General changes:

• New air and ground vehicles

• Possibility to view detailed armouring model and inner modules locations for the ground forces in hangar

• New arcade tank battle mode

  • The destruction of enemy vehicles now adds an opportunity to activate a special “aerial battle”, where players can participate in the form of temporary flyouts using an  attacker or bomber.

  • The activation of an aerial battle grants other players the possibility of using a fighter to destroy or protect the initiator of the battle. Players who are in the squad with the initiator will receive a head-start on selecting the fighter

  • Aircraft used in aerial battles are not aircraft that players have necessarily unlocked - they are specifically set for the mission. Those aircraft require no repair or leveling and progress on them will go towards tank progress.

  • Artillery support mechanics have been re-worked. Now they can be stored to a maximum of three strikes and will  also require enemy vehicle destruction to be activated.

  • More details in the DevBlog

• New Realistic Battle mode:

  • Destroying enemy vehicles, dealing damage and capturing zones will give you earned points which you may spend for further respawns in any vehicles set in your line-up before the battle.

  • After starting the session, each player in the team will receive an initial 400 Points which he spends to get the first vehicle to participate in the battle;

  • Matchmaking is calculated according to the vehicle that has maximum BR in the line-up;

  • If the player fails to earn enough points for respawn before his vehicle is destroyed, he withdraws from the battle;

  • A team wins once it accomplishes the mission’s task or destroys all enemy vehicles - the same as for standard War Thunder missions.

  • The given numbers are calculated if the vehicle you wish to respawn in has highest BR in the battle. If there are vehicles with higher BR than the vehicle you want to respawn in, you will need to spend less points.

  • With BR difference of 1.0 and more in your line-up maximum step-down ratio is 0.75

• Air Race mode has been added:

  • You can compete against other players in track completion speed and gain rewards for victories in the Events (but it will be available in both Custom Battles and in the Events)

  • New location was created for that mode where race will commence -  “Tropical Island”.

  • Repairs will be much lower in that mode than in any other mode

• New locations and maps

• New hangar design

• New environment and weapons sounds

• Vehicle presets

• New achievements and rewards

• The automatic punishment system for unsportsmanlike behaviour will now take into account rams and friendly fire hits.

• Kill credit system now has different timers to count hit damage for different game modes (time doubled for RB and SB)

• Fixed error in the kill credit for bombers (killed co-pilot was counted as a critical hit and would award a kill after the aircraft would be destroyed later)

• Fixed an error when kill credit would not be assigned if target would crash too fast.

• Hangar has been significantly visually reworked

• Visibility calculations were changed for aircraft RB battles. Now even marked enemy will be shown only at limited distance (6km)

• All tank modes have been changed - multi-spawns on one crew slot which depended on vehicle type now removed for all vehicles, except reserves (repairs on all tanks that had multi-spawn available have been significantly reduced)

• Lead indicator for aircraft on tanks has been removed in RB. Now only anti-air vehicles have indicator for aircraft.

• Automatic gear shift on the tanks now works with “Mouse Aim”, “Simplified” and “Realistic” controls. Manual gears available on “Full Real” controls.

• Now you can buy partially researched modules with proportionally partial price in golden eagles

• Minor changes in research points introduced and also purchase prices and training for crews to make player progress smoother in vehicle research

• Сolour correction effects setup variations have been changed (“Autumn colours”, “Film”, “Grayscale”, “Sepia”)

• Pilots will no longer be displayed with “Low Quality” textures selected.

• Visibility through the cockpit glass has been slightly improved

• Reflection of the chrome surfaces on PS4 were fixed

• Performance on all ground forces locations has been improved for DirecX11

• Automatic squad feature has been enabled:

  • All players that weren’t squaded before the battle will be automatically divided into auto-squads

  • If player selects re-spawn in random spawn point, he will be spawned at the point that is closer to players from his squad (this works for normal squads as well)

  • Players from auto-squads will have the ability to gain additional awards for squads, just like players in usual squads

  • Auto-squads will look different from normal squads in the player list

  • Players can disable the automatic squad feature in the game options

Interface:

• Replay view interface has been significantly changed and improved (PC/Mac)

• Tutorial and Events buttons have been visually changed.

