War Thunder News

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Today we’ll be taking a look at the Paintball Arena event’s main reward: a T-72B3 main battle tank with the Arena-E active protection system![/p][p][/p][p] [/p][h3]Vehicle History[/h3][p]The history of Russian active tank protection systems dates back to the mid-1960s, when development of a promising protection system under the working name “Dikobraz” (Porcupine) began. In the late 1970s, engineers succeeded in creating a prototype, which was later adopted as the world’s first mass-produced active protection system (APS), the “Drozd” (Drozd). The system’s purpose was to detect and destroy anti-tank weapons, like rocket-propelled grenades and guided missiles, incoming towards the tank before they made contact with the tank’s armor.[/p][p][/p][p]The next major step was the introduction of the “Arena” system in 1993. This system incorporated a new detection radar and counter-munitions with a directional fragmentation field. With the “Arena” system, radar sensors were combined into a cylindrical module on the turret roof, and launchers were positioned around the tank’s exterior, protecting designated sectors. The issue with the large sensor module was resolved in the next iteration of the system, the “Arena-M”. With this one, sensors were placed around the exterior of the tank’s turret, and the counter-munitions were equipped with orientation motors. The launchers were now grouped in a single area, and each counter-munition, after firing, instantly orientates itself toward the incoming projectile. The fragmentation field of these counter-munitions was generated with a velocity gradient, causing the fragments to first strike the anti-tank missile’s fuse and then the projectile body containing the main explosive charge.[/p][p][/p][p]The Arena-E APS (export designation Arena-M) was first demonstrated to the general public at the RAE-2013 exhibition in Nizhny Tagil, based on the T-72B3 MBT.[/p][p][/p][p][/p][h3]Introducing the T-72B3 “Arena”![/h3][p]The grand reward of the Paintball Arena ground vehicle event is the Russian T-72B3 main battle tank with the “Arena-E” active protection system! With this one, you can expect excellent protection, an automatic loader, good armor-piercing shells, ATGMs, and advanced electronics. Let’s take a closer look![/p][p][/p][p]The T-72B3 “Arena” is one of the few vehicles in the game equipped with an active protection system. The Arena-E active protection system has eight rounds, effectively defeating guided anti-tank missiles fired from both the ground and the air. This system complements the tank’s already good armor protection, which at the front consists of composite armor covered by integrated ERA.[/p][p][/p][p][/p][p][/p][p]Right off the bat, it’s clear that the T-72B3 “Arena” is very similar to the pre-top-of-the-line Soviet T-72B3A tank, however its armor is different. Why’s that? Firstly, the T-72B3 “Arena” does not have the T-72B3 UBKh armor package, meaning it retains the stock T-72B3 V-84-1 engine and Kontakt-5 ERA. And secondly, it carries less counter-munition rounds in its active protection system, having 8 instead of 12 found on the T-72B3A.[/p][p][/p][p][/p][p][/p][p][/p][p]The T-72B3 “Arena” is set to be one of the best representatives of the T-72 family in the game. In addition to excellent protection, the tank boasts good mobility and a respectable top speed, a large-capacity automatic loader with a 7 second reload time, and a high-resolution thermal imager. The tank’s ammunition loadout includes a range of ammuniton: from HEATFS and HE, to two APFSDS rounds, including the 3BM60, as well as tandem ATGMs, which can also be used against helicopters at ranges of up to 6 km. The T-72B3 “Arena” has a few drawbacks as you might expect, for example its traditionally slow reverse speed, poor gun depression and the large automatic loader carousel, which is vulnerable to side hits.[/p][p][/p][p][/p][p]That’s this one wrapped! You can get the new T-72B3 “Arena” by completing tasks in the Paintball Arena ground forces event, which started today in War Thunder. Be sure to enhance your top-tier Soviet armored vehicle lineup with this technologically advanced and versatile rank VII MBT![/p][p][/p][p]Please note that this vehicle’s characteristics may be changed before it is added to the game.[/p][p]Click here to find out more details about the Paintball Arena event[/p][p][dynamiclink][/dynamiclink][/p]

