Hey everyone! Today, we’re going through the details regarding War Thunder’s infantry mode test and revealing some details about how the new game mode will work.APPLY FOR THE INFANTRY CBT!How do I get into Closed Beta Testing?Submit your participation request through the link above to register your interest. We’ll go through the invitations and if you are picked we’ll send you an invitation to the email that’s linked to your account. The closed beta test (CBT) will be held in several stages, with invitations sent out for each. All participants in any CBT stage will automatically gain access to all subsequent stages.How does Closed Beta Testing work?CBT battles will take place in the “Events and Tournaments” section from the hangar on a specially created, detailed location in two game modes. These gamemodes are Arcade and Realistic: Arcade features markers for soldiers and vehicles with mixed lineups, while Realistic has no markers and nation vs nation setups, as well as different respawn rules. In Arcade mode, teams can have mixed lineups, while in Realistic mode equipment and vehicles depend on the selected nation. All weapons and vehicles in the CBT will be modern. At the start of the closed beta, participants will have access to two playable nations and presets containing small arms, engineers and special weapons, as well as combat vehicles from two countries, the USA and the USSR/Russia. Infantry from other playable nations will gradually be added to the game over time. We’re planning to conduct testing in several stages, with bug fixes and new content added between each stage. The first closed beta session for War Thunder infantry is planned to begin with the release of the December 2025 major update.Welcome to Granitograd!Granitograd is a new location for infantry, ground vehicles and aircraft set in Eastern Europe, featuring signs and inscriptions in the Interslavic language. Battles during the closed beta testing phase will take place in “Domination” mode, with soldiers and vehicles from two teams battling for control over three points within the location: a motor pool building, a school, and a shopping mall. Granitograd features various passageways and countless opportunities for cover. Infantry units will be able to operate within buildings on multiple levels and climb onto rooftops, while armored vehicles can carve new routes through fences and debris with cannon fire or ramming.Weapons and AttachmentsThe infantry mode in the CBT will feature preset vehicle and soldier squads, with each side equipped with US and Russian military equipment. Infantry squads will be armed with a variety of small arms, including the M4A1, M16A4, M7, AK-74, AK-12, and ASM Val assault rifles, M249 Para and RPK-74M light machine guns, M110A1 SDMR and SVD-M designated marksman rifles, and MAC 11 and PP-19 Bizon submachine guns, all modified with optical or red dot sights, underbarrel grenade launchers and laser sights, tactical grips, and bipods. Before battle, you can also equip each squad’s soldiers with special weapons and gear from a set of presets, containing engineering charges, hand grenades, grenade launchers, MANPADS, reconnaissance drones, FPV cameras, and additional first aid kits.During the CBT, infantry will be supported by M1 Abrams and T-72B tanks, M3A3 Bradley and the BMP-3 IFVs, with AH-64A and Mi-24V helicopters available in Realistic Battles. In Arcade Battles, after achieving a certain number of kills, players can initiate a time-limited air battle using helicopters with unguided and guided weapons. Vehicles in infantry battles will be controlled in first-person mode, from the commander’s camera, driver’s camera, or gunner’s sight. Vehicles will not have arcade engine power boosts, and flight models and vehicle mobility match the settings of War Thunder’s Realistic Battle mode.Take positions!When in the shoes of infantry, players will remain in the role of a single soldier, but with full tactical control over the entire squad. Squad members automatically follow the commander and assist in all combat situations. If needed, each soldier can be quickly assigned to key positions with the press of a button. Just a few clicks allow a sniper to secure a point and deploy cover for their squad, while an assault soldier can deploy defenses and control possible attack vectors on a captured point. This approach makes commanding each soldier easy and convenient, without distracting you from the battle itself.The main objective in the Domination mode is to capture and hold control buildings with multiple floors. Clear each floor, seek cover and organize your defenses. Tanks and infantry fighting vehicles can also capture some control areas, but they’re quite vulnerable in urban, close-quarters combat. Their primary role is to support their allies and neutralize enemy vehicles. Each control building contains ammunition and explosive resupply crates for both the defenders and attackers.Which platforms is the Closed Beta Test (CBT) taking place?At the launch of the CBT, PC players on Windows, Linux and Mac, as well as PlayStation 5 and Xbox Series consoles will be able to participate. Since Infantry Mode is still in development, some functionality will be limited during the CBT. Specifically, Ultra-Low graphics settings will not be available at the start of the CBT, nor will ray tracing modes be available for consoles.There’s so much exciting stuff ahead! We invite you to be the first to test War Thunder’s infantry mode. Your opinions and experience will help us to make infantry battles as engaging as possible, so let’s get going!

A brand new series of combat vehicles based on the T-72 family of tanks with 30 mm cannons and anti-tank missiles!BMPT “Terminator”: An ATGM Carrier for the USSR at Rank VIIBMPT-72 “Terminator-2”: A Premium ATGM Carrier for the USSR at Rank VIIAt a glance:

• Combat module with 2x30 mm cannons and ATGMs
• T-72 tank chassis
• LWS and laser rangefinder
• Thermal imager

 Pre-order – BMPT-72 “Terminator-2” PackTo get to the Gaijin Store through Steam, go to the in-game hangar > Shop > Online Store.69.99This pack includes:

• BMPT-72 “Terminator-2” (Rank VII, USSR)
• Premium accout for 20 days
• 2500 Golden Eagles
• Pre-order bonus: unique title “Judgement Day”
• Pre-order bonus: unique decal "BMPT-72"

Vehicle HistoryWork on the Terminator support vehicle began in the mid-1980s, based on the T-72A tank. State trials of the BMPT were successfully completed in 2006, and the vehicle was approved for mass production. Initial plans would see the vehicle adopted into service with the Russian army by 2010, but these plans did not materialize. Serial production only began in 2011, with the first batch of vehicles intended for the Armed Forces of Kazakhstan.Later in 2013, a new version of the vehicle was unveiled, named the BMPT-72 "Terminator-2." This modification was a conversion of in-service T-72 tanks, which were adapted into fire support vehicles. The key differences from the original version included a higher degree of commonality with the base T-72 tank, a reduction of the crew from five to three people, and reinforced armor on the anti-tank guided missile launchers. This modernization was aimed at increasing survivability while simultaneously reducing operational costs.Both variants of the vehicle were shown off at several international arms exhibitions, garnering a lot of attention due to their futuristic appearance. In 2017, the BMPT underwent testing in real combat conditions during the conflict in Syria. Later that same year, the first production vehicles began to enter service with the Russian army.Introducing the Terminators!The famous Terminator series of support vehicles is coming to the game in the Line of Contact major update! We’re happy to present the researchable 2017 model BMPT Terminator, and are opening pre-orders for the premium BMPT-72 Terminator 2! Today we’ll go through the key features of these imposing vehicles and the differences between both models, let’s go!The idea of a specialized vehicle for supporting tanks was prompted by their high vulnerability in modern urban combat conditions. The BMPT — Boyevaya Mashina Podderzhki Tankov (Tank Support Combat Vehicle) — is not only intended to fight infantry, but can also engage enemy armored vehicles itself using ATGMs. The combat module of the Terminator series includes a pair of 30 mm automatic cannons, equipped with high-explosive fragmentation shells for aircraft and APDS for more armored targets. The primary weapon of the Terminators, however, will be the Ataka ATGM. Two types of warhead are available: tandem charge and HE.Both Terminators are built on a tank chassis, the T-90 for the regular Terminator and the T-72 for the Terminator 2, meaning these support vehicles will be relatively well protected. The vehicle hulls have combined armor, featuring steel and composite armor elements in combination with ERA blocks and slat armor. Both variants also have a dozer blade, which can be used to dig a trench in order to hide the hull, only exposing the combat module to the enemy — perfect for defensive positions around cap points.Both vehicles have smoke grenade launchers, laser rangefinders and laser warning systems, along with night vision devices and thermal imagers (only for the gunner on the BMPT, and for the gunner and commander on the BMPT-72). The primary difference between the two is the crew count, 5 on the BMPT and only 3 on the BMPT-72. The regular BMPT features the AGS automatic grenade launcher with 30 mm fragmentation grenades as part of its combat module, while the BMPT-72 receives some additional armor on the ATGM launch containers to protect against machine guns and shrapnel, as well as additional slat armor on the sides and rear protecting the engine compartment area. Both vehicles are ultimately quite similar, just with small unique advantages in different areas.Pre-orders for the BMPT-72 Terminator 2 are open from today! Pick it up before the update lands for some extra bonuses, along with a hefty supply of Golden Eagles and Premium Time! Thanks for reading today's blog, we hope you’re as excited as we are for the Terminators!Please note that these vehicles are still in development and certain characteristics may change before release.