• Added vehicle presets for crews. It will allow to quickly swap the vehicles for all crews

• Spectator view screen has been significantly reworked (available in custom battles)

• Added camera for ground forces that displays in detail how player vehicle got destroyed

• Armour view mode has been added:

  • Possibility to view detailed armouring model and inner modules locations for the ground forces in hangar

  • Added possibility to view inner modules of the tank in battle (default keybind - i). Different colours show different conditions - intact, damaged or destroyed modules and crew

• New icons for shells (more details in our devblog):

  • Shell icons now contain information about piercing and casualty-producing properties of the shells

  • A more detailed description of tank shells

• Added range input control for tank aiming sights (required key assignment for range input control)

Locations and missions:

• Many minor fixes based on bugreports of players

• Mission for aerobatic teams, where both teams start from the same spawn point, with the possibility to start from parking area at the airfield, or near aerobatic cube. Aerobatic route near factory exists for aircraft with good maneuverability as well as a “straight” one with passage under the bridge and turn.

• New locations have been added:

• Mozdok

  • Three modes have been added: “Domination”, “Сonquest”, “Battle”

• Poland

  • Three modes have been added: “Domination”, “Сonquest”, “Battle”

• Norway

  • “Operation” mode for RB and SB multiplayer mission

  • “Ground attack” mode for AB multiplayer mission

  • Five single player missions

• Tropical Island

  • “Race” mode available

• Changes on existing locations:

• Carpathians

  • Fixed balance on capture points

• Karelia

  • Error that leads to a player being spawned inside rocks has been fixed

  • Several places with unreasonably sudden drops in landscape, which lead to suspension system to be damaged, have been fixed

  • Grass palette of the grass has been changed, colours look more realistical now

  • Textures of rocks, cliffs and sand scars have been changed

• Kuban

  • Location became bigger and more open

  • Landscape has been flattened, which should provide more comfortable gameplay for vehicles with bad depression angles

  • Hill has been removed

  • Lake has been added

• Kursk

  • Old “dug-out” positions have been replaced with new ones

  • Several caponiers have been added to the battlefield

  • Craters from artillery hits have been added

  • Added new models of destroyed tanks and their turrets, as cover. Old ones replaced for new.

  • Added crashed Bf109 and Pe-2 as a decoration.

  • Airfields were moved closer, based on players feedback

  • Added targets for bombers

  • New modes have been added. They are all collected in one under custom battles - you are able to select them in the mission settings.

• Spain

  • Five single player missions have been added

• Ash River

  • Cargo rail cars have been added close to Northern capture point, near destroyed railroad bridge. No gameplay functionality - destructible.

New ground vehicles:

USSR

• ZSU-37

• ZUT-37

• ZSU-57-2

• T-35

• T-54 type 1947

• T-III  (Pz.Kpfw III Ausf. J(L/42))

Germany

• Flakpanzer IV Wirbelwind

• Flakpanzer IV Ostwind

• Flakpanzer V Coelian

• Flakpanzer IV Kugelblitz

• Pz.Kpfw II Ausf. H

• Pz.Kpfw III Ausf. J (L/60)

• Pz.Kpfw IV Ausf. J

• Pz.Bfw IV Ausf. J

• Marder III

• Sturmgeschütz III Ausf. G

• KV-1 mit Kw.K.-40

New aircraft

USA

• F7F-1

• B-57a

• Fw 190 A-8 (USA)

• Ki-43-II (USA)

Germany

• Fw 190 A-4

• Ho 229 V-3

• Tempest MK.V (Germany)

• Yak-1B (Germany)

• Bf.109 G2 (Romanian) - will be available at a later time

USSR

• I-16 type 5

• Yak-1

• Yak-9

• Il-28

• P-47D (USSR)

Britain

• Lancaster Mk.I

• Canberra B. Mk.2

• Venom FB. Mk.4

• Catalina Mk. IVa

Japan

• Ki-27 otsu

• Ki-43-I

• J7W1

• Kitsuka

• R2Y2 KAI V1

• R2Y2 KAI V2

• R2Y2 KAI V3

• B-17E (Japan)

New decals and skins:

• New decals:

  • French Naval Aviation Roundel

  • Snake design 6/StG 2

  • Romanian Air Force Roundel

  • Austrian Air Force Roundel

  • Swiss Air Force Roundel

  • Finnish Air Force Roundel

  • Korean People's Army Air Force Roundel

  • Royal Netherlands Air Force Insignia

  • Royal Norwegian Air Force Roundel

  • Swedish Air Force Roundel

  • "Burma" badge of No.257 Squadron, RAF

  • Badge of 820 Naval Air Squadron, Fleet Air Arm of the British Royal Navy

  • Badge of 825 Naval Air Squadron, Fleet Air Arm of the British Royal Navy

  • Badge of VT-3 Squadron, US Navy

  • "Swallow" of 125 GvBAP

  • "Sun Setter" text

• User skins from live:

  • Justin "Spogooter" Kramer

    • I-153 M-62: Number "16". Non-standard field camouflage

    • B-24D: 512th Squadron desert camouflage

    • Ki-10-II: Red/White aerobatic camouflage

    • Ki-10-II: Aerobatic Yellow/Black camouflage

  • Nathan "NOA_" Ceulemans

    • CL-13A Sabre Mk.6: JG 71 camouflage

    • Me 262 A-1a: III./JG 7 camouflage

    • P-38G: Invasion stripes camouflage

  • S.F. “Gudkarma” Radzikowski

    • F6F-3/5P: VF-84 Squadron

    • Ki-61-I hei: 244th Sentai camouflage

    • Ki-84 ko: 102nd Sentai camouflage

  • Orest "_TerremotO_" Tsypiashchuk

    • P-39N-0 Airacobra: "Pantie Bandit"

    • P-51D-30 Mustang: 78th FG, 44-64147 "Big Dick"

    • F8F-1B Bearcat: South Vietnam, 1964

  • Colin "fenris" Muir

    • HS 129 B-2: 8.(Pz)/SG 2 desert camouflage

    • HS 129 B-2: 10.(Pz)/SG 9 winter camouflage

    • Spitfire Mk Vb: 92nd Squadron RAF

Damage model and the ground forces combat characteristics:

• Improved operating principle of the AP fuses, now they will trigger upon impact with obstacle of the set thickness on all distances. Parameter is now listed in the shell tooltip

• Separate fuel tanks and ammunition loads now calculated as separate modules for all ground vehicles

• BT-7 characteristics have been changed. It now has 3-step gearbox. Elevation angles changed from -5+28 to -6+26 degrees, minimal elevation angle towards the hull is -1,5 degrees. Ammunition changed from 188 to 146 shells. According to: “БТ-7 Руководство службы” (BT-7 service manual)

• KV-1 with L11 cannon characteristics have been changed. Battle mass from 44.4t to 46t. Ammunition from 116 to 111 shells. Engine power from 550 to 600hp at 1800rpm. According to “Тяжелый гусеничный танк КВ-1 1940 г. Кировского завода. Внешний вид. Основные тактико-технические данные. РГВА. Ф.31811. Оп.3. Д.2014. Л.16.” (Heavy track tank KV-1 1940 year of production from Kirov factory. Visual appearance. Main tactic-technical data)

• KV-1E with F32 (and Finnish KV-1B) characteristics have been changed. Battle mass from 46t to 48.95t (total mass of the shielding - 2940kg). Ammunition from 116 to 111 shells. Engine power from 550 to 600hp at 1800rpm. According to: “Тяжелый гусеничный танк КВ-1 1940 г. Кировского завода. Внешний вид. Основные тактико-технические данные. РГВА. Ф.31811. Оп.3. Д.2014. Л.16.” (Heavy track tank KV-1 1940 year of production from Kirov factory. Visual appearance. Main tactic-technical data) “М. Коломиец. Ленинградские КВ Конструирование и производство. Москва Тактикал Пресс” (M.Kolomiets. Leningrad’s KV. Design and Manufacture. Moscow. Tactical Press)

• Pz.Kpfw V “Panther” series have been fixed.

