War Thunder

Four New & Unique Vehicles Are Obtainable In This Year’s In-game-Event Series, Plus Plenty of Decals, Decorations And More

Gaijin Entertainment’s vehicular combat MMO War Thunder has launched the “Chronicles of World War II”, a series of in-game events recreating some of the most important battles of World War II. Between mid-April and Victory Day in May, players can take part in more than 40 of the biggest military clashes of the 20th century and earn four new and unique premium vehicles in the process. Available are the armored car T18E2 for the United States, the Lorraine 155 MLE.50 tank destroyer for France, the Whirlwind P.9 attacker for Great Britain and the TANDEM-MAI multipurpose fighter for the USSR. Apart from the exclusive vehicles, event participants can earn dozens of dedicated decals and decorations, which all will be available only during this year’s series.

All in-game events of the series are held in their historical chronological order, beginning with the German invasion of the USSR in 1941 until the final Battle for Berlin in 1945. Pilots and tankers will clash on the hot deserts of North Africa, fight along the narrow streets of European cities and hunt each other in the skies above the Pacific Ocean. Every day, six new events are available in all difficulty settings, through which participants can earn the “Chronicle Awards” necessary for unlocking the aforementioned content.

In addition to the exclusive rewards obtainable in the events, special bonuses including premium vehicles are also available by fulfilling tasks in War Thunder’s regular random battles and earning “Parts” in the process. With those, players can obtain decorative items and decals that were previously available only in specials and later also use them to unlock the premium lend-lease Matilda Mk. II infantry tank for the USSR and premium PV-2D Harpoon bomber for the USA. The number of tasks performed by all players of War Thunder is tracked on the game’s official website, and whenever it reaches a certain milestone, in-game participants receive awards and, ultimately, the blueprints to assemble both the tank and bomber for free.

More information about the events and obtainable awards, including historical and technical information on the unique premium vehicles, can be found on the official War Thunder website HERE.

A Unique Spitfire Up For Grabs, Plus Other Specials And A Massive Discount

Gaijin Entertainment and the vehicular combat MMO War Thunder commemorate the recent centenary of the Royal Air Force this upcoming weekend. Available are a host of in-game specials, including the chance for all players to obtain a new and unique model of the famous Spitfire, as well as a massive discount on a special pack of premium aircraft perfect for British aviation enthusiasts.

Britain, which is one of the oldest nations playable in War Thunder, is a favorite of hundreds of thousands of virtual pilots from all over the globe, fascinating players with its exceptional aircraft ranging from the trusty Gloster Gladiator biplane to the impressive Hawker Hunter jet fighter. Almost 100 different aircraft are playable in total, including not only fighters, but also well-known World War II veterans such as the Swordfish torpedo-bomber that helped sink the German battleship Bismarck, the Beaufighter as the world’s first aircraft designed to fit a radar device, or the Gloster Meteor, the only jet to participate on the Allied side in the war.

The country’s most famous wartime development, the renown Supermarine Spitfire, is represented in War Thunder with more than 20 different models alone. Players will be able to obtain a unique model, the Spitfire F.Mk.IXc equipped with four powerful 20mm Hispano cannons, for the first time ever during the centenary festivities by participating in an in-game tournament hosted on this occasion. A true legend both in real-life and in War Thunder indeed, the Spitfire is perfectly captivated in the recent episode of the game’s “Legends” series on YouTube.

Furthermore, all players will be able to obtain a unique RAF decal to decorate their favorite aircraft with by fulfilling in-game tasks. Two rare premium aircraft, the Spitfire LF Mk. IX flown by Southern Rhodesian ace pilot John Plagis and the Typhoon Mk. Ib, will be available for purchase using the in-game currency Golden Eagles throughout the upcoming weekend.

And as a special treat for all British aviation enthusiasts, the War Thunder store offers a great selection of the country’s most popular aircraft bundled in the special “His Majesty’s Finest” pack available at a whopping 30% discount. Besides plenty of Golden Eagles and Premium time, the bundle includes the Spitfire FR Mk. XIVe flown by the Canadian John Prendergast, one of the last pilots to fly reconnaissance over Normandy ahead of D-Day, the multi-role strike aircraft Westland Wyvern and the Martin-Baker MB 5 prototype fighter, one of the most advanced aircraft of its time.

More information about the centenary specials are available on the official War Thunder website.