Introducing the Line of Contact major update and a new War Thunder game mode, featuring infantry!Testing Infantry!War Thunder is launching closed beta testing for a new, standalone game mode, which brings player-controlled infantry squads onto the battlefield alongside ground vehicles and helicopters!In this mode, you’ll experience large-scale battles featuring soldiers in various combat roles with modern weapons, gear and equipment. Tanks, infantry fighting vehicles, drones and attack helicopters provide ground and air support for the team.If you’re a firearm enthusiast, your time has come! Dive into diverse weapon customization and outfit your squad with a wide array of equipment, including personal body armor, grenades, MANPADS, grenade launchers, and much more! Choose from countless weapon attachments, such as scopes and underbarrel grenade launchers to customize your weapons to your playstyle.Get ready to experience War Thunder battles from the brand new perspective of an infantry soldier through tactical building clearouts, tense sniper duels, and fierce shootouts on city streets!APPLY FOR THE INFANTRY CBT!We’ll be sharing more details about the Infantry CBT soon in a dev blog, so be sure to keep an eye out for that!

Hey everyone, today we’ll be taking a look at some new features in the hangar and the updated Winter Poland location, both coming to the game in the next major update!New Features in the HangarWeapons Displayed on Stands!We’re pleased to introduce a new look for the hangar of each vehicle type. You’ll now be able to take a closer look at the available weaponry for each ground vehicle and aircraft when viewing them from the hangar. Using weapon stands, the weapons are displayed to the front or side of the vehicle, allowing you to visually see them, like at an arms expo! You can also hover your cursor over each one to bring up the weapon’s stat card for shells, missiles, rockets and bombs. In ground vehicle hangars, there are demonstration samples of armor plates penetrated by various types of projectiles. Here you can clearly see the difference between penetration by an armor-piercing projectile and by an anti-tank missile or a high-explosive shell! In ground vehicle hangars, there are demonstration samples of armor plates penetrated by various types of projectiles. Here you can clearly see the difference between penetration by an armor-piercing projectile and by an anti-tank missile or a high-explosive shell (to note, at the time of writing this news, the stands are still under development). There is also a button in the hangar where you can enable or disable the display of shells and weaponry if you prefer them to not be shown.Adding Some Life to Vehicles!When you click on a vehicle in your hangar, they will now perform some cool animations! For planes, the canopy and other mechanizations such as the flaps, air brake and rudder move, the engines turn on and propellers start spinning (for helicopters too). For ground vehicles, the turret and roof-mounted machine guns rotate, while for ships the gun mounts and deck torpedo tubes rotate.Detailed Hangar for Featured Premium Vehicles!Featured premium and event vehicles can now be viewed inside of a detailed and fully equipped hangar! Just click on the vehicle or on the hangar itself, and you’ll be transported to it. Inside, you’ll see mechanics working on the vehicle! Toggle Festive Hangars On or Off!Starting with the next major update, you’ll be able to customize your hangar’s appearance if you ever want to change things up (or don’t like the festive hangars!). Looking for some Christmas spirit in the middle of the hot summer? No problem, activate the festive New Year’s hangar. Is your hangar too bright and you’re in the mood for something more atmospheric? Turn on the night-time Halloween hangar! This also means you can turn off the New Year or Halloween hangars if you don’t like them *sad hangar noises*.Updated Poland (Winter)Following the visual improvements to the classic summer version of the beloved Poland ground battles map, it’s time to refresh the winter one. Welcome to the new winter Poland! Our artists did a great job to visually transform the location, all buildings, structures, environmental elements, and vegetation have been improved. Everything on this map is now more detailed and vibrant, with countless small details added. Like always with these map updates, the original layout and navigation of the map has stayed near enough the same, meaning you won’t have any surprises when driving around.In addition to the central urban section of the map, the natural environment surrounding it has been updated too. All of the wintry vegetation and snowdrifts have been entirely redesigned, and the dirt roads have been improved too. The ice lake looks much more realistic now too, with snowdrifts, deep cracks and air pockets under the surface.That’s all for this blog! Soon you’ll be able to check out your weapons in detail, see the new premium hangar for featured vehicles, and take in the frosty air of the newly updated winter Poland with the release of the next major update, coming your way soon!

A gun boat with radar, an automatic 57 mm cannon, and a six-barreled 30 mm AK-630 autocannon: meet a hunter and a ruthless anti-aircraft platform!AK-225: An Event Vehicle Gun Boat for the USSR at Rank VAt a glance

• Air target tracking radar
• 30 mm gatling cannon
• Automatic 57 mm cannon with AP and HE-F shells
• Decent speed

 Vehicle HistoryThe AK-225 Gunboat was constructed at the Primorsky Shipyard in Leningrad, and entered service on January 7th, 1969. It was a representative of Project 205PE, which was developed as a patrol export version for countries with friendly relations with the USSR. As part of the 41st Missile Boat Brigade of the Black Sea Fleet, this vessel underwent numerous trials, during which the need to strengthen its armament became apparent. On an experimental basis, a new 57 mm cannon was installed on the bow of the AK-225 to increase the firepower.After additional trials however, the results showed that the additional 57 mm mount was still insufficient for the tasks the vessel was intended to perform. By the time these trials concluded, the general concept of gunboats in the Soviet fleet had changed, and the naval doctrine had shifted towards other classes of ships. As a result, despite some technical successes, Project 205PE was not approved for mass production. On June 24th, 1991, the AK-225 was removed from the ship register of the navy, and was scrapped two years later in 1993.Introducing the AK-225!The main reward in the Sea Defender naval event is an experimental Soviet patrol boat! The AK-225 features two different automatic cannons and an air target tracking radar, more than capable of proving itself in coastal combat and supporting the larger fleet with its anti-air abilities! This event started today, so let’s get acquainted with this new boat.Unlike the other Project 205PE patrol ships, the AK-225 is equipped with an experimental 57 mm AK-175 cannon, which has greatly expanded the range of targets it can engage. This cannon can fire two types of shells – high-explosive fragmentation and armor-piercing. This gun can comfortably deal with small vessels and is even capable of detonating the magazines on destroyers with its AP shells. However, the barrel will overheat if fired for too long, so avoid long bursts of fire.The auxiliary armament of the AK-225 is the famous six-barreled AK-630 cannon, with an incredible fire rate of 5000 rounds per minute! It can quite literally cut through boats at close range like a saw. This cannon is especially useful for taking down air threats at low altitudes, with aiming aided by the tracking radar. The speed of this vessel is fairly effective too, it can reach a max speed of 36 knots (up to 67 km/h), so the AK-225 will be very suitable for swiftly capturing points.In War Thunder, the AK-225 joins the game as a Rank V event vehicle. Its powerful small-caliber armament will make it an excellent choice for coastal combat, though it is still more than capable of supporting larger vessels with its powerful anti-aircraft weaponry. It can comfortably support the team by capturing and defending points, and can even detonate destroyers with its AP belt!You can get the AK-225 yourself completely free by taking part in the Sea Defender naval event that started today. More details on this event in the link below!Please note that this vehicle’s characteristics may be changed before it is added to the game.Click here to find out more details about the Sea Defender event:

The Type 03 Chū-SAM will soon become Japan’s new top-tier anti-air system in War Thunder’s next major update!Type 03 Chū-SAM: A SAM System (SPAA) for Japan at Rank VIIIAt a glance

• Radar with an AESA system
• Vertical-launch missiles
• 12 powerful missiles
• Large size

