World Of Tanks' "Big" 1.13 Update Changes HE Shells And Artillery, Adds New Map Testing Mode

Update 1.13 for World of Tanks has landed, and Wargaming describes it as "a big one." Several core mechanics are seeing changes, including HE shells and artillery, and there's a new mission mode that lets you try out new maps before they're released, and much more.

The changes are so extensive that there are multiple videos and articles detailing all of them. HE shells now deal damage at the point of impact, and, if they don't penetrate, can still produce fragments that scatter inside the vehicle, injuring crew members and damaging modules. They can also penetrate screens, tracks, and wheels.

Self-propelled guns, a.k.a. SPGs or "artillery," actually see a few nerfs to make them more manageable for other tankers. You can train a "Sixth Sense" skill called Sound Detection to help your commanders know when a shell is incoming, and those shells produce brighter trails so you can more easily track the firer's location. SPGs themselves now have three shell options to choose from, and there's a new ammo interface that will help you determine if your chosen shell can reach its target.

Recon Mission mode lets players test maps that are still in development. Play 20 battles in this mode with Tier VIII-X vehicles and you'll be able to vote for your favorite, as well a complete a survey if you've played six or more on a particular map. Speaking of maps, the Minsk map has seen a number of changes, including better visibility, lower water level in the river, and the removal of some objects to make for better sight lines.

Additional changes in this update include: Blueprint fragments can now be used to research blueprints for their allied nations, so you have a use for a bunch that you might have been accumulating; three premium light tanks -- the M41D, FV1066, and T92 -- along with the ISU-130 tank destroyer, have all gotten buffed; and there's a new battle pass, offering the usual heaps of rewards.

There's a lot more in Update 1.13, including the new season of ranked battles that starts on June 28, so get all the details via the update page or the complete changelist on the World of Tanks site.