This is one more step along the War Thunder roadmap and a lot of important steps across many locations of the game. Today, we are going to tell you about the improvements to locations within the game based on your feedback. Fixes of overshots, imbalanced positions, vulnerable respawn zones and other improvements which we promised in our big roadmap that we released in June. We are committed to continual refinement and always welcome your feedback to further improve our maps.
Positions
Let’s start with some good news for those who drive near the “A” point of the map. Vietnam has changed - but how? The swamp has dried up and the road to point “A” has become noticeably faster, with the location itself looking more contrasted to make your eyes feel more comfortable. We have also improved the minimap on this map.
Before:
After:
Eastern Europe now has a lot of new natural shelters and landscape changes, which means moving between capture points will be much more secure. These changes have mainly affected the suburbs — the city is still recognizable to those familiar with it.
El Alamein has been improved: effective positions on the tops of mountains as well as several zones have been corrected that were unavailable in the SB version of the map. And Jungle has been thinned down a bit so that battling on the map doesn’t turn into a tedious round of looking for a moving bush. We have also blocked some known passages outside the playable map zone.
Protecting respawn points
One death isn’t a problem in most of the game modes within the game. Although, this can’t be said about death instantly upon respawn. Of course, if the enemy team honestly pushed through your defense and reached your respawn point - this situation is a bit different. We are correcting obvious positions which can get on the nerves of the enemy, even at the very beginning of the battle.
On Normandy, we have blocked the ability to shoot from respawn to respawn from the edges of the play area. This has been one of the maps where the problem was particularly obvious.
A similar problem affected Stalingrad, but on this map it was less obvious. On this map we have also blocked such shots.
On Alaska, you used to have to drive up a wooded mountain to reach a similar position. Not anymore - the drive up has been blocked.
Maginot has also been criticized by you. We made reliable protection for respawn zones on this location as well! Thank you for the feedback!
Landscape design
We are regularly making small tweaks to locations — the most attentive of you may have noticed that your favourite positions after the next update may have changed, such as a moved bush or a tree may have “grown” in a new place. Here are a few more of them, where we’ll show them with screenshots.
There was a house close to the spawn point on Iberian Fortress that, according to our analysis, made for an exceptionally effective position for one team within the match. We've removed the house, so that there is now one less point on the map from which a shell can fly towards you unexpectedly.
Before:
After:
Much more complex changes have taken place on the map Seversk-13 — we have towed away police cars that posed a problem: even after being destroyed, they left behind an invisible collision model which shells hit. And on Jungle, which we told you about in the beginning of this blog, has had some small changes: we also worked on the shade of vegetation and some other visuals.
The most noticeable changes have taken place on Sun City. The architecture of the whole city has changed very noticeably — objects, buildings and the environment as a whole have become more diverse and modern. We have improved some textures and didn’t touch the sun — it continues to shine.
We continue to refine
While we've worked diligently to refine and improve the maps based on your feedback, we recognize that in the process, some new bugs or issues may inadvertently arise. We genuinely value and appreciate your continued feedback in identifying these challenges, as it aids in our ongoing commitment to enhance your experience in War Thunder. Feel free to let us know about any balance issues and bugs you may find on War Thunder maps - we will continue similar work to improve map balance in the future.
The upgraded version of the iconic Su-25 strike aircraft comes equipped with digital avionics and advanced fire-and-forget weapons.
Su-25BM 558 ARZ, strike aircraft, USSR, rank VII. Event aircraft.
Features:
HUD and MFD in the cockpit
Fire-and-forget weapons: Kh-29T and KAB-500Kr
The main aviation prize in the big War Thunder event is the Su-25BM 558 ARZ strike aircraft in service with the air forces of Kazakhstan and Belarus. The new aircraft differs from the basic version having a new power plant, and most importantly, upgraded targeting and navigation electronics, which allows the use of more advanced types of weapons.
The primary good news for pilots is the digital avionics of the new aircraft. A multifunctional display (MFD) and an HUD indication are now available in the cockpit view. The updated avionics make it possible to use advanced air-to-surface weapons. In addition to the truly diverse arsenal of the basic Su-25, the Su-25BM offers Kh-29T missiles with a TV guidance system (up to two missiles at a time), as well as KAB-500Kr guided bombs (up to four of them). Both new weapons are of the “fire and forget” type, preventing the target from detecting incoming munition with its radar warning system.
