August 23rd, 1943 marked the end of the Battle of Kursk — the largest tank battle in history, with around 3000 tanks from the German side and over 5000 tanks from the Soviet side. It was the first time a German offensive on the Eastern Front failed with no significant gains. The decisive victory of the Red Army led to it gaining a strategic initiative and defined the way the rest of the war was fought.



Play 3 battles using USSR ground vehicles (rank III or higher, with an activity of not less than 70%) to receive the “Vehicles of Victory: SU-152” decal. Winning 5 battles under the same terms will earn you a “Molotov cocktail” decoration.


“Molotov cocktail” decoration


“Vehicles of Victory: SU-152” decal

Complete the task in random battles, except for Enduring Confrontation missions and [Assault] mode. Track your progress in the hangar by clicking Nickname → Achievements → Holidays → 80th Anniversary of the Victory in the Battle of Kursk.

You can find the decal in the “Holidays” tab in the Customisation menu, and the decoration in the “Other” tab.

• The hit camera for recently respawned enemies that are in a state of temporary invulnerability has been returned.
  
• We’ve made changes to the rotation of missions of Ground Arcade and Realistic Battles:
  
  • Breslau (all missions) — A session’s minimum BR has been increased from 2.7 to 5.7.
    
  • Mozdok — We’ve temporarily disabled all missions except for [Domination #1] Mozdok, so that we can assess map preference data for this specific mission. The decision to change the rotation of the mission on Mozdok will be made after we’ve collected and studied statistics.
• We’ve also made changes to the rotation of missions in Ground Realistic Battles:
  
  • European Province (all missions) — A session’s minimum BR has been increased from 4.0 to 5.7.
    
  • [Domination #1] Pradesh — A session’s minimum BR has been increased from 6.3 to 6.7.
    
  • [Domination #2] Maginot, [Battle #2] Maginot, [Domination #2] Vietnam, [Battle #2] Vietnam, [Domination #2] Gold Quarry and [Battle #2] Gold Pit — A session’s minimum BR has been reduced from 7.3 to 6.7.

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 Pvkv IV is the final design of a series of experimental Swedish tank destroyers, developed in the postwar period in an effort to equip the armed forces with modern fighting vehicles. Soon, the Pvkv IV will reinforce the early ranks of the Swedish ground forces tree with its arrival as part of the next major War Thunder update!

Briefly: A prototype Swedish tank destroyer based on the Strv m/40L chassis, fitted with a powerful 57mm anti-tank cannon.


Features:

• Punchy 57 mm cannon
  
• Good mobility
  
• Light protection
  
• Low turret traverse rate

In War Thunder, the Pvkv IV will complete the family of Swedish postwar experimental tank destroyers which began with the introduction of the Pvkv II in a previous update. Compared to its close relatives, the Pvkv IV brings with it some interesting differences which we’re keen to discuss with you in today’s devblog.



The most notable feature differentiating the Pvkv IV from its related designs is the fact that the vehicle is fitted with a fully enclosed fighting compartment, offering a higher degree of protection from enemy fire and shrapnel when compared to the familiar Pvkv II and III. Furthermore, the Pvkv IV is armed with the 57 mm Pvkan m/43, which tankers may be familiar with from the Pvkv III. Featuring overall good ballistic properties, the m/43 cannon is capable of punching through the armor of hostile vehicles at most common engagement distances at this rank. In contrast to the Pvkv III, the cannon of the Pvkv IV has a lengthier reload time caused by the cramped ergonomics of the turret which aspiring commanders of this vehicle ought to take into account before committing to intense brawls.




Having already mentioned the vehicle’s new turret as an improvement over the open fighting compartments on the other Pvkv’s, the Pvkv IV’s overall protection is comparable to the vehicle it’s based on - the Strv m/40L. However, as this is a light tank, commanders shouldn’t expect incredible levels of protection. In fact, the Pvkv IV’s hull can withstand machine gun and autocannon fire, but its relatively large turret is only protected by 13 mm of armored plating, thus making it very vulnerable to incoming enemy fire.



On the other hand, being a light tank ensures that the Pvkv IV possesses decent mobility, regardless of the terrain type. Being powered by a 142 hp gasoline engine, the Pvkv IV can reach a comfortable speed of 45 km/h under ideal conditions while its respectable power-to-weight ratio ensures quick acceleration and good mobility in off-road conditions.

