War Thunder News

JDS Murasame is the lead ship of a class of destroyers, built for the JMSDF in the late 1950s as successors to the Ayanami class in the antisubmarine warfare role.

[h2]JDS Murasame (DD-107): A Destroyer for Japan at Rank II[/h2]
At a glance:

• Versatile arsenal.
  
• Excellent mobility.
  
• Features torpedoes.
  

Vehicle History
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The Murasame class of destroyers were ordered in the late 1950s as a replacement for the preceding Ayanami class. Construction of the lead ship, JDS Murasame, began in December 1957 with the keel being laid down in the Kobe shipyard. JDS Murasame was launched and subsequently commissioned into service in 1958 and 1959, respectively.

Although initially intended only to serve in the ASW role, JDS Murasame’s potent artillery arsenal also effectively enabled it to perform anti-aircraft duties. As a result, ships of the Murasame class were later on unofficially redesignated to all-purpose destroyers. After entering service, JDS Murasame took part in several oceangoing voyages and military exercises. Later on in her career, JDS Murasame was also used as a test platform for minesweeping equipment before ultimately being decommissioned in March 1988.
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[h2]Meet the JDS Murasame![/h2]

JDS Murasame (DD-107) will be a new early Cold War era destroyer arriving to the starting ranks of the Japanese Bluewater fleet in the Firebirds major update. Being a later successor to the JDS Harukaze already in the gamae, JDS Murasame features a greatly upgraded weapons arsenal while maintaining the good mobility of its predecessor. Sounds interesting to you? Then join us in today’s devblog as we explore the details of this new Japanese vessel coming to the game very soon!



As already mentioned, JDS Murasame is a successor design to some of the early Cold War Japanese destroyers, built for the JMSDF after WWII. Keeping in line with previous designs, shipbuilders placed emphasis on flexibility and JDS Murasame is no exception in this. Its arsenal best reflects this fact as the ship is equipped with three 5’’ (127 mm) Mark 16 cannons of American origin. Representing an upgraded version of the iconic Mk.12 cannon also found on JDS Harukaze, the Mk.16 cannons retain their signature high rate of fire and combine it with a longer barrel and heavier rounds, giving the cannon overall greatly improved ballistic properties and extending its range.

Furthermore, JDS Murasame is also equipped with a more powerful secondary battery consisting of two twin 3’’ (76 mm) cannons. Rounding off this arsenal are also a number of depth charge and torpedo launchers on either side of the ship. Overall, JDS Murasame is well equipped to face virtually any opponent on or above the sea’s surface thanks to its both powerful, but also very flexible weapon loadout.



Interesting: JDS Murasame’s 5’’ primary guns originate from the American carrier USS Midway, where the guns originally formed part of the ship’s arsenal.

However, JDS Murasame doesn’t only boast excellent firepower. In fact, this ship is also a very nimble vessel. Thanks to its powerful machinery, JDS Murasame can attain a top speed of 30 kts (56 km/h), similar to its predecessor. As a result, JDS Murasame can quickly maneuver on the sea, allowing captains to change their tactical approach virtually on the fly. On the other hand, being a light vessel also comes with the inherent drawback of not possessing extensive protection. As a result, JDS Murasame features only limited protection around its vital components which may enable it to absorb some damage from incoming fire, but not nearly enabling it enough to engage in brawls with other vessels.



JDS Murasame will soon reinforce the early ranks of the Japanese navy’s Bluewater fleet in War Thunder, becoming available for research to following the release of the Firebirds major update. In the meantime, be on the lookout for more news regarding the upcoming update. Until then, calm seas and happy hunting captains!

Please note that this vehicle’s characteristics may be changed before it is added to the game.

Today we’ll be taking a look at the Sabra Mk.I, a tank that was derived from major upgrades made to the Magach 7 tank, featuring add-on armor modules and a new 120 mm gun!

[h2]Sabra Mk.I: A Medium Tank for Israel at Rank VII[/h2]
At a glance:

• 120 mm gun similar to the Merkava tanks with a good reload speed!
  
• Effective APFSDS shell.
  
• Decent protection.
  
• Average mobility.
  