Massive Update 1.77 ‘Advancing Storm’ enhances visuals, audio, and enters next-gen armored warfare with M1 Abrams, Challenger 1, Leopard 2K, T-64B & more

Gaijin Entertainment today announced the release of major Update 1.77 ‘Advancing Storm’ for its vehicular combat MMOG War Thunder. ‘Advancing Storm’  introduces the PC and console versions of War Thunder to Gaijin’s new and improved Dagor 5.0 engine, capable of near photo realistic environments and vehicles. The update also adds nearly two dozen new vehicles, including five next generation tanks on Rank VI: the M1 Abrams, Challenger 1, Leopard 2K, T-64B and AMX-30B2 Brenus.

Among the graphical improvements introduced with Dagor Engine 5.0 are technologies like Global Illumination (GI) and Contact Shadows. Together with photorealistic weather effects, volumetric fog and smoke, War Thunder is now visually more much more life-like and detailed. Also new is Temporal Anti-Aliasing (Variance Clipping TAA), an anti-aliasing algorithm that greatly reduces the visible “noise” on distant vegetation, smooths the appearance of objects, and adds more detail to surfaces. Furthermore, the creation of landscapes was improved with the addition of visible reliefs via displacement mapping, resulting in much more visually diverse environments. Roads, for example, now have potholes, ruts and may show puddles of slush, water or mud – with the latter depending on the current weather and type of terrain. These landscape changes are visible to players on all graphics settings.

Accompanying the visual improvements is a complete redesign of in-game sound effects. Each shot effect is now created from several layers of sounds that correspond to peak and residual effects. Thus, experienced tankers are now able to determine the caliber of the cannon that fired the shot, even from distance. The effects themselves received additional details, so players can now hear the sound of cases dropping as they fire, or the working loading mechanisms of their cannons. Aircraft sounds are more vibrant and powerful. Further improvements are also planned for future updates.

Several next generation main battle tanks of the 1970s and 1980s now reinforce the arsenal of War Thunder on Rank VI: the U.S. M1 Abrams, British Challenger 1, German Leopard 2K, Soviet T-64B and French AMX-30B2 Brenus. All of them boast powerful weapons, armor, high speed, and mobility. Noteworthy here is the special cannon of the T-64B that allows it to fire ‘Cobra’ guided anti-tank missiles and the AMX-30B2 Brenus’ powerful reactive armor. Some of the vehicles introduced with Update 1.77 are still in service today.

German pilots can look forward to the heavy Heinkel He 177 A-5 Greif bomber, which was created by a War Thunder player under the Revenue Share Partner Program. You can follow up on the He 177’s creation process on War Thunder Live.

Update 1.77 ‘Advancing Storm’ features plenty of other graphical improvements, vehicles and changes. Read more on the official War Thunder website.

Major content update also adds new game mechanics, maps, vehicles and sets stage for the popular New Year’s Marathon offering free unique vehicles to all players

Gaijin Entertainment released Update 1.75 “La Resistance” for its vehicular combat MMO War Thunder. Besides adding more than a dozen aircraft, new locations, and a new reconnaissance mechanic for light tanks, the update introduces the previously announced Ground Forces research tree for France. Furthermore, the update sets the stage for the popular New Year’s marathon, where players can obtain tanks and aircraft unique to this year’s event. Watch the War Thunder: Update 1.75 ‘La Résistance’ trailer HERE.

The French Ground Forces research tree starts with a staggering amount of 35 vehicles from Rank I all the way to Rank VI, encompassing early tanks of the 1930s as well as modern vehicles from the late stages of the Cold War. The production of the most modern model in War Thunder, the AMX-30V2, began in 1982 and it is still in service today with several armies worldwide.

Together with the French Ground Forces comes the new combined battles location “Maginot Line”, portraying one of the sectors of France’s famous fortification line against Germany with its bunkers, a small town and even a medieval castle. Another new location, “Middle East”, sees combat between a ruined city and an oil plant located in the blazing desert sand.

A new reconnaissance game mechanic has been introduced for light tanks of all nations, which greatly expands the teamplay value for this type of vehicles. Now, light tanks can transmit information about enemy vehicles to their teammates and can assist all allies with repairs on the battlefield. More information about this is available HERE.

The air forces of War Thunder have received more than a dozen of new machines, including the twin-engined World War II machines Yak-2, Yak-4 for the Soviet Union and the British Whirlwind. New post-war fighters wait for the US and Japan, with the F3D-1 Skyknight and F-86-F40 Kyokko, respectively.