Meet the Pvkv IV as it arrives at the medium ranks of the Swedish ground forces tree as part of the next major War Thunder update. In the meantime, be sure to stay tuned to the news as we continue to keep you posted on all the latest developments surrounding the upcoming update. Until then, happy hunting tankers!

Development of the MiG-15 jet fighter lasted throughout the entirety of 1947, while over half of 1948 was spent testing it. On August 23rd, 1948, two days before the official end of the tests, the MiG-15 officially entered service with the USSR Air Force. It prevailed against its competitor, the La-15, and became the most produced military jet aircraft in history.





To commemorate the anniversary, from August 23rd (10:00 GMT) until August 29th (10:00 GMT) the MiG-15bis ISh jet fighter, located in the USSR research tree, will be available to purchase for Golden Eagles. This aircraft is an experimental version of MiG-15bis, which, in turn, was an improvement over the original. The MiG-15bis ISh can quickly gain an impressive speed and is very good at climbing. Its main armament can shred enemy bombers to pieces, while ground targets can be disposed of by its wide assortment of bombs and rockets.

Eastern exotics in War Thunder! Meet the MBT-2000 main battle tank designed in collaboration with China and Pakistan.


Features:

• Good protection
  
• Thermal vision
  
• Autoloader

The MBT-2000 main battle tank will strengthen the already formidable Chinese lineup, and in the research tree, will be placed within the light tank line. Let's take a look at the details of this interesting Chinese-Pakistani tank that will be waiting for you with the release of the upcoming major update!



The MBT-2000 is based on the experimental Type 90-IIM tank, which in turn is an upgraded Soviet T-72 of the early production series. Hence the familiar layout, three members crew, an automatic loader and a 125 mm smoothbore gun. The MBT-2000 widely used domestic developments of China and Pakistan, as well as technologies from other countries. The tank received complex armor using both traditional homogeneous armor and more advanced protection means, such as NERA composite and FY-2 and FY-4 ERA protection, which, compared to the Soviet ancestor, significantly increased the tank's protection from both kinetic and shaped charge projectiles.




The 125-mm ZPT-98 gun, controlled by a modern FCS with a laser rangefinder and a gunner's thermal imager, has automatic feed from a large automated ammunition rack and has a range of available ammunition. Two types of kinetic APFSDS shells, two types of high-explosive fragmentation rounds (conventional and variable time fuze), as well as HEAT rounds.

The MBT-2000 received an automatic transmission from Leclerc tanks and a new 1,200 HP engine, granting the tank with perfect mobility. The maximum speed of the tank reaches almost 70 km/h, quite good for an MBT!

The MBT-2000 and other great new vehicles will be waiting for you in the next big War Thunder update, don't miss our devblogs to be the first to see the news!

The first massively produced amphibious SPG, the Soviet 2S1, comes to the game in the upcoming War Thunder update!


Features:

• 122mm howitzer
  
• HEAT rounds
  
• Amphibious
  
• Lightly armored

The development of a new self-propelled gun for the Soviet army was based on the well-proven D-30 howitzer and the chassis of the MT-LB multipurpose amphibious towing vehicle. The D-30 towed howitzer was modified to be placed in the SPG turret, the MT-LB chassis was lengthened by adding a wheel pair to improve the driving performance and increase the room of the fighting compartment. After a year of testing, the vehicle was put into service in September 1970 under the designation 2S1 Gvozdika. Serial production of the SPG continued until 1991. The vehicle was produced in the USSR, as well as in Bulgaria and Poland under license. The 2S1 is still in service with the armies of many countries of the world.




The 2S1 Gvozdika (Russian for ‘carnation’) self-propelled gun will be added to the game with the release of the upcoming War Thunder major update. The 2S1 is built on a modified chassis of the “workhorse” of the Soviet army, the MT-LB multi-purpose towing vehicle. Weathered commanders are well acquainted with this chassis: dynamic, good for rough terrain, amphibious, although very lightly armored and with a low reverse speed. The Gvozdika’s top speed is 60 km/h on paved roads, but the average off-road speed rarely exceeds 30-35 km/h.



The new self-propelled gun is armed with an adopted 122mm howitzer of the D-30 family, armed with HE and up to 5 HEAT rounds. The former is good at destroying light and medium vehicles, while the HEAT shaped-charge comes in handy against heavy tanks and self-propelled guns with conventional steel armor. Due to the long rifled part of the barrel, the gun is comfortable to shoot over medium and medium-long distances. A large, but expected drawback is the meager declination angle of the gun.