 Vehicle HistoryIn 2005, the JGSDF began to equip themselves with the new Type 03 medium-range SAM system, also known as the Chū-SAM. The development of this system was carried out by a consortium led by Mitsubishi Electric with the goal of replacing the outdated American I-Hawk systems. The trials of the new system began in 2001, and after passing successfully it was officially adopted into service in 2003. By 2010, the JGSDF had ten batteries equipped with the Chū-SAM family of systems, and it is still in operational service today.Introducing the Type 03 Chū-SAM!A new Multi-Vehicle SAM system is ready to roll into War Thunder! The Type 03 Chū-SAM will be arriving in the next major update at the top of Japan's anti-aircraft line, featuring a powerful radar and vertical launch missiles!Like most high-end SAM systems, the Type 03 Chū-SAM will function in game as two separate vehicles — a self-propelled launcher (SPL) and a detection and target designation station (DTDS). You’ll have access to two launch vehicles, each with six missile containers (so you’ll have 12 missiles in total). These launchers are equipped with Type 03 missiles; these are large, vertically launched missiles. They are each equipped with an inertial guidance system with radio correction in the initial launch phase, and an active radar seeker to help guide the missile during the final phase of its trajectory.The DTDS vehicle is responsible for detecting, locking, and tracking targets. Like the launch vehicles, it’s built on the chassis of an 8x8 four-axle truck, with effectively no meaningful armor protection. In its combat position it deploys an AESA system, which provides a high scan frequency and transmits accurate real-time data on aerial targets to the system’s commander.The Type 03 Chū-SAM is a highly efficient asset for the team, scanning the air at long ranges and high altitudes. However, its short range combat ability is notably poor, and will have to rely on other friendly SPAA systems to counter enemy aircraft above the battlefield. Like all similar systems the Type 03 Chū-SAM is huge and fragile, meaning that you’ll have to position carefully, and away from predictable areas.The Type 03 Chū-SAM is ready to take its place as the new top anti-air system for Japan in the next and final War Thunder update of 2025. Along with it are a huge number of additions, improvements and fixes, so keep checking in to see what else is in store!Please note that the vehicle's characteristics may be changed before being added to the game.

Aircraft

• F-5E (Germany) — a bug that caused the radar to be unable to update the data on targets tracked in TWS mode has been fixed.

 Naval Vessels

• A bug that caused the automatic gunners in Arcade Battles to fire at distances that exceeded the capabilities of the guns has been fixed.
• A bug that caused the guns in Arcade Battles to stop automatically counting the lead has been fixed. (Report).

 Interface

• A bug that caused the current scan area limits of the radar to display incorrectly when zooming in on aircraft in 3rd person view has been fixed.

Patch notes reflect only key changes, meaning they may not include a complete list of all improvements made. Additionally, War Thunder is constantly being updated and some changes may not require an update. Changes reflected in patch notes are formed by taking reactions and requests of the community from the bug reporting service, forums and other official platforms into account. Bug fixes and changes are implemented in order of importance, for example a game-breaking bug will be worked on and implemented sooner.

This unique mixed-propulsion fighter will be making its way to the US air tree as a premium in the next major update for War Thunder!FR-1 Fireball: A Premium Fighter for the USA at Rank IIIAt a glance:

• Both a jet and propeller engine!
• Decent maneuverability
• High speed and strong climb rate
• Only four 12.7 mm guns

 Vehicle HistoryAfter jet-powered aircraft began to be tested in Europe, the U.S. Navy wanted to explore the possibility of operating jet-powered aircraft from carriers. However, flight data from the British jet-powered Gloster E28/39 Whittle showed that jet aircraft would be incapable of carrier operations, a presumption that was further confirmed by tests of the Bell P-59 in 1942, which demonstrated that the long take-off runs required would make jet aircraft unfit for carriers. Due to this, the Navy investigated alternatives, as they correctly identified that jet aircraft would be the future of aviation and did not want to be left out of the running.After much deliberation, the Navy eventually decided to pursue the production of a composite fighter, with both a propeller and jet engine. In late 1942 Admiral John McCain presented the proposal to nine aircraft manufacturers, one of which was Ryan whose design was accepted. After a long period of wind tunnel tests, modifications, and test flights, the FR-1 Fireball showed promise, but alongside many issues. The core performance of the aircraft was impressive, with the mixed propulsion system mitigating the forecasted issues of operating jet aircraft from carriers. However, the construction was fragile and resulted in many accidents. Several Fireballs crashed or broke apart in the air as a result of the fairly weak wing structure which would falter when compressed.The development and testing cycle of the Fireball was undeniably hasty, with aircraft being supplied to operational squadrons before testing had been completed, as the Navy were desperate for an aircraft that could reliably intercept the Japanese Ohka. The first Fireballs arrived at naval squadrons in March 1945, but never ended up seeing combat. In the following months pilots trained with the Fireball onboard carriers, but several more accidents occurred, and by the time pilots were qualified to operate the aircraft, the Japanese surrendered. The remaining Fireball orders were canceled on VJ Day. The Fireballs still in service continued to operate until 1947, but following even more crashes and accidents, an inspection of the remaining Fireballs uncovered almost universal structural failures on each aircraft. This caused all Fireballs to be withdrawn by August 1947.Introducing the FR-1 Fireball!While the Fireball did not have the best reputation in real life, it’s set to become a very interesting and effective addition to War Thunder in the next major update as a premium! There’s a lot of aspects to cover, so let’s get into it!So, firstly let’s talk about the engines. The Fireball is the first aircraft in the game with mixed-propulsion, powered by both a propeller and jet engine at the same time. In the front is a Wright Cyclone R-1820-72W with 1350 HP, and towards the rear is the General Electric J31 with 1600 lb of thrust (the same engine used in the P-59). These two engines don’t push the Fireball to jet-like speeds, but they do ensure that speed in general remains high and consistent. The Fireball has a max speed of around 650 km/h, and can maintain a speed of around 600 km/h in a straight line at average engagement altitudes, which is fairly impressive. It also features a good climb rate and solid agility overall. Maneuverability is hard to describe concretely as it is dependent on many factors, but the Fireball will feel reminiscent of mid-war Bf 109s or early Griffon Spitfires, not the best, but still very competitive.Interesting: There are many reports of Fireball pilots playing a joke on friendly aircraft. As the Fireball can turn off its prop engine with the jet engine still running, many pilots enjoyed pulling up next to and keeping pace with friendly aircraft with the front engine visibly off. This often left many pilots awestruck, believing that their own aircraft had to be faulty, before the Fireball would reengage the front engine and zoom off like a rocket.Moving on from flight performance, armament is a little less impressive, very similar to the early Bearcat. The Fireball is equipped with four 12.7 mm M2 .50 caliber guns with 300 rounds per gun. The wide intakes required for the jet engine along the wing drastically limited internal space, so the armament of the Fireball is relatively light. Though, as it is still equipped with more powerful late-war ammunition, it will still be able to bring down fighters with an accurate burst.You’ll also be able to equip a small but respectable amount of suspended ordnance. Due to the low internal fuel reserves, you can equip two external fuel tanks, along with up to four HVAR rockets, a pair of 500 or 1000 lb bombs, or a pair of 1000 lb mines. While the loadout is limited, the great speed and maneuverability of the Fireball makes it a solid pick for combined battles as well, where it can accurately deliver its payload, and then effectively fulfill fighter duties as well.Fast, unique, but lightly armed, this curious naval fighter will soon have its chance to burn as bright as its namesake (hopefully only in the metaphorical sense) in the next major update! It’ll be arriving to the US air tree as a mid-rank premium, classic fun. Thank you for reading today’s blog, we still have more to come, so check back in soon for more!Please note that this vehicle’s characteristics may be changed before it is added to the game.