[p][/p][p][/p][p]Today, we’ve rounded up and will be covering some of the bug fixes and improvements that we’ve made to the game today and over the past few weeks. If you’d like to catch up on every fixed bug, then be sure to check out the changelog section on our website.[/p][p] [/p][p]If you’ve found a bug that you’d like to report, you can do so on our community bug reporting platform.[/p][p][/p][p][/p][p]Some time ago, we discovered that air-to-ground missiles and guided bombs with laser seekers that lacked an uncaging feature were frequently missing their targets. As soon as the projectiles approached the laser seeker’s lock-on range, they began to change direction, losing energy and ultimately landing in a completely different location. We fixed the bug that caused this issue and also added a wind-stabilization mechanism to the aerodynamically stabilized laser seekers. These seekers now are always pointed in the same direction as the projectile’s velocity vector during flight, preventing them from losing their target unnecessarily.[/p][p][/p][p][/p][p]Sometimes, when using navigational bombing (CCRP), the bomb would miss its target. This didn’t happen during nose-up or level flight, only sometimes during a dive, even a very shallow one. Having determined the cause, we’ve fixed this problem.[/p][p][/p][p][/p][p]Some of the most annoying bugs that have appeared recently resulted in a lack of damage from direct hits from ammunition. One of these bugs meant that spall did not form after the HEAT jet penetrated armor, causing HEAT rounds to inflict little or no damage. Another bug meant that aircraft easily survived direct hits from air-to-air missiles and surface-to-air missiles, which should have destroyed or at least severely damaged them.[/p][p][/p][p][/p][p]Imagine you’re flying over, and suddenly your radar detects an enemy ship, and your radar seekers begin to track it. However, you look below and don’t see anything on the surface. Could enemy submarines have secretly snuck into War Thunder?![/p][p] [/p][p]Nope, they’re not in the game. This issue caused an already destroyed and sunken enemy ship to be tracked by mistake. Thanks for your reports on this, we’ve fixed it![/p][p][/p][p][/p][p]Some helicopters experienced an issue when placing a point of interest from the 3rd person view and switching to targeting optics while simultaneously moving the mouse. The camera should have been focused on the targeted area, but in certain cases it could shift significantly, interfering with the accuracy of missile launch. This has been fixed, too![/p][p][/p][h2]That’s not all[/h2][p]Check out the full list of fixes and improvements in the update notes below! Here’s some more: The location minimap no longer becomes translucent and ships no longer spawn outside the playable area in the African Gulf.[/p][p][/p][h3]Previous Updates:[/h3]

• [p]Update 2.53.0.56[/p]
• [p]Update 2.53.0.52[/p]
• [p]Update 2.53.0.42[/p]

[p][/p][h2]Today's Update: 2.53.0.58[/h2][p][/p][h3]Aircraft[/h3]

