GameOnMag WT Issue 2 Single PDF

Battlefield 4 Review
Issue 50 December 2013
1 GameOn Magazine
Introduction to
War Thunder
Within the heart of War Thunder is
maps of impressive scale
a multiplayer online combat game
ranging from the city outskirts
for aircraft and armored vehicles.
of Stalingrad to the vast oceans

surrounding Pearl Harbor.
Developed by Gaijin
Entertainment, this game is
With hundreds of accurately-
available across a variety of
rendered vehicles available
platforms: from Windows to
and more being added with
Macintosh OS X to Linux, as
every update, players are spoilt
well as on the Playstation 4
for choice when it comes to
console, with casual game
cutting-edge planes to take
modes in arcade battles
to the skies, or menacing
to realistic and simulator
tanks to tear up the earth.
battles for the enthusiasts.

Relive the action in huge
The game spans the era from the
aerial dogfights and armored
Spanish Civil War to the Korean
spearhead clashes with friends,
War, with a huge emphasis
learn about the rich historical
on the Second World War.
significance behind the wars
Players cross swords in historical
through War Thunder.
2 // War Thunder Community Magazine
The GameOn Magazine
letter from the

general
Welcome to the second edition
staff list, so that has now been
of the War Thunder Community
sorted out for issue two!
Magazine. We would first like to

thank everyone for making Issue
We also wanted to show you
One last month so popular; a
this month a new gaming
massive thank you from all the
tablet which will support War
team behind the magazine.
Thunder, the NVidia Shield.
This month we have got your
Do you feel we missed
backs with more 101 guides than
something from the magazine?
you can shake a stick at, plus a
Get in touch with us.
review of one plane and one tank.

Please do email us with any
We managed to grab an interview
ideas of things you would like in
with Lassar plus we have taken
future issues of the magazine,
a look back at the history of
or even just to let us know if
World War II. With that theme
you liked or disliked one of the
in mind we have also extracts
articles, all feedback is wanted:
(part 1) from a soldiers diary.
warthunder@gameonmag.com
We have even thrown in a

fictional story for you to read.
The magazine will be free

every month, we just need
We were so excited last month
you to support us by sharing
with getting the magazine
and downloading it.

- The Editor
out, we forgot to add in the
War Thunder Community Magazine
The GameOn Magazine // 3
CONTENTS
Contents Page
New Toys for Everyone!.....................6

War Thunder 101:................................
Flying the Red Star..........................12
Macchi C.202 Folgore review..........20
War Thunder 101:................................
Rolling Thunder...............................22
Time to Face the Enemy..................28
War Thunder 101: Turn Fighting &
Energy Maneuvers...........................30
World War 2 Facts #2 .....................38
War Thunder........................................
Coming to Gaming Tablets..............40
Interview with Lassar......................42
M2A4 review.....................................46
Guadalcanal: Two Sides of Hell.......48
This Month in WWII:.........................56
February 1940..................................56
War Thunder 101: Which.....................
Way To The Frontline?.....................58
Wordsearch......................................62
Caption Competition Winners.........63
Editor-in-Chief
Editor
KEEP IN TOUCH!
Contributors
Steve Greenfield
Kris West
Writer Daniel Heinkel280 Hoffman

Writer
David HJFarnsworth King
Writer
James Bralant
Writer
Allen Reynolds
Writer
John Zoso Moore
Writer
Bryce Freighttrain Hale
Writer
Rafal Rainmaker Gac
Writer
Cade Taize Rosenbalm
Writer
Chock Wee Boon
Photos
Martijn mhockx Hockx
Writer Christian Yuriegh Madsen
The GameOn Magazine
ARTICLE
NEW TOYS FOR EVERYONE!

The 1.47 sneak preview on the Dev Server certainly came earlier than expected, with Maus and
B-29 teases recently. Today, we bring you selected highlights of the new toys the developers have
been working hard on for the past few months since the Steel Generals 1.45 update.
NEW WAR MACHINES
Dev Server release, we are looking at 9 new tanks and

6 new planes (with 2 reworked existing planes in the
Lets start off with the usual culprit everyones hyped
A20G and La-5FN). Who knows, there could be more!
up about with every new patch: Sparkling new toys!
Note that with all Dev Server previews of the game,
This time round, its no different. With the first 1.47
the details in the final release version could change.
The GameOn Magazine
NEW TANKS
SUPER MOUSE
USA: M26E1 (Tier IV Premium), M42
First up, we have the super heavy tank Pz.Kpfw
Germany: Pz.Kpfw VI Tiger Ausf E, Pz.Kpfw
VIII Maus, which is nothing like the animal it is
VIII Maus, Flakpanzer Gepard, Marder III H

USSR: T-126 (Tier I Premium), T-28E, T-54-1949
named after. The prototypes of this monster

were being tested before Soviet forces overran
the testing grounds near the end of World War
NEW PLANES
II. You could almost hear the collective sigh of

relief from the Sherman and T-34 tank crews.
USA: B-57B, B-29

Germany: Bf.109G-14, Fw-200C-1
This is a monstrous beast that German tank players
USSR: IL-2 1941
have been hoping to come good, to challenge the
Japan: J2M4 Kai (Tier IV Premium)
IS-4M, T-55, M-47, M-103 and what have you at
ARTICLE
OTHER PLANES AND TANKS
Tier V tank combat. At 188 tons and armed with a

128 mm cannon AND a 75 mm co-axial cannon in
its turret, could this be the messiah the German
The Soviets get an early version of the famous Il-
tank players are waiting for? Downsides could be
2, the 1941 variant that sits directly before the first
the poor mobility and slow turret rotation, making
Il-2 in-game currently. This Il-2 (1941) trades the
it vulnerable to flanking attacks. This tank comes
armor-shredding VYa-23 cannons for a pair of ShVAK
directly after the last Tiger II tank in the tech tree, so
cannons, a less potent gun armament against ground
prepare yourselves for the largest tank ever built.
targets unfortunately. But, based on what weve

seen so far, it has a better bomb load (2 x 250 kg)
SUPER FORTRESS
compared to the other Il-2 variants. The Germans

get the Fw 200C-1 Condor, a huge beast of a bomber
Next, theres the Boeing B-29 Superfortress,
with a 3000 kg bomb load at Tier II and this is a
a rumor for the longest time ever thats finally
beautiful plane I personally very much look forward
turning into reality. This bomber is going to have
to. Following in the footsteps of the Cannonberra
the largest bomb load ever in War Thunder, as
for the British bomber tree, the Americans get
it is capable of carrying 20 000 pounds of pure
the B-57B variant armed with 8 M2 machine guns
destruction. Dont let its sleek airliner looks fool
and an impressive load of rockets and bombs.
you; it has the potential to single-handedly take
The tank players are not neglected certainly with
out 2 minibases in one pass and the airfield in
more new content, from the new SPAA introduced
3 passes, unless there is an update to the map
(M42 Duster and Flakpanzer Gepard) to new variants
mechanics when this plane finally makes its debut.
of existing tanks. The German tank players have
The GameOn Magazine
more reasons to rejoice as an updated version
UPDATED VEHICLES
(Ausf.E) of their much loved Tiger tank is introduced

with a better APCR round. The Soviets get another
Existing planes are not neglected either, as many
version of the T-54 (1949) to bridge the gap between
of them get continual improvements. First up, and
the 1947 and 1951 versions already in-game.
perhaps one of the bigger changes, is the Horten Ho.

229 with new engines (Jumo 004D), giving it more
thrust. The plane has been tested to have better
acceleration and top speed, making it more formidable
than the underpowered bat it is currently in-game.
The British (perhaps the country that received the
least love this time round) gets expanded options
for bombs and rockets for the Typhoon/Tempest
line; same goes for the American P-51 Mustangs.
There have been numerous other updates to the
Flight Models and Damage Models for the upcoming
update, so do check them on the Devblog as well!
GUNPODS
Interestingly, gunpods have been given quite a
lot of attention as well in this update. For now,
we know that the F-82 will be receiving its new
8-MG gunpod, making it pretty scary to say the
least, with 14 M3 .50 cals (it already has 6 M3
MGs) spraying an incredibly high burst mass
at anything it manages to point itself at.
The Ju 87D-5 Stuka dive bomber gets options to sling 2
gunpods, with 6 x 7.92 mm MG81 options or 2 x 20 mm
MG 151 in each gunpod. This thing is going to be as
ARTICLE
scary as a Fw 190 A5/U2 with potentially 6 MG 151/20
as well (there will be a difference in directional gun
firing at a plane unfortunate enough to be in front of it!
sounds depending on your viewing direction).

