Action/Strategy

Wargaming, publisher and developer of World of Warships and World of Warships: Legends, has launched two absolutely packed November updates for their two leading naval MMOs. World of Warships on PC sees playable submarines landing in the tech tree, as well as an impressive selection of Japanese light cruisers entering Early Access. Console players are also treated to new ships and content in World of Warships: Legends with a five-week, 100-milestone campaign where Japanese Premium Tier VIII destroyer Hayate awaits, and a Treasure Chest of pirate content including two new Captains and crates with various plunder inside, including a fistful of guaranteed doubloons.

World of Warships Update 0.11.10 brings a host of graphics improvements to the game. Visuals for a number of maps including “Mountain Range”, “North” and “Strait”have received highly detailed textures, and the “Northern Lights” map has also seen an overhaul to more realistically depict aurora borealis. Vegetation models have also been upgraded across all maps, and ships see improved graphics with a convincing wetting effect implemented, wave divergence changes and dynamic reflections all updated for improved realism.

Kicking off World of Warships November content drop is the introduction of six new Japanese light cruisers to Early Access. These ships are armed with high-damage and high-range torpedoes to strike significant damage on enemies from far away. Further enabling sneak attacks, these cruisers can take advantage of the element of surprise using their good camouflaging. From Tier VII upwards ships in this range sport torpedo tubes equipped with a revolving mechanic, and Tier VIII upwards also see the addition of a large number of main battery guns.

Watch the 0.11.10 update trailer HERE.

These ships are available to players through a wide range of means, with some ships available through consecutive sets like the Agano, Gokase and Shimanto, and others available through combat missions and in random packs.

As these ships enter Early Access, submarines have departed and made their way to the tech tree, with German and American submarines researchable to all players. These covert vessels span Tier VI-X, and can strike lethal damage with their powerful torpedoes. The two nations offer different opportunities for gameplay, as German ships sport long-range acoustically guided torpedoes and a wide margin of autonomy, while the American submarines are equipped with short-range acoustic torpedoes and boast quicker recovery.

For more information about the update please visit the official World of Warships website.

The new update brings flamethrower tanks and boats among other new features

Gaijin Entertainment announces that the Fire and Ice update for the military online action War Thunder is already available to players. It adds Finnish air and ground vehicle branches (including the famous BT-42 tank), dozens of other tanks, ships and aircraft like the modern American M1A2 SEP main battle tank with the TUSK kit, the legendary Japanese battleship Fuso, the latest Russian anti-aircraft gun 2S38 “Derivatsia-PVO”, as well as two new maps – “Arctic” and “Rocky Canyon”. The first flamethrower-equipped tanks and boats also debut in the game. Finally, aircraft fuselages will now feature realistic volumetric holes in addition to the local smoke and fire effects, and hitting the water will now produce a new, reworked splash effect.

Check out the trailer HERE.

The British Churchill Crocodile is one of the most famous flamethrower tanks in history. It is built on the design of the Mk.VII version with a 75mm cannon and excellent protection, but also equipped with a flamethrower, which is fed by a fuel trailer attached behind the tank. Thanks to this trailer, the Churchill Crocodile has the largest number of fire mixture charges among tanks, and also is the longest tank in the game. Also debuting in the game is the American flamethrower boat “Zippo”, created during the Vietnam War on the design of the LCM(6) landing craft. Flamethrowers, located on the sides in the bow, will be an excellent tool in battles at close range. Spectacular fires in the jungle can also be started by the American carrier-based A-1H Skyraider attack aircraft that has napalm bombs in its arsenal. Those three vehicle models are available with the release of the Fire and Ice update as prizes for the new Battle Pass season.

Flamethrower tanks are effective in approximately the same situations as the napalm bombings presented in the game earlier. The flame will not cause damage to the crew of a heavily armored vehicle, but light vehicles are extremely vulnerable to it: the fire mixture will instantly destroy the crew in the open cabin and set fire to the equipment. Tank mounts fire long jets of pressurized fire in a cantilevered trajectory, and they can reach the enemy even behind small cover. In addition, the wheel liners of ground vehicles are now ignited by napalm, so after driving through a burning puddle, the player’s tank will look very infernal.

The battleship Fuso entered the service of the Japanese Imperial Navy in 1915, was significantly modernized in the interwar period and participated in the Battle of Leyte Gulf, the largest naval battle of World War II. That late version of Fuso is the one that made it to War Thunder now. The main caliber of the ship is six twin 14-inch guns, evenly distributed over the entire deck of the ship. Good aiming angles and no less decent ballistic characteristics of Fuso allow her to inflict colossal damage on the enemy.