The 2S1 armor is only bulletproof, so the self-propelled gun is exposed to autocannons and forward-facing aircraft weapons with armor-piercing belts. It would be wise for the commander to change positions frequently and use the relatively small silhouette of the Gvozdika for ducking into the terrain. The 2S1 is an amphibious vehicle, but the waterborne speed is, to put it mildly, poor, so long sea trips are definitely not for the 2S1



The 2S1 Gvozdika will appear in the hangars of War Thunder in the next major game update - stay tuned to our devblogs to be the first to know about the news!

Commanders, get ready for battle: as we celebrate the recent the global release of War Thunder Mobile! Fans of realistic tank, naval, and air battles can download the game for free on Android and iOS and join hundreds of thousands of players who participated in the open beta already.

During the OBT, War Thunder Mobile got a lot better: we significantly improved the game stability, optimized it and fixed a lot of bugs. Two big updates added new vehicles and locations, the ability to modify vehicles and play in a squad with friends and much more. Now War Thunder Mobile can be downloaded from the app stores and will receive updates automatically!


In honor of this solemn occasion, War Thunder and War Thunder Mobile are starting a joint operation! Play War Thunder Mobile, win and get twice as many rewards!

The team has prepared a list of tasks in War Thunder Mobile for you. For the successful completion of each, you will immediately receive a reward in both games:

All tasks need to be completed in War Thunder Mobile.

• M4 in a unique camouflage — Take 1st place three times on your team.

The M4 Sherman is a real classic of mid tier tank battles. 75 mm gun, decent AP shells and good frontal armoring of the hull and turret.

• Hatsuzuki in a unique camouflage — Win 3 battles.

Destroyer Hatsuzuki (japanese. “New Moon”) is one of the heaviest ships of its class. It is exceptionally armed: eight 100 mm main caliber guns, many 25 mm AA machine guns, and famous 610 mm torpedoes.


All tasks need to be completed in War Thunder Mobile.

• M4 Sherman platoon — Take 1st place three times on your team.

M4 Sherman platoon: M4 Sherman, M10 Wolverine, M24 Chaffee, M16 MGMC.

• Hatsuzuki — Win 3 battles.

All players who log into War Thunder Mobile until August 29th will receive a USS Nicholas destroyer and a French tank platoon with unique camouflages! Learn more about these vehicles here.

Don't miss out on this unique chance to get incredible vehicles and commemorative decorators!

We loved seeing your screenshots that you shared with us from last week! The three most popular and three selected by us will get 300 GE. See the winners down below!


Create a stunning screenshot and submit it on the War Thunder Steam Community Hub with the tag #WTscreen81. You have time until 25.08.2023 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.

• Your screenshot must include a player vehicle firing their weapon.
  
• You must add the #WTscreen81 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]


https://steamcommunity.com/sharedfiles/filedetails/?id=3019519538
https://steamcommunity.com/sharedfiles/filedetails/?id=3020445165
https://steamcommunity.com/sharedfiles/filedetails/?id=3018913696

https://steamcommunity.com/sharedfiles/filedetails/?id=3018940030
https://steamcommunity.com/sharedfiles/filedetails/?id=3019044366
https://steamcommunity.com/sharedfiles/filedetails/?id=3020437748

Each winner will get 300GE! Congratulations and see you next week!

On August 16th, 1940, 48 volunteers from the US Army performed an official parachute drop for the first time. To commemorate this event, in 2002 August 16th was named the US National Airborne Day.

Airborne forces played a big part of World War II: both in the Pacific and the European theaters. The XVIII Airborne Corps was created in 1942, in 1944 it participated in Operation Overlord, and today it remains as a rapid deployment force, earning the nickname "America's Contingency Corps."





The American UH-1C XM-30 utility helicopter will be temporarily available for Golden Eagles. Its armor is very light, but it’s quite fast and maneuverable — and carries an impressive payload. For distant targets it has BGM-71 TOW missiles, while helicopters that get up close will feel the wrath of its 30 mm cannon and 40 mm grenade launcher!



Play 3 battles using US aircraft (rank III or higher, with an activity of not less than 70%) to receive the “Insignia of the XVIII Airborne Corps” decal.


“Insignia of the XVIII Airborne Corps” decal

Complete the task in random battles, except for Enduring Confrontation missions and [Assault] mode. Track your progress in the hangar by clicking Nickname → Achievements → Holidays → US Airborne Day.

