War Thunder News

HMS Queen Mary is a one-off British battlecruiser design built in the leadup to WWI. Coming as part of the Seek & Destroy major update, HMS Queen Mary will soon reinforce the top ranks of the British Bluewater fleet with the introduction of a powerful new battlecruiser!

[h2]HMS Queen Mary: A Battlecruiser for Great Britain at Rank V[/h2]

Features:

• Powerful primary battery!
  
• Mediocre protection.
  
• Exceptional mobility.
  
• No anti-air protection.
  

Vehicle History
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HMS Queen Mary was laid down in March 1911 under the 1910-11 Naval Programme as the sole ship of its class. Completed in August 1913, the ship would become the last battlecruiser built for the Royal Navy prior to the outbreak of WWI. The ship’s design drew heavily from the preceding Lion class, which featured a formidable arsenal and comparably good protection. Entering service in September 1913, HMS Queen Mary wouldn’t have to wait long for its first combat operation.

This came shortly after the outbreak of WWI, when the warship took part in the Battle of Heligoland Bight in which British and German forces clashed in the North Sea in August 1914. Under Admiral Beatty’s command, HMS Queen Mary along with other British warships sunk two German light cruisers during this battle. The next major operation saw HMS Queen Mary take part in the legendary Battle of Jutland in 1916. Being part of the largest naval battle of WWI, HMS Queen Mary managed to land several hits on German warships. In response however, the German battlecruiser SMS Derfflinger dealt HMS Queen Mary a lethal blow, causing the warship’s magazines to detonate. The major explosion which followed tore the ship apart and caused it to sink quickly. 
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[h2]Meet HMS Queen Mary![/h2]

In War Thunder, HMS Queen Mary will arrive at rank V of the British Bluewater tree as part of the Seek & Destroy major update, expanding this tree’s battlecruiser roster and smoothing out the progression to the current top British battlecruiser; HMS Hood. In today’s devblog, we’re eager to tell you all about this unique new imperial warship, coming to naval battles very soon!



Common for a battlecruiser, the warship combines superior mobility and firepower while featuring less impressive protection than battleships for example. The Queen Mary is is fitted with four twin 13.5’’ (343 mm) cannons, giving it ample firepower to comfortably engage any capital ship with relative ease, even at greater firing distances. Furthermore, the secondary battery of 16 4’’ (102 mm) cannons as well as two 533 mm torpedo launchers enable the warship to also engage smaller vessels or harass heavier opponents with their high rate of fire. Being a WWI era vessel however means that HMS Queen Mary didn’t receive any dedicated anti-air weapons. This makes the ship highly vulnerable to air attack, meaning it’s best to stick close to allies which can help fill this gap in the ship’s protection.

Interesting: HMS Queen Mary is the only ship of the Royal Navy to be named after the wife of King George V.



Speaking of protection, despite being fitted with less armor than a typical battleship, HMS Queen Mary still comes equipped with up to 229 mm of armor on its turrets, belts and barbettes. As a result, the vessel is well protected against shell fire from enemy cruisers but can not resist fire from battleships. HMS Queen Mary is by no means a sluggish ship. In fact, thanks to its very powerful propulsion system, HMS Queen Mary can reach an impressive top speed of 28.2 kts (52 km/h). This allows the vessel to easily keep up with more nimble allies and quickly respond to a changing tactical situation during battle.

In your matches by Keith (Scarper), Community Manager: “The guns of a battleship with the speed of a cruiser. When using this beastie, be the bully in the battle, pick on the smaller guys and manuever away from danger with the bigger slower ships like battleships. The lesser armour (to allow for speed) will not help when you meet something heavier so you cant slug it out. Keep ahead of any enemy firing turrets and think ahead before launching attacks - You aren’t a ‘Tank’. Air attacks will hurt as there is no dedicated AA, keep an eye on the sky.”

HMS Queen Mary has set course for War Thunder naval battles and is due to dock in player ports with the release of the Seek & Destroy major update. In the meantime, keep scanning the news section as we continue to release new info on the upcoming update. Until then, calm seas and good hunting captains!

• A bug that caused blowout panels to not work has been fixed. (Report).
  
• A bug where the ammunition rack fire effect on destroyed vehicles was not displayed has been fixed.
  

