Hello, Commanders,
Today we have a lengthy update to our “Commander Skills, Equipment, and Consumables” initiative first mentioned in our 2025 Roadmap and summarized in our previous Dev Blog. We announced on our August 15th stream that we would be revealing our full plan for these changes. Today, we’re posting our entire list of planned changes to Commander Skills, Equipment, and Consumables for your feedback. Please note: the changes listed below are not live yet! They're planned for release in the months to come.
This is a large set of changes that all interweave together along with the Quality of Life changes we recently started to implement in the Gods of Thunder season, so please take some time to digest them all together.
We'll continue to evaluate and monitor tank and gameplay balance after these changes go into effect. Our goal is to re-evaluate balance afterwards and we may find that some tanks need stat changes in response to how the Skills/Equipment/Consumables changes affect gameplay.
In addition to the proposed changes for Skills, Equipment, and Consumables, we also plan to change two mechanics for Cold War:
Standard spotted duration time: 5 seconds -> 10 seconds
- Currently, once you break line of sight with the enemy, it takes 5 seconds to become unspotted in Cold War.
- We are increasing this to 10 seconds to account for the various spotted time duration increases and decreases that the Skills, Equipment, and Consumables can have to maintain gameplay balance.
- For Cold War, the minimum and maximum spotted time duration can be changed by +/-5s.(5s-15s)
- For World War II, the minimum and maximum spotted time duration can be changed by +/-3 seconds (7s - 13s)
Minimum spotting distance: 35 meters -> 50 meters
- This is to match World War II values and is an additional measure to ensure no tank can be closer than 50m without being detected. This shouldn't happen with the changes being made with various camo-boosting Skills, Equipment, and consumables but is an additional safeguard.
Our goal remains to provide transparent communication to the players, and we're interested in your feedback on this direction. We want this to be the start of a conversation where we can get your opinions on these proposed changes.
Below you'll find full lists of the changes we're making, with Before and After columns to show you the differences. Underneath those lists, you can see these changes in a summary infographic.
Commander Skills - Changes
In our first Dev Blog, we mentioned that our first notable change will be to Sixth Sense. We want to reiterate that here.
This change would be added to the game at the same time as all the other changes to Commander Skills we detail below. Sixth Sense will become a default ability for all Commanders instead of a Skill that requires a slot. This would ensure every player has access to this critical awareness tool without sacrificing a Skill slot to this “mandatory” choice.
We wanted to re-highlight the above change, as it affects all Commanders. The full list of various Skill changes can be found below. Any Skill not listed will not be changed.
| Skills - Before | Skills - After |
|---|---|
|
Sixth Sense Instantly alerts you when your tank is detected |
Default ability of all Commanders |
|
NEW SKILL |
ATGM Expert Increases the turning speed of ATGMs |
|
NEW SKILL |
Radio Jamming 3-second decrease to your spotted duration time |
|
NEW SKILL |
Pyromaniac External fires you start with your flamethrower do 50% more damage per tick |
|
NEW SKILL |
Rocket Scientist 25% increase in velocity for unguided rockets |
|
NEW SKILL |
Rocketeer +1 additional rocket boost (on applicable tanks) 25% increase to rocket thrust and engine power (on applicable tanks) |
|
RETURNED SKILL |
Jack of all Trades The penalty for a wounded crew on performance is reduced by 25% |
|
Adrenaline Rush 15% increase to gun reload speed when under 10% of HP Last Stand 25% increase to Commander’s effectiveness when under 10% HP |
Both skills combine to become: Final Stand 15% increase to gun reload speed and 25% increase to Commander's effectiveness when under 10% HP |
|
