[Gaijin Please] Add the Additional Armour Package to the Challenger DS

๐€ ๐ฌ๐ข๐ฆ๐ฉ๐ฅ๐ž ๐ฆ๐จ๐๐ข๐Ÿ๐ข๐œ๐š๐ญ๐ข๐จ๐ง ๐ญ๐ก๐š๐ญ ๐ฐ๐จ๐ฎ๐ฅ๐ ๐ข๐ฆ๐ฉ๐ซ๐จ๐ฏ๐ž ๐ก๐ข๐ฌ๐ญ๐จ๐ซ๐ข๐œ๐š๐ฅ ๐š๐œ๐œ๐ฎ๐ซ๐š๐œ๐ฒ ๐š๐ง๐ ๐›๐ž๐ญ๐ญ๐ž๐ซ ๐ซ๐ž๐ฉ๐ซ๐ž๐ฌ๐ž๐ง๐ญ ๐ญ๐ก๐ž ๐‚๐ก๐š๐ฅ๐ฅ๐ž๐ง๐ ๐ž๐ซ (๐ƒ๐’) ๐ฎ๐ฌ๐ž๐ ๐๐ฎ๐ซ๐ข๐ง๐  ๐Ž๐ฉ๐ž๐ซ๐š๐ญ๐ข๐จ๐ง ๐ƒ๐ž๐ฌ๐ž๐ซ๐ญ ๐’๐ญ๐จ๐ซ๐ฆ


This post is about Gaijin adding the additional armour package to the Challenger DS.
Every bug report submitted about this issue has been rejected, despite players providing photographic evidence and reliable sources showing and talking about why the Challengers in Desert Storm used this additional armour package.



Personally, I chose not to buy this tank because of this missing feature. However, I would seriously consider purchasing it if Gaijin added the armour package into the game.

There is honestly no reason why this cannot be implemented. If the developers do not want to spend time adding the sand bags and whatnot, there is a very simple solution: add the additional armour as a modification. Once the modification is installed, the tank can use the same model as the one currently in the tech tree.



This would be a simple fix that requires minimal effort while making the vehicle more historically accurate. There is no real reason why this cannot be added, especially considering the evidence already provided by the community.


Screenshot 2026-07-26 171336


๐“๐ก๐ž๐ฌ๐ž ๐š๐ซ๐ž ๐ฌ๐จ๐ฆ๐ž ๐จ๐Ÿ ๐ญ๐ก๐ž ๐›๐ฎ๐  ๐ซ๐ž๐ฉ๐จ๐ซ๐ญ๐ฌ ๐ฌ๐ฎ๐›๐ฆ๐ข๐ญ๐ญ๐ž๐ ๐›๐ฒ ๐ญ๐ก๐ž ๐œ๐จ๐ฆ๐ฆ๐ฎ๐ง๐ข๐ญ๐ฒ. ๐Œ๐š๐ง๐ฒ ๐จ๐Ÿ ๐ญ๐ก๐ž๐ฆ ๐ฐ๐ž๐ซ๐ž ๐ซ๐ž๐ฃ๐ž๐œ๐ญ๐ž๐ ๐๐ž๐ฌ๐ฉ๐ข๐ญ๐ž ๐ฉ๐ฅ๐š๐ฒ๐ž๐ซ๐ฌ ๐ฉ๐ซ๐จ๐ฏ๐ข๐๐ข๐ง๐  ๐ฌ๐ฎ๐›๐ฌ๐ญ๐š๐ง๐ญ๐ข๐š๐ฅ ๐ž๐ฏ๐ข๐๐ž๐ง๐œ๐ž ๐ฌ๐ฎ๐ฉ๐ฉ๐จ๐ซ๐ญ๐ข๐ง๐  ๐ญ๐ก๐ž ๐ซ๐ž๐ฉ๐จ๐ซ๐ญ๐ฌ.

https://community.gaijin.net/issues/p/warthunder/i/CQ60GS6u4z5F

https://community.gaijin.net/issues/p/warthunder/i/G4Ane6wSkUm4

https://community.gaijin.net/issues/p/warthunder/i/l6yFshv7tjvx


Screenshot 2026-07-26 171330


๐’๐ก๐จ๐ฎ๐ฅ๐ ๐ญ๐ก๐ž ๐‚๐ก๐š๐ฅ๐ฅ๐ž๐ง๐ ๐ž๐ซ ๐ƒ๐’ ๐ซ๐ž๐œ๐ž๐ข๐ฏ๐ž ๐ข๐ญ๐ฌ ๐ก๐ข๐ฌ๐ญ๐จ๐ซ๐ข๐œ๐š๐ฅ ๐š๐๐๐ข๐ญ๐ข๐จ๐ง๐š๐ฅ ๐š๐ซ๐ฆ๐จ๐ฎ๐ซ ๐ฉ๐š๐œ๐ค๐š๐ ๐ž?
  • โœ… Yes, add it as a modification
  • โŒ No, keep the vehicle unchanged
0 voters

Disappointing

There is now substantial evidence showing that Challenger 1s deployed during Operation Granby, including the Challenger DS, received the additional armour package as part of their theatre modifications. These upgrades were specifically introduced to improve protection against anti-tank weapons and other battlefield threats before combat operations began.