• [p]A bug where laser homing seekers that did not have the ability to uncage would send incorrect target coordinates and speed data to the autopilot after locking on, causing the munition to miss its target has been fixed. (Report, Report).[/p]
• [p]GBU-10/12/16/48/49/50 Paveway II, Paveway IV, GBU-54B LJDAM, GBU-62 LJDAM-ER, KAB-500L, KAB-1500L, BGL-400, BGL-1000, Mk.13, Mk.18, GB3, GB500, BA-FG-230-Lizard-2, BA-FG-230-Lizard-3, Fire Snake 90A, GATR, CIRIT, AGM-123 Skipper, AGR-20A (APKWS II M151), AGR-20B (APKWS II M282) — a wind stabilization mechanic has been added to aerodynamically stabilized laser seekers. Now in flight, the seeker is directed along its flight direction (velocity vector) instead of along the central axis of the munition, which lowers the chance of losing the target.[/p]
• [p]F/A-18E — a bug that caused the flaperons to remain hovering in the air when the wing was torn off has been fixed. (Report).[/p]
• [p]Re.2005 (VDM) — the maximum weight of the secondary weapons has been increased from 655 kg to 710 kg to match the Re.2005 serie 0.[/p]
• [p]Ayit — the appearance of the brake parachute has been adjusted. (Report).[/p]
• [p]Kor-2 — a bug that caused the smoke screen system to be missing has been fixed. (Report).[/p]
• [p]Do 217 E-2, Do 217 E-4, Do 217 K-1, Do 217 M-1 — a bug where the pre-installed armament set consisting of two SC1000 bombs located in the fuselage was missing has been fixed. (Report).[/p]
• [p]Mosquito B Mk.16 — the engine power has been increased. (Report).[/p]
• [p]KAB-500Kr — the warhead type has been corrected from high-explosive fragmentation to semi-armor-piercing. The ability to set the fuse delay has been removed.[/p]
• [p]The material of the casing of AP bombs that are calibers of 250 kg or more has been changed from 5 mm of structural steel that is shared with usual HE bombs to 10 mm of CHA.[/p]
• [p]A-7E (all variants) — the color of the 2 x 1000 lb LDGP Mk.83 bomb icon in the Secondary Weapons menu has been corrected. (Report).[/p]

[p] [/p][h3]Ground Vehicles[/h3]

• [p]Tor-M1 (USSR) — a bug that caused the scouting ability to be missing in battle has been fixed. (Report).[/p]
• [p]A bug that caused the text key to display after repairing power electronics and hydraulics modules has been fixed.[/p]

[p] [/p][h3]Naval Vessels[/h3]

• [p]IJN Musashi, IJN Yamato — the ship’s internal structure has been corrected in the area of ​​the forward and aft ammunition magazines. A bug where the detonation of the shell rooms would cause the detonation of all magazines, destroying the ship, has been fixed.[/p]

[p][/p][p][/p][h3]Aircraft[/h3]

• [p]A bug that allowed aircraft radars and radar seekers to acquire already submerged ships has been fixed. (Report).[/p]
• [p]A bug that sometimes caused the automatic release point of  bombs when using CCRP to be calculated erroneously when diving has been fixed.[/p]
• [p]A bug that sometimes caused the camera on helicopters to move to another point when switching to the targeting optics view has been fixed. (Report).[/p]

[p] [/p][h3]Ground Vehicles[/h3]

• [p]Freccia OWS 30 — the destruction of the 30 mm ammo belt no longer leads to the destruction of the vehicle.[/p]

[p] [/p][h3]Interface[/h3]

• [p]In sensor view in replays, a bug that caused the vehicles of Multi-Vehicle SAM systems that were not currently under the player’s control to be counted by filters not as player’s vehicles, but as vehicles of squadmates and allies has been fixed.[/p]

[p] [/p][h3]Graphics[/h3]

• [p]Maximum picture brightness in NVD has been adjusted. Previously the image was too bright on winter maps when the moon was high above the horizon.[/p]

[p] [/p][h3]Locations and Missions[/h3]

• [p]\[Domination] Alaska — too small detection zones around spawn points of both teams have been extended. (Report).[/p]

[p][/p][hr][/hr][p]Patch notes reflect only key changes, meaning they may not include a complete list of all improvements made. Additionally, War Thunder is constantly being updated and some changes may not require an update. Changes reflected in patch notes are formed by taking reactions and requests of the community from the bug reporting service, forums and other official platforms into account. Bug fixes and changes are implemented in order of importance, for example a game-breaking bug will be worked on and implemented sooner.[/p]