Vehicle History
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As part of Magach 7C modernization, Israeli company Israel Military Industries (IMI) developed and created a prototype of the Sabra Mk.I MBT in 2002-2005, coming in as a deep and comprehensive modernization of the Magach series of tanks. The main differences of the project were a new 120 mm smoothbore gun, a set of add-on armor elements for the hull and turret, a new fire control system and an electromechanical turret drive. The Sabra program was proposed to Turkey as a possible modernization program for their fleet of M60 tanks. However, the Turkish had counter-proposals that led to further modifications and the construction of a second prototype under the designation Sabra Mk.II.
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[h2]Meet the Sabra Mk.I![/h2]

The Israeli Sabra Mk.I is quite literally the ultimate Magach and will provide an interesting alternative when placed in some high-ranking ground force lineups. It features a very similar gun as the Merkava Mk.3 but at a lower Battle Rating, so let’s take a closer look!



Further development of the Magach 7C led engineers to create the Sabra tank. Just by looks, the turret has a familiar silhouette with add-on armor modules, but most importantly there’s a new gun. This 120 mm smoothbore gun is a very close relative of some of the higher-ranking Merkava tanks and can fire three types of ammunition, including HEATFS, HE-TF and an M322 APFSDS round.

The Sabra’s armor is made using the same technology found on the Magach 7C — it consists of modules of combined armor welded onto the standard steel armor of the M60. However, the layout and composition of this add-on armor differs from the Magach. Some differences include more protection at the front of the turret by the gun mantlet, the upper plate and turret sides. How effective is it though? It’s capable of stopping HEAT based rounds, however kinetic shells will pierce straight through without a problem. Besides this, the dense layout and poor location of ammunition stored internally definitely decrease the survivability of the Sabra once it has been penetrated.



Despite all the above mentioned changes, the engine of the Sabra Mk.I is the same as the Magach 7C. In terms of maneuverability, both tanks are almost identical, meaning the overall mobility of the Sabra is somewhat poor. Don’t fret though, as there’s one more positive. The reload speed of the gun can be as low as 6 seconds on an Ace crew — something the Magach can’t do!



That’s it for today’s blog. The Sabra Mk.I will arrive at rank VII in the Israel ground forces tree in the Firebirds major update and is sure to provide extra firepower thanks to its 120 mm gun. Be sure to check out the news for more dev blogs that we’re currently cooking!

Please note that this vehicle’s characteristics may be changed before it is added to the game.

In this month’s Pages of History, you’ll be at the center of events that took place in different theaters of war. Belarus, the Philippines, Egypt and Hungary: take part in battles with the vehicles corresponding to these historic battles and receive prizes. 

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From November 1st until November 30th, you’ll be offered 8 tasks consecutively. Completing each will reward you with a trophy, and completing all of them will earn you a unique player icon.

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[h3]Marmaduke Pattle[/h3]
Marmaduke “Pat” Pattle was a South African-born British pilot and one of the Allies’ most successful aces. In less than a year of combat, he is credited with shooting down more than fifty enemy aircraft, most of them while he was piloting a Hawker Hurricane. He fought in North Africa and Greece, leading No. 80 Squadron, which included the famous writer Roald Dahl. Pattle was killed on 20th April 1941 in an air battle near Athens with German Bf 110s.

You can immediately purchase this profile icon for Golden Eagles until December 3rd, 11:30 GMT without completing tasks. To find it, go to your Nickname → Achievements → Pages of History.

[h2]Trophy reward for each task[/h2]

Completing each individual task will give you a trophy with one of the following rewards:

• 20-50% RP booster for 3-10 battles;
  
• 20-50% SL booster for 3-10 battles;
  
• 3-5 universal backups;
  
• Premium account for 1 day;
  
• A random camouflage for ground vehicles (out of the selection of camouflages currently obtainable in game for completing tasks, or purchasing with Golden Eagles).
  

[h2]Other terms[/h2]

• Tasks are available from 11:00 GMT until 11:30 GMT on the final day of each task.
  
• Tasks can be completed in random battles except for “Assault” mode.
  

[h2]November 1st — November 4th[/h2]
[h3]Barbara Line[/h3]
On October 6th 1943, the Allies broke through Germany’s first line of defense in central Italy, but their further advance was hampered by the poor condition of local roads, which made supply difficult. Therefore, the assault on the Barbara Line, the second in a row, did not begin until November 2nd, but was completed within 24 hours. German troops retreated back to the Gustav Line.

