Battle mode has been effectively dead for years yet remains in the rotation. The evidence is visible every match:
- Players quit immediately after loading in
- others quit after dying once
- SPAA players respawn and quit after realizing there are no aircraft
- Modern stock tank players face huge maps with no LRF or thermals unlocked
Why It Fails
Battle mode consists of two slow capture zones on opposite sides of large maps. The result:
- Extended driving with minimal combat
- Stock players suffer disproportionately (no LRF, no thermals, large engagement distances)
- Modern tanks above 9.0 BR in close quarters combat on small maps like Advance to the Rhine makes no historical or tactical sense
- Large maps like Campania (great for other modes) become driving simulators in Battle mode
The Two Failure Scenarios
Large maps: Pure driving simulator. Players quit from boredom before reaching objectives. Stock tanks face fully upgraded opposition across enormous distances.
Small maps: Forced close quarters combat with modern MBTs. Historically nonsensical and tactically broken at 9.0+ BR.
Neither scenario produces enjoyable gameplay.
What Should Change
Three options for developers to consider:
Option 1: Remove Battle mode entirely
- Redirect players to Domination and Conquest modes which handle similar objectives better
- Develop new game mode ideas moderated by testers
Option 2: Limit Battle mode by map size
- Only allow Battle mode on moderate/small maps
- Remove large maps (Campania, Fields of Poland, etc.) from Battle mode rotation
- Keeps the mode viable for close quarters gameplay at appropriate BRs
Option 3: Limit Battle mode by BR
- Battle mode works reasonably at lower BRs (1.0-7.7) and smaller maps where slower vehicles suit the pace
- Remove or heavily restrict Battle mode above 8.0 BR where mobility and firepower make it unplayable
- Modern MBTs above 9.0 BR should never be in Battle mode on large and small maps
Why This Matters
Battle mode’s failure cascades into broader problems:
- Early quitters reduce team sizes making matches unwinnable
- Stock players face impossible situations on large maps
- Sometimes, SPAA players waste spawn points with no aircraft to engage
- Match quality drops across the board affecting everyone’s experience
- Matches can last 20+ min with little engagement due to “hide and seek tactics”.
If this is an intentional design to frustrate stock players into purchasing modules with real money, it’s counterproductive. Players simply quit rather than spend. Long term retention suffers more than short term revenue gains.
I enjoy slow-paced, tactical gameplay. I play other Simulator games. But Battle mode on large maps has crossed the line from tactical to tedious. The community has been complaining about this for years for a reason
(please read the post fully before answering)
- Remove it entirely
- Keep it but limit to small/moderate maps only
- Keep it but limit to BR 1.0-7.7/8.7 only and small/moderate maps only
- Keep it as it is (please explain what you enjoy about it)
Depending on community feedback and further ideas discussed here, I’ll repost this as a formal Suggestion for developers to review. Your input shapes the direction of that submission.