We’re starting to test the updated Nuclear Escalation Mode!

The Nuclear Escalation event has launched in the Heavy Cavalry major update’s dev server! We’ve refined and improved the large-scale nuclear conflict that you experienced back in April. We’ve made numerous changes, but the main ones include:

• Players can now fly their own aircraft from any nation
• An AI-controlled fleet has been added to the mission
• The overall front line has been increased

There’s also changes to game mechanics, various tweaks, improvements and new features. Let’s take a look at them below!

The Tension is Mounting!

All in-game nations can now participate in this version of Nuclear Escalation! Battle Ratings now range from 13.0 to 14.7, and the matchmaking system utilizes Battle Rating brackets within this range as needed, ensuring balanced encounters in every battle.

We’ve also expanded the front line: the line of contact has been extended to the mountains, increasing the map’s tactical depth. Carrier strike groups, supported by missile ships, have been added to control the coastal zone. More modern AI-controlled ground vehicles have been introduced for higher-rank battles in the mode as well.

New Opportunities

We’ve made some major changes to the general event mechanics. The escalation system has been reworked, removing the need for strategic bombers with megaton bombs. Nuclear strikes will now be carried out with bombs of 5 and 30 kiloton yields, carried by the same aircraft that carry nuclear bombs in Ground Battles, depending on the Battle Rating bracket. The behemoths from the April event, the B-52H and Tu-95M bombers, may return as a separate Nuclear Escalation event in the future.

The match completion conditions have also changed. The main base is now easier to destroy, but destroying it no longer grants instant victory. Victory is now determined by the total number of points earned for destroying any target: enemy aircraft, AI-controlled vehicles, and airfields.

In addition, the marker system has been improved when viewing from an aircraft. Markers for ground and surface targets are now displayed depending on the angular size of the target, meaning that markers for buildings are visible 3-5 times further than markers for ground vehicles.

A new respawn mechanic has been introduced. Aircraft are now temporarily locked from respawing on the airfields from which they departed from. Respawning with the same aircraft from other airfields is possible immediately. This change is intended to prevent players from instantly returning to combat in the same position and encourage more cautious, tactical behavior.

And finally, the minimap now features tooltips for respawn bases. Hovering over them provides information about the airfield’s status. This new feature simplifies navigation and improves situational awareness for the team.

The fire control system for air defense vehicles has undergone significant changes here too. Target filters have been implemented, meaning that air defense systems will now engage guided missiles (especially air-to-air missiles and surface-to-air missiles) significantly less frequently. This will only occur if there are no aircraft in the firing range and the air defense system considers the missile an immediate threat.

Test Nuclear Escalation on the Dev Server!

Testing of the updated Nuclear Escalation mode has begun on the dev server! Please be sure to give it a try, and report any issues that you encounter. We’d also like to hear your suggestions for improving the mode. We’re planning to launch Nuclear Escalation on the main War Thunder servers as a game event soon. Until then, have fun!