  • For Ausf.D version - turret rotation speed was decreased from 12 to 6 degrees per second. On that version of the tank there was M4S full hydraulic drive installed with no dependency of the rpm on the turret turn speed. According to “ Jentz, Thomas L. Germany's Panther Tank. Atglen, PA: Schiffer Publishing, Ltd., 1995.”

  • For Ausf. A/G/F versions - turret rotation speed was increased from 12 to 15 degrees per second. On that version of the tank there was L4S full hydraulic drive installed with dependency of the rpm on the turret turn speed. According to: “ Jentz, Thomas L. Germany's Panther Tank. Atglen, PA: Schiffer Publishing, Ltd., 1995.”

• Pz.Kpfw VI Tiger II - turret rotation speed was increased to 18.5 degrees per second. According to “Kingtiger Heavy Tank 1942-1945 (Vanguard No 1) by Tom Jentz, Hilary Doyle and Peter Sarson” "Tiger Tanks at War" by Michael Green, MBI Publishing Company”

• T-70 rate of fire decreased from 20 to 15 shots per minute

• A-19S cannon (ISU-122) rate of fire was increased from 2.1 to 2.5 shots per minute

• D-25S cannon (ISU-122S) rate of fire was increased from 3.12 to 3.62 shots per minute

Flight model

• More accurate calculation of the induction coefficient depending on Mach number has been implemented, thus all jet aircraft flight models have been updated;

• The simulation of piston engines at high altitude has been improved;

• For some engines there were automatically controlled engine superchargers added to increase efficiency on every step;

• Changed display of the second step run of boost in ASH-82 F-FN engine (boost is not working, WEP is highlighted in gray colour)

• Arado 234B-2 has been given air start, since it could not take off from most of the airfields

• Flight models of La-5/5-F/5-FN/7/7-B20 have been adjusted (you can see the changes in updated data sheets)

• LaGG-3-34 has been tuned according to the data sheet

• LaGG-3-35 has been tuned according to the data sheet

• LaGG-3-66 has been tuned according to the data sheet

• LaGG-3-8/11 engine-propeller combination properties have been specified (added takeoff mode for M-105P engine), improved takeoff and landing characteristics

• F6F-3 has been tuned according to the data sheet

• F4F-3 has been tuned according to the data sheet

• F4F-4 has been tuned according to the data sheet

• B-17E/G maximum possible structural load of the aircraft was re-calculated (will be destroyed during overload

• B-24-D has been tuned according to the data sheet

• Lancaster Mk.III has been tuned according to the data sheet

• Lancaster Mk.I has been tuned according to the data sheet

• Beaufighter Mk.VIc has been tuned according to the data sheet

• Beaufighter Mk.X has been tuned according to the data sheet

• Beaufighter Mk.21 has been tuned according to the data sheet

• Bristol Beaufort Mk.VIII has been tuned according to the data sheet

• H6K4 has been tuned according to the data sheet

• Ki-43-I has been tuned according to the data sheet

• Ki-27b (Otsu) has been tuned according to the data sheet

• Ki-96 improved dynamical characteristics (acceleration-deceleration). Landing on full control will be easier now.

• M.C.202 has been tuned according to the data sheet

• Yak-1 has been tuned according to the data sheet

• Yak-9 has been tuned according to the data sheet

• N1-K2J/Ja improved dynamical characteristics (acceleration-deceleration). Shortened take-off time. Landing on full control will be easier now.

• BF-109 -E1/E3 added fully manual control to speed governor for full engine control (be careful not to break the engine). No changes for automatic controls.

• P-47D-25/28 added possibility to control turbine speed for full engine control (attention, over revving turbine will cause the engine damage)

• Dewoitine D.520 has been tuned according to the data sheet

• Dewoitine D.521 has been tuned according to the data sheet

• FW-190 A-4 has been tuned according to the data sheet

• Ju-87 D/G series - fuel consumption has been corrected. Those aircraft now consume less fuel

• All modifications of Ki-45 - improved dynamical characteristics (acceleration-deceleration). Landing on full control will be easier now.

• He-112 A/B/V flight models have been updated - changed how compressor speeds work.

• F-82E improved dynamical characteristics (acceleration-deceleration).

