Rodina ⚓ is getting more reliable gunnery and another Repair Party charge. For Kriti ⚓ and Vanadis ⚓, Wargaming is improving torpedoes and rudder shift times. These official changes date back to 22 October and bring our earlier test previews up to date.
There are two other points to keep in mind over the next few days. The new Update 15.10 teaser, published on 26 October, highlights two cruisers that can be earned for free. Black Friday starts on EU on 29 October, while the deadline to join the accompanying Discord promotion is today, 28 October.
All seven test changes at a glance
Wargaming published the adjustments under “Closed Test 15.9 – Changes to Test Ships.” The complete values are also documented in the official developer post on Steam and the corresponding Wargaming post on Reddit.
| Ship | Parameter | Previous value | New test value |
|---|---|---|---|
| Rodina, Tier X | Sigma | 1.9 | 2.0 |
| Rodina | Repair Party charges | 3 | 4 |
| Kriti, Tier VIII | Maximum torpedo damage | 10,700 | 11,200 |
| Kriti, upgraded hull | Rudder shift time | 9.1 s | 7.2 s |
| Kriti, stock hull | Rudder shift time | 12.7 s | 10.16 s |
| Vanadis, Tier X | Maximum torpedo damage | 10,700 | 11,200 |
| Vanadis | Rudder shift time | 10.5 s | 8.4 s |
Wargaming also says that other torpedo parameters were adjusted accordingly for both cruisers. It does not separately quantify any additional values or resulting effects.
All figures concern ships in testing. The announcement confirms neither final balance values nor a regular sale or tech-tree release.
Rodina: More reliable fire from twelve guns
The Soviet Tier X battleship carries twelve 406 mm guns and is designed for a versatile role at medium to longer ranges. Our Rodina preview covers the underlying concept.
The higher sigma value of 2.0 changes how shells are distributed within the dispersion ellipse. With the ellipse unchanged, they tend to land closer to the aiming point. This makes salvos statistically more consistent, but does not guarantee a hit on any particular target.
The fourth Repair Party charge provides another opportunity to restore damage. How many hit points it actually recovers depends on the battle and the amount of repairable damage; the change does not promise a fixed amount of additional healing.
Our take
Both buffs support the same approach: keeping pressure on opponents with Rodina's main battery over a longer engagement. Better shell distribution helps the salvos, while another Repair Party charge can help her stay in action. The changes fit the concept well, although they do not yet establish how strong the finished ship will be.
Kriti and Vanadis: Harder-hitting torpedoes and faster rudder shifts
Both European cruisers gain 500 points of maximum torpedo damage. At the same time, the upgraded Kriti's rudder shift time falls by 1.9 seconds, and Vanadis gains a 2.1-second reduction. Kriti's stock hull also receives a shorter rudder shift time.
For ships built around concealment, positioning and torpedo attacks, a quicker response to course changes is particularly relevant. A shorter rudder shift time does not automatically mean a smaller turning circle; no such change is listed here.
Our take
The cruisers could feel more responsive when dodging or withdrawing after a torpedo attack. Higher torpedo damage adds an offensive benefit. To us, the combination of handling and armament is more interesting than the damage number alone. The torpedoes still need to connect.
Update 15.10: Two cruisers planned without spending doubloons
The official teaser of 26 October highlights three familiar features: the Horror From the Abyss Halloween PvE event, European cruiser Early Access and reworked battle information. Update 15.10 has been announced, but is not yet live at the time of this overview.
The teaser specifically highlights two ships available for free. Under the earlier Event Pass plan, the three lowest tiers are divided as follows:
| Cruiser | Tier | Previously announced access |
|---|---|---|
| Dragon ⚓ | IV | Progress through the free Event Pass progression line |
| Kralj Petar I ⚓ | V | Progress through the free Event Pass progression line |
| Tre Kronor ⚓ | VI | Paid Event Pass progression line, previously announced at 3,000 doubloons |
Free means earnable here, rather than automatically waiting in Port when you log in. The detailed reward conditions come from the earlier development plan and must be checked against the actual terms when the update goes live.
That leaves two planned entry points for trying the branch without spending doubloons. It makes sense to decide on the second progression line once you know all its rewards and the progress required. Our overview of test rewards, the Event Pass and the horror event provides the fuller preview.
The teaser contains no new final balance values and does not establish any additional changes to the PvE mechanics or information windows.
Black Friday: EU launch on 29 October at 02:00 CET
The announced EU promotion runs from 29 October 2026 at 02:00 CET until 3 December at 02:00 CET. The new arrivals are Incheon B ⚓ at Tier X, Victoria B ⚓ at Tier IX, and Hornet B ⚓ and Flandre B ⚓ at Tier VIII. Numerous older B ships are also due to return.
We covered the four new variants in our Black Friday overview of 25 October. They are black versions of existing ships. The current material does not yet provide confirmed final EU shop prices.
Under the existing plan, Flandre B sits at the end of a sequential bundle chain. Other offer formats have also been announced for Incheon B, Victoria B and Hornet B. The actual live offers will therefore matter, including the total cost of reaching a desired ship in a bundle chain.
Daily free Black Friday bundles are also expected to return. Their actual contents remain to be checked at launch.
Discord Drop: Join by today, mission from 30 October
For the accompanying promotion, Wargaming lists 28 October as the deadline to join the official World of Warships Discord. An exact cut-off time is not confirmed in the supplied information.
A Discord mission is announced from 30 October, with a Black Friday 2026 container as the planned reward. Joining alone does not award a container: the relevant mission requirements must be completed.
Conclusion
Rodina receives two complementary improvements, while Kriti and Vanadis gain stronger torpedoes and better handling. These are concrete changes from our earlier previews, even though the official announcement dates back to 22 October.
For your next visit to Port, today's Discord deadline is the immediate point to remember. Black Friday starts on 29 October at 02:00 CET, and two free entry-level European cruisers remain in the plan. The doubloons can stay in Port until the final offers arrive.
Sources
- Wargaming Development Blog – Closed Test 15.9: Changes to Test Ships
- Wargaming on Reddit – Closed Test 15.9: Changes to Test Ships
- Wargaming on Steam – Developer announcement of 22 October
- World of Warships on Steam – Update 15.10: Teaser
- WoWS Gamer Blog – Update 15.10: Horror From the Abyss and European cruisers
- World of Warships – Update 15.9: Pacific Front
- World of Warships – October Community Drops