War Thunder’s Next Major Update Will Add Manual Autoloader Reloads and APUs
New fire-control and electrical modules can disable optics, stabilizers, radars, and autoloaders when damaged.
War Thunder’s next major update will add damageable ground-vehicle systems, manual reloading for some autoloader-equipped tanks, and auxiliary power units. Gaijin outlined the changes in its October 29, 2026 Steam dev blog. The announcement gives no release date for the update.
Fire control and electrical damage will disable different systems
The fire-control system (FCS) will appear as a separate module in the X-ray view. If it is disabled, a vehicle will lose access to night vision, thermal imagers, and its rangefinder. Remote machine-gun or cannon turrets without a manual aiming option will also stop working.
A separate electrical system module will supply power to the FCS, gun stabilizer, radars, optoelectronic targeting systems, threat-warning systems, and autoloader. Damage that disables this system can therefore take several vehicle functions offline at once.
Autoloaders will have a manual fallback
Vehicles that can be manually reloaded in real life will let their crews load the gun by hand if the autoloader runs out of shells or is disabled. The autoloader rack will not replenish while the crew is loading manually, so firing must stop before it can begin refilling.
The hangar’s X-ray view will show reload times for ammunition stored outside the ready rack or autoloader, the delay before ready-rack replenishment starts, and the time needed to replenish the rack or autoloader. Disabling an autoloader will affect a tank’s rate of fire, while the additional timing information will make its ammunition cycle visible before battle.
APUs will keep some vehicles powered after engine damage
Many vehicles will receive an auxiliary power unit (APU) that keeps electrical systems running when the engine is destroyed. Previously, an engine failure followed by a depleted battery could leave a tank without power, forcing manual turret movement, making gun aiming difficult, and shutting down electronics.
The APU will be a separate module visible in the X-ray view. If the vehicle’s power system is destroyed, the APU cannot supply its systems, and the unit itself can also be disabled by other damage. Players will be able to switch off the APU to keep its operating noise from revealing a tank’s position. On many SPAA and SAM vehicles, however, the APU will run continuously to power equipment such as radars, FCS, and aiming drives. Disabling it will shut down those systems.
Gaijin says more information on ground-vehicle turning and mobility mechanics will follow. Which of these new systems do you think will make the biggest difference in ground battles? For more on the upcoming vehicle changes, follow us on X, Bluesky, YouTube, Instagram, Steam, and Telegram.
War Thunder
Developed by Gaijin Entertainment
War Thunder is a free-to-play vehicular combat MMO featuring aircraft, ground vehicles, and naval craft spanning from the early 20th century to the modern era. Players progress through technology trees across multiple nations, unlocking increasingly advanced military vehicles. The game offers three realism tiers for each vehicle type: arcade, realistic, and simulator modes. Originally developed as a flight simulator under the name "World of Planes," the game expanded to include tanks in 2014 and naval forces later, becoming a combined-arms experience. A mobile version was released in 2023.
- Genre Shooter, Simulator, Tactical
- Platforms Xbox Series X|S, PlayStation 4, Linux, PC (Microsoft Windows), PlayStation 5, Mac, Xbox One
- Perspective First person, Third person, Virtual Reality
- Modes Single player, Multiplayer, Co-operative, Massively Multiplayer Online (MMO)
- Release January 28, 2013
- Publisher Gaijin Entertainment
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