High-torque, maneuverable and fast enough, the Su-25BM with an armored cockpit and protection of vital components has no obvious shortcomings. It is ideal for attacking ground targets, both in the old fashioned way with unguided rockets and bombs, as well as with advanced avionics. Guided missiles R-60M and R-73 give a good chance to defend against enemy aircraft. What you should avoid on the Su-25BM is speeding in a level flight or dive, where a heavy attack aircraft has a chance to lose control and collapse even at speeds of about 1,000 km/h.
The special Su-25BM 558 ARZ will be an excellent alternative to the basic version of the Su-25 if you already have the Frogfoot in your hangar. If not, then the Su-25BM will be a real discovery for fans of aviation and mixed game modes, especially since getting it in the game won't be so difficult!
Locations have been updated following player feedback.
El-Alamein. Unfairly effective positions on mountaintops have been removed. The “forbidden zone” problem for SB missions has been fixed.
Aral Sea. Several visual improvements have been implemented; asymmetry of the spawn zones has been fixed.
Iberian Castle. A house has been removed from the field that granted an advantage to one of the teams.
Normandy. An opportunity to shell spawn zones from the edges of the play area has been removed.
Alaska Town, Ground Zero. Entrances to the mountain forest from where spawn zones could be shelled have been closed off.
Maginot Line. An opportunity to shell spawn zones from the edges of the play area has been removed.
Stalingrad. An opportunity to shell spawn zones from the edges of the play area has been removed.
Sun City. City blocks have been reworked, city architecture has been changed to a more modern one, several landscape segments have been improved, textures in the urban area have been fixed.
Eastern Europe. Landscape has been reworked: added natural cover, allowing for many opportunities to move to the points and between them while remaining protected from long range shots; forests have been reworked to look more natural, ability to shell spawn zones has been removed
Vietnam. A swamp has been drained and the ground has been made more easily passable on point A, contrast of the background has been increased to make it easier on the eyes, visual bugs have been fixed, minimap has been improved.
Seversk-13. Removed police cars that left behind invisible collision models after being destroyed, causing projectile shells to become armed.
Jungle. Colour of trees has been corrected, the amount of small greenery has been reduced, paths out of the play area that allowed players to control the entire location without any retaliation have been closed off.
Rolling resistance on various ground types for tracks and wheels has been changed. Rolling friction influences gaining speed and limits maximum speed on weak ground types.
Rolling resistance of tracks and wheels on steppes and meadows has been significantly reduced.
Rolling resistance on weak ground types, such as untouched snow and sand dunes, has been increased for wheeled vehicles.
In Random Battles, the mechanics of determining the visibility of an enemy behind a smoke have been returned. This means that vehicles will not disappear whilst inside of smoke.
The current provided changelog reflects the major changes within the game as part of this Update. Some updates, additions and fixes may not be listed in the provided notes. War Thunder is constantly improving and specific fixes may be implemented without the client being updated.
The experimental Finnish wheeled tank destroyer with 105mm gun and autoloader boasts perfect drive and fire performance.
Patria CT-CV 105HP, light tank, Sweden, rank VI. Event vehicle.
Features:
High speed
Deadly APFSDS
High profile
It's time to talk about the main tank prize! Patria CT-CV 105HP is an experimental combat vehicle that will appear at rank VI in the Swedish ground vehicle lineup. Modular armored vehicle Patria AMV equipped with a new turret with a 105-mm gun, which essentially turns the IFV into a light tank. The gun is already known to players from another Swedish vehicle - the premium CV 90105 XC-8, it is a low-impulse cannon with a stabilizer and an excellent choice of shells, including a HEAT, HESH and a pair of APFSDS shells with armor penetration around 400 mm. Also it is worth noting that the Patria CT-CV 105HP has an autoloader for 12 shots, which speeds up the reloading greatly.
The chassis of the Patria AMV is 8x8 off-road ready and able to reach over 100 km/h on a paved road. Despite some bulkiness due to the high profile, the Patria CT-CV 105HP has a high power-to-weight ratio, it is nimble, dynamic, with good acceleration.
As for the shortcomings of the Patria CT-CV 105HP, in addition to the obviously light armor, it is worth mentioning its high silhouette. Unlike other vehicles of the Patria family, the vehicle received an additional spacer on the turret ring. Yes, you can see further, but hiding the Patria CT-CV 105HP is not easy.
