Between February 23 and March 2, 2023, the following items will be available:
Defender Bundle (BMPT-72)
This skin for the BMPT-72 Tier 9 TD is based on the camouflage and insignia used by the 5th Separate Guards Tank Brigade “Tatsinskaya”, a Russian Federation military unit from Buryatia stationed at Divizionnaya, Ulan-Ude. You can read more about it in a dedicated article.
We are offering the Defender skin in a bundle, which includes:
Defender skin for the BMPT-72 TD
14 days of Premium Time
2.000 Gold
Clicking the link below will open the game’s launcher. Please select the Market option on the left and select Armored Warfare to access this offer.
Defender Bundle (T-72B3)
This skin for the T-72B3 Tier 8 Premium MBT is based on a real-life combat unit T-72B3 that participated in the Zapad (“West”) series of military exercises, specifically the Zapad-2017 one that took place in Belarus and Russia in the September of 2017. The tactical number and unit designation 697 belongs to an actual T-72B3 as seen on the Borisovsky proving ground in the Minsk area, likely belonging to Russia’s 6th Tank Brigade “Chenstokovskaya”, which is officially armed with this type of tanks. You can read more about it in a dedicated article.
We are offering the Defender skin in a bundle, which includes:
Defender skin for the T-72B3 MBT
T-72B3 Tier 8 Premium MBT
7 days of Premium Time
1.500 Gold
Clicking the link below will open the game’s launcher. Please select the Market option on the left and select Armored Warfare to access this offer.
Defender Bundle (T-72B)
This skin for the T-72B Tier 6 progression Main Battle Tank is based on a real vehicle that appeared on the separatist side during the 2015 battle of Debaltseve in eastern Ukraine. The vehicle is believed to belong to a Private Military Company called Vagner. You can read more about it in our dedicated article.
We are offering the Defender skin in a bundle, which includes:
Defender skin for the T-72B MBT
Russian real-life arctic camouflage
14 days of Premium Time
2.000 Gold
Clicking the link below will open the game’s launcher. Please select the Market option on the left and select Armored Warfare to access this offer.
Object 640
The Object 640 is one of the last Soviet era “super tank” monsters, designed to surpass anything the west could field on the battlefield. It featured extremely advanced armor, making it highly resistant to hits while keeping its weight low. The design was truly revolutionary for the late 1980s, but, like with many other Soviet projects of the era, it was discontinued due to the lack of funding. You can learn more about it in a dedicated article.
In Armored Warfare, the Object 640 “Black Eagle” is a Tier 10 Premium Main Battle Tank. It is a fast, agile and well-protected vehicle that plays in a typical Russian-style MBT fashion – ideal for players who want to take things up close and personal. This version of the tank does not feature any camouflage and is ready to be customized as you see fit.
The Object 640 Tier 10 Premium MBT is available in our Web Shop via Loot Crates. Collect 100 blueprint pieces from these crates to obtain the vehicle.
T-72B3
The T-72B3 is the most modern Russian T-72 variant currently in service. It is a heavily upgraded version of the T-72B, featuring Kontakt-5 ERA kit and an improved Fire Control System. Together, these modifications allow the aging T-72 to serve well into the 21st century. You can learn more about its history in our dedicated article!
In Armored Warfare, the T-72B3 is a Tier 8 Premium Main Battle Tank. It continues the tradition of other Russian tanks. Its low silhouette, good mobility, powerful 125mm gun and its advanced ERA kit make it a formidable opponent. This version of the T-72B3 is offered without any camouflage.
Clicking the link below will open the game’s launcher. Please select the Market option on the left and select Armored Warfare to access this offer.
BMPT Mod.2017
The BMPT Mod.2017 is one specific version of the BMPT Terminator that was deployed in 2017 in Syria for extended testing along with some other Russian prototype equipment, including the SU-57 jet fighter and the Uran-9 combat robot. It consists of a modified T-90 hull with a modernized turret from BMPT-72 installed on it. Another major difference was the presence of a new type of Explosive Reactive Armor that was made of soft fabric bags with explosive filler. You can read more about it in our dedicated article.
In Armored Warfare, the BMPT Mod. 2017 is a Tier 8 Premium Tank Destroyer and arguably the most powerful variant of the BMPT family. Like the others, it combines a tank hull with an unmanned turret, armed with two 30mm cannons as well as four missile launchers. Its thick armor and advanced ATGMs quickly made it one of the most feared vehicles of Tier 8 battlefields, a position it retains to this day.
Clicking the link below will open the game’s launcher. Please select the Market option on the left and select Armored Warfare to access this offer.
Armata 152
The Armata 152 is a version of the T-14 Armata, armed with larger cannon. One of the upgrades considered for the T-14 Armata was the increase of its caliber to 152mm in order to absolutely, positively destroy anything with the first shot. The 2A83 smoothbore is a behemoth of a gun, designed in the last days of the Soviet empire for the next generation of super-tanks. It’s massive, heavy and quite costly to produce, but, most importantly, it was never truly needed to deal with the western MBTs since the standard 125mm guns were (and still are) up to the task. That is why it never found its way on any Soviet MBT with even the standard T-14 Armata being armed with an improved 125mm cannon. You can, however, experience its awesome firepower in Armored Warfare! Learn more about it in a dedicated article.
In Armored Warfare, the T-14 Armata 152 is a Tier 10 Premium Main Battle Tank. While not firing as fast as its 125mm counterpart, the 152mm rounds do enormous damage, often eliminating weaker opponents with a single shot. And then there’s the platform itself – the Armata, the most modern Main Battle Tank in the world. Earn it and use it to dominate!
The Armata 152 Tier 10 Premium MBT is available in our Web Shop via Loot Crates. Collect 100 blueprint pieces from these crates to obtain the vehicle.
Russian Airborne Camouflages
We’ve also prepared three historical camouflages for you that are based on real life Russian military patterns. You can read more about those in our dedicated article.
As usual, the camouflages can be used in any environment and are available together in a single discounted bundle.
Clicking the link below will open the game’s launcher. Please select the Market option on the left and select Armored Warfare to access this offer.
M-95 Degman
The M-95 Degman is an advanced Croatian prototype MBT, developed during the 1990s and 2000s. It is based on the previous Yugoslavian project, the Vihor MBT, which in turn has its roots in the improved T-72M series produced in former Yugoslavia. You can read more about its history in a dedicated article.
