Vortex Gaming

· Gaijin hosts an April Fools' event every year, and this year it's called 'Nuke Thunder'.
· This event boasts the darkest atmosphere in War Thunder's history, where tactical and strategic nuclear bombs frequently detonate.
· The event runs from April 1st to April 13th, 11 AM GMT.
· By completing enough stages, you can permanently acquire the B-52H and Tu-95M strategic bombers.

Category	Details
Event Period	April 1st ~ April 13th (11 AM GMT)
Key Rewards	B-52H Strategic Bomber (Permanent Ownership) Tu-95M Strategic Bomber (Permanent Ownership)

· War Thunder tends to test new features through its April Fools' events.
· This event appears to be testing the potential introduction of Anti-Radiation Missiles (ARM).
· The usability of strategic bombers and the feasibility of achieving strategic objectives on massive maps are also being tested.
· Various nuclear bombs can be used on massive maps spanning hundreds of square kilometers.

Nuclear Bomb Type	Yield
Tactical Nuclear Bomb	5 kilotons 30 kilotons
Strategic Nuclear Bomb	1.5 megatons (USA) 1.6 megatons (USSR)

· The event consists of 6 stages, with a new stage opening every 2 days.
· To complete each stage, you must earn 7,700 Mission Points in game modes.
· Alternatively, you can purchase stages using 999 Golden Eagles.
· To acquire both the B-52H and Tu-95M, you only need to complete a total of 5 stages.
· You do not need to own top-tier equipment to participate in the event; you will use equipment provided by the game.

· The B-52H is the largest aircraft in the game, utilizing the new Mark 117 air raid bomb.
· The Tu-95M is equipped with powerful armaments, including the FAB 9000 bomb.

Aircraft	Key Features	Bomb Load
B-52H	Largest aircraft in the game Uses Mark 117 air raid bombs	18 x 2,000lb bombs 51 x 750lb bombs
Tu-95M	Uses FAB 9000 bombs Equipped with Radar Warning Receiver	12,000kg bomb load 2 x FAB 5000 4 x FAB 30,000lb bombs

· Anti-radiation missiles are primarily designed to destroy radiation sources, such as radars of medium to long-range anti-aircraft systems.
· In the event, there are no guidance errors, proximity sensors, or frequency limitations of real missiles, allowing for more frequent hits on anti-aircraft systems.
· However, anti-aircraft guns cannot be easily destroyed, and SAMs and SPAAs can intercept the missiles themselves.
· To successfully break through defensive lines, you must cooperate with other pilots to overload the anti-aircraft systems.

ARM Type	Max Range
AGM-88A	150km
KH-58U	120km
KH-25MPU	40km

· Each faction provides basic aircraft and nuclear bombs that can be used in the event.
· The B-52H and Tu-95M can only be used when you have enough spawn points and a high escalation level.
· The A-6E Tram and A-7E can carry anti-radiation missiles, while the F-4E serves as a fighter.

Faction	Default Aircraft	Nuclear Bomb (Yield)
USA	A-10A Early A-6E Tram F-4E A-7E B-52H	B61 (5 kilotons, 30 kilotons) B28 (1.45 megatons)
USSR	Su-25T MiG-23 MLD Su-24M Tu-95M	RDS-37 (1.6 megatons)

· The B-52H and Tu-95M are protected by powerful ECM (Electronic Countermeasures) systems, making radar-guided missile attacks impossible and radar detection difficult.
· The battlefield takes place on a massive 'Tropical Coast' map, where SPAAs (Self-Propelled Anti-Aircraft) are very well hidden.
· You can raise your escalation level by destroying enemy vehicles or aircraft.
· Each escalation level enables the use of more powerful nuclear bombs.
· The ultimate goal is to destroy the enemy's airfield with nuclear bombs. You must destroy surrounding airfields first before attacking the main airfield.

Escalation Level	Available Nuclear Bombs
Level 1	5 kiloton bomb
Level 2	30 kiloton bomb
Level 3	1.5 megaton-class large nuclear bomb