War Thunder News

Light cruiser Mikhail Kutuzov is the last Soviet ship wielding big guns. The ship comes to the game as part of the upcoming War Thunder update in her latest upgraded version, featuring fast-firing anti-missile guns.

[h2]Mikhail Kutuzov, light cruiser, USSR, rank V[/h2]

Features:

• High muzzle velocity of the main caliber rounds
  
• Improved short range AA artillery
  
• Ballistic deck
  
• Insufficient firepower to counter heavy ships
  
• Lacks of torpedoes
  

The most famous Project 68 cruiser Mikhail Kutuzov comes to the game as a part of the upcoming major update, and the ship will be presented in the version after the last upgrade. Together with the premium Zheleznyakov and the researchable Sverdlov, the new ship will become the best light cruiser in the entire research tree of the Soviet bluewater fleet.

Project 68 ships are well known to seasoned captains: decent firepower, excellent air defense and good mobility. Mikhail Kutuzov is a little different from her sisterships. Let’s see the ship in details!



A large modernization program initiated in 1970 aimed for a further improvement of the air defense of Soviet cruisers. 8 paired AK-230 mounts with rapid-fire 30mm guns appeared on the platforms around the bow superstructure, which supplemented the 37mm auto cannons familiar to you from Sverdlov and Zheleznyakov. The new guns, although somewhat inferior in caliber, are remotely controlled and provide an amazing density of fire at short and medium fire distances - each barrel spits 1,000 rounds per minute! The universal 100mm guns remain effective as before: their high-explosive fragmentation rounds do a good job of destroying light ships and boats, and their radio-fuzed shells are ideal for destroying aircraft at considerable distances.





The crew of the cruiser has somewhat decreased - 1057 men against 1270 on the Sverdlov, which in the game realities can be attributed to the ship’s cons. During the modernization, torpedo tubes were also dismantled - another thing to missing from her sisters. But everything else, for which we love the Project 68 ships, is still here! The main battery of 12 152mm guns in four turrets works perfectly both against destroyers and other cruisers. The shells lack the destructive power to effectively damage battlecruisers and battleships, but thanks to the high muzzle velocity of shells and smoother ballistics, it is very easy to fire at longer distances at softer targets. Mikhail Kutuzov, like other Project 68 cruisers, has a special ballistic deck that increases the ship's survivability against cruiser-caliber shells.





Mikhail Kutuzov, perhaps the best light cruiser in the USSR fleet research tree, will be waiting for you in the next major update. Visit our Developer Diaries more often to know more about cool new stuff planned for the upcoming update! See you soon!

• A bug has been fixed that caused the unguided rockets to do increased damage to the bombing targets (bases) in aircraft battles.
  
• The authenticity tags system has been reworked on the Marketplace to allow for combined search with this filter. For example, it’s now possible to search for both Historical and Semihistorical camouflages simultaneously by choosing both options in the filter.
  
• Tags can now be used in the item search text box. For example, searching for "Danger Zone" will now display only the corresponding trophy, key and decal, but also all camouflages of the trophy, since they have the "Camouflage trophy: "Danger Zone" tag.
  

We enjoyed seeing all of the great screenshots last week! It was awesome to see many of the common and not-so-common vehicles with their giant cannons! The three most popular and three selected by us will get 300 GE. See the winners down below!

[h2]Let’s begin the 29th edition of our competition![/h2]

Create a stunning screenshot and submit it on the War Thunder Steam Community Hub with the tag #WTscreen29. You have time until 26.08.2022 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.

[h2]Important addition: Screenshot theme - Shades of Green![/h2]

[h3]Terms:[/h3]

• This week, the screenshots are all about color. There are so many sources of green in War Thunder. There are many green vehicles such as the Ju 87, PT-200, and T-34 that all come in lovely shades of green.
• Don’t own any green vehicles? Never fret! There is abundant green scenery on many of the battlefields!
• You must add the #WTscreen29 tag.
• 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 7 working days.
  

[h2]And now, time for the winners of the competition’s 28th edition - Big Bore![/h2]

[h3]Winners selected via community votes:[/h3]
https://steamcommunity.com/sharedfiles/filedetails/?id=2848282984
https://steamcommunity.com/sharedfiles/filedetails/?id=2848563171
https://steamcommunity.com/sharedfiles/filedetails/?id=2848370696

[h3]Winners selected by our judges:[/h3]
https://steamcommunity.com/sharedfiles/filedetails/?id=2848774814
https://steamcommunity.com/sharedfiles/filedetails/?id=2848304391
https://steamcommunity.com/sharedfiles/filedetails/?id=2848607369

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

The VK 30.02 (M) is the prototype design of what would eventually become the legendary PzKpfw V ‘Panther’ tank. In the next major War Thunder update, fans of German military vehicles will have the chance to add the earliest iteration of the Panther tank to their collection and take this prototype out into actual battle!

