Nov 1, 2023
War Thunder - magazine2


  • On vehicles that have NVDs at night, 3rd person night vision mode is now turned on automatically when spawning in.
  • In the respawn and scoreboard window, information about the time of day and weather conditions of the current battle has been added.
  • In the aviation crew window (under the “Logistical services” tab, in the “Reload Speed” skill), extended information about the reload speed of each individual gun of the selected vehicle’s armament has been added.
Ground vehicles
  • Leopard 40/70 — a bug with the gunner’s sight magnification being too high has been fixed.
  • AMX-10P — a bug that caused scouting functionality not to work has been fixed.
Aircraft
  • MiG-21 (all variants) — the possibility to separately launch the S-24 rockets has been removed. Sources: “Aircraft MiG-21F-13 Technical Description. Book II. Armament. 1963”, “Aircraft MiG-21PFM Operating Instructions No. GK-194. Book II. Operation of armament. 1968” and “Aircraft MiG-21Bis Pilot’s Flight Operating Instructions”.
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.
War Thunder - Blitzkrieg Wulf


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The TOG II is a British prototype super-heavy tank that was developed at the start of World War II. The TOG II was developed by “The Old Gang” — a committee set up by the same members who created tanks of the First World War. This long-awaited “land battleship” comes to War Thunder as part of the game’s 11th Anniversary. Play to get it as well as other cool prizes!

When: From November 1st (11:00 GMT) until November 13th (11:00 GMT): Earn points in battles, unlock stages and receive prizes!


TOG II — A Premium Rank III for Britain.
The grand prize for this event! Complete 6 stages and it will be yours forever.

Decals and Decorations!
You can also earn the following decals and decorations for stages 1 to 5.


“Death Valley” decoration
“Colt–Browning M1895” decoration
“T.O.G. №2” decal


“British Propaganda Poster” decal
“Emblem of the Royal Tank Corps” decal

How to get prizes

Each stage will be unlocked for 35,000 mission points and will bring a new reward.

You can get mission points in ground battles with rank III or above in AB, RB and SB game modes. The number of mission points for completing a task depends on the game mode and the maximum rank if the vehicle used in the battle. The multiplier for earning points is specified in the mission description.

You can also get points by using any event vehicles of rank I-II. Such vehicles have the name of the event in which it was obtained in the vehicle card.

Stages change every two days at 11:00 GMT: November 3rd, 5th, 7th, 9th, 11th.

Rewards will be given for certain number of completed stages:
  • For 1 stage: “T.O.G. No. 2” decal.
  • For 2 stages: one of the decal prizes.
  • For 3 stages: one of the decorator prizes.
  • For 4 stages: one of the decal prizes.
  • For 5 stages: one of the decorator prizes.
  • For 6 stages: the TOG II Premium.

You can track the progress of the challenge by clicking on your nickname and selecting the menu ”Achievements → Dreams Come True”. If you didn’t finish the stage in time until 16th of November you will be able to purchase passing stages for Golden Eagles in the achievement window and get corresponding prizes.
War Thunder - magazine2


Let's light the candles on the cake: November 1st marks 11 years since War Thunder entered open beta testing.

We’d like to celebrate this date with all of you who have been by our side and supported War Thunder through all these years — together with you. We hope you’re going to enjoy the holiday activities and discounts that we’ve prepared for the entire week.

In this year’s “Dreams Come True” event, you’ll have the opportunity to get the unique TOG II, a British Heavy Tank. In addition to this, Esports players are showing their highest performance at tournaments dedicated to the game’s 11th Anniversary. The Maus, a regular of anniversary traditions, returns to be researched for a temporary amount of time!

So join us in celebrating: Happy Birthday, War Thunder!

In-game Discounts!

November 1st (11:00 GMT) — November 6th (11:00 GMT)
  • 50% off for all modifications, talismans and back-ups.
  • 50% off for a Premium account. In the game - for 90 and 365 days. In the Gaijin Store — for 180 days.
  • 50% off purchase prices in SL and GE for vehicles of all gaming nations.
There won’t be any discounts for vehicles released in the “Kings of Battle” and “Sons of Atilla” updates, as well as squadron vehicles (including modifications, talismans, and back-ups).

Anniversary Decal!

November 1st (11:00 GMT) — November 6th (11:00 GMT)


“War Thunder 11 Years” decal

Let your first battle during the 11th anniversary of War Thunder bring you this memorable decal!
  • Play 1 battle in any vehicle of rank III or above in any gamemode to get “War Thunder 11 years” decal.

Dreams Come True: TOG II



November 1st (11:00 GMT) — November 13th (11:00 GMT)

Take part in the “Dreams Come True” event to get special decals, decorations, a special loading screen and the unique TOG II heavy tank!

The TOG II super-heavy tank appeared at the early stages of WWII as a continuation of the concept of “land battleships” that participated in trench battles of the First World War. However, at the outbreak of WWII the concept of land battleships crossing trenches was obsolete. As a result of trials, the TOG II received a 94 mm gun inside an A30 Challenger turret. The TOG II is a heavy tank with an old classic style: slow, heavily armored with good firepower. It’s perfect for breaking through enemy defenses in urban areas with your squadmates, and can withstand multiple hits from different angles!

More Details

The king of the heavies is back!

November 1st (11:00 GMT) — November 6th (11:00 GMT)



As usual, our tradition is to return the giant king of heavies — the legendary Maus tank! Between the specified event dates, you’ll be able to research and purchase it for Silver Lions.

  • To start researching the Maus, you have to have rank V of the German ground forces open.
  • Assign your Research Points from battles, or convert the free experience to the researching of the Maus while the special event is going. If you started your progress, it will not be disabled after the special event is over, and you'll be able to finish researching any time later.

Gaijin.Net Sales!

November 6th — November 13th

Up to 50% off in the Gaijin.Net Store.

Details on the discounts will be revealed on November 6th, stay tuned to the news!

