Steel Hunter: Stage 1 | |
STAGE BEGINS: | STAGE ENDS: |
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Monday, March 15 at 05:00 PT | 07:00 CT | 08:00 ET | Monday, March 22 at 03:00 PT | 05:00 CT | 06:00 ET |
Note: Each day has a cease-fire period—please see the table below for exact times.
Join a fierce battle for survival, Commanders!
Steel Hunter, one of the most exciting modes in the game to date, is back! Read up on all the details of this engaging Battle Royale mode!
Steel Hunter: Essential Details
We’re sure you remember the basic rules of this mode, but here’s a quick refresher just in case:
- You are one of 20 players fighting for victory. It’s every Steel Hunter for themselves.
- Choose to fight solo or in one of ten Platoons of three (in this case, there will be a total of 30 players).
- Your main goal is to survive at all costs. Destroy all enemies and be the last Steel Hunter standing.
- Collect special objects (loot) that periodically spawn on the map. They contain resources, Battle XP, and vehicle upgrades.
- Battles will unfold on two huge maps whose playable areas will shrink with time. Escape Danger Zones as they will destroy your vehicle once the countdown ends if your vehicle is still inside.
- The total battle time is 15 minutes. Before the battle, you can choose from several spawn points on the map.

Maps and Danger Zones
In addition to Dreamland, a sinister new map called Arzagir 4.04 will appear in Steel Hunter.
Dreamland |
Arzagir 4.04 |
The same size as Dreamland, but set in a dangerous abandoned town, this new location will offer you a fresh gameplay experience and many opportunities to experiment with all kinds of tactics.


In a closed zone, your vehicle will receive continuous damage. You will have little time to leave the red zone.

In a yellow zone, your vehicle does not receive damage. But beware: a yellow zone can close at any moment. Think about your escape routes.


If you manage to take possession of an airdrop from a plane, you will get a significant advantage over the enemy. This is the most valuable loot type. It contains one ultimate Ability charge, one regular Ability charge, and a larger amount of Battle XP. It replenishes shells, restores HP, and repairs damaged modules. However, all players can see the airdrop point on their mini-maps.

Another hunter entered your Vision Cone! Note: enemy vehicles and loot points become visible only when they are inside your Vision Cone.


You can only see enemy vehicles that are inside the Vision Cone of your vehicle.


If you manage to take possession of an airdrop from a plane, you will get a significant advantage over the enemy. This is the most valuable loot type. It contains one ultimate Ability charge, one regular Ability charge, and a larger amount of Battle XP. It replenishes shells, restores HP, and repairs damaged modules. However, all players can see the airdrop point on their mini-maps.

A hunter you spotted with Radio Detection. Be aware that using Radio Detection will reveal your current position on the minimap at the time of activation to all players within Radio range of your position.


This loot type contains Battle XP, but less than other loot types. It does not contain shells at all. It also contains one regular Ability charge, restores HP, and repairs damaged modules.


This loot type contains shells and Battle XP and repairs damaged modules. There are many points with this loot type on the map, and it can be especially useful at the beginning of the battle when your vehicle is most vulnerable.


This loot type contains shells and Battle XP and repairs damaged modules. There are many points with this loot type on the map, and it can be especially useful at the beginning of the battle when your vehicle is most vulnerable.


This loot type contains Battle XP, but less than other loot types. It does not contain shells at all. It also contains one regular Ability charge, restores HP, and repairs damaged modules.

A hunter you spotted with Radio Detection. Be aware that using Radio Detection will reveal your current position on the minimap at the time of activation to all players within Radio range of your position.

A hunter you spotted with Radio Detection. Be aware that using Radio Detection will reveal your current position on the minimap at the time of activation to all players within Radio range of your position.


Vehicles
This year, five vehicles will continue the hunt. The three nations you know from last year received a makeover, while two new ones jump into the fray: a British Hunter and a French Scout. Each of the five available tanks can be upgraded from Tier I to Tier VII.
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You can’t buy ammo or mount additional equipment or customizations on these tanks.
Each vehicle plays a different role:
- Survivor
- Hunter
- Scout
The Soviet and German tanks perform more defensive roles, while the British and American vehicles are best suited for attacking and hunting. The French tank serve best as a scout.
Vehicle Upgrade System
You can upgrade each of the five vehicles from Tier I to Tier VII over the course of the battle. To earn XP for these upgrades, you need to collect loot and damage enemies. Each vehicle has different modules available for it. You can choose from two options at each level.
As of this event, vehicles have been improved with turret traverse and observation modules.
The Tech Tree for all vehicles has been reworked, but it still provides a meaningful choice of different playstyles each time you upgrade.





