MMORPGs

The update brings a new nation, a shipborne aircraft feature, dozens of new vehicles and new effects

Gaijin Entertainment announces that the “Winged Lions” major content update for the military online action War Thunder is available now. It brings the previously announced Israeli aviation tech tree closed beta testing and playable shipborne reconnaissance aircraft. There is a lot of other new content, including the new “Israel” air battles location, the first two Israeli tanks from the future Israeli ground vehicles tech tree as well as dozens of other new military vehicles.

The history of the Israeli Air Force starts with the S-199 fighters imported from Czechoslovakia. These were assembled from the leftover parts originally intended for the German Bf 109 G-10 fighters, but the engine used was Jumo 211 designed for bombers. On May 28th, 1948, the first ever Israeli fighter group of four S-199s was formed under the leadership of several experienced veteran pilots. S-199 is one of the first planes in War Thunder’s Israeli tech tree, and the players will be able to get all the way to the top where the Kfir C-7 fighter jet resides. The Israeli aviation beta testing is available to the early access packs owners for now, but it will be available to all players later.

The next major update that will come after the “Winged Lions” will feature the closed beta testing of the Israeli ground vehicles tech tree. Two premium packs with Merkava Mk.2 and Sherman M-51 tanks are already available for purchase, and their owners will become the first players to access the upcoming testing.

Ground vehicle fans will probably be in awe with the fearsome Swedish SPG Bandkanon 1 that entered service in early 1960s. The 155mm autoloader-assisted howitzer is the centrepiece of attention here and not only due to its relative size to the vehicle itself. Thanks to the autoloading mechanism, this machine can fire its entire 14 round magazine in just 45 seconds. Even one hit of a huge HE round to the slightly armored parts of a tank, such as the roof of the hull or turret, will probably one shot any opponent. Another long-awaited new vehicle is the Soviet SPG 2S3 Akatsiya. The 2S3 received a baptism of fire in Afghanistan and was subsequently mass-produced until 1993, having gone through several upgrades. 2S3M is the result of modernization in 1975, with the mechanized ammunition rack and a good fire rate.

War Thunder continues to receive visual upgrades, and the “Winged Lions” update brings enhancement to the simulation of wind. Previously the wind was only seen on the grass and on the waves, but now all particle effects, such as fire and smoke, dust from ground vehicles and aircraft engines, gun shots, explosions and sparks – all these effects, will now be affected by the wind, especially during a storm.

More information on the update is available at the official War Thunder website.

Players are getting the Israeli aviation tech tree and cruisers equipped with reconnaissance aircraft

Gaijin Entertainment announces that the next major Content Update “Winged Lions” for the military online action War Thunder will be released later this December. It will bring the Israeli aviation closed beta test, launchable shipborne reconnaissance aircraft, dozens of new air, ground and naval vehicles and more.

Since the Israeli Air Force was formed after the end of World War II, the Israeli aircraft lineup begins immediately from rank IV. While researching new machines, players will follow the way that the Israeli engineers have chosen. Domestically assembled Spitfires were one the first planes in the force later joined by French Mirage III fighters that became the base for developing original Israeli Kfir (literally, “lion cub”) machines, while the US gives access to F-4 fighter jets and A-4 attackers. Aviation of Israel mainly consists of imported aircraft, but with a distinctive local feel, as they are highly modified, adapted to local conditions and equipped with new weapons. Their arsenal includes unique rockets with a shape-charge warhead, new to the game calibers of aircraft bombs, air-to-air missiles and even guided bombs!

All owners of early access packs will be able to take part in the closed testing of the Israeli aviation immediately after the “Winged Lions” update is live. After the end of closed testing, to start researching the Israeli Air Force aviation, the player will need at least one purchased aircraft of rank IV in any of the following playable nations: USA, Great Britain, France or Israel.