To the people who voted against this, I suggest doing some basic research before dismissing the evidence. And to Gaijin, this is incredibly disappointing. You repeatedly claim that War Thunder strives for historical accuracy, yet decisions like this suggest that historical evidence is only accepted when itโ€™s convenient.

Iโ€™ll keep repeating this point because it hasnโ€™t been addressed. The photograph of the tank without the additional armour was most likely taken before the Operation Granby armour package was fitted. Overall, itโ€™s a frustrating situation, especially considering how many historical sources state that these modifications were applied to Challenger 1s deployed during the conflict.

To put this into perspective, itโ€™s like refusing to add the F-4J(UK)โ€™s external gun simply because there isnโ€™t a photograph of that specific aircraft carrying it, despite numerous other Phantoms using the same configuration in service. The absence of a photograph of one individual vehicle does not prove that the equipment was never fitted.

In this case, weโ€™re only asking for a simple historical correction for both tanks. This isnโ€™t a controversial balance change or a major gameplay overhaul. Itโ€™s a straightforward historical fix supported by credible evidence. Thatโ€™s why itโ€™s difficult to understand why such a simple, low-risk correction has been rejected by a community manager. The very first Challenger 2 you unlock in the game already includes a comparable historical armour modification, so applying the same standard here should not and would not be controversial.


https://community.gaijin.net/issues/p/warthunder/i/Kf92FzZLnysd


1 Like

The funny thing is that the Challenger 2 TES and OES have the opposite problem. There are already plenty of MBTs in the game that can remove their heavy additional armour packages, so it would make sense to give the Challenger 2s the same option. Being able to unequip the extra armour would reduce their weight and significantly improve their mobility.

@Smin1080p_WT this is also a necessary change

3 Likes

Only if itโ€™s BR doesnโ€™t increase.

If it moves to 11.0, it would be totally worthless. Whilst at 10.7 itโ€™s very solid

1 Like

This has been bug reported and the report accepted

1 Like

They need to be constantly reminded that things like this still need to be implemented because they often forget. Plenty of bug reports get accepted, and then you donโ€™t hear another word about them for years.

This tank wouldnโ€™t move up in battle rating, and thereโ€™s no reason it should. The Mk.3 already has the additional armour, and it should also have the option to equip or remove that armour.

Why would you think this would increase its BR?

1 Like

Because of the history of BR changes lol.

1 Like

The Challenger Mk.3 and the Challenger DS are virtually identical tanks, yet the Mk.3 has the additional armour package while the DS does not. It would make far more sense for both tanks to have the armour available as an optional modification, allowing players to equip or remove it whenever they want.

There is also no reason why this addition would increase the vehicleโ€™s Battle Rating. The additional armour would mainly improve protection against ATGMs and other chemical energy weapons, which are far more common in downtiers than at higher Battle Ratings.

1 Like

Does anyone know who I should @ so something like this can be implemented?

Only thing to add is that โ€˜Challenger DSโ€™ is based off a real vehicle in how itโ€™s configured with the markings, sandbags etc.
But I still agree, it needs to have the option of the add-on armor package.
Challenger 1 Mk 3 needs to be able to take the armor off
Challenger 2 TES and OES need to be able to take the ERA off so only the full height sideskirts are on
image

Holy Dunning Kruger, thanks for reminding me.

Itโ€™s incredibly frustrating that they chose a version without the additional armour. Hopefully, weโ€™ll see that modification added to both tanks in the future because itโ€™s honestly mind blowing that it still hasnโ€™t happened yet. The Challenger Mk.3 was added back in 2018, that was eight years ago. Come on, Gajin!

Kinda mind blow that people would vote no for something like this ๐Ÿ˜ญ๐Ÿ™

@waomiku I know exactly what you did and you better take that back. Iโ€™m not going to let someone tip the scales on something people have been asking for in the game for four years just for the sake of a stupid joke.

