As the holiday season nears, we rejoice in the spirit of gift giving with an early reveal of the final update of 2017. It’s been an eventful year, rich in major improvements to the game’s core, and Update 9.21 continues on that route with balance tweaks to British TDs and the debut of a new alternate line of French heavy tanks.

Read on for a detailed breakdown of everything in store for you in December!

British Tank Destroyers

We heard from many of you that the non-turreted British TD line didn’t feel fun. Though the ATs never failed to get a lot of well-placed shots down-range, their fire rates were totally offset by low damage, and the notoriously huge hatches negated overall armor turning them into easy targets.

To up the worthiness of these sluggish beasts, we boosted their armor and 32-pounder guns. These steps should reinforce their strength as support vehicles that can soak up a few hits in a pinch, and rip into enemies with an immense fire rate.

A re-tuning of the line wouldn’t be complete without a proper Tier X vehicle, something that could be a natural progression from the Tortoise. The FV215b (183) didn’t fit into the "well-protected support fire" concept we formed for the line, so it steps down in "special vehicle" status and frees up a space for the all-new FV217 Badger. If you have the FV215b (183) researched and purchased, you’re keeping it and getting the newcomer when 9.21 drops.

Like its peers further down the line, the Badger equips a fast gun that easily pierces thick-skinned enemies. Its play style resembles the Tortoise in many ways, but the Badger outperforms its damage potential and protection, resulting in a more tangible step up from Tier IX. The FV217 Badger is all-out devastating as an enemy, but also proves to be a great ally when it dishes out tons of damage from afar.