Jan 25, 2024
Server Update 25.01.2024
War Thunder - magazine2


  • The planned Battle Rating changes have been implemented.
  • Changes to the rotation of available Battle Rating brackets in Air Simulator Battles will take effect in the next rotation change.
  • The maximum luminosity and burning time of BOL flares have been reduced in accordance with the mass of pyrotechnic compound. The number of BOL countermeasures in one salvo has been doubled to maintain sufficient effectiveness (released in one of the previous updates).
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.
Jan 25, 2024
Call of the Dragon: Object 292
War Thunder - magazine2


We’re taking a look at the main reward of the Call of the Dragon event, which is the Object 292, an experimental Soviet MBT based on the T-80 series tank that features a 152 mm smoothbore gun!

Object 292: An Event Vehicle MBT for the USSR at Rank VII

Features:
  • Long-barreled 152 mm gun!
  • Autoloader.
  • Laser rangefinder.
  • Good mobility.
  • Average armor protection.

Meet the Object 292!

Let’s take a moment to think about what Soviet MBTs, armed with a 152 mm gun, would be like? They’d be like the Object 292, which is an experimental tank based on the T-80BV chassis that has a 152 mm smoothbore cannon. This tank is the main reward vehicle for the Call of Dragon event — let’s take a look!



The stand-out and most noticeable feature of the Object 292 is without a doubt its gun. This is a huge 152 mm LP-83 smoothbore cannon that’s stabilized, produces a lot of recoil and also has an autoloader! Thanks to its length, the general characteristics of shells have improved in terms of muzzle velocity and penetration, where the available two are an APFSDS and HE shell. In terms of ammo load and rate of fire, this tank can store 30 rounds of ammunition in total, including 16 already in the autoloader, which can be fired at a rate of 6 rounds per minute. Not bad for a gun of this size!



Interesting:In addition to the Kirov plant in Leningrad, development of 152 mm guns was carried out at the Ural Design Bureau of Transport Engineering (“Object 195”) and the Kharkov Malyshev Plant (“Boxer” project).

Moving onto the Object 292’s chassis and speed, which is essentially the same as T-80 tanks that we’ve all come to know: a good maximum speed and a good power-to-weight ratio. On solid ground, the Object 292 can reach speeds of 70 km/h, where it’s also able to drive well in off-road conditions and maneuver without much of an issue. As you may expect, the weakest part about the Object 292’s mobility is the slow reverse speed, however this is still higher than on the T-72 series.



In War Thunder, the Object 292 is modeled exactly how the real prototype itself was tested. All types of ERA have been removed, and steel blocks have been placed on the turret acting as weight imitators. Therefore in terms of armor, the Object 292’s is generally a “naked” T-80, meaning it has vulnerable sides on the hull and turret. The frontal armor will struggle against APFSDS rounds above 105 mm caliber, and ATGMs, especially tandem charge, will not have any problem going through. You may have also noticed that the turret shape is slightly different, and you’d be right! This is because the back of the turret area has extended to accommodate the new massive breech and its recoil, and to store shells.



The Object 292 is the main reward of the Call of the Dragon event which is going to be starting very soon. Keep an eye out on the news to find out about the event how and exactly it will work so that you can get this awesome tank!

Click here to learn about the Call of Dragon event
Jan 24, 2024
Su-7BMK returns for the Anniversary of its maiden flight!
War Thunder - magazine2


Soon after the Su-7 jet fighter was put into service, Soviet command instructed the Sukhoi design bureau to create a modification of this aircraft to be a fighter-bomber. At the same time, the USSR decided to completely abolish attack aircraft in favor of fighter-bomber aircraft. Entering service on January 24th 1961, the Su-7B became the first carrier of nuclear weapons.

The Su-7BMK is available for Golden Eagles!

When: From January 24th (13:00 GMT) until January 26th (11:00 GMT).
Where: USSR > Aviation > Premium vehicles.

About this aircraft
  • The Su-7BMK is an export version of the Su-7BM fighter-bomber. This speedy and fast-climbing aircraft is capable of carrying a large array of diverse weapon options. Some of these include regular FAB-500M-54 bombs, OFAB-250 bombs, S-3K rockets and even large S-24 rockets. Overall the Su-7BMK is an excellent choice for attacking ground targets!
Jan 24, 2024
Warbonds for the Airborne General Battle Pass!
War Thunder - Blitzkrieg Wulf


The Warbond Shop for the “Airborne General” Battle Pass season will start on January 24th and will finish on April 24th.

