War Thunder News

On October 21st 1805, perhaps the most famous naval battle in the history of the Royal Navy took place near Cape Trafalgar. 27 British ships of the line, led by Admiral Horatio Nelson, entered the battle against 33 ships of the line of the combined fleets of France and Spain. The Royal Navy did not lose a single ship in the battle, capturing 21 enemy ships and sinking one. This victory is widely celebrated in Great Britain to this day.

[h2]Fairmile D (5001) is temporarily available for Golden Eagles at a 30% discount![/h2]
This coastal boat is available for 910 Golden Eagles.



When: From today until October 23rd (09:00 GMT).
Where: Britain > Coastal fleet > Premium vehicles.

About this boat

• The Fairmile D (5001) is a representative of the last, fifth series of Fairmile D boats, produced during the Second World War. Due to its wooden hull it does not differ in survivability, but is fast and well armed, making it best suited for sudden daring attacks on enemy boats. It differs from the previous modification in the game, the Fairmile D (697), in the calibers of the torpedo tubes. Two are the same at 450 mm each, while the other two are 533 mm ones.
  

[h2]Get the “Horatio Nelson” decal! [/h2]
For this day, you’ll be able to get a decal of Nelson who led the British to a victory at Trafalgar!

“Horatio Nelson” decal

When: From today until October 23rd (09:00 GMT).
Task: Play 3 battles using British ships at rank III or above to receive the “Horatio Nelson” decal!

Additional details:

• Your activity must not be below 70%.
  
• You can complete the task in random battles, except for Enduring Confrontation missions, and [Assault] mode.
  
• Track your progress in the hangar by clicking Nickname → Achievements → Holidays → Trafalgar Day.
  
• You can find the decoration in the “Holidays” tab in the Customisation menu.
  

Your vehicles in the fall colors were great. Thanks for sharing your screenshots with us last week! This week - pictures with bodies of water! Any water feature will do, such as rivers or lakes, or the ocean! The three most popular and three selected by us will get 300 GE. See the winners down below!

[h2]Let’s begin the 142nd edition of our competition![/h2]

Create a stunning screenshot and submit it on the War Thunder Steam Community Hub with the tag #WTscreen142. You have time until the 25th of October 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 feature a body of water - a river, lake, or ocean.
You must add the #WTscreen142 tag (title cannot have any other text in it).
Artists may only win by popular vote once per four screenshot competitions.
• 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 141st edition – Fall Colors![/h2]

[h3]Winners selected via community votes:[/h3]
https://steamcommunity.com/sharedfiles/filedetails/?id=3325929727
https://steamcommunity.com/sharedfiles/filedetails/?id=3348212240
https://steamcommunity.com/sharedfiles/filedetails/?id=3347232979

[h3]Winners selected by our judges:[/h3]
https://steamcommunity.com/sharedfiles/filedetails/?id=3347350265
https://steamcommunity.com/sharedfiles/filedetails/?id=3348080543
https://steamcommunity.com/sharedfiles/filedetails/?id=3347644751

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

Today we’ll be taking a look at the PLZ05, featuring a modern 155 mm self-propelled howitzer that’ll further strengthen the Chinese ground forces tree in the next major update!

[h2]PLZ05: A Tank Destroyer for China at Rank V[/h2]
At a glance:

• Long-barreled 155 mm Howitzer that can fire HE shells!
  
• Mechanized ammo rack with a decent reload time.
  
• Laser rangefinder for easy long-range shots.
  
• Top speed of 56 km/h.
  

Vehicle History
[expand]
The PLZ05 was developed as a replacement for the aging PLZ83(A) in service with the PLA, which started from the transition of large-caliber Chinese guns to 155 mm caliber. The PLZ05 was a further development of the PLZ45 using a domestic engine and transmission. This new vehicle received an automatic loader, similar to the Russian Msta-S, a laser rangefinder and an anti-fragment liner. The PLZ05 was accepted into service in 2005 and is currently in service with the ground forces of the PLA.
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[h2]Meet the PLZ05![/h2]

In the next major update, the Chinese ground forces tree will receive their very own long-barreled capable vehicle with devastating high explosive rounds — the PLZ05! Despite its considerable dimensions, this vehicle is mobile, has a high rate of fire and is equipped with modern electronics. Let’s take a closer look!



