Update 0.4.1

Ranked Battles

• Ranked Battle is a new game mode aimed at allowing you to match yourself against other similarly skilled captains.
• Ranked Battles are available during a regularly scheduled season. The launch of the first season will be announced in the near future.
• Ranked Battles become available once you've reached Service Record Level 9.
• Battles take place in a 7 vs. 7 format utilizing Domination mode.
• Each team may have no more than one aircraft carrier and no more than two battleships.
• The tiers of ships that may participate in Ranked Battles are governed by the rules of the Ranked Battles season.
• In Ranked Battle you'll be awarded a star for each victory. You're promoted to the next rank once a certain number of stars have been earned. In case of a defeat or a draw, you may lose their ranks or stars depending on if you're in the lower or upper ranks.
• For achieving certain ranks, as well as for your final rank during a Ranked Battle season, you'll get rewards like in-game goods.
• Ranked Battles will take place on New Dawn, North, and Fault Line.

Maps

• Fixed various components of the following maps: New Dawn and Fault Line.
• Disabled the initial diagonal placement of teams and the Domination mode on the Hotspot map.

New Map: Strait
This map features an Italian coast where, in 1940, for the first time ever, heavy ships were attacked solely by carrier-based aviation. This operation "inspired" Japan's massive assault on Pearl Harbor. In 1943, the Allied fleet supported Operation Husky, Operation Avalanche and many other operations of great importance in Europe.
Size: 36x36 km
Modes: Standard Battle, Domination (3 key areas)

New Map: Solomon Islands
Inspired by the major Pacific Ocean campaigns carried out during World War II in the vicinity of the Solomon Islands archipelago. Battles continued from 1942 until 1945. During 1942-1943, the largest sea battle - the Guadalcanal Campaign - took place in the waters of this archipelago. A strategically important airport, Henderson Field, is located on the islands. After the battle, the US President, Franklin D. Roosevelt, said, "It would seem that the turning point in this war has at last been reached."
Size: 30x30 km
Modes: Standard Battle, Domination (3 key areas)

Matchmaker

• Implemented a "mirror balance" for aircraft carriers in terms of their number and tier in almost all cases (except for extremely rare occasions when the waiting time in queue is longer than the maximum time allowed).
• Implemented a limit on the number of battles that you can have where your ship tier is lower than the level of the battle.
• Now, the matchmaker distributes destroyers more evenly between teams.

Ships

General

• In Port, the AA characteristic scale has been changed. AA effectiveness has not been adjusted (except where noted in the ship specific notes below), but the rating system itself has been condensed. That means the AA rating for most of your ships will change. Don't panic; nothing about your ship's AA, or AA fire in general, has been affected. It's an adjustment to the rating metric.
• For Japanese ships, the chance for setting enemy ships on fire is set at a maximum for 200 mm and 203 mm caliber guns. All other calibers have a lower chance.
• For all destroyers, the casemate's resistance to damage was decreased to match the respective hull values
• For all destroyers, added a fourth point where fires may potentially be started
• For all ships, increased gun accuracy at close quarters (i.e. at distances of 0.2 km to 4 km), which results in a minor increase to accuracy of fire at medium and long-range distances
• The 'value' of a hit into the middle part of a destroyer was reduced to match the 'value' of hits into the bow or stern of these ships. Now, 'alpha strike' damage to the bow, stern, superstructures and the central part of the ship will not differ
• For all ships, changed the display of the rudder shift time. The time itself remains the same (!!!), the change affects its display only.
• Engine boost ability no longer affects the visibility of the ship

Consumables

• Extended the duration of the Hydroacoustic Search consumable from 40 to 90 seconds.
• For US destroyers: extended the duration of Smoke Generator from 20 to a range between 22 - 30 seconds depending on the tier of the destroyer. The 'lifetime' of a smokescreen produced by Smoke Generator has also been extended from 65 - 97 seconds depending on the tier of the ship to 106 - 130 seconds.

U.S.A.