There will be enhanced vehicle to surface
OTHER QUALITY-OFLIFE IMPROVEMENTS
interaction according to the Devblog, with effects

for different surfaces like mud bogging down
tanks, and several enhancements and re-designs
More features have been added, with Binoculars
have been made to the existing Ground Forces
and Drivers Hatch views in Ground Forces (seems
maps to improve tactical features of terrain.
like a major overhaul is heading the Simulator Tank

Battles way). For Simulator Air Battles, there are
All these signs point to a better experience in War
also controls available to open and close the cockpit
Thunder, so look forward to your new toys and a
canopy, trading better viewing angles for top speed,
more immersive experience in War Thunder!
as well as instrument lights in cockpit view for night

battles. Directional sound optimization will be added
By Chock Wee Boon
The GameOn Magazine
ARTICLE
WAR THUNDER 101:

FLYING THE RED STAR
In this new 5-part series in War Thunder 101, we will be introducing general strategies to progress through
the research tree for each nation and how to line them up in arcade air battles. For this issue, we will start
off with the Soviet tree, which is one of the easier countries to play in if you are new to the game.
PROS
Very well-armored planes; less risk of pilot snipes

Strong Tier V lineup with MiG-15bis
interceptor (one of the best end-game
Very powerful fighters armed with cannons
planes) and the well-armed Il-28 bomber
(20mm and above) from Tier I onwards when

most planes are still armed with machine guns
Centreline cannons on most fighters allow you
CONS
to take shots at all ranges, without much need

for convergence to get maximum firepower
Heavy fighters are relatively weak in firepower
Deadly interceptors armed with 37mm+ cannons

for bomber hunting from Tier III onwards
Strong attacker lineup in the Ilyushin series
Heavy bombers (Yer-2) have one of the
largest bombloads (5000 kg) at Tier III
Very strong Tier I to III lineup, makes it
Low ammo count on most fighters,

although this is not a very big issue
as there is air reload in arcade
No heavy bombers in Tier IV
Relatively weak Tier IV fighter lineup
compared to other countries
easy for new players to start doing well
The GameOn Magazine
Before we begin discussing about the lineups, the
we will be putting planes with similar BR in the same
direction Im taking here is a balanced approach with a
lineup with focus on efficient RP gains; that is, no
good mix of fighters, attackers and bombers wherever
40% penalty for researching planes 2 tiers down.
possible for the lineups. Some players may one type

over the other, so replace the planes accordingly for your
The Battle Rating and matchmaking system is
preferred lineup. Give each of the types a try first to see
subject to changes, and the information below
if its suitable for you, although Ive found that a mixed
is accurate as of early February 2015.
approach works better in securing victories compared to

one which is narrower in breadth and options. This article
RESERVE TO BR 1.7
will provide a brief outline on the progression from Tiers

I till around Tier III, covering a BR bracket till around 4.0.
Suggested Lineup:
I-15 reserves x3, I-15 bis, I-16 Type 5 (5 fighters)
The suggested lineups are presented according to a
I-15 reserves x2, I-15 bis, BB-1, Su-2
5-plane format (which is the number of crew slots
MV-5 (3 fighters, 2 bombers)
that can be opened without using Golden Eagles),

and will follow a 3-fighter-2-bomber/attacker setup,
Right off the bat, you are blessed with very powerful
although there may be some exceptions for efficiency
I-15 fighters, armed with 4 MG that can fire API-T
reasons. Since matchmaking works on the BR system,
rounds (compared to 2 MG for other countries) and
ARTICLE
these are very deadly against other reserve fighters.
the Su-2 MV-5 bombers. With slightly upgraded
The lack of AP rounds would be more than offset
bombloads, these planes can take out clusters of
by the 2 extra MG for ground target strafing, which
lightly armed vehicles easily, while still retaining
should be your primary way of winning games.
the ability to kill ground units and the odd plane in

front of you using the 4 front-firing machine guns.
Try out the I-16 Type 5 for its handling; it is a very

maneuverable fighter which you will have no lack of
Recommended research: I-15bis (after the 3 reserve
later. The Type 5 has an underwhelming armament
I-15) I-16 Type 5 BB-1 Su-2 MV-5
compared to your I-15 but it should give you a good

feel of whether you want to use this plane later. Skip
BR 2.0
the I-153 Chaika as it has a significantly higher BR

of 3.0, only use it later on if you are confident.
Suggested lineup:
I-16 Type 10/18/24, LaGG-3-8, LaGG-3-11, Su-2
Bombers are not really required at this level as
M-82, SB 2M-100/103 (3 fighters, 2 bombers)
most targets can be taken out by any machine gun,

although you might want to try out the BB-1 and
This is really the golden age of the Soviet Air Forces.
The GameOn Magazine
The LaGG-3-8 and LaGG-3-11 should be your research
after researching it as this would pull your remaining
priority as it is very powerful at BR 2.0 and they will be
planes into higher tier matches. Research a couple
your first cannon-armed planes, which can take out your
of them (if there is going to be a BR jump) before
peers with a few well-placed shots while other planes
placing them in games together. Use Boom and
are still mostly using lower-caliber machine guns.
Zoom tactics with the LaGG 3 as they are not very

maneuverable and dont stay and turn fight.
Once you have these two planes, put them into your
lineup and you should notice a very big difference in
Round off the lineup with two of the BR 2.0 bombers,
the ease of getting aerial kills. I would not recommend
such as the Su-2 M-82 or the SB 2M bombers (-100
using one plane at a significantly higher BR right
and -103). Take note that the SB 2M-103U MV-3 and

SB 2M-105 have a much higher BR, so do not include
them in your lineup if you want to stay at BR 2.0. The
Su-2 M-82 has forward firing guns, good for taking out
lightly armored targets but has a smaller bombload; the
SB 2M bombers have better bombloads at the expense
of forward-firing guns. At BR 2+, targets such as tanks
and light pillboxes, as well as bases will start to appear,
and you will need bombs to take them out effectively.
Alternatively, if you fancy your role as a fighter pilot,
you can take a look at the remaining I-16 fighters
in Tier I (Type 10, 18 and 24) which have rockets but
no cannon armament. These maneuverable planes
are excellent at killing less maneuverable fighters
(which is almost all of them except for the Reserve
planes) by staying on their tails and riddling them
with bullet holes from the 4 ShKAS machine guns.
Recommended research: LaGG 3-8 LaGG 3-11
Su-2 M-82 SB 2M series I-16 (Tier I) series
ARTICLE
BR 2+
to your lineup. The Pe-3/E makes for a good ground

attacker too, once the bomb and rocket upgrades have
Suggested lineup:
been unlocked, and decently armed with machine guns
LaGG-3-35, MiG-3-15 (BK), MiG-3-34, Pe-3/E, SB
to take out softer targets, although you do need to get
2M-100/103 (3 fighters, 1 heavy fighter, 1 bomber)
through the research for Il-2 (which wont be wasted).
By now, Tier II should be unlocked and you can
You can try out the Yak-1 (and Pe-3 at Tier
introduce a few planes to slowly bring up your BR.
III as well) at BR 2.7, but care must be taken

not to bring your BR too near to 3.
The MiG-3 series are interceptors with good climb, which

can be used to take out the early bombers provided
Recommended research:MiG-3 series LaGG
you approach them carefully. In particular, the MiG-3-
3-35 Il-2 (but not used yet) Pe-3/E Yak-1
15 (BK) is potently armed with 5x MG (with 3 of them

being 12.7mm) and the MiG-3-34 has two 20 mm ShVAK
cannons, which can take out bombers with a well-aimed
burst. These planes are not the best at maneuvering with
fighters, so limit them to Boom and Zoom passes mostly.
LaGG-3-35 provides a slight upgrade all-round to the
previous LaGGs, and at BR 2.3, is a useful addition
The GameOn Magazine
EARLY BR 3+
clips, and the Lalas sticking with 20mm cannons. The

La-5 variants provide a big performance increase over
Suggested lineup: Yak-7B, MiG-3-15 (BK) or 3-34,
the LaGG-3 planes at the cost of a slight BR increase
La-5, Il-2, Il-4 (3 fighters, 1 attacker, 1 bomber)
of 0.3, so switch over to them as soon as possible.

Keep a fully upgraded fast-climbing interceptor with
Once you finish up research on Tier II and start
a decent punch (one of the MiG-3) in the lineup as
on Tier III, the suggested BR 2+ lineup will not be
bombers will start to appear in larger numbers.
effective anymore as Tier I planes are not effective

when researching Tier III planes (40% RP penalty).
The attackers introduced in BR 3+ will add another
Switch over to Tier II planes as soon as possible.
dimension to your gameplay. The Il-2 is a capable

attacker armed with a cannon that can shred tanks
For the fighter line, you have a choice between the
and other vehicles, and comes with bombs and
Yakovlev and the Lavochkin lines. Both fighter lines
rockets for that purpose too. You will not be attacking
are roughly similar in performance, with the Yaks
minibases and airfields with the bombs however,
being slightly more maneuverable while the Lalas are
as they are more effective against tactical ground
slightly faster. The big difference comes in the different
targets. If you wish to, you can also research through
armament systems adopted later on, with the Yaks
the Pe-3 heavy fighters to get to the Il-2M at a slightly
favouring larger but slower cannons with smaller
higher BR 3,3 but comes with a rear gunner. At BR
ARTICLE
3+, the Pe-3 heavy fighters are too lightly armed and
This late BR 3+ lineup spans Tier II & III as the distinction
not maneuverable, and you have a way better option
between BR and tiering gets blurred. Tier III should be
in the Il-2 series, so they are not recommended.
unlocked after a couple of plane purchases in Tier II.
The Il-4 is a decent and fast bomber at BR 3.0 for bases,
The Yak-9T (and its bigger brother, the Yak-9K after
with a maximum bomb load of 2000 kg. That can take
that) is armed with a big nasty cannon at BR 3.7.
out one whole minibase at lower tier games, and more
This allows the plane to take out a bomber in just a
than half health for the minibase at higher tier games.
couple of shots (or 1 if you hit the right parts), and

can be absolutely devastating (to the tune of blowing
Recommended research: LaGG 3-66 La-5
it right out of the sky) when used on fighters.
Yak-7B Yak-1B Yak-9 Il-2 Il-4
LATE BR 3+
The I-16 Type 28 is very maneuverable, packs a heavy

punch but has a very fragile airframe and low top speed,
and at BR 4.3, enemies can disengage and engage at
Suggested lineup:
will with the difference in speed and acceleration.
Yak-9T, La-5, La-5F, Il-2M, Il-4 (3

fighters, 1 attacker, 1 bomber)
Recommended research: La-5F Yak-9T Il-2M
The GameOn Magazine
BR 4 AND BEYOND
of other nations which are more optimized in terms

of their flight performance at medium altitudes and
Planes to take note of: Yak-9K, Yak-3P, La-9, I-185
above, so care must be taken when engaging them.
series, Il-10 (the first one), Yer-2 series, Tu-2 series