The 2S38 “Derivatsia-PVO” is an anti-aircraft artillery module with a 57mm cannon mounted on a modified BMP-3 chassis. The first prototype of the machine was presented in 2018. The uninhabited turret includes an automatic target tracking for air targets, a laser rangefinder, a coaxial machine gun, a laser warning sensor and a thermal imager. Using the APFSDS rounds, 2S38 can even deal with a tank if it comes in from the flank.

More information about all the new features of the Fire and Ice update is available on the official War Thunder website.

The military simulation game is getting a new playable nation

Gaijin Entertainment announces “Fire and Ice”, the next major content update for the military online action game War Thunder. It will bring Finnish ground and air force to the game, as well as a new map inspired by this Scandinavian country. Tech trees of other countries will also get new ground vehicles, naval vessels, aircraft and helicopters, including those equipped with a weapon type completely new to War Thunder. The “Fire and Ice” update will become available to the players in the coming weeks.

Check out the trailer HERE.

The Finnish Armed Forces has quite an experience in military conflicts as it took part in the Winter War against the USSR, in World War II and a number of joint peacekeeping missions with NATO. The country typically used imported equipment from various manufacturers (including captured vehicles), adapting it for its own needs. For example, the British-produced Vickers Mk.E light tanks have not been adopted by the UK military, but were widely used by foreign operators, including Finland. Another unique example is the BT-42, a strange but very interesting conversion of captured Soviet BT-7s, recreated into assault guns with a British 4.5-inch howitzer and a turret of local Finnish design. After WW2, Finland purchased equipment from both the USSR and Western countries, so a user playing for Finland will have access to the strangest combinations of vehicles, i.e. the British-produced Vampire FB 52A fighter jet and the Soviet-produced T-72M tank (export version of the T-72A, appearing in the game for the very first time).

Finland land and air research lines will be a part of the Swedish tech tree (similar to how the South African vehicle line is a part of the UK tech tree) in War Thunder. This approach will greatly expand the tactical options for players who are already using Swedish vehicles and would like to experiment with their vehicle setup.

Information about other new features of the Fire and Ice update will be published on the official War Thunder website in the coming weeks.

The ‘Drone Age’ update features dozens of new military vehicles and new visual effects

Gaijin Entertainment announces that the “Drone Age” update for the military online action game War Thunder is already available to players. It expands the range of available weaponry from various eras: reconnaissance and combat drones (Russian Orion, Chinese Wing Loong 1 and the American MQ-1) make modern battles more believable, and the legendary Su-25 and Mirage 2000 show what piloted aircraft are capable of. There are dozens of new military vehicles added to the game including a new Chinese helicopter tech tree, Israeli versions of the M48 and M60 tanks, the Turkish T129 ATAK helicopter and the South African Rooivalk Mk1F CSH helicopter, the Italian Andrea Doria dreadnought, two new maps – “Golden Bay” and “Pradesh”, new visual effects for vehicle destruction, and much more.

The history of Chinese combat helicopters can now be experienced by progressing through their lineup in War Thunder. At first, local engineers adapted imported designs, like they did with SA.342L Gazelle. The first attack helicopter built entirely in China was the Z-9WA, created after studying French Dauphins. That led to even more local projects like the light strike-reconnaissance Z-11WA or the very successful Z-19. Finally, a full-fledged heavy attack helicopter Z-10 was designed with the involvement of specialists from the Russian Kamov design bureau.

Check out the trailer HERE.

The Mirage 2000C-S5 is the new top jet fighter that will capture the hearts of virtual pilots playing for France. The iconic delta wing, excellent flight characteristics and powerful armament make it a worthy competitor to other fourth-generation fighters. The French Air Force Mirage 2000 saw action in many conflicts in the 1990s, ranging from the Gulf War to Allied operations in Afghanistan. The aircraft is also in service in Egypt, India, Greece, Qatar, Brazil, Peru and other countries.

The new “Golden Bay” map for naval battles was created based on the coast of San Francisco with a recognizable silhouette of a picturesque bridge across the strait. The ground part is inspired by the landscape of the areas east of the bay, where small towns, green hills and mountains meet. And the location “Pradesh” (in Hindi this means “region”) is designed for ground and air battles and reproduces the foothills of the Himalayas on the border of India and Pakistan. Grassy hills and forested mountains coexist here with watery meadows and shrubbed plains.