Today, we’re taking a look at an experimental Soviet bomber created according to the flying wing concept. A truly unusual design coming to the game in the next major update!DB-LK: A Premium Bomber for the USSR at Rank IAt a glance:

• A payload of up to 2000 kg of bombs, HE and AP
• 5 defensive mounts with 7.62 mm machine guns
• Large size and unconventional layout
• Comfortable flight characteristics

 Vehicle HistoryThe development of the DB-LK began back in 1937. In the spring of 1938, after a full-scale mock-up was approved by a special commission of the Air Force, it was decided to go ahead with construction on a functional prototype. To manage the project, the special design bureau named KB-4 was organized at Moscow Plant No. 156. The aircraft received the preliminary designation of “Order 350” and was designed as a twin-fuselage bomber for the USSR. The overall design followed the flying wing concept, with an unusual reverse-swept wing construction.Due to the unique and complex design, it inevitably faced serious difficulties. Initially, the aircraft was designed around the promising M-88 engines, which were projected to provide a speed of 550-600 km/h. Due to their unreliability, however, the less powerful M-87B engines had to be installed instead. Construction of the aircraft was mostly complete by September 1939, and state trials were conducted between April and June of the following year, which quickly revealed significant shortcomings.The aircraft failed to meet the requirements for maximum speed, and had excessively high take-off and landing speeds, which was typical for tailless designs. Despite the project flying faster than the production DB-3, the state commission did not accept the machine, and further work on the project was discontinued. The only prototype was destroyed in October 1941 as German troops approached Moscow, as there were no available pilots capable of ferrying the plane to the rear.Introducing the DB-LK!Feast your eyes on a highly ambitious bomber project developed in the USSR in the late 1930s. Let’s get acquainted with the DB-LK, set to become one of the most unusual aircraft in the game when it arrives in the next major update! A twin-engine flying wing with a solid bomb load, decent speed and maneuverability, and premium status!The DB-LK is a twin-fuselage bomber with two cockpits, which is quite a rare setup overall. One cockpit is set up for the pilot, while the other houses the navigator/bombardier. It uses a pair of M-87B engines, which accelerate this green wing to a respectable speed for such an early bomber.Interesting: The working project name “DB-LK” stands for “Dalniy Bombardirovshchik – Letayushcheye Krylo” (Long-Range Bomber — Flying Wing), although the aircraft is technically not a true flying wing, as it has two fuselages and a stabilizer.The DB-LK has quite an interesting armament layout. As a bomber, it carries a solid payload of over 2000 kg on external hardpoints in the center of the fuselage and in small bomb bays inside the fuselage itself. It can equip the usual high-explosive fragmentation bombs and also armor-piercing bombs to combat naval vessels. The DB-LK features both offensive and defensive guns, all familiar 7.62 mm ShKAS machine guns. Two offensive guns are positioned in the middle of the wing between the engines, and a defensive pair are positioned in each tailcone for the gunners. These are relatively powerful light machine guns, but the angles of the defensive turrets aren’t ideal, and have several blind spots.So, what do we think? The DB-LK is a very irregular bomber with an excellent payload and premium status. It’ll be a great pick for new pilots who want an interesting playstyle and a head start in the Soviet air tree, working effectively in both air, combined, and naval battles!You’ll be able to get acquainted with this curious bomber very soon in the next major update. In the meantime, keep an eye on the news for more interesting additions we’ll be adding!Please note that the vehicle's characteristics may be changed before being added to the game.

On December 1st, Portugal celebrates Restoration of Independence Day! It was on this date in 1640 that the Portuguese revolted against Spain, which had controlled the country for several decades at the time, and declared independence. Join in with a new video from our Moments of Valor series, dedicated to Portugal!Check out the “Que quem quis sempre pôde” Bundle!“Que quem quis sempre pôde” BundleTo get to the Gaijin Store through Steam, go to the in-game hangar > Shop > Online Store.110 54.99This bundle includes:

• Fiat G.91 R/4 Pack
• VRCC Centauro Pack
• Unique title: “Who wills aye finds a way”

Packs included in this bundle are also available for purchase separately with a 30% discount!

The M5A1 5th Canadian Armoured Division Pack is also available with a 50% discount, it also includes the unique “LICAS” camouflage!
M5A1 5th Canadian Armoured Division PackTo get to the Gaijin Store through Steam, go to the in-game hangar > Shop > Online Store.9.99 5

This pack includes:

• M5A1 5th Canadian Armoured Division (Rank II, USA)
• The unique “LICAS” camouflage
• Premium account for 15 days

The bundle is available until December 8th 12:00 (GMT). Available for PC players only.

Players on all platforms who already own all vehicles in the bundle can also earn the title by playing 3 battles with each vehicle before December 8th. You can complete the task in random battles, except for \ mode.

• Track your progress in the hangar by clicking Nickname → Achievements → Holidays → Moments of Valor: Portugal.

Check out some unique Portuguese camouflages!The following camouflages are permanently available in-game for Golden Eagles:

• VRCC Centauro (Rank VI, Italy) — unique “Portuguese Armed Forces” camouflage
• P-47D-30 (Rank III, Italy) — unique “Portuguese Air Force” camouflage
• A-7K (Rank VII, USA) — unique “Portuguese Air Force” camouflage
• F-16AM (Rank VIII, France) — unique “Jaguar” camouflage
• Beaufighter Mk X (Rank II, Great Britain) — unique “BF10” camouflage
• Alpha Jet A (Rank VI, Germany) — unique “Asas de Portugal” camouflage
• P-400 (Rank II, USA) — unique “Portuguese Air Force” camouflage
• MH-60L DAP (Rank VII, USA) — unique “Portuguese Air Force” camouflage
• F-84G-21-RE (Rank V, Italy) — unique “Dragões” camouflage
• Stuart VI (5th CAD) (Rank II, USA) — unique “LICAS” camouflage

Our final naval event of the year is dedicated to the coastal guards who patrolled the USSR’s maritime borders on ships and boats. Participate in naval battles to earn themed decals, the Soviet border guard flag, and the AK-225 patrol gunboat!

From December 3rd (11:00 GMT) until December 17th (11:00 GMT), earn mission points in Naval Battles, unlock stages and get rewards!

AK-225 — an Event Vehicle Gun Boat for the USSR at Rank VThe AK-225 was developed as a patrol gunboat for the USSR’s allies. This small, fast vessel with a tracking radar features an impressive armament loadout consisting of an automatic 57 mm cannon with armor-piercing and high-explosive fragmentation rounds. It’s mounted on the bow, and the famous six-barrel AK-630 mount is mounted on the stern. The AK-225 can dispatch other boats and low-flying aircraft with ease!   “Emblem of the USSR Border Guards” decal“Coast Guard Ship” decal“Flag of the naval units of the Border Troops of the USSR” ship flagAmong the rewards in the event is also this chest. When opened, there is a chance to receive one of the following items:

• 50,000 - 100,000 Silver Lions
• Silver Lion and Research boosters
• Random Wagers and Orders
• Universal Backups (1 - 3) 
• A random obtainable camouflage for a vehicle you own
• 1 day of Premium Account

How to get all rewardsEach stage can be completed for 35,000 mission points, every new stage you finish will give you a new reward. 

Please note: After finishing a stage, you need to collect the reward manually. To do this, click on your name in-game, go to “Sea Defender” and click the “Get Reward” button.

You’re able to earn mission points in Naval Battles at Rank III or above in Arcade and Realistic Battles. The number of mission points to complete a stage depends on the game mode and the maximum Rank of the vehicle that you use in battle. There’s a multiplier for earning mission points, which is shown in the task description in-game.   You can also earn mission points by using event vehicles that are Rank I and II. Event vehicles that can be used have the name of the event that they were obtainable in on their stat card. 

Stages change every two days at 11:00 GMT on December 5th, 7th, 9th, 11th, 13th and 15th.

Rewards are given when you complete a specific number of stages

• For 1 Stage: trophy with a random reward
• For 2 Stages: one of the reward decals
• For 3 Stages: trophy with a random reward
• For 4 Stages: one of the reward decals
• For 5 Stages: trophy with a random reward
• For 6 Stages: “Flag of the naval units of the Border Troops of the USSR” ship flag
• For 7 Stages: non-tradable coupon for the AK-225

 Discounts for purchasing stages using Golden EaglesIncomplete stages can be purchased for Golden Eagles, but if you’re significantly close to completing a stage, its price will be significantly reduced.Let’s say you have earned 85% of the required mission points to complete a stage, then the price of purchasing this stage will be halved. If you’re near the finish line for a stage and are at 95% progress, then the price will be reduced by five times. For example, if you’ve scored 30,000 mission points, then the price for unlocking this stage will be 499 Golden Eagles. If you’ve scored 33,500 mission points, then you’ll only need 199 Golden Eagles. Remember to keep this in mind if you run out of time for a stage!Coupon UpgradeWhen you complete 7 stages, you’ll receive a non-tradable coupon for AK-225, where using it will immediately activate the vehicle on your account. If you don’t want the vehicle and would like to sell the coupon on the Market, you’ll need the “Upgrade for coupon” item. 

The “Upgrade for coupon” item can be earned in parallel with the stages throughout the event from December 3rd (11:00 GMT) until December 17th (11:00 GMT) for 600,000 mission points.