The update brings ship-launched reconnaissance aircraft, a feature that many large WW2 era warships were capable of. The reconnaissance aircraft will allow the players to better examine the enemy grouping, scout a ship hidden behind rocks, fight enemy aircraft, destroy an enemy boat with cannons and machine guns, or damage an enemy cruiser or destroyer with bombs. Just like regular seaplanes, reconnaissance hydroplanes will be able to capture points – a small plane can decide the outcome of a battle for large ships. Powerful and fast German battlecruiser Scharnhorst that is equipped with such aircraft will be added to War Thunder in the “Winged Lions” update.

Ground vehicle fans will get several modern tanks like Challenger 2 TES (2008) and Leclerc SXXI (2003). The most interesting one is probably Type 10, the latest Japanese MBT that entered the JSDF service in 2012. One of the main new features of Type 10 is the automatic loader located in the rear of the tank, which increases the rate of fire. The new diesel engine doubles the reverse speed in comparison with the predecessor. The Type 10 also receives a new APFSDS round, that has the same name as the tank itself – Type 10. It complements the range of shells, already familiar with the JM12A1 HEATFS and the JM33 APFSDS rounds.

Watch the “Winged Lions” Update Teaser HERE.

Follow the news at the official website to get more information on the “Winged Lions”.

The first Israeli aircraft and dozens of other vehicles have also been introduced in the ‘Ground Breaking’ major update

Gaijin Entertainment announces the release of the ‘Ground Breaking’ major Content Update for the military online action game War Thunder. Terramorphing technology makes the ground battles even more realistic and offers players more tactical options. Aviation fans get the chance to try the first two aircraft from Israel, the next playable nation to be added to War Thunder. The update also brings dozens of other military vehicles and three new maps.

The terramorphing feature allows players to change the ground’s surface in real time and create cover or obstacles. Ground vehicles with self-entrenching equipment installed (i.e. the Soviet BMP-3 or the British Chieftain with dozer blade) are now capable of quickly building tank scrapes everywhere not surrounded by buildings, rocks, boulders, ice or paved roads. Air bombs weighing approximately 50kg or above, heavy rocket and missile explosions now form a crater of which diameter and depth depends on the power of the blast.

Israel, one of the leading producers and operators of military vehicles, will become the next playable nation in War Thunder. The Closed Beta Test of Israeli Air Force will start in the next major content update, but two packs with premium aircraft are available now for purchase in War Thunder. Their owners will be the first to get access to CBT. One of the packs contains a Spitfire LF Mk IXe in the livery of the personal aircraft of Ezer Weizman, a RAF veteran pilot, who later became the president of Israel! An alternative pack is available with the A-4E Skyhawk, a late Israeli modification of one of the best strike aircrafts in the game.

There are even more new toys to play with, including the light Ystervark, South African mobile anti-air unit, Cold War era destroyer USS ​​Mitscher and three versions of fast and deadly German Wiesel armored vehicles. The Wiesel 1A4 is a basic variant with a 20mm Rheinmetall 202/20 cannon. The Wiesel 1A2 is equipped with a launcher for the TOW-2 ATGM, tandem warhead TOW-2A and TOW-2B, able to hit tanks from above. Finally, Ozelot is a version with Stinger SAM on board.

The Aral Sea map puts ground and air vehicles fighting at the shores of a dried out sea, where a port has been abandoned a long time ago with cargo terminals, fish processing plants, bulk carriers and fishing vessels. Bourbon Island is a location for air battles inspired by Reunion Island in the Indian Ocean. A characteristic feature of this large and flat shaped area is the gigantic craters of volcanic origin with a wide flat bottom – calderas. Finally, the Vyborg Bay location for War Thunder coastal vessels has been created using the magnificent northern nature of the Vyborg Bay near Medyanskaya Bay. Players fight inside a dense cluster of rocky islands covered with forest – so called skerries.

The full list of changes in the update is available HERE.

Visit the official War Thunder Website for more game information.

World of Warships launches early access German battleships and prepares for Halloween festivities

Today Wargaming, developer and publisher of the world’s most popular free to play naval warfare game, World of Warships, is launching an explosive new update packed with new features. It includes limited time themed events for the ghoulish Halloween season, as well as the arrival of a fleet of new German battleships.

