each other, inciting prospective commanders to reconsider their usual strategies.

Finally, the update comes with loads of improvements and modifications, including new seasons of Ranked and Clan Battles, a new sunny weather for the Greece map, and balance changes.

The team has also announced the long-awaited Italian Navy and its Cruiser line, as well as the upcoming launch of the new European nation in closed testing. This nation will have three ships available at first: the Viribus Unitis (Austria-Hungary, Tier V), the Błyskawica (Poland, Tier VII) and the Friesland (Netherlands, Tier IX).

Further details on the update 0.8.6. are available HERE.

Head over to the official World of Warships website now to sign up and play World of Warships for free!

Today, Ubisoft announced that Judgment of Atlantis, the final episode of the post-launch story arc of Assassin’s Creed Odyssey: The Fate of Atlantis, is now available on the PlayStation®4 computer entertainment system, the Xbox One family of devices including Xbox One X and Windows PC.

Watch the Assassin’s Creed Odyssey: Judgment of Atlantis Gameplay Preview Trailer HERE.

Judgment of Atlantis takes players to the legendary world of Atlantis, a gorgeous landscape of architectural wonders, and a playground for Isu knowledge and power. As the last trial to master the Staff of Hermes, players must make the hardest decisions yet in a world where humans and Isu coexist. In this often unstable world, Poseidon, ruler of Atlantis, tries to maintain balance and hopes that our hero, dubbed the Dikastes, will bring harmony to his kingdom.

Each of the episodes of The Fate of Atlantis introduced new ability enhancements related to different branches of the skill tree – Hunter, Warrior and Assassin. In this third episode, players will discover three new ability enhancements, including:

• Ares Wrath (Warrior branch of the skill tree) – an enhancement to the Ring of Chaos ability. Players smash the ground with the Broken Spear to create a large area where all enemies inside slow down and take damage after a few seconds.
• Blessing of Kronos (Assassin branch) – an enhancement to the Venomous Attacks ability. Player’s receive the Isu Power for a limited amount of time, giving immunity to Isu effects, such as Adrenalin Freeze and Adrenalin Drain.
• Kronos’ Punishment (Assassin branch) – an enhancement to the Call to Arms ability. Create a replica of our hero that performs a stealth attack on the target, so players can assassinate enemies without exposing themselves when there are many enemies close together.

In order to play Judgment of Atlantis, players must complete the previous episodes from The Fate of Atlantis in addition to the below:

• Following the main game, players will have to complete the questline Between Two Worlds, the mythological main game story arc and the Lost Tales of Greece questline Heir of Memories that is available after completing the former questline. Finally, they must have reached character level 28 or above.
• For players who have not completed the main game, a shortcut was developed allowing them to enter Greece at level 52 with all their preset abilities and resources, so they can access Heir of Memories to start their adventure into the afterlife. However, player progression using the shortcut will not carry over to the main game save, and they will not be able to obtain achievements.

The Assassin’s Creed Odyssey post-launch plan has been the biggest and most ambitious in the franchise, and season pass owners have access to two major episodic storylines, Legacy of the First Blade and The Fate of Atlantis. The season pass also includes Assassin’s Creed® III Remastered and Assassin’s Creed® Liberation Remastered, which released for the PlayStation®4 computer entertainment system, the Xbox One family of devices including Xbox One X and Windows PC. Assassin’s Creed Odyssey players will continue to access to free content including the story-focused episodic Lost tales of Greece as well as daily and weekly in-game events.

For more information on Assassin’s Creed, please visit assassinscreed.com.

Four teams of three commanders face off against each other in a savage struggle for resources

Developer and publisher Wargaming just released a new post-apocalyptic Battle Royale mode for their popular naval combat game World of Warships. Rogue Wave, a temporary battle mode set in a dark and toxic sea world is coming as part of the new 0.8.5 Update, which also introduces two new seasons of Ranked Sprint and few mechanical and cosmetic changes.

A brand new trailer for the post-apocalyptic Rogue Wave mode is available here.

In Rogue Wave, World of Warships’ new temporary Battle Royale mode, players will face off in four teams of three over resources in the flooded ruins of a sunken city, adding the ability for more than two teams to battle for the first time to World of Warships. Players will start with no consumable items, and will have to navigate a world on the brink of collapse with nothing but their ship and her armaments to defend themselves from other players. Other players aren’t the only threat, however, as throughout the match a wall of Wild Fire will steadily engulf the battlefield, pushing players closer and closer together, lest they get caught in the Fire and quickly lose HP.