As for everything else, Patria is a great modern scout vehicle and tank destroyer: thermal imager, smoke grenades and reconnaissance UAV, everything is in place!
As a reminder, the Patria AMV CT-CV 105HP will be available only during the days of the event, so don't miss your chance to get perhaps the best scout of Sweden for top tier battles!
The British battlecruiser wields 381 mm guns, has perfect mobility and a lethal AA arsenal. Meet one of the best damage dealers in the British lineup!
HMS Renown, battlecruiser, Britain, rank V. Event vehicle.
Features:
381mm main guns
High speed
Multiple AA guns
The battlecruiser Renown will become a new event ship at rank V in the British bluewater fleet tech tree. The high firepower and good cruising performance of the ship are most fully revealed in the attack on enemy positions and the hunt for the most heavily armoured opponents.
The main battery of HMS Renown is six 381 mm guns in three twin-barreled turrets. Two turrets and four of six main guns are located in the fore part of the hull one over another, which means that the ship is perfect for engaging enemy ships along its course, minimising the ship’s profile and dodging enemy shells.
In War Thunder, HMS Renown is presented in the most complete upgrade made in 1944, which means that the outdated auxiliary 102mm guns are replaced by ten twin universal mounts with 114 mm guns. The gun mounts are placed in five on each side of the cruiser and come in handy both against light ships and enemy aircraft.
In general, HMS Renown is one of the most difficult targets in the game for enemy aerial attacks: 114 mm cannons start firing at long distances, the famous British 40 mm “pom-pom” gun mounts join when the target comes closer, followed by single and twin-barreled 20 mm. Oerlikon guns to complete the punishment.
The powerful arsenal, more than 1400 crew members, as well as torpedoes in stationary torpedo tubes, speeds of more than 30 knots (~ 55 km/h), sounds excellent, doesn't it?
The ship is modelled for War Thunder in her latest upgrade, with a 229 mm armoured belt, as well as a 102mm armoured deck. The most vulnerable areas of the ship are its main turrets with barbettes, capable of surviving no more than cruiser fire.
Claim the dazzling HMS Renown in our special event and confront ‘em head on!
Welcome to the 79th War Thunder Steam Screenshot Competition!
The screenshots you shared with us showcasing vehicles from the axis countries were great! The three most popular and three selected by us will get 300 GE. See the winners down below!
Let’s begin the 79th edition of our competition!
Create a stunning screenshot and submit it on the War Thunder Steam Community Hub with the tag #WTscreen79. You have time until 11.08.2023 to submit your screenshot.
After that date, 6 winners will be selected (3 of which will be the highest rated by the community and 3 selected by our judges), each of which receive a reward of 300GE.
Terms:
Your screenshot must include at least two player vehicles.
You must add the #WTscreen79 tag (title cannot have any other text in it).
[/b]
Screenshots need to be compliant with the War Thunder rules.
You need to be the author of the screenshot.
Screenshot needs to be new. You cannot use those which have previously been published or used in other competitions.
We will only accept raw screenshots from the game. You cannot use any editing software nor any other visual enhancements (like Nvidia Ansel filters).
You can use filters and settings built into War Thunder.
You can use the replay functionality built into War Thunder.
Rewards will be delivered to the author's account within 14 working days.
[/list]
And now, time for the winners of the competition’s 78th edition - Axis Might!
A French wheeled armored car armed with a German 50 mm tank gun and improvised gun breech protection. A very interesting light tank of the initial ranks!
Pz.Sp.Wg.P204(f) KwK, light tank, Germany, rank I. Premium.
Features:
5 cm KwK gun
High mobility
Light armor
The AMD.35 armored car, captured by the German forces and converted to use the 5 cm KwK cannon, will become Germany's new Premium light tank.
Armored cars of the AMD.35 series are already familiar to players from the French armored vehicle tech tree, where the car is presented as a “reserve” with a 25 mm gun, as well as a premium light tank with an SA35 gun. Part of the captured AMD.35s were re-equipped with the 5 cm KwK cannon, which is surely known to all fans of armored vehicles from the early “panzers” of the third series.