Varyag (USSR)









































































































Engine
Radio
Hull
Turret
Gun
Engine
Radio
Hull
Turret
Gun
Engine
Radio
Hull
Turret
Gun
Engine
Radio
Hull
Turret
Gun
Engine
Radio
Hull
Turret
Gun
Target your enemies’ modules for a higher chance of causing critical damage! You can refer to the schematics shown in your Garage to find out where they are. Fuel tanks are invulnerable so that there will be no chance of fuel tank or engine fires.
Abilities
There are two Abilities that are common for all tanks:
Recovery. Gradually recovers a fixed percentage of the vehicle’s HP, but stops working if you take damage.
Repair Kit. Repairs vehicle modules (analogous to Large Repair Kits) and reduces stun duration.
The effects of Abilities that recover HP do not stack. If you use more than one at a time, the most powerful one will supersede the others.
Each vehicle also has one regular and one ultimate Ability unique to it:
- U.S.A.
- Germany
- U.S.S.R.
- Britain
- France















Ability charges can be found in all types of loot except Ammunition. Regular Ability charges are in Consumables, Airdrops, and Spoils of War, while ultimate Ability charges are only in Airdrops and Spoils of War.
Crew
Crew members are exclusive to the vehicle they come in and can’t be sent to the Barracks, dismissed, or injured. They do not earn Crew XP, and each has Sixth Sense as a zero perk. In addition, the following perks will be fixed for the Commanders of each vehicle:
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There are four (4) types of loot available:
Ammunition Contains shells and Battle XP. Also repairs damaged modules. Marked by yellow smoke. |
Consumables Contains less Battle XP than the Ammunition drop, but includes one regular Ability charge. Restores HP and repairs damaged modules. Marked by green smoke. |
Spoils of War Contains all resources of a destroyed vehicle as well as one ultimate Ability charge. Repairs damaged modules. Marked by red smoke. |
Airdrops The most valuable loot type. Contains one ultimate Ability charge, one regular Ability charge, and a larger amount of Battle XP. Restores HP and repairs damaged modules. Many players will want to get their hands on Airdrops, so you'll have to push yourself to the limit to get it before they do. Also, all players will be able to see on their minimaps where Airdrops land. Marked by blue smoke. |
Vision/Aiming Mechanics
The vision system uses Vision Cones and it is one of the most important aspects of Steel Hunter gameplay:
- Enemy vehicles become visible only when they appear inside your Vision Cone, which is depicted on the minimap. Activation of the Sixth Sense Perk doesn't mean you will notice enemies. They must be inside your Vision Cone.
- If enemies are within 50 meters of you, they will automatically become visible.
- When enemies are within sight, their markers and HP bars are displayed.
- When aiming at an enemy, the vehicle’s silhouette is also displayed.

Radio Detection Mechanics
All special vehicles are equipped with Radar Detection, which displays loot points and enemy tanks on the minimap within its coverage area. To activate it, press the "X" key. But be aware that using Radar Detection will reveal your current position on the minimap at the time of activation to all players within Radar range of your position.

Steel Hunter is now integrated into Battle Pass, so you will be receiving Battle Pass Points depending on your position in the post-battle ranking.

- Destruction Ranch
- Like Fish In a Barrel
- Hold the Line
Condition:
- Cause at least 8,000 HP damage in any number of battles.
Restriction:
- Once per day
Rewards:
- 20
Battle Pass Points
Condition:
- Destroy four (4) or more enemy vehicles in any number of battles.
Restriction:
- Once per day
Rewards:
- 20
Battle Pass Points
Condition:
- Be one of the top 10 or top 5 Platoons on your team in a battle
Restriction:
- Five (5) times per day
Rewards:
- 40,000 Credits
Soundtrack
Inspired by the visual features of the new map, Arzagir 4.04, we created a soundtrack to immerse you in this desolate Central Asian landscape.
These catchy compositions reflect both the ethnic music of Central Asia and the prog-rock of the US West Coast of the mid-90s. It has been brought to life by a symphonic orchestra, a defining feature of World of Tanks music.
Heavy electric guitar riffs are used to mimic the sound of Central Asian folk instruments (gijak, rubab, and sherter) but with a modern twist. You’ll also hear the sounds of the Armenian duduk, which was carefully processed through a long chain of sound effects. Check it out!
We hope we managed to deliver the strong emotions that we ourselves experienced while playing Steel Hunter at the development stage and that these tunes will make your Steel Hunter experience even more enjoyable!
Performance in Steel Hunter
Steel Hunter will require more system resources than regular Random Battles. This is due to several key factors that are specifically related to Steel Hunter, including the large map sizes and large number of objects on them. Players with 32-bit operating systems and low RAM may experience some performance issues while running this mode. To avoid them and play with maximum comfort, change the graphics settings of your game client in accordance with the capabilities of your CPU and graphics card.
Get ready for new levels of excitement and prove you’re the most dangerous Steel Hunters in World of Tanks, Commanders!