Air RB NEEDS Change NOW

[Real_K_Soze]

@ShinGetsu

I forgot which one (Saipan ?) you need specifically to destroy both landing crafts and bot F6F or you would lose all airfields.

Yeah it’s Saipan - 2 flotillas of landing craft are going for the Island on the right, another group for the left Island with the JP airfield (with useles af aaa); the F6F bots are attacking also this island.

@ShinGetsu

The only Pacific map that advantaged massively Japan was Wake Island.

Agreed - it was a nightmare, even when they gave US planes (finally) an airstart too - u had to kill the G4M1 bot bombers, a hell of patrol boats and you were totally outclimbed…

@ShinGetsu

It always was like this. Most of the pacific maps always were US autowins unless the japanese side decimated specific objectives.

Yes - to a certain degree.

But since about 3-4 years we have these very small matches which effectively kills your chances to fulfill any objectives. I mean in a 6 vs 6 match on Iwo jima you need to kill 18 cargo ships before they release endless waves of landing craft - which launch tanks if they make it to the beach.

Even if you were good enough to kill 10 cargo ships with 10 x 60 kg bombs (TT B7A2) you got overwhelmed by the rest. But since ~ 1 or 1,5 years gaijin buffed aaa on escorting cruisers and the cargo ships itself; i lost a hell of planes due to that.

Same story with Saipan - you can wipe out one of the 3 landing craft flotillas and their tanks within a very small time window of 2-4 seconds with a perfectly aimed 800 kg bomb at exactly the time when the reach the beach - but the other 2 will win for them.

[TPS_Hydra]

The main difference is a better motor so slightly extended range, less pull due to the new motor and a dual element IRCCM if I recall, we could get this in the next update alongside the F/A-18 Super Hornet.

[Mike_Hawks_large]

No offense but it is very distracting and annoying when you bold so much.

But yes the new motor is the big change along with the better seeker. The new motor actually has pretty insane thrust. It flies almost as fast as an r27er

[TPS_Hydra]

No offense but it is very distracting and annoying when you bold so much

And the world keeps spinning 🌍🌎🌏🌍🌎🌏🌍🌎🌏

[七-十三]

its inevitable that we have to make this game ace combat but multiplayer. the available weaponry to target variety is so off half the plane above 8.7 have 90% of their secondary weapon loadout useless/loses it’s merit. making this game a lobby oriented multiplayer instead of match oriented multiplayer is the only way to go forward.

[AlvisWisla]

No, fully mixed matchmaking [like arcade battles] would expose imbalance.
Historical teams would CAUSE imbalance.

There’s a reason the arcade game modes are the most popular, and it’s not cause they’re imbalanced.

@七-十三
War Thunder will never be Ace Combat outside of arcade battles.

[_Magic_Mitch]

Honestly, I just don’t understand how long Gaijin intends to keep going with the same stale, outdated, and unimaginative game modes that haven’t changed in over a decade. Why can’t they see that the game desperately needs a broader gameplay system—especially at high tiers—where all categories of vehicles can find a meaningful role.

Damn it, I shouldn’t be able to see a tank spawning right in front of me from its spawn point, or spot an aircraft or helicopter immediately with radar (either from a plane or SPAA) the second it lifts off the runway.

When will they understand that this game needs to become more simulation-focused and tactical? This isn’t Fortnite—it’s a game featuring military vehicles that are supposed to operate in combat theaters with at least a minimum level of tactical complexity. And all of that is made impossible by ridiculously small maps that force players into repetitive, predictable gameplay patterns.

I don’t understand how, after more than ten years and all the money they’ve received from us supporters, they’ve still failed to create something better than a brainless knife fight.

War Thunder has so much potential to become the greatest military game ever. So what’s holding the developers back from taking that next step and giving War Thunder what it truly deserves—tactics, a non-ridiculous AI, large-scale maps with medium- and long-term objectives that involve naval, ground, and air players working together toward a common goal?

Instead, we’re stuck with an “Ace Combat”-style mode that, if you’re lucky, lasts five minutes on absurdly small maps, because Air RB is a game mode that never evolved—just got crammed with increasingly high-tech vehicles. Ground battles are total chaos, often featuring ridiculous conquest setups with only one capture point pushed to one side, frequently giving a significant advantage depending on spawn location due to terrain layout. Sometimes, you can spot enemy players just a few meters after spawning.

**There needs to be a change—and it needed to happen yesterday.

[AlvisWisla]

Outdated game modes? Name a single non-ESports PVP game that isn’t using these game modes with over 10,000 active players let alone 160,000.

Also this is a realistic battles discussion, not the air arcade game mode your post is addressing later on.

The only change is more PVE, which takes labor. And if you want it to go faster, become a programmer and submit an application to work there.

[Real_K_Soze]

@_Magic_Mitch_

When will they understand that this game needs to become more simulation-focused and tactical?

Whilst i agree with almost all of your statements & remarks i am not sure if you have the same insight as gaijin - especially regarding the shares of really passionate players and the imho clear majority of casual players looking for an arcade like game play.