In Armored Warfare, the tank is relatively fast and fairly agile while carrying some potent firepower for its Tier. In fact, its owners can choose from two powerful guns:
125mm 2A46 Russian-style smoothbore gun, known from many Russian MBTs
120mm CTG NATO-style smoothbore gun that you know from the Challenger 1 Falcon MBT
It’s worth noting that the 120mm shells have higher penetration values and the gun can also fire Falarick ATGMs while the 125mm gun has higher damage per shot. Both guns will feature good handling as well as overall performance to offset the vehicle’s weakness, which is its mediocre armor. The Degman must rely on its mobility and firepower to survive, making it an ideal vehicle for aggressive, daring players.
Clicking the link below will open the game’s launcher. Please select the Market option on the left and select Armored Warfare to access this offer.
ZUBR PSP
The ZUBR was a Czech privately-funded project by PSP Bohemia from the 1990s to develop a successor platform to the aging Soviet-era BMP-series IFVs and various other obsolete specialized vehicles. Even though it was quite advanced for its time, it was ultimately unsuccessful due to the end of the Cold War and the subsequent cuts in European military budgets, including the Czech one. You can read more about it in our dedicated article.
In Armored Warfare, the ZUBR PSP is a Tier 7 wheeled Premium Tank Destroyer. What makes it fairly unique is the fact that you can choose from two different weapon systems for this vehicle:
Cockerill CT-CV turret with 105mm gun
Four-barreled TOW ATGM launcher
Each of these weapons changes the gameplay style of the vehicle considerably and it is up to you, how you configure this powerful machine.
Clicking the link below will open the game’s launcher. Please select the Market option on the left and select Armored Warfare to access this offer.
BWP-2000
The BWP-2000 IFV was a Polish attempt from the mid-1990s to develop a replacement for the license-produced BMP-1 in the Polish military, since it was getting obsolete by that point. Its protracted development led to its cancellation at the onset of War on Terror, leaving Poland without a modern tracked IFV to this day. You can read more about it in our dedicated article.
In Armored Warfare, the BWP-2000 is a Tier 7 Premium Armored Fighting Vehicle armed with 60mm cannon as well as a set of ATGM launchers. When it comes to AFV playstyle, the BWP-2000 is definitely more of an infantry carrier and fire support vehicle than a scout due to its large size and powerful armament as well as the ability to deploy Mechanized Infantry. It can take quite a bit of punishment and deal it in equal measure.
Clicking the link below will open the game’s launcher. Please select the Market option on the left and select Armored Warfare to access this offer.
Pile of Gold
We also have the Pile of Gold Loot Crate for you. This Loot Crate contains copious amounts of Gold for you to win.
This Loot Crate includes:
250.000 Gold
100.000 Gold
50.000 Gold
10.000 Gold
5.000 Gold
1.000 Gold
500 Gold
100 Gold
Clicking the link below will open the game’s launcher. Please select the Market option on the left, select Armored Warfare and then the Chest section to access this offer.
We hope that you will enjoy the offer and, as always:
See you on the battlefield!
Update 0.43.1 Now Available
Commanders!
We are happy to announce that the Update 0.43.1 is now available!
List of Update 0.43.1 Changes
Fixed an issue where several vehicles were missing their models and returned them to the game (XM247, M48 GAU-8, BMPT Mod.2017, Ramka-99, BMPT Mod.2000)
Fixed an issue where foliage transparency was not working correctly
Server Maintenance
On the 21st of February 2023, starting from 8:00 CET, the server will not be available for 4 hours due to a planned server maintenance.
Please note that the maintenance can be extended beyond the abovementioned timeframe. We apologize for the inconvenience.
Offer: American Firepower
Commanders!
Today we’ve prepared the following items for you:
CATTB Tier 10 Premium Main Battle Tank
Abrams AGDS Tier 9 Premium Tank Destroyer
Griffin 120mm Tier 8 Premium Light Tank
Bradley AAWS-H Tier 8 Premium Tank Destroyer
M1134 Tier 8 Premium Tank Destroyer
M1A1 Storm Tier 7 Premium Main Battle Tank
Rise of the Dragon Loot Crate
Between February 16 and 23, 2023, the following items will be available:
CATTB
The CATTB Main Battle Tank was an experimental platform, developed as one of the early steps in the creation of a next generation Abrams Main Battle Tank, also referred to as the Block III Abrams, or M1A3. It was created in the 1980s as a response to the perceived threat of future Soviet super tanks and featured some truly advanced components, such as the XM291 dual caliber cannon that could switch between 120mm and 140mm calibers. With the collapse of the Soviet Union, the development of this tank became unnecessary and the program was canceled in the 1990s. You can read more about it in our dedicated article.
In Armored Warfare, the CATTB is a Tier 10 Premium Main Battle Tank and one of the most powerful and versatile MBTs around, devastating its opponents with its signature double-tap feature, allowing it to fire its cannon twice in short order. This allows it to drive around a corner, deal very high amounts of damage and then retreat back into cover, leaving the enemy reeling from the massive blow.
This vehicle is available via Loot Crates, which drop CATTB parts. Collect 100 CATTB parts from these Loot Crates to assemble the whole vehicle.
Abrams AGDS
The Abrams AGDS (Armored Ground Defense System) was a vehicle concept and proposal, drafted in July 1996 by Dr. Asher H. Sharoni (a former colonel in the Israeli Defense Forces) and Lawrence D. Bacon from a Californian company called Western Design Howden. It was supposed to be an air-defense vehicle, protecting the Abrams formations against flying threats, although its weaponry can be deployed against ground targets as well. The United States were, at the time, sorely lacking a vehicle comparable to the Russian Shilka and one of the ideas was to use the Abrams chassis paired with a new turret to produce an armored AA gun that would be able to keep up with the American tank units. This plan was never realized and the vehicle stayed only on paper but you can play the Abrams AGDS in Armored Warfare and experience what it would have been like, had it ever been deployed.
