Mode: "Onslaught" - Season 1 "Gryphon Season" in World of Tanks

From October 12 to November 21 you will have the opportunity to fight against equal ranked players and determine the strongest. The "Onslaught" mode will start with the Gryphon season, the battles will take place in a 7 on 7 format only on the X level equipment. The mode introduces many new gameplay mechanics, and among the many rewards you'll find a unique 2D progression style that will highlight your achievements. Read on to learn more!

* The general test of update 1.18.1 is just around the corner, so don't miss your chance to be one of the first to test your skills in this exciting mode!

DATES: October 12 11:00 MSC - November 21, 01:00 MSK.

Prime time on RU2:

• Weekdays: 11:00 a.m. - 01:00 a.m. (MSK)
• Weekends: 11:00 am - 01:00 pm (MSK)

Prime time on RU5:

• Weekdays: 13:00 - 01:00 (MSK)
• Weekends: 13:00 - 01:00 (MSK)

Prime time on RU8:

• Weekdays: 11:00 - 20:00 (MSK)
• Weekends: 09:00 - 20:00 (MSK)

"Onslaught": a new mode to test your skills

• In this exciting new mode, you will be able to fight only on X level collector vehicles and research vehicles in a 7x7 formation. You must have at least one X level vehicle in your Hangar to participate in the Onslaught.
• The balancer will select both allies and opponents based on the mode's ranking system. It will take into account your position and find opponents with the same rating as you.
• Before the start of the battle during the countdown you will be able to choose another X level vehicle as part of your pre-fight training or switch to a different set of equipment, gear and ammunition.
• Each vehicle in this mode has its own role in combat. Depending on the role of the vehicle, you will have a unique skill with three levels of charge. The higher the charge level, the more powerful the effect of the skill will be. To increase the level of the role skill, earn prestige points for effectiveness in battles. You will earn more prestige points for actions that match the combat role of your vehicle.
• By capturing key positions on the map, you can activate tactical skills and help your allies gain an advantage over the enemy.
• Instead of the classic three-player platoons, "Onslaught" mode will have squads of two fighters. You can also create a team of seven players and fight against the same super platoon.
• Onslaught mode offers two lines of rewards. The first includes a unique 2D progression style, personal token elements, and more. It all depends on your rank. The second offers more familiar rewards, such as boons and equipment, and is based on number of wins. Playing in "Onslaught" mode will also allow you to earn Battle Pass points.

To make the new mode ideal for determining the strongest, while ensuring a level playing field for all, we're introducing a number of new game mechanics. All of them are aimed at enhancing the competitive aspects of the Onslaught mode. Let's look at everything in detail.

Pre-Combat Preparation

During the pre-fight countdown you can replace the selected technique. However, be sure to prepare all of your vehicles for combat: they must be repaired, as well as complete with a full crew and ammunition. In addition, you can choose an alternative set of equipment, shells and gear. You will also see your vehicle and allied vehicles in initial positions on the map.

Prestige Points and Vehicle Role Skills

Every vehicle in "Onslaught" mode has a certain role depending on the actions you perform in battle. In each battle, you will earn prestige points depending on the role of the vehicle and your combat effectiveness.

Also, each vehicle type has a special role skill with three levels of charge. Machines with the same combat roles have similar role skills. For example, Assault Heavy Tanks have the "Field Repair Zone" skill, which, when activated, creates an area that gradually restores the strength of your vehicle and your allies' vehicles. Assault medium tanks can use the skill "Fury", which reduces the reload time by several seconds. There are many other role-playing skills in the mode, so each vehicle will have the opportunity to perform its tasks more effectively in combat.

Role Skills are not available at the beginning of combat. You will need at least one charge level to activate a roleplaying skill. Give your best in battles and earn prestige points to unlock and improve your roleplaying skill from level 1 to 3. The higher the charge level, the stronger the effect of your roleplaying skill. When activated, all of the accumulated charge is expended. You can reuse your role-playing skill after it is restored.

Maps and key positions

Combat in "Onslaught" mode will take place on the following Random Combat maps:

• Westfield
• Lost City
• Sand River
• Industrial Area
• Redshire
• The Cliff
• Himmelsdorf
• El Hallouf
• Ensk

Some of them have been slightly redesigned specifically for the Onslaught mode, to make the battles more interesting and competitive. We've added more firing positions, shelters, passages, etc.

Each map in the "Onslaught" mode has key positions: "Artillery HQ" and "Communication Hub". By capturing a key position, you can activate a unique tactical skill that will give you an advantage over the enemy.

• After capturing the Artillery HQ you will be able to launch an artillery strike on the selected area, stunning and damaging the enemy's equipment.
• Capturing the Communications Hub will allow you to use the Intelligence Request. When activated, all enemy vehicles will remain detected for three seconds.
• Depending on the map, the location and number of key positions may vary.
• The time to capture a key position is 15 seconds for the Artillery HQ and 7 seconds for the Liaison Hub. Only one vehicle may capture a key position.
• To disrupt a capture of a key position, inflict damage or make a critical hit on an enemy capture vehicle. Accordingly, your capture progress will be lost each time you take damage. Recapture of a key position will be possible after five seconds. However, your allies and the enemy will be able to capture the same key position without restriction.
• If you do not activate your tactical skill, you cannot recapture the corresponding key position.