In land and sea battles, procedurally generated shell-to-armor contact effects have been added that take into account the caliber and type of the projectile – now smoke and wisps of flame escape from the holes in armor. Tank explosion simulation has been improved, and track wheels can now fly off destroyed vehicles and interact with other objects on the battlefield. In addition, high-quality models of shells and missiles are now used in the kill camera and in the protection analysis menu. The player can now better see exactly how the enemy vehicle (or your own) was hit, and can better prepare for the upcoming battles.

Detailed information about the content of the update is available on the official website of the game.

Reconnaissance and strike UAVs will revolutionize modern warfare

Gaijin Entertainment announces that the “Age of Drones” major content update for War Thunder will be released in September, bringing reconnaissance and strike UAVs to the virtual battlefield. This new feature will greatly expand tactical options for players that fight using modern armored ground vehicles. The update will also add dozens of new tanks, aircraft, helicopters and ships to the already vast roster of carefully recreated real world military hardware, as well as new maps and other content.

Drones are a crucial asset for any high-tech army nowadays and provide an opportunity to be the first to detect and destroy the enemy. On the other hand, drones are quite vulnerable and basically are consumables in modern warfare. They can be shot down with small arms or ‘locked-on’ by radar from an anti-aircraft complex and destroyed with a missile. War Thunder players will see and experience exactly how drones influence the tactics of tank battles in the 21st century.

Check out the trailer HERE.

Modern light tanks in War Thunder will get the ability to launch small reconnaissance drones. The commander will be able to send such a device into the sky right in the middle of the battle and, switching to it using a special button, control the drone to reconnoiter the location for enemy vehicles. Such a UAV has a battery capacity large enough to patrol over the battlefield until the end of the battle – or until it is shot down, or if the vehicle from which the drone is controlled is destroyed. All UAVs have a “sighting camera” that allows players to scout an area of ​​interest from a great distance, plus, some models are equipped with thermal sights.

The Age of Drones update also introduces three types of attack drones: the Russian Orion, the Chinese Wing Loong 1, and the American MQ-1 (it can be used in War Thunder while playing as any country except Russia and China). Each strike UAV carries anti-tank guided missiles that can be used to strike enemies that are sitting in an ambush position without endangering the drone operator. The legendary MQ-1 drone was in service with the US Army from 1994 to 2018 and was used in many modern conflicts – from Yugoslavia and Iraq to Afghanistan, Syria and Yemen and it also became the star of iconic Hollywood films.

More information about Age of Drones content and new features will be published on the official website of the game in the coming weeks.

Players fight to get rare new models of military vehicles

Gaijin Entertainment announces that the “Summer Quest” event has begun in War Thunder, the online military action game featuring 2000+ ground, naval and air war machines of the 20th and 21st centuries. Players will fight to get four new models of military vehicles: the Hungarian Zrinyi I self-propelled gun, the American F4D-1 Skyray carrier-based fighter jet, the German Leopard 2AV tank and the Japanese battleship Haruna. Other prizes include new camouflage options, as well as player icons, decals and decorations for naval and land vehicles dedicated to summer adventures. The event will last until August 29th.

Each vehicle model in the Summer Quest is quite unique and will be a great addition to the collections of dedicated military history fans.

The Zrinyi I SPG is a World War II era vehicle, entirely designed and built in Hungary and named after the 16th-century Hungarian national hero Miklós Zrínyi. It is built on the chassis of the Turán medium tank (also Hungarian) and is equipped with a 75 mm anti-tank gun. During some of the field tests Zrinyi I was equipped with external rocket tubes, and this is the version of this SPG that made it to War Thunder.

The Leopard 2AV is a prototype tank submitted to the US Army tests, where it competed against the XM-1 models. The tank is a transitional version from the Leopard 1 to the serial Leopard 2: the vehicle has a 105 mm L7A3 cannon familiar from the first series, while the FCS, power plant and armor layout are closer to the early Leopards of the second series.

The F4D-1 Skyray is the first ever supersonic carrier-based fighter, which entered service in 1956. The aircraft boasts excellent rate of climb and is capable of accelerating to near-sonic speeds at sea level. The F4D-1 Skyray is armed with four forward-facing 20mm Browning-Colt Mk12 cannons, and hardpoints can accommodate pods with FFAR unguided rockets and AIM-9B Sidewinder guided missiles.

IJN Haruna was laid down as a Kongo-class battlecruiser and launched as early as 1915, but did not take part in World War I. Later, she was rebuilt into a high-speed battleship and, as such, went through the entire Second World War, taking part in many battles, including Battle of the Philippine Sea, Naval Battle of Guadalcanal and Battle of Leyte Gulf. The battleship was lost only in July 1945, when American aircraft attacked it in the harbor of Kure at the Japanese mainland. Haruna’s main armament is eight 356-mm guns in four turrets, 152-mm and 127-mm cannons make it easier to deal with targets, and 118 anti-aircraft guns drive enemy aircraft away with dense fire.