In Armored Warfare, the Abrams AGDS is a very unique Tier 9 Premium Tank Destroyer. What makes it so special are its two large guided missile launchers capable of firing an incredibly devastating volley within seconds. The AGDS can devastate practically every opponent on the battlefield with a single salvo, making it one of the best and most effective mid-to-long range vehicles in the game. At close ranges, it can rely on excellent frontal turret protection and its two 35mm autocannons to keep enemies at bay until the missile launcher reloads to unleash another deadly swarm of missiles. The Abrams AGDS is one of the most feared vehicles in Armored Warfare!
Clicking the link below will open the game’s launcher. Please select the Market option on the left and select Armored Warfare to access this offer.
Griffin 120mm
The Armored Warfare version of the Griffin Light Tank is based on an early 2016 tech demonstrator, intended to show the U.S. military during the AUSA 2016 conference that General Dynamics meant business. It was built as a private venture; effectively a scaled-up example of General Dynamics was capable of providing when it came to highly mobile vehicles with a lot of firepower for the U.S. airborne forces. The U.S. Army was impressed and the design has since evolved into what is generally referred to as the MPF Light Tank. You can read more about this vehicle in our dedicated article.
In Armored Warfare, the Griffin 120mm is a Tier 8 Premium Light Tank and a powerful, fast machine, armed not only with its 120mm cannon, but also with special ammunition types, making it deadly at any distance. Few Tier 9 vehicles can match its sheer ferocity on the battlefield.
Clicking the link below will open the game’s launcher. Please select the Market option on the left and select Armored Warfare to access this offer.
Bradley AAWS-H
The Bradley AAWS-H Tank Destroyer was an attempt by Loral Vought to mount four kinetic guided missiles on an extendable arm while using the Bradley IFV chassis as a platform. Kinetic missiles were cutting edge tech back in the 1980s – unlike standard ATGMs, they destroyed the target by their kinetic energy instead of a HEAT warhead, accelerating to several times the speed of sound. There was little to no defense against them, although they did have some drawbacks, which was why they were never adopted in real life. You can read more about the vehicle in our dedicated article.
In Armored Warfare, the Bradley AAWS-H is a Tier 8 Premium Tank Destroyer. It’s an ATGM-based TD, carrying special kinetic missiles that actually become more effective with increasing distance to your target. It is the embodiment of a long-range missile carrier and is perfect for players who prefer sniping to close combat.
Clicking the link below will open the game’s launcher. Please select the Market option on the left and select Armored Warfare to access this offer.
M1134
The M1134 is an advanced missile Tank Destroyer based on the Stryker chassis, used in the U.S. Army Stryker Brigade Combat Teams to enhance the unit’s firepower against enemy armor. While only lightly protected, its main strength light in the advanced model of the BGM-71 TOW missile launcher, allowing it to knock out practically every armored target it encounters on the battlefield.
In Armored Warfare, the M1134 is a Tier 8 Tank Destroyer. Its main and only weapon is the dual-shot missile launcher. As such, the vehicle is mostly defenseless at close ranges, but can take out any enemy it encounters at long distances thanks to its powerful guided missiles. Mastering it requires patient gameplay and clever use of cover, making it more suitable for experienced players.
Clicking the link below will open the game’s launcher. Please select the Market option on the left and select Armored Warfare to access this offer.
M1A1 Storm
In 1985, the Abrams was upgraded with, amongst other things, the 120mm M256 smoothbore cannon. Over 5000 M1A1 tanks were produced until 1992. This tank participated in Operation Desert Storm, which forged its legendary reputation.
In Armored Warfare, the M1A1 Storm is a Tier 7 Premium Main Battle Tank. The M1A1 Storm look was inspired by Operation Desert Storm, including a gorgeous camouflage net model. But, more importantly, this tank is equipped with a massive frontal dozer blade, adding extra armor and ramming damage to the long list of its advantages.
Clicking the link below will open the game’s launcher. Please select the Market option on the left and select Armored Warfare to access this offer.
Rise of the Dragon Loot Crate
The Rise of the Dragon Loot Crate is now available. This Loot Crate contains Rise of the Dragon Battle Coins and Boosters.
Battle Coins are the primary currency of the Rise of the Dragon Battle Path campaign and are used to progress through it and to obtain its prizes.
Battle Coin Boosters are usable only during an active Battle Path and increase your Battle Coin income by 900 percent for two hours.
Please note that you have to obtain the access to a Battle Path to use both items.
Clicking the link below will open the game’s launcher. Please select the Market option on the left, select Armored Warfare and then the Chest section to access this offer.
We hope that you will enjoy the offer and, as always:
See you on the battlefield!
Update 0.43 Now Available
Commanders!
We are happy to announce that the Update 0.43 is now available!
List of Update 0.43 Changes
Centurion AVRE: Gun and machinegun elevation and depression angles now match
Centurion AVRE: The previously incorrectly cut decal now appears correctly
Lynx Skyranger: It’s now possible to fire missiles while the gun is cooling down
Lynx Skyranger: Fixed an issue where the active ability icon moved when firing at the tagged vehicle
Lynx Skyranger: Fixed an issue where the lights didn’t appear correctly
Namer: Fixed an issue where it was possible to use the wrong shells in the Autocannon configuration
T-72B: Fixed the appearance of smoke grenade covers
Removed several offensive names from the PvP AI vehicle list
Fixed an issue where your Mechanized Infantry would randomly run away or even leave the map
Added several future event assets
Fixed several smaller visual issues
Fixed several smaller localization issues
Please note that the following vehicles are temporarily unavailable: Ramka-99, BMPT Mod.2000 and BMPT Mod.2017. They will return in the next update. Under some circumstances they may appear as available but please do not attempt to use them as it will cause your game to crash.
Server Maintenance
On the 16th of February 2023, starting from 8:00 CET, the server will not be available for 5 hours due to a planned server maintenance.
Please note that the maintenance can be extended beyond the abovementioned timeframe. We apologize for the inconvenience.
In Development: TOS-1M Buratino
Commanders!
Yes, that’s a playable TOS and yes, it’s the top prize of the Eclipse Battle Path. Now that we hopefully have your attention, let’s talk a bit about the vehicle series and where that 30mm gun on it came from because that’s no ordinary rocket launcher. Without further ado, here’s the history of TOS-1M Buratino.