The Soviets have a particularly strong bomber lineup
Replace the La-5 at Tier II with another Tier III
in Tier III when they get their Yer-2 bombers at BR
plane at BR 4.0 to 4.3 (La-5FN, Yak-3, I-185 (M-82),
4.3 to 4.7, as the earlier versions have a maximum
Yak-9K) once you are researching Tier IV rides.
bomb load of 4000 kg, while the ACh-30B engined

versions have 5000 kg, more than enough to take out
The I-185 series offer the Soviet Air Force an high altitude
a minibase with some bombs to spare, and can take
interceptor at higher tiers, something which the Yaks
out an airfield with only a few passes. The Pe-2 dive
and Lalas are not the best at until the later variants as
bombers are more of a niche in arcade mode as they
Soviet doctrine favoured lower altitudes in conjunction
are vulnerable to fighters at that tier, and the smaller
with ground forces. The Yaks and Lalas are mostly
bombs (and the recent bomb radius decrease) mean
incremental improvements to previous versions with
that considerable skill is required to work these
performance bumps, although most of them will have
planes effectively in attacking ground targets.
some difficulty challenging the prop-driven fighters
By Chock Wee Boon
REVIEW
MACCHI C.202
FOLGORE REVIEW
t the start of the war Italy realized that they were
production in 1941 and saw service in every theatre
behind. In the 30s the Italians had decided to stick
Italy was involved in the war up to armistice in 43.
with radial engines forcing them to use the able but

aging Fiat A.74 engine in new aircraft design. While the
Differing from the M.C. 200, the Folgore featured
M.C. 200 performed admirably, it was not enough to
a more streamlined surface to accommodate the
compete against the Royal Air Force and was obsolete.
new engine. The DB.601 drove a 3-bladed variable
Italy, realizing their mistake, bought a production
pitch prop with the radiator moved underneath the
license for the Daimler-Benz DB.601 engine and built
cockpit. The 202 also added two 7.92 mm machine
a plane around it. Much like its predecessor the M.C.
guns in the wings to go with the twin 12.7s in the
200 it could enter a flat spin, had poor armament
nose, and had armor in the cockpit which was a
and faulty radios. Despite this the Folgore could hold
first for many Italian pilots who did not have that
her own against the P-40s, Hurricanes, and Spitfires
luxury in other fighters before. The premier Italian
she came up against. The Folgore was put into
fighter by the end of the war had fought for three
The GameOn Magazine
countries and seen action in Malta, North Africa,

Russia, and the Balkans. Outgunned, outmaneuvered,
outclassed, and perhaps ... underestimated?
STATISTICS
Rank: I
dead stop to 4K meters is 3 minutes 26 seconds.

Maneuverability: 7/10 - You wont be out-turning
most planes. Still agile at most speeds.
Overall Rating: 7/10 - Not a great plane for
beginners.
SUGGESTED STRATEGY
Battle Rating: 1.7/2.3/2.3

Max Speed: 600 km/g at 6,000m
Boom and Zoom: The M.C. 202 has no equal at tier
Max Altitude: 11,500
1 with regards to speed and climb rate. If you climb
Turn Time: 21.4
from the start, you will be the highest plane in the air.
Rate of Climb: 25.6 m/s
Lack of heavier-calibre armament will be frustrating
Takeoff Run: 368m
so avoid bombers! While you can retain speed in a
PLANE INFORMATION
turn I do not recommend it, stay in the vertical!
By ChristianYuriegh Madsen
Excellent acceleration
Fantastic rate-of-climb
Average turn-time
1800 rounds of machine gun
ammunition (You will need it)
Clear cockpit with almost 360 degrees of view
Wings break at speed of 805 km/h
RATING
Firepower: 4/10 - You will have a
hard time killing anything.)
Speed: 10/10 - Retains speed in turn. At BR of
1.7 you will outspeed everything fully upgraded.
Climb Rate: 10/10 - Climb-rate is excellent, from
ARTICLE
WAR THUNDER 101:

ROLLING THUNDER
This article in War Thunder 101 takes a look at the different tank modes available to help you make a more
informed choice in your quest to be the next Kurt Knispel, Creighton Abrams or Mariya Oktyabrskaya!
ARCADE TANK BATTLES

LINE-UP & MATCHMAKING
Arcade Tank Battles provide an introduction to tank
battles in War Thunder, with some aim assist features
In tank arcade battles, you are allowed a maximum of
to help novice players familiarise themselves with
three spawns in tanks as of version 1.45. You can put
the concept of firing at weaker parts of the armor,
as many tanks as you have in your crew slots, but you
and a kill-streak feature that allows players to
are only allowed to drive out three tanks in any given
hop into a plane as a reward, a feature that was
battle. All tanks have one drive-out, while reserve tanks
recently implemented alongside the introduction of
are allowed a maximum of three drive-outs. Players
multiple self-propelled anti-aircraft artillery units.
of different countries are mixed together in a team.
The GameOn Magazine
For matchmaking as of version 1.45, only the
When the aerial mode is activated, a small number
highest BR of the tank in your lineup is taken
of players on each team are allowed to join in with a
into account; the BR difference between the
fighter to defend or destroy the attacker or bomber.
highest and lowest rated player is 1.0.
The fighters will also only last a short while until

they get shot down or ditched at the end of the timer.
AERIAL MODE
Kills made using these planes during the aerial

mode will count towards Research Points for that
In arcade tank battles, securing kills allows players to
particular tank at the end of the battle as well.
activate an aerial mode by selecting either an attacker

or bomber to fly out for a short while; the icons at the
AIMING
bottom of the screen light up when enough kills have

been made. These planes are not necessarily the ones
In arcade tank battles, the scope for firing your main
researched in the players hangars, do not count towards
gun has several aim assist features not available in
the three spawns and come pre-selected with a default
other game modes. The crosshair uses a system
loadout. There will be a timer activated for the players
of colors to show the player whether the round
to hide the tank theyre driving (and the tank remains
will penetrate before the player fires the gun.
on the battlefield throughout the flying duration and are

targetable by enemy players, so you better hide it well!).
A green crosshair means the round will penetrate,

while yellow shows a possibility of penetration and
ARTICLE
VIEWS
In arcade tank battles, the player gets a third-person
view (similar in realistic tank battles) so that the player
has a better situational awareness. In addition, when
an enemy is spotted, the name, tank type and range
are also shown on the tag. Players can select and track
the opponent tank as well, similar to an air battle.
REALISTIC TANK BATTLES

Realistic tank battles are a step-up from arcade
tank battles, removing the aim assist features and
tweaking the aerial mode by having a Spawn Points
system, although other features remain the same.
red indicates that the round will not penetrate. The

crosshair is also adjusted for the drop of the rounds due
to gravity, thus aiming the tank gun is a much simpler
affair, though shells may still deviate slightly in flight, so
THE GUN SIGHT ALSO

HAS A RANGEFINDER
(ON THE RIGHT HAND
SIDE OF THE SCOPE)
THAT TELLS YOU THE
RANGE FROM THE
TANK TO WHERE
IT IS POINTING
are not guaranteed to land precisely on the crosshair.
MATCHMAKING
The gun sight also has a rangefinder (on the right hand
side of the scope) that tells you the range from the tank
As of version 1.45, the matchmaking for realistic and
to where it is pointing, as well as the armor thickness
simulator tank battles are done using the highest
and armor angle that the crosshair is currently on.
ranked vehicle in your lineup, grouping players with
The GameOn Magazine
a maximum BR rating of 1.0 together, although
gauge for the range and spotting for their impact
there is word from the developers that this could
become essential as well to get kills on the enemy.
change soon. Unlike arcade battles, realistic battles

(and simulator battles) group tanks into nations,
SP SYSTEM
making gameplay reflect historical engagements.

