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Mirage 4000: Ahead of the Game



Today we’ll be taking a look at the Mirage 4000, an experimental variant of the renowned Mirage jet fighter developed in parallel to the Mirage 2000. Featuring a twin-engine configuration and vastly improved aerodynamics, the Mirage 4000 will soon be arriving at Rank VIII of the French aircraft tree in the “Air Superiority” major update!

[h2]Mirage 4000: A Jet Fighter for France at Rank VIII[/h2]

Features:
  • Superb aerodynamics!
  • Twin-engine propulsion.
  • Versatile arsenal.
  • Top speed of Mach 2.2.




[h2]Meet the Mirage 4000![/h2]

As the name already suggests, the Mirage 4000 builds upon the legacy of the Mirage family of aircraft and propels nearly all aspects of it to the next level. A sleek design, more power and increased payloads all make the Mirage 4000 stand out from the competition, but there’s a lot more to it than that! Let’s find out some more as we go into the details below.



The Mirage 4000 is the first aircraft of the Mirage family in War Thunder to break away from the traditional single-engine design and instead prominently feature a twin-engine layout. As such, the Mirage 4000 is powered by a pair of the familiar SNECMA M53-P2 turbofan jet engines. As a result, this jet can accelerate up to a maximum top speed of Mach 2.2! However, it’s not just the top speed that makes the Mirage 4000 stand out from the crowd. More importantly perhaps is the aircraft’s superb agility. Featuring the signature Mirage delta wing design, coupled with controllable canards in front of the engine air intakes gives this aircraft fantastic maneuverability at both low and high speeds. Thanks to this as well as other improvements, this jet can comfortably engage virtually any opponent it meets in the skies.



[h3]Interesting: Although the Mirage 4000 never made it into production due to adverse circumstances, its advanced design and superior performance paved the way for the development of the legendary Rafale fighter.[/h3]


While good aerodynamics certainly represent a good start, it’s by far not what rounds out a fully fledged fighter design. This task would fall onto the armament and the Mirage 4000 has quite something to show for in this aspect as well. Apart from its standard armament of two ventral mounted 30 mm DEFA cannons, the Mirage 4000 can equip up to 8 x R550 in one loadout, or 3 x 530F air-to-air missiles. These loadouts favor aerial engagements, but what if the mission also calls for ground strike capabilities?




In this case, the Mirage 4000 can boast a high degree of flexibility with its arsenal. Namely, you’ll have access to a wide assortment of guided and as well as conventional munitions. Some highlights include the familiar AS-30L Nord AGM, up to 6 x 2000 and 1000 lb bombs, as well as 2 x BGL 1000 guided bombs to name a few. As a result, the Mirage can engage a vast number of enemy ground targets, thus making it an ideal pick to put into your ground lineups!

In your matches by Alex, Aircraft Game Designer: “On this new aircraft I would advise to play with speed and work with its medium range missiles by trying to stay near to the enemy, two engines and dynamics of this aircraft will allow you to do this. A large number of short-range missiles gives you the opportunity to make even small mistakes in missile launches, unlike other French top planes, where every missile counts. Its wings will also allow you to quickly turn to the enemy, but I don’t recommend engaging in protracted maneuvers, as you’ll quickly lose valuable speed. In ground battles, the choice of weapons is very large, from missiles to guided bombs, my choice here is the AS-30L or a full set of assault bombs.”




The Mirage 4000 will soon be coming to the French aircraft tree in the next major update, “Air Superiority”! That’s this blog wrapped.In the meantime, be sure to follow the news for the latest information regarding the upcoming update. Until then, see you soon!

Leopard 2A7V: The Ultimate Evolution



The Leopard 2A7V is one of the latest modifications of the Bundeswehr’s well-known Leopard series of tanks, featuring upgraded protection as well as other small improvements. Today we’ll be showing you the Leopard 2A7V in all its glory, which’ll be coming to War Thunder in the next major update!

[h2]Leopard 2A7V: An MBT for Germany at Rank VIII[/h2]

Features:
  • Enhanced protection.
  • Deadly firepower.
  • Decent mobility, but inferior to its predecessors.
  • GEN 3 thermals.




[h2]Meet the Leopard 2A7V![/h2]

The Leopard 2A7V will soon be arriving at the top rank of the German ground forces tree as the latest and most capable modification of one of the most well known Western main battle tanks. Offering you a number of very handy upgrades, the Leopard 2A7V’s capabilities have been improved even further to excel. Let’s take a look!

At a first glance, you may have come to the conclusion that the Leopard 2A7V doesn’t seem to differ much from its predecessor — on surface level, this is also true as this tank doesn't have any radical design changes. For instance, it features the lethal L/55 A1 gun, possesses advanced composite armor and is powered by an MTU 1500 HP engine. As a result, the Leopard 2A7V will still offer you much of the highly regarded mix of great protection, good mobility, and lethal firepower which pretty much defines Leopard tanks.