To celebrate the festive season, pilots and tankers of War Thunder can obtain unique Premium vehicles for free. For pilots, the P-40C for the USA and a captured Fw 190 A-8 in the French tree are available, while tankers can get the British wheeled armored car AEK Mark II, which is equipped with a tank turret, and a German Panther tank that is disguised as an American M10 tank destroyer. Specifically created for the New Year’s marathon this year, these vehicles can only be obtained during this event by fulfilling specific tasks available from 22 December to 22 January. Further rewards include boosters, decals and 3D decorative items.

To download War Thunder, please visit the official War Thunder website.

Gaijin Entertainment announced today that the next content update to its vehicular combat MMO War Thunder will introduce French Ground Forces. Following the addition of the French Air Force early in November with Update 1.73 “Vive la France”, the French Army will enter the battlefields of War Thunder with dozens of armoured vehicles available from rank I to rank VI. New technology peculiar to French tanks, such as oscillating turrets and drum-fed autoloaders, will open new tactical opportunities to players.

On the early ranks, French tanks are generally well-armoured, which will provide good protection for the small crew of only three men. Most outstanding here are the heavy tanks, the Char B1bis and Char B1ter, which are not only exceptionally well protected, but also offer a large crew and powerful armament. Their low speed and maneuverability however leaves them vulnerable whenever rapid movement is required, e.g. to position correctly against the most powerful cannons or evade airborne attacks. To avoid rockets and bombs, players of the early French heavy tanks will have to pay close attention not only to the battlefield itself, but also to the situation above it.

Starting with the medium ranks, several French tanks are equipped with automatic loading devices. These autoloaders allow for a number of shots to be taken in quick succession, followed by a very long reload time. This allows players on more modern French vehicles equipped with this technology to push fast aggressive armored assaults against the enemy.

Post-war vehicles of the French nation feature yet another characteristic new to War Thunder – oscillating turrets. These turrets are divided into two sections, with the upper responsible for cannon elevation and the lower for turret traverse. This ingenious engineering solution significantly reduced the size of the turret, making it a much more difficult target.

The first two tanks in War Thunder that combine both of these new technologies are the AMX-13 SS.11 and the M4A1 FL10, with the latter being a modification of the American Sherman tank. The turrets of both vehicles are equipped with an autoloaded 75mm cannon featuring two six-round drum magazines, allowing each to take a series of 12 shots in quick succession. Due to the long time required to change the two drums, finding a safe place after an attack is important. However the AMX-13 S.11 is also equipped with four guided anti-tank missiles, so even being spotted during reload does not necessarily mean game over.

For more information about these vehicles and other upcoming French tanks, follow the War Thunder Developer Diaries page.

To download War Thunder, please visit the official War Thunder website.

War Thunder Rolls Out New Nation with French Aircraft to be Released with the Next Update

Gaijin Entertainment’s announced that its MMO combat game War Thunder will soon introduce fans to its seventh nation, France. Update 1.73 will add more than 30 French aircraft, including planes the late 1930’s to the modern, multi-purpose jet fighters of the post war years.

“Some of the French planes included in Update 1.73 never entered mass production because of the demands of World War II, so information on them was difficult to source. We spent more than a year in development, searching for various references and painstakingly recreating these rare planes to make War Thunder’s French aviation. We are sure that the pilots of War Thunder will look forward to finally testing these machines in battle,” says Kirill Yudintsev, Creative Director of Gaijin Entertainment.

Fighter pilots will join the ranks of the French Air Force tree in the Dewoitine D.371, which was one of France’s first developments away from the old-fashioned biplanes to the faster but still maneuverable monoplanes. While the D.371 did not participate in the battles of World War II, it earned recognition during the Spanish Civil War, where it fought on the Republican side against the Nationalist forces, amongst them, future Luftwaffe aces. Three variations of this fighter with different machine gun armaments will be available immediately after release, as well as the premium D.371 H.S.9 with two 20mm cannons.

During the war, a growing characteristic of French aviation design was the tendency towards universal, multi-purpose combat aircraft. In the post-war era, this tendency became the standard design philosophy for French jet aircraft. By a successful combination of various offensive and secondary armaments, those aircraft could successfully perform the tasks of both fighters and bombers.

A prime example of this philosophy is the SNCASO SO.8000 Narval, a highly unusual fighter with a pusher propeller design. This aircraft can excel at a variety of tasks, from intercepting enemy aircraft to supporting ground forces and reconnaissance. In its standard configuration the SO.8000 features an impressive armament of six 20mm cannons, but if the aircraft is tasked to engage ground targets, it can be further equipped with two bombs and eight unguided rockets.

For more information about the upcoming French aircraft follow the announcement in the War Thunder Developer Diaries.

To download War Thunder, please visit the official War Thunder website.