Comms Technician 30% increase to radio range Marked Target 3-second increase to the enemy vehicle detection time |
Both skills combine to become: Comms Expert 30% increase to radio range 3-second increase to the duration enemy vehicles are spotted |
|
Firefighting 10% decrease to fire duration Fire Prevention 33% decrease to chance of Internal Fire |
Both skills combine to become: Fire Safety Training 10% decrease to fire duration 33% decrease to chance of Internal Fire |
|
Dead Eye 6% increase to the chance of damaging crew and modules with AP, APCR, APDS, APFSDS, and HEAT shells Iron Mace 25% decrease to the effect that distance has on shell penetration |
Both skills combine to become: Expert Gunner 6% increase to the chance of damaging crew and modules with non-HE shells 25% decrease to the effect that distance has on shell penetration |
|
Controlled Impact 20% decrease to ram damage to self, 20% increase to ram damage to enemy Trick Driving 30% reduction in fall damage |
Both skills combine to become: Dynamic Driving 20% decrease to ram damage to self, 20% increase to ram damage to enemy 30% reduction in fall damage |
|
Safe Stowage 25% increase to ammo rack durability |
Safe Stowage 25% increase to ammo rack durability 50% reduction to reload penalty with a damaged ammo rack |
|
Snap Shot 12% increase to accuracy during turret rotation |
Snap Shot 10% increase to accuracy during turret rotation |
|
Camouflage Expertise 10% increase to camo factor |
Camouflage Expertise 4% increase to camo factor |
|
Off-Road Driving 15% increase to handling on soft terrain 7.5% increase to handling on moderately soft terrain |
Off-Road Driving 7.5% increase to handling on soft and medium terrain |
|
Born Leader 10% increase to Skill effectiveness and crew performance |
Born Leader 5% increase to Skill effectiveness and crew performance |
|
Rapid Loading 10% increase to gun reload speed |
This skill is being removed. |
|
Steady Aim 10% increase to accuracy |
This skill is being removed. |
|
Muffled Shot Improves At Shot camouflage factor by 35% when shooting |
This Skill's property is being converted into a tank Equipment option. |
|
Silent Driving 55% decrease to the effect of driving on your tank’s camo factor |
This Skill's property is being converted into a tank Equipment option. |
Equipment - Changes
Similar to our change to Sixth Sense, we’re planning to bring a familiar feature back to all tanks permanently: Enhanced Target Info.
Previously available as a piece of Equipment, this functionality (outlining targeted tanks) will return as a default feature for all vehicles. This change ensures that all players benefit from improved targeting clarity without needing to equip or unlock anything extra.
This also means that all vehicles will retain their fourth Equipment slot.
| Equipment - Before | Equipment - After |
|---|---|
|
Enhanced Target Info Outline target / Show penetration chance |
Default ability |
|
NEW EQUIPMENT |
Flash Hider Improves At Shot camouflage factor by 35% when shooting |
|
NEW EQUIPMENT |
Low-Noise Exhaust System 55% decrease to the effect of driving on your tank’s camo factor |
|
NEW EQUIPMENT |
Cooling Jacket Decreases the overheat penalty by 25% |
|
RETURNED EQUIPMENT |
Camouflage Net Reduces tank detectability while stationary. Activates after 3 seconds. Does not stack with Improved Concealment. Up to 15% in Cold War
Up to 15% in World War II
|
|
RETURNED EQUIPMENT |
Binocular Telescope This gives a 15% bonus to spotting range when the vehicle is stationary. Activates after 3 seconds. Effect does not stack with Coated Optics. |
|
Engine Protection Engine durability increased by 50% Reinforced Ammo Rack Ammo rack durability increased by 50% Reinforced Fuel Tank Fuel tank durability increased by 50% |
This Equipment combines to become: Reinforced Internals Increases Engine, Ammo Rack, and Fuel Tank durability by 50% |
|
Gun Stabilizer Increased gun accuracy by 20%, but the description read: Improves shell accuracy while moving Vehicle Movement Accuracy: +20% Turret Rotation Accuracy: +20% |