The stand-out feature of the PLZ05 is its armament! It’s a long-barreled Chinese 155 mm howitzer that’s loaded using a mechanized ammunition rack, where an exemplary trained crew can achieve a rate of fire of about 8 rounds per minute for the first-stage ammo. This gun can fire a regular high-explosive shell, a HE shell with a radio fuze, a SAP round, plus a smoke shell.



Visually, the PLZ05 is a large beast and is quite a heavy vehicle, making it easy to spot and difficult to hide. However, this vehicle has a maximum top speed of 56 km/h, allowing you to find advantageous cover and retreat out of difficult situations more than once.



That’s it for this one! The PLZ05 will arrive at rank V of the Chinese ground forces tree as a powerful vehicle in this nation. Very soon you’ll be able to try out this vehicle in battle, but until then keep an eye out for other vehicles that await you in the next major update!

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 FV107 Scimitar, a British light tank with a 30 mm autocannon on a light chassis, capable of positioning itself well around the map and causing havoc to the enemy!

[h2]FV107 Scimitar: A Light Tank for Great Britain at Rank V [/h2]
At a glance:

• 30 mm L21A1 automatic cannon using the same ammunition as the Fox.
  
• Great top speed of 80 km/h.
  
• Light armor.
  

Vehicle History
[expand]
The FV107 Scimitar dates back to 1967, when the (CVR(T)) chassis was first designed to replace the Saladin armored car. In addition to the FV101 Scorpion, the Scimitar was also designed by Alvis as a light reconnaissance tank with 30 mm automatic fire potential. The first prototype was shown in 1971 and accepted into service in 1973, with 486 of these vehicles being produced in total.

Since 1974, the Scimitar has served in several conflicts, including the Falklands War, Gulf War, Iraq War and the War in Afghanistan. In 1982 during the Falklands War, the Blues & Royals squadron operated the Scimitar and claimed to have shot down an Argentine Skyhawk with the 30 mm autocannon. In the 1991 Gulf War, Scimitars engaged Iraqi T-62s first hand. Over 300 Scimitars remained in service with the British Army until 2023, when it was phased out for the incoming Ajax. Some other operators include Belgium with over 150 vehicles in use until 2004 and Latvia with over 120 vehicles since 2014, still in service with them today.
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[h2]Meet the FV107 Scimitar![/h2]

Great Britain will be receiving a very nice light tank in the next major update, and that’s the FV107 Scimitar! This vehicle is somewhat similar to two others already in the game: the Fox, as it has the same gun, and the Striker, as it has a very similar chassis. Let’s take a closer look!



Another long-awaited light tank is arriving to Great Britain’s ground forces tree. Let’s take a look at the gun first! As with the Fox that we added earlier this year, the Scimitar features exactly the same gun and ammo — the 30 mm L21A1 RARDEN cannon that can fire APDS, APHE (SAP-I) and HEI-T rounds. Despite having a slower rate of fire than contemporary autocannons, the Scimitar can still certainly hold up against armored threats when hitting enemies from the side and rear.

Interesting: The word “Scimitar” refers to a single-edged sword with a curved blade.

As for mobility, the Scimitar is slightly inferior to the Fox due to its higher weight and tracked chassis. This vehicle comes in at around 8 tons with a top speed of 80 km/h and is almost identical as the FV102 Striker already in the game, apart from the fact that the Scimitar is smaller. These chassis have familiarities as they’re both based on the Combat Vehicle Reconnaissance (Tracked) (CVR(T)) series of vehicles.



Did you know? The (CVR(T)) series of vehicles is huge! Over 3,500 vehicles were built on this chassis, including the Scorpion, Striker, Spartan, Samaritan, Sultan, Samson, Scimitar, Sabre and Stormer.

Just like the Fox, the Scimitar features light aluminum alloy armor — enough to survive hits against anything up to a .50 cal, but anything above that will knock out the 3 crew members inside. Be sure to keep this in mind in battle and support your allies by flanking and spotting with the scouting mechanic! To round it off, the Scimitar has smoke grenade launchers to conceal itself or to assist when repositioning, plus a 7.62 machine gun for good measure.



