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, features a shared progression with Frontline 2020, called Expedition, and it consists of four separate Stages. Read up on all the details of this engaging Battle Royale mode!

CONTENTS

The Expedition Continues!

In addition to a bunch of in-game rewards (more on them below), during each of Steel Hunter’s 4 Stages, you can earn up to 3 tokens for a potential total of 12. Use tokens to grab any one of the three exclusive Tier IX vehicles listed below for 12 tokens each:

AE Phase I

Object 777 Variant II

Char Futur 4

The start and end dates of the other upcoming Steel Hunter Stages will be added at a later date, so stay tuned!

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.

How to Access Steel Hunter

Head to the Steel Hunter Garage via the "Expedition" section in the drop-down menu to the right of the "Battle!" button and:

1. Click the "Battle" button to play solo
2. Create a special 3-player Platoon for a battle

Maps and Danger Zones

In addition to Dreamland, a sinister new map called Arzagir 4.04 will appear in Steel Hunter.

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.

New Vehicles

This year, five vehicles will be joining 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.

You can’t buy ammo or mount additional equipment or customizations on these tanks.

Each vehicle will play a different role:

• Survivor
• Hunter
• Scout

The Soviet and German tanks will perform more defensive roles, while the British and American vehicles are best suited for attacking and hunting. The French tank will 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.

The Tech Tree for all vehicles has been reworked, but it still provides a meaningful choice of different playstyles each time you upgrade.

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. Based on your feedback, we’ve now made fuel tanks 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:

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:

Looting

To upgrade your vehicle, you need to search for special loot points on the map. Once you reach these points, you will be able to collect loot that may contain XP, shells, and charges for your Abilities.

There are four (4) types of loot available:

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.

Reworked Progression 

System There are 15 Levels in Steel Hunter, and you won’t lose Levels for poor battle performance. You can earn special Hunter Points that allow you to progress through the Levels if you rank in the top 5 (solo) or in the top 3 (Platoon) at the end of the battle.

You can also get them by completing daily missions available in Steel Hunter.

Rewards

Each Level reached earns you valuable rewards, including:

Upon reaching Level 15, you will receive special rewards—a unique 2D style* and Expedition tokens. 

Battle Missions

Up to Level 15, you can earn Hunter Points by completing daily missions in Steel Hunter.

If you manage to reach the final Level and find yourself wishing you could earn more rewards, you’ll be glad to know that additional special daily missions with nice prizes will be available this year. They unlock upon reaching Level 15.

Matchmaker Tweaks

Last year, some players reported that they faced issues with teaming as some Steel Hunters preferred to team up with other solo players/platoons to gain an unfair advantage.

Teaming is considered unsportsmanlike behavior, so we’ve taken measures against those who make the mode less enjoyable for responsible players. Thanks to a number of matchmaker tweaks, we’ve minimized the possibility of teamers being matched in battle.

New Soundtrack

Inspired by the visual features of the new map, Arzagir 4.04, we have created a new 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.

Like the previous Season of Steel Hunter, 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!