• Beginning at Tier VI, we've introduced the Defensive AA Fire consumable.
• For the destroyers Farragut and Benson, the 'AA defense-oriented' hulls are now available for research.
• The top (AA-defense-oriented) hulls of US destroyers will receive the Defensive AA Fire consumable.
• Fixed the bug related to the high detectability of the Bliss-Leavitt Mk7 mod2A torpedoes: the detectability was reduced from 1.6 km to 1 km
• Cleveland: fixed the incorrect armoring of 6"/47 (152 mm/47) turrets. The armor of the bottom side of a turret was increased from 37 mm to 38 mm, and the armor of its rear side was decreased from 37 mm to 25 mm.
• Baltimore: fixed the incorrect armoring of 8"/55 (203 mm/55) turrets. The armor of the bottom side of a turret was increased from 19 mm to 38 mm, and the armor of its rear side was increased from 37 mm to 38 mm.
• Wyoming: fixed the incorrect armoring of the 12"/50 (305 mm/50) turrets when mounted on the stock hull. The armor of the bottom part of a turret was decreased from 60 mm to 38 mm, and the armor of its upper part was decreased from 160 mm to 76 mm.
• Wyoming: reduced the traverse speed of the main turrets.
• Wyoming: decreased the traverse speed of the 12"/50 Mk7 guns to 3.5 degrees per second.
• Wyoming: changed the stock hull modification; the firing range with the stock hull was reduced from 12,790 m to 10,965 m; the viewing distance with the stock hull was reduced from 20.33 km to 17.71 km.
• Omaha, Marblehead and Phoenix: the 152 mm AP/SC Mk27 mod. 2 shell was replaced with the 152 mm AP/SC Mk27 mod. 5 shell. The changes affects the cruisers.
• Omaha and Phoenix: added a new type of shell (152MM AP/SC MK27 MOD5) for the 152mm/53 guns: the change of the shell.
• Omaha: Increased the firing range for the top hull (C) of the cruiser Omaha (the same increase is applied to Murmansk).
• Omaha: fixed the bug related to the firing range with the top hull. The firing range was increased from 11,500 m to 13,465 m. The viewing distance with the top hull was increased from 18.39 km to 21.08 km.
• New Orleans: fixed the bug related to the power of the AA defenses. The power of the stock hull AA defenses (40 mm Bofors guns) at a medium AA engagement distance underwent a twofold reduction.
• Sampson: increased the traverse speed of the main battery guns from 10 to 11.5 degrees per second.
• Sampson and Wickes: increased the rate of fire and the main battery traverse speed.
• Wickes: increased the traverse speed of the main battery guns from 10 to 11.5 degrees per second.
• Wickes: converted the Bliss-Leavitt Mark 9 torpedoes into a researchable module.
• Nicholas: added the Defensive Fire consumable to Hull B instead of the Engine Boost consumable.
• Farragut: Hull C became optional for research. On this hull, the Engine Boost consumable was replaced with the Defensive Fire consumable.
• Mahan: added the Defensive Fire consumable to Hull B instead of the Engine Boost consumable.
• Benson: Hull C became optional for research. On this hull, the Engine Boost consumable was replaced with the Defensive Fire consumable.
• Gearing: the Defensive Fire consumable became available in addition to the Engine Boost consumable.
• Sims: separated the engagement areas of the Browning M2 and Oerlikon AA machine guns. The total engagement power has not changed. The firing range of the Oerlikon machine guns remains standard (2.1 km instead of 1.2 km earlier) while the firing range of the Browning M2 machine guns is reduced from 1.2 km to 0.9 km as compared with the previous range.
• Sims: added an option to mount torpedoes .
• Sims: the Defensive Fire consumable became available in addition to the Engine Boost consumable.
• Sims: added alternative torpedoes.
• South Carolina: fixed the bug that prevented damage to the 12"/45 Mk5 (305 mm/45 Mk5) gun turrets.