The event details and more information about new types of vehicles are available on the official website.

Players can score rewards: days of premium account, unique and impressive 2D style, Tier III Swedish Premium tank and much more

Grab your sunglasses and pack your beach towel, for this summer, World of Tanks is hosting a huge 12th birthday beach party from the comfort of your home! Until the end of August, your Garage will become a place where you can turbo-chill.

From August 12th to August 22nd, World of Tanks is celebrating its 12th anniversary with special combat missions, various rewards and Anniversary Coins to exchange for valuable in-game goodies and unique customization elements.

Every tanker who logs into the game on any day of the birthday event, from August 12 – 22nd, will receive a free “Only Twelve” 2D style. Also, when players log in for the first time on event day, they will receive one day of Premium Account (up to seven days of Premium Account in total).

Every daily battle mission will yield 5 Anniversary Coins which can be exchanged for bonds, Personal Reserves, crew members, days of Premium Account, styles, fun customization options, and other valuable things in the special section of the in-game store. Large missions will each give 20 Anniversary Coins in addition to the main rewards.

Uriy Kuryavyi, World of Tanks Publishing Director, says it pays to visit the beach party every day.

“Look out for large discounts on researchable vehicles, customization elements, equipment, consumables, Free XP and crew XP conversion, and more. On certain days, expect x2 and even x5 XP multipliers for the first win on every vehicle. World of Tanks is sure to be heating things up this summer!” said Uriy.

And for the party that keeps on giving, players who complete any three daily combat missions will receive the Lago M/38, a brand-new, rapid-firing Tier III Swedish Premium tank.

For more information about Season VIII of Battle Pass, visit worldoftanks.com.

Overhauled London Port, new British battlecruisers, special mission between the Chatham, Elswick, and Clydebank shipyards and much more…

The cat is out of the bag, a boatload of new British content is on its way to World of Warships PC. There will be brand new British battlecruisers going into Early Access alongside the Industry Titan event and also piping hot is the Port of London which has been updated to celebrate the upcoming event.

Want to run ashore after a hard working day and dive into mid-nineteenth century London; the capital of Great Britain, the heart of the Admiralty, and its naval command centre, sending orders across all seas and oceans? You can! Especially for this occasion, the World of Warships team has updated the London Port.

British ships are known for being a real jack-of-all-trades. The long-anticipated British Battleships launching into Early Access are the following:

• Indefatigable (tier III)
• Queen Mary (tier IV)
• Tiger (tier V)
• Renown (tier VI)
• Rooke (tier VII)
• HAWE (tier VIIII)
• Duncan (tier IX)
• St. Vincent (tier X)

You can earn them by playing online missions and they will stay in your collection after the official launch.

There will be a temporary event called Industry Titans where The Chatham, Elswick, and Clydebank shipyards will compete for the right to be called the best shipbuilder serving the needs of the Royal Navy. Dive into the event on the Live Server to earn British Tokens that you can exchange for Early Access ships, permanent camouflages, and other items.

The game’s Artificial Intelligence behind the bot ships in Training and Co-op Battles will be substantially upgraded. Finally, yet importantly, major enhancements in the Spectator Mode interface that launches when ships are sunk. Flap not, it will be more informative and user-friendly to put the rub on your bezzy.

Watch the Update 0.11.6: British Battleships trailer HERE.

For more information about the update please visit HERE.

TRANSFORMERS collaboration, a new map, major improvements with HD textures, weather effects, gun firing, explosions and much more…

Wargaming, publisher and developer of the naval multiplayer free-to-play game World of Warships, is launching its latest content update, featuring a brand new map of the Faroe Islands, a return of Convoy battle type and the third instalment of the TRANSFORMERS Brand collaboration. In addition to all this new content, Update 0.11.5 like the ones before, will bring visual improvements, with an update to US destroyer models.

New Faroe Islands map

Launching this update is the introduction of the new Faroe Islands map, which was selected as the next playable location by players in Autumn 2021. Designed for Tier VII-X ships and superships, battles taking place on this map will be set against a backdrop of flowing mountain ranges covered in thin veils of snow, nestled in islands with steep shores falling in the North Atlantic ocean.

Latest of the graphic improvements: U.S. Destroyer models see a revamp

A number of U.S. destroyer models, present since the release of the game, have been dramatically upgraded. Mahan, Benson, Fletcher and Gearing will all be revamped, including slight changes to their physical parameters and balance characteristics. However, the broader gameplay features of these ships will remain the same. Update 0.11.6 will bring more of these updated U.S. ships, expanding to the models of Sampson, Wickes, Clemson, Nicholas, Farragut and Sims.

