Hi all,
I’d like to raise an issue I’ve been encountering with the SPIKE LR2 missile in the game.
Issue
Incorrect AOA and trajectory behaviour
According to the official manufacturer specifications, the SPIKE LR2 is designed for a lofted top-attack trajectory and can achieve an impact angle exceeding 70 degrees, optimised for penetrating the thinner top armour of tanks.
In-game, however, the missile’s trajectory appears completely wrong. It flies in a flat, shallow path instead of lofting and diving steeply, meaning it can’t perform proper top-attack strikes as intended.
Incorrect targeting and zero damage
When fired, the SPIKE LR2 often locks onto the barrel or track instead of the hull or turret roof, resulting in no critical damage. In many cases, even a direct hit on ERA (Explosive Reactive Armour) is fully absorbed, despite the SPIKE LR2 being equipped with a tandem warhead specifically designed to defeat ERA protection.
The result is that the missile either:
- hits the barrel and causes no damage, or
- veers low and hits the track or side skirt, doing nothing.
When it does impact the hull, the ERA absorbs the entire blast, which shouldn’t happen with a tandem HEAT round.
It previously worked correctly
A few weeks ago, around the time the LMUR missile was introduced, the SPIKE LR2 worked perfectly. It had realistic flight behaviour, proper attack angles, and dealt damage as expected. After a recent update, this has regressed — suggesting a change in missile code or damage logic.
Additional Context
I submitted an official bug report about this issue, but I’ve received no response so far. Considering the official documentation and that it previously worked fine, this seems to be a clear case of an unintended regression rather than a balancing adjustment.
Why This Matters
- The SPIKE family represents modern, high-tech ATGMs that should perform according to their real-world design.
- The 70-degree plus impact angle is vital for proper top-attack capability.
- The current damage and targeting behaviour make the missile effectively useless in both PvP and PvE.
Questions for Developers / Community
- Has anyone else filed or received updates on a similar report?
- Can the devs confirm whether the lofted flight path and tandem warhead logic are functioning as intended?
- Could this bug be connected to changes made in the LMUR update?
- Any known workarounds or configuration tips to restore proper behaviour?
Would really appreciate any confirmation or dev feedback on this — the SPIKE LR2 is a key system that deserves to function properly.
Thanks for reading and helping bring attention to it.
Note: link to existing bug report if anyone wants to take a look for proof
https://community.gaijin.net/issues/p/warthunder/i/TcmpbH5AMqsv