A series of festive tournaments for the anniversary of War Thunder!
We’re celebrating War Thunder’s birthday with a series of tournaments that have a total prize fund of more than 300,000 Golden Eagles! You can find out the competition schedule in the separate news here.
War Thunder - Blitzkrieg Wulf


Welcome to Kings of Battle!
In this update, 3 formidable aircraft join the top ranks, including the F-111A which breaks records regarding its payload! Every nation in the game has received at least one ground vehicle, some of these include the M109 “King of Battle” for multiple nations, the long-awaited Type 81 (C) for Japan, the Vickers Mk.11 for Britain and the incredibly unique Object 775 for the USSR! The MH-60L DAP and Spike-capable helicopters have also arrived, and in addition to this, premium Battleships for Britain and Japan. Several new mechanics have been implemented, as well as the very interesting Flanders map, which features an all-new era adaptive format.

There’s plenty of fixes, changes and additional new vehicles, so read on to find out more!

Please feel free to leave your feedback on this Major update in the feedback thread by clicking here
Ground vehicles: Kings of battle, Japan’s SAM and a British light tank
All 10 nations in War Thunder get a ground vehicle in this update! We’ve added the M109, a true king of battle to the USA, Britain, Germany, Italy and Israel in the form of the M109A1, M109G and M109! In addition, the long-awaited Type 81 (C) for Japan, a large and very capable Vickers Mk.11 light tank for Britain, plus the super flat Object 775 for the USSR. Overall, there’s 15 ground vehicles in this update, so be sure to check them all out.

USA
Germany
USSR
Great Britain
China
  • PLZ-83
Italy
France
  • M26
  • AMX-10P
Sweden
  • Pbv-501
Israel

Aircraft: War Thunder has a new record holder!
Welcome to the aircraft that have been added in this update: the F-111A Aardvark for the USA, JH-7A for China and the MiG-29G for Germany — 3 formidable top-tier jets. The F-111A is able to carry a huge payload of 50 x 500 lb bombs, 26 x 750 lb bombs (among several other bomb types) and a staggering 456 x Mighty Mouse rockets, which is a War Thunder record!

USA
Germany
  • MiG-29G
China

Helicopters: The Black Hawk, plus Spike missile capable choppers
The infamous Black Hawk comes to the game in the US research tree as the special MH-60L DAP variant! In addition to this, Italy gets the AH-129D that can carry devastating Spike missiles, and so do France on the Tiger HAD Block 2. Overall, these helicopters will help bolster the top ground lineups of these nations.

USSR
  • Mi-8AMTSh
Italy
France
  • Tiger HAD Block 2

Naval vehicles: Premium Battleships for Britain and Japan
We’ve added two Premium Battleships for Britain and Japan, which are available to purchase right from our store: HMS Iron Duke for Britain, and IJN Yamashiro for Japan! These Battleships were built in the WWI era and are certainly strong against other ships of this type. In addition to this, several ships including one for the USSR, Germany, Italy and France. The full list is below.

Germany
  • SMS Sachsen
USSR
  • Opytny
Great Britain
  • HMS Iron Duke (Pack)
Japan
  • IJN Yamashiro (Pack)
France
  • La Combattante

New mechanics and destroyable map bushes!
We’ve added new mechanics to APFSDS and APDS shells. Discarded sabot casings that separate from APFSDS and APDS rounds now have their own model and can travel up to 1km and even penetrate thin armor! We’ve also added three modes to some IR missiles: photocontrast, infrared and automatic — check out our informational dev blog on that here.



In addition to this, several types of bushes found on maps can be destroyed with MG fire.



A new ground location: Flanders, with a new format!
Flanders has been added to the map rotation in this major update! This map is special — assets on this map change depending on the type of vehicles used. For example, if you’re using WWII vehicles, you’ll see a fallen airship and other older buildings. If you’re using more modern vehicles, you’ll instead see a fallen modern troop transport aircraft and tourist center buildings. Check it out!


There’s a lot more!
In this update, we’ve fixed several bugs, added new armor-piercing bombs to some WWII aircraft, changed several missions and maps (some removals, spawn & capture point changes, more low, medium, high and top ranked airfields). The ability to expand/collapse the action bar in battle has also been implemented. All bug fixes and changes are mentioned in the changelog below — check them out and enjoy!

Download the update and join the battle!

https://store.steampowered.com/app/236390/War_Thunder/

Changelog for Update 2.31.0.11 — the Major Update

New vehicles
Aircraft
USA
  • F-111A
Germany
  • MiG-29G
China
  • JH-7A
Ground vehicles
USA
  • T54E2 (Premium)
  • M109A1
Germany
  • M109G
USSR
  • BTR-152D
  • Object 775
Great Britain
  • Vickers Mk.11
  • M109A1
Japan
  • Type 81 (C)
China
  • PLZ-83
Italy
  • M109G
  • Leopard 40/70
France
  • M26
  • AMX-10P
Sweden
  • Pbv-501
Israel
  • M109
Helicopters
USA
  • MH-60L DAP
USSR
  • Mi-8AMTSh
Italy
  • AH-129D
France
  • Tiger HAD Block 2
Naval Fleet
Germany
  • SMS Sachsen
USSR
  • Opytny
Great Britain
  • HMS Iron Duke (Pack)
Japan
  • IJN Yamashiro (Pack)
Italy
  • RN Conte di Cavour
France
  • La Combattante

New locations and missions
  • An Air RB mission [Operation] Southeastern City has been added, with support for all ranks and the following attributes: the location of ground forces depends on the rank of the battle; the location of bases depends on the rank of the battle; the number of possible base positions is increased.
  • Flanders (for ground battles)

