War Thunder News

[p][/p][p]Introducing the next major update trailer for War Thunder: Tusk Force! [/p][p][/p][previewyoutube][/previewyoutube]

[p][/p][p][/p][p]Today we’ll be going over Mackensen, the main reward in the Black Hussar naval event![/p][p][/p][p] [/p][h3]Vehicle History[/h3][p]The decision to develop new battlecruisers in Germany was influenced by information surrounding the British Queen Elizabeth-class battleships, equipped with 381 mm guns and a speed of up to 25 knots. On August 13th, 1912, Naval Minster Alfred von Tirpitz instructed Vice-Admiral Rohlmann to develop options for ships with eight 340 mm or 350 mm guns. After analyzing six projects, the option with 340 mm guns was initially chosen, but was rejected due to insufficient speed and seaworthiness. Further calculations showed that a displacement of 31,500 tons was necessary to achieve the required characteristics, which Tirpitz considered unacceptable.[/p][p]In search of a compromise, a version with eight 305 mm guns and stronger torpedo armament was proposed, which was even approved by Kaiser Wilhelm II. However, the naval command and the weapons department opposed it, insisting on more powerful weaponry. After much debate, they settled on a design with six 380 mm guns, following the example of the Bayern-class battleships, but in November 1913, work resumed in favor of eight 350 mm guns. Tirpitz, despite resistance, agreed to increase the displacement limit to 31,000 tons. On December 8th, 1913, this design was finally approved.[/p][p]Following the 1914-1915 program, the initial plan was to build seven cruisers, but only four from the project were laid down. Due to the outbreak of World War I, resources were redirected in favor of the submarine fleet and land operations. Not a single ship of this class was completed. In accordance with the Treaty of Versailles the cruisers were to be transferred to the Allies, but due to their unpreparedness for independent sea passage, they were replaced by the battleship Baden. In 1921-1922, the hulls of the unfinished ships were scrapped for metal.[/p][p][/p][p][/p][p][/p][h3]Introducing Mackensen![/h3][p]Mackensen is a battlecruiser that is not only distinguished by excellent weaponry and good survivability, but is also one of the fastest capital ships of its era! How can you get this battlecruiser? Mackensen can be obtained in the Black Hussar naval event that started today (link to details below). Let’s get acquainted with this ship![/p][p][/p][p][/p][p][/p][p]The partially constructed Mackensen promised to be very competitive against the warships of its time. After lengthy discussions, 350 mm guns in four twin turrets were approved as the main caliber of the Mackensen. These guns can fire two types of massive 600 kg shells: armor-piercing and semi-armor-piercing with a large explosive charge. The power of Mackensen’s main caliber is enough to counter any ship of its rank, but the guns will have a hard time dealing with the most protected battleships in the game, even at short distances. There are 150 mm guns in casemate mounts with 6 on each side of the ship. Mackensen’s excellent torpedo armament is also worth mentioning: five torpedo tubes carry large 600 mm torpedoes, with a total ammunition load of 25.[/p][p][/p][p]Mackensen is also decently survivable overall. A sufficiently large crew can keep the ship running for quite a while, and although Mackensen’s armor is inferior to that of battleships, it provides good protection in medium and long-range combat. All vital compartments are protected by a 300 mm main armor belt, with armor of almost the same thickness on the main elevators. The gun platform’s armor belt is protected by 150 mm armor.[/p][p][/p][p][/p][p][/p][p]Speed is one of Mackensen’s main strengths, especially among its contemporaries. It can reach speeds of up to 28 knots (almost 52 km/h). A notable downside however is that the anti-aircraft weaponry is not very impressive. Mackensen only has slow firing 88 mm guns at its disposal, and there are no small caliber anti-aircraft guns present at all. It’s best to stay close to your allies when playing this ship![/p][p][/p][p][/p][p][/p][p]You can get Mackensen in the Black Hussar naval event that started today! Want to learn more about the event? Be sure to check it out through the link below![/p][p][/p][p][dynamiclink][/dynamiclink][/p][p]Please note that this vehicle’s characteristics may be changed before it is added to the game.[/p]

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

• [p]A bug that allowed aircraft to remain mostly unharmed from forward fuselage impacts from large air-to-air missiles with warheads similar to or larger than the AIM-9 has been fixed.[/p]

[p] [/p][h3]Matchmaking[/h3]

• [p]The technical issues with Custom Battles and Air Simulator Battles have been resolved, custom rooms can now be created again.[/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][/p][h3]Naval Vessels[/h3]

• [p]IJN Yukikaze — a bug where the visual model showed the torpedoes being launched in the wrong order has been fixed.[/p]

[p] [/p][h3]Interface[/h3]

• [p]A bug on tanks with LWS that caused the laser irradiation notification on the compass to not disappear after the exposure had ended has been fixed.[/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]We’re pleased to present visual improvements to two more Ground Battle locations: Eastern Europe and Poland, coming in the next major update![/p][p][/p][h3]Eastern Europe[/h3][p][/p][p]Eastern Europe is one of the most popular locations in Combined Battles, and also one of the earliest ground maps to be added to the game. We’ve gone ahead and refreshed the appearance of this much loved location, making it more detailed, natural and lively. The main battle area and its surroundings are now more distinct with a strong autumnal vibe. The vegetation and trees have been reworked too — plant life more typical for Eastern Europe is now more abundant, such as conifers with tall trunks. The landscape is easier to see through now too due to the taller trunks and higher foliage. The urban section of the map has also been transformed, with the architecture as a whole reworked and improved. Buildings and bridges have been improved with more realistic detail.[/p][p][/p][p][/p][p]Inside the town and beyond its boundaries, many small objects and fences dot the landscape, making it feel a lot more natural and lived in. Eastern Europe is now visually a lot prettier, but the gameplay and flow of the map remain the same, for those of you who’ve played hundreds of battles here it won’t take much time to settle in![/p][p][/p][carousel][/carousel][p][/p][h3]Poland[/h3][h3][/h3][p]Good old Poland! It’s incredible to think of the sheer number of battles we’ve all fought here, how many points we’ve captured and all the times we’ve rumbled through these narrow streets. We’re proud to give one of the earliest ground locations a big visual update! All of the buildings and structures have been reworked, and countless small destructible objects have been added. Some examples are window frames, drainpipes, flower beds, railings, and a host of small details to make the location feel a lot more real and lively.[/p][p][/p][carousel][/carousel][p][/p][p]There have also been some noticeable changes outside of the town too. Firstly, vegetation has been completely reworked, unnaturally large bushes that hid tanks have been removed, and new grass has been added. Secondly, the prominent rocks and stones around the landscape have been visually reworked. We’ve put a lot of extra attention to the look of the soil and roads, intersections and the banks of the lake in the middle. That’s not all, we’ve also added a few easter eggs to the map too, but no hints, you’ll have to discover them yourself! Make sure to post on our social media if you find some![/p][p][/p][carousel][/carousel][p][/p]