Let’s start with the name TOS, which stands for “heavy flamethrower system” in Russian. This is due to the fact that the Russians consider thermobaric launchers and weaponry in general to be an evolution of flamethrowers much like the Shmel hand-held thermobaric rocket launcher that was developed during the war in Afghanistan.
The history behind the TOS series goes further back though, all the way to the late 1960s. In 1969, V.K. Pikalov became the commander of Soviet chemical troops and what he really wanted was to have a flamethrower artillery system amongst his arms. In the early 1970s, he visited the Tula design bureau responsible for the development of the famous Grad rocket launcher and ordered the development of such a system.
The initial project was ready in the August of 1972 and consisted of a T-72-based rocket launcher with a three-kilometer range, an ammunition truck and new incendiary unguided rockets. The next few years were spent developing incendiary rocket mixtures until the design was more or less realistic and was approved for further, more detailed development in 1976. That’s where the name “Buratino” appeared first – it was a designation for the entire project. The word itself comes from a popular Russian children tale by L.N. Tolstoy, in which Buratino is a wooden boy – essentially a re-telling of the Pinocchio tale. Some sources claim the name was chosen because the protruding rocket fuse resembled Buratino’s nose.
The first two prototypes appeared in 1978 and 1979. These were T-72-based and were built in Omsk. The vehicle passed its trials successfully but wasn’t accepted in service due to its insufficient firepower. The development of a new rocket explosives was therefore launched, resulting in new, thermobaric warheads.
A few words about thermobarics. Unlike a conventional bomb that uses solid explosives with an oxidizer, a thermobaric bomb is filled with fuel that it spreads and ignites in the form of a cloud of aerosol. In other words, the explosion is oxidized by the air, not by a separate oxidizer. Its burning cloud along with pressure changes caused by the explosions deal tremendous damage to any unprotected target, causing severe burns and organ ruptures at considerable distances. This type of weapon is incredibly effective against structures such as buildings, bunkers, trenches and caves, hence its use in Afghanistan (by both the Soviets and the Americans two decades later). However, this weapon type also has significant downsides as it cannot be used in poor weather, high altitudes, under water and the blast wave doesn’t do much against hardened targets such as sealed bunkers.
Back to our short history part. The year was 1988 and the war in Afghanistan was not going well for the Soviets. While it could not turn the tides of war in Soviet favor, the performance of the two prototype Buratino rocket launchers in Afghanistan was highly successful. It quickly became possibly the most feared Soviet weapon system due to the fact that its 220mm thermobaric rockets were utterly and completely devastating. The Buratino was a relic of the times when the urban fighting success wasn’t measured by rooms cleared but by city blocks leveled.
The Buratino was officially accepted in service in 1995, although it wasn’t until 1999 when it was first officially shown in public during the Second Chechen War. It’s worth noting that it isn’t the artillery branch that’s operating the TOS vehicles – these systems are operated by Russia’s chemical (NBC protection) troops, likely a throwback to how the entire program started.
Two years later, in 2001, a more famous version of the Buratino appeared – this was the TOS-1A Solntsepyok ("sun’s scorch”). Unlike the Buratino, the TOS-1A was officially accepted in service (in 2003), built in significant numbers and was exported as well. But the TOS-1A is a different machine – let us get back to the Buratino and the Soviet experience in its use.
Even during the very first engagements, it was clear that due to its relatively low range of three kilometers or so, the Buratino had a problem as, unlike the other self-propelled artillery pieces in Soviet and later Russian service, it sometimes found itself within the range of enemy retaliation. Additionally, when reloading or deploying to fire, the Buratino was completely defenseless.
As a stopgap measure, the rare Buratinos deployed in Afghanistan had to be escorted by vehicles capable of engaging soft targets at close ranges (or in elevated positions) such as the BMP-2. This, of course, wasn’t ideal and it was deemed necessary for the vehicle to be able to defend itself on its own and by that time, the specialized BMO-T wasn’t developed yet (and wouldn’t have enough firepower even if it had been available at the time).
To address these issues, a project called TOS-1M was developed in 1997 in Omsk – evolution-wise, it falls right between the TOS-1 and the TOS-1A. It’s neither really, but it’s a version of the TOS-1, which is why we decided to keep the name Buratino.
The design introduced the following improvements to the TOS:
Additional 30mm autocannon installed on the side of the turret below the launcher (in later iterations, this was removed due to the complications with its installation)
Additional thermal imager
Improved range from 3km to 5-7km
Improved accuracy due to a modernized ballistic computer
Improved rocket performance (the original Buratino’s one rocket covered 700 m2 with a whole salvo covering 1 to 1,5 hectare, improved to 900m2 and 2 hectares)
Reduced height of the vehicle by reducing the launcher capacity from 30 to 24 rockets
Added ability to fire without deploying the outriggers thanks to a new suspension—blocking system
Upgraded chassis from the original T-72 platform to a “contemporary tank” with the T-80U being the most likely candidate due to the fact it was produced in Omsk
Additional protection in the form of hard-kill APS
The design is described in detail in Patent No. 97107808/20 from 13.05.1997. The vehicle weighed some 44 tons and had a crew of three men (driver, commander and weapon operator). The hull protection was taken from the basic MBT model the TOS is built on (our model uses the T-90 MBT as a basis) while the launcher could resist small arms only (in reality, firing at the launcher results in a rather spectacular explosion, something the TOS-1M was designed to avoid). Additional protection was provided by:
902G Tucha smoke grenade launcher system
Argus-KSIZ soft-kill APS
T2A2 hard-kill APS
The firepower consisted of 24 massive 220mm thermobaric rockets in a box-like launcher as well as one 30mm 2A42 autocannon mounted on the right side of the turret. The exact way how the weapon was supposed to be installed was not specified – we have come up with a modified helicopter mount that would fit the design.
The launcher and the cannon could depress to -3 degrees and elevate to +48 degrees. Two rocket types were used:
MO.1.01.04M (thermobaric)
MO.1.01.04M.OP (high-explosive incendiary)
The fire control system included:
1D14 rangefinder
TKN-3 commander optics
Ballistic computer set
An alternative weapons project was also envisaged. Instead of 24 220mm rockets, there was a version with 80 smaller 122mm rockets developed from the Grad MLRS rockets (but not identical). At least one prototype was built and trialed with unknown results. Little else is known about this variant.