Realistic tank battles work on a system of Spawn Points
AIMING AND VIEWS
(SP). Each player is given an initial amount of SP to spend

to get the first tank to participate in the battle. SP can
The gun scope in realistic tank battles does not
be gained by completing mission objectives as well as
have the aim assist features available in arcade
damaging or destroying enemy vehicles. Players can hop
tank battles. Players still get a third person view
into another vehicle as long as they have enough SP and
(similar to arcade tank battles) and enemy tags
those who have insufficient SP to spawn anything in their
are displayed without range information.
line-up are retired for the session. Subsequent SP can

be used to spawn in planes if it is included in the players
Players have to estimate the range of the enemy tanks
lineup; unlike aerial mode in arcade tank battles you use
for accurate shot placement using the ticks present in the
your own aircraft and loadout, and there is no time limit.
gun sight. There is a way to determine the range of the

target tank using its size when seen through the scope
The SP cost varies according to vehicle types, with light
and its actual size, which can then be vertically adjusted
tanks costing the least and heavy tanks costing the most.
for the shell drop due to the range. Firing rounds to
For planes, the SP cost generally increases from fighters
ARTICLE
to attackers to bombers, while larger bomb loads and
tank battles do not have planes, something different
planes of higher BR increase the SP required as well.
from arcade and realistic tank battles, and is also one
Therefore, it is imperative that players have a balanced
of the reasons why some people prefer this mode: Pure
lineup of planes and tanks suitable for the mission.
tank combat without any interruptions from planes.
SIMULATOR TANK BATTLES
LINE-UP
Simulator tank battle, in contrast to its air counterpart,
The simulator tank mode is much more straightforward
is relatively easier to get into in terms of difficulty level.
relative to its arcade and realistic counterparts. There
Most of the features in realistic tank battles apply, except
are no mixed battles involving planes; everything is
for the ones discussed below. In addition, simulator
pure tank combat. The game allows the player to
The GameOn Magazine
enter the battle with only one vehicle. The different
or the gun scope, which is no easy feat. Watching for
classes of vehicles matter: Reserve tanks get 3 drive-
enemy fire becomes crucial to spotting their positions
outs; heavy tanks (and late-tier tank destroyers) get
from a tree line or cover behind buildings. It is a
1 owing to their combination of heavy firepower and
much more authentic tank battle experience without
thick armour, while all others get 2 drive-outs.
the name tag giving cover and concealment away.

Camouflage is very crucial in simulator tank battles
VIEWS
as a good colour scheme in the right place can totally

blend a tank into its surroundings, making it practically
The third person view of tanks is also stripped
impossible for the enemy to spot if its not firing.
from the simulator tank mode; players are given

only the view from the commanders cupola by
This is also a reason why simulator tank battles are
default, which is fairly close to the top of the tank
relatively popular (compared to air simulator battles
turret. Picture a zoomed-in view of the third person
in terms of percentage of tank playerbase) among
view in arcade and realistic tank battles and thats
some tank players, as the removal of the tag adds
about the view you get in simulator tank battles.
a lot more to the realism of the tank game.
There are no name tags to mark out enemies; players
By Chock Wee Boon
have to spot the tanks using their commanders view
FICTION
TIME TO FACE THE ENEMY

I
am always worried. I can never be calm,

there are too many things that could kill me.
Granted, I might be able to escape easier than,

say, the driver, but that also means that I am
exposed to the elements and to whatever comes
hurling at us faster than the speed of sound.
Akim, We have a target, my gunner David
says, It seems that it is a Panzer III.
Do you have a shot? I reply.
Yes, I believe I do.
Take it then.
THE WHOLE TRACTOR

ROCKS BACK AS THE
POWERFUL ZIS-2 GUN
SHOOTS A ROUND THAT
RIPS THROUGH THE AIR
AND CONSEQUENTLY
THROUGH THE
PANZER.
The whole tractor rocks back as the powerful ZiS2 gun shoots a round that rips through the air and
consequently through the Panzer. The crew of the
enemy tank burn inside their blown-up metal coffin.
The Russian winter sends chills down my spine.
The GameOn Magazine
We have to move. There is more than likely
member of the crew and the machine gunner.
more of them down the road, I finally say.
Then replace him! I yell.
The driver, following my orders, moves our position
After a few seconds we start turning again. A
more towards the rest of the defensive line.
round from the 50mm cannon barely misses us.
Can we move faster, Bronislav? I yell at

my driver over the roar of the engine.
Fire when ready! I shout.
I cant. Shes only got 50 horsepower.

The ZiS-30 wasnt built for speed.
When we turn around, the Panzer III is about 10 m

away and cant possibly miss the next shot. Time slows
I shrug and look at the beauty of the forest that is to my
to a crawl as both our tanks get ready to fire. I see the
left and think of the poem The Current of Times River.
sweat on the brow of David as he looks at the enemy.
I think of how my deeds will echo through time, for I
Yes, I will be glad to go down with this crew.
fight for the Motherland and for that my deeds will not
go unhonored. The sound of gunfire snaps me out of
But that didnt happen, instead a 57mm
my trance. What was I thinking, not paying attention?
shell going through the conveniently placed

drivers viewing port at 10 metres.
Coming from behind! I exclaim.

Great, I think, Just what we need.
Get us home Nikolay. I say in a soft, hushed voice.
Panzer III, its faster than us, I tell my crew.

Well, I think its time to face our enemy,
We continue down the wet, muddy path
I yell after a moment of thinking.
towards Leningrad. We stop after noticing
Bronislav starts to turn the tractor as the Panzer
the presence of German flak around the city.
III, seeing what we are about to do, fires a
Then, it hits us. Leningrad is not ours.
machine gun burst into the front of the tractor.

Bronislav might be dead, says Nikolay, the newest
By Bryce Freighttrain Hale
ARTICLE
WAR THUNDER 101: TURN

FIGHTING & ENERGY
MANEUVERS
In this War Thunder 101 article, we will be exploring the basics of flying a fighter plane, touching on some
simple ways to enhance your turn fighting and some energy-related concepts such as Boom and Zoom.
n War Thunder, this will most likely be the way of
trying to follow them in their turns are impossible.
fighting you will inevitably pick up when you first
No matter what, your brand new P-36 Hawk that
play the game: As the enemy plane streaks across
turns like a brick is never going to get a proper firing
in front of you, you start to drag your aiming reticule
solution at a He-51 thats running circles around you.
so that it is on the enemy planes lead indicator (that

white circle) and hammer away at the guns, hoping to
nail that plane. In doing so, your plane automatically
drags itself to follow the enemy plane, twisting and
turning to keep up with the enemy movements.
Welcome to turn fighting.
TURN FIGHTING
TURN FIGHTING IS
THE GAME FOR A
SELECT GROUP OF
PLANES THAT ARE
BLESSED WITH THE
AGILITY TO CHANGE
THEIR DIRECTION
ALMOST AT WILL.
Turn fighting, also historically known as angle
Turn fighting is the game for a select group of planes
fighting, is to achieve a positional advantage using a
that are blessed with the agility to change their direction
maneuverable aircraft so that there is a guns solution
almost at will. The planes that you get as Reserves (Ki-10,
on the target plane. As you research a wider diversity
He 51, P-26, Gladiator, Nimrod and I-15), the Japanese
of planes, youll inevitably realise one thing: some
A6M Reisen and the Ki-43 Hayabusa, the Soviet I-16, as
planes are more maneuverable than others and
well as the British Spitfires are among the best you can
The GameOn Magazine
get for turn fighting. This is of course not to say that the
In a turn fight, you will want to exploit the maneuvering
other planes cant, but they are worse off and if you want
capability of your planes to the maximum. Whenever
to win an aerial duel, you should not be turn fighting a
you use mouse aim to fly your plane, the instructor (or
plane thats significantly more maneuverable than yours.
the flying assistant code) automatically tries to point the

nose of your plane at your aiming reticule and calculates
FLYING CONTROLS
how much to deflect your plane controls to match the

cursor. This is good when you are just starting out, but
First, in order to maximize the planes maneuverability,
very quickly, you will realize that you are not making
you need to know a little bit about aircraft controls.
full use of your planes maneuvering capabilities as the

instructor does not maximize your maneuverability.
A plane has three axes which it can change its direction,

and they are called roll, pitch and yaw, which is controlled
However, when you use the keyboard to control the
by the ailerons (on the wings), elevators (on the horizontal
plane, you can override this handicap, and consequently
stabilizer) and rudders (on the vertical stabilizer).
maneuver using the full control deflection, allowing

you to make tighter turns and rolls. Whenever you
ARTICLE
turn in a combat situation, always use manual
it fall under the stall speed, which will leave
controls to make the aircraft turn tighter when
your plane unresponsive and vulnerable.
pursuing enemy planes or escaping from one.
FLAPS
In War Thunder, for most players who start out using
keyboard and mouse (simple setup), roll is mapped
Most aircraft have flaps that you can deploy in combat
to A & D and yaw is on Q and E by default (W and S
to make sharper turns as it increases lift on the
are for throttle). The only problem is the pitch, which
wings. Flaps increase drag too, causing a larger
is mapped to Page Up and Page Down and is not very
drop in speed. Only deploy it in that instant when you
accessible. Remap your controls and put them closer
need the extra bit of turn to get a firing solution, as
to your left hand, so that you have all the controls near
it will leave your plane much slower as you exit the
each other. I personally prefer it to be on R and F, but
turn and makes you a more vulnerable target.
you can choose any key thats easily accessible. Another
DISADVANTAGES IN TURN FIGHTING
control scheme for keyboard and mouse (advanced)

places the elevator controls on W and S if you prefer. Take
some time to get used to the controls by flying practice
In making horizontal turns, you will realise that
flights before taking to the air against other players.
your speed drops quickly, and especially so at high

