2nd anniversary: do you remember Beta?

LiannaSilverwind: Dear friends!
Today we celebrate European World of Tanks release. Two years have passed since 12th April 2011. Millions of new tankists have joined our ranks, hundreds of new tanks are rolling over battlefields, and dozens of new maps are here.
It is time of celebration, but for me it is also moment to commemorate, to look back and remember. To remember the time when we walked with the Giants.

Therefore I offer you totally unofficial Quiz for Veterans.
There are 20 questions total. Answers are hidden under the spoilers.
Do you remember?
1) When did EU Closed Beta start?
July 2010, patch 0.4.0. My invitation was sent on 12th of July, but my account’s number is 16159, therefore I am sure there were players there before 12th of July. Were there any? Post! 2) Name the maps of Closed Beta start.
Karelia, Malinovka, Himmelsdorf, Prokhorovka, Ensk, Lakeville, Murovanka 3) How many battle tiers there were?
2.
Sandbox for tiers 1-2 and normal mode for tiers 3-10 together. Yes, together. Stock Luchs “scout” (20 km/h) drove alongside IS-7 to glory. Each tank had similar opponent it could defeat and no one cried. It was normal. 4) Name top heavy, medium, light tanks, TDs, SPGs for all nations for Closed Beta start.
Germany: Maus, Panther (tier 8), Leopard (tier 4 dead-end), Ferdinand, Hummel – tier 5.
USSR: IS-7, T-44, A-20, ISU-152, S-51 and SU-14 – both tiers 6. 5) What was basic crew skill level?
25%. Aim circle of moving MS-1 was huger than the screen.
We were hardcore; we did not have easy time as those new players with 50% skills now! 6) Could you train your crew skill level?
Yes, to 50% via credits and to 75% via gold. 100% was reachable only through gameplay. No easy mode! Only available perks were repair, camo and firefighting. 7) How was armour penetration randomized?
Great Belarus Random - main Epic Fail deliever since 2009.
+-30%. In alpha it was +-50%! 8) How did you play in platoons or companies?
You counted 1-2-3 and pressed Battle altogether with bit of pray and bray.
Platoons were implemented in patch 5.2 (9th August 2010), companies in patch 6.2.7 (22th December 2010). 9) What were new maps added in Beta?
Erlenberg and Pagorki (now remodelled into Hills) in patch 5.2 (9th August 2010), followed by Cliff, Komarin (removed several times) in patch 5.5.5.1 (6th October 2010), Abbey, Sand River in 6.1.5 (30th October 2010), Ruinberg, El-Halluf in 6.2.7 (22th December 2010), Westfield in 6.2.8 (7th February 2011). Notice how fast did new maps appear! 10) What were first consumables and how did they work in Beta?

No consumables. Detracked? Die, you noob!
First consumables were introduced in patch 5.2 (9th August 2010). Repair kit repaired your red module into green for 2 minutes only, after that time module became orange again. Same for first aid kit. Fire extinguisher provided 5% chance per second to stop flames, golden one provided 10% chance.
Patch 5.5.5.1 (6th October 2010) made extinguishers provide 25/50% chance to stop flames.
Patch 6.4 (17th May 2011, after release) made repair kits, first aids, fire extinguishers work similar as they do now.
11) What was first new vehicle introduced during Closed Beta?
Jagdtiger in patch 5.3 (12th August 2010). It was first tier 9 TD. 12) What was first new nation to get tanks during Closed Beta?
- author Der Griza
"Heavy armor T30 is a pinnacle of US armor engineering!" - "Uncle Sam, here is piece of plywood falling off."
US – patch 6.1.5 (30th October 2010). 13) Why were scouts so important and so hard to kill during beta?
Due to teleports – client did not show fast-moving tanks past certain range of about 250 m. Your only chances were your skills or ingenious use of autoaim. Teleports were finally removed in patch 6.1.5 (30th October 2010).
Russian players already played the game as released. With teleports. Russian bias? 14) How did Double Stars work in Beta?
They were introduced in Patch 6.1.5 (30th October 2010) and worked for tank’s first battle, not first victory. Patch 6.2.7 (22th December 2010) have made them as they are now. 15) What were first tier 9 mediums and first tier 7 arties, when did they arrive?
Feel our love!
Medium Tanks: T-54, Panther II (tier 9), Pershing (tier 9).
Object 704 as Soviet tier 9 TD.
SPGs: Object 212, GW-Tiger, GW-Panther (tier 6), M12 (tier 6), M40/43.
It happened in Patch 6.2.7 (22th December 2010).
16) What was point/tier limit for companies during Beta?
70-90 points for 15 players max, tiers 1-10 allowed. 17) Were there invisible tanks in Beta?
Yes, full camo TD could shoot your tank from 50-100 m and remain invisible after shot. Patch 6.2.7 – 22th December 2010 nerfed camo for all tanks and made them being more visible while shooting. 18) Were there any tournaments/leagues during Beta?
Yes. First International tournament in September/October 2010 and also first Junior/Champion/Absolute leagues in November 2010/February 2011 took its place during the Beta. 19) How did you demount equipment during Beta?
You could not. It was changed only after release in patch 6.4 20) What did first Release patch bring?
6.4 patch at 17th May 2011.
Mountain Pass and Steppes maps have arrived.
You could demount equipment for mere 10 gold. It’s just 10 gold – buy it!
Fire extinguishers were reimplemented to work as they do now.
Main cash cows – Lowe, KV-5. Also KV-13, Pz-38NA, Object 261, GW-E, T92.
Era of premium tanks and high tier arty has begun.

Premium tank as seen by developers.
Happy Birthday World of Tanks!