• He-111 H-3 has been tuned according to the data sheet

• He-111 H-6 has been tuned according to the data sheet

• He-111 H-16 has been tuned according to the data sheet

• Ju-88 A-4 has been tuned according to the data sheet

• S.M. 79 (1936) has been tuned according to the data sheet

• S.M. 79 (1941) has been tuned according to the data sheet

• S.M. 79 Bis has been tuned according to the data sheet

• S.M. 79B has been tuned according to the data sheet

• F4U series has been tuned according to the data sheet

• Petlaykov’s Pe-2 (up to 110 th series) and Pe-3 has been tuned according to the data sheet

• La-9 preliminary tuned according to the data sheet

• Me-163/Ki-200 - fixed destruction of the wing when it touches the ground during the landing

Armament and modifications

• Damage of 4000 lbs British bomb “Cookie” has been fixed;

• Added new bomb loads for Avro Lancaster:

  • 14x250lbs bombs

  • 14x1000lbs bombs

  • 1x4000 + 6x1000 + 2x250 lbs bombs

• Sight angles for the Do.217 top turret have been fixed;

• Sight angles for the AR-2 top turret have been fixed;

• Pod-type armaments have been added for USA jet fighter F-84B - various combinations of HVAR rockets, Tiny Tim and bombs from 100 to 1000 pounds.

• Order of bomb release was changed for Swordfish Mk.I

• Calculations of the height for torpedo launch has been fixed (on some locations it was hard to launch the torpedo without damaging it)

• Reload time of 15 mm MG 151 cannons have been changed for Arcade. Now they will be 40 seconds for untrained crew.

• Added 1000 lbs bombs for underwing holders for Tempest Mk.V and Tempest Mk.II

• The following engine  modifications have been either removed or changed according to aircraft’s FM (since the purchased modification did not work properly):

  • USA P-26A-33, P-26A-34 M2, P-26B-35, P-38G, F2A-1, F2A-3, F4F-3, F4F-4, B-17E, B-17E/L, B-17G, B-25J-1, B-25J-20, PBY-5, PBY-5a

  • Germany CR.42 Falco, He.112V-5, He.112A-0, He.112B-0, Bf.109E-1, Bf.109E-3, Bf.109F-1, Bf.109F-2, Bf.109F-4, Bf.109F-4/trop, Bf.109G-2, Do.217M-1

  • USSR: I-153 (M-62), I-16 type 18, I-16 type 24, I-16 type 27, BB-1, SB-2M-105, Ar-2, Pe-2-110, Pe-2-359

  • Britain: Gladiator Mk.II, Gladiator Mk.IIF, Gladiator Mk.IIS, Spitfire Mk.Ia, Spitfire Mk.Vb/trop, Spitfire LF. Mk.IX, Spitfire F. Mk.IX, Spitfire F. Mk.XVI, Spitfire F Mk.XIVe, Spitfire F Mk.22, Spitfire F Mk.24, Typhoon Mk.1a, Typhoon Mk.1b/L, Beaufighter Mk.VIc,

  • Japan: F1M2, B5N2, B7A2, D3A1, Ki-45 ko, Ki-45 tei, Ki-45 hei, Ki-102 otsu

• All modifications that were removed will be compensated with RP, Silver Lions or Golden Eagles, depending on how they were purchased. RP will be awarded in the current module that is under the research after first battle complete.

• Machinegun ammunition load on A6M2, A6M3 and A6M5 fighters have been fixed

• Ammunition for P-51D-20 and P-51D-30 have been fixed

• Order of modifications research have been changed for aircraft of the 5-th rank. Now research will go smoother for getting new updates for a jet aircraft

Balance and progression

Prices on unlockable shells for tank cannons have been changed:

• Prices on sub-caliber shells were decreased three times

• Prices on unlockable caliber and high-explosive shells (if their penetration are higher than armour-piercing shells) were increased by 2 to 3 times, depending on type of shell and its penetration

• Prices for high-explosive shells with penetration being less than armour-piercing caliber, were decreased in 2 times.