speeds. This is because as you turn, your plane
Manage your throttle as well, as slower airspeeds
produces more drag, which in turn slows down
allow for turns with a smaller radius. Keep an
your aircraft. Losing too much speed will also
eye on your indicated airspeed and do not let
cause the aircraft to stall, as there is not enough
The GameOn Magazine
airflow over the wings to produce enough lift.
this energy is interchangeable. A plane at a high speed
That is why players need to recognize that they should
has lots of kinetic energy, which can be converted
not enter into a pursuit turn fight situation every
to potential energy in a climb to gain altitude at the
time they encounter an enemy. Assess the situation,
expense of a slower plane. Vice versa, a plane at high
and only turn fight if you are sure that you will get a
altitude can convert its potential energy into kinetic
guns solution on the enemy, and that your aircraft
energy in a dive, allowing the plane to fly much faster.
is a better turn fighter than your enemys. Know the

relative performance of the planes, and only oblige
Why is understanding energy so important?
in fights where you know you have the advantage.
ENERGY CONCEPTS
Firstly, as mentioned slightly earlier, horizontal turns

make you lose energy quickly, and this puts your
plane in a more vulnerable position as a slow target
A second concept that players need to be
is an easy target. As much as possible, you want
familiar to do well in air combat is energy. Before
to keep energy up for use in combat situations and
we begin, a little bit of simple Physics:
avoid wasting your energy in wasteful maneuvers.
A plane has both kinetic energy in the form of speed
Next, energy can be used to perform maneuvers
and potential energy in the form of its altitude, and
that allow you to get into firing solutions on enemy
ARTICLE
planes, such as pulling sharp turns (which use up lots
this tactic to get kills. Such planes usually have a
of energy), or to make your plane go faster by diving
good dive speed (usually the heavier fighters like the
using a technique called Boom and Zoom (BnZ).
P-47 Thunderbolt, Focke-Wulf Fw 190, Typhoon &

Tempest series and most of the twin-engined fighters),
Tip: At the start of every battle, always try to build up your energy
accelerate very fast in a dive, and remain relatively
reserves by climbing to a higher altitude. A simple recommendation is to
maneuverable at high speeds (as opposed to having
make sure that the climbing is always done in stages, while maintaining
compressibility effects locking up the controls).
airspeed of around 250-300 km/h. When WEP is available, climb at

a steeper angle (around 25-30 degrees), flattening out at a shallow
BnZ occurs in two phases. The first phase is the
angle when WEP runs out until you get to the desired altitude, while
Boom phase, where your plane at a higher altitude
keeping the airspeed. This way, if you need to enter a battle, you have
spots another plane at a lower altitude and begins a
sufficient energy reserves to convert for a high-speed pass at a target.
dive towards the target, building up speed for a pass

that makes your plane less vulnerable. The second
BOOM AND ZOOM
phase is the Zoom phase after you pass your target

(hopefully it is dead), where you pull up to gain back your
altitude, converting the kinetic energy from your diving
BnZ is a technique using energy principles and can
speed back into potential energy, and you re-orientate
be used for planes that are not very maneuverable,
yourself for another pass at the same aircraft (if you
and some of these planes actually excel in using
failed to kill it in the first pass) or on a new target. Try
The GameOn Magazine
not to get into a turning chase as much as possible as
identify and counter it is important too. One of the easiest
this bleeds away the kinetic energy youve built up at
is usually to duck under it using the Split-S maneuver
the end of your dive, and your primary purpose is to
(see below) as it approaches, or begin a turn under the
make sure energy is conserved as much as possible.
path the attacker came from so that it needs to correct

its path. A diving plane at very high speeds usually will
You are also at your most vulnerable state during your
suffer from stiffened controls due to compressibility,
Zoom phase (from other fighters, or your target turning
making them less maneuverable and cannot correct their
around and taking pot shots at you) because you are
path in time for a guns solution on you, especially when
slowing down, so only do a zoom climb if there is no
they are responding to your actions, which introduces a
immediate danger. If there is danger, continue in your
bit of lag time as well. It also whittles away their energy
high state of kinetic energy and extend the distance
reserves more than yours as they will lose a lot of energy
from other enemy planes before climbing back up.
at higher speeds to drag, so after dodging a few BnZ

attempts, the enemy attacker will have less energy to do
so and you are better able to plot your counterattack.
VERTICAL MANEUVERS
Lastly, to end off this introduction to energy maneuvers,
we will introduce two energy-efficient vertical maneuvers
that can be used to change direction, whether in
COUNTERING THE BOOM AND ZOOM

BnZ is a common tactic in air battles, so knowing how to
YOU ARE ALSO

AT YOUR MOST
VULNERABLE STATE
DURING YOUR ZOOM
PHASE ... BECAUSE YOU
ARE SLOWING DOWN,
SO ONLY DO A ZOOM
CLIMB IF THERE IS NO
IMMEDIATE DANGER.

ARTICLE
combat or during cruise. These methods are more
a second pass or to reassess the situation below.
preferable to horizontal turns in changing directions as
Always make sure you have sufficient airspeed

as you exit near the top, and make a mental
note of the minimum airspeed required for each
the energy loss is less compared to horizontal turns.

First up, we have the Immelmann turn, which is
airplane to enter the Immelmann turn.
used to change direction or even reverse it with a
The Split-S is very much like the Immelmann
gain in altitude. First, you pull up on the elevators,
turn, but in the reverse order. First, flip the plane
drawing a vertical semicircle. As you near the top of
belly-up, then nose down, drawing a vertical semi
your semicircle with a lower speed, roll around and
circle. As you reach the bottom of the semicircle at
adjust accordingly and head off in the new direction.
a higher speed, head off in the new direction.

This move allows the pilot to gain speed very quickly
This allows the pilot to make a change in direction losing
as the downward flip is aided by gravity, and can
substantially less energy compared to a horizontal
be a way to escape a pursuing fighter by suddenly
turn, and can be used after a Boom and Zoom attack
reversing back under it, especially if it has a huge
during the Zoom Phase to reposition the plane for
speed advantage, such as when you are being attacked
THIS ALLOWS THE

PILOT TO MAKE A
CHANGE IN DIRECTION
LOSING SUBSTANTIALLY
LESS ENERGY
by a Boom and Zoom attack. This way, it needs to

make a much bigger turn (and waste more energy and
time) while you fly out of harms way. Do note that the
higher your airspeed, the larger the turn radius, so be
careful when performing this close to the ground.
By Chock Wee Boon
The GameOn Magazine
FACTS
WORLD WAR 2 FACTS #2

Ireland: Both British and German pilots were
interned in the Curragh Camp, County Kildare, in
the neutral Republic of Ireland. They were allowed
to leave the camp and go to the pub, as long as
they signed a form promising not to escape.
USA: One airship was shot down in World War
II: K-74 of the US Navy, while attacking U-boat
U-134 off the coast of Florida in 1943.
USSR: Lieutenant Ivan Chisov survived a fall
of almost 22,000 ft (6700 m) with no parachute
after bailing out of an Il-4 bomber; he planned
to freefall to avoid being an easy target and
open his parachute at low altitude but lost
consciousness, landing in a snowy ravine.
The GameOn Magazine
Sweden: With just encoded messages to

work from, Swedish mathematician Arne
Beurling reverse-engineered the Siemens and
Halske T52 cipher machine in two weeks.
Japan: The largest submarines of World War II
were the Japanese I-400 class, capable of carrying
3 Aichi M6A aircraft; an attack on the Panama
Canal was planned, but never carried out.
Canada: A German automatic weather station
codenamed Kurt was deployed in Newfoundland
by U-boat in 1943, and only rediscovered in 1977.
UK: Major John Mad Jack Churchill went into combat
armed with a broadsword, longbow and bagpipes.
Germany: Fanta was created by Coca-Cola
Deutschland in 1940 when they were unable to
import Coca-Cola syrup due to a trade embargo.
By John Zoso Moore
ARTICLE
WAR THUNDER COMING TO

GAMING TABLETS
oming to the tablet iteration of NVidia Shield
But NVidia dont do things by halves - this thing does
this year is War Thunder. Designed primarily for
PC game streaming too. If you have a compatible
the Shield Tablet, expect as complete an experience
NVidia graphics card in your PC, then it makes
as you would find on the PC/PS4. The Shield allows
the whole process even easier. The simplicity
you to take your War Thunder experience away
of unticking a box and pairing your handheld
from your main gaming machine. But what exactly
device to your computer is all thats required to
is the Shield, and where did it come from?
start playing the most impressive of controllercompatible PC games, right in your hands or
connected to your TV with the HDMI out port.
The series of products from gaming giant NVidia

brings a new life to Android gaming and beyond. Unlike
most bespoke Android gaming consoles, the NVidia
After the launch of the NVidia Shield Console
Shield series is fully portable whilst still having the
had overwhelmingly positive reviews, it was
same functionality as many other Android consoles.
only natural that it had a prompt follow-up, one

that improved and advanced on the original.
The original product in the series, the NVidia Shield