Briefly: The experimental version of the renown German Panther tank, featuring improved mobility over production models at the expense of thinner armor.

[h2]VK 30.02 (M), medium tank, Germany, rank III[/h2]

Features:

• Hard-hitting 75mm cannon
  
• Superb mobility
  
• Less well-protected compared to later production models
  
• Low turret traverse speed
  
• Slow reverse speed
  

In War Thunder, the VK 30.02 (M) will be a new addition complementing the impressive array of German experimental vehicles found in the game. Representing the early design stage of the already familiar Panther, the VK 30.02 (M) completes the famous medium tank’s design history in the game by joining the ranks of the German ground forces tree as part of the next major update!

Despite sharing many similarities with the subsequent first production model - the venerable Panther Ausf. D - the VK 30.02 (M) does possess several notable differences which make it stand out from later production variants of the Panther. For instance, while the vehicle’s firepower, overall design and layout would be carried over to production versions virtually unchanged, its protection and consequently its mobility too were subjected to some changes.



Namely, the original design of the Panther tank received 60mm thick armor plates on the front of the hull while the turret’s front armor goes up to 80mm. As this was marked as a deficiency during testing, later production models received 80mm and 100m mm thick plating, respectively. For prospective commanders of the VK 30.02 (M) however, this means that their vehicle is somewhat less well protected against incoming enemy anti-tank fire. On the other hand, the armor’s sloping still improves its protective capabilities, thus remaining highly effective against smaller caliber weapons, for example.





As a result of the VK 30.02 (M)’s lighter protection, it should come to no surprise to tankers that the vehicle’s mass is also much lower in comparison to later production variants. Therefore, tankers will be able to quickly get up to top speed and traverse more demanding terrain types with greater ease. Just remember: the vehicle’s reverse gear remains unchanged from production models, resulting in a poor reverse speed of just 5 km/h!





Be sure to add the unique VK 30.02 (M) to your in-game collection once it arrives in War Thunder as part of the next major update. In the meantime, make sure to stay tuned and follow the news as we continue unveiling more of what the upcoming update has in store for you. Until then, happy hunting tankers!

The Pbv 302 is a Swedish APC, developed in the mid 1960s as a replacement to the outdated Pbv 301. Soon, tankers in War Thunder will have the chance to take command of an experimental anti-tank version of this widely produced APC as it makes its way to the game as part of the next major update!

Briefly: An experimental version of a widely used Swedish APC converted into a tank hunter thanks to the installation of an ATGM launcher.

[h2]Pbv 302 BILL, light tank, Sweden, Rank VI[/h2]

Features:

• Powerful ATGM launcher
  
• 20mm autocannon
  
• Amphibious
  
• Light protection
  

In War Thunder, the Pbv 302 BILL will be a new light tank making its way to the top ranks of the Swedish ground forces tree with the release of the next major update. Small, nimble and packing a deadly punch is how the Pbv 302 BILL is best described and today’s devblog is here to share all the details about this unique Swedish ground vehicle, arriving soon to tankers’ hangars.



So let’s begin with the Pbv 302’s weapons. Like many Cold War-era light vehicles, the Pbv 302 comes fitted with a single 20 mm Akan m/47D cannon as standard. Featuring a high rate of fire and good ballistic properties, the cannon provides an excellent solution to countering other light hostile vehicles or even low-flying aircraft and helicopters. However, tankers are best advised to not attack more heavily armored opponents head-on, at least not with the autocannon.

[h3]

Fun fact: The 20 mm cannons found on the Pbv 302 were previously used on the Saab J29 jets and were simply repurposed once the latter were decommissioned and scrapped.

[/h3]





For this job, the Pbv 302 BILL has a special tool available: namely, the Rbs 56 ATGM launcher, already familiar to some seasoned War Thunder tankers. Being the same missile launcher found on the Strf 9040, the Rbs 56 is not your typical anti-tank missile. Instead, the Rbs 56 is a top-attack missile, meaning it detonates above the target, thus causing the penetration to occur at the usually least armored parts of a combat vehicle. This trait also allows the missile to be fired on vehicles hiding behind cover or terrain since the missile can easily fly over these and still inflict damage to the enemy.

Being a light vehicle means that the Pbv 302 BILL doesn’t feature any notable form of protection. Its 20-25 mm of frontal armor plating ensures adequate protection against machine gun fire and shrapnel, but won’t be effective enough to stop high-powered autocannons and anti-tank munitions. On the other hand, the light protection also results in a rather low weight of just 14 tons.





The Pbv 302 BILL will soon be making its way to the top ranks of the Swedish ground forces tree and will become available to all tankers as a new high tier light tank. In the meantime, be sure to keep a close watch on our news as we continue unveiling other exciting new additions and features awaiting you in the next major update. Until then, happy hunting tankers!