[h2]November 5th — November 8th[/h2]
[h3]First Flight of the Hawker Hurricane[/h3]
On November 6th 1935, the single-seat Hawker Hurricane fighter took to the air for the first time. Almost 15,000 units of this aircraft were produced, and in the Battle of Britain, it was Hurricane pilots who achieved more than half of all aerial victories over the Luftwaffe.

[h2]November 9th — November 12th[/h2]
[h3]Battle of Taranto[/h3]
On November 12th 1940, Britain raided the Italian naval base at Taranto. It was the first naval battle in which aircraft launched from ships attacked other ships. Fairey Swordfish torpedo bombers from the carrier HMS Illustrious used specially modified torpedos to hit the Italian fleet in the shallow bay. Italy lost half the battleships in the harbor.

[h2]November 13th — November 15th[/h2]
[h3]Klinsko-Solnechnogorsk Defensive Operation[/h3]
After the end of the autumn thaw, the Wehrmacht resumed its advance on Moscow, and on November 15th 1941, Soviet troops began a defensive operation near Klin and Solnechnogorsk. During the fierce battles, German forces approached Moscow to a distance of only 14 km, but the Red Army managed to hold them back, and then seize the strategic initiative and go on the offensive along the same line.

[h2]November 16th — November 19th[/h2]
[h3]Operation Crusader[/h3]
On November 18th 1941, the British Empire launched an offensive on the North African front. After initial setbacks, the Allies managed to break through the Axis defenses, and on 28th November the New Zealand Division rejoined the defenders of the besieged Tobruk, and by the end of the year the German and Italian forces had retreated from the region. The success of the operation was Britain's first major victory against the Wehrmacht.

[h2]November 19th — November 22nd[/h2]
[h3]Operation Uranus[/h3]
The Stalingrad strategic offensive operation, codenamed Operation Uranus, began on November 19th 1943. By November 22nd, hundreds of thousands of Axis troops were encircled east of the Don, and the encirclement tightened steadily until all Axis forces had surrendered by early February.

[h2]November 23rd — November 26th[/h2]
[h3]Formation of the “Normandie-Niemen” fighter regiment[/h3]
The French Normandie Squadron in the service of the Soviet Union was formed on November 25th 1942, by order of Charles de Gaulle. In 1943, it was transformed into a regiment. Normandie fought on the Eastern Front until the end of the war, participating in the Battle of Kursk and the Belorussian Operation. During Operation Gumbinnen, the regiment shot down 41 German aircraft without suffering a single loss. On November 28th 1944, for its services in crossing the Neman River in Lithuania, the regiment was named Normandie-Niemen.

[h2]November 27th — November 30th[/h2]
[h3]Operation Tariq al-Qods[/h3]
Operation Road to Jerusalem was conducted in Iran from November 29th to December 7th, 1981. At midnight on November 29th, Iranian forces launched an attack on the Iraqi-held city of Bostan and captured it by morning — the first city recaptured by Iran since the beginning of the war. By the end of the operation, Iran had held off an Iraqi counterattack and liberated about 70 villages in Khuzestan Province.

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After four weekends filled with intense competition, we’re excited to reach the Play-Off stage of this year’s fourth major event! More than 150 teams competed in the qualifiers, and 16 have earned their spots in the finals.

Team information (open spoiler)
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[h3]Hide vs TPC[/h3]
We begin the play-off with Team Hide, the first team to qualify against Team TPC, who qualified by fair means at the last Open Qualifier.

[h3]Jungle vs Restart[/h3]
Next up, in their first major qualifier, Team Jungle against Team Restart, a strong and experienced team from France.

[h3]FurryGirls vs BILITHP[/h3]
Following is Team FurryGirls, who will stiffen their hides against the old-timers from China, Team BILITHP.

[h3]DODEC vs AVRes[/h3]
Team DODEC, the undisputed champions of 2024 will fight against team AVRes, a team that’s pretty serious about their business.

[h3]RAWR vs LetsGo[/h3]
Team RAWR, experienced players with very diverse geography will be facing another strong opponent, Team LetsGo.

[h3]WastedTime vs 1v1[/h3]
Team WastedTime is not going to be wasting any time against another wild card of this tournament, the Brazilian Team 1v1.

[h3]APEX vs AirHorizon[/h3]
Team APEX of South Korea will measure their skills with Team AirHorizon.

[h3]BoisInHell vs Earth Federation Force[/h3]
And last but not least, BoisInHell will try their best to fend off all of Team EFF’s doppelgangers. [/expand]
Cheer for your favorite team and receive prizes throughout the event!