We’re presenting an interesting range of items that are available for Warbonds and earned in the Battle Pass! There’s decals, decorations, camouflages, a brand-new stylish pinup, and six premium vehicles.

One stand-out premium vehicle for this season’s Warbonds is the Soviet T-34-57 (1943). This tank boasts good sniping abilities, excellent armor penetration for its Rank, and an impressive accuracy with a high rate of fire. Check it out!

The Warbond shop is available to players that have vehicles of rank III and up and is part of the Battle Pass. You can purchase items with the special ‘Warbond’ currency that can be obtained by unlocking Battle Pass levels.
Type 4 (Mod 4)

A rather peculiar gunboat that’s fast and ideal for patrolling. Featuring 2 x 20 mm cannons that are capable of causing great damage to other boats as well as aircraft, and a 37 mm naval cannon on the front.

Ki-61-Ib (USA)

A Fighter that’s capable of dealing with other fighters and bombers well thanks to its impressive rate of climb and good ammunition amount for its 4 x 12.7 mm machine guns.

M14/41 (47/40)

Small and nimble, this Italian tank is strong at its Rank thanks to its good gun, excellent rate of fire and APBC shell!

Z47 — first time in the Warbond shop

A German Destroyer with fast-firing main caliber guns, good air defense capabilities and secondary weapons for use against boats and aircraft. Overall a great support ship!

Yak-3 (France)

The Yak-3 that was used by the “Normandie-Nieman” squadron. This aircraft is one of the best French fighters at Rank III thanks to its fantastic performance characteristics and excellent engine that allows it to quickly accelerate, gain altitude fast and manuever well.

T-34-57 (1943)


A versatile tank that’s perfect for both close range attacks from flanking thanks to its great mobility, and for sniping at longer ranges. Its 57 mm cannon can penetrate almost any enemy at its Rank, even from a decent distance!


“Aries Zodiac” pinup

For this Battle Pass Warbond shop, there’s a trophy that contains decals that are from the 2022 Warbond shop, as well as the new “Aries Zodiac” pinup, which continues the series of themed decals. You’ll also find decorations in the “Helmet” trophy that’ll enhance the looks of your tanks! In addition to this, Player Profile icons are available in their own trophy, and this time include US tankers. To top it all off, trophies that contain random camouflages as usual become available as new store levels are unlocked.

A large number of usable items are also available in the Warbond shop: boosters, universal backups, wagers and orders, test drives of premium vehicles — even talismans are obtainable at the highest levels of the shop.

Check out the full range of available Warbond items for the current Battle Pass season and the terms for purchasing them in the game by opening the Battle Pass window or “Shop -> Warbond Shop”!
Jan 23, 2024
Introducing War Thunder’s New Event Cycle
War Thunder - Blitzkrieg Wulf


We’ve got some news to share with you. From now on, we’ll be using a brand-new event cycle where events will start almost consecutively and will (wherever possible) be tied to real-life events.

In addition to this, each event — except the Winter event and some cosmetic only events — will only have one vehicle dedicated to them. Every event will last on average 12-18 days, where when it finishes, there’ll be a small pause of a few days until the next one begins.

The first event in this new cycle is due to start very soon — keep an eye out for all of the details surrounding this on January 25th.

Since each event will only have one vehicle, today we’re announcing the first three: the first event will have a Tank as the main reward, the event after will have an Aircraft as the main reward, and the event after a Naval Vessel, where events will follow this general cycle throughout the year.

Each event will be mission points based to earn tasks, where the amount of mission points required to obtain each task depends on the vehicle’s rank. The required amount will range from 35,000 to 45,000 mission points for each task (usually per 2 days).

That’s about it! If you’ve got some questions, we’ve got some answers. Check out the FAQ that we’ve prepared.