The vehicle was powered by the T-90’s V-84MS diesel producing 840hp. The maximum speed was 60 km/h – at least in “our” configuration (the T-80 variant would naturally have a gas turbine).
As you probably know by now, it wasn’t approved for further development. The most likely reason is that the T-80 series of MBTs fell out of favor after the infamous Battle of Grozny due to their poor performance and vulnerable ammunition. Anything T-80-related would therefore have a hard time getting funding.
Besides, the T-80 chassis was not strong enough on its own and would have to be modified significantly, which constituted another major expense. The T-72-based or T-90-based TOS-1A was developed and produced instead.
Russia itself has about 50 TOS-1A vehicles in service but it also became a fairly successful export item, no doubt thanks to its terrifying reputation:
Kazakhstan bought 3 in 2013-2014, first shown in 2015 during a military parade (these are intended to work with the BMPTs – TOS-1A rockets hit the area and the Terminators mop up the rest)
Azerbaijan also bought 18-36 in 2013-2014, these were T-90-based
Iraq bought 12 vehicles in 2014
Algeria bought 36 in 2017, first unveiled in 2018
Syria and Tajikistan also have some according to certain sources and Saudi Arabia might be interested in license-production.
In total, the TOS-1A production seems to have reached approximately 160-200 vehicles between 2003 and this day. The exact number is unknown but according to some sources, the production is actually ongoing (for the Russian Army) next to its supposed replacement, the TOS-2 that is not tank-based but uses an Ural 6x6 truck as its platform of choice. As for the earlier Buratino, it’s unclear how many vehicles were built, possibly only the original two.
As for their combat use – as stated above, the first operational use for the two prototypes took place between 1988 and 1989 in Afghanistan (some sources claim they were used as early as 1985). It took another decade before they saw combat again – the Second Chechen War highlighted their fearsome firepower. The Iraqis used the TOS successfully in 2014 during their war against the Islamic State. Between 2015 and 2018, the TOS was used in Syria as well and, last but not least, in the Azerbaijan and Armenia conflict in 2016 and 2020 – by the Azerbaijanis. Most recently, the TOS-1A appeared in Ukraine.
It’s worth noting that the weapon system is quite difficult to operate, to reload and is very rare. Due to its notoriety, many large explosions and rocket salvos were attributed to it by journalists but the reality is that most people can’t tell a thermobaric explosion from a normal one and most of the reported “TOS operations” were in fact performed by standard Grad reactive artillery. Nevertheless, wherever the TOS appears, destruction follows in its wake.
In Armored Warfare, the TOS-1M Buratino will be a Tier 10 Premium Tank Destroyer.
As this vehicle is fairly unique, you’re probably wondering how exactly this vehicle will work in the game. Here’s how.
As you might have guessed from the screenshots, the platform is T-90A-based. This is not something fictional – in 2011, the TOS-1A was modernized to use a T-90S chassis and the T-90S really is a T-90A predecessor. The T-90A uses Kontakt-5 armor and you’ll be glad to know those side panels will be working as intended (we’ll fix that for the basic T-90A as well but that is a topic for another time).
The chassis will have both soft-kill APS and hard-kill APS, but both inferior to the Malakhit system of Armata – this is also real part of the TOS-1M system.
The launcher will be treated as an unmanned turret and will have enough armor to protect it against 30mm autocannons. We’ll be using a solution from SBS Pindad where the vehicle does technically not have an ammo rack module as firing at the launcher would obviously immediately set off an explosion, which would be realistic but not very fun to play.
There will be two firepower configurations and both will play very differently.
The stock configuration uses 122mm rockets and is based on the photo of the TOS prototype. This configuration will essentially play like a Tier 10 version of the Tier 6 MT-LB S8 AFV, a favorite vehicle of many players. In real-life, the TOS is rather inaccurate and short-ranged and we’ll be implementing its essence to work exactly like that. The rockets will behave roughly like the ones on the MT-LB S8 – high-explosive warheads, not very accurate at long ranges but excellent at short ones. The rockets will fly directly towards the target, also just like on the MT-LB S8. You’ll have 80 of those in your launcher and 160 in total. However, there will be no partial reload and once your launcher is empty, you’ll have to suffer a very long time before the whole launcher is reloaded again.
During that time, you’ll have to make do with your backup weapon, which is the 30mm 2A42 autocannon. This weapon will work almost exactly like the one of the Object 195 MBT does – a limited rate of fire with 40-round clip of basic APDS and HE ammunition. This weapon will be useful against lighter targets but its limited performance will not allow you to effectively engage heavier enemies.
Both the launcher and the autocannon will feature very limited gun depression (-3 degrees), which will make it even more difficult to use the autocannon effectively. You’ll have to position yourself carefully instead of rushing your enemies.
And then there’s the upgraded configuration with 220mm rockets. Yes, that’s a thing. You’ll be able to unlock this configuration with basic 220mm thermobaric rockets by completing Battle Path missions and tasks (via the Battle Path Workshop). As you can imagine, an impact of a 220mm rocket that’s longer than a tank barrel is absolutely devastating and, indeed, these will offer the highest damage per shot (alpha) in the game as well as decent penetration. How much exactly – that’s something we need to tweak, but getting hit by one of these will hurt a lot. You’ll have 24 of these (one “magazine”) and you’ll be able to launch one every 10 seconds or so.
Additionally, you’ll be able to unlock (via the Battle Path Workshop) even more powerful thermobaric 220mm rockets that trade the ability to cause damage by direct hits (by having reduced penetration) for more splash damage.
Sounds insane? Not quite as there will be numerous drawbacks to the 220mm configuration.
Trajectory – unlike the 122mm configuration the 220mm configuration uses Pindad’s high arc of flight
Flight velocity – the 220mm rockets will have a very low velocity, making them easier to avoid especially at longer distances
Low penetration – the 220mm rockets will not penetrate thick armor and most damage they will cause will be reduced
Skills increasing the amount of ammunition carried will not work here as using it will trigger a reload of several minutes, effectively disabling the launcher until the end of combat
In other words, a hit by one of these will deal monstrous damage – but you’ll have to earn it.