Japan

• For ships without obvious superstructures, increased by 10% the distance of surface detection (the change affected the aircraft carriers Hosho, Zuiho and Ryujo).
• Modified the flight control modules; now, each research path offers at least one group of fighters.
• Increased the turret traverse speed of certain Japanese destroyers.
• Excluded the 533 mm Type 89 torpedo from researchable modules.
• Reduced the national bonus related to the probability of setting fire for all shells (except 200 mm and 203 mm caliber shells)
• Increased aircraft servicing time and takeoff/landing time.
• Increased the traverse speed of the 120mm/45 guns from 4 degrees per second to 6 degrees per second. The change affects the destroyers Wakatake, Minekaze and Mutsuki.
• Increased the traverse speed of the 127mm/50 Type C guns from 5 degrees per second to 6 degrees per second. The change affects the destroyers Fubuki and Kagero.
• Increased the range of the 450 Type42 mod. 1 torpedoes from 4.5 km to 5 km. The changes affects the destroyers Tachibana and Umikaze.
• Increased the arming time for the Type91 mod. 1A torpedoes from 2.5 seconds to 3 seconds. The change affects all Japanese aircraft carriers.
• Hosho: due to the re-adjustment of the visibility system (for easier identification of ships in absence of an explicitly visible island or a superstructure), increased the detection and identification distance as seen from the water surface (surface detectability range) from 7.92 km to 8.82 km.
• Zuiho: due to the re-adjustment of the visibility system (for easier identification of ships in absence of an explicitly visible island or a superstructure), increased the detection and identification distance as seen from the water surface (surface detectability range) from 8.46 km to 9.18 km.
• Zuiho: changed the composition of the Type 5 mod. 1 flight control to contain 1 torpedo bomber, 2 bomber and 1 fighter squadrons instead of 2 torpedo bomber, 1 bomber and 1 fighter squadrons.
• Zuiho: changed the composition of the Type 5 mod. 2 flight control to contain 2 torpedo bomber, 1 bomber and 1 fighter squadrons instead of 3 torpedo bomber, 1 bomber and 0 fighter squadrons.
• Ryujo: due to the re-adjustment of the visibility system (for easier identification of ships in absence of an explicitly visible island or a superstructure), increased the detection and identification distance as seen from the water surface from 9.0 km to 9.9 km.
• Ryujo: changed the composition of the Type 6 mod. 1 flight control to contain 1 torpedo bomber, 2 bomber and 1 fighter squadrons instead of 2 torpedo bomber, 1 bomber and 1 fighter squadrons.
• Ryujo: changed the composition of the Type 6 mod. 2 flight control to contain 2 torpedo bomber, 2 bomber and 1 fighter squadrons instead of 3 torpedo bomber, 2 bomber and 0 fighter squadrons.
• Ryujo: changed the composition of the Type 6 mod. 3 flight control to contain 1 torpedo bomber, 1 bomber and 3 fighter squadrons instead of 2 torpedo bomber, 2 bomber and 1 fighter squadrons.
• Hiryu: changed the composition of the Type 7 mod. 2 flight control to contain 2 torpedo bomber, 2 bomber and 2 fighter squadrons instead of 3 torpedo bomber, 3 bomber and 0 fighter squadrons.
• Hiryu: changed the composition of the Type 7 mod. 3 flight control to contain 1 torpedo bomber, 2 bomber and 3 fighter squadrons instead of 2 torpedo bomber, 2 bomber and 2 fighter squadrons.
• Shokaku: changed the composition of the Type 8 mod. 2 flight control to contain 2 torpedo bomber, 2 bomber and 2 fighter squadrons instead of 3 torpedo bomber, 3 bomber and 0 fighter squadrons.
• Shokaku: changed the composition of the Type 8 mod. 3 flight control to contain 1 torpedo bomber, 2 bomber and 3 fighter squadrons instead of 2 torpedo bomber, 2 bomber and 1 fighter squadrons.
• Taiho: changed the composition of the Type 9 mod. 2 flight control to contain 3 torpedo bomber, 2 bomber and 1 fighter squadrons instead of 3 torpedo bomber, 3 bomber and 1 fighter squadrons.
• Hakuryu: changed the composition of the Type 10 mod. 2 flight control to contain 3 torpedo bomber, 3 bomber and 2 fighter squadrons instead of 3 torpedo bomber, 4 bomber and 1 fighter squadrons.
• Kongo, Fuso, Nagato and Amagi: added an intermediate hull (B) as a researchable module.
• Atago: corrected a misprint in the text of the torpedo description (Type90 mod. 1 instead of Type93 mod. 1). The characteristics of the torpedoes remain unchanged.
• Yubari: the Defensive Fire consumable is now effective for the medium-range engagement distance (heavy AA machine guns) as well.
• Hashidate: decreased the number of hit points for the stock hull from 10,700 to 8,800 and for the top hull from 12,400 to 10,300.
• Furutaka: reduced the rudder shift time for the top hull by 1.1 seconds.
• Furutaka: changed the research system. Implemented a straightforward gun research procedure whereby guns will be researched successively. Added Type8 mod. 2 torpedoes as a researchable module.
• Myoko: increased the probability of a fire on the ship by 6.6%.
• Kitakami: added the Engine Boost consumable.
• Kitakami: increased the effective aiming angles for torpedo tubes For the cruiser Mogami, reduced the aiming speed of the main turrets, and reduced the hit points of these turrets by 20%.
• Kongo, Fuso, Nagato and Amagi: added intermediate hulls as researchable modules.
• Myoko: decreased the reload time of the main battery guns by 2 seconds.
• Yamato: reduced the chance of fire on the ship by 3.3%.
• Mogami: decreased the probability of a fire on the ship by 6.6%.
• Mogami: decreased the traverse speed of the 155mm/50 guns from 4.5 degrees per second to 3.5 degrees per second. The number of the gun's 'hit points' was reduced by 20%.
• Minekaze and Mutsuki: the detection distance was increased by 0.3 km.
• Minekaze and Mutsuki: increased detectability distance from 5.94 km to 6.2 km.
• Minekaze: excluded the Type89 torpedoes from researchable modules.
• Minekaze: decreased the aiming angles of torpedo tubes.
• Furutaka: Increased the rate of fire and the main battery traverse speed.
• Furutaka: Reduced rudder shift time.
• Furutaka: increased the traverse speed of the 200mm/50 guns from 4 degrees per second to 5 degrees per second.
• Furutaka: Increased the traverse speed of the 203mm/50 guns from 4 degrees per second to 5 degrees per second. The reload time of the gun was decreased from 17 to 15 seconds.