Console was released back in 2013. The device
The NVidia Shield Tablet packs a huge 1920x1200
mounts a high-end 5-inch, 720p tablet atop a console
8, highly responsive touchscreen, stereo front-
grade controller, giving you a truly portable device
facing speakers and the new Tegra K1 processor,
designed for some intense and high-end Android
bringing the best out of the tablet and its games.
gaming. With a couple of games pre-installed, the
As a standalone tablet it is one of the more
NVidia Shield Console is also an Android device,
powerful on the market - but as a gaming device,
with a touch-screen and all the functionality of a
it really shines. Along with the tablet, the separate
generic Android Jelly Bean tablet and then some,
bespoke NVidia Shield Controller and Tablet Cover
with its impressive hardware specifications.
complete the gaming and usability experience.
The GameOn Magazine
The more powerful internals mean that the tablet
As well as the same painless PC streaming as NVidias
can play some supremely impressive games for
handheld, users can stream their gameplay on Twitch,
something so small. Available from the off is a
sharing their best highlights to those who follow them.
selection of 20 NVidia optimised PC games to
On top of the portability, NVidias Shield Tablet, much
download for free including 2Ks NBA series and
like the handheld, can be connected directly to a TV,
Valves legendary puzzler Portal, with hundreds of
turning it into a fully-fledged 60fps games console.
more on Shield Hub, NVidias bespoke marketplace

and even more so on Googles Play store.
The handheld gaming scene has had its ups and

downs, especially in the West but NVidias Shield range
The separately sold Shield controller has a touchpad
can really shine given the right exposure. If developers
that works wonders with the tablet and acts as a
and NVidia continue to support the platform then it
mouse cursor when you are away from the tablet.
wont just be a powerful handheld, but a staple gaming
Mounted on the top is a microphone for voice
device in the household, especially for PC gamers.
navigation and inside is a 5 GHz wi-fi connection for

low-latency gaming - the perfect accompaniment,
By James Bralant
especially if you are using the tablet on the big screen.
INTERVIEW
INTERVIEW WITH LASSAR

In this issue, we pose some questions to Lassar, the popular (and some say legendary) figure around
the War Thunder forums. Lassar is one of the main developers working on War Thunder planes, and
he has been graciously answering questions from gamers about plane updates and releases.
Q: What do you do at Gaijin, and specifically,
what do you do for War Thunder?
support, marketing, etc.), there are around 70

individuals working on War Thunder at the moment.
A: My name is Kirill Vostretsov

AKA Lassar, and Im a game
Q: How long does it take to collect information,
designer responsible for the
design, produce the model, test, and finally
aviation part of War Thunder.
implement an aircraft or tank into War Thunder?

Which part tends to take the longest time?
Q: How long have
A: It depends on many factors number of vehicles built,
you worked for Gaijin Entertainment?
how many countries used them. The more popular the
A: Over 2 years.
aircraft or tank was, the easier it is to gather information,

blueprints, photos, etc. In any case, each new vehicle
Q: How large is the team thats working on War
takes several months of R&D before appearing in the
Thunder? Is the team dedicated to War Thunder
game. The longest part is the gathering and checking
only,or are you guys working on multiple projects?
of all the information and creation of 3D-model.
A: If you count only the developers (not counting
The GameOn Magazine
Q: Considering that there are only a few attacker
Q: Now that tanks like the T-62A and Leopard
aircraft at the moment, are there plans to increase their
1 have been confirmed, is the games overall
numbers in War Thunder? Can we expect one in 1.47?
cut-off date being extended? If so, will we be
A: Of course were planning to add more attacker
seeing aircraft built in similar dates?
planes into game. I cant promise anything in the 1.47
A: We have stated many times before, the air combat
update, but for example, were working on an extended
gameplay of War Thunder isnt suited for guided
line-up of the Ju-88. There will be several attacker
air-to-air missiles, so were going to stick to Korean
versions, including one with a 75-mm cannon.
War for planes. In the case of ground vehicles, the

evolution of ground warfare wasnt so dramatic
Q: Most small-caliber guns in War Thunder do low
T-54/55, for example, is still in service in many
amounts of damage, are these weapons unfinished?
countries, although it was developed in 1946.
A: We are currently checking the

situation with small-caliber guns.
Q: Out of all the aircraft in-game,

which one is your favorite?
Q: When a suggestion on the War Thunder forums
A: The Pe-2-205
gets Passed to Development, what are the

chances of it eventually being added to the game?
Q: Which aircraft are you currently most excited about?
A: We are regularly checking the players suggestions
A: The Fw 200 C-1
and if we see any good ones, we try to adapt and

implement them. As long as they dont interfere
Q: When the game is finally finished, roughly how
with the current development roadmap.
many aircraft can we expect to see in War Thunder?
INTERVIEW
A: Its hard to say even if we take only aircraft
an ever-evolving multiplayer title like War Thunder,
that were planned long ago (all of them regular,
communitys feedback is one the most effective ways to
premium, the bonus ones and the Italian tree), the
know their concerns, what needs to be checked or fixed.
total number of aircraft in the game will be over

Q: Will we be seeing bomber cockpits anytime
600. And we receive new ideas all the time!
soon? Which ones will come first?

Q: Are there going to be any new
A: Most probably well reveal something new in the
Japanese aircraft in 1.47?
next few months. Maybe Il-28 will be one of the first.
A: Yes, there will be a new Japanese aircraft in 1.47

Q: When can we expect the Fleet
Q: What led you to create your thread on the forums
Air Arms line of aircraft?
where youve been generously answering questions
A: I cant state any dates, but the Fleet Air Arm is
from the community about upcoming aircraft?
one of our priorities right now. When were done,
A: It was the initiative of our community team in the first
there will be a whole naval line on all Tiers of the
place. But anyway, I believe that with any game, especially
British research tree, from biplanes to jets.
The GameOn Magazine
Q: There was a lot of talk a while back about a
will it feature? Are there some aircraft we would
possible International Tech Tree for countries
expect to see with the release, such as the Re.2005?
such as Sweden, any comments?
A: At the moment were planning the minimum number
A: Actually, there is a community project
of aircraft that we need for a separate Italian nation. It will
going on dedicated to International Tech
consist of fighters and bombers with several premium
Tree. I watch their progress very closely and
aircraft. We are also checking if we have enough material
plan to help them here and there.
to start working on some new models. Well be ready to

show Italian release tree not earlier than Q2 2015.
Q: Finally, when can we expect to see an Italian release

tree for War Thunder and roughly how many aircraft
By Daniel Heinkel280 Hoffman
REVIEW
M2A4 REVIEW
he Light Tank M2 was designed in 1935 before
M2 Lights were produced between 1935 and 1940.
technological progress sped up due to wartime
American factories produced about 696 tanks from
demands. Despite being slightly outdated by World
this line. The M2A4 was the first production model
War II, the M2 saw combat with the US Marine Corps
in 1938 featuring the 37mm standard infantry gun.
1st Tank Battalion on Guadalcanal in 1942. The tank

was not used in any other WWII conflicts, even though
GAME
some records suggest M2A4s served in Burma and

India with the British 7th Hussars and 2nd Royal
The M2A4 is the first tank in US Ground Forces tree.
Tank Regiment during their engagements with the
Armour is not impressive - between 15 and 37 mm,
Imperial Japanese Army 14th Tank Regiment. The
but those numbers are similar to most of the other
M2A4, which is Tier 1 reserve tank in US Ground
Tier 1 reserve tanks in the game. Certainly M2A4 is
Forces Tree, was the immediate predecessor of the
not tough, but it has impressive speed and is very
M3 Stuart series of light tanks, but also M2 Medium
maneuverable. If used properly, it is dangerous to
Tank. Although M2 Medium was unsuccessful
opponents. The 37mm cannon using HE, AP and APC
design due to rather poor parameters comparing to
ammunition is capable damage dealer with a rather
mediums representing other WWII nations, it evolved
impressive rate of fire. Overall this tank is fun to play.
later into the M3 Lee and finally the M4 Sherman.
The GameOn Magazine
RATING
SUGGESTED STRATEGY
Firepower: 6/10 - Rate of fire is great,
Rushing and frontal attacks are not likely to end
penetration depends on opponents armour
with success. After getting its suspension or
- this can be frustrating when fighting
engine damaged, M2A4 can be killed easily by
against some of tanks with higher BR.
enemy shots as it relies on its mobility to survive.
Precision: 9/10 - The gun, like most of
When using M2A4, flanking is the solution.
the other US cannons, is very precise.

Even at longer ranges up to 1000m.
Also, cooperation with another light tanks of similar
Speed: 9/10 - This is very quick tank, but requires
speed can make M2 Light very useful. Flanking
some skills as it is light and prone to drifting.
with pack of well coordinated M2A4s can mess with
Maneuverability: 7/10 - Turning on the M2A4 is very
enemies rushing frontally to the objective. Speed
easy on the forward gear When reversing,manoeuvres
advantage will help with finding good shooting
are nearly impossible and this can be deadly when you
position at the side or rear of enemy tanks.
are trying to maneuver out of a dangerous situations

Armour: 4/10 - The armor thickness is not
Keep a reasonable distance and remember to use
impressive but it can withstand at least
the terrain to your advantage. M2A4 has rather
some of the shots from other tanks.
poor gun depression so keep the hull behind
OVERALL RATING: 7/10 - Fun to play, with
small bump or hill, and pop up just enough for
some effort and cooperation with others in
the gun to fire over the crest of your cover.
our team, the M2A4 can be very effective.

