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Please note that the information in the Development Blog is preliminary.
The French arc will begin with the release of the 0.8.6 update featuring the early access to French destroyers. The port of Marseille is decorated to celebrate the event.
There will be 4 directives, completing which you can earn containers. From them you can get combat missions for early access to French destroyers of tiers V - VIII.
A new temporary resource - 'Republic' tokens is also added. You can get it for different activities in game and exchange in the Armory for in-game goodies. Permanent camouflages, "French Navy" are available for French destroyers, giving the standard bonuses of permanent camouflages depending on the tier of the ship.
New camouflage added, with the following bonuses:
-3% to detectability range.
+4% to maximum dispersion of shells fired by the enemy at your ship.
+100% XP per battle
+75% Commander XP per battle
+50% Free XP per battle
New map "Crash Zone Alpha" is added to the game. The name was proposed by the MDF clan from the Clan Special Test. The visuals of the map resemble the white cliffs of Dover and is complemented by wrecked ships. The map is for battles of tiers VIII - X in two versions of the "Domination" mode: with 3 or 4 key areas. In Random battles, the layout of islands on the sides of key areas makes the approach to them safer and allows for flank attacks. Due to the height difference of some islands, they can't serve as dependable cover. In Clan battles the proximity of "home" key areas changes the usual tactics: these areas are not the safest.
New, sunny weather is added to the "Greece" map, and islands at the back of the teams are changed so that they provide better cover.
Balance Changes:
Tier X French cruiser Henri IV:
Main caliber guns reload time increased from 12.3 to 13 s.
Henri IV is one of the most efficient cruisers. A large caliber and Main Battery Reload Booster consumable allow her to deal a high amount of damage. To balance the ship with her classmates, the reload time for the main caliber guns is increased.
Tier IX and X German cruisers Roon and Hindenburg:
Main caliber reload time decreased from 11 to 10.5 s.
In the update 0.7.6 the reload time of these ships was increased and these German cruisers were balanced with other ships. But balance in game is not static, and further changes affected Roon and Hindenburg in comparison to cruisers of other nations. In the 0.7.9 update they got an additional charge of the Repair party consumable. Now, according to statistics, they are still weaker than other classmates in terms of combat efficiency, and lowered reload time will increase the total damage done by this two ships.
105 mm secondary guns on Tirpitz, Bismarck, Graf Zeppelin and tiers VIII - X German cruisers:
Armor penetration increased from 17 to 25 mm.
The change will allow 105 mm secondaries of German ships to penetrate the plating of destroyers, battleships and cruisers of tiers VI - VII.
Tier VIII Japanese battleship Kii:
Armor of citadel deck increased from 22 to 32 mm.
After penetrating the armor belt of the Kii, shells with a caliber of 356 mm and more didn't ricochet against the thin armor of the citadel deck and penetrated it. To increase the survivability of the ship, the armor was increased from 22 to 32 mm.
Tier VIII German destroyer Z-23:
The amount of HP of the stock hull is increased from 14 700 to 16 700.
The difference in the amount of HP between stock and re-searchable hulls is 4 800. This is a high amount for a destroyer, and to make the change smoother, the stock hull is improved.
Tier X Soviet destroyer Grozovoi:
Main caliber guns reload time increased from 4 to 4.2 s.
Grozovoi is one of the strongest destroyers at the moment. Extensive choice of consumables and good parameters allow the ship to fulfill almost any role in battle. Increased reload time will balance her with other destroyers.