Hi!
Im relativly new to this game, only 700 hours im also new to the forums.
I want to start by saying that I genuinely love War Thunder. I have around 750 hours in the game, almost entirely playing Ground RB, and I’m still having a lot of fun with it. This isn’t a “I hate War Thunder” post. Quite the opposite—I care about the game enough to want to see it improve.
But there is one thing that repeatedly destroys the fun for me: aircraft in Ground RB.
I’m not against combined arms in principle. I understand that aircraft are an important part of War Thunder and that many players enjoy using them. My problem is what happens when a team is losing and the enemy reaches the spawn.
Once a team is about to lose, spawn camping/raping often begins. When the enemy is using tanks to spawn camp, it’s frustrating, but at least there is a possibility to fight back.
You spawn, see an enemy tank, and you can actually engage him. You might kill one or even two. You might manage to break through the attackers or buy enough time for your team to help. There is still some interaction and some chance of fighting your way out.
Aircraft are completely different.
When the enemy has aircraft attacking an already overwhelmed spawn, the battle can be effectively over the moment you spawn.
You are trying to fight enemy tanks that are already around your spawn, while at the same time aircraft are diving on you with bombs, rockets or guns. Even if you spawn an SPAA, you’re now trying to deal with aircraft while enemy tanks are shooting at you.
You cannot realistically fight both battles at the same time.
And that’s what makes CAS during spawn camping particularly frustrating.
People often say: “Just spawn SPAA.”
But that doesn’t really solve the problem. If enemy tanks are already inside or immediately outside your spawn, an SPAA is often fighting an impossible fight. You need to defend yourself against tanks on the ground while simultaneously tracking aircraft in the sky.
When I spawn into a tank and get killed by another tank, at least I can think:
“Okay, that guy outplayed me.”
When I spawn, hear an aircraft approaching and get bombed before I can even properly react, there is very little I can do about it.
I’m not asking for aircraft to be removed from the existing Ground RB mode.
I would simply like to see Gaijin experiment with a separate Ground RB mode without aircraft and helicopters.
Something like:
Ground RB — Pure Ground
- Tanks, tank destroyers and SPAA
- No aircraft
- No helicopters
- Same realistic mechanics
- Same or similar maps
- Separate matchmaking/queue
This would give players who enjoy the combined-arms experience the current Ground RB, while giving players who primarily want tank-vs-tank combat another option.
If a no-aircraft mode isn’t possible: limit aircraft
If Gaijin doesn’t want to introduce a completely separate Ground RB mode, then I would at least like to see a rule limiting the number of aircraft in the air.
For example: maximum ONE aircraft per team at any given time.
If one aircraft is already airborne, another player cannot spawn an aircraft until the first one has been destroyed or returned to the ground.
I think this would make a huge difference, especially during the end of a match.
Having one aircraft supporting a team is one thing.
Having several aircraft simultaneously circling an enemy spawn while tanks are already spawn camping is something completely different.
I honestly think this could make a lot of players happier without taking anything away from the people who enjoy CAS.
War Thunder already has an incredible ground combat system. The maps, vehicles, ballistics and mechanics can produce some absolutely fantastic tank battles.
Sometimes I just want to play a game where the person who kills my tank is another tank.
After 750 hours, I still love this game. That’s precisely why I’m making this post.
Please consider giving us a Ground RB option without aircraft and helicopters.
Let us have the choice!