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[h2]Live streams with Twitch Drops![/h2]
During the three weekends, you'll have the opportunity to acquire amazing camouflages while watching the matches live.

When: On November 2nd-3rd, 9th-10th and 16th-17th from 13:40 GMT.

Watch Anniversary Air Superiority 2024 only on the official English, German, French and Russian War Thunder Esport channels and receive:

[h3]1st weekend, November 2nd-3rd:[/h3]

• 50% RP Booster for 10 battles
  
• 50% SL Booster for 10 battles
  
• 1 Day of premium
  
• The “D-cal” decal
  
• F-86F-2 camouflage [Dark Shard]
  

[h3]2nd weekend, November 9th-10th:[/h3]

• 50% RP Booster for 10 battles
  
• 50% SL Booster for 10 battles
  
• 1 Day of premium
  
• The “Air Superiority” decal
  
• Panther A camouflage [Harlekin]
  

[h3]3rd weekend, November 16th-17th:[/h3]

• 50% RP Booster for 10 battles
  
• 50% SL Booster for 10 battles
  
• 1 Day of premium
  
• The “D-corator “ decoration
  
• Su-24M camouflage [The Magic Sword]
  

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Login to your Twitch account → link your Gaijin account → click “Allow” to be able to receive Twitch Drops!

[h2]Twitch Drops FAQ[/h2]
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[h3]— What are Twitch Drops?[/h3]
These are game rewards for stream viewers on Twitch.

[h3]— You mean I can get something in War Thunder?[/h3]
Yep! The longer you watch War Thunder streams, the more rewards you’ll get.

[h3]— Awesome! What do I need to do to be able to get the rewards?[/h3]
You need to link your Gaijin and Twitch accounts:
1. Sign up or enter your Twitch account details on the website.
2. Enter the information from your Gaijin account you are playing War Thunder with on this page and click the “Link” button.

3. Press the “Allow” button!

[h3]— What broadcasts do I need to watch to be able to earn rewards?[/h3]
Watch War Thunder streams marked “Drops enabled!”.

[h3]— How do I know that I have received a reward?[/h3]
You will receive a reward message on the Twitch broadcast page. Once you see it, you will need to click on the “Get” button. You can also do this in your Drops inventory.

[h3]— Which platforms are rewards available for?[/h3]
Rewards are available for everyone who plays War Thunder on PC, PlayStation 4, PlayStation 5, Xbox One and Xbox Series.

[h3]— How do I enable Drops on my channel if I’m a streamer?[/h3]
In short, participate in our Partnership Program, enable Drops in your settings and stream War Thunder:


ATTENTION! We want each active and passionate War Thunder streamer to find a new audience thanks to Twitch Drops. As such, in no way do we encourage streamers who create their streams only for “farming” Drops using third party content, video clips and any other format that doesn’t include their direct participation with the game. Channels with such content will be disconnected from Drops.
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Enjoy a 15% discount on T16000, Warthog, TPR, TFRP, and Viper products! Use the code WTTM from November 1 to November 25, 2024!

Our collaboration with Thrustmaster is just getting started, and we have cool surprises for you! Each tournament weekend, we’ll randomly select and announce a winner from the Twitch.TV chat live on our English stream!

• 1st weekend — T16000 flight pack
  
• 2nd weekend — HOTAS Warthog
  
• 3rd weekend — HOTAS Warthog + TPR
  

DISCLAIMER: Due to logistical reasons, we are only able to deliver prizes to the following countries and territories:

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UNITED KINGDOM, BULGARIA, POLAND, ROMANIA, FRANCE, SPAIN, GERMANY, LUXEMBOURG, NETHERLANDS, DENMARK, BELGIUM, PORTUGAL, FINLAND, ITALY, SWEDEN, CYPRUS, UNITED STATES OF AMERICA, NORWAY, CANADA, CROATIA, SLOVAKIA, IRELAND, AUSTRIA, CZECH REPUBLIC, HUNGARY, SWITZERLAND, SINGAPORE, AUSTRALIA, LATVIA, GREECE, LITHUANIA, ESTONIA, MALTA, BRAZIL, SOUTH AFRICA, MEXICO, SLOVENIA, HONDURAS, TURKEY, UNITED ARAB EMIRATES, NEW ZEALAND, LEBANON, ARGENTINA, JAPAN, BOSNIA-HERZEGOVINA, PHILIPPINES, SERBIA, ISRAEL, MOROCCO, UKRAINE, INDONESIA, ARMENIA, CHINA, KAZAKHSTAN, ANTIGUA AND BARBUDA, PUERTO RICO, KUWAIT, REPUBLIC OF KOREA, ICELAND, INDIA, VIETNAM, ANGUILLA, SAUDI ARABIA, ANDORRA, REUNION, MARTINIQUE, MALAYSIA, CHILE, THAILAND, NORTHERN IRELAND, GIBRALTAR, JORDAN, MACEDONIA, TUNISIA.
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If your country of residence is not included in this list, you will need to provide a postal address in any of these countries in order to receive your prize.

