War Thunder News & Announcements
Welcome to the 207th War Thunder Steam Screenshot Competition!
Your screenshots from last week looked amazing! This time, we’re highlighting teamwork and strength in numbers. Whether vehicles are advancing together, covering each other, or moving as a unified force, capture a moment that shows multiple units operating together. The three most popular and three selected by us will get 300 GE. See the winners down below!
Let’s begin the 207th edition of our competition!
Create a stunning screenshot and submit it on the War Thunder Steam Community Hub with the tag #WTscreen207. You have time until the 23rd of January to submit your screenshot.
After that date, 6 winners will be selected (3 of which will be the highest rated by the community and 3 selected by our judges), each of which receive a reward of 300GE.
How to Participate!
Terms:
- Your screenshot must include at least two player vehicles of the same team.
- You must add the #WTscreen207 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 206th edition – Overkill!
Winners selected via community votes:
https://steamcommunity.com/sharedfiles/filedetails/?id=3643773337
https://steamcommunity.com/sharedfiles/filedetails/?id=3643445462
https://steamcommunity.com/sharedfiles/filedetails/?id=3644336217
Winners selected by our judges:
https://steamcommunity.com/sharedfiles/filedetails/?id=3644722315
https://steamcommunity.com/sharedfiles/filedetails/?id=3644523287
https://steamcommunity.com/sharedfiles/filedetails/?id=3644885212
Each winner will get 300GE! Congratulations and see you next week!
Paintball is a sport for true adrenaline junkies! Put on your helmets, grab your paintball gun, don’t forget your gear and head to the arena. Stay alert, stay behind cover, and don’t forgive your opponents for their mistakes, whether in a competitive match or in our new tank event dedicated to the T-72B3 “Arena”!
From January 22nd (11:00 GMT) until February 9th (11:00 GMT), earn mission points in Ground Battles, unlock stages and receive rewards!T-72B3 “Arena” — An Event Vehicle MBT for the USSR at Rank VIIOne of the areas of further modernization for the T-72B3 tank was equipping it with modern active protection systems. A variant of the tank equipped with an Arena family active protection system was demonstrated at the RAE-2013 exhibition in Nizhny Tagil. This system complements the T-72B3’s already good level of protection. The Arena is capable of engaging incoming guided missiles on approach, destroying them with a fragmentation field several meters from the T-72B3’s armor. This modification is equipped with a ChTZ V-84-1 diesel engine and Kontakt-5 ERA. “Warning! Paintball Zone” decal “Paintball” decal“Paintball Marker” decoration“Paintball Helmet” decorationAmong 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
Please note: After finishing a stage, you need to collect the reward manually. To do this, click on your name in-game, go to “Paintball Arena” and click the “Get Reward” button.You’re able to earn mission points in Ground Battles at Rank III or above in Arcade, Realistic and Simulator 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 January 24th, 26th, 28th, 30th and February 1st, 3rd, 5th and 7thRewards are given when you complete a specific number of stages
- For 1 Stage: trophy with a random reward
- For 2 Stages: one of the decal rewards
- For 3 Stages: trophy with a random reward
- For 4 Stages: one of the decal rewards
- For 5 Stages: “Paintball Helmet” decoration
- For 6 Stages: trophy with a random reward
- For 7 Stages: “Paintball Marker” decoration
- For 8 Stages: non-tradable coupon for the T-72B3 “Arena”
- For 9 Stages: a unique camouflage and 4 random modifications for the T-72B3 “Arena”
Please note: You can only receive the modifications if the T-72B3 “Arena” is activated on your account.Discounts for purchasing stages using Golden EaglesUnfinished stages can be purchased for Golden Eagles, but if you’re very 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 39,000 mission points, then the price to unlock this stage will be 499 Golden Eagles. If you’ve scored 43,000 mission points, then you’ll only need 199 Golden Eagles. Remember to keep this in mind if you cannot complete a stage on time!Coupon UpgradeWhen you complete 8 stages, you’ll receive a non-tradable coupon for the T-72B3 “Arena”, using it will immediately activate the vehicle onto 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 January 22nd (11:00 GMT) until February 9th (11:00 GMT) for 750,000 mission points.After receiving the “Upgrade for coupon” item, you can convert a non-tradable coupon for the vehicle 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 11:00 GMT on February 13th. 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 T-72B3 “Arena” (USSR)” in your inventory and click the “Modify” button.You can track the progress of completing stages and the “Upgrade for coupon” item by clicking on your Nickname > Achievements > Paintball Arena. If you don’t manage to complete a stage on time or would like to purchase a stage, you can do so with Golden Eagles until February 13th from the Achievements window, which will give you the corresponding rewards.
On January 17th, 1991, the international coalition launched Operation Desert Storm, a response to Iraq’s occupation of Kuwait. The operation began with a large-scale bombing campaign targeting Iraqi air defenses and infrastructure, until February 24th, when ground forces were deployed. In just four days, they achieved a ceasefire and the withdrawal of Iraqi troops from Kuwait. This operation saw M1 Abrams main battle tanks undergo their baptism of fire, demonstrating their superiority on the battlefield.The XM1 (GM) returns and is available at a temporary 30% discount for 6,111 Golden Eagles!
- The XM1 (GM) will remain available for purchase after this promotion ends at the regular price.
When: From January 16th (11:00 GMT) until January 19th (11:00 GMT).Where: USA > Army > Premium vehicles.About this tank
- The XM1 is an experimental prototype whose developments formed the basis for the M1 Abrams main battle tank. It boasts impressive speed and maneuverability, allowing it to take advantageous positions on the battlefield and capture objectives quickly. Its 105 mm gun features a dual-plane stabilizer, along with a thermal imager and laser rangefinder aid in target acquisition.