Patch notes reflect only key changes, meaning they may not include a complete list of all improvements made. Additionally, War Thunder is constantly being updated and some changes may not require an update. Changes reflected in patch notes are formed by taking reactions and requests of the community from the bug reporting service, forums and other official platforms into account. Bug fixes and changes are implemented in order of importance, for example a game-breaking bug will be worked on and implemented sooner.

The ZSL92 is a later modification of a Chinese infantry fighting vehicle, developed in the late 1980s in response to the changing dynamics of modern warfare at the time. Soon, tankers in War Thunder will have the chance to take command of a unique new IFV design coming to the higher ranks of the Chinese ground forces tree as part of the next major update, Seek & Destroy!

[h2]ZSL92: An SPAA for China at Rank IV [/h2]

Features:

• Rapid-firing 25 mm autocannon.
  
• Light protection.
  

Vehicle History
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In the early 1980s, the PLA recognized the need for the development of a new IFV design to meet the requirements of more dynamic warfare tactics. This led to the development of a new wheeled armored vehicle under the designation WZ551, based on a licensed chassis of the Mercedes-Benz 2060 truck. Development and testing of prototypes with various armament options continued throughout the ‘80s until the vehicle was officially adopted by the PLA in 1988 under the designation ZSL-90, in both an IFV and APC configuration.
Despite entering service, development on the vehicle continued, especially as the first model was plagued by teething issues chiefly surrounding its engine. The succeeding variant, designated ZSL-92, introduced a new water-cooled diesel engine as well as improvements to the vehicle’s chassis in 1994. As a result, performance and reliability improved drastically, leading to the vehicle being ordered in much greater numbers by both the PLA as well as foreign operators. Furthermore, the chassis was a popular platform for the development of several spinoff variants, including missile carriers and assault guns. The ZSL-92 equips the PLA’s mechanized units and is still in active service to this date.
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[h2]Meet the ZSL92![/h2]

Coming to War Thunder as part of the Seek & Destroy major update, the nimble ZSL-92 will reinforce the mid ranks of the Chinese ground forces trees with a potent new SPAA design! Although being a unique new vehicle, if you’ve played Chinese vehicles you may recognize the basic design of the ZSL92 from some already familiar vehicles. This is certainly not by chance and we’re eager to tell you all about it in today’s devblog. So let’s dive right into the details!



The ZSL92 represents the basis on which popular vehicles such as the PTL02 and AFT09 are based. Unlike those vehicles however, the ZSL92 will offer entirely different tactical options. Being fitted with a 25 mm autocannon instead of a large-caliber cannon or missiles, the ZSL92 is set out to be a versatile war machine on the battlefield. Its primary targets are enemy scouts and low flying aircraft, but if you’re particularly daring you can also go on the offensive and hunt more heavily armored opponents by outflanking them and engaging in very short range engagements.

A particular feature of this vehicle which underlines this tactical approach is its superb mobility. Being powered by a 320 horsepower diesel engine, the ZSL92 can attain a top speed of 84 km/h on paved roads, allowing it to quickly cover ground and switch positions on a moment’s notice.



On the flip side, being a wheeled vehicle does limit the ZSL92’s off road capabilities, especially in extreme terrains such as deep snow or mud. You’re best advised to avoid these if possible and leverage the vehicle’s excellent mobility not just to catch their opponents off guard, but also to dodge enemy fire. The latter is vital to the ZSL92’s survival on the battlefield, as it cannot heavily rely on the thin steel armor plating to protect it from anything more but small arms fire and shrapnel.



The ZSL92 will soon become available at rank IV of the Chinese ground forces trees with the release of the next major update, Seek & Destroy! In the meantime, be sure to keep an eye out on the news for what is coming next. Until then, happy hunting and see you soon in the next devblog!

The screenshots you shared with us last week were excellent! Most players start with the reserve vehicles as they make their way through the research tree. Which reserve vehicles do you enjoy playing the most? The three most popular and three selected by us will get 300 GE. See the winners down below!

[h2]Let’s begin the 122nd edition of our competition![/h2]

Create a stunning screenshot and submit it on the War Thunder Steam Community Hub with the tag #WTscreen122. You have time until the 7th of June 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 the beach and ocean.
You must add the #WTscreen122 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 121st edition – New Recruit![/h2]

[h3]Winners selected via community votes:[/h3]
https://steamcommunity.com/sharedfiles/filedetails/?id=3254828977
https://steamcommunity.com/sharedfiles/filedetails/?id=3256469137
https://steamcommunity.com/sharedfiles/filedetails/?id=3254757853

[h3]Winners selected by our judges:[/h3]
https://steamcommunity.com/sharedfiles/filedetails/?id=3254348740
https://steamcommunity.com/sharedfiles/filedetails/?id=3254060042
https://steamcommunity.com/sharedfiles/filedetails/?id=3254717891

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

Today we’re introducing the premium AMX A-1A, a Brazilian variant of the light strike aircraft jointly developed by Italy and Brazil in an effort to modernize their fleets in the 1980s. It’s coming to the game in the Seek & Destroy major update and can be pre-ordered starting from today!

[h2]AMX A-1A: A Premium Strike Aircraft for Italy at Rank VII[/h2]

Features:

• Excellent flight characteristics.
  
• 30 mm cannons.
  
• Subsonic.
  
• Advanced weaponry.
  

Vehicle History
[expand]
During the late 1970s, the Italian Air Force specified a set of requirements for a new aircraft to replace the outdated G.91 and F-104 in their respective roles of ground attack and aerial reconnaissance. Aeritalia and Aermacchi entered a joint venture to develop the new aircraft, with work on the project commencing in 1978. By 1980, Brazil was also looking into modernizing their strike aircraft fleet and thus expressed interest in joining the development of the new aircraft. After agreeing on the requirements in 1981, Embraer joined the consortium, subsequently named AMX International.

Focusing on designing a light and cost-efficient strike aircraft, development of the new aircraft progressed quickly. The first prototype of the aircraft flew in 1984 and following a successful test period, the AMX entered production in 1988. Due to the shared development effort, the Italian and Brazilian variants of the aircraft only differ in minor aspects. After entering service, Italian AMX aircraft participated in operations during the Balkan Wars of the 1990s and Libya in 2011 where the type distinguished itself in combat. The AMX is still in active service Brazilian air forces to this day, while in Italy they were just retired in 2024.
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Pre-order — AMX A-1A Pack
69.99

• AMX A-1A (Rank VII, Italy)
  
• 2500 Golden Eagles
  
• Premium account for 20 days
  
• Pre-order bonus: "Desert Wind" title
  
• Pre-order bonus: unique "coat of arms of 1 Squadron/16 Aviation Group Squadron Adelphi" decal
  

[h2]Meet the AMX A-1A![/h2]

The AMX A-1A is the Brazilian variant of a light strike aircraft co-developed by Italy and Brazil to replace older types in the ground strike and reconnaissance roles. Soon, you’ll be able to look forward to this Brazilian variant that’s coming to the game in the Seek & Destroy major update as as premium aircraft that can be pre-ordered from today. Let’s take a closer look at the differences of this modification of the AMX!



Generally speaking, the AMX A-1A is very similar to its Italian relative. This aircraft is also powered by the Rolls-Royce Spey 807 engine, giving it the ability to reach a max top speed of 1,150 km/h at sea level. By sharing the same aerodynamic design, the A1A features identical flight performance as the AMX that you may be familiar with. As such, you can rely on this aircraft being ideally optimized for low altitude ground attack runs, while simultaneously being capable of standing its own during dogfights.

One of the features which distinguish the Brazilian variant is found in its primary armament. Unlike the Italian AMX, the A1A is fitted with a pair of 30 mm cannons. While not being able to match the rate of fire of the Vulcan cannon found on the AMX, the 30 mm cannons do pack a deadlier punch and can penetrate even more heavily armored targets with the use of correct ammunition. In addition to the upgraded cannons, the A1A offers a plethora of suspended ordnance options ranging from conventional bombs to high precision guided munitions such as the BA-FG-230-Lizard-2 guided bomb, which is new to the game.



What’s particularly interesting in this case is that the AMX A-1A will offer completely unique Brazilian ordnance options, such as the new MAA-1 Piranha missile, unguided rockets or a whole slew of new bomb calibers, including incendiary ones for example. The AMX A-1A can also be equipped with the LITENING II targeting pod, which is known and favored by many players!

The AMX A-1A will soon be coming as a new premium aircraft to the Italian aviation tree. You can pre-order it starting from today to receive unique pre-order bonuses. That’s all for today’s devblog. In the meantime, be sure to follow the news for the latest information regarding the upcoming update. Until then, happy hunting and clear skies pilots!