World of Tanks maps have seen a lot of innovation recently. You played on night locations, tried out random events, and saw last year’s Recon Mission ‘graduates’ enter Random Battles. Maps in their classic form have also been given the attention they deserve: with Update 1.22, ten of them will receive a batch of improvements of different scales. Based on feedback and data gathered, these adjustments will make your playing experience even more enjoyable.
All changes—be they major or minor—are based on the same design principles. Everywhere, the goal was to improve map balance while also making the gameplay more varied and nuanced, allowing more tactical approaches to be employed and the strengths of various vehicles of different types to be used. Let’s have a look at the changes!
Extensive Map Changes
Mountain Pass received multiple augmentations to improve the quality of life for both sides. The zone for heavily armored vehicle clashes was expanded and refurbished. A lot of lines of fire that previously allowed for hitting vehicles en route to positions at the start of battle were blocked. The hill in the south often used by snipers and arty was significantly reshaped, and it is no longer possible to shoot at the bridge from the top of its northern counterpart.
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In square H8, the height of the hill has been reduced so that the lowermost team can take up anti-tank positions faster and more efficiently. The firing position for attacks along the 9th and 0th verticals has been removed.
Intermediate covers have been added at the intersection of squares F9–F0 and E9–E0 which will allow vehicles to advance to the lowermost base capture circle more safely. The shoreline position in the E0 square, which facilitated control over the entire entrance area to the lowermost base, has been removed.
Balcones and covers have been added to square E9 to allow for firing from medium and long distances.
In squares C7, D7, and D8, the collision zone for heavy tanks has undergone a complete overhaul. The terrain has been changed, new covers have been created, and finally, the play area has been expanded.
In squares H6–H7, part of the mountain has been removed and cleared of vegetation to open a small chamber for those holding the anti-tank position (the balcony in square H8). Through this chamber one can attack enemy vehicles in squares J3–J4, just like in the uppermost base.
In squares G5-H6, the balcony and its surrounding areas have been redesigned. This helped reduce the zone of engagement with vehicles coming from the lowermost base and allowed new medium-range firing positions to be added.
In squares D2-E3, the balcony and its surrounding areas have been redesigned. This helped reduce the zone of engagement with vehicles coming from the uppermost base and allowed new medium-range firing positions to be added.
In squares E2-G1, the play area has been expanded: a balcony and intermediate covers have been added, enabling players from the lowermost team to attack more efficiently.
New covers have been added in the F4 square.
In square D4, a rock has been added to block the attacks along the bridge from the anti-tank firing position in square C3.
In squares E6–F7, the bridge approach area has been redesigned for the lowermost team: the play area has been expanded and better positions have been added for firing along the bridge from medium and long distances.
In squares H1-K4, the collision zone has been revamped. The balcony in squares H3–H4 has shifted toward the uppermost team. In squares F3–G3, part of the mountain was removed for broader firing options from the balcony. Both teams have been given new positions and shelters for medium-range combat. The time of approach to the collision zone has been rebalanced.
At the junction of squares A1 and A2, vegetation has been added for players from the uppermost team. Their positions for base defense have been improved to mirror those of the lowermost team.
Fisherman‘s Bay now offers more opportunities to the northern team than before. The route to the city blocks (which lost a couple of buildings) has been made safer. More view-obstructing foliage has been planted in the middle of the map, and a new firing position has appeared in the K7 square.
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The path to the city has become safer thanks to the modified terrain in squares A6-B7.
In square E8, the troublesome position for attacking the urban area has been removed.
Vegetation has been added to the central part of the map (squares E5–E6). The house has been moved to give more of an advantage to the uppermost team against the lowermost team heading to the town.
The anti-tank position in square B2 has been improved: vegetation has been added while the location of the house has been changed.
The tree in square D1 has been removed. In certain scenarios, it acted as a double bush when it fell.
Some houses have been removed from squares H9-G9 to eliminate the blind spot when approaching the city and balance the time intervals for the lowermost team.
A new position has been added to square K7, which gives more opportunities for attacks on the central part. It can also serve as an additional secure point for the uppermost team in the event of a breakthrough to the east.
The brick factory on Studzianki has been made larger, creating more space for well-armored brawlers. The village has also been expanded. The trench splitting it in two now offers better protection from shots fired from the factory.
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The factory area has been expanded. In squares C4-C7 and D5-D6, several new spots have been added as an incentive to practice smart positioning.
A hill has been added in square D8 as an intermediate cover to be used when retreating from the factory part of the map.
For balance improvement, a few houses have been added to the central ravine (squares H5–H6, G5–G6).