Aircraft
- MiG-27K, MiG-27M — the restriction on the combined use of munitions with Laser and TV seekers has been removed.
- F-106A — the drag chute rip off speed has been increased from 220 km/h to 320 km/h.
- BMPT, BMPT-72 — the part of the 30 mm cannon belt located outside of the vehicle is now separated from the part of the belt located inside the vehicle. The fire or explosion of the internal part of the belt now leads to the destruction of the vehicle. The fire or explosion of the external part of the belt can seriously damage the external modules.
The erroneously missing ATGM launcher stabilizer has been added.
A bug that caused the autoloader sound to play when reloading ATGMs has been fixed. (Report). - BMPT — a bug that caused the destruction of the Power System module to not disable the FCS has been fixed. (Report).
- Franz Josef Land — a bug that sometimes caused the ship to spawn in another ship on the Southern spawn point of the Eastern team has been fixed. (Report).
- \ European Province — a bug that caused the playable area in the mission to not include the whole playable area indicated on the minimap has been fixed. (Report).
- A bug that caused temporarily available for purchase vehicles to not display in the tech tree until the player switched the vehicle preset has been fixed.
- FSAF SAMP/T (Mamba) (TEL) — a bug that caused the Modern desert camouflage to not apply to the TEL vehicle has been fixed. (Report).
Aircraft
- With the release of one of the previous server updates, a bug that caused direct hits of AAMs and SAMs on aircraft to deal too little damage has been fixed.
- F-106A — the maximum drag chute opening speed has been increased from 200 km/h to 296 km/h. (Report).
- A bug that sometimes caused hits from HEAT projectiles to generate no spall has been fixed. (Report).
- BMPT-72 — an issue where the commander’s sight camera was slightly offset to the side when both the “aim mode” was enabled and disabled has been fixed. An issue where the commander’s sight camera could not be moved to the left when zooming in has been fixed. (Report).
- TOG II — a bug that caused smoke grenades fired from the turret mortar to fly in the direction of the hull rather than the turret has been fixed. (Report).
- Mark V — a bug where the left gun barrel model did not rotate along with the breech and gun mount has been fixed. (Report).
- \ African Gulf — a bug where Bluewater fleet ships could appear outside of the playable area has been fixed. (Report).
- Sinai — a bug that caused the minimap to be semi-transparent has been fixed.
- AGS — the condition for using the “Snow w/Open Terrain camouflage MERDC” camouflage has been adjusted from forest to winter. (Report).
- MiG-29N (Japan) — a bug where the aircraft received achievements for German vehicles instead of Malaysian vehicles has been fixed. (Report).
The history of the modern Swedish kingdom dates back to 1523, when Gustav Vasa declared the country’s independence and became its king. The first armed forces of independent Sweden were Vasa’s personal bodyguards, volunteers who enlisted in his service on January 14th 1521. A hundred years later, King Gustav II Adolf transformed his troops into a regular, disciplined army, and thanks to the coordination of various branches of the armed forces and new tactics, became one of the best in Europe. The SAV 20.12.48 is temporarily available for 1,300 Golden Eagles!
When: From January 14th (11:00 GMT) until January 17th (11:00 GMT).Where: Sweden > Army > Premium vehicles.About this tank
- In the late 1940s, Bofors created an experimental 120 mm naval gun, and mounted it on a tank chassis. The SAV 20.12.48 never went into mass production, but you can try it out in War Thunder! It’s a fast and maneuverable vehicle with an unexpectedly high rate of fire, reloading in just 1.2 seconds!
Aircraft
- Su-27/30 family of aircraft (J-11, Su-33, Su-34 included) — excessive sustained turn rate caused by the change in stability, balance, and relaxing of the elevator has been reduced.
- J-10C — a bug that caused the AESA radar to not maintain the track files for targets outside of the current scan area has been fixed. (Report).
- Gladiator (all variants), J8A — a bug that caused the engine RPM to be too low at low speeds has been fixed.
- DB-3 (all variants), IL-4, Potez 630, Potez 631, Potez 633 — a bug that caused the engine fire system to be available without installing the EFS modification has been fixed. (Report, Report, Report).
- BMPT, BMPT-72 — the Battle Rating in all modes has been increased from 10.7 to 11.3. After looking into the effectiveness of both BMPTs after the previous change to their Battle Ratings, we decided to raise their BRs by 2 steps and release the change before the planned Battle Ratings changes that we normally do, which are going to happen in the near future.
- A bug that caused the target markers on the radar PPI (radial display) to become less visible in TWS mode has been fixed.
- A bug that caused the number of machine guns or cannons in the stat cards of some vehicles to be incorrect has been fixed. (Report).
- A bug that caused the minimap of some locations to be semi-transparent has been fixed. (Report).
- \ Saipan — air spawns have been forced on so that all aircraft can spawn in the mission and to make the initial conditions more fair.
Happy New Year everyone! We hope you’re all keen to pick up some more historical decals this year, thank you for your continued interest in these monthly events. As always we have 5 new decals and 5 from previous events, this month has a nice variety of different styles, with quite a few rare markings as well. We’d also like to thank our decal artist for giving Michelangelo a run for his money with the emblem of GC III/7! As always please keep leaving your suggestions for more decals, we’re always keeping an eye on those and include interesting examples when we can.