Rogue Wave features three new ship classes specifically designed for the mode. The Octopus gathers ships armed with powerful torpedoes and low detectability, though featuring automated main batteries. The Moray Eel is comprised of highly maneuverable ships, designed for aggressive close quarter brawls, whereas the ships belonging to the Barracuda class are formidable vessels focusing on speed and powerful main battery guns.

Alongside Rogue Wave’s temporary Battle Royale mode, 0.8.5 introduces four Directives featuring ten missions each. Accomplishing these missions will enable players to earn Fuel Tokens and various other in-game items. Fuel Tokens can then be spent in the Armory on exclusive consumable post-apocalyptic camouflage, credits, Premium Account time and even a new Premium ship, the Benham – a Tier IX American destroyer, equipped with 16 torpedoes – a record for this Tier – and featuring unique post-apocalyptic camouflage as well as a new commander.

Additionally, the 0.8.5 update will introduce two new seasons of Ranked Sprints, where players will compete in 6v6 battles, while controlling Tier VII ships. Season 5 battles will be played in Domination mode, whereas Season 6 will feature Epicenter mode.

This update will also include Clan Brawl – a series of battles where clans will fight against one another over a single day for Steel and other valuable items, as well as a host of improvements and modifications, including new mechanics for damage inflicted to ships and shell penetration, a reworked minimap which now displays only the necessary information and much more.

Further details on the update 0.8.5. are available here and can be seen in the dev diary video here.

Head over to the official World of Warships website now to sign up for World of Warships for free!

Source: Blue’s News

Steam News announces the launch of Naval Action, a sandbox (seabox?) naval combat game, that’s now officially available for Windows on Steam. A look at the game can be found in this trailer, though this is from three years ago. Developer Game-Labs discusses the game’s emergence from Early Access in this post, saying, “In the next 2 weeks we plan to stabilize the build, provide final updates for localization (including the steam page) and publish the roadmap for the 2019.” In spite of the game’s PvP focus, they confidently say, “Naval Action is one of the few games where hacking is made impossible by design.” That’s explained further in this description:

Naval Action is a hardcore, realistic, and beautifully detailed naval combat game immersing players into the experience of the most beautiful period of naval history – when sailing ships ruled the seas. No game has come closer to the replication of the Age of Sail sailing mechanics and combat.

Here is what you can expect:

• Beautiful ships – We have been painstakingly recreating the beautiful ships of the Age of sail period. Accurate hull models, sail plans, guns, internal upgrades, historical speed trials were used in the creation of vessels. The game features 50+ ships from small cutters to large 100+ gun 1st rates allowing the player to experience every possible role of that era.

Conquest and PVP Activities

• Fight on War Server – Fight for the domination of the West Indies, recreated based on 18th Century maps and navigational charts. Build ships, trade, attack enemies of your nation almost everywhere and capture their ships. Open trading outposts and levy taxes in the ports governed by your clan. Invest to turn your controlled ports into industrial hubs, shipbuilding arsenals or fortified harbours. Invite other clans of your nation into your alliance.

Built for PVP

• Age of sail combat is a personal affair with no dirty tricks, corner camping, or hiding in bushes: you see the enemy from 20km and so do they. Just like in boxing you have to get close; and use all your tactical knowledge of wind, your ship to slug it out face to face. Broadside weight matters, but even a smaller vessel can overcome the superior enemy by focusing on the enemy weak spots.

Absolutely no hackers.

• Hacking is a killer of fun in PVP games. From the start we have build the tech around one main goal – complete elimination of hacking from PVP. We are very proud to say that we have succeeded. Naval Action is one of the few games where hacking is made impossible by design. Every battle action is calculated on the servers, even water and wave shapes. Yes – you have heard it right: there is a special server that calculates and replicates waves to all users in battle. When fighting in Naval action you can be sure you are only facing skills and ship fittings.

More game info is available on the official Naval Action website.

Ubisoft has announced that Torment of Hades, the second episode of the post-launch story arc of Assassin’s Creed Odyssey: The Fate of Atlantis, is now available on the PlayStation®4 computer entertainment system, the Xbox One family of devices including Xbox One X and Windows PC.

Torment of Hades transports players to the Underworld, a vast world of endless gloom filled with the wandering dead, ruled by the sharp and cunning Hades. As the story unfolds, players will come face-to-face with the ghosts of their past and continue their journey in mastering the Staff of Hermes. In order to escape the afterlife, players will have to help the dead find their rightful resting place and settle the debt that Hades demands.