(Joke)

join a new challenger not change the current one

This isnโ€™t some massive buff thatโ€™s going to push it up to 11.7. Iโ€™m simply suggesting that the additional armor be added as an optional modification for both tanks, so players can equip it whenever they want, just like many other vehicles already in the game. Itโ€™s not rocket science.

Hello

They were rejected, not because of any historical reasons or lack of evidence, but because this particular tank was the version without that. This was intentional and there for not a bug.

Its based on a Desert Storm tank that was before the armour was fitted:
image

This isnโ€™t a good reason not to add something like this to the tank, especially when there are already so many other vehicles in the game with similar features. Thereโ€™s also the addition of the anime tanks, which are fictional, yet some of them have the option to remove the cage armour and mine protection, such as the Leopard 2A4M. This would simply be a quality of life improvement for the Challenger Mk.3s, OES, and TES.

This would be a great addition to the Challenger tanks, and I donโ€™t think it would be controversial in any way. Should the Sherman IC and the many other tanks with similar modifications have those options removed simply because there isnโ€™t definitive proof they used them?

This would be incredibly easy to implement, many players would be happy to see it added, and it would be completely inoffensive. All it does is provide the option to add the additional armour.

The Challenger Mk.3 should absolutely be able to equip this modification. Hopefully this isnโ€™t another case of, โ€œWe just donโ€™t think itโ€™s worth the effort.โ€

Come on, this is a simple addition that would be greatly appreciated. It would not only improve the vehicle, but also pay tribute to the Challenger tanks that served during Operation Desert Storm. Itโ€™s a small change with a meaningful historical connection, and now is the perfect time to add it.

1 Like

Come on

1 Like

@Smin1080p_WT

We donโ€™t have to agree on the Phantoms and thatโ€™s completely fine. However, I donโ€™t think the reasoning against this suggestion is reasonable.

The premium Ariete Certezza in the Italian tech tree already has the option to equip its War Kit, so thereโ€™s already a precedent for this kind of modification. The Challenger Mk.3 and Challenger DS should be able to do the same, along with the Challenger 2 OES and TES by allowing players to equip or remove their additional armour packages.

This isnโ€™t some controversial feature that canโ€™t be implemented. We both know it would be a relatively straightforward addition, and it wouldnโ€™t break any of War Thunderโ€™s existing design principles. The Challenger DS could be fitted with this additional armour in real life, and other Challenger Mk.3s deployed during Operation desert storm were also equipped with it.

Please consider adding this feature. It would mean a great deal to me and many other players who genuinely love these tanks. It would also pay tribute to the different Challenger configurations that served during the conflict instead of representing only a single version that doesnโ€™t have all the bells and whistles.

There are practical benefits as well. Giving players the choice to fit or remove the additional armour would make these vehicles more versatile and interesting to play. For the Challenger DS specifically, equipping the armour modification could remove the sandbags and field applied markings, transforming it into a standard Challenger Mk.3 as it appeared during the Gulf War. That would give players two historically accurate configurations in a single vehicle.

I know this is something that can be done, and I genuinely believe it would be a worthwhile quality of life addition. It could even encourage more people myself included to finally purchase the Challenger DS. Iโ€™m not trying to create extra work or push an unreasonable request; I simply want these tanks to represent more of their real world configurations while giving players greater freedom to customise them.

IMG_5076

IMG_5074

Please donโ€™t waste this opportunity ๐Ÿ™

Just some additional information: this photo of the tank was taken before the add on armour kits were installed.

IMG_5077

Every Challenger 1 deployed during Operation Granby/Desert Storm was fitted with the additional armour package. The upgrades were introduced specifically for the conflict, as the British Army expected to face Iraqi T-72s and other anti-tank threats. If the tanks historically carried these modifications in combat, they should be available in-game as a modification. The battle rating changes make this the perfect opportunity to add this.

IMG_5075

With everything Iโ€™ve covered, I donโ€™t see any compelling reason not to add this. It would improve historical accuracy, correct an existing historical inaccuracy, and give the Challenger a meaningful improvement without creating any balance issues.

@Stona_WT

No cap, Iโ€™d buy this the moment it gets added. Full price, and no waiting for a sale. Itโ€™s a win-win for everyone.

1:02:00

@BVV_d

13:50

With everything Iโ€™ve found, I donโ€™t see a good reason why this canโ€™t be added. The evidence, including information from the Tank Museum, supports these modifications. Dismissing them would also mean dismissing the Tank Museum as a credible source.

@gromvoiny

1 Like

This photo was taken before the additional armour package was fitted.

Bug report.

https://community.gaijin.net/issues/p/warthunder/i/Kf92FzZLnysd

IMG_5095

When has the 2A4M (both Senrai and default) have the ability to remove the armour?