Location and mission updates
  • The following missions have been removed:
    • [Conquest #3] Cargo port;
    • [Domination] Port Novorossiysk;
    • [Conquest #1, #2, #3] Fields of Normandy.
    • [Conquest #2, #3] Ash River
  • The spawn points for ground vehicles and capture points in the following missions have been moved:
    • [Conquest #1, #3] Alaska
    • [Battle] Alaska
    • [Battle] Tunisia
    • [Domination #1] Tunisia
    • [Battle] Normandy
    • [Conquest #1, # 2, #3] Normandy
    • [Battle] Ardennes (Summer/Winter)
    • [Conquest #1, #2, #3] Fire arc
    • [Battle #1] Fire arc
    • [Domination #1] Fire arc
    • [Conquest #1, #3] Ground Zero
    • [Battle] Ground Zero
  • The following missions have been changed so that the location of capture and spawn points does not differ between different game modes:
    • [Conquest #1, #2, #3] Port Novorossiysk
    • [Battle] Port Novorossiysk
    • [Battle] Normandy
    • [Conquest #1, #2, #3] Normandy
    • [Domination] Normandy
    • [Domination] Fields of Normandy
    • [Battle] Fields of Normandy
    • [Conquest #1, #2, #3] Ardennes (Summer/Winter)
    • [Domination #1, #2] Ardennes (Summer/Winter)
    • [Battle] Ardennes (Summer/Winter)
    • [Conquest #1, #2, #3] Fire arc
    • [Battle #1] Fire arc
    • [Domination #1] Fire arc
  • The following new missions have been added:
    • [Battle #2] Tunisia — available for vehicles with a Battle Rating of 9.7 and higher.
    • [Domination #2] Tunisia — available for vehicles with a Battle Rating of 9.7 and higher.
    • [Battle #2] Port Novorossiysk — available for vehicles with a Battle Rating of 2.3 and higher.
    • [Battle #2] Fire Arc — available for vehicles with a Battle Rating of 9.7 and higher.
    • [Domination #2] Fire Arc — available for vehicles with a Battle Rating of 9.7 and higher.
  • The behavior of all bushes has been changed. Now, they can be destroyed with machine gun fire so that you can clear them for better visibility. Video
  • For the following Air RB missions;
    • [Operation] Pyrenees
    • [Operation] City
    • [Operation] Southeastern City
    • [Operation] Moscow
    • [Operation] Battle for the Rhine
    • [Operation] Battle for Spain
  • The availability of airfields depending on the rank of the match has been changed:
    • Low ranked airfields: 1.0 to 3.3.
    • Medium ranked airfields: 3.7 to 6.7. In addition, the low ranked airfield is active as a repair airfield (no spawning, no anti-aircraft guns, but you can land for repairing and reloading).
    • High ranked airfields: 7.0 to 10.3. In addition, the medium ranked airfield is active as a repair airfield (no spawning, no anti-aircraft guns, but you can land for repairing and reloading).
    • Top ranked airfields: 10.7+. In addition, the high ranked airfield is available as a repair airfield (no spawning, no anti-aircraft guns, but you can land for repairs and reloading).
  • In the following Air RB missions, the following attributes have been changed: the location of ground forces depends on the rank of the battle; the location of bases depends on the rank of the battle; the number of possible base positions is increased.
    • [Operation] Moscow
    • [Operation] Battle for the Rhine
    • [Operation] Battle for Spain
  • In the following Air RB missions, ground units now depend on the rank of the battle:
    • [Operation] Golan Heights
    • [Operation] Battle for Vietnam
    • [Operation] Rocky Pillars
    • [Operation] Sinai
    • [Operation] Pyrenees
    • [Operation] City
    • [Operation] Southeastern City
    • [Operation] Moscow
    • [Operation] Battle for the Rhine
    • [Operation] Battle for Spain


Ground Vehicle model, damage model, characteristic and weaponry changes:
  • Merkava Mk.4 LIC — a Fireproof container for shells has been added near the engine. (Report)
  • TKX (P) — holes in the gun mantlet have been covered with armor. (Report)
  • Strv m/31 — the armor for the hull machine gun has been fixed. (Report)
  • MEPHISTO — a bug that caused the small aiming circle to not be in the correct position outside of the bigger circle because of the ATGM drop when firing has been fixed.
  • M735 — penetration has been recalculated to the Lanz-Odermatt formula.
  • Mechanics for the separation of APFSDS shell casings has been added. The separated casing can travel up to 1km and penetrate thin armor, causing damage to lightly armored vehicles.
  • APFSDS projectiles of 40mm and above received the new mechanics of physical shell casing detachments.
  • Visual models for all projectiles with discarding sabots have been updated, models for high-explosive fin-stabilized projectiles have been updated, and a new model has been added for fin-stabilized projectiles of Western-type 90-120mm guns.
  • Object 211 — the model has been updated and is now based on the prototype.
  • LVT-4/40 — a bug where the exposed crew did not receive damage from napalm has been fixed.
  • Leopard 2PL — the generation of thermal imagers used by the gunner and commander has been changed from second to third. (Report)
  • Strf 9040 BILL — ATGM reload time has been reduced from 20 to 10 seconds. Adjusted to the reload time of other units with two ATGMs.
  • M3 Bradley — ATGM reload time has been reduced from 15 to 10 seconds. Adjusted to the reload time of other units with two ATGMs.
  • SPz 12-3 LGS — a bug with inaccurate display of automatic cannon ammunition when using researchable belts has been fixed.
  • LAV-AD — the gunner’s sight magnification has been changed from 8-12x to 4-12x. Source: Thesis USN/USMC Antiair Warfare and Command, Control, and Communications for Amphibious Operations. Naval Postgraduate School, Monterey, California.
  • T-72B, T-72B (1989), T-90A, T-72B3 — lower plate armor is now displayed as variable thickness armor (composite armor).
  • KV-1, KV-2 (1939), KV-2 (1940), KV-1 (ZiS-5), KV-1E, KV-IB, KV-2 (ZiS-6), KV II 754 (r) , KV I C 756 (r) — the engine speed has been increased from 1900 to 2000 RPM. (Report)
  • Toldi IIA — extra armor plates on the front have had their armor thickness corrected. (Report)
  • Turan III — the armor layout on the commander’s cupola has been fixed. (Report)
  • AMX-13 (FL-11) — a bug where there was no delay between smoke grenade launcher salvo launches has been fixed.