Each of the episodes of The Fate of Atlantis will introduce new ability enhancements related to the different branches of the skill tree – Hunter, Warrior and Assassin. In this second episode, players will discover three new ability enhancements, including:

• Kronos Time Shift – part of the Warrior branch of the skill tree, and launches players into the air while temporarily blinding surrounding enemies. While you are in the air, time pauses for a moment, letting you use abilities from above or in a chain with Leap of Faith’s ground smash.
• Ares Last Breath – part of the Warrior branch of the skill tree. This healing ability will grant immunity to enemy attacks, restore 5% of damage dealt as Health and automatically parry enemy melee hits.
• Artemis Trickery – part of the Hunter branch of the skill tree, and transforms players’ arrows into deadly traps that detonate and deal damage to enemies that come in close proximity. Any type of arrow can be used and will offer a different type of effect on detonation.

In order to play Torment of Hades, players will have two different options:

• Following the main game, players will have to complete the questline Between Two Worlds, the mythological main game story arc, and the Lost Tales of Greece questline Heir of Memories that is available after completing the former questline. Finally, they must have reached character level 28 or above.
• Players who do not fulfil all the above conditions will be able to use a shortcut created specifically for them. Thanks to this shortcut, players will enter Greece at level 52 with pre-set abilities and resources, enabling them to start their adventure into the afterlife with Heir of Memories. They will also have the opportunity to choose their hero. However, contrary to the previous option, player progression using the shortcut will not carry over to the main game save, and they will not be able to obtain achievements.

The Assassin’s Creed Odyssey post-launch plan is the biggest and most ambitious in the franchise, and season pass owners will be able to access two major episodic storylines, Legacy of the First Blade and The Fate of Atlantis. Players can dive into new episodes as they premiere or experience the epic adventures in their entirety once all episodes are available. The season pass also includes Assassin’s Creed III Remastered and Assassin’s Creed III Liberation Remastered, which released for the PlayStation®4 computer entertainment system, the Xbox One family of devices including Xbox One X and Windows PC on March 29th, 2019.

For more information on Assassin’s Creed, please visit the games official website.

New Update Introduces Second Stage of the Victory Competition, Ranked Battles Return, and Dynamic Environments for Ports

Today developer and producer Wargaming has released their latest major update 0.8.4 for its popular naval combat game World of Warships. The next installment of the cycle dedicated to Soviet battleships marks the full release of the new tech tree and brings the second stage of the “Victory” competition, a new season of Ranked Battles, and dynamic environments in your Ports!

The new Kreml, Sovetsky Soyuz, Gangut and Knyaz Suvorov join the battleships that became available in Early Access last month, and will be heavily armoured ships of war with powerful weapons, best used at a close to medium range. Designed for aggressive play, these ships are designed for battlefield leaders, allowing players to penetrate enemy lines and deal huge damage to their opponents as they do.

As part of the continuing “Victory” event, alongside these new battleships comes a special new Soviet Hero commander, Nikolai Kuznetsov, leader of the Soviet Navy during WWII and the 3rd commander with unique abilities in the game, after Halsey and Yamamoto. Players will be able to unlock him through new temporary resource – Provision tokens. Beside Commander Kuznetsov, Provision tokens can be exchanged for popular Tier V premium ship Murmansk or new “In the Service of the Motherland” containers. Besides regular rewards, containers will also contain elements of the new Soviet collection, which pays homage to Soviet naval architects, and their legacy as shipbuilders.

Today’s update introduces the new map, Greece, for Tier IX and X battles. Inspired by Santorini Island, this map features low islands, making it possible to attack the ships hiding behind them.

Update 0.8.4. will also feature a new season of Ranked Battles, where the teams will be composed of seven Tier X ships each and the battles will take place in the “Domination” and reworked “Epicenter” modes, where the center and rings can now be captured separately. One of the key features of the new season is the return of aircraft carriers into Ranked Battles alongside with the introduction of free ship rentals, which will give more players the opportunity to participate.

Finally, in-game Ports have also been updated, and will now feature dynamic environment. With this new feature, players will be able to view traditional Ports in new colours, day will succeed night in “night-time” Ports, Saint Petersburg will be hugged by a cozy mist, and in the Ocean Port, the sun will roll off into the horizon and set.

Further details on the update 0.8.4. are available in the latest video patch notes.

For the latest game information, and to sign up for World of Warships for free, visit the games official website!

25 Japanese ships, new French tanks and an Anime-style helicopter

Gaijin Entertainment today announced the release of the “Imperial Navy” Content Update for the free-to-play vehicle combat game War Thunder. It sees the debut of the game’s first Japanese navy lineup with 25 different ships ranging from fast escorts like the T1 torpedo boat to the powerful heavy cruiser Furutaka, as well as two playable ships of other nations, 10 tanks, 13 aircraft and one new helicopter in total.