Gun Stabilizer Now only affects accuracy during turret rotation and movement: Improves shell accuracy while moving Vehicle Movement Accuracy: +20% Turret Rotation Accuracy: +20% |
|
Advanced Armor Reduces received damage by 5% |
Armor Hardening Increase hit points by 5% |
|
Advanced Gun Laying Drive Aiming speed increased by +12% |
Gun Laying Drive Aiming speed increased by +10% |
|
Advanced Concealment Reduces tank detectability Up to 30% in Cold War
Up to 15% in World War II
|
Improved Concealment Reduces tank detectability Up to 7.5% in Cold War
Up to 7.5% in World War II
|
|
Traction System Max speed increased by 10% Chassis and hull rotation speed increased by 10% |
Additional Grousers 7.5% increase to hull rotation speed |
|
Spall Liner Reduces ramming and explosion damage received by 50% |
Spall Liner Reduces ramming and explosion damage received by 50% Reduce autopen damage from rotary guns by 100% Reduces module damage from ATGMs by 25% |
|
Advanced Loader Loading Time: -10% |
Gun Rammer Loading Time: -5% |
|
Enhanced Missile Warning Adds an incoming missile warning system Adds +5% to vision radius Adds +2 seconds to targeted enemy vehicle detection time For Cold War Era 2 (Escalation) and Era 3 (Détente) only |
Name change only: Missile Warning System Adds an incoming missile warning system Adds +5% to vision radius Adds +2 seconds to targeted enemy vehicle detection time For Cold War Era 2 (Escalation) and Era 3 (Détente) only |
|
Advanced Suspension Track durability increased by 50% and damage received from environmental collision reduced by 50% |
Name change only: Reinforced Suspension Track durability increased by 50% and damage received from environmental collision reduced by 50% |
|
Advanced Repair System Repair time reduced by 25% |
Name change only: Toolbox Repair time reduced by 25% |
|
Advanced Optics Increases view range by 10% |
Name change only: Coated Optics Increases view range by 10% |
|
Enhanced Zoom Adds 3rd level to Sniper Cam, only available to Lights and TDs |
Name change only: High-Power Zoom Adds 3rd level to Sniper Cam, only available to Lights and TDs |
|
Advanced Power Train Max speed and horsepower increased by 5% |
Name change only: Turbocharger Max speed and horsepower increased by 5% |
Consumables - Changes
Consumables will see fewer changes overall, but the tweaks being considered could still have meaningful gameplay effects. Please see the chart below.
| Consumable - Before | Consumable - After |
|---|---|
|
Hull Patch Kit Active Restore 5% tank HP over 20 seconds Passive -2.5% chance of module damage |
Hull Patch Kit Active Restore up to 20% of your health over 30 seconds. Healing rate halved while moving. Healing stops when vehicle takes damage. Passive -2.5% chance of module damage |
|
Enhanced Hull Patch Kit Active Restore 5% tank HP over 20 seconds Passive -5% chance of module damage |
Enhanced Hull Patch Kit Active Restore up to 20% of your health over 30 seconds. Healing rate halved while moving. Healing stops when vehicle takes damage. Passive -5% chance of module damage |
|
Enhanced Fire Suppressor Active Extinguish ALL fires Passive 10 seconds of fire suppression -25% chance of Internal Fire |
Automatic Fire Suppressor Active Extinguish ALL fires automatically Passive 10 seconds of fire suppression -25% chance of Internal Fire |
|
Smokescreen Active Launches 3 vision-blocking smoke grenades Passive +10% invisibility |
Smokescreen Active Launches 5 vision-blocking smoke grenades Passive 1-second decrease to your spotted duration time |
|
Enhanced Smokescreen Active Launches 5 vision-blocking smoke grenades Passive +20% invisibility |
Enhanced Smokescreen Active Launches 5 vision-blocking smoke grenades Passive 2-second decrease to your spotted duration time |
Final Thoughts
Work continues on the design, and we've been excited to see your feedback so far on our Dev Blogs. We plan to continue posting these, so keep the feedback coming.
So, which of these changes interests you the most? What Skills, Equipment, and Consumables would you include in your builds for your favorite vehicles? Send your feedback to us on Discord or any of our other social channels!
See you on the battlefield!