After receiving the “Upgrade for coupon” item, you can convert the non-tradable coupon into a tradable one and sell it on the Market. The tradable coupon can be sold after 6 days from the moment it’s created. The “Upgrade for coupon” item is valid until December 22nd (11:00 GMT). Until this time, you can use it or exchange it for War Bonds. Afterwards, it’ll disappear from your inventory. 

To make a tradable coupon, select the “Coupon AK-225 (USSR)” in your inventory and click the “Modify” button.

You can track the progress of the stages and the “Upgrade for coupon” item by clicking on your Nickname > Achievements > Sea Defender. If you don’t manage to complete a stage on time or would like to purchase a stage, you’ll be able to do so until December 22nd from the Achievements window, you can purchase each stage with Golden Eagles which will give you the corresponding rewards.

Welcome to the 200th War Thunder Steam Screenshot Competition!

Thank you for all of your submissions last week! For the 200th competition in the series we’re celebrating the vehicles that have earned their place in history, and in your hearts. This week, capture a screenshot featuring a machine you consider a legend, whether it’s famous in real life, iconic in War Thunder, or simply a personal favorite you’ve relied on across your battles. The three most popular and three selected by us will get 300 GE. See the winners down below!

Let’s begin the 200th edition of our competition!

Create a stunning screenshot and submit it on the War Thunder Steam Community Hub with the tag #WTscreen200. You have time until the 5th of December 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.

How to Participate!

Terms:

• Your screenshot must include at least one player vehicle.
  
• You must add the #WTscreen200 tag (title cannot have any other text in it).
  
• Artists may only win by popular vote once per four screenshot competitions.
  
• 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.
  

And now, time for the winners of the competition’s 199th edition – City Limits!

Winners selected via community votes:
https://steamcommunity.com/sharedfiles/filedetails/?id=3610112952
https://steamcommunity.com/sharedfiles/filedetails/?id=3610498837
https://steamcommunity.com/sharedfiles/filedetails/?id=3610182003

Winners selected by our judges:
https://steamcommunity.com/sharedfiles/filedetails/?id=3610141332
https://steamcommunity.com/sharedfiles/filedetails/?id=3610929936
https://steamcommunity.com/sharedfiles/filedetails/?id=3611612902

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

Enjoy a special black friday bundle and Black Shark Pack with discount!

From November 27th 18:00 GMT until December 4th 18:00 GMT

“Black Friday” Bundle -50%This bundle includes:

• Black Shark Pack
• M18 “Black Cat” Pack
• A43 Black Prince Pack
• P-61A-11 Black Widow Pack
• Unique title: Back in Black

Meet this export modification of the famous British Hawk aircraft for the Indonesian Air Force!Hawk 209: A Premium Strike Aircraft for Japan at Rank VIIAt a glance:

• Large arsenal, including AGM-65G Maverick guided missiles
• AIM-9P-4 air-to-air missiles
• Subsonic
• Compact size

 Pre-order – Hawk 209 PackTo get to the Gaijin Store through Steam, go to the in-game hangar > Shop > Online Store.69.99
This pack includes:

• Hawk 209 (Rank VII, Japan)
• Premium account for 20 days
• 2500 golden Eagles
• Pre-order bonus: unique title “Wings of the Motherland”
• Pre-order bonus: unique “Emblem of the 12th Air Squadron “Black Panther” of the Indonesian Air Force” decal
• Pre-order bonus: unique experimental marine camouflage

Vehicle HistoryThe Hawk was a development of British Aerospace intended as a replacement for the Gnat trainer, as the more complex Jaguar proved unsuitable for cadet training. The high reliability and adaptability of the Hawk platform quickly made it an appealing aircraft for export, not only as a trainer, but as a light multi-role fighter as well. One of the key export versions was the Hawk 200 series, which first flew in 1986. Unlike the trainer variants, this was a light single-seat strike fighter, with an enlarged nose to accommodate a radar.In June 1993, Indonesia signed a contract for a supply of Hawk aircraft, including eight two-seat Hawk 109 combat trainers and 16 single-seat Hawk 209 multi-role fighter models, with the option to request an additional 16 Hawks of the latest model. This option was fully exercised, and by 1998, the Indonesian Air Force received all 40 Hawks. These versatile aircraft significantly enhanced the potential of the air force, filling every role required, from light fighter-bomber duties to more precise tactical operations.Introducing the Hawk 209!The Indonesian Hawk 209 will become a highly versatile and effective premium multi-role strike aircraft in the Japanese air tree in the upcoming major update! Pre-orders are open for this special Hawk from today, so let’s cover some of the key features of this fierce little fighter!Last update, two members of the renowned Hawk family made their way to the game, already becoming a common sight in air and combined battles alike. This new premium aircraft for Japan is the Indonesian export modification, highly compact and nicely agile. The Hawk 209 will be a loyal companion for tankers especially, as even though it can comfortably hold its own as a fighter, its primary duty is to support ground forces.The primary difference between this Indonesian variant and the regular Hawk 200 is the armament. The internal cannons have been removed, but don’t worry! A 30 mm cannon pod has been mounted on the central pylon under the fuselage to fend off aircraft and light targets. The bulk of the Hawk 209’s arsenal consists of bombs. You’ll be able to choose from many options, from 250, 500, and 1000 lb, along with classic FFAR unguided rockets.For more exciting weaponry, this Hawk can also equip AGM-65G Maverick air-to-ground missiles with semi-armor-piercing warheads, which are highly effective against ground vehicles. For air targets, you’ll be able to mount all-aspect AIM-9P-4 air-to-air missiles, making this Hawk exceptionally versatile on all fronts.The Hawk 209 will arrive with the final major update of 2025, which will be coming soon! Meanwhile, you can now pre-order a special bundle that includes the special Hawk 209, a unique title and decal, a large helping of Golden Eagles and lots of Premium Time!Please note that vehicle characteristics are still in development and may change before release.

Hey everyone! Last month, we asked you to leave your questions in a YouTube post so that we could compile them into a video Q&A with War Thunder Game Director, Viacheslav Bulannikov.The video is here! Check it out as Viacheslav answers some of the most upvoted and hottest questions that you’ve asked regarding the game.

Meet Stalingrad, an ambitious Soviet battlecruiser designed chiefly as a “cruiser killer.” Stalingrad: A Battlecruiser for the USSR at Rank VIAt a glance:

• Nine 305mm guns!
• Very high armor penetration
• Great anti-aircraft battery
• High speed
• Poor protection
• No reconnaissance aircraft

 Vehicle HistoryOn May 15th, 1941, the People’s Commissariat of the USSR Navy approved the design specifications for the "Project 82" heavy cruiser. The ship was conceived as a multi-purpose vessel, capable of engaging heavy enemy ships, supporting light naval forces, laying minefields, and suppressing coastal batteries. The cruiser was initially planned to be armed with eight 203 mm guns, powerful anti-aircraft weaponry, torpedo tubes and four reconnaissance aircraft. During the initial review of the plans, however, the 203 mm main battery was considered by many specialists to be insufficient for a ship of such size. Increasing the main caliber would give the ship superiority over foreign cruisers designed under the Washington Naval Treaty, which was an appealing concept for the designers. However, work on these revisions was interrupted by Operation Barbarossa, marking the start of the Second World War for the USSR and necessitating an immediate shift in priority.The project was revisited later in 1943 after the course of the war started to turn more favorable, and the duties and specifications of Stalingrad were further refined. The first revision saw the planned firepower increased to 220 mm, and later again to 305 mm in 1947, after the government expressed their desire for more powerful armament. It was with this caliber that the final design was approved on August 31st, 1948. The lead ship, Stalingrad, was laid down in Nikolaev on December 31st, 1951, with construction on two more cruisers beginning the following year. However, in 1953 following the death of J. V. Stalin, all work on the cruisers was halted, and the partially constructed hulls were dismantled on the slipways. The hull of Stalingrad itself was used as a training target for various weapon systems, including early missiles.Introducing Stalingrad!A highly specialized ship will be arriving in the next War Thunder update — the battlecruiser Stalingrad! It features excellent armor penetration, impressive speed, but mediocre protection. The ultimate glass cannon of the Soviet bluewater fleet, let’s have a look!The final approved concept of the Project 82 series of battlecruisers featured three triple SM-31 turrets housing high-velocity 305 mm guns. The performance of its AP and HE shells is comparable to that of battleship guns, offering very high penetration for their caliber. This impressive firepower is further aided by an advanced mechanized loading system that keeps the fire rate high. Stalingrad’s auxiliary weaponry consists of six twin 130 mm dual-purpose guns, which will be nicely familiar to captains experienced with Soviet post-war destroyers. The anti-aircraft battery is not lacking either, featuring twenty four 45 mm guns in six quad mounts and forty 25 mm guns in ten quad mounts, making Stalingrad a truly formidable force in terms of firepower.Even with this powerful, almost battleship-esque armament, Stalingrad firmly remains a cruiser, chiefly because of its speed, and secondly because of its armor. Stalingrad can cruise at an enviable 35.2 knots (65 km/h), making this battlecruiser one of the fastest ships at its rank! All of this comes with a harsh drawback, however, and that’s the armor. Protection had to be sacrificed to keep the speed high, and was reduced further as a consequence of the heavy gun mounts and their weighty reloading mechanisms. Stalingrad’s main belt armor is only 180 mm thick at a slight angle. The main caliber turrets fare slightly better at 240 mm, but protection is certainly unimpressive across the board. Stalingrad’s armor is vulnerable to nearly all guns at medium and close range, so make sure to rely on the high speed, and stick with more armored teammates for protection while making good use of the powerful long range performance of Stalingrad’s cannons.Fast, lethal, but vulnerable, the battlecruiser Stalingrad will be waiting for skilled and tactical commanders when it arrives in the final update of 2025. Stay tuned, we have literal tons of vehicles still to show you, we’ll see you soon for the next blog!Please note that this vehicle’s characteristics may be changed before it is added to the game.