You can find the decal in the “USA → Aircrafts ” tab in the Customisation menu.

We are continuing to improve War Thunder in a variety of ways based on your feedback, and have been making our way down the Roadmap. This time, we are introducing a number of new features that will improve clarity at spawn points while also deterring spawn campers, players who fall while capturing points will be rewarded if their allies finish the job, and helicopters can now be researched by playing ground vehicles - you can unlock them without leaving PvP battles!



When respawning, all players have a brief period of invulnerability which allows them to better react to the situation at the spawn point. If there is a spawn camper nearby - an enemy that tries to destroy a player shortly after they spawn - this period of invulnerability makes it easier to counter such an enemy.

However, sometimes the battle comes to a notably one sided end, where one team has completely won the map and ends up parked outside the other team’s spawn point, attacking vehicles as they spawn in, some of which are still invulnerable. Previously, when shooting at an invulnerable enemy, the shell would pass through the target and the hit camera would not activate, which occasionally led players to think that they had encountered some kind of error which caused their shells to deal no damage.

Now, when shooting at an invulnerable player, the hit camera will activate and clearly indicate that the enemy being engaged is still invulnerable, additionally, an invulnerability marker will appear on the player directly. In replays, this marker will be displayed throughout the invulnerability period and not just when the player is shot at - this will make engagements involving this mechanic much clearer.


Spawn camping in general is always a tricky problem, whether a player is camping the spawn maliciously by driving straight to it at the start of the battle, or if one team has conquered most of the map and inevitably ended up at the spawn. In either case it is not an ideal situation to be in, so we have improved this area of the game for those spawning in - by highlighting spawn campers on the map.

This mechanic is only present for Ground AB and RB. In both game modes, an instance is considered ‘Spawn Camping’ when a player is shot at no more than 20 seconds after they spawn, and have moved less than 40 meters from the spawn point (these parameters may be changed in the future). The spawn camper is pinged on the minimap for a short time (around 5 seconds) to all players, after which the marker cools down - according to the general rules of visibility and detection in the corresponding mode.

In Ground AB, in addition to being marked on the minimap, the spawn camper is also marked for all players in the battle with a new ‘Spawn Camper’ symbol (a broken shield) which will be visible beside the distance indicator, similar to the binocular symbol if a target is scouted.

In Ground RB, the spawn camper is also displayed by a broken shield, similar to the current hit marker and scouting marker. The marker’s position is updated every 2 seconds with a random margin of error relative to the position of the unit.

When scouting a spawn camper, the broken shield marker will be replaced by a binocular icon, as from a gameplay perspective the scouting status is more important, and not to mention a scouted target is highlighted for much longer than one highlighted for spawn camping.


Now the reward for capturing a point will also be given to those who contributed but were destroyed before the point could be completely captured. However, only those who fought for the point to the end will be rewarded - if a player leaves the point before death then they will not receive a reward. Another important factor as well - the reward will only be given if the point ends up being captured by your team, if it fades to neutral then all pending rewards will be reset.




Helicopters in War Thunder are at their best in ground battles, but until now the most convenient and consistent way to research a new helicopter was in the PvE game mode. As it was important for many players to fight against other players, we decided to open up helicopter research as an option when playing ground vehicles, so that tankers could expand their lineup with helicopters while playing their favorite game mode.

In each nation’s helicopter and ground vehicle tree, there will be a switch that allows you to choose which branch you want to research before going into battle, with the switch toggled on, all of the research points you earn in ground battles will go towards the selected helicopter instead.



Before, when wanting to file a complaint about another player, in the complaint window, players had to describe what was said and the reason, so that our Game Masters who evaluate in-game chat reports could make a decision on whether or not this player deserved an in-game chat ban for a specific period of time. Now, when a player wants to file a complaint against another player for malicious in-game chat messages, all in-game chat messages of the malicious player are attached in the report window - there is now no need to describe the reason for the complaint being made.

We have also added a new category of complaints about in-game chat messages that do not contain profanity or direct insults to other players. This new category is called ‘Hate speech’. Players can now use this new category whenever needed, and our Game Masters will investigate any reported messages and will take action if deemed necessary.

We won’t stop here. We will continue to move further along our roadmap: check what parts have already been completed, and have a look at the changes we’ll be introducing in the future!



As always we are keenly awaiting your feedback - let us know what you think about these changes, and most importantly, have a good game!