[p][/p][p]We keep fighting cheaters using your reports and the BattlEye anti-cheat system, and as usual, today we’re sharing a bit of info on bans that we’ve distributed over the past month. If you’d like to help keep War Thunder free from cheating, you can find out how to file a report and how our anti-cheat system works on our Wiki.[/p][p][/p][h2]Banned accounts[/h2][p]Since our last fair play, we’ve banned 8320 accounts that were found to have violated the rules. Specifically 3.2.3 of the EULA namely in the automation of gameplay (using bots) and cheat software. For complete transparency, we’re publishing the full list of these banned players. This list will be available for two weeks after the publication of this article.[/p][p][/p][p]Additionally, 174 accounts have been banned for a week or longer for intentional teamkilling, ramming and griefing.[/p][p][/p][h2]Recommendations[/h2][p]We recommend that you set a strong password for your account and enable two-step authentication in your profile security settings. We have the following 2FA options available: email, SMS, TOTP (Gaijin Pass/Google Authenticator).[/p][p][/p][p]We’d also suggest that you turn on 2FA for the email that is linked to your Gaijin account for additional security, as this will protect your account from fraudsters. And remember, don’t use prohibited client modifications and never share your account information with anyone.[/p][p][/p][p]The War Thunder Team[/p]

[p][/p][p][/p][p]Battle Pass Season 22 is dedicated to the brave Musketeers, celebrated by Alexandre Dumas. Get decals with the Musketeers’ names and decorations featuring their weapons, a Musketeer emblem, and a gold frame worthy of royalty! Plus, don’t forget about the vehicles, where the main reward is the French ELC 901 tank, which is fast, maneuverable, and truly elusive! And for aircraft is the Swedish J30 Mosquito! As always, Warbonds, boosters, Silver Lions, Premium account time, wagers, and much more await you.[/p][p]USS Wilkinson has made its debut in the War Bonds shop. You can also earn a trophy that contains Zodiac series decals and the brand new “Velva” decal by purchasing War Bonds.[/p][p][/p]

[p]Beginning on: January 21st (12:00 GMT)[/p][p]Ending on: April 22nd (12:00 GMT)[/p]

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What is the Battle Pass?
The Battle Pass is an event that lasts for 90 days where players can earn rewards for completing challenges and earning progress points. Rewards range from Silver Lions and boosters to season-exclusive decals, decorations, vehicles and more. Completing the Battle Pass is simple: you earn progress points that unlock levels, earning valuable things along the way![/p][p][/p][p]Leveling up the Battle Pass & Challenges Leveling up is simple! Gather progress points to unlock more levels. One level is 10 progress points. Points can be obtained through logging into the game, completing Daily Tasks and completing specific Challenges. New Battle Pass Challenges unlock once a week and another three can be obtained through reaching specific levels.[/p]

• [p]Login to the game! Get 1 to 5 progress points for doing this.[/p]
• [p]Complete Daily Tasks! Get 2 to 5 progress points for each of these.[/p]
• [p]Complete Battle Pass Challenges! Get 30 points for each of these.[/p]

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Click here for all of the Challenges

[/p][h2]Rewards in Season 22[/h2][p]Purchasing the Battle Pass for 2,000 Golden Eagles will allow you to access every level. Purchasing the improved version for 2,500 Golden Eagles comes with an extra 150 progress points (15 levels from the get go).[/p][p] [/p][p]Not got enough time to complete the Battle Pass? You can purchase progress points for Golden Eagles 28 days after the season begins. [/p][p][/p]

[p]The Battle Pass can be accessed on the right side of the screen while in the hangar.[/p]