So what’s different then? Primarily, the Leopard 2A7V comes fitted with a new modular add-on armor package which reinforces its frontal section of the hull. As a result, this particularly vulnerable part is now better protected against kinetic ammunition as well as chemical rounds. In addition to this is mine protection on the underside, however these combined upgrades do come at the cost of added weight. Unlike its direct predecessor, the Leopard 2A7V’s weight rises to an impressive 66.5 tons.

[h3]
Interesting: The Leopard 2A7V will be amongst some of the heaviest top-tier MBTs when it comes to the game.
[/h3]



With a drastic weight increase of 11% over the Leopard 2A6 as well as maintaining the same engine, this does mean a decrease in mobility. As a result, the Leopard 2A7V’s top speed reduces from the traditional 68 km/h of the Leopard 2 series to 61 km/h, which overall means getting around in this tank will be slightly worse compared to its predecessors, the Leopard 2A5 and 2A6. Remember to keep this in mind while in battle!

In your matches by Tom, Community Management Team Leader: “The 2A7 doesn’t have any hard drawbacks realistically, it hits all the key points an MBT needs to hit, and this effectively lets you do everything you need to do in order to perform well. As such there isn’t really a universal ‘correct’ way to play it, the best way to play is the way that you feel aligns best with your personal skillset. Focus on your own strengths, and the vehicle will let you maximize them as much as possible.”




The Leopard 2A7V will soon join the German ground forces tree as one of its first brand new rank VIII vehicles and will become available with the release of the next major update. In the meantime, be sure to stay tuned to the news as we continue revealing what other exciting new features and additions await you. Until then, see you soon!

Strv 122B+: A Tough Nut To Crack



In today’s blog, we’re excited to be talking about the Strv 122B+, which is a prototype of Sweden’s main battle tank that features further advanced armor while retaining all of the advantages of its predecessor. Meet this new tough nut to crack being added to the game in the upcoming “Air Superiority” major update!

[h2]Strv 122B+: An MBT for Sweden at Rank VIII[/h2]

Features:
  • Improved armor protection.
  • Good mobility.
  • Fantastic APFSDS rounds.


[h2]Meet the Strv 122B+![/h2]

Sweden’s ground forces tree will receive this brilliant top-tier tank, which will arrive at Rank VIII with the release of the upcoming major update, “Air Superiority”. The already outstanding armor protection of Strv 122 MBTs is now reaching an entirely new level in the form of additional armor for the Strv 122B+. Let’s take a look!

The visual appearance of the Strv 122B+ remains virtually unchanged compared to its direct predecessor, the Strv 122B. The reason is because instead, its internal combination of armor packages has undergone some major changes. In general, this new armor builds upon the already great armor of the Strv 122 series of tanks that are generally characterized by very good protection, which allows them to withstand most shaped charges and APFSDS rounds at top tier.



Onto the gun and range of available ammunition which remain the same. The licensed version of the Rheinmetall L/44 gun means you’ll be able to fire three types of formidable APFSDS ammunition: the DM23, DM33 and the top slpprj m/95 round! Coupled with a good reload time and excellent turret rotation speed, the Strv 122B+’s capabilities in any situation in battle are simply second to none. In addition to a fantastic weapon is a laser rangefinder and thermal imaging for the gunner and commander which come in very handy at longer engagements.

However, even a strong tank still has some shortcomings, which are inherited from the Strv 122B. This is the vulnerable spot around the turret ring, where penetration of this area generally leads to a detonation of the ammunition, as well as the inability to accurately aim the gun when it’s perched over the engine compartment. In terms of mobility, the Strv 122B+ is slightly inferior to other top tier tanks, however this isn’t much of a problem. This tank can easily maneuver around, copes well with off-road terrain and has great reverse speed, which means the overall mobility dynamics of the Strv 122B+ is considered good!



In your matches by Dmitry, Game Designer: “The Swedish research tree is my favorite in the game because of its wide variety and really interesting and unique vehicles. As with previous Strv 122’s, you’ll be able to count on the 122B+’s strong turret and UFP, and with the addition of more armor it’ll be even stronger. I recommend taking fights as much as you can where you’ll be able to take hits, but also make sure to use the slpprj m/95 APFSDS round that is great for dealing with T-80 tanks especially.”




You’ll be able to enjoy the Strv 122B+ as well as dozens of other new vehicles and other improvements in the upcoming “Air Superiority” major update, which we’re currently working on right now. Until then, keep an eye on our news and see you soon!

VT-4A1: Actively Protected!