That’s it for today’s blog! The FV107 Scimitar is coming to the game in the next major update and will provide Great Britain with even more light tank capabilities. Until the next blog, have fun and see you soon!

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 main aircraft reward for the Guided Fury Battle Pass, a long-range German bomber featuring the brand-new Hs 293 guided bomb, which is not currently in the game!

[h2]He 177 A-3/R3: A Premium Bomber for Germany at Rank IV[/h2]

At a glance:

• Hs 293 and Fritz X guided bombs!
  
• Decent defensive weapons.
  
• High top speed.
  

Vehicle History
[expand]
Development of the He 177 bomber began in Germany in 1936, with engineers tasked with creating a high-speed aircraft capable of carrying up to 1,000 kg of bombs. Heinkel engineers presented a test model in late 1937, and by early 1939, a test batch of 12 aircraft had been ordered. The creation and testing of the He 177 was fraught with difficulties, some of which were never overcome.

By the end of 1944, development was completed, but by that time the military situation had changed and the need for the He 177 had significantly decreased. In total, more than 1,000 aircraft of various modifications were produced, some of which took part in battles on the Eastern Front. Despite this, the protracted development process did not allow the He 177 to significantly influence the course of the war.

The He 177A-3/R3 modification was the first carrier of the Henschel Hs 293 gliding guided bomb. To accommodate this bomb, three external racks were installed on the aircraft with the under fuselage rack blocking the opening of the front bomb bay. He 177 A-3/R3 Greif aircraft were produced in small numbers and were used to train crews in using the Hs 293 guided bomb.

[/expand]

[h2]Meet the He 177 A-3/R3![/h2]

The main reward for the upcoming Guided Fury Battle Pass season is the German He 177 A-3/R3 Greif bomber, featuring the new Hs 293 guided bomb. This aircraft is not only a rare collectible, but also embodies the fantastic technology at the time. It’s also a fun and profitable aircraft that’ll be good in air, ground and naval battles. Let’s have a look!

If you’re a veteran of War Thunder air battles, you’re probably familiar with the He 177 A-5. This is a very large, but quite fast long-range German bomber with a large payload, also capable of using the first ever guided bomb used in combat, the Fritz X. The new He 177 A-3/R3 retains the main advantages of the A-5, but brings with it premium status and the new Hs 293 guided bomb. This bomb is inferior to the Fritz X in terms of warhead mass, but to launch it you don’t need to go to high altitudes and aim through a bomb sight, as the Hs 293 is essentially a guided air-to-surface missile!



How on earth does it work? The cruise engine accelerates it on the starting segment of its trajectory, and then the bomb goes into guided gliding mode. You’ll need some training with it, but after using it for bit, you’ll be able to master the guidance of this bomb and be able to accurately destroy tanks and ships with it. Oh yeah, you can also learn the basics of using these types of weapons in tutorials from the hangar, by going to Battles > Tutorial > AGM with manual guidance.

In addition to being able to launch both the Fritz X and new Hs 293, the He 177 A-3/R3 remains an impressive bomber in terms of payload. You’ll have access to regular 48 x 50 kg to 4 x 1800 kg bombs, as well as incendiary and armor-piercing bombs for destroying ships. In minimum weight configurations, this aircraft can accelerate to speeds in excess of 500 km/h (or 310~ mph for our American and British readers). To protect it from fighter aircraft or to take potshots at enemy bombers when passing by them in Air Battles, the He 177 A-3/R3 has turrets with conventional and heavy machine guns, as well as 20 mm autocannons in the tail and lower nose turrets.



As always, there’s a couple of shortcomings with the He 177 A-3/R3. That’s its large dimensions and the presence of only a pair of engines, meaning when one of them is damaged and leaking, landing this huge bomber becomes a truly difficult job.



This epic and technically stunning marvel can be yours by completing challenges in the upcoming Guided Fury Battle Pass season, starting on October 23rd. Warm up your fingers, sip some tea and play some War Thunder to level up your Battle Pass — this aircraft is worth it!

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