The 2S1 Gvozdika was a self-propelled artillery piece used by the Hungarian Army during the Cold War and a few decades before the dissolution of the Warsaw Pact. During the Cold War, the USSR employed the use of military aid and training as a way to exert control over its weaker allies such as Poland, East Germany, and others such as Hungary. Due to the constant tension, these nations had to be armed and trained to be able to hold off Western powers until Soviet troops could arrive in case of an invasion, as well as aiding Soviet troops in their own invasion if necessary. The Soviet Union exported 144 of these artillery pieces to Hungary, which were mostly phased out of active service by 2004, as they had relied on Soviet aid for maintenance and spare parts. By 2018, Hungary signed a contract with KMW to replace their aging fleet of Soviet artillery with 24 units of the PzH 2000.

The 2S1 was introduced in Update "Sons of Attila" as part of the Hungarian branch of the Italian tech tree. As with most self-propelled howitzers in War Thunder, it lacks armour and has a poor turret traverse speed, but boasts great gun elevation. The 2S1 fields a 122 mm howitzer, which is smaller than conventional 155 mm howitzers, and thus its HE shell features less explosive filler. Nonetheless, the vehicle is relatively low-profile compared to its counterparts, and with a well-placed shot, even medium tanks can be destroyed. The vehicle is decently mobile, and thanks to its low profile, it can be used to flank enemy units. This is a recommended playstyle due to its poor armour and turret traverse. It can also be used to place ambushes in maps with plenty of cover like forests or cramped cities. For light vehicles, a shot to a weak spot like side armour should be sufficient, but for medium or heavy tanks, it is recommended aiming for the commander's cupola, or the gun mantlet. If unable to penetrate, try to retreat and incapacitate the enemy tank by shooting the barrel, tracks, or engine. Note that the 2S1 reloads faster than counterparts like the American M109, but it is still slow compared to most medium tanks even with an Aced crew.