Interestingly, in order to place the gun on the turret ring of the AMD.35 chassis, Germans had to make an open-top and open-back turret from sheets of bulletproof armor. A shield was welded from the same material that protected the breech of the gun from the front. As a result, the vehicle received relatively good protection in the frontal projection of the turret, which could decently protect against small-caliber projectiles, widely used in the initial ranks of War Thunder.
Like most armored cars, the Pz.Sp.Wg.P204(f) KwK relies on speed far more than armor. Over 70 km/h on a paved road - this is the speed of a new armored car bursting into the War Thunder tank ‘kindergarten’. Excellent!
Get Pz.Sp.Wg.P204(f) KwK as a prize in the big War Thunder event!
Hot summer is the perfect time for extreme sports! Ride the wind using a wingsuit or a paraglider, conquer the waves on a board or a jet ski, explore the off-road wilderness on a bike or perform tricks on a skateboard — whichever you prefer, you’ll be able to show off your hobby in War Thunder thanks to new sets of thematic decals and decorations that you’ll be able to receive in the Summer Extreme event!
And, of course, you’ll be able to earn a premium Rank I tank, high rank vehicles of all types, trophies with rewards, camouflages for event vehicles and a player icon. Show off in the Summer Extreme — and then chill with a bucket of your favorite ice cream. You’ve earned it!
From 11:00 GMT on the 8th of August, 2023 until 11:00 GMT on the 28th of August, 2023
Event vehicles in rank IV-VIII and decals will be granted in the form of coupons, while rank I premium vehicles, decorations and camouflages will be immediately activated on the player’s account.
All event rewards will be issued for a specific number of “Marks of distinction” earned in the specified vehicle type in the appropriate game mode.
Complete the collection!
Activate all 5 coupons for decals on your account to receive the 6th decal “Skateboarding”.
Random camouflage for a purchased vehicle of any type
1 day of Premium account
Tasks
To get one Mark of distinction for a tanker/pilot/sailor, earn 40,000 mission points in random battles in rank III or higher (from rank I for event vehicles) in the corresponding vehicle type with the corresponding game mode. Points multiplier that varies based on vehicle rank and difficulty level is stated in the task description. The tasks are all the same and are renewed every two days at 11:00 GMT.
Missed Marks of distinction can be purchased for Golden Eagles until August 31st without completing the tasks. You can do that in the menu: Nickname → Achievements → Summer Extreme → Tasks for tankers/pilots/sailors.
Ice Cream Bucket
A unique opportunity to receive items from the past summer events! From August 8th until September 4th you can find an “Ice Cream Bucket” crate and its “Dessert Spoon” key in the item shop. “Ice Cream Bucket” contains unique decals, decorations, vehicles and camouflages from all past summer events. Some items from past events appear as coupons for the first time, and you can trade them on the Marketplace! You can also find Silver Lions, boosters, universal backups, wagers and orders.
“Ice Cream Bucket” costs 10,000 Silver Lions, and “Dessert Spoon” costs 50,000 Silver Lions. You can also earn “Dessert Spoon” for 3 and 10 Marks of distinction in the “Summer Extreme” event. On 12:00 GMT, September 4th, all “Ice Cream Buckets” and “Dessert Spoons” will disappear from your inventories, so be sure to use them until that time!
