Background: The long awaited expansion in War Thunder titled Age of Drones broadens the battlefield with an expanded roster of drones, aircraft, and ground vehicles. The update opens up new strategic options for players across the United States and Canada, while expanding the arsenal for Soviet, French, Turkish, Israeli, Chinese, and South African forces. The Su-25 attack plane from the USSR joins the skies beside the Mirage 2000C S5 from France, bringing classic close air support capabilities to the game. Alongside them, a distinctive Turkish rotorcraft, the T129 ATAK, and the South African Rooivalk Mk1F CSH enter service in battle scenarios that now mix aerial domination with ground engagements. A wave of new Chinese helicopters completes the rotorcraft lineup and gives pilots fresh choices for reconnaissance and escort missions. In the armored corps, six innovative M48 and M60 variants from Israel join the lineup, each offering unique armor and firepower characteristics that can redefine frontline dynamics. On the maritime side, the Italian dreadnought Andrea Doria expands the naval options, allowing players to explore new ships and sea tactics for control of coastal zones and open waters alike.
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In addition, the update broadens the theater of war by introducing two new battlefronts named Golden Bay and Pradesh. Golden Bay leans toward naval combat with its tactical waterways and ship clashes, while Pradesh emphasizes land and air battles where ground mobility and air superiority matter most. Players will notice this division as they plan ambushes, riverine incursions, and aerial interceptions across these environments.
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New shell to armor contact effects are now generated procedurally, with shell type and caliber guiding the visuals and damage outcomes. Tank explosion simulations have been refined for more realism, and both grenade and missile models have seen notable improvements. These refinements add depth to both the feel of battles and the accuracy of damage feedback during engagements. A broader sense of immersion comes from the upgraded visual effects that better reflect how armor withstands fire and how cracks, detonation plumes, and debris respond to different weapons.
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The update comes with performance tuning and balance adjustments meant to improve player experience across various hardware setups in North America. By expanding the drone fleet, providing more varied helicopters, introducing new land and sea battlegrounds, and refining weapon interactions, the developers aim to deliver a more dynamic and authentic battlefield simulation for both casual players and veterans.
In summary, the Age of Drones update for War Thunder enhances play by offering deeper vehicle diversity, more varied combat environments, and improved visual realism. The combination of new aircraft, rotorcraft, ground tanks, ships, and tactical locations creates fresh strategic opportunities for teams and solo pilots alike, encouraging exploration of new loadouts, flight patterns, and armored engagements that define modern war gaming across North America and beyond.