When driving M2A4 you should never stop for
longer than time needed for aiming and shooting
opponents. This tank has a better chance of
surviving when is on the move. The M2A4 is quick
and difficult to aim for. Avoid reversing. It is very
slow. Under heavy fire, consider going forward and
turn into hiding rather than trying to reverse. Lastly,
research artillery as soon as possible as it gives
a lot of utility to the M2A4 on the battlefield.
By Rafal Rainmaker Gac

REAL LIFE
GUADALCANAL:
TWO SIDES OF HELL
PROLOG
In 1995 my good friend Jim Garrett discovered his
fathers diary of his experiences in the Battle of
Guadalcanal. Stuc Struck by the gritty nature of the
text, and in consideration of Rubes age, Jim spent
several weeks interviewing his dad in order to round out
the narrative. Believing the story to be worthy of retelling
he posted it as a web page. Before the hit counter expired
the site had received thousands of viewings. It was, for
a while, linked from the official USMC web site, a unique
honor. Eventually it came to the attention of Itirou Inui
whose father, Genjirou, had been in the same battle and also
kept a diary. Mr. Inui was grcious gracious enough to provide
a translation and Jim posted the two tales together. In what follows I have
adopted the convention of placing dialog from the interview in italics.
On December 7, 1941 the Imperial Japanese Navy successfully
attacked the American naval base at Pearl Harbor, Hawaii. Following
the attack the Japanese Commander-in-Chief, Isoroku Yamamoto, is
reputed to have said, I fear all we have done today is to awaken a
great, sleeping giant and fill him with terrible resolve.
He was right. What followed was perhaps the most unbelievable mobilization
of a nations industrial capability in the history of the world.
The GameOn Magazine
Six months later, June 7, 1942, the Japanese fleet was defeated at the Battle
of Midway. On Friday, August 7, 1942, just two months later, Allied forces1
landed on Guadalcanal. The ensuing six month battle was epic and bloody. The
Allies sent 60,000 men against 36,200 well-entrenched and very confident
Japanese. Allied casualties totaled 7,100 dead, 4 captured while losing 29
ships and 615 aircraft. The Japanese losses were much worse: 31,000 dead.
These are the personal, eye-witness stories of two of those courageous
men. One, a 20-year old Texan, then a Corporal in the 1st Marine Division;
the other a 2nd Lt in a Japanese anti-tank gun company. Rube Garrett and
Genjirou Inui never met but their stories are forever bound together.
Rube introduced his diary with the following:
My name is James R. Rube
Garrett. I was a Corporal,
ammo chief for I Battery, 3rd
Battalion, 11th Regiment and
a charter member of the 1st
Marine Division, formed in
Cuba in 1940. The following
are my diary entries for
the Battle of Guadalcanal.
A glance through the pages
shows while we were there, 59 enemy air raids flew in. That doesnt include
many false alarms and numerous shellings from japa Japanese battleships,
destroyers and cruisers. It seemed like about an air raid or shelling every
day for three and a half months. I remember a lot of diving into ditches and
ducking in and out of bomb shelters, or whatever we could find to hide under.
The entry for August 28, 1942, just three weeks after the landing, reads
...to date, have seen 133 Jap planes fall and some 20 odd ships sunk.
Many more would follow.
REAL LIFE
These figures are by no means complete. Some pages of my diary were blank
because we were just too busy shooting or being shot at. We were scared a lot of
the time. The weeks and months of anxiety and tension...long days of tedious
work, night watches at the edge of the jungle suddenly punctuated by sheer
terror are only hinted at - if you can read between the lines. What is there are
the impressions of a young 20 year old Marine just as they were written 53 years
ago. They detail the war in the Solomons as I lived it...one day at a time.
We sailed from San Francisco on June 22, 1942. I had just turned
20, and the South Pacific was a long way from Edinburg, Texas, where
I had grown up. Twenty-two days later we landed in Wellington, New
Zealand. It was July 12. We stayed there for a couple of weeks where
we, along with 10 or 12 thousand other Marines unloaded our ship, the
Erickson, and loaded onto the Marine Transport USS McCauley.
Preparing for combat, we made several long hikes in New Zealand to keep us
conditioned for what lay ahead. We left New Zealand on the 21st of July, sailed
around the Pacific and made practice landings on the Fiji Islands. We would
disembark from the ship, climb down the nets, onto the Higgins Boats and go in
toward the beach. But we never actually landed. We would then turn around and
return to the ship. We were informed on August 3rd at a non-commissioned officers
conference there, by Lt. Bradbury (later to become Captain), I Battery Commander,
that we were to land on Guadalcanal in the Solomon Islands. We were going into
battle. Ammunition was issued to all and we spent the rest of the time loading
ammunition belts and getting prepared for combat. On August 6, we were ready.
AUGUST 7, 1942
Our naval ships started shelling the beach at about 6am and we landed on the
beaches at 7:30. We had two air raids. Six Jap planes flew over and one of our
American destroyers was damaged while we hauled ammunition and carried guns
nearly all day. At night there was shooting in all directions. We stayed low.
The GameOn Magazine
On the morning
of August 7th
the landing on
Guadalcanal
had begun. As
we approached
we passed very
near another
island which
I thought was Tulagi.
It was good daylight but I could see nothing but trees. I was on deck when
our ships opened fire. I saw the first shots fired by our naval armada. It
only recently occurred to me that I was witnessing the first major offensive
shots fired by our side in World War II. I guess you could say that they
were shots heard round the world and we - the 1st Marine Division - were
there. It was the beginning of the end for the Japanese Imperial Forces.
AUGUST 8, 1942
Hauled ammo ammunition from battery to ammo dump and had an air raid
at noon. The USS Elliot, a Marine Transport, was hit by suicide dive
bomber. It was very damaged and was beached to keep it from sinking in
the harbor. A destroyer was damaged also. There was one Jap plane and
prisoners taken during the battle. Wild shooting during the night.
AUGUST 9, 1942
No air raids for a change. There was however a naval battle. We lost five
cruisers, six destroyers and we lost the Vincennes and the Australian
Canberra. Also, later we learned that we had lost the Astoria and the
Quincy. I spent most of the night under a truck during the battle because
it was raining and we were moving to a new position. There was Jap
REAL LIFE
snipers and machine gun fire. Dutton was killed and we also killed a cow
to the rear of the battery in the dark - we didnt know what it was.
I saw the Battle for Iron Bottom Bay (aka Savo Island) when we lost five
cruisers. I nearly had a beach side view. But I remember us in a coconut
grove and we were in a convoy and we werent settled. It was raining like
the dickens and I got under a truck. When you watch a naval gun battle eight
miles away, you see tremendous flashes in the gloom. When you see continuous
flashes like lightning, what that is is 16 inch guns. We didnt realise it at
the time but that was our ships getting blown to hell. But we thought we were
winning the battle, and every time a ship would go down wed start
cheering Rah, Rah, thats the good guys...and they were kicking our
butts every time. We finally found out by word of mouth I guess.
AUGUST 10, 1942

We had machine gun attacks from the rear. Returned fire for 1500 rounds.
Today, drew and belted 50 cal. and issued more 30 cal. ammunition.
AUGUST 11, 1942

Machine gunned again. Sgt. Windish, our Instrument Section
sergeant, was killed accidentally by one of our officers. Went
on two hour patrol with Sgt. Voelker. To river to bathe and
saw two prisoners. A friend of mine, Casey from Headquarters
Battery, was killed in the night, I think by friendly fire.
Sgt. Windish was killed accidentally by his own officer, who was
the Instrument Section Commander, with whom he was bunking. He
had left the bunker and, on returning, frightened the man inside
who shot him two times with a 45 caliber pistol. Both men were gone
before daylight - we never saw nor heard of the officer again.
The GameOn Magazine
AUGUST 12, 1942

Infantry reinforcements at night. We
were attacked again about dawn. Also, naval
shelling by subs. Burned off the airfield.
Snipers at dark. Bombers flew over again.
We had to burn off all the tall Johnson type
grass on Henderson Field - Japanese snipers
were using it to slip in amongst us at night.
They would strap a light machine gun to one
mans back. He would run and lay down -- they
would fire a few rounds then he would jump up
and the gun would move to another position.
AUGUST 13, 1942

Snipers again. Infantry in field. No casualties.
Working parties and our first hot chow in several days.
AUGUST 14, 1942

Snipers again. The infantry was firing all night. Working
party for Lt. Williams at Regimental ammo dump. Air raid and
the first anti-aircraft fire. Got sub with 105 Howitzer!
Our anti-aircraft guns had just been set up. A submarine had surfaced and began
firing on transports. 11th Regiment Howitzers on the beach opened up on the sub.
After the first week on Guadalcanal, the 3rd Battalion, 11th
Marines were finally settled around the edge of Henderson Field.
REAL LIFE
In the daytime we were under the protection of the edge of the jungle. The trees
sheltered us from Pistol Pete which was a Japanese Naval artillery piece that
was on tracks in the hills. It would fire two or three rounds - firing at random
all hours of the day - and then would be rolled back into a cave where it was well
camouflaged. It was eventually located and destroyed a few months later.
At dusk, where we were protected by darkness, we would move our Howitzers
onto the open airfield and point in the direction of the hills - towards
Grassy Knoll, Bloody Ridge and Kukombona. In the open we could fire in any
direction. Then, before daylight, we would pull back under the trees.
The big disadvantage of living on the airfield as we did was that it made us
a part of the main target - which was the airfield and aircraft - so that every
enemy plane or ship that got within range either shot at us or dropped bombs on
us. We were very fortunate not to have had lots more casualties than we did.
I was acting section chief throughout the whole Guadalcanal engagement...
The GameOn Magazine
one of the largest sections in the battery. I had twenty-one or twentytwo guys in my section. Each battery had ten or twelve or fifteen trucks and
jeeps. Take those jeeps and tie a 75 Howitzer behind the jeep and carry a gun
crew on it...a lot of times the gun crew would have to get off the jeep to help
cross a stream; youd have to break the gun down and carry it across piece by
piece. I imagine those Howitzers weighed a couple of thousand pounds. It would
take three or four men to carry the barrel and the main block and so on.
Each battery had four Howitzers, four gun crews and a machine gun
section to protect the guns...and that was my section: machine guns and
ammo. I had to keep the guns supplied. My boys had to haul...theyd be
called for ammunition during a mission and we had to deliver ammunition.
Anybody got short of ammunition theyd holler Garrett! (laughs).
We had one ton trucks...early on I was a driver, a Private; it took me eight
months to make Pfc. and eighteen months to make Corporal at Camp Lejeune. As
section chief I should have been a Sergeant, but for some reason advancement in
the Marines was slow. Just
before we left Camp Lejeune
they were going around
asking us if we wanted to
apply for officers school,
but a lot of us tough guys
said Hell no, I dont
want to be an officer.
Diary continues next issue.
Written by James R. Gube
Sourced by Allen Reynolds
ARTICLE
THIS MONTH IN WWII:

