War Thunder has kicked off the Fast and Dangerous ground event, and the headline reward is the R400, a 6×6 wheeled German prototype armed with the 105 mm L7 main gun. The vehicle is listed as an Event Vehicle Light Tank at Rank VI and arrives with thermal optics, a fast rate of fire, and a choice of NATO ammunition types.
The R400 pairs high top speed on roads with a three axle wheeled chassis and independent suspension. Mobility is the design point. Armor is thin and will only stop small arms fire and fragments. That trade off is obvious the moment the prototype slots into a lineup.
Gun and ammunition
- 105 mm L7 rifled gun with stabilizer and laser rangefinder
- Thermal vision device for target ID at night and in smoke
- Ammo types include HESH, HEAT and two APFSDS rounds, DM23 and DM33 with the DM33 offering roughly 420 mm of penetration
- Fast muzzle velocity and cadence make the R400 effective in close urban fights and at longer engagement ranges
A quick history note. The R400 began life under Thyssen-Henschel in the early 1980s as the TH400 family prototype. A working prototype was completed in 1986 and was later renamed R400 after Rheinmetall acquired Thyssen-Henschel. The sole surviving prototype is now a museum piece and wears a replacement Leopard 1A5 turret on display examples because the original turret was lost.
Gaijin describes the R400 as a reconnaissance and fire support vehicle built to trade protection for speed and punch. The arrival of a 105 mm gun on a wheeled 6×6 chassis gives German Rank VI skirmishes a different tempo. Players who prefer hit and run or flanking work will find the R400 attractive. Players who need to trade shots with heavily armored opponents will find it fragile.
Characteristics in the announcement are labeled subject to change ahead of full addition to the tech tree. Gaijin has been active with balance and fixes recently so players should expect possible tweaks. For a sense of those ongoing changes see our coverage of a recent update that addressed armor calculation and other bugs.
The R400 is the main reward for the Fast and Dangerous ground vehicle event which started today. It will appear in the German ground forces tree and is intended to sit in Rank V to VI lineups, offering a mix of scouting speed and lethal firepower at the cost of protection. Use the R400 to exploit road networks and hard cover. Engage from flank angles and use thermal sight to spot targets at range. Avoid head on fights with MBTs. With APFSDS DM33 available the R400 can pierce many turret roofs and side plates, but it is not a brawler. Expect to shoot then move. Expect to be shot back hard if caught out.
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