So if your wife and daughter decide to become vegetarians (whilst you and your son see meat as main dish) you might get away with a compromise (with some hints who is paying the bills) - but as soon as you have 5 vegetarian daughters and your wife earns much more than you there will be no meat on the table.

Translated to the state of wt and Air RB:
You are surrounded by vegetarians and they bring in way more cash than the guys looking for a BBQ. Imho gaijin will react with a kind of expert mode (with tactical & strategic challenges) when the player numbers enter a downward spiral - i hope not too late…

[_Magic_Mitch]

Dude, no one mentioned arcade. I’m specifically referring to ARB and GRB, which have remained unchanged since their inception—especially ARB. I’ve been here since the beginning, and I can assure you that ARB, aside from the vehicles, has stayed exactly the same in its mechanics. That’s what I mean by obsolete, especially with modern vehicles that highlight how outdated this mode is. And the fact that other games do it too doesn’t mean it’s a good thing.

[_Magic_Mitch]

I understand your point of view, but for casual players there are faster modes like Arcade. However, in ARB and SB it’s a different matter, and especially in ARB there’s a real need for a significant change."

[Real_K_Soze]

As said earlier - totally agree with your request for a change.

The main problem is that the Air RB economy is way too attractive for players which play it just as a cheap SL & RP grinding tool. Therefore it is logical that you are surrounded by players which don’t care about the mode or demanding game play.

Just as an example: As long as gaijin rewards a base kill with 3 times the RP reward compared to a player kill you will see Mach 2 jets bombing bases - technically you can’t even blame these players as they just follow gaijin’s carrots.

They only way to change this mindset is either to reduce Air RB SL/RP income or to increase Ground RB SL/RP income - or a mix of both.

Without such economy changes game mode adjustments regarding game play are pointless as just the (idk) 5-10% passionate Air RB players would benefit whist the rest is doing their grinding thing - basically like putting lip stick on a pig…

[AlvisWisla]

Air arcade is the only Ace Combat game mode.

How long an air RB match lasts is entirely up to players, which is coincidentally how it is IRL.

[Normandy_Corsair]

@Real_K_Soze

They only way to change this mindset is either to reduce Air RB SL/RP income

[Real_K_Soze]

That was really funny man! 👍

[Bebê_Reborn]

I think the larger maps could be used as a transition to fast planes, like jets, but they should never be used for propeller planes.

[LoSpilotoITA]

For me this is the Bible or ARB improvements!

[_Magic_Mitch]

Absolutely not. Even ARB has basically turned into Ace Combat now. Almost all maps let you spawn in the air, you set your radar to 100 km and can already see where the enemies are, and literally two minutes later, you already see missile trails in the sky. Zero tactics, zero gameplay variety, no teamwork or coordination to pursue a common goal. Everyone plays individually, just trying to get as many kills as possible, while a few rush for base destruction—and if they succeed, they’re likely to get blown up right after, because the enemy already knows where you’re going and can see you on radar from the start of the match.

ARB has become too frantic, the maps are too small, and the gameplay desperately needs an overhaul. Players should be given real objectives, where kills are secondary, and the match is won by completing mission goals—not just another 4-minute brawl in the center of the map, return to hangar, repeat.

That’s not fun, and as I said, it’s fine for Arcade, but Realistic Battles should already be something much more elaborate, engaging, and refined.

Many players have suggested mission ideas, and there’s so much creative potential—developers just need a bit of imagination. Instead, we’ve had the same thing for over 10 years, which is why at this point, only SB still gives me any kind of real motivation to play.

[_Magic_Mitch]

Paradoxically, large maps with propeller planes feel more like a simulation than matches with jets. At least in those scenarios, you can actually take advantage of the terrain—you can decide to team up with someone and do interception missions, or go hunt for enemy bombers (with the real possibility of not finding them right away), which also means bombers have to be smart about avoiding detection and actually get a chance to complete their objectives like bombing bases or tank columns.

At higher tiers, everyone’s flying fighters. Some players use strike aircraft to hit bases, but they either explode before getting there, or if they do succeed, they immediately have to deal with interceptors who already know where they were headed—because the maps are so small that, with certain jets and radars set to max range, you can see pretty much everything from the start.

Some maps, like the Spain map, are so small that both teams can literally see the other side taking off via radar, and that’s just ridiculous. You shouldn’t know exactly where the enemy is coming from—you should have to stay alert and avoid being caught off guard.

Unfortunately, that kind of gameplay just doesn’t exist.

[AlvisWisla]

If you think everyone plays individually then you need to pay more attention. I see teamwork every single match. More often the enemy team over mine recently.
People forming wolfpacks? Team play.
People “frag stealing”? Team play.

Tactics? Deck rats, high alt BVR, wolfpack running. All are tactics and all are common at higher BRs all complimenting each other.

The only way to change gameplay is to do PVE which requires new AI.

Air combat won’t have gameplay variety, welcome to air combat. You have base runs, strike runs, and anti-air and that’ll always be the case. Even on PVE matches.
War Thunder and DCS are the Factorio of war.