As for the rest, well... do you truly care about the rest? No active abilities, no camouflage (a box firing telephone pole-sized rockets into the sky tends to be conspicuous) and the vehicle will be blind as a bat. The mobility will resemble the original T-90A tank, perhaps a bit slower. And that’s about it. Despite these disadvantages, we hope – no, we KNOW – you’ll have a lot of fun with it just like you are with the AVRE. Because this is the TOS – it hardly gets any more awesome than that.
We’ll see you on the battlefield!
Offer: Middle East
Commanders!
Today we’ve prepared the following items for you:
Namer Tier 10 Premium Tank Destroyer
M60T skin for the Sabra Mk.2 Main Battle Tank
Merkava Mk.2D and Israeli bundle (with an Israeli camouflage and base paint)
Syrian camouflage bundle
Altay Tier 10 Premium Main Battle Tank
Magach 7A Tier 6 Premium Main Battle Tank
Sabre Tier 6 Premium Armored Fighting Vehicle
Challenger 1 Falcon Tier 8 Premium Main Battle Tank
Commander Loot Crate
Between February 9 and February 16, 2023, the following items will be available:
Namer
The Namer IFV is an Israeli heavy fighting vehicle version of the Namer platform developed in the early 2000s from the Merkava Main Battle Tank. Israel is a small country and cannot affect high infantry losses, which is why the Namer features extremely high levels of protection. The IFV variant is fitted with a Rafael turret, featuring 30mm autocannon and a Spike missile launcher. You can read more about it in our dedicated article.
In Armored Warfare, the Namer is a Tier 10 Premium Tank Destroyer. As its history suggests, it is a superheavy TD with its protection levels being amongst the highest of its class. It is slow and ponderous but its thick front can deflect even advanced shells while maintaining adequate firepower thanks to its autocannon and ATGM combination. Its MBT-like characteristics make this vehicle quite forgiving for new players, but, as they say, a jack-of-all-trades is a master of none.
The Namer Tier 10 Premium TD is available in our Web Shop via Loot Crates. Collect 100 blueprint pieces from these crates to obtain the vehicle.
M60T skin for Sabra
This skin for the Sabra Mk.2 Tier 7 Premium Main Battle Tank is based on the Sabra MBTs that participated in the Turkish incursion into Syria in October 2019 (Operation Peace Spring). It combines a number of real-life elements, turning your Sabra into a Turkish service MBT. You can read more about it in our dedicated article.
The skin is available either as a standalone item or as a part of the M60T bundle, which contains the following items:
M60T skin for the Sabra Mk.2 MBT
Sabra Mk.2 Tier 7 Premium MBT
500 Gold
That way, you can get this amazing vehicle together with the skin. Alternatively, the Sabra is also available in other bundles without the skin.
Clicking the link below will open the game’s launcher. Please select the Market option on the left and select Armored Warfare to access this offer.
Merkava Mk.2D and Israeli Bundle
The Merkava IID (also known as Mk.2D) is an advanced version of the standard Mk.2 Merkava, upgraded with a modular “Dor-Dalet” composite armor kit. It’s a tough and unyielding vehicle, featuring a number of battle-proven components such as its 105mm rifled cannon. The first version of the Merkava Mk.2 entered service in 1983 and the last vehicles were phased out in 2016 after thirty long years.
In Armored Warfare, the Merkava IID is a Tier 7 Premium Main Battle Tank. It is not equipped with an explosive reactive armor kit, but is, nevertheless, a very tough customer due to the introduction of the applique armor, allowing it to take a lot of damage. Additionally, the tank is equipped with a Ready Rack mechanism, significantly increasing the rate of fire for the first four shots.
This vehicle is also available as a part of the Israeli bundle, which contains the following items:
Merkava Mk.2D Tier 7 Premium MBT
Sinai Grey base paint
Israeli Experimental camouflage
Israeli Flag decal (free bonus)
Israeli Flag banner (free bonus)
The Sinai Grey base paint is based on the color commonly used by the Israeli vehicles. You can now apply it to all your Merkava MBTs for maximum realism. The camouflage, on the other hand, is an experimental one and not used in active service. It was developed in the 1980s for a series of trials, but Israel ultimately decided not to adopt it. Still, it’s a piece of history and will fit your Merkava Mk.2 MBT really well. You can read more about both in our dedicated article.
Clicking the link below will open the game’s launcher. Please select the Market option on the left and select Armored Warfare to access this offer.
Syrian Bundle
This gorgeous Syrian camouflage was seen in the aftermath of the 1973 Yom Kippur War on a captured Syrian BMP-1 IFV and consists of sand, green and grey stripes. You can read more about it in our dedicated article.
It is available as a part of the Syrian Camouflage bundle, which contains the following items:
Syrian camouflage
14 days of Premium Time
2.000 Gold
Syrian Flag decal (free bonus)
Syrian Flag banner (free bonus)
This camouflage can be installed on any vehicle that has the camouflage customization feature available and can be used in all three environments.
Clicking the link below will open the game’s launcher. Please select the Market option on the left and select Armored Warfare to access this offer.
Altay
The Altay is the result of a Turkish program to build a true indigenous MBT. After a decade of development with hundreds of millions of dollars spent, Turkey finally achieved its goal and built a tank that is roughly on par in performance with decades-old Leopard 2 variants while it still uses many foreign components, including some of its most critical systems. Nevertheless, future Altay variants are expected to feature some cutting edge components.
In Armored Warfare, the Altay is a Tier 10 Premium Main Battle Tank based on the current prototypes, but also upgraded by various hypothetical aftermarket components of the future to surpass its current capabilities and to match its assigned Tier in power. The basic tank is – gameplay-wise – a mobile sniper, much like the Leopard 2 series, relying on its mobility and the penetration of its shells rather than on its armor. There are two key features to this tank: Adjustable Suspension (tilting forward and to the side) and Hybrid Engine with its distinctive electric sound, giving the vehicle excellent mobility and agility.
The Altay Tier 10 Premium MBT is available in our Web Shop via Loot Crates. Collect 100 blueprint pieces from these crates to obtain the vehicle.
Magach 7A
The Magach 7A is an early M60 series American tank, upgraded by the Israelis to meet the requirements of the 1990s battlefield, especially to combat the threat of anti-tank guided missiles that had started to find their way into the hands of various terrorist groups in the late 1980s. The most distinctive upgrade is its box-shaped extra turret armor. While well-protected, the tank was quite lethargic when it came to its mobility due to the use of its old engine, a shortcoming that was only corrected in the final evolution step of the Magach series, the Magach 7C. You can read more about it in a dedicated article.
