Feedback regarding recent update – adding vehicles to lineups

I would like to share my feedback regarding the recent update that allows adding two vehicles directly to a lineup.

In my opinion, this change takes away a core part of what makes War Thunder enjoyable. The game has always been about earning progress through gameplay — researching vehicles, unlocking them step by step, and feeling rewarded for time and effort invested.

With this update, players are effectively given vehicles instead of working for them, which makes progression feel meaningless. Unlocking new vehicles used to be a goal; now it feels like the game skips that process entirely. This strongly reduces motivation to grind, improve, and actually play for long-term progression.

War Thunder works best when progress is tied to effort, skill, and time spent learning the game — not when vehicles are handed out as part of a lineup mechanic. Instead of improving gameplay depth, this change makes the experience feel less rewarding and, frankly, less engaging.

I believe this update should be reconsidered or reworked in a way that preserves the sense of achievement and progression that many long-time players value.

Thank you for taking the time to read this feedback.

3 Likes

The feature was added to combat those that leave the match after one death. The vehicles that you get access to are stock and a lower BR than the highest one you have in your lineup (sort of). So you won’t get access to vehicles that are above the ones you are playing.

2 Likes

For…
checks notes
Receiving a stock vehicle that you ultimately do not own?
Really?

It’s arguably not even that useful; you’re using heatfs versus modern composite.
Only the SPAAs are worth spawning in, IMO.
Giving premium players the ability to meaningfully contribute to the team after their primary vehicle is taken out is good.
You’re not taking away from the grind (which I’m curious about why you frame as a good thing) by letting them essentially borrow a vehicle.

7 Likes

No parts
No fpe
Stock ammo
Crew level 1

It’s a decent idea but executed in the worst way possible.

Why exactly would a player with a single premium vehicle choose to spawn one of those things, when they can be in a different match in 20 seconds with their premium where they’re not crippled?

6 Likes

Unfortunetly is seems to have changed pretty much nothing currently, with the BMPT’s having ERA and armor on par with 12.7 tanks, they all just rush your spawn so respawning and struggling to pen then seems like a big waste of time. So from what i’ve experenced so far today, 1 death leavers are way more frequant at 9.3 - 11.3 BR’s because of 2 RU tanks

That, plus completely untrained Level 1 crews…

Honestly; being given the choice to spawn that or not spawning at all, I’d pick the latter.

Spawning in Top Tier with HEAT, no thermals, no LRF, no parts, no FPE, the slowest reload, the slowest repair, the slowest gear change, the slowest braking, the slowest turret rotation, the slowest gun elevation, not even being able to traverse horizontally and vertically at the same time, a vehicle not even able to neutral steer because it gets stuck…

That “spawn” is just free SP fodder for the enemy, as it does not offer an even slightly competitive option.

If they wanted to solve one-death spawning by adding a “spawn for the sake of spawning” thing, people may as well spawn a Reserve tank… I thought this was oriented towards letting players spawn in capable and competitive options to continue playing after 1 death.

7 Likes

I support extending this idea to all Battle Ratings. Too many times someone will excitedly charge ahead to some tank they fantasize about and rush to play it that they forget to assemble a proper lineup before jumping ranks. “Tiger Syndrome” in a nutshell.

Also, the general idea of force-feeding all people SPAAG whether they intentionally bring them or not is a good way to help end the mutually-assured-destruction of the CAS debate.

This feature needs expanding to all BRs, and also should be enlarged to include default aircraft like it does in Naval.

Can’t debate “tank-only mode” if there are no “tank-only players” after all.

this change takes away a core part of what makes War Thunder enjoyable. The game has always been about earning progress through gameplay

Level 1 players can already jump straight into top tier premiums.

Handing out a few stock vehicles isn’t going to suddenly ruin the game, it’s already way past that point.

okay but why should i grind an spaa placed at 10.7 when i get it every game for free (even a stock spaa stops cas without any big problems
)

2 Likes

Because you do want to spade them, and have a better crew than level 1…

really useless btw, stock tanks with heat-fs facing era, very smart of gaijin to add them, no one is going to use them, they’re still gonna leave the game.

1 Like

spaa is reasonable, but a stock tank, with no parts, nor apfsds, completely useless.

yea but if i would know i get spaas for free i wouldnt grind it just for a better crew and mods ( so i grind without prem and 4h/day it would take like 2-3 weeks or so… for what reason should i waste my 2-3weaks just for some crew points and modification) (i would even trade the spaas rn for even 1/3 xp just to spent it at a tank…) @Fernando_alonso

You are right, it’s a good idea on paper, but only the light tank or medium tank part, giving a level 10 player with one premium a 10.3 (for example) SPAA such as the OSA or Roland is completely unfair, and even more damaging to the game. While the intended effect is improving the game experience and making it easier for low levels, the reality is a team full of level 15 players in an SPAA they don’t know how to use.

Instead of giving them an SPAA and a tank (both level 1 with no modifications), a much better solution would be just one random vehicle, with full modifications (yet still level 1).

Then don’t, simple as.
If you think that’s a sustainable gameplay, then you do you.
It will however be extremely funny seeing people trying to make vehicles such as the flarakrad (or God forbid, the rolands) work at top tier.

rn i play at 10.7 and my mates get the osa with 10.50km range and i have no chance to get an kill in my 2s6 thats just 0.4 BR over it.

on top if you play 12.7 you get the m3buk right so its point and click so why grinding 400k rp

1 Like

You don’t get the highest BR vehicle in the BR range you are playing in.

At least not if i’ve understood this correctly.

1 Like

You don’t get your BR ceiling, nor do you get end of line vehicles.
You’ll always get down, not up.