There's nothing we love more than a good freebie - and World of Tanks on console is running one heck of a giveaway over the next few weeks. If you play on Xbox 360, Xbox One or PS4, all you'll need to do is play the game, and complete a series of challenges over the next fortnight-and-a-bit to earn yourself a brand new premium tank, called the Boilermaker - a Sherman Firefly variant that's been lifted from the tie-in World of Tanks comic series by Dark Horse.
With a whopping 17lb gun, the Firefly is one of the most feared - and powerful - tanks of the war. It was also actually one of ours, as the British forces, somewhat uncharacteristically, decided to take a Sherman, and crowbar in an even bigger gun than the Americans had gone for. One of the most powerful guns in the war, the Firefly was an incredibly potent foe in combat - and this in-game variant comes with a handy armour boost, thanks to being covered in spare tracks and wheels. Here's some footage of it in action.
You can get your hands on the Boilermaker in one of two ways. First, if you have enough premium currency, you can head across to the store, where you can buy one of a number of packages that include the Boilermaker Firefly, from the tank on its own for 4,170 gold, all the way up to a mega bundle that packages all three comic-related tanks together for 20,000 gold.
If you don't have enough moolah, though, never fear, as over the next fortnight, Wargaming are running a special "Boilermaker" event, where by completing a series of challenges, you can earn the tank for free.
Here it is in game, in all its glory. Looks a bit different to the one in Girls und Panzer...
The event runs from today, 11th November through to the 28th November, and consists of five stages - you'll need to complete all five if you want to get your free tank. In order to complete each stage, you'll need to amass a certain amount of points - and you can earn these points by coming in the top five damage-dealers on your team, with more points being earnt the higher you rank.
- 1 point: Place 4th or 5th in terms of damage dealt on your team
- 3 points: Place 2nd or 3rd in terms of damage dealt on our team
- 5 points: Place as the top damage dealer on your team
Each challenge takes place over a number of days, and sets you a different amount of points to earn. Luckily, there's something in it for everyone, as even if you only manage to complete the one event, you'll still come away with a prize for your trouble, in the form of a consumable, or a day of premium membership. Unfortunately for those just starting out, all these events are limited to those playing on Tier III - X, just to make it that little bit harder for us to achieve.
Here's the complete list of challenges you'll need to complete if you want to get your hands on the Boilermaker.
- Challenge 1
Date: 11/11 - 28/11
Task: Earn 45 points in any number of battles
Prizes: 2x First Aid Kit, 2x Fire Extinguisher, 2x Small Repair Kit - Challenge 2
Date: 14/11 - 28/11
Task: Earn 55 points in any number of battles
Prize: 1 Day of Premium - Challenge 3
Date: 18/11 - 28/11
Task: Earn 65 points in any number of battles
Prize: 2x XP Boost (x2) - Challenge 4
Date: 21/11 - 28/11
Task: Earn 80 points in any number of battles
Prize: 2,000 Free XP - Challenge 5
Date: 25/11 - 28/11
Task: Earn 95 points in any number of battles
Prizes: Sherman Firefly Boilermaker, 1x Garage Slot, 1x Boilermaker Medal
As you can see, getting your hands on the Boilermaker won't be an easy task. As you work your way up through the challenge ranks, you'll be given less time to work with, and have to earn more points. Seeing as we can only imagine your tally of points won't carry over from one challenge to the next, completing the final challenge will see you needing to come top in terms of damage dealt across a minimum of 19 battles, in the space of four days - or, you can come 4th or 5th across 95...
While there's undoubtedly a lot that needs to be done, it goes without saying that the challenge is probably worth it - it gives you an excuse to delve back into World of Tanks, and if you manage to complete it, you'll come out with one heck of a free tank to show for your trouble. We know we'll certainly be jumping back in over the next few days - just bear in mind that the event finishes at 7:59 GMT on the 28th - so don't leave it too late if you're after those final few points! For more on World of Tanks on console, be sure to check out our full review. Are you a parent of a child who wants to play? Then you'll be wanting our World of Tanks parent's guide.
