Gaijin Entertainment is preparing to launch the third stage of closed beta testing for War Thunder’s infantry battles, introducing a considerably larger map, support for up to 128 players, troop transport vehicles, and changes to soldier classes.
The next testing phase is scheduled to begin in July and will feature Kivu, a new battlefield inspired by the landscapes of Central Africa. Gaijin says the map is four times larger than the locations used during previous infantry tests and has been designed around battles for five separate capture points.
Kivu will support matches featuring as many as 128 players simultaneously, combining infantry combat with War Thunder’s familiar selection of tanks, helicopters, and anti-aircraft vehicles.
The available military hardware will include the American M1A2 SEP V2 and Russian T-90M main battle tanks, alongside aircraft and support vehicles such as the AH-64A Apache, Mi-28N, 2S6 Tunguska, and LAV-AD. Infantry players will also have access to modern weapons used by the United States and Russia.
To make navigating the larger battlefield more manageable, Gaijin is testing a revised respawn system. Players will be able to re-enter the battle from capture points already controlled by their team rather than being limited to their original base.
War Thunder is also adding troop transport vehicles to infantry battles for the first time. These light vehicles will be able to carry as many as five soldiers, allowing squads to move more quickly between objectives or reach contested areas before enemy forces can establish a defensive position.
Unmanned aerial vehicles will remain part of infantry combat, although Gaijin is introducing new UAV control-range settings intended specifically for larger maps.
Arcade Battles will also return during the third infantry test, accompanied by changes to the way enemy markers appear. Markers will now only be visible when players have a direct line of sight to an opposing soldier.
Enemy indicators will disappear when targets are hidden by smoke, explosions, vegetation, terrain, or other obstacles. They will also be removed when enemies are positioned at extreme distances. Gaijin says the change should retain the added readability of Arcade mode while making cover and concealment more important.
Soldiers carrying heavy equipment will move faster in Arcade Battles than they do in the more grounded Realistic Battles, helping matches maintain a quicker pace despite the increased size of the map.
The test will also introduce significant changes to War Thunder’s four infantry classes. Weapon presets have been revised, while specialist equipment such as rocket-propelled grenades, man-portable air-defence systems, and drones will no longer be accessible to every soldier.
Players will consequently need to consider their class and equipment choices more carefully, particularly in battles where infantry may be required to deal with tanks, helicopters, or entrenched enemy troops.
War Thunder’s infantry battles remain in closed beta, and Gaijin has not yet announced when the mode will become available to the wider player base. Players who want to participate in the upcoming Kivu test can apply for access through the official War Thunder website.
The post War Thunder’s modern infantry battles are expanding to 128 players with new Africa map appeared first on The Escapist.
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Author: 360 Technology Group