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Click here for all of the Rewards
[/p][p]Check out all of the rewards in the season below.
[/p][h2]Decals, Decorations, a Ship flag and a Profile Icon frame[/h2][p] [/p][p] [/p][p] 
[/p][h2]New vehicles this season[/h2][p]
[/p][h2]Mosquito J30 (Sweden)[/h2][p][/p][p][/p][h3]A Premium Fighter for Sweden at Rank III[/h3][p]
Sweden purchased Mosquitoes just before the war. The night fighter variants were equipped with four-bladed propellers and domestically produced radio equipment. In the game, the Swedish Mosquito J30 boasts a high top speed and a powerful armament loadout of four 20 mm cannons, conveniently grouped in the forward fuselage.[/p][p] [/p][h2]ELC 901 (France)[/h2][p][/p][p][/p][h3]A Premium Light Tank for France at Rank IV[/h3][p]
An experimental project by French engineers to create a light tank weighing approximately 6 tons. In the game, the ELC 901 is a very small and agile tank with a 90 mm gun and powerful HEAT shells, capable of sneaking around the flanks, hiding itself within virtually any terrain.[/p][p] [/p][h2]Battle Trophy with Past Vehicles[/h2][p]Missed out on previous Battle Pass vehicles? The Battle Trophy has you covered, featuring four vehicles from past Battle Passes or events. Opening this trophy will give you one vehicle from the list. If you have them all, you’ll instead receive Silver Lions and the special “Golden Battles Wager”, allowing you to earn up to 1,000 Golden Eagles. [/p][p][/p][p][/p][p]
[/p][h2]Get Silver Lions, Consumables, Premium Account Time and More in the Battle Pass![/h2][p]The Battle Pass doesn’t just feature decals, decorations and vehicles, it also contains a lot of other useful items. This includes a large amount of Silver Lions, Warbonds to spend in the Warbond shop, Orders, Wagers and Backups for use in battles, a Test Drive for one of the new vehicles before you get it, 10 days of Premium Account time, unique camouflages for the two new vehicles and a title and loading screen to remember your accomplishments.[/p][p] [/p][h2]Get the next Battle Pass for free with Upgrade Coupons![/h2][p]Two “Upgrade Coupons” are at levels 105 and 125 in the Battle Pass and are both needed to get the next Battle Pass for free. They also make the two new vehicles tradable on the Gaijin Market if you prefer.

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[p]To purchase a Battle Pass using the “Upgrade Coupon”, you need to wait until the current season ends and the new season begins. You’ll then be able to exchange two Upgrade Coupons in the Battle Pass purchase window. Upgrade Coupons must be available in your inventory to do this.[/p]

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[/p][h2]The Warbond Shop in Season 22![/h2][p]Check out some of the main Warbond shop items in Season 22! You can view the full list of items available as well as the conditions for receiving them in-game.[/p][p][/p]

[p]The Warbond shop can be accessed by clicking on Shop > Warbond Shop from the hangar or from the Battle Pass window by clicking “Shop”[/p]

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What is the Warbond Shop?
The Warbond shop is connected with and runs in tandem with the Battle Pass. Items in the Warbond shop can be purchased with a currency called Warbonds that are earned in the Battle Pass. There are a total of 6 shop levels and each one can be unlocked by reaching specific levels in the Battle Pass. In addition to purchasing with Warbonds, each item from shop level 3 requires a certain number of medals to purchase. Medals can be obtained through completing Special Tasks.

[/p][h2]Vehicles[/h2][p][/p][p][/p][p][/p][h3]More about the new rewards: [/h3][p][/p][p]USS Wilkinson (USA) — first time in the shop![/p][p]The American destroyer USS Wilkinson is a fast ship with a pair of rapid-fire 127 mm main guns, universal 76 mm guns, small torpedoes, and rocket launchers for the closest encounters![/p][p][/p][h2]Decals[/h2][p]Season 22 brings back the Zodiac series decals in a special trophy, and also introduces a new Velva decal to continue the themed series![/p][p] [/p][p][/p][p]“Völva” pinup decal[/p][p][/p][h2]Trophies[/h2][p]Like decorating your ground vehicles? For fans of decorations, we’re pleased to offer the Helmets trophy this time, and the profile icon trophy features a portrait of a Soviet tanker![/p][p][/p][h2]Consumables[/h2][p]Alongside trophies, vehicles and decals are a bunch of useful consumable items, including boosters, universal backups, wagers & orders, premium vehicle rentals and talismans — all perfect for helping you through the game.

Get out there and get yourself some goodies![/p]