Second Public Test of Update 1.5

‘Battle against Bots’ battle mode

You can switch to this new game mode by clicking on the dedicated sub-menu next to the “Battle!” button in the hangar. In this new mode, 3-5 human players get teamed up together while the rest of the roster – both on the human players’ side and their opponents’ side – is filled up by computer-controlled bots. The rules and team sizes are the same as in Standard Battle mode — 15 vs 15 battle for either wipeout or superiority. However, there are some rules that set this new mode apart from regular Standard- or Training Battle mode:

• Both ammunition belts and consumables are replenished after each battle automatically at no charge.
• You will not receive the usual rewards (XP or credits) for battles in the PvE-mode. Instead, you’ll be able to complete mode-specific missions (like quests) for destroying aircraft or ground targets, which will grant their own type of reward. The degree of difficulty for these PvE-Quest chains will increase progressively.
• This battle mode has its own battle missions and achievements.
• The battle results of this game mode are not being taken into account or displayed in your in-game profile (displayed in the ‘Service Record’ tab). However, the completion of mode-specific achievements will figure in said statistic.

Simplified gameplay for beginners

Some hangar functions will from now on be blocked by default for new accounts:

• The PvE-mode will be chosen automatically – other game modes will initially not be available.
• New players will not be able to spend gold, credits or XP.
• In the beginning, all new players will only have one Tier I plane available to them. To unlock other planes, players will need to complete special in-game battle missions.

In order to unlock all regular hangar functions, each new player will have to complete a special battle mission, which consists of destroying 10 ground targets or enemy planes in one or several battles. Players will also be able to skip this mission to directly unlock all hangar functions, however, in this case, they will not receive the dedicated mission reward.

• All ground targets now consist of multiple parts and have been entirely retouched.
• Now, some of these parts of ground targets can have multiple characteristics such as armoured, not armoured or armed with an AA-gun.
• Armoured objects can only be destroyed with powerful weaponry such as large calibre cannons, bombs or rockets. Inversely, weaker weapons such as smaller-calibre MGs will only be able to destroy unarmoured targets or AA-guns.
• Depending on how difficult they will be to destroy, different parts of ground targets will award players with more or less superiority points.

Filling the superiority meter

• As soon as a team earns at least one superiority point, its corresponding superiority meter starts to fill up.
• The rate at which the superiority meter fills up is now directly proportional to the number of superiority points scored by its team. Every superiority point a team earns increases the speed at which the superiority meter fills up.
• This means that the superiority meter of both teams will be constantly filling up, varying in speed depending on the number of superiority points of its team. A battle can either be won by destroying all enemy planes, or by having your own superiority meter fill up completely first.

Setting the superiority meter back

• The superiority meter can only be set back by way of destroying enemy ground targets or planes.
• The percentage by which a superiority meter is set back depends on the superiority value of the destroyed ground target or plane.

Reduced repair cost for premium planes

Repair costs for premium planes were reduced by 50% 

Price changes for modules and ammunition

Weapons prices were changed:

• The price of the 30-mm Type 5 (C) (J7W2 Shinden-Kai) cannons was reduced from 133,500 to 80,500 credits per unit. Players, who have these cannons in the depot or mounted on their plane, will be compensated accordingly with the difference.
• The price of the 30-mm Type 17 (C) (J7W2 Shinden-Kai and J7W3) cannons was reduced from 155,000 to 85,000 credits per unit. Players, who have these cannons in the depot or mounted on their plane, will be compensated accordingly with the difference.

Fixed the bug with the prices of 12.7-mm MG-53-2 and 12.7-mm MG-53HB belts:

• 12.7-mm MG-53-2 — the price of the standard belt was changed to 500 credits per belt, armour-piercing and incendiary — 1,000 credits, armour-piercing incendiary — 5 gold.
• 12.7-mm MG-53HB — the price of the standard belt was changed to 900 credits per belt, armour-piercing and incendiary  — 1800 credits, armour-piercing incendiary  — 9 gold.
• Price of the belts for Vickers S cannon was changed: standard belts - 800 credits, armor-piercing and incendiary — 1600 credits, armor-piercing incendiary — 8 gold.

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Damage model

• The collision-damage calculation has been adjusted. When two planes collide, now one of the two has a better chance than the other to survive the ramming. Colliding with the wings will cause less damage than collisions of the fuselage or the engine.