Alongside the improvements to these models, World of Warships has also seen a number of graphics updates across the board. Visual effects throughout the game have been overhauled since the beginning of the year. This includes major improvements with HD textures and local weather effects being refined on 8 maps, as well as new effects for guns firing, depth charges detonating under water and on islands, and aircraft explosions on the decks of destroyed carriers.

The return of Convoy battle type

Making a triumphant return from Update 0.10.8, Convoy mode is back for battle! Fought in teams of 12 with Tier VIII–X ships, two randomly distributed teams will participate in an attack-and-defend battle across one of six different maps. Players will need to escort two to three Convoys of AI-controlled cargo ships, sailing along their own defined route. Either the defenders will manage to fend off the attacks so at least one of the transport ship arrives at destination, or the attackers will succeed in sinking the lot!

There’s more than meets the eye: TRANSFORMERS are back!

Defeat your enemies in style with Hasbro’s TRANSFORMERS franchise! To commemorate the third TRANSFORMERS collaboration, World of Warships will have special content from the critically acclaimed toy line! These special camouflages were originally released only on World of Warships Legends, but now are available for PC! Such as Iowa’s Freedom Fighter skin to represent the Autobots to Bismarck’s Messenger of Oblivion for the Decepticon, it’s time to deck your ship in style. This limited-time content will be available during the update. One shall stand, one shall fall! Which will you be?

For a full list of updates and changes, find the full patch notes HERE.

Watch the Update 0.11.5: U.S. Independence Day trailer HERE.

Visit the official World of Warships website now for more game info and to sign up to play World of Warships for free!

The new update brings napalm, Israeli helicopters and more

Gaijin Entertainment announces that the Danger Zone update for the online military action game War Thunder is live now. While the US F-14 Tomcat fighter is probably the star of the show here, this content-rich update brings dozens of other new legendary vehicles and new features. Israeli and Chinese helicopters, the latest Chinese tank, an improvised Italian self-propelled gun, the most advanced German battleship of World War 1 and other types of new military hardware await War Thunder players. Napalm can now also be used in War Thunder battles, literally flooding the jungle, city streets or ship decks with liquid fire.

Watch the “Danger Zone” update trailer HERE.

Aviation containers with napalm are the new weapon type in the game. It is an incendiary mixture that burns strongly and for a long time, and also sticks to surfaces, including wet ones. Although napalm is primarily associated with the Vietnam War, it was first used as early as 1944 during the liberation of France. Napalm could be quite useful in War Thunder battles as well. I.e. players might cover the approach to a point with a rampart of fire or burn down a forest to prevent ambushes. Man-made fires are especially effective against lightly armored and open-top vehicles.

The new Chinese tank ZTZ99A is a further development of the ZTZ99 MBT, but it is difficult to recognize the fact due to the almost complete overhaul of the design. Just look at the new arrow-shaped turret, equipped with state-of-the-art anti-cumulative dynamic and composite armor, capable of withstanding even tandem cumulative rounds. At the same time, the ZTZ99A is not only better protected, but also more mobile than its predecessor, and can reach a top speed of 75 km/h on an asphalt road.

The update adds the Israeli helicopter tech tree to the game. While some of the vehicles are Israeli variants of the machines the players already know, such as Cobras and Apaches, there are completely new ones, like the Hughes MD500 TOW light attack helicopter. It is a flight, tiny and very agile helicopter capable of carrying the venerable TOW and TOW-2 anti-tank missiles, as well as Hydra-70 unguided rockets. Also the first machine from China’s future helicopter tech tree debuts in War Thunder. It’s the Z-19E, a modern and locally developed attack helicopter that performed its maiden flight in 2017.

The German battleship SMS Bayern entered service in July 1916 and missed the epic Battle of Jutland, but took part in the last major operations of WW1. Its eight 380mm guns and enhanced armor more than make up for its slowness and make it one of the most powerful ships in the War Thunder blue-water fleet.

Finally, fans of the exotic vehicles should pay attention to the 100/17 su Lancia 3Ro, a Škoda 10cm Vz.1914 howitzer mounted in the field on an army truck chassis to increase mobility. This improvised Italian SPG was brought to the game by War Thunder players Nicola “Kolin0” Faggiani and Riccardo “BlueBeta” Lo Verso under Revenue Sharing Program, and now their work is officially a part of War Thunder.

Visit the official War Thunder Website for more game information.