FAQ: Some answers to questions you may have
[expand type=details]
Q: If each event will only have one vehicle, will there be ground, air and naval vehicle rewards in the future?
  • A: Yes. As mentioned in the news, the first event will be dedicated to a tank, the event after will be dedicated to an aircraft, and the one after, a naval vessel. Afterwards, a repeated cycle of each vehicle type (in most cases) will occur.
Q: With this format, does this mean that there’ll always be events throughout the year?
  • A: Yes. However it depends on the month and when events finish or start, but generally there will be 2-3 days of no events until the next event starts. The longest current gap planned is almost 1 month in the summer until the next one starts.
Q: Why have you chosen this format?
  • A: Based on player feedback, we want to provide players with ways to obtain all vehicles in events rather than only a select few. With consecutive events, players will be able to obtain vehicle types they want and miss vehicles they don’t want.
Q: Does this mean there’s no more crafting events?
  • A: Yes. Crafting events in their previous format will no longer be a thing in War Thunder.
Q: Will the types of vehicle rewards change compared to how old events worked?
  • A: Each event will only be dedicated to one vehicle (with the exception of the Winter event). The type of vehicle in each event will be a mix of high, medium and low tiers, where the required number of mission points, tasks and stage purchase cost will vary in each event depending on the vehicle’s rank.
Q: Will events tied to real-life events have related cosmetics?
  • A: Yes, where possible. When an event is tied to a real-life event, it will have related cosmetics too. However, not all events will be tied to something — it will be tied wherever possible. If it’s not possible, the event theme will be something unrelated, and random.
Got any more questions? Let us know in the comments and we’ll do our best to answer them!
[/expand]
Jan 23, 2024
Update 2.33.0.77
War Thunder - magazine2


Other
  • A bug that caused some location bushes to not be destroyed by shots has been fixed.
  • A bug where damage was incorrectly calculated in Naval battles has been fixed.
  • A bug that caused the commander’s sight to rapidly twitch when turning the camera has been fixed.
  • A bug that caused the ATGM icon to not be highlighted when it was selected as a controlled weapon has been fixed.
Sound
  • A bug that caused some automatic cannons to sound like machine guns has been fixed. (Report)
  • A bug that affected the audibility of allied and enemy ground vehicles at lower RPMs has been fixed.
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.
Jan 22, 2024
Meet Airborne General, the 14th Season of the Battle Pass!
War Thunder - Blitzkrieg Wulf


The M551 Sheridan light tank was named in honor of General Philip Sheridan, an American Civil War General. Equipped with a 76mm M32 cannon, this tank is the main reward of the 14th Battle Pass Season in War Thunder!

New! You’ll now automatically receive all Battle Pass rewards that you earn, even if you forget to claim them on time. At the end of the season, all unclaimed rewards will be credited to your account when you first log into the game. This new feature has already come into effect, which means that you’re guaranteed to receive your earned rewards in the current 13th Battle Pass Season, which ends on January 24th.

To receive Battle Pass rewards, you’ll need to regularly log into the game and complete tasks and challenges. Each level of the Battle Pass will earn you a prize, be it a player icon, loading screen, title, decals, decorations, or 3 brand-new premium vehicles!

Meet Season 14 of the Battle Pass!

When: From January 24th until April 24th.

This Season’s Rewards

We’ve got a new set of decals, decorations, a profile icon and vehicles lined up for you this season! See the full list in the Battle Pass tab in the hangar, or check them out on our Wiki. Here’s some key rewards for Season 14:

Le Triomphant
A Premium Destroyer for France at Rank III.

Le Triomphant is now going to be one of the fastest Destroyers in the game. Thanks to its amazing speed, this ship is able to quickly get to advantageous positions on the seas. Combining this with its 4 x 138.6 mm main caliber cannons, you’re going to be giving any enemy at this rank a hard time!



IL-8 (1944)
A Premium Strike Aircraft for the USSR at Rank III.

A modernized variant of the IL-2 attack aircraft, equipped with a new engine and a bomb load up to 1000 kg. Fast and easy to use, this aircraft is going to be fun to play in both ground and air battles.



M551(76)
A Premium Light Tank for the USA at Rank IV.

The “Airborne General” Sheridan, who’s given this season its name! This is the M551 Sheridan with the M41 Walker Bulldog’s gun, a two-plane stabilzer and an increased turret traverse speed — perfect for an aggressive playstyle!




Decals

4 decals!


Emblem of the 1st Marine Infantry Parachute Regiment
Emblem of the 101st Airborne Division Headquarters



Emblem of the Paramarines
Emblem of 9th Paratroopers Assault Regiment


3D decorations

3 decorations!


