Today we take a look at the American-made M44 self-propelled howitzer, which made its way to several countries in the major “Storm Warning” update in War Thunder from Gaijin.
Introducing the M44
The M44 self-propelled howitzer is making its way to a handful of nations in a major Storm warning update! Equipped with a massive 155mm cannon, this surprisingly fast vehicle will be a great addition to the Series III. Despite its drawbacks, it will always be able to effectively fight the toughest vehicles in the bracket. Let’s take a closer look at this new beast.
Mounted on a Walker Bulldog light tank chassis, the M44 is quite fast for a vehicle of this type. It can reach speeds of up to 56 km/h on the road and can maneuver and drive effectively off-road. The 155 mm howitzer is mounted in an open bay and can move a maximum of 30 degrees horizontally on each side, with 5 degrees of gun depression. The primary cartridge available is the conventional M107 HE cartridge. It can also fire a large smoke round, but will not have access to proximity HE ammunition.
One of the main drawbacks is, of course, the thin armor and open crew compartment, making the M44 highly vulnerable to ground vehicles and aircraft. Additionally, the reload speed is a bit of a limiting factor. Try to stay close to some form of vertical cover such as buildings or large rocks, this will give you protection when retreating to reload and make you harder to spot from the air. The high mobility definitely makes an aggressive style of melee play possible, but significantly more risky due to reloading and limited gun aiming angles. Despite its fragility, however, the M44 is still a powerful and versatile howitzer, giving it a unique play style at lower levels.
The American M44 self-propelled howitzer emerged in the early 1950s as part of a program to develop a new 155 mm caliber self-propelled gun to replace the obsolete M41 howitzer platform. During production, the original vehicle, designated T99E1, revealed several shortcomings that required redesign. The updated model featured a new open top fighting compartment with a modified howitzer. In 1954, the US Army decided to focus on exporting the M44 to other countries. The M44 later ended up in service in Germany, Great Britain, Italy, Turkey, Belgium and Japan.
Another War Thunder addition here. The look of Attica is based on the bright landscape of southeastern Greece, whose national colour is emphasised by the ruins of the ancient acropolis, the highest point on the map. The breeze of the Aegean Sea under the roar of fighting and exploding tanks awaits you in the next big update, which has already arrived.
Some screenshots of Attica’s new ground battle location in War Thunder.
When there’s a snowstorm and blizzard outside, it’s best to gather with family and friends inside to put up decorations and remember everyone’s favorite tales of New Year’s miracles. And then, of course, play War Thunder, where festive cheer and an event await!
The Winter’s Tale event rewards this time around are fairy tale character decals and vehicles for Level V-VIII events. A Colombian Kfir C.10 Block 60 jet fighter for Israel, an IJN Kirishima battleship and a Pakistani T-80UD (478BE) in the Chinese ground forces tree.
Meet the prize for the main tank in the Winter Tales event, the Pakistani modification of the T-80UD main battle tank, which has been added to the Chinese Land Forces tree!
Here is the main tank reward in the Winter Tales event, an export modification of the T-80UD for the Pakistan Armed Forces that has been added to the Chinese Ground Forces tree as an event vehicle. Let’s explore the differences compared to the Soviet premium T-80UD and discuss its strengths and weaknesses!
Overall, the T-80UD (478BE) is a very well-balanced tank with protection being one of its key advantages. While it has frontal weaknesses and is not flawless, its armor is good enough to withstand APFSDS rounds. In addition, the sides of the T-80UD (478BE) are well protected against automatic cannons and weaker shells when tilted, making it one of the few MBT designs with relatively strong side armor. Despite this, if this tank is successfully penetrated, its survivability is usually low. This is because its interior space is cramped, with crew, ammunition and modules, meaning that any breach is likely to cause critical or fatal damage.
In terms of firepower, the T-80UD (478BE) is on par with its competitors. It can fire powerful APFSDS rounds that aren’t the most forgiving, but can still easily penetrate most enemy armor without issue. It can also fire anti-tank missiles directly from the barrel! A distinctive feature of the Pakistani T-80UD (478BE) is the inclusion of a thermal sight for the gunner to help identify targets at long range and at night. While the autoloader eliminates the need for loader skills, the fixed reload speed is slightly longer than most current tanks. This is especially important to keep in mind for individual relationships.