FEBRUARY 1940
WESTERN FRONT
The 6th of February, 1940, saw the launch of a massive

new propaganda campaign by Britain focused on the
On the 5th of February, 1940, the British and French
necessity of everyone keeping any and all information
governments decided to take action in order to keep
about military deployments to themselves. The
Germany from accessing the rich iron deposits
campaign was titled Careless Talk Costs Lives, and
found in Norway; the planned operation would
featured a number of posters enforcing this sentiment.
eventually launch in March and April. Though they
They tried to make the public aware that even casual
were somewhat successful in their initial efforts,
talk about a single person could potentially give
ultimately the Allied forces are forced to withdraw
away information to enemy agents around them.
when Germany invaded France in May 1940. The

Norwegian government was exiled to London, and
On the 16th of February, 1940, the British vessel HMS
Norway was occupied by the German army.
Cossack boarded the German transport Altmark,

freeing over 300 prisoners of war in Norwegian waters
The GameOn Magazine
with several articles including, among other things,

oil and grain in a deal valued at over 420 million
Reichsmarks. In return for these materials, Germany
would supply the USSR with military hardware,
technology, and various raw materials. Among the
military hardware was an Admiral Hipper-class
cruiser and plans to over thirty German aircraft.
This pact, and all others between the USSR and
Germany were ended on the 22nd of June, 1941,
with the execution of Operation Barbarossa.
By the middle of February 1940, the USSR had
nearly half a million soldiers, and over seven
thousand artillery, tanks, and aircraft active across
the Finnish front; in contrast, the Finnish military
in what came to be known as the Altmark Incident.
had only about a hundred and fifty thousand men
After the aborted German invasion into France in
defending across the Mannerheim Line. After
the previous month, General Erich von Manstein
over a week of constant artillery strikes, the Soviet
presented the new invasion plan to the Fuhrer.
forces were finally able to break through the Finnish
The new plan, approved on the 17th of February,
defensive front and take the village of Summa.
called for a quick armored invasion through the

Ardennes Forest and the flanking of the combined
In response to the redoubled Soviet assault and
Allied defense lines along the Belgian border.
breach of the Mannerheim Line, that same week

Britain and France put out a call for volunteers
EASTERN FRONT
to go to aid the Finnish forces, accompanied by

shipments of military hardware including Bristol
Blenheim bombers and Hawker Hurricane fighters.
On the 11th of February, 1940, the Soviet Union
Many argue that it was this pledge of support from
signed a trade agreement with Germany known
the Allies that helped convince Stalin to finally
as the German-Soviet Commercial Agreement. In
end the Soviet aggression in March 1940.
this agreement the USSR was to supply Germany
By David HJFarnsworth King

ARTICLE
WAR THUNDER 101: WHICH

WAY TO THE FRONTLINE?
Tank battles can be confusing if you dont understand what each of the map types do. Some maps have many spawn
points, others only one, some of them will move etc. Today, in War Thunder 101, we will take a look at the basic victory
requirements of each map type to get a better understanding of what youre supposed to do when you spawn in your tank.
TANK BATTLE
CONTROL POINTS
Capturing control points give quite a bit of research points

for the player; make that your priority instead of camping
behind a rock and shooting from long distances in your
For tank battles across all modes (Arcade, Realistic
tank! As such, light (and medium tanks) are great assets
and Simulator), the map roster consists of four map
to have in tank battles as they are very mobile on the
types (as of version 1.45, and every iteration introduces
battlefield and can race from one control point to another.
significant changes). Although these maps have different
On some maps, there is an option to choose which
names, the basic principle remains the same: capturing
spawn point you want to begin from. Some spawn
control points. Each team begins with a certain amount
points are closer to one of the control points
of victory points; more control points captured by one
compared to the others. Therefore, choose wisely
team over the other will result in a decay of victory
so that the distribution of players is balanced!
points for the other. This is very similar to the domination

mode of air battles just that it is played with tanks.
The GameOn Magazine
DOMINATION
There are a few neutral points (usually three
near the center of the map) at the start and all
are available for capture. This map type requires
good coordination among teammates to efficiently
allocate manpower among the few control points
so that the majority of them can be captured.
Choosing the appropriate spawn point (if multiple
ones are available) is important so as not to
leave some of the spawn points shorthanded.
Mobility is usually a great asset as the faster light
tanks usually reach control points earlier during
the merge (initial contact with the enemy) to snap
up a quick capture, while heavier tanks arrive to
provide fire support and hold the point against a
counterattack. Players holding the control points
also have to be aware of enemy thrusts coming from
control points that are already secured by them.
ARTICLE
CONQUEST
Conquest is very similar to domination, just that there is
only one neutral point near the center of the map available
for capture. This usually results in a swinging battle
from one side to another as the action is concentrated in
one area, with artillery fire raining down incessantly on
the control point as it will be the focus of contention.
The focused action on a single point requires a
heavy front line, so it is not uncommon to see heavy
tanks trying to punch through the lines, with more
mobile elements such as light and medium tanks
trying to destroy the frontline from the flanks.
BATTLE
This is a rare mode on the roster and only encountered
sometimes. Each team begins with one capture point
in their color, usually very near to their base. The
team will have to defend their own control point while
simultaneously capturing the opponents control point
so that the victory points will swing in their favor.
The GameOn Magazine
BREAK
control point closer to their side, which then has

to be captured to swing the victory points in their
Each team begins with one control point in their color,
favor. The figure shows how the control points
usually close to the center of the map. Capturing
are positioned at the start of the battle (left), and
the opponents control point will spawn another
after the Red A point is being captured (right).
ADVANCING DEEPER
TO THE SECOND
CONTROL POINT
CLOSER TO THE ENEMY
SPAWN MEANS THAT
YOUR TEAM WILL
ENCOUNTER MORE
FREQUENT OPPOSITION
DESPERATELY TRYING
TO FIGHT BACK.
Advancing deeper to the second control point closer to

the enemy spawn means that your team will encounter
more frequent opposition desperately trying to fight
back. Success on the Break map type usually requires
a concerted effort, with heavier elements moving
up to support the lighter elements as they push
forward, and the lighter elements screening for the
heavier elements and protect them on the flanks.
By Chock Wee Boon
WORDSEARCH
WORDSEARCH
Click anywhere on this page to download the wordsearch
The GameOn Magazine
CAPTION COMPETITION
WINNERS
Last month, we tasked you with captioning an image. Here are the winners!
1ST - MESSYFINGERS
2ND - DEATH _ BY _ NUTS 3RD - MAD _ JACK _ MCMAD

Brothers: The Thoughts of Two Gamers
Have a safe flight!

See you in next issue.
Issue 48 October 2013
64 GameOn Magazine

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Battlefield 4 Review

Issue 50 December 2013

Within the heart of War Thunder is

maps of impressive scale

a multiplayer online combat game

ranging from the city outskirts

for aircraft and armored vehicles.

of Stalingrad to the vast oceans

With hundreds of accurately-

available across a variety of

rendered vehicles available

platforms: from Windows to

and more being added with

every update, players are spoilt

well as on the Playstation 4

for choice when it comes to

console, with casual game

cutting-edge planes to take

modes in arcade battles

to the skies, or menacing

to realistic and simulator

tanks to tear up the earth.

battles for the enthusiasts.

aerial dogfights and armored

Spanish Civil War to the Korean

spearhead clashes with friends,

War, with a huge emphasis

learn about the rich historical

on the Second World War.

significance behind the wars

Players cross swords in historical

through War Thunder.

2 // War Thunder Community Magazine

The GameOn Magazine

letter from the

staff list, so that has now been

of the War Thunder Community

sorted out for issue two!

Magazine. We would first like to

We also wanted to show you

One last month so popular; a

this month a new gaming

massive thank you from all the

tablet which will support War

team behind the magazine.

Thunder, the NVidia Shield.

This month we have got your

Do you feel we missed

backs with more 101 guides than

something from the magazine?

you can shake a stick at, plus a

Get in touch with us.

review of one plane and one tank.

ideas of things you would like in

with Lassar plus we have taken

future issues of the magazine,

a look back at the history of

or even just to let us know if

World War II. With that theme

you liked or disliked one of the

in mind we have also extracts

articles, all feedback is wanted: