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War Thunder presents

Update 1.73 "Vive La France!"

New Aircraft - French tech tree

S.O.8000 Narval  France	Caudron C.R.714 France	F.222.2 France	VG.33C-1 France

New vehicles

Location and mission updates

• Changes in the respawn protection mechanics. Kill areas have been decreased, new logic for enemy detection on the mini map near the respawn zones has been added.
• Respawn protection mechanics have been added for the following locations: Abandoned Factory, Mozdok, Karelia, Normandy, White Rock fortress, Ash River, Alpine Meadows, Berlin, Port Novorossiysk, Ardennes, Stalingrad, Volokolamsk.
• Some improvements have been made and bugs have been fixed for the following locations: Novorossiysk, Belgium, Ash River, Japan, Honolulu, Dover Strait, Ardennes, 38th Parallel.
• Changes in the ground vehicle location Eastern Europe and the aircraft location Sicily have been made.

Aircraft missions

• Number of ground targets for low amount of players in a game session (from 11 to 21) has been increased.

Operations for lower ranks:

• In missions where runway length was less than 1200m (mainly 900m), original airfields have been replaced by new ones with a runway of 1200m. Now it is easier to land and take off.
• The accuracy of air defense covering ground targets has been reduced.
• “[Operation] Counter-offensive”, “[Operation] Bastogne”, "[Operation] Henan Province" and “[Operation] Fortification on Sicily” have been rebalanced so that ground units are closer to the friendly team spawns. (Previously allies had an advantage in these missions). Targets for bombing are now equally reachable by both teams. [Operation] Honolulu now has bombing zones and it is possible to destroy the enemy airfield.
• "[Operation] Yoo Passage" bombing zones have been relocated and air spawns for bombers are now equally distant from the mission centre.
• "[Operation] Port Moresby. Distance between spawns are now similar to that of other low-rank Operations. The Allied airfield has been moved. Spawns have been adjusted so that the Allies do not have superior advantage.

Ground Vehicle model, damage model, characteristic and weaponry changes:

• FV-102 Striker, Ru 251, Т-34-100: Smoke screens have been added.
• T-114 is now amphibious  
• BMP-1: The BMP-1-P modification has been added, replaces the existing missile launcher with a new one that has smoke grenade launchers
• Chieftain Mk.3/Mk.5/Mk.10 - rate of fire has been increased from 7.8 to 8 shots per minute. Source: Defense Review 02/1970 Chieftain Main Battle Tank for 1970-s.
• M4A2 - incorrect magnification value has been corrected
• MBT-70/KPz-70 - HEAT-FS shell mass has been reduced from 22 to 18.9 kgs, Smoke shell mass has been reduced from 20 to 18.9 kgs.  
• BTR-152А - vehicle type indicator has been fixed. Previously it was shown as an SPG instead of an SPAA
• SU-85, ISU-122/122С, Pz.IV Ausf.H, Tiger H1/E, Heavy Tank No.6, M4, M4 748(a), M4A1, M4A2, Calliope - order in which ammo is used has been corrected
• M4A2 - the amount of ammunition for the 75mm cannon has been changed from 90 to 97 shots. Source:  Catalogue of Standard Ordnance Items, Second Edition, Vol.1, 1944
• M24 - smoke grenades available has been increased from 6 to 14. Source: Catalogue of Standard Ordnance Items, Second Edition, Vol.1, 1944; TM 9-2800 Military Vehicles,1947.
• Panther II - weight/mass has been changed from 47 to 53 tons. Source: Panzer Tracts № 5-4 Panzerkampvagen Panther II and Panther Ausfuehrung F // Waffen-Arsenal, Band 77 - Deutsche Panzer-Raritaten.
• Pz.IV/70 (A) - smoke grenades available has been increased from 6 to 12. Source: "Panther & Its Variants" The Spielberger German Armor & Military Vehicles, Book 1.
• Tiger II (H)/10,5 Tiger II/Tiger II (H) Sla smoke grenades available has been increased from 6 to 12. Source: Germany's Tiger Tanks: VK45.02 to TIGER II Design, Production & Modifications.
• Jagdtiger - smoke grenades available has been increased from 6 to 12. Source: Panzer Tracts No. 9: Jagdpanzer, Jagdpanzer 38 to Jagdtiger.
• Jagdpanther/Bfw.Jagdpanther - smoke grenades available has been increased from 6 to 30. Source: "Panther & Its Variants" - The Spielberger German Armor & Military Vehicles / W. J. Spielberger - Heavy Jagdpanzer Development, Production, Operations (The Spielberger German Armor and Military Vehicle Series)
• M4A5  - baffle plate has been added to the engine compartment.
• A1E1 Independent - AP round speed has been reduced from 580 m/s to 563 m/s. Explosives type has been changed from TNT to melinite. Source: Tank Training Vol II - Part III Weapons Sequence of Instructions 1932.
• Chieftain Mk.5 - The values of the gear ratios have been refined. The maximum engine revolutions have been increased from 2250 to 2500. Maximum speed has been increased from 43 to 48 km/h. Source: Tank,Combat, 120-mm gun, Chieftain, Mk.5.User Handbook, 1973.
• Type 62 -  A bug with the use of the soviet 3BK2 shell has been fixed. The shell has been replaced by an analogue Chinese shell - Type 1956. Changes: weight/mass has been changed from 7.3 to 7 kg, initial velocity has been changed from 842 to 845 m/sec, explosion type has been changed to pentolite, weight/mass of the explosion type - 0.68 kg. Source: Structure and Usages of Shells (炮弹的构造和作用), Page 78 Nanjing University of Science and Technology (ex. People's Liberation Army Military Institute of Engineering), July 1974 Table of HEAT Projectiles' Shaped Charges, Explosive Fillers, and Performances (破甲弹药型罩及装药结构性能一览表).

