Bulkhead just pushed through two balance changes to WARDOGS on Steam, and this time you don’t have to do anything for them. No new client download, no server downtime – the changes simply kick in as servers restart across regions over the next 12 hours.
IR Rangefinders are off the vendor until Season 02
The IR Rangefinders are being disabled in the vendor. The developers openly say they agree with player sentiment here: the item crossed the line into being too overpowered.
It isn’t gone forever, though. The IR Rangefinders are set to come back in Season 02, and when they do, they’ll require batteries to use. In other words, instead of a free permanent advantage, you’ll have to feed them a consumable resource.
The CIWS destroys the Havoc in about 6 seconds again
The second change is a straight-up hotfix. The CIWS now takes down the Havoc in roughly 6 seconds instead of 12. Bulkhead admits it overcorrected the previous patch and fixed the issue this morning.
Practically speaking, that means the air threat around a defended position gets dealt with twice as fast as after the last patch. If you want to brush up on how anti-air and anti-vehicle work in general, we’ve covered destroying tanks and helicopters in a separate guide, and there’s also a piece on helicopter controls from the pilot’s side of the fight.
What it means for you
- You can no longer buy IR Rangefinders from the vendor – plan your loadout without them.
- Expect them back in Season 02, this time tied to batteries.
- The CIWS is back to being a serious threat to the Havoc, so flying into defended airspace is riskier again.
- You don’t need to download anything; just wait for your region’s server restart.
Where to go next
If you’re keeping an eye on how often Bulkhead touches the game, our overview of WARDOGS news collects every patch and hotfix we’ve written up. And if you’re still finding your footing, we have a dedicated guide on playing with friends.
FAQ
No. Bulkhead explicitly states that no new client download and no server downtime are required. The changes apply as servers restart across regions within 12 hours.
No, they’re only disabled in the vendor. They’re scheduled to return in Season 02, where they will require batteries to use.
The developers agree with player sentiment that they crossed the line into being too overpowered.
About 6 seconds, down from 12. Bulkhead says it overcorrected this in the previous patch and hotfixed it this morning.
As soon as servers restart in your region, which should happen within 12 hours of the announcement.