War Thunder News

We’re excited to be showing you one of the first brand-new Rank VIII ground vehicles coming to the game in the next major update. Say hello to the utmost modern representative of the T-90 family of MBTs created under the “Breakthrough” modernization program!

[h2]T-90M: An MBT for the USSR tree at Rank VIII[/h2]

Features:

• New turret design.
  
• Frontal Relict ERA protection.
  
• Barrel-launched ATGMs.
  
• Laser Warning System (LWS).
  
• Reduced number of weakspots.
  
• Very slow reverse speed.
  

[h2]Meet the T-90M![/h2]

A fantastic all-new T-90 variant, the T-90M will be added to War Thunder in the next major update at Rank VIII of the USSR’s ground forces tree. The T-90M is at the forefront of the T-90 family of tanks, featuring a new welded turret with built-in modular ERA and a new fire control system. Let’s take a look at what this formidable beast has to offer!

One of the first things you’ll have noticed with the T-90M is that its turret looks slightly different to its predecessors, and that’s correct! This tank features a new welded turret with an extended bustle at the back that holds a selection of the ammunition. Thanks to this addition, some shells that were previously located in the main fighting compartment have been moved into this new isolated area, helping to improve the T-90M’s survivability when penetrated from the front.



A new welded turret also needs some sort of reactive protection and this is exactly what has been added to the T-90M. This tank features Relict ERA scattered across the turret’s side and front as well as the upper front plate, which in turn will help you survive extra hits from ATGMs fired from tanks and helicopters.

Moving onto guns and ammo, which the T-90M inherits from the T-90A: a 125 mm smoothbore cannon that can fire tandem-charge 9M119M1 ATGMs, HEAT-FS, HE and two APFSDS rounds. However, what’s changed the most is the fire control system. This addition means the commander now has a new panoramic sight, the gunner and commander have fantastic thermal sights, plus a very handy laser rangefinder. You may have also noticed that the Shtora-1 active protection system (the red-looking eyes) is absent on the T-90M, however this tank still has a laser warning system, allowing you to react to missile threats in advance.



As for mobility, the T-90M has a new engine with enough additional power to compensate for its increased mass. Despite this increased weight, this tank is as fast and vigorous as you’d come to expect with Russian MBTs, however the burning question you may have is if its reverse speed is any better, and the answer is no. Tragically, it still inherits a measly 4 km/h reverse speed from its predecessors, so be sure to keep this in mind when in battle!

In your matches by Nikolay, Ground Forces Game Designer: “My advice here is similar to how I play the T-72 and T-90, which is at medium ranges, use its mobility to your advantage if you’re under fire, while making it difficult to aim at vulnerable weak points. As for short ranges, keep close to your allies because the slow reverse speed and not the best reload speed leave you with no chance if your shot doesn’t penetrate in a 1v1 scenario, or you suddenly run into several opponents.”

The intimidating T-90M will be added to the USSR’s ground forces research tree at the all-new Rank VIII in the next major update. Until then, continue to keep an eye out for dev blogs on our website and see you soon!

We’re going to be showing you one of the first Rank VIII MBTs coming to the game, which will be the Challenger 3 (P)! Capable, lethal and up to the challenge, today we’ll be talking about exactly how this new addition will be when it arrives in War Thunder.

[h2]Challenger 3 (P): An MBT for Great Britain at Rank VIII[/h2]

Features:

• Deadly L/55 A1 smoothbore cannon!
  
• Improved engine pack.
  
• GEN 3 thermals.
  
• Laser Warning Receiver.
  

[h2]Meet the Challenger 3 (P)![/h2]

The Challenger 3 is coming to War Thunder in its prototype form that was presented to the British MoD in 2019, and will be arriving to the British ground tree with the release of the next major update! Coming in at the all-new Rank VIII for ground vehicles, this tank is the ultimate Challenger, as it’s armed with an L/55 A1 smoothbore cannon, has better engine horsepower, excellent thermal sights, plus a great selection of ammo. Without further ado, let’s take a look at what this tank has to offer.

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Interesting: The Challenger 3 (P) is the 3rd version of the Challenger tank, where this series dates back over 40 years — Challenger 1 from 1983, Challenger 2 from 1998 and Challenger 3, after full-scale production, from 2027.

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There’s one stand-out addition to the Challenger 3 (P) that significantly enhances its capability in battle compared to the Challenger 2, and that’s the L/55 A1 smoothbore cannon! This fantastic gun is mounted into a modified Challenger 2 turret, meaning you’ll have access to the lethal DM53 APFSDS round, HEAT-FS and even a HE-TF round. Although this gun is a welcomed addition, it does mean access to the traditional HESH and smoke shell is completely lost. Furthermore, the modified turret features excellent electronics, including a brand-new commander optic, GEN 3 thermals for the gunner/commander and LWS/LR, although a machine gun is absent from the turret roof.

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Did you know? The Challenger 3 (P) is the first British MBT to be armed with a smoothbore cannon instead of a rifled cannon, and the first time that HESH rounds are missing from British MBTs.

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Moving to the hull and armor, which remains virtually identical to the Challenger 2. Particularly in the form of composite armor around the front, a large lower front plate and the weakness of the driver’s vision port. It’s also worth noting that additional armor packages that are quite familiar to previous Challenger 2s cannot be equipped on the Challenger 3 (P) in-game. Despite having a modified turret to house the larger L/55 A1 cannon, the turret cheeks of this tank still remain the same as the armor of its predecessor, which is decent in general.

One burning question that you may be asking is if mobility has improved, and… it has! Slightly. The Challenger 3 (P) has a 1500 HP engine instead of the standard 1200 HP engine, however the top speed remains at 59 km/h, which is still on the low side compared to other MBTs. Thanks to this extra horsepower, this tank will generally be able to get around better and reach its top speed quicker. It’s also worth keeping in mind that this tank weighs 66 tons, which is in between the weight of the regular Challenger 2 (62.5 tons) and TES (74.8 tons).

In your matches by Tom, Community Management Team Leader: “The CR3 offers something quite important. With better mobility, advanced thermals and a very powerful round you can effectively aim and fire on enemies faster due to the more forgiving firepower. This is the advantage you should aim to utilize as much as possible while you play. As top tier tanks are very universal there’s no strict playstyle to employ, but just keep in mind that you don’t absolutely need to fight up-close for your advantages to work.”

Overall, the combination of excellent electronic systems, better horsepower, good armor and a smoothbore gun will make the Challenger 3 (P) a breath of fresh air when playing the British top tier lineup. Don’t forget that the recently announced Rank VII Challenger 2 (OES) premium — coming soon too — will help you research the Challenger 3 (P) faster. That’s it for today’s blog, until next time, see you soon!

The next major update for War Thunder — “Air Superiority”!

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In the next major update, we’ll be bringing you a cool new aircraft location inspired by the nature in Kamchatka, which is a peninsula located at the very edge of Russia. Today we’ll be taking a look at this new location with some words from one of its designers, Pavel.


Volcano Valley is going to be a new aircraft location that will be added to the map rotation when the next major update is released. This brand-new location has a nice mix of beautiful areas, as it features several erupting volcanoes that are spewing hot lava and smoke, beautiful lakes and rocks, plus small islands and majestic hills.



One of the coolest areas of this location is the volcanic massif, consisting of a group of volcanoes that contrast with a picturesque valley where endless birch forest groves stretch. Passing through the center is the beautiful meandering, fast-moving Kamchatka River that also has nearby crystal clear lakes, as well as swampy pools.



Near the volcanoes is a dead forest, which is a rather atmospheric place. This is due to the result of an eruption that turned part of the area with trees into a scorched forest. A layer of ash covers the soil here, and it’s mixed with burnt out lifeless tree trunks that have remained for several decades.



This corner of pristine nature and volcanic eruptions has now become a battlefield of opposing forces for air superiority. You’ll be able to fly out your aircraft on this new location when the new major update releases!

In this blog, we’re going to be showing you a unique light cruiser from the Worcester-class. This ship is equipped with rapid-firing 152 mm guns that are equally effective at hitting enemy surface targets as well as aircraft that are at considerable distances and altitudes!

[h2]USS Roanoke: A Light Cruiser for the USA at Rank V[/h2]

Features:

• Dual-purpose 152 mm guns.
  
• Strong armored deck.
  
• Good mobility.
  
• Excellent air defense capabilities.
  

[h2]Meet the USS Roanoke![/h2]

In the next major update, you’ll be greeted with a fantastic US Bluewater ship that features 152 mm main caliber guns that are fully capable of hitting ships AND aircraft effectively. In addition to this, this ship is armored excellently for its class and is also equipped with smaller automatic fed anti-aircraft guns. Let’s take a further look at the details!

There’s six turrets and twelve main caliber guns on the USS Roanoke, with each turret housing 2 x 152 mm 6”/47 caliber Mark 16 Dual Purpose guns. These guns are distinguishable from the familiar conventional Mark 16 guns by a greater elevation angle, a higher rate of fire and horizontal guidance, as well as the ability to fire at air targets. The selection of ammunition has remained the same — very good armor-piercing shells, plus three different types of high-explosive: regular, base fuze and remote fuze.

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Did you know? The USS Roanoke is named after the city of Roanoke, which is located in Virginia, United States.

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Access to several shells means the ability to pick and choose the right shell for different engagements depending on the opponent, with each shell having their own pros and cons in battle. It’s also worth noting that in addition to the main guns, extra air and boat defense capability in the form of 76 mm guns are mounted in twin and single installations, with a total of 24 guns being present.

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Interesting: At the stern of Worcester-class ships is an area for seaplanes. However, it was decided to abandon air mounted capability during the construction process. Later on, helicopters and even the first experimental UAVs were placed on board the ship!

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When taking a quick glance at the USS Roanoke’s profile, there really isn’t much of a difference in comparison to other light cruisers. The main 127 mm armored belt is located at the waterline, the hull has anti-fragmentation protection, and the front of the turrets are decently armored (up to 165 mm) and the control tower (up to 114 mm). These protection numbers are already quite good by the standards of light cruisers in-game.



At closer inspection however, the USS Roanoke has a unique and interesting variation in her armor layout that offers important protection from above — a heavily armored deck. Worcester-class ships had to withstand a direct hit from a 1000 lb bomb dropped from altitude, so in addition to the upper 25 mm of armor on the deck, the Roanoke has an internal armored deck of 88 mm thick. Thanks to this, the Roanoke can be considered one of the most durable light cruisers in the game!

If you’re playing and are in a face-off with the USS Roanoke, you’ll have to move in and engage it at closer ranges, this however will expose you to the fast-firing 152 mm cannons, so perhaps engaging at distances using armor-piercing shells would be better. Despite the weight of the Roanoke’s armor alone exceeding 2,100 tons, this ship is not inferior in terms of mobility and getting around to other light cruisers. The Roanoke is capable of reaching incredible speeds of up to 33 knots — that’s more than 60 km/h.

In your matches by Igor, Naval Game Designer: “I’d use the USS Roanoke primarily against aircraft and cruisers, thanks to this ship’s rate of fire and weapon systems. Keep in mind the armor on this ship is great for light cruisers, its armor belt is enough to stop light and some heavy cruiser shells, but won’t help against larger shells. Avoid shooting at Battleships from longer ranges as they’ll eventually zone in on you and take you out, unless you’re really close to them.”

Coming to War Thunder in the next major update, the USS Roanoke will arrive at Rank V of the US’s Bluewater fleet tree as one of the most advanced light cruisers for this nation. That about wraps up today’s blog — continue to follow the news as more interesting blogs are coming soon!