The pit in squares E5–E6 has been deepened so that vehicles can hide from shooting from the factory area.
The village area on the K-line has been extended. The terrain has been reworked and new positions have been added in the ravine along the map border.
The vegetation density has been decreased in square K0.
For balance improvement, an indestructible house has been added to square E0.
Oyster Bay has become friendlier to the northern side than it used to be. A sub-direction on the heavies’ flank (squares E6 and F7) has become more exposed to fire from the main sniping positions on the northern side; pushing it will now be less easy for the southern side. Select mountains have gained in height to give better protection from artillery fire. A few bushes and a coastal defense gun have also been moved.
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The upper sub-direction on the heavy tanks' flank in square E6 has become more open to shooting from the uppermost team's main anti-tank positions. Now it will be more difficult for the lowermost team to advance from it.
The passage in the F8 square in the direction for heavy tanks has been redesigned to provide more options for attacks on the southern part of the map.
In square D6, the path to the position for the uppermost team's light tanks has been streamlined. Previously, one had to drive through the water, which slowed down movement.
The height of the mountains in squares H5 and G6 has been increased so that the lowermost team's self-propelled guns cannot fire at the main positions of the uppermost team in the direction for heavy tanks.
The entrance to the balcony in the G5 square has been improved. Now it cannot be jumped on.
The location of the ship's gun in square C4 has been adjusted. Now it does not block the firing position of the uppermost team's anti-tank vehicles (square B5 in the direction for medium tanks).
The bushes have been adjusted on the lowermost team's anti-tank position in square E2. Shooting at square B3 now requires moving out of the bushes (similar to the uppermost team's balcony).
Improvements to Gameplay Experience
Three more battlefields underwent lesser but still significant changes along the design principles outlined at the beginning of the article.
Murovanka
Several map balancing changes have been introduced, making the overall situation better than before for the southern team.
The sniping position in the J9 square has been improved.
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The route toward the forest in the H7 and G8 squares has been made safer.
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With the changes in terrain shape, the position in the F8 square has become better protected.
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The spot in the F9 square is now safe from fire from the hill in the E8 square.
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There is now less foliage in the D0, F0, and G0 squares, so firing over positions there is easier.
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The road, the hill, and the bushes in the E6 and E7 squares have been moved southward to even out the balance for those playing in light tanks.
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In the Encounter mode, the base has been moved into the E2 and F2 squares. Vehicle spawning points have been repositioned closer to the hills.
Cliff
Several adjustments have been implemented to get rid of some overly advantageous positions and to make playing on the map more comfortable.
The center of the map is now less exposed to fire from the southern side’s base (the J3 square) which will make life easier for heavies coming from the north.
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The stone in the G5 square has been made larger, to block a line of fire that had been used to hit heavily armored vehicles. A house has been added to the G6 square to protect against attacks made from the H9 square, mirroring the tactical setup on the opposing side of the map.
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The terrain depression in the D4 and D5 squares has been removed. The rock in the D5 square is now lower, which allows for fire over the E6, F6, E7, and F7 squares from the northern base.
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There is now a safer arty zone in the A4 square, to balance the existing one on the southern side of the map.
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Climbing on the cliff in the F7 square is no longer possible.
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Live Oaks
The map has received a few changes to improve the overall playing experience.
The approaches to the city blocks from both the northern (squares A5 and A6) and the southern (squares C1 and D1) bases have been reworked, making them safer for slow vehicles.
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More cover has been added to the A7, E0, and F0 squares to create more variability when attacking and defending the northern base.
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A swampy area in the K8 square has been dried up to give the southern side the same range of tactical opportunities that their opponents enjoy.
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Heavies can now clash with more convenience due to a slight expansion of the city block in the A3 square and several destructible buildings in the A2 square made indestructible.
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Selective Adjustments
Three locations have received relatively minor changes to improve the overall playing experience.
In the mountain gorge on Lakeville (squares from C1 to H2), the type of ground has been changed (both mechanics-wise and visually) and vehicles will now traverse it with more ease.
On Ensk, the locations of spawning points have been slightly changed for both teams, and priorities for spawning have been allocated based on vehicle types. For Encounter battles, the spawning points on the northern side have been rearranged for the sake of map balance, and vehicle-type priorities for spawning have been set for both teams.
For Assault battles on Siegfried Line, the attacking team’s spawning zones have been merged into a single one, located in the E3 and F3 squares.
We will monitor the influence of these changes on map balance as well as player satisfaction to ensure that our favorite game remains fun to play and that tankers’ wishes are met.
See you on the updated battlefields, Commanders!