Shooting

• Firing lines now converge at the maximum firing distance. This will reduce the visual spread of fire of your wing-mounted weapons and make for a denser-looking line of fire.
• There is now a small, random spread to how far each bullet travels. This will eliminate the effect of fire suddenly stopping to deal damage at always exactly the same distance.
• Reduced dispersion while manoeuvring. 
• Increased dispersion in a dive.
• Increased dispersion of bombs.
• Better firing visuals for 30mm and larger calibre-cannons.
• Better firing visuals for rear-gunners.

• Bombs and rockets damage changed according to the requirements of the new superiority mode and compound ground targets

Plane balance improvements

• Improved manoeuvrability for planes at low speeds.
• Increased slowdown upon idling the engine and use of airbrakes.
• Readjusted the impact of flaps-usage on the following planes: F7U Cutlass, P-38F Lightning, P-38J Lightning, F7F Tigercat, F2H Banshee, XF90, Beaufighter, Westland P.1056, Gloster Javelin, Il-8. Increased manoeuvrability of these planes when flaps point upward, and, as a result, reduced the impact of flaps-usage.

Changes to individual planes

Rebalancing of all Tier I-planes:

• Increased maximum diving speed.
• Increased maximum speed and acceleration dynamics in non-boost engine mode.
• Improved energy retention.
• Increased optimum speed.

USSR:

• P-39Q-15 Airacobra — increased manoeuvrability and controllability, improved energy retention, increased power and duration of boost.
• La-5 — improved energy retention, increased optimum speed, increased speed in non-boost engine mode, improved acceleration performance in boost engine mode, improved acceleration performance in a dive, reduced manoeuvrability.
• La-7 — improved energy retention, increased optimum speed, increased speed in non-boost engine mode, improved acceleration performance in boost and non-boost engine modes, increased dive speed, improved acceleration performance in a dive, reduced manoeuvrability.
• La-9 — improved energy retention, increased optimum speed, increased speed in boost and non-boost engine mode, increased speed and acceleration performance in a dive, slightly increased controllability, reduced manoeuvrability.

USA:

• XF5U Pancake — increased HP for all configurations, increased weapons effectiveness, increased manoeuvrability, improved energy retention, increased optimum speed, speed and acceleration performance in non-boost engine mode, improved acceleration performance in boost engine mode.

Great Britain:

• Mustang Mk.I — increased manoeuvrability, increased speed and acceleration performance in a dive, improved acceleration performance in non-boost and boost engine modes, improved manoeuvrability. The plane’s flight characteristics now more closely resemble those of the P-51A Mustang.
• Hurricane IID  — completely re-configured into fighter.

Changes of the research branches

• Changed tiers for big amount of modules displayed in the hangar. 

Germany:

• He.112 — synchronised 7.92mm MG-17 (1934) machine guns were replaced with the 7.92mm MG-17 (1936) model.

USA:

• XF-90 — 2х 500 pound bombs added.

Japan:

• J7W2 Shinden-Kai — 2х 250 kg bombs added.
• J7W3 — 2х 250 kg bombs added.

External look

• All nations got 5 extra unique nose arts.
• Replaced one nose art for the F2H Banshee.

Fixed wrong module tiers previously shown in the hangar:

• Tier of M-62IR (BSh-1) engine decreased from V to IV;
• Tier of АМ-35 (Il-2 (mod.) engine decreased from V to IV;
• Tier of DB 601 F (Me.210) engine increased from IV to V;
• Tier of 7,62mm DA (BSh-1) turret increased from V to III;
• Tier of 7.62mm SHKAS (1933) (LBSh) turret increased from V to IV;
• Tier of Hawk III airframe decreased from IV to II.

Controls

Mouse

• "Roll right/left" assigned to A and D keys in the settings menu as default.

• When the "Limit bank angles at low altitude" option is turned on (should be turned on by default) - pressing the keys assigned as roll right/left is being ignored to exclude crashed due to the catching the ground with a wing.

• Increased accuracy and responsiveness in all modes. Changed roll-mechanics, simplified target-tracking when turning.
• Refined camera, improved camera behaviour in «On horizon» mode.
• Mouse settings screen was reworked and simplified. For fine tuning all templates now have auxiliary parameters which can be toggled on by unchecking the option «Basic settings only».
• New option «Pointer speed adjustment». When it’s turned on – the control system evaluates the displacement speed of the mouse cursor from the centre of the screen and helps to track the target when turning.
• The option «Level-Off Zone Size» was removed. Now it will be automatically adjusted based on the plane’s characteristics if levelling-off was turned on (slider «Level-Off Rate» set to any position other than the leftmost).
• The option «Split S Height» was replaced with «Diving turn». If turned on, the value will be adjusted automatically based on the plane’s characteristics.

