War Thunder News

[p][/p][p]August von Mackensen joined the 2nd Prussian Life Hussar Regiment, known as the “Black Hussars” at the age of 20. He earned his first honors in the Franco-Prussian War of 1870-71, and served as a field marshal general in the First World War, commanding an army group named after him. A battlecruiser built in Germany during the First World War was also named after him — this same battlecruiser is the main reward in this new naval event![/p][p][/p][p][/p][h2]Mackensen — an event vehicle Battlecruiser for Germany at Rank VI[/h2][p][/p][p][/p][p][/p][p]Battlecruiser Mackensen was a further development of the successful Derffinger design, featuring improved speed and armor, and significantly superior armament — 350 mm guns instead of the previous 305 mm. Construction of the lead ship of the Mackensen class began in 1915 at the Blohm & Voss shipyard in Hamburg. However, military difficulties led to significant delays. By November 1918, Mackensen had reached 85% completion, but according to the Treaty of Versailles, she and the other three ships in the class were scrapped between 1921 and 1922.[/p][p]In War Thunder, Mackensen is a solid competitor against other late First World War ships. The main advantages of this vessel are excellent armament consisting of eight 350 mm guns, good armor protection and a maximum speed of 28 knots (around 50 km/h), making Mackensen one of the fastest battlecruisers of the era. The weak point however is the lack of automatic short-range anti-aircraft weaponry. Mackensen can also take large 600 mm torpedoes into battle in five torpedo tubes.[/p][p][/p][p][/p][p][/p][p]Among the rewards in the event is also this chest. When opened, there is a chance to receive one of the following items:[/p]

• [p]50,000 - 100,000 Silver Lions[/p]
• [p]Silver Lion and Research boosters[/p]
• [p]Random Wagers and Orders[/p]
• [p]Universal Backups (1 - 3) [/p]
• [p]A random available camouflage for a vehicle you own[/p]
• [p]1 day of Premium Account[/p]

[p][/p][h2]How to get all rewards[/h2][p]Each stage can be obtained for 45,000 mission points, where every new stage completed will give you a new reward.[/p][p] [/p][p] [/p][p]You’re able to earn mission points in Naval Battles at Rank III or above in Arcade and Realistic Battles. The number of mission points to complete a stage depends on the game mode and the maximum Rank of the vehicle that you use in battle. There’s a multiplier for earning mission points, which is shown in the task description in-game.  [/p][p] [/p][p]You can also earn mission points by using event vehicles that are Rank I and II. Event vehicles that can be used have the name of the event that they were obtainable in on their stat card.[/p][p] [/p][p][/p][h2]Rewards are given when you complete a specific number of stages[/h2]

• [p]For 1 Stage: trophy with a random reward[/p]
• [p]For 2 Stages: “Coat of arms of August von Mackensen” decal[/p]
• [p]For 3 Stages: trophy with a random reward[/p]
• [p]For 4 Stages: “Flag of the Prussian Navy” ship flag[/p]
• [p]For 5 Stages: trophy with a random reward[/p]
• [p]For 6 Stages: “August von Mackensen” profile icon[/p]
• [p]For 7 Stages: trophy with a random reward[/p]
• [p]For 8 Stages: non-tradable coupon for Mackensen[/p]
• [p]For 9 Stages: unique Two-tone geometric camouflage for Mackensen and four random modifications for Mackensen[/p]

[p] [/p][p][/p][h2]Discounts for purchasing stages using Golden Eagles[/h2][p]Incomplete stages can be purchased for Golden Eagles, but if you’re significantly close to completing a stage, its price will be significantly reduced.[/p][p]Let’s say you have earned 85% of the required mission points to complete a stage, then the price of purchasing this stage will be halved. If you’re near the finish line for a stage and are at 95% progress, then the price will be reduced by five times. For example, if you’ve scored 39,000 mission points, then the price for unlocking this stage will be 499 Golden Eagles. If you’ve scored 43,000 mission points, then you’ll only need 199 Golden Eagles. Remember to keep this in mind if you run out of time for a stage![/p][p][/p][h2]The coupon upgrade[/h2][p]When you complete 8 stages, you’ll receive a non-tradable coupon for Mackensen, where using it will immediately activate the vehicle on your account. If you don’t want the vehicle and would like to sell the coupon on the Market, you’ll need the “Upgrade for coupon” item.[/p][p] [/p][p] [/p][p]After receiving the “Upgrade for coupon” item, you can convert the non-tradable coupon into a tradable one and sell it on the Market. The tradable coupon can be sold after 6 days from the moment it’s created.[/p][p] [/p][p]The “Upgrade for coupon” item is valid until September 25th (11:00 GMT). Until this time, you can use it or exchange it for War Bonds. Afterwards, it’ll disappear from your inventory.[/p][p] [/p][p]
You can track the progress of completing stages and receiving the “Upgrade for coupon” item by clicking on your Nickname > Achievements > Black Hussars. If you don’t manage to complete a stage on time or would like to purchase a stage, you’ll be able to do so until September 25th from the Achievements window, you can purchase each stage with Golden Eagles which will give you the corresponding rewards.[/p]

[p][/p][p][/p][p]The Messerschmitt Bf 109 T is a navalized variant of the “Emil” modification, developed in the late 1930s to equip Germany’s planned aircraft carrier, the “Graf Zeppelin”.[/p][p][/p][p] [/p][h3]Vehicle History[/h3][p]In the late 1930s, the German Kriegsmarine laid out plans to build up its fleet to match that of the Royal Navy at the time. As these plans involved building a carrier, it quickly became apparent that this type of vessel would also require specialized naval aircraft. Reluctant to shift away resources from its own build up of forces, the Luftwaffe proposed to develop navalized variants of existing aircraft types instead of developing completely new ones. This proposal ended up being accepted and soon afterwards resulted in the modification of several “Emil” models with arrestor hooks, longer wings with bigger ailerons and flaps to facilitate carrier operations. This became the Bf 109 T-1.[/p][p]By 1940 however, shifting wartime priorities halted the construction of Germany’s Graf Zeppelin aircraft carrier. As a result, the hastily converted Bf 109 T-1s were soon pressed into frontline service, losing some of their carrier modifications and becoming the land-based Bf 109 T-2. Being optimized for short runway operations, the Bf 109 T-2 quickly found itself operating with Luftwaffe units out of Norwegian airstrips where they remained until the end of 1941 before being replaced by other variants.[/p][p]After that, the Bf 109Ts were relegated to secondary roles and were often used as trainer aircraft until late into 1944. In the end, only around 60 Bf 109 T-2s were ever built, making them one of the rarest variants of all series produced modifications of the Bf 109.[/p][p][/p][p][/p][h3]Introducing the Bf 109 T-2![/h3][p][/p][p]The Bf 109 T-2 is a special variant originally derived from the “Emil” series, built only in few numbers for Germany’s planned Graf Zeppelin aircraft carrier. Though seeing only limited frontline use during the Second World War because of its specialized role, the Bf 109 T-2 represents a truly unique modification of the Bf 109 series. Keen to find out more about this hidden gem of the Messerschmitt family? Then join us as we dive deeper in today’s devblog.[/p][p][/p][p][/p][p]As carrier operations vastly differ from regular land based ones, the Bf 109 E’s design had to be adapted to enable take offs and landings from short runways. This prompted engineers at Messerschmitt to augment the aircraft’s design by lengthening the wings, ailerons and flaps, which in turn improved the aircraft’s handling in low speed flying. All other specifications remaining identical to the land-based counterpart meant that the Bf 109 T-2 retained its excellent speed and agility while extending its performance envelope at low speeds. This improvement may come in handy for passionate dogfighters as it ensures the aircraft still remains controllable at speeds where the land-based variant would usually stall.  [/p][p]Interesting: The Bf 109 T-2 remains one of the rarest series produced variants of the Bf 109 family with only around 60 units being produced.[/p][p][/p][p][/p][p][/p][p]Inheriting much of its design and specifications from its land based counterparts also means that the Bf 109 T-2 features access to the same arsenal as found on the already well familiar Emils. Featuring a combination of two machine guns and two powerful 20 mm cannons ensures the quick destruction of hostile aircraft. At the same time, the Bf 109 T-2 can also be equipped with a pylon capable of fitting the aircraft with 50 and 250 kg bombs and thus extending its capabilities to perform strike missions in Ground or Naval battles.[/p][p][/p][p][/p][p][/p][p]The Bf 109 T-2 will soon join the starting ranks of the German aviation tree as a new premium aircraft, available for Golden Eagles. Thanks to its premium bonuses and the overall good balance between performance and firepower, the Bf 109 T-2 will enable newer pilots to quickly climb the ranks, while veterans may add a unique variant of the legendary 109 to their collection! That’s all for today’s devblog — until the next one, clear skies and happy hunting folks![/p][p][/p][p]Please note that this vehicle’s characteristics may be changed before it is added to the game.[/p]

[p][/p][h3]Aircraft[/h3]

• [p]A bug that still caused aircraft to jump on runways in some cases has been fixed. (Report).[/p]
• [p]F-106A — a bug that caused one of the drop tanks to always display in X-ray view has been fixed. (Report).[/p]

[p][/p][h3]Ground Vehicles[/h3]

• [p]The Active scouting mechanic is now available on Scout UAVs.
  Learn more about the implementation and limitations here.[/p]
• [p]There is now a 3 second delay when switching back to the ground vehicle after the player’s Scout UAV gets destroyed. This is to give the player time to understand how they were destroyed.[/p]

[p][/p][h3]Interface[/h3]

• [p]A table with scouting awards in the message with the battle results now has an indication of whether the particular scouting was conducted when the Scout UAV was launched or not.[/p]
• [p]The description of the “Air Strike” modification now includes information on how a launched Scout UAV influences the rate at which the required spawn points for an aircraft are reduced.[/p]

[h3] [/h3][h3]Graphics[/h3]

• [p]A bug that sometimes caused the textures of some airfields to be overlapped by the underlying landscape has been fixed. (Report).[/p]

[p][/p][hr][/hr][p]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.[/p]

[p][/p][p]In today’s update, we’ve added the ability to scout enemies while using Scout UAVs without having to switch to a tank. Alongside this are a number of changes made for balance purposes:[/p]

• [p]When a Scout UAV is up in the air and operational, the delay before reusing Active Scouting after a successful scout has been increased:[/p]
  • [p]In Arcade Battles, the cooldown after a successful scout is now 12 seconds, and in Realistic Battles it is now 18 seconds. In both modes, this extended cooldown occurs regardless of whether you scouted with a UAV or a tank.[/p]
  • [p]When no Scout UAV is up in the air and operational, the cooldown time in both modes remains at 6 seconds, as before.[/p]

[p][/p]

• [p]When the Scout UAV is up in the air and operational, the reduction in the aircraft’s spawn cost (in spawn points) for each target destroyed by an ally you scouted is halved, regardless of whether you were using a Scout UAV or a tank during scouting. However, the rewards in research points, Silver Lions, and mission points remain the same.[/p]

[p][/p]

• [p]The maximum scout range when using a Scout UAV is limited and depends on whether the Scout UAV has a thermal imager. For Scout UAVs without a thermal imager, the scout range is limited to 1,500 meters. For ones with a thermal imager, it is 3,000 meters. If the distance to the selected target (in Arcade Battles) or the distance to the aiming point (in Realistic Battles) exceeds the maximum scout range, the action in the panel will be grayed out and become unavailable. If you still try to scout the target, a hint will appear on screen informing you that the maximum range has been exceeded.[/p]

[p][/p][p]We expect these changes to balance the introduction of Active Scouting from Scout UAVs. We’ll be monitoring its effectiveness and if necessary, will adjust it to ensure an interesting and balanced gameplay experience.[/p]

[p][/p][p][/p][p]Today we’ll be taking a look at French light cruiser Gloire from the La Galissonnière-class, featuring an increased rate of fire and a new radar![/p][p][/p][p] [/p][p]Vehicle History[/p][p]Gloire, a La Galissonnière-class light cruiser, entered service in 1937. At the start of the Second World War, Gloire transported gold reserves to Canada and escorted convoys.[/p][p]After the capitulation of France in 1940, Gloire remained under the control of the Vichy regime and was based in Toulon. In September 1940, she was sent to Dakar, but due to machinery breakdowns, was unable to join the other ships and was interned in Casablanca by British forces.[/p][p]After the Allied landings in North Africa in 1942, Gloire defected to the Free French. After being modernized in the United States, she participated in the search for German ships in the Atlantic and then supported the Allied landings in Italy and southern France. In 1944, she bombarded enemy positions during Operation Dragoon, firing around 2,000 shells. After the war, Gloire made three trips to Indochina, was decommissioned in 1955 and scrapped in 1958.[/p][p][/p][p][/p][p]Introducing Gloire![/p][p]The Gloire light cruiser in her 1947 upgrade differs from her sistership La Galissonnière in increased rate of fire, improved radar equipment and a reinforced anti-aircraft battery. This exceptionally versatile ship is joining the French Bluewater fleet tree in the next major update, so let’s take a closer look![/p][p][/p][p][/p][p]Like the La Galissonnière light cruiser, Gloire features an excellent armament loadout of nine 152 mm guns in three turrets. However, there’s a noticeable difference in that Gloire is coming to the game in her 1947 upgrade, after work had been carried out on the loading system, increasing the rate of fire of the main caliber guns to 9 rounds per minute. On top of this, Gloire features a great ammunition loadout, consisting of high-explosive, semi-armor-piercing and armor-piercing rounds. When playing Gloire, you’re going to have complete freedom to choose the right shells for each combat situation you find yourself in![/p][p][/p][p][/p][p][/p][p]Another important difference between Gloire and her sistership is improved air defense capabilities. Gloire has an updated anti-aircraft battery, which has been significantly strengthened compared to earlier configurations. Thanks to this, the proven 40 mm Bofors and 20 mm Oerlikon cannons are responsible for air defense, fixing the relatively weak anti-aircraft defense shortcoming of La Galissonnière-class ships. On top of this, Gloire has updated American and British radar equipment for accurate and early identification of air threats. Space was required to accommodate the radar, so Gloire had the reconnaissance aircraft removed.[/p][p][/p][p][/p][p]Her 1947 upgrade also comes with more crew members, meaning Gloire’s survivability is increased. Gloire also retains the important aspects of her class — torpedoes and good armor protection for important compartments. Gloire is going to be a very versatile ship and a main player in any battle, but make sure to stick with your teammates for the best survivability.[/p][p][/p][p][/p][p]That’s it for this one! Gloire is joining War Thunder in the next major update for France’s Bluewater fleet tree. Make sure to check out our website for more dev blogs coming your way.[/p][p][/p][p]Please note that this vehicle’s characteristics may be changed before it is added to the game.[/p]