Commando Yank Mural“Commando Yank” painting, 6th Armored Infantry Battalion, U.S. Army. Commando Yank is an often forgotten superhero from the golden age of comic books. He was never renewed after his initial run and remains in the public domain, with his final appearance being in 1948.. He was a very popular character among American military personnel during the mid-1940s, embodying a strong sense of patriotism and “getting the job done his own way”, sentiments which appealed greatly to many Americans serving in the war. It was painted on an M3 Halftrack, number 402198, which was captured and photographed by axis forces in Tunisia in early 1943. The mural of Commando Yank was painted on the right side of the halftrack in front of the door. GC III/7 Emblem "Tête de furie"The emblem of Groupe de Chasse III/7 (3rd fighter group of the 7th fighter wing), French Air Force. The short-lived squadron operated for just over a year between May 1939 and August 1940, flying the Potez 630, MS.406, and for a short time the D.520. The marking of the group is a depiction of Michelangelo Buonarroti’s “Damned Soul”, a sketch of an anguished head. Through interpretation and subsequent derivative works, the head was given the name “The Fury”, though this is more of a historical nickname than an official title. The striking name and image made for a fitting group emblem, and several aircraft bore the marking. Though as copying Michelangelo with basic equipment was something of a challenge, the quality and colors of the head differed dramatically between aircraft. The marking would most often be painted behind the cockpit on their MS.406 fighters, with the head facing towards the front.5th Anti-Aircraft Company, 7th Anti-Aircraft Regiment Emblem, Japan“Happy New Year!” Inscription, USSR55. V-Fltl Emblem, GermanyDestroy 20 Aircraft using Japanese Ground VehiclesPlay 20 battles while using Soviet Tanks with a minimum of 60% Battle ActivityScore 20000 Damage while using German Coastal Vessels
5th Anti-Aircraft Company, 7th Anti-Aircraft Regiment EmblemThe emblem of the 5th Anti-Aircraft Company, 7th Anti-Aircraft Regiment, 7th Armored Division, JGSDF. The 7th Anti-Aircraft Regiment was formed on March 25th, 1981, and contains various general and specialized anti-air vehicles and equipment. The 5th Company operate the Type 81 SAM system, which is incorporated into the unit’s emblem. It depicts the roman numeral “V” splintering into a missile, aimed at what appears to be the silhouette of an F-16.The shark was chosen as the unit’s animal chiefly for its agility, swiftness, and ability to react and strike new threats quickly. The emblem was painted on some Type 81 SAM vehicles, positioned on the sides of the missile launchers on hatch closest to the base of the launcher rail.“Happy New Year!” Inscription"С НОВЫМ ГОДОМ!" (Happy New Year!) Inscription, Soviet Army. While Soviet inscriptions were generally more fierce and patriotic during the Second World War, a small number of examples were more lighthearted. For most combatants, holidays served as brief moments of respite amongst the fighting. The Soviet Army at the time did not recognize the holiday officially, insisting instead it was a time of heightened focus, as the enemy could take advantage and attack. This did not stop soldiers from trying to make the event feel as comfortable and enjoyable as possible, however. Efforts ranged from sharing luxury rations to amateur performances of music and theatre, and, demonstrably, the occasional merry inscription was painted somewhere or other. This message was painted on the right side of the turret on a KV-1 in Moscow at the end of 1941, before it headed back out to the front.55. V-Fltl EmblemThe emblem of 55. Vorposten-Flotilla, Küstensicherungsverband Norwegische Westküste (55th “Picket” Flotilla, Coastal Defence Unit Norwegian West Coast), Kriegsmarine. The 55th was formed in June, 1940, and performed coastal defense duties around Bergen. A “picket” is a small boat specialized for harbor and shore defense, and is more of a term applied to a boat fulfilling this role rather than a specific class of vessel, though they are generally fairly small. The emblem was loosely inspired by the panther marking of 4. SFltl, of which several boats were incorporated into the 55. V-Fltl. The crossed swords and the almost frightening panther’s head give the marking a strong defensive impression, making it a fitting choice for such a unit. The marking was most often applied on the flotilla’s S-Boats on the side of the hull to the left and right of the bridge, and was also painted on their M-Class minesweeper above and to the sides of the bridge.
Meritorious Warrior V Inscription, China92. jaktflygdivisionen "Ivar Blå" Emblem, SwedenFinish in position 1-3 three times while using Chinese tanksDestroy 40 players while using Swedish Aircraft
Meritorious Warrior V Inscription“Meritorious Warrior V” (功臣号) inscription, PLA. The tradition of naming a tank “Meritorious Warrior” (or, simplified, “Hero Tank”) stems from the first ever tank of the PLA, a captured Chi-Ha Kai. The tank performed exceptionally in battle, and received this moniker to cement its legendary status. Throughout each generation, a new vehicle and crew are selected to carry the name, serving as a way to honour the legacy and history of the PLA and serve as a strong symbol of pride. Crews must compete in order to earn the right to carry the title, with only the best of the best receiving the honour. While each variant of the marking has no official name, it is generally named after the generation of tank they are applied to. This marking in particular was painted on the turret side of a ZTZ99A in 2018, on the ERA blocks.
92. jaktflygdivisionen "Ivar Blå" EmblemThe emblem of 92. jaktflygdivisionen "Ivar Blå" (92nd Fighter Division “Ivar Blue”), Swedish Air Force. The squadron was formed on July 1st 1940, initially fielding J8 and J11 biplane fighters, before transitioning to the J21 after the war, and later to the jet-powered J29 and J34. The emblem of the squadron was inspired by Western cartoons and named Bonzo. The name at least is likely directly inspired by the character Bonzo the Dog, created by George Studdy in the 1920s, though the designs are very different overall. Bonzo would also appear as a helmet emblem for the division’s pilots, and still could be found around the Säve Air Base after the division’s disbandment in 1968. Bonzo was painted on the nose of several squadron aircraft. On the J21 the emblem was quite large, while on the J29 it was much smaller, often painted in between the nose and the cockpit.
2ª Escuadrilla de Chatos Emblem, Spain3° Squadrone Blindo “Savoia Cavalleria” Marking, ItalyNo. 1 Fighter Squadron Emblem, IAC, IrelandWin 15 matches while flying AircraftDefeat 40 players using Italian Light TanksDefeat 40 players using British Aircraft2ª Escuadrilla de Chatos EmblemThe emblem of 2ª Escuadrilla de Chatos (2nd “Chatos” Squadron), Spanish Republican Air Force. Chatos translates to “Snub-nosed”, which was the nickname of the I-15 in Spanish service, due to its round, blunt engine. The squadron fostered great renown during the conflict, notably during the Battle of Jarama, and also for their success as night fighters, which for the time was an impressive feat for how rudimentary their aircraft were. Their fame was also spurred on in part by their iconic emblem, which led to their unofficial nickname of “Escuadrilla Los Pingüinos” (The Penguin Squadron). Little context remains surrounding the origin of the emblem and its design, but it was most commonly painted on the fuselage to the rear of the cockpit.3° Squadrone Blindo “Savoia Cavalleria” MarkingA marking of the 3° Squadrone Blindo “Savoia Cavalleria” (3rd Regiment "Savoia Cavalry"), Italian Army.The origins of the Savoia Cavalry go back hundreds of years to 1692, when it was established as a classic cavalry regiment. It would go on to be renamed, restructured, and reequipped numerous times, giving the unit a rich and detailed history. As of 2013, the regiment is attached to the Folgore Paratroopers Brigade, acting as the heavy reconnaissance element. The regiment is equipped with a small number of Centauro armored vehicles. This stylized dragon was a personal marking of one particular vehicle, and was painted on the lower-right plate, next to the wheel well. No. 1 Fighter Squadron Emblem, IACThe emblem of No. 1 Fighter Squadron, Irish Air Corps. Despite not engaging in combat during the Second World War, the Irish Air Corps was equipped with early Hurricanes and Gladiator biplanes during the conflict, before upgrading to Seafires after the war ended. The marking depicts the head of a Black Panther along with the inscription “Beag ach Fiachmhar”, or “Small but Fierce”. The emblem was positioned towards the nose on the fighters in operation with the squadron, usually under the engine exhaust or on the cowling. Later jet aircraft in operation would also bear the emblem to the side of the nose.
Monthly markings can be found in a special tab at the bottom of the customization menu, (Monthly Decals) after a month, they’ll be moved to their corresponding category.You can check the exact terms and track the progress of completing tasks for these decals by going to your Player Profile > Decals > Monthly Decals. From here, click the “Track progress” button on each decal to track from the hangar.
All of the emblems will come with a detailed description. This will generally consist of the history of the marking, its design, which vehicles used it, and where it was often placed on vehicles historically if applicable (some emblems are taken from badges, which weren’t always applied). This way you can more easily recreate the original positioning if you’d like.We hope you like the selection going into 2026! Next month marks one year since this event was renewed, maybe we can get some stats on the most popular markings over the past year, if that would be interesting. We hope you enjoy these small decal side quests, have fun collecting and we’ll see you in February!
The following decals will be available from January 12th (11:00 GMT) until February 12th (09:00 GMT)All tasks can be completed using vehicles that are rank III or higher.Commando Yank Mural, USAGC III/7 Emblem "Tête de furie", FranceEarn 20000 score while using American TanksFinish in position 1-5 five times while using French Aircraft
Commando Yank Mural“Commando Yank” painting, 6th Armored Infantry Battalion, U.S. Army. Commando Yank is an often forgotten superhero from the golden age of comic books. He was never renewed after his initial run and remains in the public domain, with his final appearance being in 1948.. He was a very popular character among American military personnel during the mid-1940s, embodying a strong sense of patriotism and “getting the job done his own way”, sentiments which appealed greatly to many Americans serving in the war. It was painted on an M3 Halftrack, number 402198, which was captured and photographed by axis forces in Tunisia in early 1943. The mural of Commando Yank was painted on the right side of the halftrack in front of the door. GC III/7 Emblem "Tête de furie"The emblem of Groupe de Chasse III/7 (3rd fighter group of the 7th fighter wing), French Air Force. The short-lived squadron operated for just over a year between May 1939 and August 