The horizon is looking crowded as we sail into 2026, and Wargaming has officially signaled the start of a massive year for naval enthusiasts. The latest content drop, titled “Anchors Up!”, is one of the most comprehensive expansions the game has seen in recent months. Headlining this release, the World of Warships: Legends January update adds Azur Lane wave 7, French Navy event and a new campaign, offering something for every type of Captain, from anime fans to history buffs and endgame collectors.
Running from January 19 through February 23, 2026, this update transitions the game from its holiday festivities into a high-stakes competitive season. With new Legendary Tier ships entering the Bureau and a marathon event for a Soviet giant, players will need to manage their resources carefully to make the most of the five-week window. Whether you are playing on PlayStation, Xbox, or the newly improved mobile client, here is everything you need to know about the January 2026 update.
The Born of Battle Campaign: Earning the Somme
The heart of the new update is the “Born of Battle” campaign. This five-week progression track features 100 milestones and follows the standard Admiralty Backing structure that veteran players are familiar with. The ultimate prize at the end of the 100th milestone is the British Tier VIII Premium destroyer Somme.
The Somme is a Battle-class destroyer that focuses heavily on torpedo firepower. Unlike many of its contemporaries, the Somme features stealthy, long-range torpedoes and a unique Torpedo Reload Booster. Remarkably, this booster comes with unlimited charges, though it is balanced by a cooldown that matches the base reload time of the torpedo tubes. This allows the Somme to maintain a constant stream of “fish” in the water, making it a nightmare for slow-moving battleships in the late game.
World of Warships: Legends January update adds Azur Lane wave 7, French Navy event and a new campaign
One of the most anticipated segments of this patch is the return of the Azur Lane collaboration. Entering its seventh iteration, this wave brings a fresh roster of Commanders and ships inspired by the hit naval shoot-’em-up. World of Warships: Legends January update adds Azur Lane wave 7, French Navy event and a new campaign to ensure the “ship-girl” meta remains a dominant force in the high-tier lobbies.
Azur Lane Wave 7 Commanders and Ships
This wave introduces five new Commanders, each with unique inspirations and skills that can fundamentally change ship builds:
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Vittorio Veneto (Italy): Optimized for Italian battleships.
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Ägir (Germany): A specialist for German large cruisers.
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Tallinn (Soviet): Focused on enhancing Soviet cruiser lethality.
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Massachusetts (United States): A new gold standard for American secondary-battery builds.
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Z-24 (Germany): A torpedo-centric destroyer specialist.
Accompanying these Commanders are four new Premium ships: the Italian Tier VII battleship AL Vittorio Veneto, the German Tier VIII cruiser AL Ägir, the Soviet Tier VI cruiser AL Tallinn, and the German destroyer AL Z-24. These vessels often feature different stats or consumable loadouts compared to their tech-tree counterparts, making them highly sought-after for competitive play.
Vive la France: The French Navy Event
While the Azur Lane content dominates the aesthetic side of the update, the French Navy event provides the tactical meat. This event introduces the Keeper of Liberty Calendar, a three-week daily login activity. Completing the calendar rewards players with the Marianne guise, a unique cosmetic for French Commanders that includes a custom French voiceover and vibrant flag-colored effects.
More importantly, the Marianne guise provides a mechanical benefit: a +30% Global XP bonus for any battle where you hit enemies 45 times with your main battery. This makes it an essential tool for players currently grinding toward Legendary Tier ships.
New Skins and the Charles Bléry Mission
The event also introduces gorgeous new “République Française” skins for French battleships Normandie, Lyon, Richelieu, Alsace, Bourgogne, Strasbourg, and Flandre. Obtaining these skins is part of a larger meta-progression strategy, as each skin provides bonus “Ship Parts” toward the Kremlin marathon. Additionally, the Mer de Courage mission allows players to unlock the new French Commander Charles Bléry, who is specifically designed to maximize the performance of traditional French destroyers.
End Game: The Kremlin Marathon and Gouden Leeuw
For the elite players, the January update marks the start of a three-update marathon for the Soviet Legendary Tier battleship Kremlin. To earn this behemoth, players must collect 20,000 “Ship Parts” through campaigns, missions, and store bonuses over the next three months.
The Kremlin is described as the pinnacle of Soviet engineering, boasting 457mm guns and an enormous HP pool. While its concealment is poor, its survivability in close-range “brawls” is unmatched, provided you can mitigate its large citadel vulnerabilities through smart positioning.
Simultaneously, the Bureau has opened a new project for the Gouden Leeuw, a Dutch Legendary Tier cruiser. This ship is famous for its unique Airstrike consumable, which allows players to call in high-altitude bombers to saturate a target area, bypassing islands and traditional defensive positioning.
Tips to Get the Most Out of the January Update
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Maximize Ship Parts: Do not ignore the French battleship skins. Even if you don’t play the French line, the Ship Parts they provide are essential if you want to unlock the Kremlin without spending massive amounts of Doubloons in the final stage of the marathon.
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Use the Somme for Missions: The Somme’s Torpedo Reload Booster makes it an excellent ship for completing “Torpedoe Hit” missions in the Born of Battle campaign.
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Calendar Consistency: The Keeper of Liberty Calendar is only three weeks long. If you miss too many days, you will lose out on the Marianne guise, which is currently the best way to farm Global XP in the game.
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Check the Store for Lunar New Year: Starting February 9th, keep an eye out for Lunar New Year discounts. There will be coupons available that offer up to 2,500 Doubloon compensation for specific ship purchases.
Why This Update is Worth Playing
The World of Warships: Legends January update adds Azur Lane wave 7, French Navy event and a new campaign to create a perfect storm of content. It balances the “collector” aspect of the game with Azur Lane and French skins against the “grinder” aspect with the Kremlin marathon and the Somme campaign. Furthermore, the introduction of the Gouden Leeuw adds a fresh tactical layer to the Legendary Tier meta, forcing players to rethink how they use cover in the face of Dutch airstrikes.
Conclusion
With the launch of the “Anchors Up!” patch, 2026 is starting with a thunderous volley of cannons. The World of Warships: Legends January update adds Azur Lane wave 7, French Navy event and a new campaign, proving once again that Wargaming is committed to keeping the seas of Legends both vibrant and strategically deep. Whether you are aiming for the Somme, recruiting new Azur Lane girls, or beginning your long march toward the Kremlin, the time to set sail is now.
Are you ready to dominate the high seas this January? Log in today, start your calendar, and claim your place in the annals of naval history.
FAQ: World of Warships: Legends January Update
How long does the Born of Battle campaign last? The campaign runs from January 19 to February 23, 2026. It consists of 100 milestones and requires Admiralty Backing to unlock the Tier VIII destroyer Somme.
Can I get the Kremlin in this update? No, the Kremlin is a “Marathon” ship. You begin collecting Ship Parts in this update, but the marathon spans three consecutive updates. Most players will finish the grind in April 2026, though some may finish in late February through store bonuses.
Is the Azur Lane Wave 7 content permanent? Like previous waves, the Azur Lane content is limited-time. While ships and Commanders you purchase stay in your inventory forever, they will only be available for purchase in the Store until the end of this update on February 23rd.