Certain aircraft changed their position in the research trees:

• USA

  • PBY-5 and PBY-5a are no longer united into one slot

• Germany

  • Fiat fighter group (Cr.42, G.50) and Macchi fighter group (MC.200 together with included there MC.202) are now placed at the first rank before Fw.190A-1. At the same time conditions to get Fw.190A-1 have not been changed (you don’t necessary need to get italian aircraft in order to start researching Focke Wulf line)

  • Savoia-Marchetti bomber group (together with included SM.79B in it) have been moved to the German bomber line

  • Ju.88A-4 is now placed at first rank

  • German research tree now how two columns for premium and gift vehicles, just like all the rest of the nations

• USSR

  • Yak-9k and Yak-9t are no longer united in one group

  • MiG-3 of 34 series is no longer placed outside of the MiG-3 group

  • LaGG-3-35 and LaGG-3-66 are no longer united in one group

  • Pe-3 and Pe-3bis are no longer united in one group

  • SB-2M-105 is no longer positioned in SB-2 group

  • Yer-2 bombers with ATCH-30B engine are separated into another group

  • Tu-2S is no longer placed in the group with late Tu-2

• Japan

  • Both A6M5 are now placed at 3-d rank and united in one group

  • All A6M3 fighters are united in one group

  • N1K2-J and N1K2-Ja are now united in one group

  • Ki-43-I and Ki-43-II are now united in one group and placed at second rank

  • Ki-45ko is now placed at first rank, outside of Ki-45 group

  • Ki-45hei is now placed outside of Ki-45 group - right after it

Aviation Damage Model

• HE shells effect on aircraft framework has been fixed

• Immediate fire extinctions on aircraft issue have been fixed

Sounds

• Sounds of trees cracking and falling have been added;

• Sounds of destructible objects have been added;

• Sounds for traverse and elevation for some tank models were adjusted;

• Volume levels for certain sound events were adjusted;

• Added better volumetric effect for shots from tank and aircraft ammunition;

• Sound from shutting Spitfire Griffon engine is now synchronized with animation;

• Firerate sound of the M2 machine gun now adjusted according to its real characteristics;

• Added new sounds for heavy tank tracks;

• Changed compression rate of some of the sound events. They now will be in better quality;

• Removed click in the Hellcat engine sounds when it reaches high rpm;

• AN/M2 cannon, which is the US Licensed production version of the Hispano Mk II, was updated with sounds more appropriate to its characteristics;

• New sounds for the Breda-Safat 77 machine gun;

• New sounds for the ShVAK cannon (both ground and air versions);

• New sounds for the MG 17 machine gun;

• New sounds for the MG 131 machine gun;

• New sounds for the MG 151 cannon;

• New sounds for the Type97 machine gun;

• New sounds for the ShKAS machine gun;

• New sounds for the Type99 cannon;

• New sounds for the Breda-Safat 127 machine gun;

New awards:

• New titles:

  • Pyromaniac - awarded to tankers for putting enemy ground vehicles on fire

  • Superhero - awarded for finishing “Hero of the Sky”, “Thunderer”, “Survivor”, “Punisher” and “Wingman” challenges

• New streaks:

  • "Without a waste" - awarded to tankers for firing at the enemy without a miss

  • "Without a miss" - awarded to tankers for destroying the enemy vehicles without a miss

  • "Intelligence" -  awarded for tanker if allied pilot destroyed marked enemy ground vehicle (marking done by button that selects the target)

  • "According to Intelligence" - awarded for pilots, who destroy ground vehicles that are marked by tankers

• New challenges:

  • "Early Entry" - awarded to players for getting “Fist Strike” streak

  • "Decisive Shot" - awarded to players for getting “Last Strike” streak

  • "Alpha and Omega" - awarded to players for getting “Mission Maker” streak

  • "Hero of the Sky" - awarded to players for getting similarly-named streak

  • "Thunderer" - awarded to players for getting similarly-named streak

  • "Survivor" - awarded to players for getting similarly-named streak

  • "Punisher" - awarded to players for getting similarly-named streak

  • "Wingman" - awarded to players for getting similarly-named streak

  • "Ground Multistrike" - awarded to players for getting similarly-named streak

  • "Aerial Multistrike" - awarded to players for getting similarly-named streak

  • “Water Multistrike" - awarded to players for getting similarly-named streak

  • "The Best Squad" - awarded to players for getting similarly-named streak