August von Mackensen joined the 2nd Prussian Life Hussar Regiment, known as the “Black Hussars” at the age of 20. He earned his first honors in the Franco-Prussian War of 1870-71, and served as a field marshal general in the First World War, commanding an army group named after him. A battlecruiser built in Germany during the First World War was also named after him — this same battlecruiser is the main reward in this new naval event!

Battlecruiser Mackensen was a further development of the successful Derffinger design, featuring improved speed and armor, and significantly superior armament — 350 mm guns instead of the previous 305 mm. Construction of the lead ship of the Mackensen class began in 1915 at the Blohm & Voss shipyard in Hamburg. However, military difficulties led to significant delays. By November 1918, Mackensen had reached 85% completion, but according to the Treaty of Versailles, she and the other three ships in the class were scrapped between 1921 and 1922.

In War Thunder, Mackensen is a solid competitor against other late First World War ships. The main advantages of this vessel are excellent armament consisting of eight 350 mm guns, good armor protection and a maximum speed of 28 knots (around 50 km/h), making Mackensen one of the fastest battlecruisers of the era. The weak point however is the lack of automatic short-range anti-aircraft weaponry. Mackensen can also take large 600 mm torpedoes into battle in five torpedo tubes.

Among the rewards in the event is also this chest. When opened, there is a chance of receiving 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 available camouflage for a vehicle you own
• 1 day of Premium Account

How to get all rewards

Each stage can be obtained for 45,000 mission points, where every new stage completed will give you a new reward.

You’re able to earn mission points in Naval Battles at Rank III or above in Arcade and Realistic Battles. The number of mission points to complete a stage depends on the game mode and the maximum Rank of the vehicle that you use in battle. There’s a multiplier for earning mission points, which is shown in the task description in-game.

You can also earn mission points by using event vehicles that are Rank I and II. Event vehicles that can be used have the name of the event that they were obtainable in on their stat card.

Rewards are given when you complete a specific number of stages

• For 1 Stage: trophy with a random reward
• For 2 Stages: “Coat of arms of August von Mackensen” decal
• For 3 Stages: trophy with a random reward
• For 4 Stages: “Flag of the Prussian Navy” ship flag
• For 5 Stages: trophy with a random reward
• For 6 Stages: “August von Mackensen” profile icon
• For 7 Stages: trophy with a random reward
• For 8 Stages: non-tradable coupon for Mackensen
• For 9 Stages: unique Two-tone geometric camouflage for Mackensen and four random modifications for Mackensen

Discounts on purchasing stages using Golden Eagles

Incomplete stages can be purchased for Golden Eagles, but if you’re significantly close to completing a stage, its price will be significantly reduced.

Let’s say you have earned 85% of the required mission points to complete a stage, then the price of purchasing this stage will be halved. If you’re near the finish line for a stage and are at 95% progress, then the price will be reduced by five times. For example, if you’ve scored 39,000 mission points, then the price for unlocking 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 run out of time for a stage!

The Upgrade for a coupon

When you complete 8 stages, you’ll receive a non-tradable coupon for Mackensen, where using it will immediately activate the vehicle on your account. If you don’t want the vehicle and would like to sell the coupon on the Market, you’ll need the “Upgrade for coupon” item.

After receiving the “Upgrade for coupon” item, you can convert the non-tradable coupon into a tradable one and sell it on the Market. The tradable coupon can be sold after 6 days from the moment it’s created.

The “Upgrade for coupon” item is valid until September 25th (11:00 GMT). Until this time, you can use it or exchange it for War Bonds. Afterwards, it’ll disappear from your inventory.

You can track the progress of completing stages and receiving the “Upgrade for coupon” item by clicking on your Nickname > Achievements > Black Hussars. If you don’t manage to complete a stage on time or would like to purchase a stage, you’ll be able to do so until September 25th from the Achievements window, you can purchase each stage with Golden Eagles which will give you the corresponding rewards.