The VT-4A1 is the later modification of Chinese main battle tanks developed specifically for foreign operators while incorporating many cutting edge technologies from other domestic vehicles of the time. Today we’ll be talking about this tank which is arriving to War Thunder in the “Air Superiority” major update!

[h2]VT-4A1: An MBT for China at Rank VIII[/h2]

Features:
  • Powerful main gun!
  • Low silhouette.
  • Active Protection System.
  • Excellent mobility.


[h2]Meet the VT-4A1![/h2]

The VT-4A1 will arrive at the top of China’s ground tree at the all-new Rank VIII for ground forces in War Thunder! Featuring compact dimensions, superb firepower and enhanced protection, the VT-4A1 incorporates many of the design features already familiar to other Chinese tanks. Let’s take a look at the details!

Representing the successor to the MBT-2000 which you may already be familiar with, the VT-4A1 has substantial upgrades over its predecessor. While inheriting the same level of firepower as found on other Chinese MBTs at its rank, the VT-4A1 really sets itself apart from its close relatives when it comes to protection. Featuring a blend of composite armor in its hull and turret as well as additional FY-4 ERA blocks bolted on the front and side sections, this tank is ideally protected against the most common threats found at top tier battles, especially concerning chemical munitions.



Furthermore, the VT-4A1 comes fitted with a hardkill Active Protection System (APS), which is a feature that hasn’t yet been featured on Chinese ground vehicles! As a result, when playing this tank, you’ll enjoy additional protection from this advanced defensive system, which is capable of automatically neutralizing incoming enemy rounds. ATGMs are going to have a hard time attacking this tank!

Although the VT-4A1 can boast about much improved protection, this upgrade does come at the expense of additional weight. Namely, this tank’s combat weight has increased to 52 tons compared to the 48 tons of the MBT-2000. In order to offset the additional weight, this tank is equipped with a more powerful 1300 HP engine.



However, this upgrade only manages to partially offset the substantially increased weight of the VT-4A1 as its top speed dips to slightly to 70 km/h — whilst being lower than the WZ1001(E) LCT for example, this tank’s mobility can by no means be considered poor. In fact, with a good power-to-weight ratio, the VT-4A1 can zip around the battlefield and conquer even the most challenging terrain types with relative ease.

In your matches by Tom, Community Management Team Leader: “Like pretty much every top MBT, a vehicle like this can play anywhere effectively. But to get the most out of your survivability consider playing at range hull down. The lower plate is very weak, and as the turret is free of ammo this is the area you’ll want to operate it. The APS does have the chance to also stop slower kinetic rounds as well as ATGMs, so the further away from your enemy you are, the higher the possibility of your APS working against their dart.”




The VT-4A1 will be available in the Chinese ground forces tree as its first brand-new Rank VIII tank, coming to the next major update “Air Superiority”! That’s it for this blog, until the next one, keep an eye on the news and enjoy your matches!

Screenshot Competition - A Fresh Start!



Welcome to the 97th War Thunder Steam Screenshot Competition!


We loved seeing the screenshots you shared with us from the past week! The planes soaring high above, and the tanks jumping through the air were fantastic. The three most popular and three selected by us will get 300 GE. See the winners down below!

[h2]Let’s begin the 97th edition of our competition![/h2]

Create a stunning screenshot and submit it on the War Thunder Steam Community Hub with the tag #WTscreen97. You have time until the 15th of December to submit your screenshot.

After that date, 6 winners will be selected (3 of which will be the highest rated by the community and 3 selected by our judges), each of which receive a reward of 300GE.

[h3]Terms:[/h3]
    Your screenshot must include a vehicle of rank III or below.
    You must add the #WTscreen97 tag (title cannot have any other text in it).
  • Screenshots need to be compliant with the War Thunder rules.
  • You need to be the author of the screenshot.
  • Screenshot needs to be new. You cannot use those which have previously been published or used in other competitions.
  • We will only accept raw screenshots from the game. You cannot use any editing software nor any other visual enhancements (like Nvidia Ansel filters).
  • You can use filters and settings built into War Thunder.
  • You can use the replay functionality built into War Thunder.
  • Rewards will be delivered to the author's account within 14 working days.


[h2]And now, time for the winners of the competition’s 96th edition - Airborne![/h2]

[h3]Winners selected via community votes:[/h3]
https://steamcommunity.com/sharedfiles/filedetails/?id=3102440839
https://steamcommunity.com/sharedfiles/filedetails/?id=3103866460
https://steamcommunity.com/sharedfiles/filedetails/?id=3102362505

[h3]Winners selected by our judges:[/h3]
https://steamcommunity.com/sharedfiles/filedetails/?id=3103339347
https://steamcommunity.com/sharedfiles/filedetails/?id=3105281845
https://steamcommunity.com/sharedfiles/filedetails/?id=3103346770

Each winner will get 300GE! Congratulations and see you next week!