Patch details:
last updated September 2, 2010

We are updating our game servers to beta 0.5.4.1 today. This procedure will be accompanied by “soft” reset/wipe user accounts. The details of this reset have been described here and here.

There are some more of them:

1) 5000 gold will be assigned as soon as the beta restarts, i.e. before the wipe and the 0.5.4.1 update
2) Your premium accounts will be extended (those which were active when the servers had been shut down). I.e. if you had 2 more days of premium, you will get 2 day of premium when the beta restarts.
3) 3000 gold will be added to your account after the wipe as a refund for your crews.
4) The other wipe details stay the same.

Server shutdown is scheduled for 3.00 am EST / 8.00 am GMT. Server downtime length is not fixed. Registration for World of Tanks closed beta will be temporary unavailable. Premium accounts will be extended for the time of server downtime.

Changelog 0.4.5 - 0.5.4.1
Major changes:
- Introduced new system of waiting list for the battle formation.
- Added squad mode – possibility for two or three players to join the same battle (additional menu selection under the "Battle!" button).
- Introduced expendables – modules that can be used during the battle. Purchase and installations is through 3 slots in the hangar, to the right from the additional equipment slots.
- Reworked additional equipment: now some equipment cannot be uninstalled after being put on the tank, some equipment are divided into classes, introduced different prices for different types of equipment.
- Introduced crosshair settings. So far it's a test version with limited number of settings.
- Added 2 new maps: Erlenberg and Pagorki.
- Added new german TD level 9 - JagdTiger.
- Reintroduced markers "Attacking" and "Need help".
- Removed possibility of transferring experience from non-elite tank into the free experience.
- Added message when attempting to sell tank with crew or with installed additional equipment on it.
- Removed mortar trajectory for SPG.
- New calculations for the base capturing: large number of tanks at the base doesn't lead to the instant base capture.
- Changed the way the general channel works: now when player starts the game, (s)he does not get connected automatically to the general channel - to connect you need to open the channel window. Also when entering the battle, player gets disconnected from the general chat. When coming back from the battle, player will need to open the general channel window to reconnect.

Balance and gameplay:
- Reworked prices for all tanks and modules.
- Reworked profitability of tanks.
- Multiple balance changes for almost all tanks.
- Changed terms of receiving several medals of "hero of a battle".
- Doubled the price of transferring tank experience into free experience.
- Reduced cost of training crew members for gold.
- Reduced chance of fire for Maus' engine.
- Fixed damage models for several tanks.
- Reworked the influence of the driver on tank speed and maneuverability.
- Fixed possibility of the track to fully absorb the projectile.
- Fixed HE ricochet bug, which also sometimes led to reset of ammo selection into the first type, even though interface indicated that 2nd or 3rd type being used.
- Fixed errors with difficulty to destroy the open-air SPG when shooting into the open section.
- Limited changes in the repair cost for some tanks (to balance game economics).
- Fixed error when sometimes HE projectiles couldn't destroy the tracks.
- Increased number of slots for additional equipment to 3.

Content:
- Improved effects of shots and tank explosions.
- Added destruction for some objects.
- Added new effects for different types of destructible objects.
- Reworked hitpoints of destructible objects.
- Fixed speed of traverse rotation on some tanks.
- Fixed tire rotation on tanks Pz IV and T-28.
- Fixed errors in models of some tanks.
- Fixed excessive gloss of trunks on some trees.
- Improved and added some sounds.

Maps:
- Fixed and reworked minimaps.
- Lakeville: Fixed pass-ability and destruction of several objects.
- Ensk: improved decorations.
- Malinovka: fixed entrances into water.
- Murovanka: fixed appearance of "weird polygons", improved general performance.
- In order to improve performance, some extra objects were removed from the maps.

Interface:
- Added password saving option. The saved password is encoded.
- Fixed bug when settings "notification from other players" would not save.
- Fixed error with desyncing of counters before the start of battle.
- "Guard" vehicles renamed to "Elite".
- Fixed several typos.
- Fixed notification "Battle begins" which is visible throughout the battle.
- Fixed notification when you are trying to buy a tank you don't have enough money for.
- Reworked window with tanker's personal data.
- Added separate setting for wide-screen display mode.
- Fixed bug with blurry messages in hangar.
- Penetration "traffic light" (red-yellow-green will you penetrate or not) now does not work through the obstacles.
- Fixed small errors in the purchase window of a tank.
- Now in hangar only the tanker's experience will be reflected, without the commander's bonus.
- Added separate icons for premium HE shells.
- Improved icons of tankers in the hangar.
- When you click RMB in the strategic mode turret/gun will stop rotation.
- Return of the tip about in-game help (F1) to the loading screen.
- Added display of prices for all operations as floating messages in the hangar
- Added display of spread in armor-piercing and damage in the interface.
- Fixed switching from email to password by pressing TAB in the login window.
- Improved player's stats window.
- Expanded display of stats for other players and their tanks.
- Fixed error: "list of modules does not fit the edges of the window in the window mode".
- Fixed error with opening 2x information windows for modules when clicking RMB once.
- Fixed messages when unable to install turret because of weight limit.
- Removed confirmation window when leaving the battle waiting room.
- Added dialog window to turn on speed up crew training.
- Reworked display of tanker's personnel file and their training.
- Added possibility of changing face and name of the crew member.
- Added description of achievements/medals.
- Added description of secondary skills.
- Fixed error when some modules wouldn't display in the depot.
- Removed ticked off position of "ready for battle" square box in the tank lineup filter in the hangar.
- Fixed error with resizing of the tank after every hangar update.
- Added display of slot price on the slot itself.
- New hangar "header".
- Fixed error with display of Tip99.
- Fixed "compression" of the game window after switching from full screen into window mode by pressing Alt+Enter.
- Added images of medals to mark player's achievements.
- Fixed errors with display of side armor of some "open-air" SPGs.
- Fixed error: "When entering some amount of gold for exchange from a keyboard the key "exchange" stays inactive".
- Fixed error: «Entering the amount of experience on "elite" tank from a keyboard stays blocked.»
- Fixed wrong information on armor thickness of the tank in the store.
- Fixed error of exiting into the hangar without interface instead of entering the battle.
- Fixed some errors in the interface texts.

System:
- Fixed "black skies" bug.
- Fixed game crash when closing messages in the hangar.
- Fixed game crash with wrong tank coordinates.
- Fixed error with tank being moved beyond the edge of the map in the final stats of the battle.
- Reduced usage of system and video memory (approximately by 10-20% on different maps).
- Removed possibility of starting two clients at the same time.
- Reworked mechanics of memory cleanup. Now when the maximum RAM reached the game decreases texture resolution. And when it reaches the limit again - the game offers to restart the client.