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Settsu: Serving Through the Ages

Settsu was the second of two Kawachi-class dreadnoughts built for the Imperial Japanese Navy after the Russo-Japanese War of the early 1900’s. Being the first true dreadnought built by Japan, this formidable warship will also soon become the first battleship to arrive in the ranks of the IJN in War Thunder as part of the next major update “New Power”!

Briefly: The first dreadnought type warship built by Japan, boasting excellent protection and firepower, but lackluster mobility and anti-air defence.
Settsu, battleship, Japan, V rank.
Pros
➕ Numerous large-calibre cannons
➕ Strong armor protection
➕ Torpedoes
Cons
➖ Lacking AA protection



In War Thunder, Settsu will be the first battleship to arrive to the ranks of the Imperial Japanese Navy in War Thunder, following the release of the next major update. Similarly to other ships of this class, Settsu features extremely good protection and devastating firepower with the tradeoff being lackluster mobility.

Settsu’s primary armament consists of twelve 12’’ (305 mm) cannons, split between six twin turrets, spread out in a hexagonal arrangement over the ship’s main deck.



In addition to the primary guns, Settsu also boasts a respectable secondary arsenal. The former consists of a total of ten 6’’ (152 mm) casemate guns on either side of the hull as well as eight 4.7’’ (120 mm) guns, of which half are situated in fore and aft casemates while the other half is located on the main deck. Lastly, Settsu is also outfitted with four 3’’ (80 mm) cannons comprising its anti-air battery as well as three 457 mm torpedo launchers; one on either side of the hull as well as one mounted on the ship’s stern.

Being a battleship, it should come as no surprise that the Settsu is extremely well protected. In fact, Settsu’s armored belt goes up to 305 mm in thickness, while the turrets and conning tower are encased in 279 and 254 mm of steel, respectively. This brings Settsu’s protection in line with other ships of this type, meaning that captains will be well-protected from incoming enemy fire from all but the largest of calibers.



Naturally, in order to include all this tremendous firepower and armor on Settsu’s design, Japanese shipbuilders had to make some concessions in mobility. As a result, despite being powered by a 25,000 horsepower propulsion system, Settsu can only reach a rather modest top speed of 21 kts (39 km/h). This, coupled with the lacking anti-air protection leaves Settsu largely vulnerable against air attack and smaller vessels, performing a torpedo attack. Consequently, aspiring captains of this warship will need to plan their movements in advance and seek the company of allies if they wish to avoid being turned into an expensive man-made coral reef.

Settsu will be arriving as part of the next major update coming to War Thunder and will become one of the first battleships available to captains in naval battles. In the meantime, keep a close watch on the news to stay updated on all the latest developments on the upcoming “New Power” update. Until then, calm seas captains!

Leopard 2A6: Deadlier than ever



The Leopard 2A6 is a further development of the well-known German main battle tank, combining the superb protection of preceding variants with greater firepower. Soon, tankers will get the chance to command the modern Leopard 2A6 as it becomes the new crowning jewel of the German ground forces tree in the “New Power” War Thunder update!

In War Thunder, the Leopard 2A6 will become the new crowning jewel of the German ground forces tree in the next major update coming to the game. Inheriting the crown from its respected predecessor, the Leopard 2A6 boasts the same qualities as the 2A5 which precedes it and combines them with improved firepower, courtesy of the Rh 120 L55 - a lengthened modification of the well-known Rh 120 cannon!





The Leopard 2A6 will arrive to the top rank of the German ground forces tree with the release of the “New Power” War Thunder update, coming to the game very soon! In the meantime, be sure to stay tuned to the news as we continue to unveil what exciting new content the upcoming update has in store for you. Until then, happy hunting tankers!

Check out the full Dev Blog article here!

New AI aircraft carriers



With the release of the War Thunder: ‘New Power’ update, we are adding new types of AI aircraft carriers to the game that serve as naval bases for aircraft.

More good news for War Thunder pilots is that in the upcoming ‘New Power’ update, several new types of AI aircraft carriers will appear in the game that serve as naval aviation bases in missions with sea and ocean. For these aircraft carriers, we have made fully fledged, highly detailed models that are not inferior in quality to the in-game military fleet.

HMS Ark Royal

Baku

USS Forrestal

Check out the full Dev Blog article here!

SMS Westfalen: Into a New Era



SMS Westfalen was one of the first four German dreadnought-type battleships of the Nassau class, built for the Imperial Navy in the late 1900’s. Soon, seasoned captains in War Thunder will have the chance to take the helm of SMS Westfalen as it arrives to the game as one of the first German battleships with the incoming update “New Power”!

In War Thunder, SMS Westfalen will be among the first battleships to join the ranks of the German naval tree in the game after the release of the major update. Being a true lumbering teutonic beast, SMS Westfalen possesses characteristics much akin to other nation’s dreadnoughts, best described as ‘slow, but very deadly’. Let’s take a closer look!





SMS Westfalen is soon joining War Thunder naval battles and will be one of the first battleships to appear in the ranks of the German navy with the release of the “New Power” upcoming update. In the meantime, stay tuned to the news as we continue sharing more information on what the next major update has in store for you. Until then, calm seas and happy hunting captains!

Check out the full Dev Blog article here!

Halloween in War Thunder!



In the night when evil spirits creep out under the moonlight we return again to one proven method of cleansing. Start your M18 and Po-2 engines racing and terrify the forces of evil into oblivion in glorious races!

From 11:00 GMT on the 31st of October until 09:00 GMT on the 1st of November
[h3]Ground event: “Armour race on a dark path”[/h3]
Earn 300 rating points in the supercharged M18 “Hellcat” and get a prize - one of the creepy decorations. The rating depends on the position in which you finished the race.


Jack-o-lantern


Witch hat


Slasher’s Hatchet


Cannibal Axe

You can follow your progress by clicking on the “award button” in the “event” tab. Update in the records table can take up to 15 minutes.

[h2]Aircraft event: “Witch Hunt”[/h2]

Fly a special "Night Witch" aircraft and earn 300 rating points to get one of the unique decals. The rating depends on the position in which you finished the race.


"Pumpkin" decal


"Bad Turn" decal


"Hell's Belle" pin-up


"Trick or Treat" text

When the races are over, the top 1,000 pilots will permanently receive the unique Po-2 biplane. The vehicles will be awarded during the 48 hours from the end of the event.

Don’t miss the discounts and other promotions dedicated to War Thunder’s birthday!