“Ice Cream Bucket”
“Dessert Spoon”
"Trees Don't Move" decal
Hornet’s nest decoration
Girl scout profile icon
M1A1 Carbine decoration
Chimera decal
Sailing catamaran decoration
[expand type=details] [/expand]
“Ice Cream Bucket” crate can contain the following rewards (open spoiler)
[expand type=details] Vehicles (both immediately activated on the account and available as coupons):
Zrinyi I (immediately activated on the account only)
F4D-1
Leopard 2AV
IJN Haruna
Buccaneer S.1
VL Myrsky II (immediately activated on the account only)
BMD-4
Ka-Chi (immediately activated on the account only)
RN Aviere (immediately activated on the account only)
Bussard
F11F-1
Ar 196 A-3 (immediately activated on the account only)
C2A1
Ikv 73 (immediately activated on the account only)
Maxim Gorky
Freccia P-493 (immediately activated on the account only)
BT-7A (F-32)
HMS Spey
Bf 110 C-6
AUBL/74 HVG
IJN Yuudachi
P-59A
FJ-4B VMF-232
Martlet Mk IV (Britain)
Sd.Kfz.234/3
IS-7 *
Т-34E
P-43A-1
Ki-94-II
Sd.Kfz.234/4
Phòng không T-34 (USSR) (immediately activated on the account only)
F7F-3
Fw 189 A-1
KV-220
Grant I
* — chances of receiving IS-7 are far lower than the other vehicles and are around 0,001%
Camouflages (coupons only):
F4D-1: "Blue Nemesis" camouflage (first time as a coupon)
Leopard 2AV: Bundeswehr сamouflage (first time as a coupon)
IJN Haruna: Deforming camouflage (first time as a coupon)
Buccaneer S.1: "736 NAS" camouflage
BMD-4: Deforming tricolor desert camouflage
Bussard: Deforming camouflage
F11F-1: "Blue Angels" camouflage
C2A1: Royal Canadian Regiment camouflage
Maxim Gorky: Deforming camouflage
BT-7A (F-32): Bicolor summer camouflage
HMS Spey: Deforming camouflage
Bf 110 C-6: Bicolor camouflage
AUBL/74 HVG: Tricolor summer camouflage
IJN Yuudachi: Deforming bicolor camouflage
P-59A: Standard olive-green camouflage
FJ-4B VMF-232: VU-7 camouflage
Martlet Mk IV (Britain): Nonstandard bicolor camouflage
Sd.Kfz.234/3: Tricolor summer camouflage (spots)
IS-7: Tricolor summer camouflage
T-34E: Bicolor summer camouflage
P-43A-1: Unpainted camouflage
Ki-94-II: Spotted camouflage
Sd.Kfz.234/4: Tricolor camouflage
F7F-3: Testing Ground 113
Fw 189 A-1: Testing Ground 113
KV-220: Testing Ground 113
Grant I: Testing Ground 113
Decorations (both immediately activated on the account and available as coupons):
Sailing catamaran (first time as a coupon)
Hornet’s nest (first time as a coupon)
BSA Bicycle
Container "Waffenhalter"
M4 Sherman
Willys MB
Assault rifle shortened (USSR)
M1A1 Carbine
Light machine gun (USA)
Light machine gun (USSR)
Light machine gun (Germany)
Light machine gun (China)
Assault body armor (Russia)
Force recon vest (USA)
Ammunition of the Soviet Army, 1941
Wehrmacht ammunition (Germany)
SVT-40
M1 Carbine
Lee-Enfield No.4 Mk1
Gewehr 41 (Walther)
Arisaka Type 44
PPS
MP-40
STEN
M1928A1 "Thompson"
Decals (both immediately activated on the account and available as coupons):
Diving Mode On decal
Explore More decal
Falling Coconuts decal
Good Catch decal
Trees Don't Move decal
Emblem of the Air Force Airborne Corps, PLA
Emblem of the 11th Parachute Brigade, France
Emblem of the Rapid Forces Division, Germany
Emblem of the "Folgore" Parachute Brigade, Italy
Emblem of the 1st Airborne Brigade, Japan
Emblem of the 323rd Parachute Ranger Squadron, Sweden
Emblem of the Royal Marines
Emblem of the Russian Marine Corps
Basilisk
Cerberus
Chimera
Echidna
Harpy
Hippocampus
Lernaean Hydra
Minotaur
Sphinx
Wyvern
Flames
Fiery explosion
Frosty flames
Fiery ball
Flaming exhaust
Fiery pattern
Flaming sparks
Colored flame
Emblem of the air forces, Germany
Emblem of the air forces, Japan
Emblem of the air forces, Britain
Emblem of the air forces, USA
Emblem of the air forces, USSR
Emblem of the armored forces, France
Emblem of the armored forces, Germany
Emblem of the armored forces, Italy
Emblem of the armored forces, Japan
Emblem of the Royal tank regiments
The emblem of the armored forces, U.S.
Emblem of the armored forces, Russia
The Symbol of Japan
The Symbol of USA
The Symbol of USSR
The Symbol of Britain
The Symbol of Germany
The Symbol of Italy
Pin-up Japan
Pin-up Britain
Pin-up USA
Pin-up USSR
Pin-up Germany
Profile icons (will be immediately activated on the account and in the form of the coupons):
Girl scout (first time as a coupon)
Silver Lions
10,000 — 1,000,000
Expendable items
Battle trophy (Research points booster)
Battle trophy (Silver lions booster)
Universal backup
Universal backup x2
Universal backup x3
Random wager
Random order
[/expand]
Detailed terms
The exact terms of each task can be found in the “Nickname → Achievements → Summer Extreme” window.