Hi everyone! Dive into our 9th Community Update article, in which we reveal some of the upcoming changes and additions coming to War Thunder in the near future. Buckle up and read along!Disclaimer: While we’re excited to be able to share work-in-progress information before dev blogs, the dev server and the full release, please bear in mind that new features, vehicles and maps mentioned in this news are subject to change, be delayed or even cancelled. War Thunder is constantly being developed, and as with all game development, unexpected delays or other unforeseen circumstances may occur. Thank you for your interest! Returning decal codes!We’re temporarily returning last year’s free decal codes! If you just joined the game this year and missed them, now you’ll have the chance to pick them up.Simply enter NOSEKRITSINSIDE here!“No Sekrit Dokuments, Please” decal“Sekrit Dokuments” decalGet yourself a new free decal!Nigel is always among us, but he’s hiding. Enter code NIGELWASHERE here to redeem this special decal.“Nigel Was Here” decalImportant: make sure to login to the game after activating the code on the website, as if you don’t login before the mentioned code expiry date, the decal won’t activate on your account at all. Once you’ve logged in, the decals can be found under:

• “No Sekrit Dokuments, Please” decal: Decals > Special > Snails
• “Sekrit Dokuments” & “Nigel Was Here” decal: Decals > Special > Other

The decal codes will remain active from the publish date of this news until December 11th (10:00 GMT).Testing new Matchmaking to avoid repeat mapsFor most players, it can be a bit tedious to get the same map twice in a row, especially if it’s a map that doesn’t align with your playstyle or one that you don’t have the most suitable lineup for. Due to this, over the last few weeks we’ve been testing a new matchmaking system that will drastically reduce the likelihood of getting the same map twice in a row. When selecting a map for battle, the matchmaker now takes into account the map history of all players in the queue — it sees the map that each player previously played on, and will reduce the chance of selecting that map again for the upcoming battle.We’ve been testing this for around three weeks on the live servers, and have been gathering data in the meantime. Based on the matchmaking results and the data we’ve collected, the number of players experiencing a repeat map has dropped by orders of magnitude across the board (by more than ten times).While the system is working effectively, it’s not perfect. Please be aware that depending on active map bans, dislikes, (just as a reminder, the top 2 most disliked maps from players in the queue will be excluded) and the overall map pool available in any particular queue, there will be instances where some players will get the same map twice. However, the chance of this happening should be significantly reduced compared to how it was previously, so let us know how your battles have gone and if you’ve noticed a difference!The December Major UpdateIt’s time to take a look at what’s coming in the final major update of 2025.Changes to Ground Arcade and Realistic Battle LineupsIn Ground Arcade and Realistic battles, lineups are a vital contributor to the outcome of any given battle. However, not every player will have a full lineup available to them. Someone may only have a single premium tank, or may have rushed down the tree to unlock a certain vehicle while neglecting other branches, resulting in a fairly unbalanced lineup that lacks versatility.With this in mind, we’ve decided to implement a new feature to help. We’ll be adding a random ground vehicle spawn option in Ground Arcade and Ground Realistic Battles in lineups of 9.3 and above. This will work similarly to the aircraft spawns for Naval Battles, where you have the option to spawn a random fighter or bomber. For Ground Realistic Battles, there will be two options: a random spawn for tanks and another for SPAAs, while Ground Arcade Battles will just have a tank option.The available vehicle selection depends on the nation and Battle Rating of the battle, but the options won’t be top BR in any given scenario. As an example, in a 9.7 to 10.7 match, if you have a battle rating of 10.7, the random vehicle options will be between 9.7 and 10.3 — while if you have a Battle Rating of 9.7, the options will be between 9.3 and 10.0. This logic will apply universally across the board where possible, in cases where there is a limited number of vehicles available, the roster will include vehicles of lower BRs just to make sure there are enough options.In addition to this, we’ve also applied the same logic above to the random aircraft spawns in Naval Battles, the list of available aircraft has been drastically expanded, for both bombers and fighters.We hope that this new feature combined with the free daily backups will give everyone more ability to stay in each match for longer and keep fighting until the very end! Naval ImprovementsWe also have a couple of nice additions for naval that we’d like to tell you about as well. We have some more naval features planned for this update but they’re not quite finalized yet, so we’ll tell you about two that we already have locked in!Refining Rewards, and how Damage is CalculatedVessels in War Thunder have effectively two types of damage mechanics: the durability of each section of the ship, and the percentage of crew. Previously, damage — and therefore rewards — was calculated based on how much damage was caused to sections of the ship that contained crew, and not explicitly tied to crew itself.This could lead to situations where a player has depleted 80% of a ship’s crew but has only caused 15% of the damage, which would lead to only 15% of the reward (SL, RP, mission score, award damage). This is why you may have noticed that destroying coastal vessels provided much more damage points on the scoreboard, because of the difference in their damage model.In the next update, damage and all of the associated rewards will be tied completely to crew, and not to the sections of the damage model that contain crew. This should make the process of damage and getting rewards much clearer, as crew is a more tangible and convenient source of survivability. This change will mean that you’ll regularly get a much higher damage score when fighting large ships, and higher rewards too!Severe Damage SystemExactly as the title says, we’ll be adding a severe damage mechanic to naval! It will be similar in function to the mechanic for aircraft that we have in the game already. For naval specifically, you’ll be granted a severe damage credit by causing 50% crew depletion to a ship. This will give you 50% of the kill reward the moment you receive the credit for severe damage. If you don’t land the finishing blow, you’ll still get the kill credit, which will be shared with the player who landed the final hit.Another difference from the mechanic for aircraft is that a ship won’t be “written off” like a severely damaged aircraft at the end of the mission. If you’ve been severely damaged but keep your vessel afloat until the end of the battle, a kill credit won’t be given to the player that caused the damage. This mechanic will be present for all vessels, from boats to battleships.“Heavy Damage” Battle AwardWhen engaging large vessels like cruisers and battleships, they can sometimes take quite a long time to take down. This is fair enough of course, they’re tough nuts to crack after all, but it does mean that it’ll often be quite a while before you get that satisfying Target Destroyed message.Because of this, we’ll be adding a new battle award, it’ll be named something like “Heavy Damage” and will be awarded for causing 30% crew depletion on large vessels (cruisers and battleships). The aim of this new medal is to give you an extra reward while you steadily bring down enemy ships, and ideally give you a motivation boost to keep those shells raining down!Vehicles!Moving on from the naval improvements now to the vehicles coming. The December update will feature a heap of interesting vehicles for all nations, we’ll save the real headliners for the trailer and the upcoming dev server, but we might as well drop a few hints while we’re here...We’re planning a handful of advanced SAM systems for several nations in the next update. We'll be adding a few, but we think you’ll especially like the two we have planned for Japan and Sweden. We also have some very interesting light vehicles in the works...We’ll have a nice mix of famous and obscure naval additions well, with each nation with naval getting something. There’s a lot of big names you’ll recognise, regal and states, and a few rarer vessels too!Also on the cards is a highly unusual experimental bomber, it’ll have a rather special playstyle, but we won’t say much more! There’s a lot to expect on aviation front in general for the next update, you won’t have to wait too long to see what we’ve got in store!New detailed cockpitsAlright, alright we have to show something, we’d love to share some progress on some bomber cockpits we’ve been working on — next update the B-25 series will all receive detailed cockpits! This addition will be the first of many detailed cockpits that we’ll be adding for older aircraft that are missing them. It may be a small thing in the wider scope of the game, but it’s often the detail that makes War Thunder special, so expect more bombers to receive detailed cockpits in the future. In the meantime, check out the work in progress on the B-25! The textures are still being worked on, but from these screenshots you can see the amount of detail this cockpit will have.The end of year winter eventWe’re coming up to the end of the year now, which means it’ll soon be time for our big winter event, featuring four vehicles instead of one. Keep an eye out for what’s coming for this event!Before that though, we’ll have a dedicated naval event for a Soviet boat!Bullet Hell reflectionsWe’re very happy to see how everyone enjoyed the Bullet Hell event! A lot of us took part too, it was an interesting change of pace for sure. There are a few tweaks we’d like to make to the mode in general but overall we’re very happy to see how well it was received, so expect to see it again in some form in the future. In the meantime we’ll keep working on developing similar experimental modes too.Video Q&A with WT Game Director, Viacheslav BulannikovCheck out this Q&A with War Thunder Game Director Viacheslav Bulannikov who answers some of your hottest questions!Thank you!Well, that’s the last Community Update post from us this year, it goes fast doesn’t it? From the entire War Thunder team, thank you for a great 2025. Thank you for reading these posts and leaving your thoughts throughout the year, we always appreciate it. All of us here are hard at work on the final major update, and next year after a little bit of R&R we’ll see you again for more updates on what we’re working on! We hope you all have a fantastic holiday season, wrap up warm (apart from those of you in Australia, get the brolly up and the tinnie out!), and we’ll see you in 2026!War Thunder - Community Update PackHaven’t purchased the Community Update pack yet? Check it out!War Thunder - Community Update PackThis pack includes:

• “TOP SECRET” avatar frame
• “TOP SECRET” decal
• “TOP SECRET” title
• 300 Golden Eagles

 The War Thunder Team

It’s time to announce the winners of the Senrai Maidens Fan Art Contest!Over a month ago, three fierce tankers, Elsa, Maria, and Kate stole our hearts. With the release of their packs, we announced a fan art contest and today we’re ready to announce the winners. A big congratulations to all of the winners! Please keep an eye on your Social Media account messages, as our official War Thunder account will contact you with all the details on how to claim your prize. If you didn’t win this time, don’t feel too disheartened — know that you did a great job and should be proud of your work!Top 4Top 4 really stood out above the rest. Each winner gets to pick one Senrai Maidens pack of their choice!Winners:

• https://x.com/Mikelan125R/status/1990027295868989473
• https://x.com/b_luckcoffee/status/1987355651480428725
• https://x.com/Gp0Pz/status/1990494437072646156
• https://x.com/ajifry39/status/1989721844077990026

Places 5-14Places 5-14 were outstanding. Each winner gets 5,000 Golden Eagles!Winners:

• https://www.instagram.com/p/DQlbnEXjbQL/
• https://x.com/retasnas/status/1990402636806283642/photo/1
• https://x.com/ADF985716020277/status/1990192597512642785/photo/1
• https://x.com/Regent_ULQ/status/1990220815250452737/photo/1
• https://x.com/Rito_Art_Sfw/status/1990054544315957501/photo/1
• https://x.com/beepboprobotxd/status/1989465700608741841/photo/1
• https://x.com/Mistmill__/status/1979159187612668096
• https://x.com/Alvin_art15/status/1989193368258392557/photo/1
• https://x.com/ToTamets/status/1990061004869296143
• https://x.com/DaebomTwit/status/1980120628188582094

  Places 15-24Places 15-24 had their foot in the door and caught our eye. Each winner gets 7 Days of Premium Account time! Winners:

• https://x.com/HalfAQuarter2/status/1989579382802030779
• https://x.com/OSzczyglow61565/status/1982428721970885005/photo/1
• https://x.com/iBoomKub32/status/1990386835629986213/photo/1
• https://x.com/Ut_Supra_Infra/status/1988077670932816351/photo/1
• https://x.com/a_carriers_s/status/1990402601876169167/photo/1
• https://x.com/shirokami_da/status/1987797379421262224/photo/1
• https://x.com/NisshokuZ/status/1985921612949176496/photo/1
• https://x.com/therealjoeykoen/status/1979490554174996970/photo/1
• https://x.com/border_Olazapin/status/1980565298349801526/photo/1
• https://x.com/VictorKorp1999/status/1990130735752040474

You may have noticed that instead of 13 winners, we have selected 24. This is no mistake! The quantity and quality of the entries was so high that we decided to pick an additional winners. The additional winners receive 7 days of premium account time!Thank you once again for all your submissions! Remember that the Senrai Maidens Packs are still available in our store. These packs will not only make you stand out on the battlefield, but also allow you to unlock vehicles in their respective research trees faster!Purchase all three packs and receive the exclusive “Senrai Maidens” title, showcasing your dedication and style!

Today, we’ve rounded up and will be covering some of the bug fixes and improvements that we’ve made to the game today and over the past few weeks. If you’d like to catch up on every fixed bug, then be sure to check out the changelog section on our website. If you’ve found a bug that you’d like to report, you can do so on our community bug reporting platform.A fix for air frags not counting on the scoreboardTwo pilots engage in a tense duel, one of them gains the upper hand and deals critical damage to the enemy plane, causing it to crash. The victor receives mission points, but notices that the credit for destroying the aircraft doesn’t appear in the scoreboard.This was a bit of an issue, but was temporary: as soon as the defeated player took damage again after respawning, or if the victor crashed, the well-deserved credit would appear in the scoreboard. But this didn’t always happen. We’ve fixed this issue and your frags will count correctly on the scoreboard again.Radar fixesWe’ve fixed several bugs that occurred in various radar systems. For example, phased array radars would sometimes lose acquired targets if they moved out of range. The TWS+ radar also lost targets, where they would stop updating and freeze. Another bug affected TWS HDN mode, preventing target acquisition. Thank you for your reports, as they helped identify and quickly fix these issues!Convenient filtering!War Thunder is a game full of details and rich content and sometimes, finding what you’re looking for or filtering can require some effort. We’ve added a “Select all” button to many menus, allowing you to... well, select everything in a list. For example in the X-ray module filtering menu, wishlists and when selecting camouflages. This will help you speed things up while in the hangar, so make sure to use it when you need it!That’s not allCheck out the full list of fixes and improvements in the update notes below! Here’s some more: haze is now less noticeable in naval and air battles in good weather, spaces in vehicle names no longer interfere with vehicle searches, and Silver Lion and Golden Eagle purchase windows now display correctly on ultra-wide monitors.Previous Updates:

• Update 2.51.0.49
• Update 2.51.0.41
• Update 2.51.0.36

Today's Update: 2.51.0.50Interface

• A bug where it was not possible to find a vehicle by name in the Statistics section of the Player Profile window if the vehicle name contained a space has been fixed.
• A bug where, if a player's War Bond balance exceeded the maximum limit, completing daily tasks would trigger an erroneous warning window stating that a certain amount of the currency would be lost has been fixed.
• A "Select all" button has been added to various filter windows to make it easier to select most filter options at once.
• A bug where, when respawning using a backup, the daily backup was always selected even if all daily backups had been spent has been fixed. Now, the first available backup is selected by default.

 Ground Vehicles

• R400 — gun elevation angles have been corrected from -9/20 to -7/18 degrees.
• R400 — wheel thickness has been changed from 20 to 10 mm.
• R400 — the vehicle height parameter affecting visibility has been corrected.
• R400 — the gun has been changed from the 105 mm L7A3 gun to the 105 mm Rh 105-30 gun.
• TAM 2IP — an error in the description of the armor of the internal partition between the engine and the fighting compartment has been fixed.
• FSAF SAMP/T — a bug that showed a text key instead of the engine name has been fixed.
• EBRC Jaguar — an extra detail on the hull that should have only appeared with the additional armor modification installed has been removed.
• SPYDER — the crew replenishment icon has been changed from German crew to Israeli crew.