In Armored Warfare, the Magach 7A is a Tier 6 Premium Main Battle Tank. With its excellent gun accuracy and aiming time values, the Magach 7A is a good sniper for its class and is perfectly suitable for those players, who want to experience long-range combat but who also want to keep some level of protection and survivability instead of completely relying on mobility and camouflage. It’s a rather sluggish vehicle, but more than a match for anything that it encounters on the battlefield.
Clicking the link below will open the game’s launcher. Please select the Market option on the left and select Armored Warfare to access this offer.
Sabre
The Sabre is an interesting British recon vehicle, assembled together from older Scorpion hulls and Fox turrets after both parts were brought to zero hour state (completely overhauled) by a company called Alvis. The resulting vehicle from the early 1990s was called Sabre and, considering it was made of decades old components, it worked fairly well as a scouting vehicle, participating in the Iraq War as well as in several peacekeeping missions. You can read more about it in our dedicated article.
In Armored Warfare, the Tier 6 Sabre Premium Armored Fighting Vehicle is one of the deadliest vehicles on the battlefield thanks to its rather unique upward-aimed Swingfire missile launcher that allows it to fire over obstacles or while hidden, for example behind uneven terrain. While being quite difficult to master, this ability makes it a potent ambusher, especially in skilled hands.
Clicking the link below will open the game’s launcher. Please select the Market option on the left and select Armored Warfare to access this offer.
Challenger 1 Falcon
The Falcon is an experimental turret developed in the early 2000s in Jordan as an upgrade to the Jordanian Al-Hussein (Challenger 1) Main Battle Tanks. It's a low profile turret, armed with an automatically loaded Swiss 120mm L/50 RUAG smoothbore gun, capable of firing standard NATO ammunition. The operator controls the turret from inside the vehicle's hull, significantly improving crew protection. A prototype was built and tested, but the design was never mass-produced.
In Armored Warfare, the Challenger 1 Falcon is a Tier 8 Premium Main Battle Tank. The best word to characterize this lumbering behemoth in the game is “tough” – its excellent hull armor shrugs off most shells while the damage its low profile turret takes when it is reduced by 90% thanks to the fact the crew is not located directly in it. Despite being generally very slow and sluggish, the Challenger 1 Falcon can take tremendous punishment and is ideal for the players who prefer the British Main Battle Tank play style.
Clicking the link below will open the game’s launcher. Please select the Market option on the left and select Armored Warfare to access this offer.
Commander Loot Crate
This week, we’ve prepared another special offer for you in the form of a brand new Commander Loot Crate, featuring, amongst other things, some of the rarest commanders in the game!
This Loot Crate gives you the opportunity to obtain the following items:
Commander Ofelia Kitescu
Commander Austin Harper
Commander Alexander Cortez
Commander Alisa Korhonen
Commander Erin O’Connell
Commander Jorge Alvarez
Commander Joshua Seagrove
Commander Fyodor Sokolov
Platinum Commander XP Insignia tokens
Gold Commander XP Insignia tokens
Clicking the link below will open the game’s launcher. Please select the Market option on the left, select Armored Warfare and then the Chest section to access this offer.
We hope that you will enjoy the offer and, as always:
See you on the battlefield!
In Development: Object 787 “Gadyuka”
Commanders!
Each Battle Path has a special vehicle you can assemble from blueprints and the Eclipse Battle Path will continue in that tradition, although with somewhat less emphasis on this aspect. Usually we offer a Tier 4-7 vehicle as a level progression one and a Tier 8 vehicle as a blueprint one. This time around, it’ll be the opposite – the Tier 8 Gepard will be a prize obtainable by reaching Level 19 while the blueprint slot will be reserved for Object 787, also known as the “Gadyuka.”
The Gadyuka (“Viper” in Russian) is one of the development steps that led to the creation of the BMPT “Terminator” series that is currently in Russian, Algerian and Kazakh service. But where did this vehicle come from? As usual, let’s take a look at a little bit of history.
The idea of creating a heavily armored dedicated anti-infantry vehicle was not exclusive to the Soviet Union but it was the Soviet industry that started working on it intensively as early as in mid-1980s. The experience if Afghanistan and Chechnya taught the Soviets a painful, yet valuable lesson – even heavily armored vehicles armed with cannons were vulnerable to infantry in urban environment. The massive spread of and major improvements in infantry anti-tank weapons further increased this thread to the point where for a certain time – especially in the west – it was thought that the tank would eventually become obsolete the way airships and armored trains had many decades before. Others however were actively looking for ways to tip the balance of scales in armored vehicle’s favor and one such idea was to create a heavily armored vehicle with anti-infantry armament to accompany the “classic” tanks.
Protecting your armored vehicles from enemy infantry required certain vehicle “features” not available to regular tanks. First and foremost, excellent gun elevation was essential in order to deal with targets above you in hilly or urban environment. This was one of the first things learned by the Soviet troops in Afghanistan – enemy infantry would often be hiding on hilltops where the standard BMP-1 vehicles could not fire, since their elevation was insufficient and Soviet troops were forced to utilize anti-aircraft vehicles (which were well armed but very poorly armored, sometimes vulnerable even to small arms fire) as ground support. This issue was only mitigated by the arrival of the BMP-2.
Second very important requirement was to make the vehicle resistant to infantry weapons, specifically to HEAT launchers such as the famous RPG series. This called not only for thick armor (ideally composite) but also for massive use of explosive reactive armor covering vulnerable parts of the vehicle – in Afghanistan, however, such a technology was not available en masse.
Nevertheless, between 1985 and 1986, the Chelyabinsk Tractor Plant started working on a program to develop a vehicle they called “mountain tank”, producing three distinct projects between 1987 and 1996 they thought suitable for the tanks support role – Object 781, Object 782 and Object 787 (sometimes referred to as Object 745 by certain Russian sources).