To get a Mark of distinction, you need to complete a task in the corresponding vehicle type in the corresponding game mode. For example, a Mark of distinction for a pilot can be received only by playing Air battles (AB/RB/SB).
You can complete the tasks in multiplayer battles in all game modes except for “Assault”.
You can complete the tasks not only in vehicles of Rank III and above, but also in lower rank event vehicles. You could receive those in large events such as winter and summer marathons, WWII chronicles, BP seasons and craft marathons. In the vehicle cards of such vehicles you can find the names of events in which said vehicles first became available in the game.
You have received the Mark of distinction if the achievement’s color is golden.
Missed Marks of distinction can be purchased for Golden Eagles in the Achievements window until August 31st, 2023. Make sure you pick the right achievement category: for tankers, pilots and sailors.
Prizes received in the form of tradable coupons will be available for trading on the market from September 1st, 2023. The time from which the coupon can be traded can be viewed in the game in the coupon description. The option of trading each coupon separately depends on the time of its receipt and doesn’t depend on the vehicle type.
For 8 Marks of distinction you receive an untradable coupon for a vehicle. Upon activating it, you will instantly receive a corresponding vehicle. If you do not wish to use the vehicle and want to sell the coupon on the Marketplace instead, you need the “Upgrade for coupon” item.
For 10 Marks of distinction you receive an untradable “Upgrade for coupon” item. You can use it to make the vehicle coupon you received tradable and then sell it on the Marketplace. The date on which a traded coupon becomes available for sale can be seen in its description in the game.
The “Upgrade for coupon” item has an expiration date. You can either use it or exchange it for Warbonds before it expires.
PlayStation and Xbox players will be able to exchange decal coupons for similar ones. The exchange is available in the “Workshop → Exchange items “Summer Extreme” window.
On August 4th, 1954 the Lightning jet fighter, developed by English Electric, took to the skies for the first time. Outfitted with two vertically stacked Rolls-Royce Avon engines, it could reach a top speed of over Mach 2 and perform a sustained supersonic flight without using an afterburner. Due to its amazing speed and rate of climb pilots have described flying it as "being saddled to a skyrocket".
Lightning F.53 jet fighter for Golden Eagles
To celebrate the anniversary of its first flight, from August 4th (10:00 GMT) until August 7th (10:00 GMT)
Lightning F.53 jet fighter from the British research tree will be available for purchase for Golden Eagles.This export version of the aircraft was used by air forces of Saudi Arabia and Kuwait; its main distinction from the standard F.6 version is its ability to carry ground attack weapons, such as bombs and rockets. In air battles Lightning uses various missiles and incredibly powerful 30 mm cannons.
In this digest we would like to tell you about our continuing work on improvements and fixes in the game. You can find information about all updates that have been released in War Thunder in the website special section.
Today a change arrives in air events in Ground AB that we already told you about a short while ago — fighter pilots will no longer see ground vehicle markers.
This change will reduce the frequency of so-called kamikaze attacks that annoyed many of you — when fighters who were meant to escort bombers chose to instead attack light vehicles and SPAAGs with open turrets. This will also motivate interceptor and escort fighters to stick to their jobs in the sky and not try to imitate strike aircraft.
We’ve detailed this idea in the discussion linked above — thank you for your participation and feedback!
Automatic Bail Out
If a helicopter or an aircraft receives critical damage, a countdown starts that leads to the pilot ejecting from the vehicle and the player returning to the vehicle selection screen. But something went wrong: as the timer reached zero, nothing happened.
Pilots of aircraft could still bail out manually using the corresponding button. Yet this error allowed for unsportsmanlike behaviour for helicopter pilots in Tank RB: they could land on an enemy helicopter landing pad and keep shooting at spawning enemies.
Well, enough of that. The pilots now bail out properly by the end of the timer, and the players are returned to the vehicle selection screen.
Laser Guidance
Beam-riding missiles are a delicate matter. How many missiles can you launch into the beam before they start missing the target?
The players used to find this out empirically, but we decided to make it easier for them: now after launching a beam-riding missile a timer will pop up indicating how long you can keep launching more missiles without causing the first one to lose its guidance. This feature was added for ground, aircraft, and helicopters!
