War Thunder brings Nuclear Escalation back with a wider battlefield and new win rules

War Thunder has brought Nuclear Escalation back to the main servers after a run on the Heavy Cavalry dev server. The event is live now and runs from June 26 at 12:00 GMT until July 1 at 11:00 GMT.

The return comes with a wider battlefield, new aircraft access across every nation, and a scoring system that now rewards multiple targets instead of a single quick finish.

Gaijin says the mode keeps the same overall format it had on the dev server, but several systems changed since the April version. The front line now stretches farther, carrier strike groups and missile ships have joined the coastal fight, and higher-rank battles now include more modern AI-controlled ground vehicles.

Patch Notes

The biggest changes here center on air support, scoring, and respawns. Nuclear strikes now use 5 and 30 kiloton bombs, air defense reacts less aggressively to guided missiles, and the old destroy-the-base-and-win rule is gone.

• Players can now fly their own aircraft from any nation
• An AI-controlled fleet has been added to the mission
• The overall front line has been increased

All in-game nations can now participate in this version of Nuclear Escalation! Battle Ratings now range from 13.0 to 14.7, and the matchmaking system utilizes Battle Rating brackets within this range as needed, ensuring balanced encounters in every battle.

We’ve also expanded the front line: the line of contact has been extended to the mountains, increasing the map’s tactical depth. Carrier strike groups, supported by missile ships, have been added to control the coastal zone. More modern AI-controlled ground vehicles have been introduced for higher-rank battles in the mode as well.

We’ve made some major changes to the general event mechanics. The escalation system has been reworked, removing the need for strategic bombers with megaton bombs. Nuclear strikes will now be carried out with bombs of 5 and 30 kiloton yields, carried by the same aircraft that carry nuclear bombs in Ground Battles, depending on the Battle Rating bracket. The behemoths from the April event, the B-52H and Tu-95M bombers, may return as a separate Nuclear Escalation event in the future.

The match completion conditions have also changed. The main base is now easier to destroy, but destroying it no longer grants instant victory. Victory is now determined by the total number of points earned for destroying any target: enemy aircraft, AI-controlled vehicles, and airfields.

In addition, the marker system has been improved when viewing from an aircraft. Markers for ground and surface targets are now displayed depending on the angular size of the target, meaning that markers for buildings are visible 3-5 times further than markers for ground vehicles.

A new respawn mechanic has been introduced. Aircraft are now temporarily locked from respawning on the airfields from which they departed from. Respawning with the same aircraft from other airfields is possible immediately. This change is intended to prevent players from instantly returning to combat in the same position and encourage more cautious, tactical behavior.

And finally, the minimap now features tooltips for respawn bases. Hovering over them provides information about the airfield’s status. This new feature simplifies navigation and improves situational awareness for the team.

The fire control system for air defense vehicles has undergone significant changes here too. Target filters have been implemented, meaning that air defense systems will now engage guided missiles (especially air-to-air missiles and surface-to-air missiles) significantly less frequently. This will only occur if there are no aircraft in the firing range and the air defense system considers the missile an immediate threat.

The event is already live, so buckle up and give ’em hell!

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Source: Steam

War Thunder

Developed by Gaijin Entertainment

War Thunder is the most comprehensive free-to-play, cross-platform, MMO military game dedicated to aviation, armored vehicles, and naval craft, from the early 20th century to the most advanced modern combat units. Join now and take part in major battles on land, in the air, and at sea.

• Genre: Shooter, Simulator, Tactical
• Platforms: Xbox Series X|S, PlayStation 4, Linux, PC (Microsoft Windows), PlayStation 5, Mac, Xbox One
• Modes: Single player, Multiplayer, Co-operative, Massively Multiplayer Online (MMO)
• Release: 2013-01-28
• Publisher: Gaijin Entertainment
• Age Rating: PEGI 12 / USK 12 / CERO B / ACB PG / GRAC 12+ / ESRB T
• IGDB Rating: 74.2/100

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