Automatic grenade launcher (USA) (tank)
Modern Assault rifle (USA) (tank)
Airdropped barrel (ship)

Profile Icon


US Paratrooper


All Rewards and Challenges for Season 14

About the Battle Pass

If you’ve got two Coupon Upgrades from stages in the previous season, then you can claim the new Battle Pass for free! Exchange them in the purchase menu of the Airborne General season.

The Battle Pass is a seasonal event where players can earn many rewards, from Silver Lions and boosters to exclusive season prizes: decorations, profile icons and premium vehicles. The rules are simple: you earn progress points and use them to unlock new stages, earning valuable prizes in the process.

You can unlock new stages and receive awards at any time during the season.


You can access the “Battle Pass” window through the promo block on the right side of the hangar screen.

How to participate
Play
  • You get progress points every day for entering the game.
  • From 1 to 5 points.
Complete Battle Tasks
  • You can check your Battle Tasks in the game. Complete them and receive progress points.
  • From 2 to 5 points.
Complete Season Challenges
  • One Challenge is available at the start of the season. Every week you get a new one, while three more can become available by unlocking stages.
  • 30 points.
Learn more about the Battle Pass
Jan 19, 2024
Screenshot Competition - Making Waves!
War Thunder - Blitzkrieg Wulf


Welcome to the 103rd War Thunder Steam Screenshot Competition!

The screenshots all of you submitted last week looked great! Heavy vehicles have some obvious advantages over their lighter weight alternatives, but the lighter vehicles are far more versatile! The three most popular and three selected by us will get 300 GE. See the winners down below!

Let’s begin the 103rd edition of our competition!

Create a stunning screenshot and submit it on the War Thunder Steam Community Hub with the tag #WTscreen103. You have time until the 26th of January 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 feature a naval aircraft, amphibious tank, or naval vessel.
  • You must add the #WTscreen103 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 102nd edition - Lightweight!

    Winners selected via community votes:
    https://steamcommunity.com/sharedfiles/filedetails/?id=3139879805
    https://steamcommunity.com/sharedfiles/filedetails/?id=3138921128
    https://steamcommunity.com/sharedfiles/filedetails/?id=3140059349

    Winners selected by our judges:
    https://steamcommunity.com/sharedfiles/filedetails/?id=3141733905
    https://steamcommunity.com/sharedfiles/filedetails/?id=3139186940
    https://steamcommunity.com/sharedfiles/filedetails/?id=3138505291

    Each winner will get 300GE! Congratulations and see you next week!
    Jan 19, 2024
    Battle Pass Vehicles: M551(76)
    War Thunder - Blitzkrieg Wulf


    Today we’re showing you the rather interesting M551(76), an American light tank coming to the game in the upcoming Battle Pass season called “Airborne General”!

    M551(76): A Premium Light Tank for the USA at Rank IV

    Features:
    • Effective APDS shell.
    • Gun stabilizer!
    • High turret traverse speed.
    • Light armor.


    Meet the M551(76)!

    The M551(76) is a premium light tank and the main prize of the upcoming Battle Pass season in War Thunder, which we’ve named “Airborne General” in honor of this tank. What do you get when you combine the M551’s chassis and turret and stick the M41 Walker Bulldog’s 76 mm gun in it? You get the M551(76), which will offer you a lot of advantages! Let’s take a closer look.

    Interesting: The M551 was given the nickname Sheridan in honor of Philip Sheridan, a United States Civil War General.



    In an attempt to solve problems with the Sheridan’s 152 mm gun, engineers proposed to use a gun that had lower recoil, one of which included the M32 76 mm cannon which is found on this tank. Capable of firing a high-penetrating APDS shell, the 76 mm cannon has great accuracy and is backed up by a two-plane stabilizer, something not found on the M41 Walker Bulldog. Combining this new addition and a higher turret traverse speed than the M41 (a whopping 40 degrees a second on a top crew!), the M551(76) can be put to good use while on the move, and is great at reacting to new threats quickly thanks to the fast turret traverse.



    Did you know? The M551 Sheridan light tank could not only parachute from aircraft, but also float. To do this, the crew needed to install a special set of equipment which literally made it look like a boat. We’ve not got this in War Thunder because the gun couldn’t be used while amphibious, and it would simply take too much time to set up!

    Moving onto the M551(76)’s chassis, which stays the same and is generally no different from the standard M551 already in the game: very light armor so that mass remains as low as possible, decent driving characteristics and a great top speed of 69 km/h.