Content Update Extends Ground Forces To Rank VI, Adds New Vehicles, Maps & Gameplay Improvements

Gaijin Entertainment today announced the release of Update 1.71 “New Era” for its vehicular combat MMO War Thunder. The content update opens a new Rank VI for modern ground vehicles, adds almost 3 dozen of new tanks and aircraft, introduces new locations, and several gameplay features including the ability to control gunner positions on aircraft in first person mode.

Modern Ground Forces on Rank VI
The new Rank VI for ground vehicles will feature combat vehicles from the 1960’s to 1970’s and introduce technologies typical for modern-day tank construction. New generations of armour – composite and explosive reactive armor (ERA) – will offer vehicles with increased protection against projectiles and missiles. Stabilized cannons allow for more precision based-firing while on the move. Smokescreen launchers, hydraulic suspension systems, and modern Anti-tank guided missile launchers will add new tactical opportunities, making the gameplay on high-ranked vehicles even more dynamic and diverse.

Almost Three Dozen New Vehicles
The first released Rank VI vehicles are the T-64A and BMP-1 for the USSR, the M60A1 Rise(P) and MBT-70 for the USA, the Chieftain Mk.10 and FV102 Striker for Britain, and the KPz 70 for Germany. The other ranks will receive a combined total of two dozen of new tanks and planes. New aircraft include the XA-38 Grizzly for the USA, a ground attacker armed with a 75mm cannon designed to combat heavily armored tanks, and the Soviet flying boat Be-6, which is equipped with a total of five 23mm cannons in three turrets and can carry up to four tons of bombs.

New Locations For Tanks And Aircraft
Accompanying the update is ‘Fulda Gap’, the most modern map ever released in War Thunder. Located at the inner German border during the height of the Cold War, the center point of this scenic map is a wide stretch of land between US and USSR military bases. Featuring peaceful farmland, an old castle and open fields dotted with wind turbines, the map offers diverse combat opportunities, from long-distance sniper engagements to close quarter combat. Another new location is the ‘Imperial Garden’, where the battle will unfold in a picturesque Japanese village located at the foot of a mountain. Additionally, fans of realistic air battles will now be able to fight for superiority in the skies above “Hürtgen Forest”, scene of the longest battle between German and US troops on German soil.

First-person View From Aircraft Turrets
Now introduced for more than 50 aircraft, players can control the gun turrets of their aircraft in an immersive first-person mode, as if they were sitting right behind the cannon.

Update 1.71 “New Era” is now available for all players of War Thunder. The full list of vehicles, features and improvements is available on the official website HERE.

Gaijin Entertainment today announced that its award-winning MMO WWII online game, War Thunder, is commemorating the Anniversary of the Battle of Britain Day with a weekend event and brand a new video from their “Legends” series. Focusing on one of the defenders of the British skies – the Supermarine Spitfire this World War Two fighter was fast, highly maneuverable and played a vital role in defending Britain from constant aerial attack in the summer of 1940. Today you will be able to participate in an exciting tournament dedicated to the Spitfire series – fight valiantly and take your reward!

Check out the “Legends” video HERE.

War Thunder Spitfire Event Details

TODAY is the 77th commemoration of the Battle of Britain – the historic clash between the RAF and the German Luftwaffe during World War Two. On this day in 1940, the Luftwaffe embarked on their largest bombing attack yet, forcing the engagement of the entirety of the the Royal Air Force (RAF) in defence of London and the South East, which resulted in a decisive British victory that proved to mark a turning point in Britain’s favour.

From September 15th 12:00 GMT to September 18th 07:00 GMT
Take part in “Royal joust” event (AB, RB)

All participants are your rivals, only the pilot who is first to destroy 8 enemies wins!

Players should have rank 3 aircraft available for research. You will receive a preset with Spitfires – from the early versions up to the latest. It is up to you in what order you use them though.

Every pilot gives 15,000 Silver Lions when he joins the event, the winner gets 120,000 Silver Lions.

To download War Thunder, please visit the official War Thunder website.

NEW UPDATE TO ADD RANK VI FOR GROUND FORCES

At gamescom 2017, Gaijin Entertainment announced that its popular vehicular combat MMOG War Thunder will soon add a sixth rank for Ground Forces via the upcoming New Era Update. The new rank will feature armoured vehicles from the 1960’s through the 1970’s and introduce new ground combat technologies, such as composite and reactive armour.

