Ground Vehicles

The Ariete PSO is a lesser-known variant of the Italian C1 Ariete MBT modified for peace support operations. Rather than being fitted with the standard WAR armor package, the Ariete PSO is equipped with specialized composite armor designed to increase survivability against RPG attacks in low-intensity combat environments. Like the standard Ariete and the more modern Ariete AMV, the Ariete PSO lacks any meaningful protection against kinetic rounds and is extremely unforgiving to use when compared to other MBTs like the Leopard 2A7V. However, players who can work around the Ariete’s various weaknesses will be able to utilize the full potential of the Ariete’s excellent offensive armament, making it a formidable opponent when in the hands of a skilled tanker.

The 21st century brought new rules to military engineering. A growing spectrum of threats forced designers to increase protection across every class of combat vehicle. Weight had to rise, but crew safety became the priority.

The T-80UK is a modified command and control variant of the T-80, equipped with multiple systems not present on some other T-80s, such as Shtora-1 soft kill APS, and a laser warning system. This, like many other T-80s, makes the T-80UK a dangerous opponent; however, it has a few fatal flaws that render it ineffective in certain situations. Being a squadron vehicle it means you have to research it and stock grind it. So, how is it played, and what modifications should be prioritised?

During the Second World War, there is no doubt that Germany led the world in military designs and innovations. However, in the years after the war, a near legendary status has surrounded Germany’s tanks, with names such as the Panther, Tiger I and King Tiger (and, of course, the redoubtable Maus) all coming to mind as nearly indestructable fighting machines. But was this actually the case? Were Panzers as amazing as we have been led to believe, and how have they gained such a formidable reputation?

The British Matilda rarely takes center stage in wartime chronicles. Yet crews across the Commonwealth fought in these slow, peculiar tanks from the early years of World War II to its very end. When Vickers engineers designed it, they drew heavily on lessons from the long-gone First World War. Yet remarkably, they still nailed it. The Matilda turned out to be relevant even as the nature of warfare evolved dramatically.

The American M113 is a famously flexible workhorse. This platform spawned everything from ATGM carriers to SPAAGs. War Thunder has had plenty of those for years, but the latest update adds something truly unusual to Israel’s tech tree: the Bardelas/60mm HVMS. And yes, Bardelas really does mean “cheetah”. Military naming conventions remain undefeated...

During the Second World War, Britain found itself in a pickle. Domestic factories were unable to produce enough suitable tanks fast enough for the British Army to be able to fight in North Africa and beyond. Similarly, the lessons of the Fall of France, as well as the enormous loss of heavy equipment — albeit somewhat obsolete anyway; meant that the Ministry of Defence was forced to look across the pond to the United States for support.

The SU-5-1 is an experimental Soviet tank destroyer. Even though it doesn’t have the best mobility, this tank has formidable firepower. Despite its limitations, the SU-5-1 offers a unique combat experience that every War Thunder player should try at least once.

A ten-meter long behemoth with five turrets and three cannons. A fever dream? Possibly. But also the Soviet T-35 heavy tank. While awe-inspiring for both enemies and allies alike, the thin armor and slow speed of this monster make its playstyle somewhat trickier than just holding W and occasionally clicking your left mouse button. This article thus seeks to provide some clarity on all aspects of this heavy tank, to make it easier to grasp for its new owners.

In the mid-1920s, Germany quietly abandoned the Versailles restrictions and began covertly rebuilding its armored forces. In 1933, the army tasked Rheinmetall, whose Grosstraktor was the only 1920s design with any combat value, with developing a new heavy tank. The brief called for a vehicle of about 20 t with three turrets, armed with 75-mm and 37-mm guns plus multiple machine guns. The paperwork labeled the program Panzerkampfwagen Neubaufahrzeug — literally “new-construction fighting vehicle”. The name stuck and was later shortened to Nb.Fz.