1940, flying the Potez 630, MS.406, and for a short time the D.520. The marking of the group is a depiction of Michelangelo Buonarroti’s “Damned Soul”, a sketch of an anguished head. Through interpretation and subsequent derivative works, the head was given the name “The Fury”, though this is more of a historical nickname than an official title. The striking name and image made for a fitting group emblem, and several aircraft bore the marking. Though as copying Michelangelo with basic equipment was something of a challenge, the quality and colors of the head differed dramatically between aircraft. The marking would most often be painted behind the cockpit on their MS.406 fighters, with the head facing towards the front.5th Anti-Aircraft Company, 7th Anti-Aircraft Regiment Emblem, Japan“Happy New Year!” Inscription, USSR55. V-Fltl Emblem, GermanyDestroy 20 Aircraft using Japanese Ground VehiclesPlay 20 battles while using Soviet Tanks with a minimum of 60% Battle ActivityScore 20000 Damage while using German Coastal Vessels
5th Anti-Aircraft Company, 7th Anti-Aircraft Regiment EmblemThe emblem of the 5th Anti-Aircraft Company, 7th Anti-Aircraft Regiment, 7th Armored Division, JGSDF. The 7th Anti-Aircraft Regiment was formed on March 25th, 1981, and contains various general and specialized anti-air vehicles and equipment. The 5th Company operate the Type 81 SAM system, which is incorporated into the unit’s emblem. It depicts the roman numeral “V” splintering into a missile, aimed at what appears to be the silhouette of an F-16.The shark was chosen as the unit’s animal chiefly for its agility, swiftness, and ability to react and strike new threats quickly. The emblem was painted on some Type 81 SAM vehicles, positioned on the sides of the missile launchers on hatch closest to the base of the launcher rail.“Happy New Year!” Inscription"С НОВЫМ ГОДОМ!" (Happy New Year!) Inscription, Soviet Army. While Soviet inscriptions were generally more fierce and patriotic during the Second World War, a small number of examples were more lighthearted. For most combatants, holidays served as brief moments of respite amongst the fighting. The Soviet Army at the time did not recognize the holiday officially, insisting instead it was a time of heightened focus, as the enemy could take advantage and attack. This did not stop soldiers from trying to make the event feel as comfortable and enjoyable as possible, however. Efforts ranged from sharing luxury rations to amateur performances of music and theatre, and, demonstrably, the occasional merry inscription was painted somewhere or other. This message was painted on the right side of the turret on a KV-1 in Moscow at the end of 1941, before it headed back out to the front.55. V-Fltl EmblemThe emblem of 55. Vorposten-Flotilla, Küstensicherungsverband Norwegische Westküste (55th “Picket” Flotilla, Coastal Defence Unit Norwegian West Coast), Kriegsmarine. The 55th was formed in June, 1940, and performed coastal defense duties around Bergen. A “picket” is a small boat specialized for harbor and shore defense, and is more of a term applied to a boat fulfilling this role rather than a specific class of vessel, though they are generally fairly small. The emblem was loosely inspired by the panther marking of 4. SFltl, of which several boats were incorporated into the 55. V-Fltl. The crossed swords and the almost frightening panther’s head give the marking a strong defensive impression, making it a fitting choice for such a unit. The marking was most often applied on the flotilla’s S-Boats on the side of the hull to the left and right of the bridge, and was also painted on their M-Class minesweeper above and to the sides of the bridge.
Meritorious Warrior V Inscription, China92. jaktflygdivisionen "Ivar Blå" Emblem, SwedenFinish in position 1-3 three times while using Chinese tanksDestroy 40 players while using Swedish Aircraft
Meritorious Warrior V Inscription“Meritorious Warrior V” (功臣号) inscription, PLA. The tradition of naming a tank “Meritorious Warrior” (or, simplified, “Hero Tank”) stems from the first ever tank of the PLA, a captured Chi-Ha Kai. The tank performed exceptionally in battle, and received this moniker to cement its legendary status. Throughout each generation, a new vehicle and crew are selected to carry the name, serving as a way to honour the legacy and history of the PLA and serve as a strong symbol of pride. Crews must compete in order to earn the right to carry the title, with only the best of the best receiving the honour. While each variant of the marking has no official name, it is generally named after the generation of tank they are applied to. This marking in particular was painted on the turret side of a ZTZ99A in 2018, on the ERA blocks.
92. jaktflygdivisionen "Ivar Blå" EmblemThe emblem of 92. jaktflygdivisionen "Ivar Blå" (92nd Fighter Division “Ivar Blue”), Swedish Air Force. The squadron was formed on July 1st 1940, initially fielding J8 and J11 biplane fighters, before transitioning to the J21 after the war, and later to the jet-powered J29 and J34. The emblem of the squadron was inspired by Western cartoons and named Bonzo. The name at least is likely directly inspired by the character Bonzo the Dog, created by George Studdy in the 1920s, though the designs are very different overall. Bonzo would also appear as a helmet emblem for the division’s pilots, and still could be found around the Säve Air Base after the division’s disbandment in 1968. Bonzo was painted on the nose of several squadron aircraft. On the J21 the emblem was quite large, while on the J29 it was much smaller, often painted in between the nose and the cockpit.
