War Thunder's latest major update, Sky Odyssey, has been released, bringing substantial changes and new content to the free-to-play combined arms shooter. This update focuses on enhancing the bomber experience, introducing new military vehicles, a new map, and refining aerial combat mechanics.
The Sky Odyssey update introduces new vehicle lineups, notably featuring aircraft and ground vehicles from Greece, integrated into the Israeli military tree. Additionally, new machines from Indonesia, Malaysia, and Australia are added. Among the new top-tier aircraft are Israel's Mirage 2000-5EG and Rafale EG, which are capable of carrying eight radar-guided missiles. Russia receives the MiG-35, also equipped with eight active-radar missiles. Other notable additions include China's J-16, the US-Greek F-102A Delta Dagger, and Britain's Hawk T1A. The F-102A is highlighted for its lack of cannons, relying solely on missiles, which will necessitate a more tactical approach from players.
A significant focus of the update is the overhaul of bomber mechanics. Gaijin Entertainment has refined the damage systems for bombers, improving hit zones and damage accumulation to make them more resilient. This change aims to make bombers feel less like fragile targets and more like the powerful platforms they historically were, requiring attackers to be more precise in their targeting of critical components like engines and fuel tanks.
Conversely, air-to-air missiles have also seen adjustments. Flight models and maneuverability for key missiles such as the AIM-7, AIM-120s, and R-77 have been revised. Some missiles, like the MICA-EM, have had their launch ranges extended, shifting the balance towards rewarding precise missile deployment and potentially making them harder to evade.
A new Ground Battles map, Darwin Hill, set in the Falkland Islands, has been added. This map features rolling grasslands, rural settlements, and an airfield, encouraging players to utilize terrain for cover and employ sniper-style tactics. Several existing maps have also received improvements. Red Desert has undergone topographical changes to reduce spawn-camping, and the Falklands and Afghanistan air maps have received graphical overhauls.
Sky Odyssey also addresses the issue of players leaving their vehicles prematurely to deny opponents a kill. A new system credits 50% of the usual kill reward to the nearest enemy player or projectile within a 3 km radius when a player abandons their vehicle. This proximity-based reward system, previously implemented in Air Battles, aims to mitigate player frustration.
The Sky Odyssey update is available now for download on PC, PlayStation 4, PlayStation 5, and Xbox Series X|S.