Aircraft and helicopter model, damage model, characteristic and weaponry changes:
Weaponry
  • R-60M — explosive type has been changed from TNT to Okfol. (Report)
  • 30 mm Type 5 cannon — increased rate of fire from 450 rounds per minute to 500 rounds per minute. (Report)
  • 30 mm Ho-155 cannon — increased rate of fire from 450 rounds per minute to 500 rounds per minute. (Report)
  • Kh-29L, Kh-29T, Kh-29TD — the Explosive type has been changed from TG-40 to TGAF-5M.
  • The 1600 lb armor-piercing AN-Mk 1 bomb has been added to the following aircraft: PBJ-1H, PBJ-1J, B-17G-60-VE, B-24D-25-CO, SB2U-2, SB2U-3, SBD-3, AM-1, AD-2, AD-4, B-26B, PBM-1, PBM-3.
  • The 1000 lb A.P. AN-MK 33 bomb has been added to the following aircraft: B-17G-60-VE, SBD-3, TBF-1C, Avenger Mk.II, AD-2, AD-4.
  • The 250 kg armor-piercing BRAB-250 bomb model 1943 has been added to the following aircraft: Pe-2-110, Pe-2-205, Pe-2-359, Tu-2S, Tu-2S-44, Tu-2S-59, IL-4, Yer-2 (ACh-30B) (r), Yer-2 (ACh-30B) (p).
  • The 500 kg armor-piercing BRAB-500 bomb model 1943 has been added to the following aircraft: Pe-2-110, Pe-2-205, Pe-2-359, Tu-2S, Tu-2S-44, Tu-2S-59, IL-4 , Yer-2 (ACh-30B) (r), Yer-2 (ACh-30B) (p).
  • The 1000 kg armor-piercing BRAB-1000 bomb model 1943 has been added to the following aircraft: Tu-2S, Tu-2S-44, Tu-2S-59, IL-4, Yer-2 (ACh-30B) (r), Yer-2 (ACh -30B) (p).
  • The 500 lb armor-piercing S.A.P. Mk.II bomb has been added to the following aircraft: Swordfish Mk.I, Swordfish Mk.II. Whirlwind Mk.I, Wellington Mk.Ic, Wellington Mk.Ic/L, Wellington Mk.III, Wellington Mk.X, Typhoon Mk.Ib, Typhoon Mk.Ib/L, Tempest Mk.V, Sea Fury FB.11, Sunderland Mk. IIIa, Sunderland Mk.V, Mosquito FB.Mk.VI, Halifax B Mk.IIIa, Firebrand TF.Mk.IV, Blenheim Mk.IV, Beaufort Mk.VIII, Wyvern S.4, Hampden TB Mk.I.
  • The 2000 lb armor-piercing A.P. Mk.I bomb has been added to the following aircraft: Wellington Mk.Ic, Wellington Mk.Ic/L, Wellington Mk.III, Wellington Mk.X, Halifax B Mk.IIIa, Firebrand TF.Mk.IV, Wyvern S.4, Hampden TB Mk.I.
  • The 500kg armor-piercing bomb PC500 has been added to the following aircraft: Ju-87D-5, Ju-87D-3, Bf 110 G-2, Fw 190 F-8, He 177 A-5, Ju 188 A-2, Do 217 E-2, Ju 88 A-4, Ju 88 A-1, Fw 200 C-1.
  • The 1000kg armor-piercing bomb PC1000 has been added to the following aircraft: He 111 H-6, Ju-87D-3, Bf 110 G-2, Fw 190 F-8, He 177 A-5, Ju 188 A-2, Do 217 E-2, Me 264, Ju 88 A-4, Ju 88 A-1, Fw 200 C-1.
  • The 1600kg armor-piercing bomb PC1600 has been added to the following aircraft: He 177 A-5, Ju 188 A-2, Me 264.
  • The 800kg armor-piercing bomb Type 99 Number 80 has been added to the following aircraft: G8N1
  • A calculation and display of a launch range against a maneuvering target has been implemented. The list of missiles that have had the display of launch range against a maneuvering target added includes: R-27R, R-27T, R-27ER, R-27ET, R-60, R-60M, R-73, AIM-7F, AIM-7M, AIM-9L, AIM-9M.
  • Display enabled on fire control systems with radars: H010, H010M, H019, H019E, AN/AWG-9, AN/APG-66, AN/APG-68, AN/APG-65Q, Thales RDY.
Other
  • MiG-15 — the ability to drop bombs separately has been removed. (Source: MiG-15bis aircraft. Technical Description. Book 2 - Armament. 1953)
  • A21A-3 — the sequence of firing the m/51 and m/49B rockets has been fixed. (Report)
  • Tornado F.3 — a bug that caused the radar display to show on the RWR display in the cockpit instruments has been fixed. (Report)
  • Fw 190 F-8 — the sequence of firing the Pb2 rockets has been fixed. (Report)
  • La-5 — the ability to drop bombs separately has been removed.
  • LaGG-3 — the ability to drop bombs separately has been removed.
  • SB2C-5 — a bug that made it impossible to use 500lb bombs even when the 500lb bomb modification was unlocked has been fixed. (Report)
  • Bf 109F, G (series) — a bug that caused a 20 mm MG 151 cannon to be equipped on the wing when selecting bombs has been fixed. (Report)
  • Mi-24V (Hungary) — the number of Countermeasures has been reduced from 192 to 128. (Report)
  • F-100D (France) — a FFAR pod has been added to the left wing. (Report)
  • Mi-24P — the GUV-8700 gunpod has been added.
  • Hunter F.58 — the ability to equip a single Drop tank has been removed.
  • UH-1D — a bug that caused a single TDA 68 rocket to be shown in the TDA 68 pod has been fixed.
  • Po-2, Po-2M — the sequence of firing rockets has been adjusted.
  • A-7E — RWR type changed from AN/APR-25 to AN/ALR-45. A bug that caused the Zuni and FFAR rocket pods to overlap each other has been fixed.
  • F-4J Phantom II, F-4S Phantom II — RWR type changed from AN-APR-25 to AN/ALR-45(V).
  • A-5C, Jaguar GR.1A — a bug that caused countermeasures not to fire has been fixed.
  • AH-64 (all nations), AH Mk.1, YAH-64 — scope magnification changed from 126x to 63.5x.
  • F-84G-26-RE (France) — AN/APG-30 radar has been added.
  • I-153 — the ability to use 4 x FAB-50 bombs has been removed. (Source: aircraft I-153. Technical description. Book one. OBORONGIZ-TSAGI 1940).
  • JA37D — for the BOL rail, the countermeasure type has been changed from large to standard.
  • B-57B — AN/APS-54 RWR has been added. (Source: T.O. 1B-57B-1 Flight Handbook B-57B aircraft).
  • PBJ-1H, PBJ-1J — 3 x 1000 lb AN-M65A1 bombs and a 1 x 2000 lb AN-M66A2 bomb have been added.
  • F7F3 — a 1 x 2000 lb AN-M66A2 bomb, an additional 1000 lb AN-M65A1 bomb and 1000 lb Mk 13 Mod 0 proximity mines have been added.