Joystick

• Increased accuracy and responsiveness in all modes.
• Refined camera.
• Settings screen completely reworked.
• New option to adjust the camera lag effect.
• New option to adjust the sensitivity of the sniper mode.
• New option to adjust the camera rotation speed when using mini-joystick («hat button»).
• Improved w mini-joystick in discrete mode.
• Introduced smooth overview mode when using the mini-joystick («hat button»).
• New option of using additional axes to look around (control the view).
• New filter for axes noises added.
• Added option to change, adjust the axes threshold.

Gamepad

• Completely reworked gamepad controls.
• Settings screen added.

Keyboard

• Separate control scheme «Keyboard» was removed. For full emulation of this scheme, you can use the joystick profile (but you need to delete the axes settings first).

Graphics and Interface

• Added new visual effects: depth of field, visual ejection of shells when shooting;
• Added advanced settings for FOV display: players may now choose the FOV angles on their own for extreme and medium positions of the camera by adjusting the dedicated slider in the “Battle” section;
• Improved look for propellers on planes.
• Depending on their distance to your plane, markers for planes and ground targets will now appear more or less transparent. The further away, the more transparent a marker will be. The shorter the distance, the more solid the marker will become.
• Drawing distance of planes and ground targets has been doubled. The display distance of markers has been doubled as well to facilitate orientation in battle. Please take note that the aircraft detection range (visibility system) remains the same as before, which means that your pilots still only see as far as always and not twice as far all of a sudden. Still, this modification fixes the bug when markers would not appear on clearly detected planes at long range.
• New Premium Hangar — the plane now stands on an airfield in front of the hangar. In future updates it is planned to introduce the possibility of switching between open and closed premium hangars.
• In the hangar, in the tooltips of each plane, you can now see a notification about the planes’ weapons effectiveness against armoured targets.
• Added a section, showing ongoing battle missions/discounts in the hangar.
• Addition of a small plane class role description to the tooltips of each plane.
• Earned crew experience, skill training progress and battle missions’ progress were added to the battle statistics window.
• You can now see the current session-battle history in a new dropdown-menu in the battle statistics window.
• Introduced a third tab to the battle statistics window containing detailed information on the player’s efficiency. 
• You now get a visual queue when earning an achievement in-game.
• Reworked the achievement window. Now all achievements are grouped by type and or review the latest, earned achievements.
• Significant improvements to the horizon indicator: You now have now five different types of horizon indicators to choose from both for regular and inverted flight.

Cinematic at battle start and end

• Corrections and adjustments to the pre-battle cinematic;
• Added option to skip cinematic intro before battle starts;
• New cinematic added at the end of the battle.

Observer mode

• Added a new, “dynamic” observer mode. This new mode allows you to follow your teams’ aircraft from a large number of interesting camera angles. You can switch back and forth between the regular observer mode and this new, dynamic mode and also switch freely between its various angles.

Game loading screen

• Added animations and effects to the game loading screen.
• Reworked background images.

Planes comparison tool

• Reworked design for the plane comparison table during battle loading screen;
• Reworked table design for team lists in-battle;
• Reworked table design for after-battle statistics page;
• Reworked tips about planes flight characteristics and firepower advantages;
• Reworked tips about class features (their characteristics and battle objectives);
• Added tips about effectiveness of armament against armoured targets.

Game chat

• Improved privacy system: online status is now shown only to mutual friends when searching somebody in the contact list.
• Extended set of symbols allowed for user channel names.

Achievements

Added new achievements for PVE battle type:

• «Aerial Raider» — awarded to players who destroyed at least one enemy object. 
• «First Among Equals» — awarded to players, who shot down more enemy planes than anybody else on their team. 
• «Steady Results» — awarded to players, who shot down at least three planes in one battle. 
• «Scythe of Death» — awarded to players, who shot down two or more enemy planes in a row, without any ally scoring another frag in the meantime. 
• «First Blood» — awarded to players, who shot down the first enemy of the battle. 
• «Scorched Earth» — awarded to players who scored at least 25 advantage points in a battle for damaging enemy objects. 
• «Heaven and Earth» — awarded to players who shot down at least three planes and scored 25 advantage points for destroying enemy ground targets in one battle. 
• «Ground Defender» — awarded to players who destroyed 3 ground attack planes in one or several battles.
• «Clear Sky» — awarded to players who destroyed 3 enemy fighters in one or several battles.
• «Giant Slayer» — awarded to players who destroyed 3 enemy heavy fighters in one or several battles.
• «Certified Fighter Pilot» — awarded to players who destroyed at least 2 enemy fighters flying a fighter themselves.
• «Certified Heavy Fighter Pilot» — awarded to players who destroyed at least one plane and scored at least 10 advantage points for destroying enemy ground targets in one battle, flying a heavy fighter.
• «Certified Attack Aircraft Pilot» — awarded to players who scored at least 20 advantage points for destroying enemy ground targets in one battle, flying a ground attack plane.
• «Expert Hunter» — awarded to players who fulfilled the «Expert Hunter» combat mission.
• «Sidekick» — awarded to players for helping to destroy of three enemy planes in one battle.
• «Superior» — awarded to players who survived, won, and shot down more enemy planes than anybody else on their team.
• «Champion of Destruction» — awarded to players who survived, won, and shot down more enemy ground targets than anybody else on their team.
• «Undisputed Champion» — awarded to players who survived, won, and took the first place in all categories of the after-battle statistics.

