Welcome to Kivu
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For the third testing stage, we’ve prepared a new, large-scale location called Kivu, set in Central Africa. This is the largest map that has featured in an Infantry CBT to date, being roughly four times the size of the previous locations. We’ve put significant effort into server optimizations, so we plan to once again launch a 64-vs-64 player format (128 players per session) to ensure everything is running smoothly.
[p align="justify"] [p align="justify"]We’ve also created new gear and character appearances for both factions, specifically tailored to this new setting.
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We’ve also included a special arsenal of small arms and hardware for this stage of testing on Kivu (excluding specialized weaponry such as pistols, shotguns, drones, RPGs, and MANPADS).
U.S. Weapons Arsenal Small Arms:
Vehicles:
| Soviet Weapons Arsenal Small Arms:
Vehicles:
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Arcade-Style Battles Returns
[p align="justify"]Arcade Battles are once again available in this testing phase. We’ve put a lot of work into the marker display logic to eliminate situations where players fire at an enemy based solely on the marker rather than actual visual contact. The marker is a visual aid to help pinpoint the location of an enemy you can already see, not a tool for detecting targets that are otherwise invisible.[p align="justify"]Now, markers do not appear through bushes and at long distances. If you aim at a sniper in a window, a marker will appear above them, but if you just run and look around, there will be no marker. In general, there are noticeably fewer markers on the map.[p align="justify"]In Arcade Battles, the impact of equipment weight on movement speed also works differently: heavily geared-up soldiers move faster than in Realistic Battles, giving it a faster overall pace.Rules of Major Warfare
[p align="justify"]Kivu will feature a dedicated mission mode with five capture points, resembling Domination but with its own unique rules. We’re testing several new mechanics in this mode specifically for large-scale battles:- [p align="justify"]Respawning at captured points — if a point is already under your team’s control, you can spawn right there instead of just at the starting base. We are testing this feature specifically on the new map, and if it performs well, we will roll it out to other large locations in the future.
- [p align="justify"]Separate UAV control range setting for large-scale battles.
- [p align="justify"]Transport that helps you reach key locations faster.
On Foot and on Wheels
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For battles on Kivu, we’ve added a passenger vehicle capable of carrying up to five soldiers at once. Now, a squad can move across the map together by boarding the vehicle, and even switching from a passenger seat to the driver’s seat on the fly if the driver is taken out of action.
[p align="justify"]Customization To Suit Your Needs
One of the most frequent requests from participants in previous testing phases was the ability to configure graphics settings specifically for Infantry without altering War Thunder’s general settings. We’ve implemented this: a dedicated tab for infantry modes has been added to the “Graphics” section of the session settings, positioned alongside the general settings, which remain in place and continue to apply to the game’s other modes. |
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Improvements To Familiar Locations
[p align="justify"]We’ve also made adjustments to Granitograd and Al-Massa, which have received a number of improvements. We fixed the positioning and destructibility of many environmental objects and fine-tuned how well various materials can be shot through.New Weapon Skins
[p align="justify"]New camouflage patterns have been introduced for select firearms: the AK-12, RPK-74M, SVDM, M249, M4A1, and M16A4. The paint scheme is selected automatically based on the combat location.Even More Improvements
[p align="justify"]As usual, in addition to major changes, we’ve made many smaller changes as well, but in total they significantly affect the feel of the game:- [p align="justify"]Class loadouts have been revised: to make classes more unique, additional weaponry such as RPGs, MANPADS, and drones are no longer available to every soldier. Before a match, you should carefully consider which loadout suits the battlefield situation and choose your class strategically.
- [p align="justify"]Total Dominance: capture all points simultaneously, and the enemy’s points will drain even faster, bringing your team closer to victory.
- [p align="justify"]Grenade throwing has been reworked: throws are now more accurate, and bugs causing grenades to fly off-target have been fixed. The throwing animation and timing have been updated, the grenade’s release point is now aligned with the crosshair, and the weight of the weapon you’re holding now more accurately influences the trajectory of the grenade when thrown. Additionally, the grenade no longer visibly pops into the hand; the transition is now seamless from the player’s perspective.
- [p align="justify"]An alternative weapon grip setting has been added: modern weapons feature different grip styles — straight and angled — with the latter improving visibility through the sight. By default, weapons are held straight, but players can now enable the angled grip in the settings.
- [p align="justify"]Added a concussion effect from nearby grenade explosions.
- [p align="justify"]As an experiment, we added the ability to respawn twice with the same soldier.
- [p align="justify"]Weapon-switching animations have been adjusted, and a bug where the weapon clipped into objects when deployed on a bipod has been fixed.