  • Tzefa B — a bug that caused this helicopter to not have magnification for its optics has been fixed, with the magnification 2.0x-13x being added.
  • F-104J — the number of air-to-air missiles that can be carried has increased from 4 to 6.
  • Yak-38, Yak-38M — the possibility to launch unguided rockets with the landing gear down has been limited. The ability to drop bombs separately has been removed. The number of OFAB-100-120 bombs that can be used on the MBD2-67U bomb rack has been reduced from 4 to 3.
  • MiG-29SMT — the external fuel tank has been replaced with a 2000 liter external fuel tank. A modification (“UV-5-08”) has been added that allows the installation of additional large caliber countermeasure blocks.
  • MiG-21PFM — the UB-32 pod has been removed from the aircraft’s armament. (Source: Mig-21PFM Aircraft Operating Instructions No. GK-194).
  • Mirage 2000-5F, Mirage 2000D-R1 — the ECLAIR countermeasures systems has been replaced with the Eclair M system, the number of countermeasures has been increased from 90 to 168 for Mirage 2000-5F and from 118 to 196 rounds for Mirage 2000D-R1.
  • F-4E, Kurnass, F-4EJ, F-4EJ ADTWD, F-4F, F-4F Late, Phantom FG.1, Phantom 2 FGR.2, F-4J, F-4JK— a ballistic computer system has been added to the cannons, which display the sight lead marker on the HUD, in the cockpit and in 3rd person view when the target is captured by aircraft sensors.
Secondary weapon customization added to aircraft:
  • Saab J35D, F-82E, SBD-3, Swordfish Mk.I, Swordfish Mk.II.
Naval fleet model, damage model, characteristic and weaponry changes:
Naval weaponry:
  • RN Duca degli Abruzzi — a bug that made it possible to use extra torpedoes without reloading has been fixed.
Naval characteristics, physics and damage model:
  • Emile Bertin — the size and location of the radio room has been fixed, and the intersection of the conning tower module with armor has been fixed. The turrets and traverse bulk armor thicknesses have been fixed.
  • SMS Kaiser — armor thicknesses have been corrected: turrets, stern armored deck, barbettes. The dimensions of the magazine compartments for the main battery have been corrected.
  • Chapaev — a bug that caused the forward part of the left side armor belt to not be displayed has been fixed.
  • HMS Leopard — the dimensions of the forwardmost crew compartment have been reduced, as it was clipping through the side of the ship’s hull.
  • IJN Kurama — a bug that caused the dimensions of the coal bunkers to be incorrectly calculated has been fixed.
Economy and research
  • USS Des Moines — moved to Rank V.
Interface
  • The ability to collapse/expand the action bar in battle has been added.
Game mechanics
Added a “Skill Bonus” to Research Points, which is awarded at the end of a mission depending on the player’s opponents destroyed. In air and ground battles, the target indicator is the number of destroyed vehicles controlled by players or system named bots; in naval battles, the target indicator is the total damage to naval targets. The bonus is calculated from the base RP (excluding boosters, premium account, talismans) and differs depending on the game mode in the size of the bonus and the requirement for the target indicator. More details surrounding this mechanic will be released in a Roadmap news soon.
  • Air Arcade Battles:
    • 3-5 opponents: +15%;
    • 6-9 opponents: +40%;
    • 10+ opponents: +100%.
  • Air Realistic Battles:
    • 2 opponents: +35%;
    • 3 opponents: +75%;
    • 4+ opponents: +100%.
  • Ground Arcade and Realistic Battles:
    • 3-5 opponents: +15%;
    • 6-8 opponents: +50%;
    • 9+ opponents: +100%.
  • Ground Simulation Battles:
    • 3-4 opponents: +20%;
    • 5-7 opponents: +50%;
    • 8+ opponents: +100%.
  • Naval Arcade and Realistic Battles:
    • 6500-9999 damage: +20%;
    • 10000-14999 damage: +45%;
    • 15000+ damage: +100%.
  • In Naval Battles, the statistics table has been updated so that the number of damage points awarded for shooting at coastal vessels has been increased. The total damage points awarded for destroying a coastal vessel have been increased from 1,200 to 2,200, making it equal to the number of damage points for destroying a bluewater ship. This statistic is used for Battle Tasks, as well as for unlocking ship camouflage, decorations, decals, and flags. As a result, progress towards earning these rewards will be faster when destroying coastal vessels.
Graphical
  • In the event of fires or the destruction of fuel tanks on naval vessels, there is now a visual effect of leaking fuel that burns on the water.
  • When fuel tanks on naval vessels are destroyed, a visual effect of fuel leakage occurs.
  • The visual effect of fuel leaks and fires on ground vehicles has been improved.
  • Added the effect of the hook touching the deck of an aircraft carrier.
  • The visual effect of the steam catapult on aircraft carriers has been improved.
  • Added a visual effect of a cumulative jet directed downward when hitting vehicles using shells with this detonation feature.
  • A bug where there was no connection between an active smoke grenade and its visual effect has been fixed.
Sound
  • Crews of Israeli ground vehicles have received a new voiceover.
  • The crews of Finnish ground vehicles received updated voice acting. Previous inaccuracies and errors were corrected.
  • Added sounds of incoming artillery marker shells, different from the sounds of incoming artillery shells.
War Thunder - Blitzkrieg Wulf