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The “Air Superiority” pack, soon to be gone!

In this pack:

• "Flanking Snail" decal
  
• "Slick flanker" title
  
• 300 Golden Eagles
  

Today we’ll be taking a look at the most modern and heavily armed modification of the Mi-8 military transport helicopter, which will be arriving to the game in the Firebirds major update!

[h2]Mi-8AMTSh-VN “Sapsan”: An Attack Helicopter for the USSR at rank VII[/h2]
At a glance:

• Ataka ATGMs, not found on the Mi-8s already in the game.
  
• Verba air-to-air missiles.
  
• RWR with MAWS.
  
• Thermal imager for the gunner sight.
  

Vehicle History
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In 2017 at the MAKS exhibition, a new transport and assault modification of the Mi-8, developed at the Ulan-Ude Aviation Plant and retrofitted at the Mil and Kamov National Helicopter Manufacturing Center, was shown to the general public for the first time. The new Mi-8AMTSh-VN Sapsan was a further development of the Mi-8AMTSh Terminator version, taking into account the experience of their combat use, including in Syria. The main differences of this new variant were new Russian-made engines and a new four-bladed tail rotor, which was used on the Mi-28N and Mi-35 helicopters. Modernized electronics made it possible to use Ataka anti-tank guided missiles, and the troop compartment was modified. In 2019, the Ministry of Defense signed a contract for the supply of ten Mi-8AMTSh-VN helicopters.
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[h2]Meet the Mi-8AMTSh-VN![/h2]

Who would’ve thought that the old Mi-8 would transform from a transport aircraft into an incredible attack helicopter with the most modern weapons and advanced electronics? Meet the Mi-8AMTSh-VN “Sapsan”, a direct successor to the War Thunder record holder for the number of rockets, the Mi-8AMTSh. This new helicopter is better than its predecessor, perhaps in all aspects of combat effectiveness. Let’s take a look!



Combat operations in Syria showed areas where the Mi-8AMTSh attack helicopter could be improved. The Mi-8AMTSh-VN now has better vision in all weather conditions, all while reducing its vulnerability to air-to-air missiles! This is thanks to a new and advanced sighting system with a high-quality thermal imager and improved optics, shielding devices on the exhaust grilles and an automatic system (MAW) for firing flares and chaff when exposed to missile systems.

Thanks to new onboard electronics and a sight with good zoom, the Mi-8AMTSh-VN can fire the Ataka tandem-head ATGM with a firing range of up to 6 km, which is the main armament for this helicopter in Ground Battles. And last but not least, a radar, capable of detecting and tracking both air and ground targets, greatly increasing awareness of surrounding threats.



The Mi-8AMTSh-VN has a new four-bladed tail rotor, the same found on the Mi-28N and Mi-35M. Other important modifications include improved armor and new built-in weapons — a pair of large-caliber machine guns on the weapon suspension wings.

Despite significant improvements, the Mi-8AMTSh-VN has retained the important qualities of its predecessor that are valued by those who play this helicopter family! Firstly, it has a good number of rockets — up to 80 x S-8KO rockets with a HEAT warhead that can be aimed accurately with the help of the ballistic computer. Secondly, Verba air-to-air missiles are among the best in their class, meaning this helicopter still poses a threat to fighter aircraft that are hoping for an easy frag! And lastly, this helicopter has a large supply of countermeasures that are fired automatically if a threat is detected.



That’s it for today! The Mi-8AMTSh-VN will be coming to War Thunder with the release of the Firebirds major update. Until then, keep an eye on our website for more dev blogs coming your way!

Please note that this vehicle’s characteristics may be changed before it is added to the game.