Research Bureau

Revision as of 18:02, 27 March 2022

The principle of player progression in World of Warships is moving from lower tier to higher tier ships up to the apex of each branch — the Tier X ship. However, in doing so, players often leave intermediate-tier ships behind. These ships offer game play experiences that are equally interesting as those of Tier X ships. And often, a now-more experienced player will discover that his lower-tier ships seem to play better than when he was first grinding through them.

Qualification

A player may qualify for the Research Bureau in several ways.^[1] Any player with five (5) unlocked tech tree Tier X ships automatically qualifies. Obtaining Research Points in other ways, e.g. through Dockyard events, also qualifies the player for the Research Bureau.

Immediately on qualifying, the player receives  10,000 Research Points (RP).^[2]

In the qualified player's Armory, a Research Bureau page is enabled that describes the loot for which RP can be exchanged. See below.

Earning Research Points

Although small amounts of can be obtained from such things as Daily Missions and Dockyard Events, the primary source is by 'resetting' lines of tech tree ships then re-earning and playing them.

A line is defined as those ships that must be unlocked consecutively to obtain a Tier X ship. In the case of split lines (e.g. the USA light and heavy cruiser lines), each line includes the ships that are common to both (in this case the Tier II-V cruisers)). Excluding Tier I ships, lines consist of:

• 9 Ships for Cruisers
• 10 Ships for Battleships and Destroyers
• 8 Ships for Aircraft Carriers (there are two "side steps" to get to CV's).

In order to earn Research Points a line is reset as described below. The ships of the line must then be unlocked again. When each of the ships from Tiers V^[3] to X of the line is in port, winning a battle^[4] or achieving 300 Base XP in a single battle earns Research Points. Each higher tier ship earns progressively more RP. Gunship lines earn a maximum of  10,200 (base) per reset. Carrier lines earn less:  8,000 (base). More than one line may be reset at the same time.

Battle Performance Bonuses

At each reset, Battle Performance Bonuses — in this case — are calculated and recorded on the ship. The base earnable for the ship tier (shown in the illustration above) is multiplied by any applicable bonus, for instance the 2x bonus for the first reset of a season, and the total added to any previous bonus on the ship.

When the ship is played to a win (or the base XP in a battle is achieved) the accumulated Battle Performance Bonus is awarded and the total available is set back to zero.

Lines can be reset any number of times per season, and the base value applies to each ship for every reset.

Resetting a line

To enable line resets the player must have qualified for the Research Bureau.^[5]

Once line resetting is enabled a button will appear below each researched Tier X ship in the Tech Tree panel in Port. Pressing this button (and confirming), causes the line to reset. For all Tier II through Tier X ships in the line:^[6]

• All ship XP is moved to the Tier I ship,
• Mounted Upgrades are de-mounted to Inventory at no cost,
• Mounted camouflages, skins, and signals are de-mounted,^[7]
• Commanders are moved to Reserve (slots are added when necessary),
• The ships in port are sold for Credits at the normal Sell price,
• Modules, whether mounted or in Inventory, are sold for Credits at the normal Sell price,
• The relevant Battle Performance Bonus is added to each researched Tier V to X ship,
• Tier II to X ships and their modules become locked,
• A icon appears in the tech tree and in the Ship Carousel on each ship with a bonus available, indicating that can be earned from that ship.

Partial line resets

Especially with Early Access ships, it is possible to unlock a Tier X ship without unlocking all the ships in the line. Such a line can be reset. However, ships that were never unlocked cannot earn Research Points after the line is reset.

For example, A Tier VIII ship is obtained during an Early Access event, but no ship below it on the tech tree. The player obtains the Tier IX and X ships in the normal manner, enabling a line reset. After the reset, the Tier V to VII ships may be unlocked and played, yet will earn no RP. Having finally been unlocked, they can earn RP in subsequent resets.

Seasons

Each Research Bureau season lasts three months.^[8] In each season, the first line reset becomes eligible for double (2x) Research Points when the Tiers V-X ships in the line are played to a win. Season end dates may be viewed by scrolling to the bottom of the tech-tree.

The following dates are for the North American server (European dates are 1 day later):

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