Aircraft model, damage model, characteristic and weaponry changes:

• Fw 190A-1 - ammo\load for nose-mounted MGs has been corrected - 900 per MG. Source.
• Bf 109 G series - R-6 modification, ammo load for wing mounted MG151 cannons has been corrected - 135 shots per cannon. Source.
• F4U-4 - G-suit has been added.
• F4U-4b - G-suit has been added.
• XF5F - Display of info regarding offensive weapons has been corrected.
• Ki-94-2 - Binding for separate  shooting with different calibre weapons has been corrected. Source.
• D4Y3 - Order of bomb drop for 3х250kg bomb loadout has been corrected.
• B-29 - Information regarding the ammoload of the rear defensive turret has been fixed.
• Su-6 (АМ-42) - Deflection angles for the defensive armament has been corrected.
• Su-6 (М-71-F) -Deflection angles for the defensive armament has been corrected.
• SBD-3 - Deflection angles for the defensive armament has been corrected.
• Po-2 - Deflection angles for the defensive armament has been corrected.
• G.91 pre-serie -Secondary armament information has been changed from kgs to lbs.
• G.91 R/1 - Secondary armament information has been changed from kgs to lbs.
• P-51H-5 NA - The dependence of research on suspension armament modification research modifications has been corrected.
• Tu-14Т - Deflection angles for the rear defensive armament has been corrected.
• J2M (all modifications) - Armour has been corrected. Source.
• G4M1 - Description in the card for the Type 99 (nominal 80) bomb the has been changed from HE to AP.
• P-38 (all modifications) - The possibility of using the 2x500 fn suspension armament variant separately has been added. Source.
• D4Y3 - The description of the modification for researching the suspension armament has been fixed. Source.
• Pokryshkin’s P-39N-0 - The modification in the research of ammunition for the offensive 37mm cannon has been removed.
• Ki-109 — damage model has been fixed (separation of damaged parts of the aircraft has been fixed).
• Visualization of the information for fuel tank protection has been corrected.

