Meet the “Sky Odyssey” Major Update!
The 'Sky Odyssey' major update introduces the Darwin Hill map, a massive selection of Greek, Indian, and Indonesian vehicles, and a complete overhaul of bomber survivability and reward mechanics.
Key Changes
- 1New Darwin Hill map for Ground Battles set in the Falkland Islands
- 2Introduction of Greek, Indian, and Indonesian vehicle sub-trees and additions
- 3Complete overhaul of Bomber survivability and damage models
- 4New 'Reward for abandoned vehicle' mechanic credits kills when enemies bail out
- 5Nuclear Escalation, Naval Enduring Confrontation, and Bullet Hell are now permanent modes
- 6Historical marker styles (NATO/USSR) added for all game modes
- 7Major reload time buffs for Leclerc, Type 10, and Type 90 tanks
- 8Vehicle preset limit increased from 18 to 25 with a new UI
- 9Anti-ship and Anti-radiation missiles added to numerous top-tier aircraft
- 10Revised Flight Models and autopilots for major Air-to-Air missile families
All Changes
🌍Maps & Missions(6)
- newDarwin Hill: Added 'Darwin Hill', a new location for Ground Battles set in the Falkland Islands.
- changeAfghanistan: Visual overhaul for the Afghanistan map with improved terrain detail and textures.
- changeFalkland Islands: Visual overhaul for the Falkland Islands air map using new height map data.
- changeRed Desert: Adjusted terrain elevations and rock geometry to minimize long-range line-of-sight across the map.
- fixSecond Battle of El Alamein: Blocked unintended positions in grid squares A2 and C3.
- newAirfields: Added air defense emplacements to airfields across various missions.
🚜Ground Vehicles(15)
- newArjun Mk 1: Added the Arjun Mk 1 Main Battle Tank for Great Britain.
- newHarimau: Added the Harimau light tank for Japan.
- newLeopard 2HEL: Added the Leopard 2HEL (Greece) for Israel.
- newEMBT: Added the EMBT (Leclerc turret on Leopard chassis) for Germany and France.
- newM7: Added the M7 medium tank for the USA.
- newPzH 2000: Added the PzH 2000 self-propelled howitzer for Italy.
- nerfCT-CV 105HP: Reload time increased from 5 to 7.5 seconds.
- nerfBoxer MGS: Reload time increased from 5 to 7.5 seconds.
- buffLeclerc: First-stage ammo replenishment time reduced from 30 to 13 seconds.
- buffType 10: First-stage ammo replenishment time reduced from 30 to 13 seconds.
- buffT-72: Time before first-stage ammo starts replenishing reduced from 8 to 4 seconds.
- buffT-80: Time before first-stage ammo starts replenishing reduced from 8 to 4 seconds.
- buffT-90: Time before first-stage ammo starts replenishing reduced from 8 to 4 seconds.
- buffT-90M (Arena-M): Added an additional ERA package.
- buffMagach 7C: Composite side skirt thickness increased from 40 mm to 90 mm.
✈️Aircraft(9)
- newGreek Aircraft: Introduced a comprehensive Greek aviation sub-tree for Israel, including the Rafale EG and F-4E AUP.
- newMiG-35: Added the MiG-35 for the USSR.
- newF-14D: Added the F-14D (VF-11) for the USA.
- newHawk T1A: Added the Hawk T1A trainer/attacker for Great Britain.
- newJ-16: Added the J-16 for China.
- changeAir-to-Air Missiles: Revised Flight Model and autopilot settings for AIM-7, AIM-120, R-77, and MICA-EM missiles.
- newKh-35U: Added Kh-35U anti-ship missiles to MiG-29SMT, Su-30, and Su-34.
- nerfAASM Hammer: Maximum release speed reduced from Mach 1.4 to Mach 1.0.
- buffBombers: Overhauled damage models, hit zones, and structural settings to improve durability.
🚁Helicopters(2)
- newAW159 Wildcat: Added the AW159 Wildcat HMA.2 featuring Martlet and Spike missiles for Great Britain.
- newH145M: Added the H145M featuring Spike ER missiles for Germany.
🚢Naval Fleet(3)
- newRN Giulio Cesare: Added the RN Giulio Cesare battleship for Italy.
- newHMS Lion: Added the HMS Lion battleship for Great Britain.
- newUSS Mahan: Added the USS Mahan destroyer for the USA.
⚙️Gameplay Systems(4)
- changeReward System: Enemies abandoning undamaged vehicles now grant a 50% reward to the nearest player (3km for ground, 20km for ships).
- changeGame Modes: Nuclear Escalation, Naval Enduring Confrontation, and Bullet Hell are now permanent game modes.
- changeBomb Damage Logic: Bomb detonation now requires a direct hit from a 23-30mm AP shell or a 100-122mm HE round.
- changeMatchmaking: Standard matchmaking with 1.0 BR range enabled for Nuclear Escalation (requires 8.7+ BR) and Bullet Hell (requires 8.3+ BR).
🖥️UI/UX(3)
- buffVehicle Presets: Reworked preset menu with horizontal scrolling and increased limit from 18 to 25 presets.
- newHistorical Markers: Added the ability to choose between War Thunder, NATO, or USSR style markers in all game modes.
- newHangar UI: Added a submode selection panel under the 'To Battle!' button for easier access to night battles and special modes.
🔊Audio(2)
- changeWeapon Audio: Firing sounds now scale with the actual number of guns equipped on the vehicle.
- newCockpit Audio: Added cockpit vibrations that react to G-load and angle-of-attack (flutter/buffeting).
Summary
New Vehicles and Maps
War Thunder's 'Sky Odyssey' update expands the roster with diverse international hardware, including the Indian Arjun Mk 1, the Indonesian Harimau, and a dedicated sub-tree of Greek aircraft and tanks for Israel. Ground players can now battle on Darwin Hill, a new location set in the Falkland Islands featuring open plains and tactical defilades.
Systemic Overhauls
Bomber aircraft have received a comprehensive damage model overhaul, improving their overall survivability through recalculated hit zones and updated structural settings. A new 'Reward for a vehicle abandoned in combat' mechanic ensures players receive 50% credit when enemies bail out of undamaged tanks or ships within a specific radius.
Permanent Modes and UI
Several popular event modes, including Nuclear Escalation, Naval Enduring Confrontation, and Bullet Hell, are now permanent additions accessible via a new submode dropdown. The hangar UI has been modernized with a revamped preset system, increasing the maximum limit from 18 to 25 presets available to all players immediately.