Gaijin Entertainment’s massively multiplayer online (MMO) title War Thunder, which supports both Oculus Rift and HTC Vive head-mounted displays (HMDs), has now received its next update – version 1.63 – which sees the addition of new maps and over 20 new ground and aerial vehicles.
Adding to War Thunder’s extensive battlefields is an Egyptian desert region and an aerial combat map in Greece. Set in the sparsely populated desert region of Sinai, the first map contains a myriad of sand dunes and the ruins of an old village with an oil installation to capture. While the second map features a labyrinth of rocky valleys across a multi tiered landscape to test the skills of even the best pilots.
On the vehicle front there’s both ground and aerial units to experiment with. The new WW2 and Cold War era options include three new top rank self-propelled anti-aircraft guns alongside tanks and other ground base vehicles. These include the M163 Vulcan, T20 and M56 “Scorpion” for the US; Leopard A1A1, FlakPz I “Gepard”, RakjPz 2 HOT, and Sdkfz 9 Flak37 for Germany; FV438 “Swingfire”, FV4202 and A1E1 “Independent” for Great Britain; and ZSU 23-4 “Shilka”, КV-122 and GAZ DShK for the USSR.
The American M163 Vulcan Air Defense System has a massive, six-barreled 20mm Gatling autocannon capable of firing more than 3000 rounds per minute. The famous Soviet ZSU-23-4 ‘Shilka’ has a 23mm ‘Amur’ quad anti aircraft cannon, and the Flakpanzer Gepard is equipped with a twin 35mm Oerlikon KDA autocannon.
Taking to the skies for the US is the F9F8, Germany has the BV-238v-1, while Great Britain now includes the Brigand B1 and Hudson MkV. For the USSR there’s SU-6 and Japan gets three aircraft additions, the P1Y1 mod. 11, Ki-87 and J1N1.
VRFocus will continue its coverage of War Thunder, reporting back with all the latest updates for the title.