2ª Escuadrilla de Chatos Emblem, Spain3° Squadrone Blindo “Savoia Cavalleria” Marking, ItalyNo. 1 Fighter Squadron Emblem, IAC, IrelandWin 15 matches while flying AircraftDefeat 40 players using Italian Light TanksDefeat 40 players using British Aircraft2ª Escuadrilla de Chatos EmblemThe emblem of 2ª Escuadrilla de Chatos (2nd “Chatos” Squadron), Spanish Republican Air Force. Chatos translates to “Snub-nosed”, which was the nickname of the I-15 in Spanish service, due to its round, blunt engine. The squadron fostered great renown during the conflict, notably during the Battle of Jarama, and also for their success as night fighters, which for the time was an impressive feat for how rudimentary their aircraft were. Their fame was also spurred on in part by their iconic emblem, which led to their unofficial nickname of “Escuadrilla Los Pingüinos” (The Penguin Squadron). Little context remains surrounding the origin of the emblem and its design, but it was most commonly painted on the fuselage to the rear of the cockpit.3° Squadrone Blindo “Savoia Cavalleria” MarkingA marking of the 3° Squadrone Blindo “Savoia Cavalleria” (3rd Regiment "Savoia Cavalry"), Italian Army.The origins of the Savoia Cavalry go back hundreds of years to 1692, when it was established as a classic cavalry regiment. It would go on to be renamed, restructured, and reequipped numerous times, giving the unit a rich and detailed history. As of 2013, the regiment is attached to the Folgore Paratroopers Brigade, acting as the heavy reconnaissance element. The regiment is equipped with a small number of Centauro armored vehicles. This stylized dragon was a personal marking of one particular vehicle, and was painted on the lower-right plate, next to the wheel well. No. 1 Fighter Squadron Emblem, IACThe emblem of No. 1 Fighter Squadron, Irish Air Corps. Despite not engaging in combat during the Second World War, the Irish Air Corps was equipped with early Hurricanes and Gladiator biplanes during the conflict, before upgrading to Seafires after the war ended. The marking depicts the head of a Black Panther along with the inscription “Beag ach Fiachmhar”, or “Small but Fierce”. The emblem was positioned towards the nose on the fighters in operation with the squadron, usually under the engine exhaust or on the cowling. Later jet aircraft in operation would also bear the emblem to the side of the nose.
Monthly markings can be found in a special tab at the bottom of the customization menu, (Monthly Decals) after a month, they’ll be moved to their corresponding category.You can check the exact terms and track the progress of completing tasks for these decals by going to your Player Profile > Decals > Monthly Decals. From here, click the “Track progress” button on each decal to track from the hangar.
All of the emblems will come with a detailed description. This will generally consist of the history of the marking, its design, which vehicles used it, and where it was often placed on vehicles historically if applicable (some emblems are taken from badges, which weren’t always applied). This way you can more easily recreate the original positioning if you’d like.We hope you like the selection going into 2026! Next month marks one year since this event was renewed, maybe we can get some stats on the most popular markings over the past year, if that would be interesting. We hope you enjoy these small decal side quests, have fun collecting and we’ll see you in February!
Welcome to the 206th War Thunder Steam Screenshot Competition!
Thanks for sharing all of your screenshots with us last week! For the upcoming theme, we’re focusing on sheer firepower. Landing hits to get the kill is a bit more difficult, but so much more satisfying! Go and grab your favorite heavy-hitters, and may your aim be true! The three most popular and three selected by us will get 300 GE. See the winners down below!
Let’s begin the 206th edition of our competition!
Create a stunning screenshot and submit it on the War Thunder Steam Community Hub with the tag #WTscreen206. You have time until the 16th of January to submit your screenshot.
After that date, 6 winners will be selected (3 of which will be the highest rated by the community and 3 selected by our judges), each of which receive a reward of 300GE.
How to Participate!
Terms:
- Your screenshot must include a tank or ship with a caliber of over 130mm, or an aircraft with a caliber of 35mm or more.
- You must add the #WTscreen206 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 205th edition – Whiteout!
Winners selected via community votes:
https://steamcommunity.com/sharedfiles/filedetails/?id=3639202417
https://steamcommunity.com/sharedfiles/filedetails/?id=3639846854
https://steamcommunity.com/sharedfiles/filedetails/?id=3638063039
Winners selected by our judges:
https://steamcommunity.com/sharedfiles/filedetails/?id=3640121096
https://steamcommunity.com/sharedfiles/filedetails/?id=3640902803
https://steamcommunity.com/sharedfiles/filedetails/?id=3641156378
Each winner will get 300GE! Congratulations and see you next week!
The modern German Air Force has existed since January 9th, 1956. The German Air Force is a part of the Bundeswehr, the armed forces of Germany. Its motto is “Immer im Einsatz” (Always in action), it has 27,700 personnel and operates 380 aircraft. The Sea Hawk Mk.100 is temporarily available at a 30% discount for 5,992 Golden Eagles!
- The Sea Hawk Mk.100 is only available during this promotion.
When: From January 9th (11:00 GMT) until January 12th (11:00 GMT).Where: Germany > Aviation > Premium vehicles.About this aircraft
- The Sea Hawk Mk.100 is the earliest fighter in the game to use infrared-guided air-to-air missiles, the AIM-9B Sidewinder. The aircraft’s forward armament consists of four 20 mm Hispano cannons, and its high maneuverability allows it to prevail in many maneuvering engagements.
Welcome to the 205th War Thunder Steam Screenshot Competition!
We loved seeing all of your submissions last week! This week, capture a screenshot from a winter environment, or with snow somewhere in the screenshot. Whether on land, in the air, or at sea, capture a screenshot that showcases vehicles operating in snow, ice, or cold-weather conditions. The three most popular and three selected by us will get 300 GE. See the winners down below!
Let’s begin the 205th edition of our competition!
Create a stunning screenshot and submit it on the War Thunder Steam Community Hub with the tag #WTscreen205. You have time until the 9th of January to submit your screenshot.
After that date, 6 winners will be selected (3 of which will be the highest rated by the community and 3 selected by our judges), each of which receive a reward of 300GE.
How to Participate!
Terms:
- Your screenshot must include snow or ice.
- You must add the #WTscreen205 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 204th edition – A New Year’s Salvo!