While you’re waiting for the Kings of Battle major update to install, we’re going to be talking about some of the new features and mechanics that have arrived alongside this update that you might have missed. Let’s take a look!

Armor-piercing bombs for several aircraft!
A new type of bomb has been added to several aircraft: Armor-Piercing bombs! Historically, this bomb was specifically designed to destroy fortified targets, such as ships, bunkers, coastal defense structures and so on. Due to its different design and principle of fuze operation, armor-piercing bombs detonate after penetrating a certain armor thickness. In the game, these bombs are effective in destroying larger ship compartments that may include magazine storage areas, fuel tanks and engine rooms, which are usually protected by an armored deck.

The full list of armor-piercing bombs that have been added to several aircraft is in the major changelog, click here to see them.



Damage from separated discarding sabot!
Discarding sabot is an important part of APFSDS and APDS shells, as it transfers the necessary kinetic energy to the core dart, and is often made of hard metals. Therefore in this update, we’ve completely modeled discarding sabot! This means that when firing an APFSDS or APDS round, discarding sabot can travel up to 1km and penetrate thin armor, kind of like buckshot from a shotgun. This can be handy when firing at light targets where the core dart flies through an empty part of a light tank — pieces of discarding sabot may also penetrate and hit important module parts, or even scrape a crew member and knock them out. Check out the video below of this new mechanic!



Improving “Fire and Forget” missile guidance!
Previously, anti-tank guided missiles (ATGMs) with the “fire and forget” principle targeted the center of a tank silhouette — as a result, these missiles often failed to hit critical components. In this major update, we’ve introduced a small aiming error, which will increase the likelihood of these missiles hitting other important internal components located near the center of a ground vehicle.



Multi-Functional HMD for F-16 jets!
Thanks to your feedback, we’ve introduced a highly sophisticated and detailed Multi-function Helmet-Mounted Display (HMD) system called the JHMCS (Joint Helmet Mounted Cueing System) which is used on the F-16C Block 50 and F-16D Block 40 (Barak II).

Now, a HMD can be activated using a dedicated button and doesn’t just activate automatically during missile launches, and capability for radar cueing through the helmet system has been added. A HMD will provide you with information such as current G-Forces, indicated airspeed, line of sight heading, line of sight (the crosshair), the current designated ground target, altitude in feet and the direction of infrared homing for air-to-air missiles (if the indicator is crossed out, the IR seeker is out of the HMD display).

A HMD also displays information about the onboard radiation warning system, which includes the name of the radiating source, the direction to the source indicated by a diamond, and the line of sight relative to the aircraft, shown as a missing arc on a circle. In addition to this, you can now stabilize the targeting system by simply looking at a ground target and pressing your key. These are the best electronics for those of you who love the F-16, and we hope you’ll appreciate them!

  • 1. Radar Warning System source signal:
    • name of the vehicle.
    • signal direction — diamond.
    • view positioning — a gap in the circle.
  • 2. Current G-force.
  • 3. Indicated air speed, kn.
  • 4. View direction.
  • 5. Crosshair.
  • 6. Acquired target (when strikethrough — the target is out the HMD).
  • 7. Altitude, ft.
  • 8. Seeker direction (when strikethrough — the seeker is out of the HMD).

War Thunder - Blitzkrieg Wulf


This new top Italian Battleship, the RN Conte di Cavour, will join the ranks of the mightiest ships within the Bluewater fleet. Meet one of the most interesting ships in the “Kings of Battle” major update!

RN Conte di Cavour: A Battleship for Italy at Rank VI

Features:
  • 320 mm caliber artillery.
  • Good air defense.
  • Comparatively weak armor.


Meet RN Conte di Cavour!

This brand-new flagship battleship will join Italy's Bluewater fleet and interestingly is a participant in both World Wars. Featuring a decent arsenal in the form of its main caliber cannon that can fire armor-piercing shells, as well as effective air defense weapons, which are lacking on so many other ships constructed near to the First World War period. Let’s dive into the details!

Interesting: Battleship RN Conte di Cavour was named in honor of Count Camillo-Benso di Cavour, the first Prime Minister of Italy.



When the RN Conte di Cavour arrives in the game, it’ll be a ship for the more skillful players — it’ll rarely forgive mistakes, but with competent use, it’ll be a team leader both in the number of destroyed enemies and the amount of support provided. What are its main caliber weapons? The familiar Duilio 320mm GK. These guns do not have the best characteristics in rate of fire or in caliber, but having said this, its fire rate of 21 shells per minute is competitive enough! In addition to this, armor-piercing shells can also be used, which are comparable to the early 14" (356 mm) ammunition of the Japanese Imperial Navy, providing you with fantastic capabilities in duels at any range of battle. Its main caliber weapons are complemented with auxiliary batteries in the form of six twin barrel turrets with 135mm guns, with 3 per side.



Moving onto the armor and survivability of the RN Conte di Cavour, which is a bit on the weaker side. The most protected part of the armored belt is located below the waterline — there, the armor is 250 mm thick, while above water, the side is protected by two belts of 220 and 130 mm of armor. The turret armor is better — 280 mm in the area of the frontal part and up to 240 mm at the sides. In terms of crew, the Conte di Cavour has a crew of just 1,280 people, which is a decent enough amount!




