#gameplay

The Bandkanon was a Self-Propelled Artillery Gun developed by Bofors from 1960 to 1965. It was part of a longer Swedish Army project to develop a modern autoloaded SPAG for its forces. The Bkan was based on the S-tank chassis and initially used the powerpack of the A version, which was severely underpowered to drive this 50-ton tank. Because of this, all Bkans were later upgraded to the powerpack of the Strv 103C, giving it the 1C designation.

The Kfir Canard is an Israeli modification of the French Dassault Mirage 5, with a new General Electric J79 engine (the same found on the F-4E Phantom II), canards bolted onto the fuselage, and other changes including new avionics. In War Thunder, the Kfir Canard is one of the best-performing planes in terms of its flight characteristics, relying on its excellent flight performance to defeat opponents.

Tank destroyers are obvious in what they do: they sport firepower and ammunition to take down tanks (obviously), whether light or heavy, with ease. However, certain tank destroyers, like the M10 or the StuG have armor to keep them alive in combat, and not all tank destroyers have access to such armor. That doesn’t stop tank destroyers like the small but mighty Pvkv II from picking their targets out like fish in a barrel.

The Leopard A1A1 (L/44) is a premium medium tank found in the German tech tree. Equipped with the renowned 120mm Rh120 L/44 cannon, capable of nearly 400mm of penetration with its DM13 APFSDS round, this tank has the potential to dominate the battlefield in skilled hands. While lacking armor, it excels in a sniper-focused playstyle due to its great mobility and firepower.  

The I-225 is a Soviet rank IV fighter with a BR of 5.0. It excels as a low-speed dogfighter but struggles at high speeds and isn’t ideal for quickly racking up kills. The aircraft demands experience to handle effectively, as its punishing flight characteristics leave little room for error despite its strengths. While unique and rewarding, the I-225 is best suited for skilled players rather than beginners.

The Combat Vehicle 90120 is a Swedish light tank built on the CV 90 chassis, combining high mobility with formidable firepower. Designed to offer a cost-effective alternative to main battle tanks, it features a powerful 120mm gun and advanced systems to enhance battlefield performance.

The Char 2C bis was a French attempt to modernize the ancient relic of the Great War that is the Char 2C… with an archaic howitzer. Needless to say, this attempt was a failure, and the sole vehicle was modified back to its original form a few years later. However, in War Thunder, this gargantuan “super-heavy” tank has been given a new life as a new “derp gun” monster, capable of delivering a massive 11.22 kg of explosives that can defeat even a much more advanced enemy with ease.

The J 35A Draken is a second-generation Swedish jet fighter that was manufactured by SAAB from 1955 until 1974. This legendary aircraft had its maiden flight in 1955 and was designed to replace the aging J 29 Tunnan and J 32 Lansen as an all-weather fighter-interceptor. Further, the Draken was the first West European jet fighter to breach the sound barrier and is well known for its very unique looks and shape. In War Thunder, this unique aircraft is a premium jet fighter that used to be in the Swedish air tree but has since been removed to only appear on special occasions. It was introduced with the update “Direct Hit”.

The F-4EJ Kai (F-4EJ改) was a vital upgrade for Japan’s aging F-4EJ Phantom IIs, extending their service life and enhancing combat effectiveness through the Aircraft Structural Integrity Program (ASIP). Introduced in the 1980s and first flown in 1984, the upgrade included advanced radar, improved avionics, and modern weapon systems, enabling the aircraft to remain operational until 2021. Sharing its radar and weapon suite with the F-16A, the F-4EJ Kai excels in long-range engagements using AIM-7Fs and dogfights with AIM-9Ls, though it struggles in close combat due to limited manoeuvrability. Pilots can exploit overshooting enemies by slowing down and using airbrakes, then striking with missiles or the gun, leveraging the ballistic computer for precise hits.

Germany's anti-aircraft solutions take on many forms based on the Panzer IV, with vehicles like Wirbelwind, Ostwind, Ostwind II, and Zerstörer 45 that mount a rapid-firing autocannon. However, all have the same issue of having an exposed turret compartment that allows aircraft to strafe and knock out critical components and people within the turret. Kugelblitz changes that equation by having a fully enclosed turret, allowing the vehicle to spray 30 mm at incoming aircraft confidently. Let's explore the Kugelblitz a bit more to see what makes this vehicle tick!