Winners selected via community votes:
https://steamcommunity.com/sharedfiles/filedetails/?id=3633006793
https://steamcommunity.com/sharedfiles/filedetails/?id=3632668235
https://steamcommunity.com/sharedfiles/filedetails/?id=3636663408
Winners selected by our judges:
https://steamcommunity.com/sharedfiles/filedetails/?id=3632436363
https://steamcommunity.com/sharedfiles/filedetails/?id=3632900920
https://steamcommunity.com/sharedfiles/filedetails/?id=3632789586
Each winner will get 300GE! Congratulations and see you next week!
Aircraft
- Su-27/30 family of aircraft (J-11, Su-33, Su-34 included) — the lift on high angles of attack has been increased, balance on high AoA has been adjusted, the maximum AoA turn characteristics have been adjusted to closer match those in the Su-27SK manual. (Report).
- BMPT, BMPT-72 — when external 30 mm cannon ammo catches fire, the cannon breeches, autoloader and vertical drive will be destroyed. The belt between the cannon breeches and main ammo stowage in the crew compartment is what’s considered to be external ammo.
- Arctic (all missions) — a bug that caused the aircraft to spawn underground has been fixed. (Report). All temporarily disabled missions on this location have been added back into rotation.
In Pages of History this month, you will find yourself at the center of events that took place in various theaters of war. From Leningrad and Khafji, to the Philippines and East Prussia: participate in battles while using vehicles linked to these historic battles and get some prizes!
Pyotr Andreevich PilyutovPyotr Pilyutov was a Soviet ace who fought throughout World War 2. In total, he took part in 74 aerial battles and shot down 15 enemy aircraft. Pilyutov fought on the Leningrad Front, defending the besieged city. On February 10th, 1943, shortly after the breakthrough of the siege, Pilyutov was awarded the title of Hero of the Soviet Union. After the war, his name was immortalized in the museum-diorama "Breakthrough of the Siege of Leningrad."
You can immediately purchase this profile icon for Golden Eagles until February 3rd (11:30 GMT) without completing tasks. To find it, go to your Nickname → Achievements → Pages of History.Trophy reward for each taskCompleting each individual task will give you a trophy with one of the following rewards:
From January 1st until January 31st, you will be able to participate in 8 tasks consecutively. Completing each task will grant you a trophy with a reward, completing all of the tasks will earn you a unique player icon!
Pyotr Andreevich PilyutovPyotr Pilyutov was a Soviet ace who fought throughout World War 2. In total, he took part in 74 aerial battles and shot down 15 enemy aircraft. Pilyutov fought on the Leningrad Front, defending the besieged city. On February 10th, 1943, shortly after the breakthrough of the siege, Pilyutov was awarded the title of Hero of the Soviet Union. After the war, his name was immortalized in the museum-diorama "Breakthrough of the Siege of Leningrad."
You can immediately purchase this profile icon for Golden Eagles until February 3rd (11:30 GMT) without completing tasks. To find it, go to your Nickname → Achievements → Pages of History.Trophy reward for each taskCompleting each individual task will give you a trophy with one of the following rewards:
- 20-50% RP booster for 3-10 battles;
- 20-50% SL booster for 3-10 battles;
- 3-5 universal backups;
- Premium account for 1 day;
- A random ground vehicle camouflage (out of those that can currently be unlocked or purchased with Golden Eagles).
- Tasks are available from 11:00 GMT until 11:30 GMT on the final day of each task.
- Tasks can be completed in random battles except for “Assault” mode.
Aircraft
- A direct hit on an aircraft's fuel tank by the high-explosive warhead of an air-to-air missile (or equivalent munition) will now always cause the fuel tank to detonate.
- F/A-18 (all variants) — a bug that caused CCRP to not display on the HUD in the cockpit if the POI was outside of the HUD view area has been fixed.
- Eastern Europe, Maginot Line — a bug that caused the minimaps to be semi-transparent has been fixed.
The holidays are here, and the festivities are in full swing! A major update, Line of Contact, was recently released — the fifth this year! Our work doesn’t stop there, and we’re continuing to bring you new content for the update. We present the Line of Contact trophy featuring camouflages created by authors from the Live.WT portal. It contains many camouflages for ground vehicles and aircraft from various nations and ranks, including vehicles from the recent update. In the trophy you’ll find both camouflages with unique creator styles and classic patterns used across different theaters of war. In addition to camouflages, you can also earn a unique decal and rare vehicles, all in the form of coupons!Contents of the Line of Contact trophy:
- Coupons for rare vehicles
- 22 camouflage coupons for ground vehicles
- 14 camouflage coupons for aircraft
- 3 camouflage coupons for naval vessels
- 1 camouflage coupon for helicopters
- A coupon for the Line of Contact decal
To unlock the trophy, you’ll need the new “Line of Contact” key that can be purchased on the Market for GJN. Read more about the Market and Gaijin Coins on the Wiki.How to get the trophyCamouflage trophies can be earned with a specific probability after any battle with vehicles rank II or higher, with activity of no less than 50% (except for \ PvE mode). PlayStation and Xbox players can purchase the trophy in the Item Shop and open it with Golden Eagles. Read more on our Wiki.PC players must purchase a key from the Market to open the trophy, with part of the cost going to the camouflage creators. You can activate a key from the trophy on your account or sell it on the Market for Gaijin Coins — just like the trophy itself.
You can become a creator of user camouflages — check out the updated guide on our Wiki! It will bring you both glory and real money as a part of the War Thunder partnership program! Additionally, all authors who are included in these trophies will receive a unique title, player icon and decal. Join the creative team over on WT Live!
Welcome to the 204th War Thunder Steam Screenshot Competition!