What other strengths does the RN Conte di Cavour have? Its anti-aircraft capabilities shine. These guns can fire at enemy aircraft with 135 mm high-explosive shells that contain remote fuzes for longer ranges. This ship’s second line of defense is in the form of 10 x 65 mm Ansaldo-Terni rapid-firing guns located on single mounts, which may be familiar to those of you who use the RN Etna light cruiser. Against low altitude aircraft attacks, 20 mm Breda cannons with a total of 31 barrels is great for additional protection. For such a battleship, these additional weapons are a big plus, as it allows it to survive air attacks when not amongst allied ships. In addition to this, we’d like to note that the EC3/ter Gufo radar is on this ship, which helps to detect any threat from the air.



In your matches: Pro-tips when using the RN Conte di Cavour by Igor, Naval Game Designer: “In my opinion, the RN Conte di Cavour should not be considered as a pure representative of the Battleship class — in terms of characteristics, it’s closer to the Kronshtadt or USS Alaska. Don’t engage enemies from the very beginning of the battle and don’t stop at nearest islands. Keep maximum distance, maneuver and concentrate on the use of armor-piercing shells of the main caliber guns and putting auxiliary caliber guns with automatic control. Use HE-TF for the 135mm guns — in duels against battleships, it’s unlikely to help, but this type of shell significantly enhances anti-aircraft and anti-coastal boat potential!”



Coming in based on its historical design, in which it never had the chance to see combat,
Battleship RN Conte di Cavour will appear in the game at rank VI of the Italian Bluewater Fleet with the release of the “Kings of Battle” major update. Until then, enjoy your matches and see you soon!
War Thunder - Blitzkrieg Wulf


Welcome to the 91st War Thunder Steam Screenshot Competition!

We loved seeing pictures of your customized vehicles that you shared with us last week! Custom camouflages are uploaded all the time on the official site. Feel free to wander and search when your favorite vehicle needs a new appearance! The three most popular and three selected by us will get 300 GE. See the winners down below!

Let’s begin the 91st edition of our competition!

Create a stunning screenshot and submit it on the War Thunder Steam Community Hub with the tag #WTscreen91. You have time until 03.11.2023 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 the colors black or orange.
  • You must add the #WTscreen91 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 90th edition - Masters of Art!

    Winners selected via community votes:
    https://steamcommunity.com/sharedfiles/filedetails/?id=3060386154
    https://steamcommunity.com/sharedfiles/filedetails/?id=3056368642
    https://steamcommunity.com/sharedfiles/filedetails/?id=3058082175

    Winners selected by our judges:
    https://steamcommunity.com/sharedfiles/filedetails/?id=3058995100
    https://steamcommunity.com/sharedfiles/filedetails/?id=3060450719
    https://steamcommunity.com/sharedfiles/filedetails/?id=3058511820

    Each winner will get 300GE! Congratulations and see you next week!
    War Thunder - Blitzkrieg Wulf


    The Black Hawk is an American utility helicopter developed as the successor to the prolific UH-1 Huey. Arriving to the game in the upcoming War Thunder update in one of its later modifications, the MH-60L expands upon the strengths of its predecessor and will soon reinforce the American helicopter trees!

    MH-60L Black Hawk: A Helicopter for the USA at Rank VII

    Features:
    • Advanced ordnance options.
    • Good survivability.
    • HIRSS and IRCM


    Meet the MH-60L Black Hawk!

    In War Thunder, the MH-60L Black Hawk will arrive as one of the top additions to the American research tree with the release of the upcoming major update! Being introduced in one of its later modifications, the MH-60L features overall design improvements which most notably allow it to carry a powerful weapons arsenal. Let’s dive into the details!

    Interesting: The MH-60L was given the name “Black Hawk”, from Black Hawk who was a Native American Sauk leader in the 19th century.



    Arriving to the game in its special “Direct Action Penetrator” modification, the MH-60L features provisions to carry a wide range of ordnance. This includes advanced air-to-ground and air-to-air missiles in the form of Hellfire, AGR-20A and A and Stingers respectively, but also more conventional weapons such as unguided Hydra rocket pods! In short, the Black Hawk’s arsenal can be adapted to any mission scenario and will allow you to engage the enemy from a distance with missiles as well as get in up close and personal with unguided rockets and gunpods.




    While the Black Hawk is quite fast for a helicopter and possesses exceptional armament to both engage aerial and surface targets, it remains easy prey to vigilant enemy anti-air units as well as pilots, not least because of the MH-60L’s comparably large size. To assist you in surviving the many dangers of the modern battlefield, the MH-60L comes equipped with modern RWR, heat suppression and IRCM systems as well as flares and chaff! This is all in an effort to make target acquisition for enemy forces more challenging and give the Black Hawk better odds of escaping a dangerous situation unscathed.



    In your matches: Pro-tips when using the MH-60L Black Hawk by Tom (Oxy), WT Community Manager (TL): “It’s known for being quite robust as far as helicopters go, but only relatively — it can take a beating but it’s far from invulnerable, so make sure you aren’t treating it like it's invulnerable with how you play it. Like most helicopters, try to stick around cover and avoid sitting out in the open. It also comes with a wide array of weaponry, so I’d suggest making a few different presets tailored to different maps.”



    The MH-60L Black Hawk will soon bolster the top ranks of the American helicopter tree upon its arrival to War Thunder as part of the next major update. In the meantime, make sure to keep a close watch on the news as we continue unveiling more interesting new features awaiting you in the upcoming update. Until then, see you soon!
    War Thunder - Blitzkrieg Wulf


    In this month's Pages of History, you'll find yourself at the centre of events that happened at numerous battlefronts. From North Africa and the Mediterranean, to Moscow and the Middle East — participate in battles using the vehicles that were used in these historic events and receive prizes!

    From November 1st until November 30th, you’ll be offered 8 tasks consecutively. Completing each will reward you with a trophy, completing all of them earns you a unique player icon.