The Heavy Cruiser Furutaka, which is the first heavy cruiser represented in War Thunder, was originally constructed in the 1920s. In-game, it is featured in its late version, after the modernization it received in 1937. This exact variant of the Furutaka took part in the Battle of Savo Island, which was one of the Imperial Japanese Navy’s biggest victories. Other interesting Japanese ships include the submarine chaser Karo-Tei Type 2, which was hunting US-American submarines near Okinawa and the Philippines in the final stages of World War II.

Another guest that reaches War Thunder from the Land of the Rising Sun is the AH-1S, the first helicopter of the Japanese Self-Defense Forces available in War Thunder. Just as in real life, it also sports its Anime-style camouflage depicting the character “Wakana Kisarazu”, one of the four cute fictional girls who in 2012 became symbols of the JSDF’s Camp Kisarazu. Combat helicopters decorated with pictures of those characters created a huge buzz among media and military fans. They are also featured in the Japanese social game called “Rick G Earth” and have inspired a series of plastic models. Now, thanks to an agreement between Gaijin Entertainment and Zoo Corporation, all War Thunder players can use the official Wakana Kisarazu camouflage as well as the female pilot modeled after this character in-game.

Update also has plenty in stock for the other branches and nations represented in War Thunder. The game’s last content update introduced the first SAM (surface-to-air) missile system, the Soviet 2S6 Tunguska. Now, competing nations receive similar vehicles as well, e.g. the US-American Bradley ADATS tank, which is capable of attacking both air and ground targets with cannons and 8 guided missiles. Another example is the British Stormer HVM that is equipped with 16 guided missiles, each capable of separating itself into three guided, explosive-filled tungsten rounds.

Fans of modern armored vehicles will receive access to the French Leclerc S1, the first variant of France’s current main battle which is still in service both in France as well as the United Arab Emirates. Fast and well-protected, the Leclerc S1 will offer serious competition to vehicles like the M1A1 Abrams, Soviet T-80U or similar. Another option is the new Japanese Type 16 MCV, a wheeled tank destroyer of the Japanese Ground Self-Defense Force that entered service only a year ago, while the fast British jet fighter Hunter F.6 with experimental SRAAM rockets will surely receive a warm welcome by pilots that prefer to fight aggressively. Fans of aviation history will also be able to lay their hands on the unique Messerschmitt Me 264, a prototype German strategic bomber developed as part of the “Amerikabomberprogramm” (“America Bomber” project), which was designed to attack land targets within the United States of America by crossing the Atlantic ocean.

More information on the Update “Imperial Navy” is available on the official War Thunder website.

Gaijin Entertainment announces that the Open Beta of War Thunder’s anticipated World War mode is starting today. The new game mode gives players the opportunity to re-enact famous battles of World War II, to follow in history’s footsteps or change its course completely.

In game, these battles are organized in ‘Operations’, which are based on real world events and combat campaigns, such as the Battle of El Alamein or Battle of Vitebsk. Commanders of either side can move air- and ground armies on a strategic map, and when those armies meet, their clash is resolved by a battle session between players. Results of said battles can have significant effects on the outcome of the Operation, as the defeated side retreats and loses vehicles or even full regiments. An Operation can take up to two hours to complete, depending on the decisiveness of its battles.

Only Squadron Commanders, leaders of War Thunder’s player communities, can initiate the launch of a new Operation, but everyone is allowed to participate – both squadron members as well as the general playerbase. The list of available vehicles in each Operation is limited by historical context, meaning it is not possible to fly a jet fighter over the skies of El Alamein or ride a Japanese tank to battle at Vitebsk. If a player participating in the Operation has vehicles fitting to the historical context, he will be able to take his specific vehicle including crew and modifications. If a player does not own any of the required vehicles, he or she can still participate by receiving a vehicle in its basic modification. This means that participation is open to both veteran players as well war history fans that are still new to War Thunder.

Each operation consists of various battles with differing tasks and available vehicles. Modes include assault, defence, convoy attacks, cover missions as well as head-on confrontations featuring both ground and air forces. The vital link between battles is the strategic map, where commanders may e.g. send an air army to assist ground forces, making aircraft available for one side what previously seemed to be a ground battle only. The diversity of different mission types as well as the asymmetry between relative team power and objectives will open a new experience to players, offering an exciting alternative to War Thunder’s regular PvP battles.

View the War Thunder – World War teaser trailer HERE.

The World War mode is a season-based event, with the first already running until June 10, with the best players set to receive additional rewards. The full schedule of the season and more information about War Thunder is available on the games official website.