Thank you for all of your submissions last week! As we look ahead, we’re opening the year with a theme focused on explosions and moments of action. Whether it’s a well placed bomb, high-caliber action, or a full salvo, capture a screenshot that captures the action! The three most popular and three selected by us will get 300 GE. See the winners down below!
Let’s begin the 204th edition of our competition!
Create a stunning screenshot and submit it on the War Thunder Steam Community Hub with the tag #WTscreen204. You have time until the 2nd of January to submit your screenshot.
After that date, 6 winners will be selected (3 of which will be the highest rated by the community and 3 selected by our judges), each of which receive a reward of 300GE.
How to Participate!
Terms:
- Your screenshot must include an explosion.
- You must add the #WTscreen204 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 203rd edition – Line of Contact!
Winners selected via community votes:
https://steamcommunity.com/sharedfiles/filedetails/?id=3627481482
https://steamcommunity.com/sharedfiles/filedetails/?id=3627350568
https://steamcommunity.com/sharedfiles/filedetails/?id=3627806650
Winners selected by our judges:
https://steamcommunity.com/sharedfiles/filedetails/?id=3631158784
https://steamcommunity.com/sharedfiles/filedetails/?id=3629277226
https://steamcommunity.com/sharedfiles/filedetails/?id=3632286363
Each winner will get 300GE! Congratulations and see you next week!
Aircraft
- Rafale C F3, Rafale M F3-R — a bug that caused the common rules of electronic equipment damage on aircraft without a detailed Damage Model to not apply to these aircraft has been fixed.
- T-64B, T-80B — the reload time has been reduced from the 7 seconds to the correct 6 seconds, announced in the reload changes.
- A bug that caused the air-to-air missiles and surface-to-air missiles to lack kinetic penetration at large distances has been fixed.
- A bug that caused the guidance type multiplier of the guided bombs to apply to Spawn Point cost of some other weapons in the Secondary Weapon presets that had both guided bombs and other weapons (for example, guided bombs and AGMs) has been fixed.
Aircraft
- A bug that caused air-to-air missile explosions in fuel tanks to not lead to the wings tearing off has been fixed.
- F/A-18 (all variants) — a bug that caused the CCRP indication (azimuth steering line to the current POI) to sometimes not display on the HUD in the cockpit has been fixed. (Report).
- The reload times of T-64, T-72, T-80, T-90, 2S25, ZTZ96, ZTZ99 and VT4 series tanks have been reduced. The full list of changes, as well as more details can be found in this topic.
- IRIS-T SLM — the activation range for the missile's onboard seeker has been reverted from 4 km back to 10 km. This is intended to increase the missile's probability of hitting if the ground radar loses its track on the target.
- BMPT, BMPT-72 — the erroneously missing aluminum protective cover around the ammo of the 30 mm cannon has been added.
- A bug that caused the hit marker above the ground vehicle in Ground Realistic Battles to display on close shell flybys and not only on direct hits has been fixed.
- Su-30MKK (China), J-10C — a bug that caused the names of some camouflages to display as text keys has been fixed.
- The calculation rules for the Spawn Point cost of aircraft Secondary Armament presets that contain guided bombs have been adjusted. Now the cost of these weapons depends not only on the mass of the used bombs, but on their guidance type as well. Bombs with the combined GNSS + Laser guidance, as well as the bombs with the TV guidance have an additional multiplier of 1.1. Bombs with the IR seekers have an additional multiplier of 1.3. For example, the MiG-27K has a base cost of the aircraft of 540 SP. Equipped with 4x KAB-500Kr with a total mass of 2080 kg it will now require 540 * 1.4 (multiplier for more than 2000kg of bombs) * 1.1 (multiplier for the TV seeker of the guided bombs) = 832 SP to spawn in. Typhoon (AESA) has a base cost of the aircraft of 540 SP. Equipped with 8x SPICE 250 with a total mass of 1040 kg it will now require 540 * 1.272 (multiplier for the 1040 kg of guided bombs) * 1.3 (multiplier for the IR seeker of the guided bombs) = 893 SP. If the aircraft has guided bombs with different seeker types equipped, the highest of the guidance type multipliers will be used for the total mass of the guided bombs. A restart of the game client may be required for the correct Spawn Point price of the aircraft to be displayed.
Dear friends! The War Thunder team would like to warmly wish all of you a joyful holiday season and every success in the coming year. Thank you so much for spending your time with us — playing matches, watching streams, and being a part of our community. See you in 2026!
It’s Christmas and the New Year is just around the corner, so it’s time to stock your hangar with new premium vehicles! Our online store is having a holiday sale, with many packs going on sale with big discounts!
When: From December 24th (11:00 GMT) until January 1st (11:00 GMT)50% discount on 34 selected packs! To get to our online Store through Steam, go to the in-game hangar > Shop > Online Store.The Holiday Collection!During the sale, when you purchase any of the following 12 packs, you’ll receive a pleasant bonus: a unique camouflage that looks like an Ugly Sweater!
- F-2A ADTW Pack -50%
- MiG-29 Sniper Pack -50%
- Saab JA 37DI Viggen F21 Pack -50%
- Leopard 2 (OTCo) Pack -50%
- Al-Khalid-I Pack -50%
- Challenger DS Pack -50%
- Merkava Mk.3 Ra’am Sagol Pack -50%
- F/A-18C Hornet (Swiss) Pack -50%
- M1 KVT Pack -50%
- T-80U-E1 Pack -50%
- A-10A Thunderbolt (Early) Pack -50%
- MiG-21 Bison Pack -50%
- Arkansas Pack
- Object 140 Pack