Added new achievements for tutorial mode:

• «First Step to the Sky» — awarded to players, who successfully accomplished the training mission «Gunnery practice».
• «Ladder to the Sky» — awarded to players, who successfully accomplished the training mission «Team battle».
• «Stairway to the Sky» — awarded to players, who successfully accomplished the training mission «Aerial Battle Training»..
• «Highway to the Sky» — awarded to players, who successfully accomplished the training mission «Ground Target Attack».

Note: The former award for tutorial completion («Flight school graduate») was removed.

Added new achievements for beginners:

• «Crossfire» — awarded to players who caused damage to a plane that was consequently shot down by a teammate.
• «Lightweight» — awarded to players who shot down one enemy fighter.
• «Heavyweight» — awarded to players who shot down one enemy heavy fighter.
• «Super Heavyweight» — awarded to players who shot down one ground attack aircraft.

Added new achievements for experienced players:

• «Aerial Acrobat» — awarded to players who make an enemy crash by outmanoeuvring them.
• «Flames in the Sky» — awarded to players who set an enemy on fire that results in the subsequent aircraft destruction.
• «Fire Breathing» — awarded to players who set at least two enemy planes on fire and destroy them that way in one battle.
• «Rear Cover» — awarded to players who destroyed an enemy plane with their rear gunner.
• «Supporting Fire» — awarded to players who helped to destroy at least 3 enemy planes in one battle, survived and won the battle.
• «Strong Support» — awarded to players who helped to destroy at least 5 enemy planes in one battle, survived and won the battle.
• «Riddled» — awarded to players who helped to destroy at least 3 enemy ground targets in one battle, survived and won the battle.
• «Hail of Steel» — awarded to players who helped to destroy at least 5 enemy ground targets in one battle, survived and won the battle.
• «Hat Trick» — awarded to players who destroyed at least one fighter, one heavy fighter and one ground assault plane in one game.
• «Lightning» — awarded to players who destroyed two enemy planes in a row and won the battle.
• «Thrifty Bomber» — awarded to players who destroyed an enemy plane with a bomb explosion.
• «Persistent» — awarded to players who shot down at least one enemy plane in every battle.
• «Falconry» — awarded to players who shot down at least two enemy fighters and survived.
• «Interceptor» — awarded to players who shot down at least two enemy ground assault planes and survived.
• «Bird of Prey» — awarded to players who destroyed at least two enemy heavy fighters and survived.

All existing achievements have been modified to account for the introduction of the new, complex ground targets and reworked number of advantage points they bring:

• «Closterman medal» — awarded to players who shot down at least 7 enemy planes and scored at least 15 advantage points for destroying enemy ground targets in one battle.
• «Gabreski medal» — awarded to players who shot down at least 9 enemy planes and scored at least 15 advantage points for destroying enemy ground targets in one battle.
• «Destroyer» — awarded to players who shot down at least 4 enemy planes and scored at least 15 advantage points for destroying enemy ground targets in one battle.
• «Thunder» — awarded to players who scored at least 75 advantage points for destroying enemy ground targets in one battle.
• «Firestorm» — awarded to players who scored at least 10 advantage points for destroying enemy ground targets in one or several battles.
• «Wrecking Crew» — awarded to all members of a flight who shot down at least 5 enemy planes and scored at least 75 advantage points for destroying enemy objects. 
• «Begeldinov medal IV class» — awarded to players who scored 150 advantage points for destroying enemy ground targets in «Random Battle ».
• «Begeldinov medal III class» — awarded to players who scored 1500 advantage points for destroying enemy ground targets in «Random Battle ».
• «Begeldinov medal II class» — awarded to players who scored 15000 advantage points for destroying enemy ground targets in «Random Battle ».
• «Begeldinov medal I class» — awarded to players who scored 150000 advantage points for destroying enemy ground targets in «Random Battle ».