New mechanics added to War Thunder will significantly expand gameplay in top-rank battles, offering exciting challenges and skills to master to players. Stabilized cannons, one of the common features of Rank VI vehicles, allow players to shoot effectively on the move, while smokescreen launchers increase survivability after detection and open up new tactical opportunities. The introduction of modern armour technology will offer improved protection against HEAT shells and allow players to act more aggressively on the battlefield, which will see the addition of a great variety of new armoured vehicles from the second half of the 20th century.

At gamescom, the Soviet T-64A and US-American M60A1 RISE (P) were presented as the first vehicles on the new rank to feature modern armour technology. The T-64A, the world’s first mass-produced tank featuring composite armour, became a worldwide standard in tank production. It’s composite armour, which is a combination of several layers of different materials, offered improved protection against HEAT shells. In X-Ray view during the hangar screen, players of the T-64A can see in detail the protection their armour offers.

The M60A1 RISE (P) will be the first tank in War Thunder to feature Explosive Reactive Armour (ERA). Explosive-filled containers placed atop regular armour provide additional protection against HEAT shells. When hit, the detonation forces the container’s upper plate against the HEAT shell’s penetrator (a jet of metal moving at hypersonic speed), greatly reducing its effectiveness. Overwhelmingly useful against the first hit to the area, this type of protection leaves the armour below vulnerable to follow-up shots. The updated hit camera will clearly show attacking players which parts of ERA were hit and destroyed.

Additional iconic vehicles from the second half of the 20th century include the American-German MBT-70 project, or KPz 70 for the German variant. Both feature a powerful 152mm cannon capable of shooting conventional shells and guided missiles. The M50 MAG ‘Ontos’ is a powerful US tank destroyer armed with six 106mm recoilless rifles. The world famous BMP-1 personal carrier will enrich the Soviet tree with an amphibious multi-purpose vehicle equipped with a regular cannon and ATGMs.

Besides new post-war machines, the “New Era” Update will add new ground and air vehicles from earlier periods and some new maps. More information is available on War Thunder’s Development Blog.

Players get the opportunity to unlock four rare vehicles for free in yearly event series and try out five Destroyer-class warships in Naval Forces mode

Gaijin Entertainment today announced a massive expansion to the Naval Forces of the vehicular action MMO War Thunder. Now, each of the five fleets represented in the game’s most recent game mode feature their own Destroyers. These include the 1936-class Z20 Karl Galster for Germany, the Tribal-class for Britain, the 7-U-class for the USSR, the Fletcher-class for the USA and Yugumo-class for Japan. Try all of them in an upcoming Naval Forces testing weekend!

DESTROYERS IN NAVAL FORCES
The first Naval Battles in War Thunder featuring destroyers were received with overwhelmingly positive feedback by the players. Now, Naval Battles feature three different types of vehicles – aircraft, torpedo boats and destroyers – allowing players to perfectly adapt their choice of vehicle to the current situation on the battlefield.

Equipped with the largest-caliber weapons currently available in Naval Forces, Destroyers can engage opponents over extreme distances, even up to the opposite end of the map. To defend themselves from torpedo boats and attacking aircraft, they employ a large variety of lower-caliber automatic machine guns and cannons. The comprehensive, realistic damage model of Destroyers will allow virtual captains to truly feel ‘at the helm’ of a sizeable warship, requiring them to quickly make important tactical decisions. While the captain himself directs the fire of the main cannons, he can decide who are the priority targets for the crew manning the secondary armament, or which sections of the ship to focus on during repairs. In combat, time is of the essence – as damaged destroyers become a prime target for both torpedo boats and bombers.

For those keen to get early access to the regular testing sessions of ship combat in War Thunder and make their voice heard in the development process, more information is available here.

OPERATION S.U.M.M.E.R.
July 28th sees the start of Operation S.U.M.M.E.R., a month-long series of rewarding in-game activities. The two ground vehicles up for grabs this year are the Type 65, a powerful Chinese Anti-Aircraft modification of the famous T-34 medium tank for the Soviet tree, and the German Sd.Kfz. 234/4 “Pakwagen”, a heavy armored car equipped with a 75mm cannon. Virtual pilots will be able to take off in two new monoplane fighter aircraft, the P-43A-1 Lancer for the USA and the Ki-94-II for Japan. Further detailed information on the event and a daily updated calendar will be available on the game’s official website here.

About War Thunder
War Thunder is a free-to-play, cross-platform, massively multiplayer military masterpiece for PC, PS4, Mac and Linux with millions of fans worldwide, that allows players to fight their way across air land and sea with access to over 800+ historically accurate planes and armored vehicles from WWII to the Cold War. Fans can expect hundreds more added as Gaijin Entertainment commits to ongoing development via regular updates. For more information, please visit the official War Thunder website.