Mobility is fairly average overall, although the speed does not slow the tank down, it cannot reach strong early positions as easily as other common MBTs. However, the biggest drawback here is the recoil speed, limited to 4 km/h, which makes it difficult to react to possible threats. When playing the T-80UD (478BE). The T-80UD (478BE) can be obtained by completing missions during the Winter Tales special event. Click the link below for a full list of specifics and rewards, and good luck!
Introducing Kfir C.10 Block 60
The Kfir C.10 Block 60 is an upgraded export modification of the Israeli Kfir multirole fighter for the Colombian Air Force. This new fighter differs from the C.2 and C.7 variants you may be familiar with, incorporating a new active phased array radar and advanced equipment for air and ground combat.
The Kfir C.10 welcomes you with a state-of-the-art Active Electronically Scanned Array (AESA) radar and can equip the Derby ARH air-to-air missiles previously only available on Israeli F-16s. This means that you will now be able to launch an attack without visual contact with the target, and use the more maneuverable air-to-air missiles at close range but with the convenience of a helmet-mounted display system when they approach!
Exciting changes also await those of you who want to use the Kfir C.10 in ground battles. Featuring the LITENING II sighting holster with thermal imaging camera, the available ground assault weapons will complement modern guided bombs including the GBU-49 with satellite and laser guidance as well as the GBU-12.
In addition to the Mirage family’s characteristic maneuverability, the Kfir C.10 is equipped with advanced avionics, including radar and laser warning systems, as well as an on-board missile approach warning system (MAWS) that automatically fires flares and chaffs when an enemy missile approaches. Very useful in aerial combat!
Introducing the IJN Kirishima
The Kirishima battleship will be the main naval prize in the Winter Tales event, coming to Japan as the event’s Level V vehicle. The IJN Kirishima is the sister ship to the famous Kongō battleship, which has long been beloved by those who play the Bluewater fleet. ship, but is in the configuration at the time of her destruction in 1942, which means she differs from the main ship of the class in terms of her weaponry. Let’s take a closer look.
Winter Tales event IJN Kirishima 3 3
One of the main strengths of the Kongō class is undoubtedly its powerful main calibre armament, and the Kirishima is no exception. Eight 356mm guns in four turrets with top-notch crews can fire two salvos per minute! These guns are capable of firing high-explosive, armor-piercing or semi-piercing shells that are capable of hitting any target on any range.
Unlike the IJN Kongō, the IJN Kirishima has multiple auxiliary guns, 14 locations with 152 mm guns. Despite this improvement, there are fewer anti-aircraft guns. Four emplacements with twin 127 mm guns are responsible for defending longer ranges, but on close approaches enemy aircraft will encounter ten twin 25 mm guns. That’s still pretty good, but if you’re used to guns on Kongō, the anti-aircraft guns on Kirishima won’t feel great when you’re attacked by aircraft.
Speed is another advantage of the Kongō class. The IJN Kirishima has good maneuverability for its class – it can quickly reach a top speed of over 30 knots (56 km/h), maneuvers easily, and acts like a cruiser. As it happens, high speed is normally achieved by reducing the weight of the armour. Kirishima’s protection is not bad, as she can successfully survive salvos of armor-piercing shells from cruisers and early battleships while maneuvering with the Allies. But a Kirishima caught at close range without cover doesn’t stand a chance against battleship guns and most heavy cruisers. Be careful in battle and avoid trouble, as your team will need your salvos to defeat the most dangerous opponents, so avoid getting hit for as long as possible. However, this is easier said than done.
Introducing M.B.151C.1
One of the aerial rewards in the Winter Tales event is the M.B.151C.1 fighter, a first-class French Category I aircraft! A great classic that is sure to win the hearts of propeller aircraft fans, let’s take a closer look. The M.B.151C.1 is a classic, pre-war monoplane with a good top speed, retractable landing gear and a fairly solid fuselage compared to biplanes. However, it is poorly armed and contains only four rifle-calibre machine guns in the wings, which means that it can be a little tricky to destroy enemy fighters in one pass, and destroying bomber attacks can take some time. Definitely use the universal cartridge belts for the MAC 1934 machine guns, which contain the same number of rounds with armour piercing and incendiary belts.
The premium M.B.151C.1 is a good choice for a quick start to mastering French aircraft and will help you explore the first and second rows of the French aircraft tree.
