The Dragon's Spirit Rekindled

The last battle I had in a progression Chinese vehicle in Armored Warfare dates back to July of 2017.

Since then, there have been some serious changes to Zhang Feng's offerings, including the complete removal of the tier VII Type 98 from the MBT line (replaced by the 9910, perhaps it will come back as a future premium?) and the addition of a second line (something I might explore at a later date).

This is how the MBT line looks now.

With the recent purchase on the discounted premium tier VIII Type 96B Red Dragon and the surprising results thus far, I considered complimenting that experience with restarting my progress with the same tiered Type 99, with all of the changes have long since come to pass. By the numbers alone, I don't see any obvious regrets going forward with this idea.

So, why not take this machine out and complete the final chapter of Black Sea Incursion (complete with an unexpected technical issue)?

Purchase and Progress

It's a good thing the Internet is around, I sometimes forgot why I didn't get certain things....

It was three years ago today I started this blog and I kicked things off with the very item that got me into Armored Warfare, the tier III T-62 Veteran Promotional vehicle (this has been since sold and avaible through other offers, I got mine for free). Although I missed out on being an Alpha/Beta tester, coming a little late to the party didn't necessarily put me at that much of a disadvantage and I have since chronicled my off and on again adventures in this title of modern vehicle combat.

  

Just a short while ago, it was another T-62 variant that brought me back to the game, the missile armed, tier V IT-1 tank destroyer and it's a real blast of a machine (sorry if that sounded like a pun, but it's true) to play.

However, I noticed that there was a vehicle gap between year one and the now year three. Needless to say, enough time has passed that I forgot to why I didn't get a year two machine. Seems I didn't like the conditions of how to go about collecting it at the time:

Win 15 PvP or GLOPS battles in a Tier 4 or higher vehicle to win the T-62M Tier 4 Premium MBT.

Thanks to the current Black Friday sales event, I was able to spend 650 Gold from my reserves and finally add the discounted tier IV T-62M to my incomplete Anniversary collection. According to my interpretation of the numbers, it appears to be very capable for it's tier, but I was curious to see, first hand, if the statistics would hold true in battle conditions....

For now, I will stick by the decision that all my purchasing, with real world money or banked up Gold is done, unless something truly special shows up before/during the upcoming Holidays....

....like this premium Chinese AFT-10, for example (so long it isn't offered through Lootboxes).

As a bonus for today, I take on Chapter 3 of Black Sea Incursion with the premium tier VIII BMPT Terminator Reaper....

Black Friday, Red Dragon

First, they announced it, then, they released it.

I have been waiting for some time for a Japanese vehicle come to Armored Warfare and it finally happened on this Black Friday, but not without it's controversy and disappointments. 

My heart was happily skipping beats when I found out it was going to be the Mitsubishi Type 90, then it started to sink a bit when news of it being a premium vehicle made it's way out.

My heart nearly stopped altogether when I saw the only way to possibly attain one was by purchasing lootboxes and taking one's chances with the prize drops. In my opinion, the price was too high when it came to the "uncertainty factor" and have decided to wait and see when it becomes a more affordable and guaranteed purchase.

Besides, there was another Asian vehicle I had been eyeing up for a long time and with the current Black Friday sales, my banked up Gold couldn't resist the call of the Dragon anymore....

While I Was Gone....

During my two week absence from Armored Warfare, a few things took place....and didn't.

Literately, as I was walking out the door, an announcement was made about the premium, British tier V Chieftain Mk.6 Leader being re-designated as the Chieftain Mk.10 Leader.

In fact, the Mk.10 Leader was immediately sold through both the Web Shop and MyLoot. However, due to some....technical difficulties, the vehicle was not delivered, as advertised to those who bought it, but they did receive a  Mk.6 Leader (or were compensated in Gold if they owned it already) instead. Seems the switch over to being called the Mk.10 Leader will happen at a later date.

November 11th, 2018 marked the 100 year anniversary of the creation of modern Poland.

As a tie in to the event, Armored Warfare created the Rosomak M1M Wataha, a tier VIII Premium Armored Fighting Vehicle.

As you can see in the above picture, the M1M Wataha is an improved version of the same tiered KTO Rosomak M1. Some players have labeled these as "re-skins," a cost saving practice (in development) that turns regular progression vehicles into premium variants.

I was intrigued with the idea of a wheeled fighting vehicle at tier VIII and was surprised that it was being offered with a Gold price. However, I wasn't alone with the thoughts it was priced too high (despite having a rather large Gold reserve myself) and considered other options.

I went with the real world cash option and since MyLoot offered a bit of a bonus in the way of LootCoins, the final choice was made.

Until such time that Armored Warfare includes the wheeled LAV III (or the updated LAV 6.0 variant) as high tiered progression/premium vehicle (and not as another tank destroyer please, since you guys changed my premium BMPT Terminator Reaper from a tier VI Armored Fighting Vehicle to a tier VIII Tank Destroyer), I hope the Rosomak M1M Wataha will fill that void.

Perhaps, I should see if it was really worth it....

Sometime in the not so distant future, the current Black Sea Incursion will come to an end and Arabian Nights (every time I read that, I get that same titled song from Disney's Aladdin stuck in my head) will start off with some very tempting rewards.

I missed out in taking part with the original Caribbean Crisis, since the population on the North America server was low, not enough players around for me to even attempt the missions. However, I have finished Black Sea Incursion a few times now (and plan on making my final two videos in that series), thanks to the single, merged server between the NA/EU regions and mighty Russia!

As for those tempting rewards? Well, a tier III Iraqi T-55 Enigma, a tier VI Scorpion Kastet, a tier VII M1A1 Storm (pictured above), the tier VIII BMPT Mod 2017 and the top prize of the Turkish tier X Altay MBT.

Last, but not least (nor in chronological order) there is an opportunity to earn a tier IX premium British Challenger 2 Main Battle Tank. It's called Battalion Contract Missions and the requirements are rather steep and time consuming. And, considering that the battalion I created some time ago only has myself and my son as members (and his interest in playing has waned recently), I am somewhat doubtful I could complete the list of tasks alone.

So, a purchase and quite a few opportunities to earn some premium vehicles for the garage. In fact, I think I will attempt to collect one I never mentioned here....

Series With Substance

Armored Warfare introduced Black Sea Incursion II back in September (the first chapter was revealed further back, in May) of 2018. This story driven and dictated PvE series has become a bit of a favorite for me, a reminder those old Choose-Your-Own-Adventure books from when I was a whole lot younger.

Since my return to the game in October, I have played through this four part series a few times now, on varying degrees of difficulty (bother from the scenarios themselves and questionable teammates) and thought it might be a good idea to showcase what these adventures entail.

For Part 1, I chose my newest acquisition, the Russian tier IX T-90MS....

Part 2 involved a vehicle a few tiers down, but nearly twice as tough, the tier VII British Challenger 1 Wolf premium....

As for Part 3 and 4? Stay tuned!

From Vladimir To Tagil

With the current discount special in Armored Warfare on for Russia UVZ line (short for Uralvagonzavod, the largest main battle tank manufacturer in the world, located in Nizhny Tagil, Russia), starting from the tier III T-62 all the way up to the tier X T-14 Aramata, and me, about to leave the virtual world for a "work-cation" in the real one for the next two week, I just had to see if I could finally complete a long over due task.

Thanks to my family who allowed me to play away uninterrupted, numbing my butt and straining my eyes by pouring on a binge grind this last weekend, to close the gap between my current tier VIII T-90A and the next in line, tier IX T-90MS.

However, I saved the last battle that crossed the threshold of completing a "three years in the making goal", with you....

Armored Warfare - Green Night

A funny thing about goals, sometimes you can come back to them without penalty.

Shortly after I first started playing Armored Warfare, I set a "progression target" that I am still working on....

Back then, there were no tier X vehicles, Obsidian and my.com/mail.ru appeared to be happy partners and the things were still fresh and new. The game held a lot of promise and hope for it's playerbase, from those continuing from the numerous testing phases before, to "refugee" players coming over from other tanking titles and those other folks who never played a game of this genre before.

A lot has happened since then, from unpopular changes to the game, assets altered or flat-out removed and a mass exodus of players leaving, more so than the usual turnover rate observed in other, but similar titles. In fact, a multi-volume series chronicle could be created of all the events that have come and gone.

But through it all, always waiting on the back burner of my game goals in Armored Warfare, the Russian tier IX T-90MS sits, patient for the day I finally collect it. Perhaps this will inspire me to finish that journey?

Until then....