Flight Model changes

• P-38 (all modifications) — momentum of inertia corrected, thermodynamics updated, separate controls for oil and water radiators added
• P38-J,L,K — engine power dependence on altitude has been corrected
• F4F (all modifications) — engine compressor performance has been corrected (third stage added).  momentum of inertia corrected, thermodynamics updated, separate controls for oil and water radiators added. Fins have been reworked. Wing polar updated.
• Sud Aviation SO.4050 Vautour IIA - Has been initially configured according to the data sheet. 
• Sud Aviation SO.4050 Vautour IIB - Has been initially configured according to the data sheet. 
• VB-10 - Has been initially configured according to the data sheet. 
• VG 33 - Has been initially configured according to the data sheet. 
• Farman 222.2 - Has been initially configured according to the data sheet. 
• SO 8000 Narval - Has been initially configured according to the data sheet. 
• Dassault MD.452A Mystere IIA - Has been initially configured according to the data sheet.
• MD.450B Ouragan - Has been initially configured according to the data sheet. 
• Bloch MB-174 A3 - Has been initially configured according to the data sheet. 
• Bloch MB-162 B5 - Has been initially configured according to the data sheet.  
• Caudron C.714 - Has been initially configured according to the data sheet. 
• Dewoitine D 37x -  Has been initially configured according to the data sheet. 
• M.B. 157 - Has been initially configured according to the data sheet. 
• NC-223.3 -Has been initially configured according to the data sheet. 
• Leo 451 early - Has been initially configured according to the data sheet. 
• Potez 630 - Has been initially configured according to the data sheet. 
• Potez 631 - Has been initially configured according to the data sheet. 
• Potez 633 - Has been initially configured according to the data sheet. 
• Douglas  AD-4  Skyraider - Has been initially configured according to the data sheet. 
• Dewoitine D.500 - Has been initially configured according to the data sheet. 
• Dewoitine D.501 - Has been initially configured according to the data sheet. 
• Dewoitine D.510 - Has been initially configured according to the data sheet. 
• Morane-Saulnier MS.410C - Has been initially configured according to the data sheet. 
• Vultee A-35B - Has been initially configured according to the data sheet.

Graphics

• Improved water renders available in all maps.

Economy and research

• B-57A — Battle Rating for all game modes has been changed to 7.7.
• Canberra B Mk.2 — Battle Rating for all game modes has been changed to 7.7.
• Be-6 — A bug with low multipliers for rewards in Realistic and SImulator Battles has been fixed.
• Marcolin’s C.R.42 CN - Hidden in the list of German vehicles for players who do not purchase it.

Interface

• Red colour decals for all nations have been added for ease of use on winter camouflage.

Sounds

• All engine type sound effect parameters will change when switching to 3rd person view dependant on the angle of view.
• The sound of all types of aircraft engines has been reworked for higher density and realism.
• The maximum available sound volume for aircraft engines has been increased in the game settings.
• Cockpit view In an aircraft now demonstrates absorption of external sounds correctly. This also depend on the aircraft canopy status (opened/closed/missing).
• The sounds for the Chieftain, Comet, Centurion, Cromwell, Valentine engines have been changed to more authentic effect.
• The sound of the T-64A (1971) engine has been changed closer to the authentic effect.

Other

• Depth map when saving screenshots has been implemented (suggestion on the forum).
  • To activate it in the configuration file of the game you need to add an option “depthScreenshot:b=yes” in the debug block. After this, pressing F12/Printscreen will create two screenshots that will be added to the “Screenshots” folder, a standard one and a screenshot with depth map.

.ru reported bug fixes:

• Fixed ability to change target camera aircraft axis for PS4 (source).
• The lack of the dubbing for the command “attention to the map” by using it from mini map has been fixed (source).
• Fixed Ho-Ri gun direction update in HUD X-Ray  (source).
• Fixed the disappearance of the "Crew XP Points" text in the crew information block (source).
• Fix vehicle control freezing when typing messages in private chats (source).

.com reported bug fixes:

• Fixed unworkable altimeter on CL-13A Sabre (source).

Game mechanics

• The ability to create your own custom sighting reticles for ground vehicles has been added (more information about it will be published later).
• New mechanics for ammo storage destruction. Now, when one of storage areas are destroyed and it does not detonate or catch fire, the module will be marked as destroyed in the damage model and can not be damaged again. Also all shells stored in this module will be marked as destroyed and may not be used. Replenishing on a capture point will restore and reload these modules with new shells.
• New schedule with gradual increase in level for available vehicles has been introduced in squadron battles.