    In your matches by Tom, Community Management Team Leader:“The key element this vehicle offers is reaction time, so it’s important to factor this advantage into how you play. An aggressive flanking playstyle will work well here — you want to try to catch enemies out while they’re on the move as you can fire at them accurately before they can in the majority of cases, which is a huge advantage. Try to avoid sitting still and playing defensive, if you’re just sitting there covering a signline your main advantages aren’t being utilised, and you’d be better off playing another tank. Keep moving, keep being aggressive, and the nukes will flow.”


    The premium M551(76) can be yours by completing tasks in the upcoming Battle Pass season that’s set to start on January 24th, named “Airborne General”. We’re sure that this new Sheridan is going to be a popular one amongst those of you who enjoy light tanks and premiums! Make sure to keep an eye out for the news regarding the upcoming Battle Pass on Monday January 22nd. Until then, see you!
    Jan 18, 2024
    Battle Pass Vehicles: IL-8
    War Thunder - Blitzkrieg Wulf


    We present to you the experimental IL-8 which is an improved variant of the famous IL-2 attack aircraft. What’s the difference? It has an increased bomb load and signature survivability that’s common to the IL series of aircraft. This new aircraft is available in the new season of the upcoming Battle Pass!

    IL-8: A Premium Soviet Attack Aircraft at Rank III

    Features:
    • Bomb loads up to 1000 kg.
    • Good survivability.
    • No rockets.
    • Low speed.


    Meet the IL-8!

    Welcome to the main aircraft prize of the upcoming Battle Pass season — the Soviet IL-8 attack aircraft! This is a modernized version of the earlier versions of the IL-2 that features a new engine and an increased bomb load. You’ll be able to earn this aircraft in the Battle Pass for free by going through Battle Pass levels. Let’s take a closer look!

    The IL-8 is fitted with a brand-new AM-42 engine, which in turn has made it noticeably faster at higher altitudes despite its increased weight. Of course the IL-8 is heavy and can only dream of being a fighter aircraft, but reaching speeds of over 400 km/h is now quite possible even when using a medium-sized bomb loadout.



    Interesting: Unlike the IL-2, the gunner on the IL-8 is also protected by armor on the sides and bottom. The total mass of armored parts on the IL-8 was 1110 kg!

    However the main changes to the IL-8 in the game are at its secondary weapons. There’s some good and bad news: the bad news is that this aircraft does not have any unguided rockets, and the good news is that the total payload has increased to 1000 kg! Thanks to this, at your disposal, you’ll now have a pair of 500 kg bombs and access to the secondary weapon menu, allowing you to place bombs wherever you wish on available bomb pylons.



    Along with the increased bomb load and improved speed, playing the IL-8 will be a very similar playstyle to playing the IL-2 attack aircraft. After you’ve dropped your bombs, using the 23 mm cannons against AI columns in aircraft battles and in shooting open-top or the sides of some lighter tanks in ground battles is ideal. With a bit of practice, you’ll also be able to easily shoot down enemy fighter aircraft at lower altitudes with the deadly 23 mm cannons. As for survivability, the IL-8 can survive a good amount of hits from machine guns, where it’s capable of returning to the airfield to repair any damage. This is thanks to the armored area around the cockpit and frontal area that protects the pilot and engine from incoming bullets. In addition to this, just like on later IL-2s, the back gunner has a 12.7 mm machine gun, where on the IL-8 this area is also protected by bulletproof armor.



    In your matches by Ilya, Community Manager: “Finally, pilots of the USSR have an IL with a 1000 kg bomb load! At its rank, it’ll be a very good option for both air and ground battles. In ground battles, I would advise flying into the combat area with tanks at extremely low altitudes so that you can avoid SPAA and in-coming aircraft. In air battles, look for cover from allied fighters or other attack aircraft. The slow IL, despite its survivability, can still be chewed up quickly if alone. Always use delayed fuses on your bombs, and always invest crew points into your tail gunner, which is a key to survival!”



    That’s everything! You’ll be able to receive this cool, plus easy-to-use attack aircraft as a free prize in the upcoming Battle Pass season — the IL-8 will come in handy in any gamemode, so don’t miss your opportunity to grab it. Tomorrow we’ll be telling you about the main tank prize, and on Monday we’ll announce the full list of prizes and conditions for the upcoming season. Stay tuned!
    ...