Nuclear Thunder Event Feedback
English Version
After spending a significant amount of time playing the Nuclear Thunder event, I’d like to share my feedback. The mode has enormous potential, but in its current state it still feels far from being ready.
1. Rewards (Silver Lions & Research Points)
During the first 48 hours of the very first event, the rewards were excellent. The amount of Silver Lions and Research Points earned was comparable to what players could earn in Realistic Battles for the same amount of time invested. It felt rewarding and worth playing.
Unfortunately, after those first two days, the economy changed dramatically.
The spawn costs have become completely unreasonable. Earning only around 16,000 Silver Lions after a one-hour match simply isn’t worth the time invested. In its current state:
- Premium players earn very little considering the time spent.
- Non-premium players can actually lose huge amounts of Silver Lions.
At the moment, there is very little reason to play this game mode from an economic perspective. The rewards should be comparable to those in Realistic Battles based on the duration of the match.
2. SPAA Balance
The frontline SPAAs are currently far too effective.
They intercept almost every bomb, every ARM missile, and aircraft with incredible efficiency. During the first 48 hours of the original event, they were much more balanced and players actually had a chance to survive.
Now, every match follows exactly the same pattern:
- Take off.
- Launch your ARM missiles.
- Land.
- Repeat.
This simply isn’t engaging gameplay.
Only towards the end of the match, when fewer SPAAs remain alive, does it finally become possible to enjoy proper air-to-air combat.
Another issue is that many frontline SPAAs appear to have their radar turned off, yet they still detect and engage aircraft with perfect accuracy. This feels both unrealistic and frustrating.
3. Aircraft Weapons
Aircraft that historically carried nuclear bombs should have access to them in this game mode.
A good solution would be to allow players to research Nuclear Thunder-exclusive modifications for those aircraft.
Additional missile systems or tactical ballistic weapons designed specifically for this event could also improve the gameplay by making ground attacks more effective.
These modifications should remain exclusive to Nuclear Thunder and should not affect the standard game modes.
4. Strategic Bombers
Strategic bombers such as:
- B-2 Spirit
- Avro Vulcan
- Tu-160
would be excellent additions to this game mode.
There are still many aspects that need improvement, but the concept itself has enormous potential.
Personally, I think a simpler first step would have been to create a Realistic game mode based on the existing Simulator mechanics .
I believe many players would enjoy having a dedicated air mode where they could build a lineup of several aircraft, similar to Ground Battles, instead of being limited to a single spawn.
That alone would already have been a very welcome addition to War Thunder while Nuclear Thunder is being fully developed.
5. Overall Thoughts
Nuclear Thunder has enormous potential.
I believe every Battle Rating from Rank III onwards should eventually become available.
However, making the gameplay frustrating or overly punishing will only drive players away from the mode.
The mode should offer a healthy balance between:
- Air-to-ground combat.
- Air-to-air combat.
The economy should also reflect the time invested, just as it does in Realistic Battles.
Regarding spawn costs, I believe aircraft should follow a system similar to Ground Battles:
- The longer a player survives, the higher the spawn cost becomes.
- However, there should be a reasonable maximum limit.
- Spawn costs should never become so expensive that players finish a match without making any meaningful profit.
This is, of course, only my personal opinion.
I sincerely hope Gaijin will listen to the community’s feedback and move this mode in the right direction. Nuclear Thunder has the potential to become a very enjoyable and unique addition to War Thunder, bringing much-needed variety to the game.