Take to the seas aboard all-new German Battleships

With the ‘German Battleships: Part One’ event, a sweep of Tier III-IX German battleships hit Early Access, from the WWI-serving BB Von der Tann to the Tier IX Prinz Rupprecht. Armed with lethally precise main battery guns and a gamut of long-ranged secondary battery guns, consumables include Hydroacoustic Search, as well as Fast Damage Control Team with a limited number of charges. From Tier VII upwards, ships will also come fitted with torpedo tubes.

Tiers III-IX of these powerful vessels will be available within sequential bundles in exchange for German Tokens, a new temporary resource earned through taking part in the Personal Challenges event or obtainable from the Armory. The port of Hamburg has also been spruced up in honour of the update.

And going once, going twice! Coming up for auction will be early access to the Tier X Schlieffen, starting at 1,000 doubloons. More details about the dates and rules of the auction will be announced further into the update.

Trick or treat with new and returning game modes

The temporary battle type, Twilight Hunt, makes a ghostly entrance in this update from 21 October, pitting 16 players both against each other and the AI-controlled Twilight Fleet in the Polygon map. The aim is to earn as many Battle Points as possible by destroying the enemy armada, led by the fearsome boss ship Rasputin. Hop aboard the monster ships Fangblade, Thornridge, and Lobster-Eyed for the spookiest experience!

From the start and until the end of the update, old favourites Operation Saving Transylvania and Sunray in Darkness will be making a grand comeback.

More game-changing additions

In Personal Challenges, players must fill out the mission requirements of each personal records table to progress onto the next part and bring in those juicy rewards – coal and German Tokens, that can be used to obtain new German battleships plus a host of camouflages and flags.

Submarines will also be available for rental in random battles to test this class in a live environment with their new balance changes.

Watch the Update 0.10.9: Halloween video HERE.

Visit the official World of Warships website now for more game info and to sign up to play World of Warships for free!

The new update brings dozens of new vehicles, two maps and better visuals

Gaijin Entertainment announces that the “Direct Hit” major content update for the military online action War Thunder is available now. It makes the game better in all aspects. New content such as the Soviet attack jet MiG-27M with guided bombs, Swedish interceptor JA37C Jaktviggen, US heavy cruiser USS Pittsburgh and Italian IFV C13 T90 will provide new experience, new visual effects and upgraded 3D models of existing vehicles will make the game look better, while user interface updates will make it more user friendly. War Thunder also received the support of the version 2.2 of NVIDIA DLSS technology that brings high quality and high resolution graphics without sacrificing FPS performance.

JA37C Jaktviggen is a fighter-interceptor from a Viggen family of jets that were supplied for service in the 1980s and became a “calling card” of the Royal Swedish Air Force for a long time. The fighter’s unusual airframe design, efficient flaps and air brakes allow it to make quick turns with very good roll speed. The JA37 version of Viggen was developed to fulfill the tasks of a fighter-interceptor, so the main emphasis in the weapons list is placed on the air-to-air missiles, including the completely new RB71 with radar guidance, a huge launch range and G-tolerance of about 30G.

The ‘Direct Hit” update also brings realistic and better looking effects of water interacting with physical objects like bullets and shells. Ammunition storage explosions and ship fires are also updated. Aviation fans should check the new look of the iconic B-17 bomber planes. The number of polygons on the updated models tripled, and the textures became 4 times larger.

The range of maps for the combined battles of ground and air vehicles was also expanded. “Spaceport” is based on the map from the “Warfare 2077” April Fools event and offers more open fighting grounds surrounding the confined city center. “Breslau” is focused on urban combat and the design was inspired by the Siege of Breslau (Wrocław) which took place in the final months of WWII. The naval battles also got an important improvement: fire control system adds aiming reticule, UI hits for each gun’s status and a convenient lead marker.