    Reward for completing all 8 tasks

    John Campbell
    John "Jock" Campbell was a British Army officer who served in North Africa at the beginning of World War II. He favored rapid attacks on Axis forces using small groups of artillery, armored vehicles and motorized infantry: anecdotally called "Jock Columns". During Operation Crusader, Campbell's brigade defended Sidi Rezegh airport, south of Tobruk, for two days. Campbell personally led the battle, constantly being at the epicenter of events inspiring his subordinates with his courage. For his heroism he was awarded the highest military award in Britain — the Victoria Cross.

    You can immediately purchase this profile icon for Golden Eagles until December 3rd, 11:30 GMT without completing tasks. Click Nickname → Achievements → Pages of History (November).

    Trophy reward for each task
    Completion of each individual task will bring you a trophy with one of the following rewards:
    • 20-50% RP booster for 3-10 battles;
    • 20-50% SL booster for 3-10 battles;
    • 3-5 universal backup vehicles;
    • 1 day of premium account;
    • A random camouflage for ground vehicles (out of the selection of camouflages currently obtainable in game for completing tasks, or purchasing with Golden Eagles).
    Other terms
    • Tasks are available from 11:00 GMT until 11:30 GMT on the final day of each task.
    • Tasks can be completed in random battles, except for “Assault” mode.

    November 1st — November 4th
    Barbara Line
    The Barbara Line was Germany's second line of defense in central Italy. In early October 1943, the Allies overran the southernmost Volturno Line, and by early November they decided to storm the Barbara Line. It lasted only two days: after the breakthrough German forces retreated to the Bernhardt Line.

    November 5th — November 8th
    Apatin-Kaposvar operation
    The Budapest operation, which began in late October 1944, was not easy for the Soviet forces. The command decided to transfer troops from Yugoslavia (putting it under the control of the local army) to southern Hungary. The operation was successful: from the outset, the Red Army captured a bridgehead near the town of Apatin on November 7th, and a month later took Kaposvár where it moved in to set up defenses.

    November 9th — November 12th
    Battle of Taranto
    On November 12th, 1940, British carrier aircraft attacked the Italian fleet at Taranto. The attack was carried out by 21 torpedo-bomber aircraft and resulted in the sinking of three battleships, half of those at Taranto Itself. The rebalance of naval might between Britain and Italy in the Mediterranean Sea demonstrated the effectiveness of torpedo aircraft. Consequently, non-participants of the conflict in the Japanese delegation studied the events in Taranto, and made a plan for a similar attack on Pearl Harbor.

    November 12th — November 15th
    Klinsko-Solnechnogorsk defensive operation
    On November 15th, 1941, the last defensive operation of the Red Army in the Battle of Moscow began. Soviet troops managed to hold off the enemy offensive — the front line was halted 14 kilometers from the capital. In December, the USSR launched a counter-offensive, and the Axis forces, thanks to the halt near Moscow, additionally had to defend in that direction.

    November 16th — November 19th
    Operation Crusader
    On November 18th, 1941, Allied forces under British leadership launched an operation to prevent the Axis forces from advancing to the Suez Canal into Egypt. It was successful: Britain defeated Wehrmacht forces for the first time, and New Zealand forces were able to lift the seven and a half month long siege of Tobruk.

    November 19th — November 22nd
    Operation Uranus
    On November 19th, 1942, the final operation of the Battle of Stalingrad began. Through the efforts of three fronts, Soviet forces surrounded, defeated and later forced surrender of about 20 German divisions. The victory at Stalingrad became a turning point in the course of the Second World War.

    November 23rd — November 26th
    Formation of the fighter regiment "Normandie-Niemen"
    On November 25th, 1942, the USSR and France concluded an agreement on the formation of a French aviation squadron on the territory of the USSR. It was named in honor of the French province of Normandy, and on November 28th, 1944, the unit, which by that time had already become a regiment, was named “Normandy-Neman” for its combat merits during the crossing of the Neman River during the liberation of Lithuania.

    November 27th — November 30th
    Operation Tariq al-Qods
    On November 29th, 1981, Iran launched an operation to liberate the city of Bostan, previously captured by Iraq. The Iranians suffered significant casualties as they relied heavily on massive frontal attacks, but they managed to dislodge the Iraqis from their positions and liberate one of their cities for the first time in the war. Subsequently, the offensive continued until southern Iran was completely liberated.
    War Thunder - Blitzkrieg Wulf


    The spOoOoky season is upon us, which means beasts of the night — black cats, bats and killer snails have arrived in War Thunder to celebrate Halloween! Participate in Halloween themed events, get unique decals and decorate your vehicles to get into the holiday spirit.

    When: From October 27th (12:00 GMT) until November 1st (7:00 GMT)!

    The Dead Man’s Chest and Witch’s Cauldron trophies are once again available to purchase in the in-game store! In them, you’ll be able to get Halloween decals and decorations. Two new decals have arrived too: the “Angry Black Cat” decal and “The Bat” decal!

    Decals in the Dead Man’s Chest

    “Angry Black Cat” decal
    “The Bat” decal
    “Killer Snail” decal
    “Fiery Eye” decal

    Ground event: “Through creepy places”
    Decals from the Dead Man’s Chest can also be obtained in the M18 “Witch tank” event for 300 rating points! Take a quick ride through creepy places in this creepy vehicle and claim your prize!

    Air event: “Witch Hunt”
    Decals can be earned in the Po-2 “Night Witch” aircraft race as well. Maneuver between rocky cliffs and try to survive: 300 rating points will not earn themselves!

    In addition to this, 1,000 pilots with the highest rating in the “Witch Hunt” aircraft racing event will be rewarded with the Po-2 aircraft for the USSR. This reward will be given out 48 hours after the event ends. You can track your rating by clicking on the “Reward” button in the “Events” window. The update time for the leaderboard is around every 15 minutes.

    So, get playing and celebrate the spooky season with style in War Thunder!
    ...