For aircraft missiles with a laser seeker or a semi-automatic guidance system (SACLOS) we are making the indication of a missile launch window during third person play more helpful. Now it’s linked to the aircraft axis and is visually displayed for the player: make sure the target is inside the launch window — and fire!
Vapour Cones
As an aircraft goes over the speed of sound, a vapour cone surrounds it due to the Prandtl–Glauert effect. If it maintains the necessary speed, the condensation cloud follows it continuously — but in the game this obstructed the player’s view, which was detrimental, especially during manoeuvres. So we decided to change the algorithm of the effect. Now the cone will appear in the same speed range (0.98 — 1.02 Mach), but it will last for a limited time and will reappear after a certain pause. This way, if an aircraft maintains speeds close to the specified range, it will no longer “blink” with vapour.
Search and Destroy
We recently detailed the problem with bots in War Thunder and how we deal with it. Your reports remain a key element in finding the accounts that break the rules — and, to make it easier for you, we’ve added a special category to the report window. Now you can choose the “Using bots” category for your report to tell us about suspicious accounts.
You can also do that on our website in the replay section. Use it well — and help us make your gameplay more enjoyable!
That’s Not All
You’ll find the full list of improvements in a separate patch note — there are lots of interesting things! Helicopter pilots no longer receive erroneous messages about the possibility of repairing allied ground vehicles, the “watch the battle” button returned to the “messages” tab in the battle results, and cross-platform play for Xbox users now operates correctly.
Once again, many thanks for all your bug reports that you submitted using our special service.
Update 2.27.1.73
Ground Vehicles
Stormer HVM — a bug has been fixed where the missile was able to penetrate any obstacle at dart separation distance (app. 320 metres).
M4A4 (SA50) - a bug has been fixed that prevented damage to some modules of the ammo rack.
Dardo - thickness of the material of the coaxial machine gun has been reduced from 10 to 5 mm.
H.39 - animation in the Mle1938 shell data card has been fixed (report).
Char FCM 2C - the commander’s camera has been shifted to the commander’s cupola.
Freccia - fording depth has been increased.
QN506 - track thickness has been increased from 15 to 20 mm.
9M133 ATGM - explosive’s type has been changed from A-IX-2 to OKFOL (report).
Aircraft
Mirage 20005-F, Mirage 2000D-R1, Mirage 2000C-S5 - a bug has been fixed that disabled the drag chute. The drag chute was available only with “Chaff/Flares” modification disabled.
SAAB AJ37 - a bug has been fixed where the drop tank was always visible in x-ray mode (report).
G.91 R/3 - a missing launcher for the AS-20 NORD missile has been restored (report).
Lancaster B.Mk.I, Lancaster B.Mk.III - icons in the secondary weapons menu have been fixed.
Tzefa B - AN/APR-39 radar warning system has been added.
Bf 109G-10 - a bug has been fixed where the 20mm MG 151 gun pods were always visible in xray mode (report).
A bug has been fixed that prevented helicopter pilots from automatic bailout after the timer expires while crash landing on the enemy helipad in Realistic ground battles.
A bug has been fixed which prevented automatic bailout after the timer expired in a critically damaged aircraft.
Naval
GIS 811 — The flag in the ship card has been changed from Italian Navy to postwar Italian Navy.
MC 485 — A bug where bridge armour wasn’t displayed has been fixed.
Interface
In aircraft events in Ground Arcade Battles, fighter pilots are no longer able to see markers of enemy ground vehicles. CAS pilots are still able to see enemy markers.
A bug where the cockpit of the aircraft could not be displayed when viewing a replay has been fixed.
A bug where clicking on the icon of a minimised promo block in the hangar did not lead to its opening has been fixed.
Erroneous appearance of the message about the possibility of repairing an ally when repairing allied ground vehicles was required for the helicopter pilot has been fixed.
A new category to allow you to complain about a player using bots has been added to the player complaints window.
Missions
Imbalance in the location of the air respawn points in the “[Conquest #2] Mozdok” mission has been fixed.
The defence zones of ground respawn points in the mission “[Battle] Abandoned City” have been corrected.
The current provided changelog reflects the major changes within the game as part of this Update. Some updates, additions and fixes may not be listed in the provided notes. War Thunder is constantly improving and specific fixes may be implemented without the client being updated.