Fog of War

To make battles even more unpredictable, "Onslaught" mode uses the fog of war mechanic. At the start of combat, players will not know the location and team composition (i.e., vehicle types and models) of the enemy until the vehicles are detected.

Get ready to fight in super platoons!

Fight alone or create a platoon of two players together with a friend. You can also become part of a Super Platoon of seven similarly ranked fighters and fight against the same Super Platoon.

** When creating a platoon of two players, the difference between their rating points must not exceed 425 points. If you want to fight in a platoon of seven players, the difference between the highest and lowest ranking values of all players must not exceed 595 points.

Communication in Combat

In the "Onslaught" mode you will be able to communicate with your teammates and discuss combat tactics in the voice chat. It will be disabled by default, but you can enable it with a single press of the "H" key (by default) or directly in the mode interface. All players present in the voice chat will be marked by a special icon.

*** Platoon/Super Platoon voice chat turns into command chat during pre-combat training.
If you did not disable voice chat in platoon, you will be automatically connected to team chat at the beginning of combat.

Fight against an equally ranked opponent!

Throughout the Gryphon season your main advantages will be your experience and individual skill. In "Onslaught" mode, the balancer will take into account your position in the ranking system and automatically select a close ranked opponent. It forms equal strength teams based on the rating earned in the mode battles. As a result, players will fight on a level playing field to determine exactly who is stronger.

**** In "Onslaught" mode, the balancer evenly distributes players of different ranks and divisions. Players with a difference of 7 divisions cannot end up in the same battle.

Ranking system: Watch your skill growth!
Stand out from the others in the progression system thanks to your ranking, which reflects your combat efficiency and skill. The higher it is, the more significant your status and rewards will be!

Progression mode is called a ranking system and consists of ranks and divisions. To reach new ranks and divisions, win battles and earn rating points. Your rating is directly related to your success: the higher your combat efficiency, the more points you get for each victory.

You can also lose ranking points for losses, draws, quitting a battle before it's over, or for being out of action for too long (more on that below).

There are seven ranks in Onslaught mode:

• Debutant;
• Iron;
• Bronze;
• Silver;
• Gold;
• Champion;
• Legend.

The first five ranks include four divisions - D, C, B and A - and each of the remaining two highest ranks, Champion and Legend, represents only one division.

The most prestigious and honorable rank is Legend. Only the 10% of the most experienced and motivated commanders who are able to break into the Mode Leaderboard can reach this elite rank.

Leadership Table and Inactivity after Ranking

Onslaught mode will have its own dynamic leaderboard in the game client. It will show the players who have reached the two highest ranks - Champion and Legend. The position of the player on the leaderboard will depend on the number of rating points he earned. If several players have the same number of rating points, the higher position will go to the one who has spent more battles in the mode.

If you do not participate in the Onslaught for a certain period of time, the number of rating points you have earned will gradually decrease. This mechanic will only apply to players in the Silver, Gold, Champion and Legend ranks.

In addition, each battle played at these four ranks will earn you a certain number of activity charges. These will gradually fill up the activity bar, but cannot exceed 14 activity points. Activity credits can also be obtained by reaching a rank to which the rank inactivity mechanics apply (Silver, Gold, Champion or Legend). If you have no activity charges, you will lose a certain amount of rank points depending on your rank.

Season Rewards

Now to the most exciting topic of all - the rewards! The Gryphon season includes two lines of rewards.

The first line of rewards includes unique appearance items (emblems and inscriptions) which will make other commanders jealous. To obtain them, you must progress through the progression.

After you spend your first battle in the mode, you will receive a unique 2D progression style that can be (repeatedly) applied to any X level vehicle. You will immediately receive level I of this style. As you reach new ranks or significant differences in a single battle or a series of battles, your style will acquire new 2D elements, such as emblems, inscriptions (after completing special tasks of the "Onslaught" mode) and camouflage schemes.

You will be able to get the maximum level VII style (with the most memorable camouflage scheme) after reaching the rank of "Legend". You can earn a total of up to five copies of a style in a Gryphon season.

You will also receive additional exclusive appearance items for reaching new ranks, including:

• unique personal badge elements such as engravings and backgrounds;
• Bright gryphon stripes for achieving the two elite ranks of Champion and Legend;
• a brightly colored mark near the nickname "Legend of the Gryphon".

In addition, players in the ranks of "Champion" and "Legend" will receive daily bonuses as an additional reward.

The second line of rewards includes the more usual in-game values (such as boons, equipment, personal reserves, etc.), which you can get for a certain number of victories in the mode. These rewards will be spread out over eight stages. To complete each stage and earn rewards, you must achieve a certain number of victories.

Finally, after your first battle in the Onslaught, three rental vehicles will become available to you just for playing the mode:

• FV217 Badger 7x7;
• M48A5 Patton 7x7;
• IS-4 7x7.

All rental vehicles are copies of existing vehicles with the same characteristics. They will remain on your account until the end of the season and will be written off at the end of the season.

Playing in "Onslaught" mode, you will also be able to earn Combat Pass points.