Finally, the update also officially adds content created by War Thunder players as part of the revenue share program. Timur “_PtaXa_” Taniya developed the detailed cockpit model for the German He 111 H-16 bomber, while Daniil “Joy_Division__” Zaytsev created the German flying boat BV 138. Detailed explanation of revenue share rules is available here.

The full list of changes in the update is available HERE.

Visit the official War Thunder Website for more game information.

Players will get an airborne combat vehicle, guided bombs and naval fire-control systems.

Gaijin Entertainment announces that the new major content update “Direct Hit” for the military online action War Thunder will be released in the first half of September. Players will get dozens of new naval, ground and air military vehicles, including Soviet fighter-bomber MiG-27M, Japanese light cruiser Yubari, Swedish infantry fighting vehicle Pansarbandvagn 301, Chinese-built Pakistani attack jet Nanchang A-5C, modern Chinese MBT ZTZ99-III and Russian airborne self-propelled tank destroyer 2S25 “Sprut-SD”. The update will also bring naval fire-control systems and guided bombs, as well as improved flow separation effects and infrared countermeasures visualization.

2S25 “Sprut-SD” is a compact amphibious vehicle built for the airborne forces. This tank destroyer is armed with a 125mm 2A75 smoothbore cannon, specially created for the 2S25 project and can use the full range of armament of the T-72B tank, including 9M119 guided missiles. The Sprut-SD has a reversible gearbox allowing it to move in reverse as fast as move forward – a very, very useful feature when shooting from behind cover. It can also float using two water jets for propulsion.

Yubari is a landmark ship for the Japanese navy, it was she who laid down distinctive technical features for Japanese cruisers: armor as part of the hull powertrain, twin funnels and an S-shaped stem. Despite the very low displacement, comparable to some destroyers, Yubari has all the attributes of a light cruiser, like a 38 mm armor belt and an armored deck, good speed and a crew of 368 sailors.

Large ships will now be equipped with a fire control system. Rangefinders, fire-control towers and fire-control plotting rooms will help players calculate the precise lead, and all those elements of the FCS will be visible in the X-ray vision mode in the hangar. This also means that the targeting interface is changing in both the arcade and realistic naval modes.

MiG-27M is the first vehicle in the game capable of using modern guided bombs, a new type of guided weaponry in War Thunder. MiG-27M could be also armed with rockets, free-fall bombs and a wide range of guided missiles, including the new Kh-29T with a TV-correlation seeker. A 30-mm six-barreled rotary cannon in a special niche under the fuselage has a rate of fire of about 5.000 rounds per minute and can slice ground vehicles into pieces, while a new engine is adapted for more confident operation at low altitudes and subsonic speeds.

More information on other new vehicles and features in the “Direct Hit” update will be available at the official War Thunder website in the upcoming weeks.

Watch the “Direct Hit” update trailer HERE.

Visit the official War Thunder Website for more game information.

Over a week of gifts, and more, await tankers, including a brand-new Premium tank

World of Tanks’ August Heat is heating up even more with their 11th birthday celebrations. As with any anniversary, World of Tanks is offering up some great gifts to say thank you to their players for their continued support with Summer Presents.

For simply logging into the game, tankers will get their hands on a brand-new, historically accurate Premium tank: the T-34 with L-11. This Tier IV Soviet medium tank features a default concealment bonus and will come with a 100% trained crew and a Garage slot.

Additionally, tankers who log in 7 times on separate days between August 12th and 22nd will be rewarded with 7 days of World of Tanks Premium Account and 7 Gift Tickets, which can be exchanged for valuable rewards, including bonds, credits, and even more valuable goodies in a special section of the in-game Store.

“We’ve prepared a special event for our 11th anniversary with some great gifts, and we invite all players, old and new, to come join us,” states Max Chuvalov, Publishing Director, World of Tanks. “We really hope everyone enjoys what Summer Presents, Update 1.14 and August Heat as a whole bring to the game!”