 Anti-Cheat

• To participate in Arcade Battles with a Battle Rating of 4.7 or higher, anti-cheat is now required.

2025 was an unforgettable year, packed with high-intensity WTCS events, fierce competition, and unforgettable storylines. Now, it all comes down to one final showdown: who will claim the title of WTCS 2025 Champion?To settle it once and for all, the 8 best teams of the first WTCS season are gathering for a unique and explosive tournament featuring major game modes!At the top of the global leaderboard stands DODEC, riding the momentum of their latest triumph in Air Superiority. RAWR secured their spot by the narrowest of margins, while FiveSticks punched their ticket thanks to a clutch 2nd-place finish in the same Air Superiority event.But with the full roster of finalists assembled, anything can happen. Can AVReS reclaim their position as world number one? Will Voyager, Leet, IgnisAvis, or WastedTime fight their way onto the podium?This year, teams are competing for a cash prize of 15,000 euros and coupons for the legendary IS-7 and BI! Let's wish them good luck!We'll find out which teams will be crowned champions at the WTCS 2025 Grand Finals, the ultimate test for the WTCS elite.Each team will field a roster of 9 players.On the first weekend, we dive into a 4v4 tank-only format, Armored Apex style. After AVReS’s impressive win in the 2025 edition, everyone’s wondering: can they reach the top again?During the second weekend, the action shifts to the skies in a 4v4 jet Air Superiority format featuring 4 point maps with the sought-after D point. Here, Team DODEC, fresh off their Air Superiority 2025 tournament victory, will be aiming to assert their dominance once more.Finally, on the third weekend, the tournament concludes with a 5v5 mixed Titan format. This is the crowd-favorite Esports setup: ground and air combined. To top it off: AVReS, winner of Titan 2025, will get a shot at redemption on their home turf.Follow us on our Instagram channels to learn more about the competition! Check out the Team Packs & Bundle!From November 25th 2025 until January 25th 2026 at 16:00 GMT, these packs dedicated to the eight participating teams will be available in the store. Be sure to check them out!Team DODEC Pack 

• Su-30SM DODEC Esports Team camouflage
• M1A1 Click-Bait DODEC Esports Team camouflage
• "DODEC Team Fan" title
• 300 Golden Eagles 

Team AVReS Pack 

• Leopard 2A7HU AVReS Esports Team camouflage
• Su-33 AVReS Esports Team camouflage
• "AVReS Team Fan" title
• 300 Golden Eagles

Team VOYAGER Pack 

• Rafale C F3 VOYAGER Esports Team camouflage
• M1A1 AIM VOYAGER Esports Team camouflage
• "VOYAGER Team Fan" title
• 300 Golden Eagles

Team LEET Pack 

• MiG-29 Sniper LEET Esports Team camouflage
• T-80 BVM LEET Esports Team camouflage
• "LEET Team Fan" title
• 300 Golden Eagles

Team FiveSticks Pack 

• Type 90 (B) "Fuji" FiveSticks Esports Team camouflage
• Su-27SM FiveSticks Esports Team camouflage
• "FiveSticks Team Fan" title
• 300 Golden Eagles

Team IgnisAvis Pack 

• Leopard 2A7V IgnisAvis Esports Team camouflage
• F-2A ADTW IgnisAvis Esports Team camouflage
• "IgnisAvis Team Fan" title
• 300 Golden Eagles

Team WastedTime Pack 

• Type 10 WastedTime Esports Team camouflage
• F/A-18C (Swiss) WastedTime Esports Team camouflage
• "WastedTime Team Fan" title
• 300 Golden Eagles

Team RAWR Pack 

• EF-2000 (Germany) RAWR Esports Team camouflage
• Leopard 2PL RAWR Esports Team camouflage
• "RAWR Team Fan" title
• 300 Golden Eagles

About the Teams:Team DODECWinners of the Air Superiority 2025 Major (jet 4v4 format), they dominated the skies with tactical excellence and mechanical precision. Currently at the top of the overall leaderboard with 286 Thunder Points, they stand as the top contenders for the Grand Finals.Team AVReSChampions of the Armored Apex 2025 (tank 4v4 format), where they went undefeated and claimed a flawless 3-0 victory in the Final. Their unique playstyle and strong cohesion led them to rise to 256 points, securing second place overall.Team VOYAGERWith 204 points, Voyager has established themselves as one of the most consistent and adaptable teams this season. Their balanced approach and improving performance have earned them a solid third position on the leaderboard.Team LEETA legendary name in War Thunder Esports. Operating with a renewed roster this year, they currently hold 136 points and remain a firm threat thanks to their experience and strategic discipline. Always capable of surprises.Team FiveSticksCurrently in 5th place with 109 points, FiveSticks impressed with strong resilience in recent tournaments, making deep runs through elimination brackets. A rising team with solid coordination and growing confidence.Team IgnisAvisSitting just behind at 6th place with 108 points, IgnisAvis continues to grab attention with bold strategies and aggressive gameplay. They’ve proven capable of challenging the top teams and could break into the podium soon.Team WastedTimeWith 79 points, they hold the 7th spot. Known for their calm resilience under pressure and unexpected late-game comebacks, they are the wild card of the competition, never to be underestimated.Team RAWREqual in points but still ranked 8th, RAWR remains a highly respected team with past podium success and a lot of experience. A team that blends maturity, precision, and tournament knowledge, more than capable of turning the tables at any moment.Team pack bundle at -20%You can also buy a discounted bundle containing all the packs at -20%.$31.92 $25.54This bundle includes:

• Team DODEC Pack
• Team AVReS Pack
• Team VOYAGER Pack
• Team LEET Pack
• Team FiveSticks Pack
• Team IgnisAvis Pack
• Team WastedTime Pack
• Team RAWR Pack 

For console players, the bundle pack will be available from November 28th 2025 until January 28th 2026.Match & Livestream Dates with Twitch Drops!A total of 9 event days will be streamed across multi-language Esports channels! Watch the tournament and collect Twitch Drops on the official War Thunder Esports channels in English, German, French, Russian and Polish!

You will have the opportunity to obtain unique camouflage from this first season of the WTCS, as well as the P-51A and M24 TL vehicles! FOLLOW Watch WTCS Grand Finals 2025 and receive Twitch Drops:"WTCS Grand Finals" camouflage for T-34-85 (STP), P-51A and M-24 TL First weekend — November 28th from 17:40 GMT and November 29-30 from 15:40 GMT

• 1 day of Premium
• 50% Silver Lion Booster
• 50% Research Point Booster
• Universal Backups x5
• Grand Finals 2025 Decal

• "Shoot here" decal

• "WTCS Grand Finals" camouflage for T-34-85 (STP)

Second weekend — December 5th from 17:40 GMT and December 6th-7th from 15:40 GMT

• 1 day of Premium
• 50% Silver Lion Booster
• 50% Research Point Booster
• “Shoot here” decal
• "Thunder Ammo Box" Player Frame

• "WTCS Grand Finals" camouflage for the P-51A
• P-51A aircraft*

Third weekend — December 12th from 17:40 GMT and December 15th-16th from 15:40 GMT

• 1 day of Premium
• 50% Silver Lion Booster
• 50% Research Point Booster
• Universal Backups x5
• "Close Air Support" player profile background

•  "WTCS Grand Finals" camouflage for M-24 TL
• M-24 (TL) vehicle*

*If you already have this vehicle, you can exchange the coupon for 100 War Bonds.Login to your Twitch account → link your Gaijin account → click “Allow” to be able to receive Twitch Drops! Did you miss the event? You can find all the highlights and replays on our Esports YouTube channel!War Thunder Esports  Giveaway!Stay updated on everything happening in War Thunder Esports by joining our Discord community! Premium bundles will soon be up for grabs there!And more giveaways are coming to Instagram and X, so stay tuned!

• Senrai Maidens: Maria
• Senrai Maidens: Kate
• Senrai Maidens: Elsa
• Su-30MK2 AMV Pack
• JH-7A Prototype Pack