It’s time to finally welcome the Eurofighter family and join War Thunder as the new top-of-the-line fighter aircraft for Germany, the UK and Italy. Today we show you the most advanced jet fighter (so far!) to come into play!
The Eurofighter Typhoon is one of the most advanced 4th (or 4.5 depending on your classification) generation aircraft in the world today. It’s fair to say that few aircraft have been as anticipated as this one. Germany, the UK, and Italy will receive a comparable version of this top-of-the-line jet fighter in the major Oncoming Storm upgrade, giving each of these nations a highly capable and agile fighter that also has considerable potential for ground attack.
In air-to-air terms, the Eurofighter will be capable of carrying an impressive combined payload of up to ten missiles. There are four AIM-9 Sidewinder variants that can be used (AIM-9L and AIM-9M for Italy and Britain, AIM-9L and AIM-9L/I for Germany) for close-in combat and six AIM-120 AMRAAMs for longer-range combat. However, you can also take up to six IR missiles and four BVRs as an alternative combination if you wish. Combined with the helmet-mounted display and the impressive CAPTOR radar suite, this aircraft will be one of the most dangerous in both long and short range combat. If you find yourself on the wrong end of a missile, the Eurofighter will help keep you in the fight with its Defensive Assistance Subsystem (DASS for short). This includes MAWS with integrated countermeasures on board, including a generous supply of chaff and flares to counter any type of threat that comes your way. The British and Italian versions will also include PIRATE IRST, which provides an additional means of locking on and tracking targets without firing their RWR.
War Thunder Eurofighter Typhoon Oncoming Storm 1
Not forgetting the air-to-ground aspect of the armament. Each Typhoon variant will vary slightly in its arsenal, but you can expect to see the standard types of familiar bombs. Conventional 1000 and 2000 lb variants and the Paveway guided series (Mk.18 for the British version, GBU-48 for Germany and Italy), along with the LITENING III targeting chassis and GPS guided GBU-54s. All three Typhoon variants can fire the excellent Brimstone missile and also include a single 27mm gun mounted in the wing root, which is useful for lighter ground targets or for when you get guns on air targets. The British variant of the FGR.4 also comes with a laser warning receiver, so if someone locks you in with laser homing, that won’t go unnoticed either.
In addition to its equipment, the Eurofighter is also an impressive platform in the flight performance department. The EuroJet EJ200’s twin engines provide an exceptional amount of thrust of up to 18,000 kgf, meaning the aircraft can quickly recover lost energy and achieve excellent climb rates. Its nose canards (small ailerons) provide great turning agility, so if things get close and personal, the Typhoon will be able to keep up with the best of the competition.
Hey, fellow gamers! Let me tell you about something exciting(yeah, its a fantasy 🙂 that just dropped – The Lord of the Rings: Return to Moria is now free on Epic Games Store! This game was initially an Epic exclusive, and while it got mixed reactions from players, it’s definitely worth grabbing, especially now that it won’t cost you a dime.
Survival LOTR Game
Intresting thing is that John Rhys-Davies, who brilliantly portrayed Gimli in Peter Jackson’s original Lord of the Rings trilogy, lends his voice to the game. That alone adds some serious authenticity to this dwarven adventure and LOTR purists may be happy.
In case you’re wondering about the gameplay, it’s a survival fantasy that has you delving deep into Moria’s legendary halls. You can team up with friends to craft, build, and battle your way through the darkness beneath the Misty Mountains. Even if survival games aren’t usually your thing, the Middle-earth setting can make you try it.
But wait, there’s more! This is just the beginning of Epic’s holiday giveaway bonanza. They’re planning to unveil 15 more mystery gifts, each available for 24 hours, except the first and last ones which get a full week. The gift train starts with Moria (available until December 19th) and will keep rolling until January 9th, 2025. Every day at 17:00, a new surprise game drops.
The best part? The whole thing is building up to something big, with each reveal adding to the holiday excitement. While I can’t tell you what the upcoming games are (they’re keeping those under wraps), based on Epic‘s track record, we might be in for some real treats.
Want my advice? Grab Return to Moria while it’s free, even if you’re on the fence. At worst, it’s a free addition to your library, and at best, you might discover your next favorite game. Plus, make sure to check back daily – you never know what gem might pop up next in this holiday giveaway so check Epic from time to time.