Another huge part of August Heat is in full swing: the above-mentioned Update 1.14. The latest update introduces a line of Czechoslovakian heavies which will follow on from the Škoda T 25, the Tier VI medium tank. These beasts sport a feature unique to them: the choice of two guns, which are both equal in terms of performance and stats, but one features a two-shell autoloader, the other a classic cyclical gun. Additionally, with Update 1.14, tankers will also have more freedom to tinker and tune their vehicles to better suit their roles on the battlefield. Field Modifications are available to all Collectors’ and Tier VI-X vehicles, excluding rental ones.

As well as Czechoslovakian reinforcements and Field Modifications, a new map, Safe Haven, is coming to World of Tanks. Available for Random Battles, this summer map takes inspiration from 1960s Japan and features a soundtrack by the World of Tanks audio team and Akira Yamaoka, the man behind those iconic Silent Hill compositions.

And finally, Update 1.14 will also see the return of Frontline for the first time in 2021, a new game mode called Topography which will test and improve tankers’ knowledge of maps and various changes to select Premium vehicles and the Personal Missions for Artillery.

For more information about the Summer Presents event, visit worldoftanks.com.

Dive into deep sea combat with this explosive update, build a Dutch cruiser in the new Dockyard or escape to the anime world with ‘Legend of the Galactic Heroes: Die Neue These’ crossover

World of Warships, the world’s biggest naval warfare MMO developed and published by Wargaming, has revealed the upcoming Update 0.10.7, packed with new content including the addition of submarines to Ranked Battles, the De Zeven Dockyard, the long-awaited return of the USS Missouri, and a unique collaboration with Legend of the Galactic Heroes: Die Neue These, the Japanese anime series based on the popular science fiction novels.

Watch the Update 0.10.7. — “Submarines in Ranked Battles” Trailer HERE.

Submarines Arrive in Ranked
Submarines completely changed the face of real-life naval warfare in the 20th century and are now set to do the same again in World of Warships. Players can experience a whole new world beneath the surface, by taking control of the deadly submarines, now playable out of testing for the first time. These delicate but stealthy vessels bring a whole new tactical element to the game, as players weigh up the pros and cons of the four separate diving levels and try out acoustic homing torpedoes, bolstered by sonar ping mechanics. Some battleships have been equipped with anti-submarine defense aircraft to blow these vessels out of the water, while many destroyers and some light cruisers can dispatch depth charges to tackle them. Players can test out this new class in more relaxed co-op battles, and then put them to the test in the special upcoming season of Ranked Battles.

Dutch Cruisers: Part Two
Early Access to Dutch Cruisers continues in 0.10.7, with the added ability to construct the Tier VIII ship De Zeven Provinciën at the new Dockyard through 24 shipbuilding phases. In addition, the “Dutch Cruisers: Part 2” special event offers the reward of a commemorative flag and Klaas Jenssen, a Dutch commander with enhanced skills, when a chain of combat missions is completed.

Legend of the Galactic Heroes: Die Neue These
This update marks our first collaboration with Japanese anime series based on the science fiction novels of the same name “Legend of the Galactic Heroes: Die Neue These”©, which have a profound story and an overwhelming scale. Accompanied by a newly recorded custom voice for the new commanders, players will be able to take charge of their fleet with the commanders, Reinhard von Lohengramm from the Galactic Empire, or Yang Wen-li from the Free Planets Alliance and more. New camouflages also will allow players to pick their side by coating their ship in the colours of these two factions. More details will be revealed soon.

The Return of the Missouri
The USS Missouri will soon return to the waves, now sat at an equal economic level with other Premium Tier IX ships. With this update, the iconic vessel that ended World War II will be available for purchase in exchange for Doubloons.

For more details, please see the patch notes HERE.

Visit the official World of Warships website now for more game info and to sign up to play World of Warships for free!

New ships will feature a new type of armament – Airstrike

World of Warships, the widely popular free to play naval combat game from developer and publisher, Wargaming, has released Update 0.10.6 making available Dutch Cruisers in early access, two seasons of Brawls, and more visual and technical improvements.

Watch the update video HERE.

The main event for Update 0.10.6 is the addition of Dutch Tier IV-IX cruisers in Early Access. These mighty ships have high caliber firepower, rock solid armor at high tiers and great maneuverability, but a short firing range.

Starting from Tier VI, they will come equipped with a brand-new type of armament – Airstrike. Based on real world examples of the low altitude bombing principle, it will allow players to call in aircraft and have it bombard the specified area with HE bombs. These explosives are equipped with drogue parachutes to slow their descent, and prevent planes being hit by the shrapnel.

The AI controlled aircraft will have a maximum operating distance of 10–13 km and it won’t be able to spot enemies. It will however be highly effective against low-mobility targets such as battleships and large cruisers. This ability gives players a fresh way to strike enemy ships hiding behind the cover of islands.

To access new Dutch cruisers for free, players will need to complete combat mission groups and earn a new temporary resource – Dutch Tokens. The same resource will be available in free daily bundles, random bundles for doubloons, and in bundles for community tokens.

Besides the ships, players are able to obtain the Kinderdijk Windmill patch, a commemorative flag and themed camouflages.

Finally, to celebrate the event the historical Rotterdam port has been added, which authentically recreates the look of the famous harbor city from the 1950s.

Update 0.10.6 will also feature two seasons of Brawls. All players will be able to participate in 3 vs 3 battles on Tier VI and Tier VII ships.

A number of visual and other enhancements have also been made, including the updated AI that will result in more realistic behavior of bots. In addition, a Hall of Fame tab has been added to Clan Battles, showcasing the winners of previous seasons.

Visit the official World of Warships website now for more game info and to sign up to play World of Warships for free!

Players can also expect a whole heap of new features, including a brand-new mode, the latest season of Battle Pass, reworked HE shells and more

One of the biggest updates in recent history has arrived in World of Tanks. Update 1.13 sees major reworking of core mechanics, such as HE shells and SPG (self-propelled gun) countermeasures, as well as other changes and additions, such as a brand-new mode, the eagerly anticipated Season 5 of Battle Pass and interface improvements.

Watch the Artillery and High-Explosive shells: Important Changes for 2021 video HERE.

The heaviest change that players will notice is the new capabilities they now have to combat those vehicles that rain shells from the sky. SPGs have changed a great deal since their inception in World of Tanks, and it became clear more artillery countermeasures were needed to level the playing field somewhat. With the latest update, tankers will now have 3 tactical features at their disposal: Sound Detection is a new Commander-only perk which will warn those in the danger zone that an artillery shell is incoming through a special indicator, brighter shell tracers will allow players to better gauge from where an SPG has fired and the field of fire markers will let tankers know where an SPG recently fired (this marker will appear on the minimap for 10 seconds).

However, SPGs aren’t missing out on the fun either. Artillery now have three available shell types, all with their own purpose in battle, trajectory and velocity, granting a greater variety of tactical opportunities to arty players. Two of these shell types will not stun vehicles, which will greatly reduce the overall stun time seen in battle. Additionally, the SPG ammo interface has been updated and the Intuition perk has been reworked, meaning quicker changes of shells for all vehicle types.

Update 1.13 also sees the introduction of the reworked HE (high-explosive) shell mechanics on the main server. Now, HE shells will deal damage at the point of impact, meaning that damage will be calculated at the point of contact with the armor, unlike before which was based on a shell-burst sphere. Those playing heavily armored vehicles will certainly appreciate this change, as HE shells will inflict less damage to their frontal armor from now on. Additionally, they will also now be able to penetrate screens, tracks and the wheels of wheeled vehicles as well as insignificant and/or destructible objects, like fences, for example.

And there’s still more coming with Update 1.13. A brand-new game mode, Recon Mission, will allow tankers to test maps that are in the later stages of development, a collection of Premium vehicles and Clan Wars reward tanks are being rebalanced (as well as the Minsk map), Season 5 of Battle Pass is ready to challenge players, and a selection of interface improvements have been introduced.

For more information on World of Tanks, visit the games official website or stop by the new World of Tanks Steam page.