USSR/Russia

• Murmansk: shells for 152-mm AP/SC Mk27 mod.2 was renamed into 152-mm AP/SC Mk27 mod.8. Characteristics remained the same

Aircraft

• Added an alternative attack mode for fighter squadrons: Air Squadron Assault, activated by pressing Alt + LMB.
• Activated by the key commands above, an air squadron carries out an assault upon a particular area on the map. Going at a high speed, fighters fly straight through the designated area, delivering massive fire at targets. All air squadrons (including allied ones) that happen to be within the impact area will take damage.
• Added aircraft fire visualization in the form of gun tracers.
• Fixed the incorrect display of a torpedo cone during a torpedo attack in automatic mode.
• Now, fighter squadrons cannot be ordered to perform several consecutive attacks at once (by pressing and holding Shift).
• Changed the turning radii for all aircraft. The average values remain close to those in the previous version.
• Increased ammunition capacity for all fighters.
• Introduced a twofold increase (on average) in the self-defense power of all attack aircraft.
• Normalized the self-defense power of all fighters in order to avoid significant variations across levels.

Reporting

Implemented an automatic system for handling reports regarding chat misbehavior, capable of issuing chat bans to players.

Trees! Wondrous, Glorious, Magnificent Trees!

Added foliage to the following maps: North, Big Race, Islands, Hotspot, New Dawn, Two Brothers and Fault Line.

Sound

• Made an overall improvement of sound effects in the game.
• Reworked the sounds of nearby flying shells.
• Improved the sound effects of jet-powered aircraft.
• Added new music tracks.

Interface

• In the Port display, a ship's characteristics now take into account the equipment mounted on the ship.
• Improved visualization 3-D HUD elements.
• Implemented the display of licenses in the game client.
• Added an IME language panel (can be enabled in Settings).
• Added input support for the Chinese, Korean and Japanese languages.
• Improved the Summary tab in the player's profile.
• Implemented the option to display battle statistics separately for Co-op, Standard and Ranked Battles.

System Changes

• Added a change that will substantially simplify aiming at a ship moving over the border of the map ("kiting").
• The daily number of reports/complaints available to a player was increased to five.
• The number of reports/complaints that a player would need to accumulate to get banned from chat was increased to 10.