Supertest: The Kharkov Final Stage
2 min readThe final Supertest stage for the Kharkov map is about to start. Wargaming made their choice regarding the exact prototype that will most likely see release. This is an enlarged,1000 x 1000 meters, version with its open area significantly reworked. Also, the map has been rotated by 45 degrees, relative to the previous variant, becoming vertical-aligned instead of diagonal-aligned. This creates well-pronounced flanks to suit different vehicle types.
- The city blocks and the central square. They tried to keep the familiar gameplay setup intact here. This zone is for heavily armoured vehicles’ clashes, and also for races to take good positions in the square. Still, new stuff is present too: embrasures, barricades, ‘balconies’ at block exits (accessible from one side), etc.
- The central part of the map is a new zone. It features an anti-tank moat by the city edge, craters formed by explosions, and small fields. The moat is to keep players from fast and unchecked crossing from this zone to the city and back. You may use the moat to encroach on the enemy base and to light up foes, but be warned, it’s a dangerous route as you may face opponents head-on here with an overwhelming force. The central zone suits fast and manoeuvrable vehicles able of mobility, camo, and terrain-based play.
- The western part of the map is hilly, with a few destructible covered positions. It agrees well with mobile vehicles, and those able to snipe. Taking this zone means controlling almost the entire map, with an option to sneak up on the enemy from behind.
During the coming Supertest, Wargaming plans to make the final estimate of the new Kharkov’s playability and introduce some limited balance changes if needed. The following stage will deal with polishing the look of the map, and after that, it will be ready for release. Do you like these changes? Let us know your opinion in the comment section.
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Looks like a Corridor shooter at a first glance, which I am getting tired of, but it seems more open than usual. Has some promise.
this was the worst map in wot.. why they keep bringing it up ? 🙁
I have an explanation: Empire’s Border is way worse than Charkov should ever be :))
Lol is a soviet version of ruinberg… Lmao just look at both maps omfg
Glad it is coming back. Kharkov was always the best map for close quarter combat, and that part of the map seems largely untouched. I am not sure why this one needed to be redone as the field on the old version was one of the better field maps too.
Look more closely though, the urban area has m***ive flanking opportunity rather than those big blocks that stagnate traffic in maps like Ruinberg or Paris.
I’m not sure about the field. It feels completely separated from the rest of the map and mediums that will survive battle with enemy mediums and arty bombing will need to go into narrow exit which can be (maybe?) covered by TDs. I’m afraid that various zones designed for mediums are usually just killzones (field on siegfried line, coal piles on pilsen).
I disagree that Charkov was worst map ever, i never liked it, but there were and are worse – hideous valley, sacred valley, northwest, windstorm, … and i don’t like empire border, airfield, ensk, pilsen, paris. Even Stalingrad was not so bad.