The Object 781 and Object 782 projects were introduced in 1987 and were developed in Chelyabinsk under the leadership of V.L.Vershinsky. They were built on heavily modified T-72B hulls with especially the frontal part significantly reworked, but the biggest change by far was the fact that the vehicle sides now housed heavily armored watertight compartments carrying two stabilized 40mm grenade launchers and ammunition as well as other systems such as air filtering, fuel tanks and batteries. This solution significantly increased the side protection of the hull.
Of the two such modified hulls, one (Object 781) was armed with a pair of 30mm 2A72 guns (each in a separate turret and each paired with a 7,62mm machinegun) as well as an anti-tank guided missile system (Konkurs or Kornet) and either a 7,62mm or a 12,7mm machinegun mounted externally near the commander’s hatch.
The second (Object 782) had a low profile two-man turret armed with a low-recoil rifled 100mm 2A70 gun paired with one 30mm 2A72 cannon. The turret was also fitted with an additional 40mm grenade launcher (in addition to the one in the hull).
Both vehicles had large crews – the driver, gunner, commander and two grenade launcher operators plus two troops in support to fire from 7,62mm hull-mounted machineguns. The Object 782 for instance was theoretically capable of firing at 6 different targets at the same time.
Both vehicles were tested from 1987 onwards in Chelyabinsk. The Object 781 won the initial testing and was selected over Object 782 (the project of which was cancelled, although the prototype exists to this day). The development of Object 781 was rated actually very well and continued at Chelyabinsk until the fall of the Soviet Union in 1991. At that point the project became the victim of the post-break-up chaos and was cancelled as well. Both prototypes eventually ended in the Kubinka museum.
Even though the Object 781 research was cancelled, the war in Chechnya and the disastrous results of the tanks used in city environments re-started the fire support vehicle development. Once again, Chelyabinsk stepped up, developing a completely new vehicle between 1995 and 1996 called Object 787. One prototype was built in 1996.
It was basically a T-72AV hull and turret (with the Kontakt-1 reactive armor as the tank designation suggests) but instead of the usual 125mm cannon, the vehicle was armed with a pair of high-elevation 30mm 2A72 guns mounted on the sides of the turret (along with a pair of 12,7mm machineguns). The 30mm guns were also paired with two banks of 80mm S-8 unguided rockets (originally developed for helicopters) to provide additional firepower. The banks had 6 rockets each.
The guns and rockets could elevate to +60 degrees and depress to -8 degrees, allowing the vehicle to easily engage targets on buildings. The optics consisted of:
1A40 main optics
TPN-3-49 night optics
1P3-10 anti-aircraft optics
TKN-3 commander optics
The vehicle weighed some 47 tons and, just like the original T-72AV, had a crew of three men. The internal layout was similar to the T-72AV and so was the armor, although the Kontakt-1 elements covered more area, especially on the sides. The gun mantlet area was plugged by a welded steel cover and additional ERA elements. It was powered by the 780hp V-46-6 diesel engine with the same mobility as the T-72AV (the maximum speed was 60 km/h).
The vehicle was sometimes also referred to under the informal nickname “Gadyuka” – this was, however, never official. The trials that took place between April 4 and April 10, 1997 at Kubinka have shown excellent results, but the Viper too was to be cancelled – for the strangest of reasons.
Initially, many high-positioned Russian officers supported the vehicle (including the chief of GABTU, Colonel-General S.A.Maev, former Marshal of the Soviet Union V.L.Kulikov and the main Ministry of Defense military advisor, Army General M.M.Zaytsev). The military started advertising the vehicle on television and radio, trying to gain as much support for the new vehicle class as possible. This did not sit well with the overseeing institutions, which accused the participants (including the vehicle designers themselves) of “publishing Russia’s military secrets”.
An investigation was held and the entire process resulted in numerous personal changes in the Chelyabinsk Tractor Plant company as well as the cancellation of the Object 787 development. The accused designers were forbidden from pursuing the project further and the only prototype was transferred to Kubinka.
The Object 787 farce did slow the development of this class of vehicle considerably but it did not stop it. The Chelyabinsk Tractor Plant was out of the picture now and stopped developing this type of vehicle altogether, focusing only on actual tractor building. The idea, however, did not die and was intensively discussed between I.N.Rodionov (the Russian minister of defense between 1996 and 1997) and other members of the military. Eventually, Uralvagonzavod from Nizhny Tagil would take over the development and the process would eventually become the BMPT series predecessor, Object 199 “Ramka”.
In Armored Warfare, the Object 787 Gadyuka will be a Tier 6 Premium Tank Destroyer.
Like we mentioned above, it’ll be possible to assemble the Gadyuka from blueprints available for Battle Path mission completion (also a returning feature) as well as from the Battle Path Shop.
The Gadyuka concept is rather simple. It’s a close range brawler – essentially a T-72AV with autocannons and rockets instead of the main gun and one Tier higher. Logically, while the protection stays the same (the Gadyuka doesn’t have an APS, just smoke grenade launchers), the balance will shift towards firepower.
There are two main weapon systems that can be switched between – the two 30mm 2A72 autocannons (which are generic Tier 6-7 30mm guns balance-wise) and two 6-tube 80mm rocket launchers, the very same launchers the MT-LB S8 uses, just without the fancy cylindrical container. Each side of the turret will have one gun-rocket mount with excellent depression and elevation (-8/+60 degrees).
You’ll be able to switch rapidly between firing either both guns or both rocket launchers but beware – both weapon systems will be fairly inaccurate given the fact they are lined to fire in parallel. The mobility will be similar to the T-72AV (which isn’t bad for an MBT or a tracked TD) and the viewrange and camouflage values will basically be MBT-like as well.
By now, it should be clear what the intended playstyle for this vehicle will be one. It’ll be a brutal close-range fighting machine with a lot of short-range burst but poor long-range performance. As such, it’ll be best used in urban areas where an enemy vehicle may appear right in front of you, in which case he’ll get to enjoy a rocket burst followed by the withering fire of two 30mm autocannons. In other words, an Armored Warfare equivalent of a shotgun blast.
We hope that you’ll enjoy the Gadyuka and, as always:
See you on the battlefield!
Server Maintenance
On the 9th of February 2023, starting from 8:00 CET, the server will not be available for 2 hours due to a planned server maintenance.
Please note that the maintenance can be extended beyond the abovementioned timeframe. We apologize for the inconvenience.
