[UPDATE] Second Public Test of Update 1.6

One of the most prominent changes is the modification of the tech trees, which now include a new plane class – the Multirole Fighters. As their name implies, these fighters are able to successfully attack both air and ground targets due to their flexible weapons configuration, which allows them to mount bombs, rockets and high-calibre guns. Of course, the original Fighter class also remains and contains now only aircraft that are pure dogfighters.  

We’re also glad to introduce a new branch of aircraft featuring the long-awaited USSR MiG fighters. The key characteristics of this branch’s planes are its excellent altitude and speed performance. MiGs are great high-altitude fighters that excel at vertical manoeuvres.

New Planes

New branch of USSR MiG fighters available for research following the Polikarpov I-17:

• Mikoyan-Gurevich MiG-3 —Tier V Fighter
• Mikoyan-Gurevich I-210 —Tier VI Fighter
• Mikoyan-Gurevich I-220 —Tier VII Fighter
• Mikoyan-Gurevich I-250 — Tier VIII Fighter
• Mikoyan-Gurevich MiG-9 — Tier IX Fighter
• Mikoyan-Gurevich MiG-15bis — Tier X Fighter

New Premium planes

• Yakovlev Yak-3RD — Tier VII Soviet Premium Fighter
• Focke-Wulf Fw.190A-8/R2 — Tier VII German Premium Multirole Fighter
• Fisher XP-75 Eagle —Tier VII U.S. Premium Heavy Fighter
• Gloster Meteor F. I —Tier VII British Premium Fighter
• Mitsubishi J4M Senden — Tier VII Japanese Premium Multirole Fighter
• North American P-51K Mustang —Tier VII Chinese Premium Fighter – FOR CHINA ONLY

New Premium and Gift planes, available to developers and super-testers for testing purposes only

• Blohm und Voss Ha.137V-1 — German Tier III Premium Attack Aircraft
• CAC CA-12 Boomerang — British Tier V Premium Fighter
• CAC CA-1 Wirraway — British Tier III Gift Attack Aircraft

Planes Balance Changes

We’ve introduced a new class of Multirole Fighters that can successfully attack both air and ground targets. Their flexible profile allows them to adapt a broad range of roles on the battlefield. Planes of this fighter class have relatively high durability values and carry strong armament. At the same time, in general, their manoeuvrability values are below those of regular fighters due to the heavier structure and the load that Multirole Fighters carry. The mountable bombs, rockets or high-calibre guns allow pilots of these planes to take part in the ground game, while the decent flight characteristics are competitive enough to make of Multirole Fighters viable dogfighters, albeit not the best ones. Typical examples of multi-role fighters are planes of the F4U Corsair and Focke-Wulf Fw.190 series, who have been employed against both air and ground targets.

In order to accentuate the nature of Multirole Fighters, we’ve added new, high-penetration weapons to their modules. At the same time, we’ve reduced these weapons’ influence on the plane’s flight characteristics to keep the aircraft competitive. Naturally, that means that we also removed the same bombs, rockets and other high-penetration guns from regular fighters who were previously able to carry them.

The following planes have been changed from “Fighter” to “Multirole Fighter”:  

• USSR: I-5, I-5 ShKAS, I-15, I-16 (early), I-16 (late), Р-40 M-105, Yak-7, Yak-9, Yak-9U;
• Germany: Ar. 65, Ar. 197, Fw.190V, Fw.190A-5, Fw.190D;
• USA: P-12, F11C-2, F2F, F3F, F2A Buffalo, F4F Wildcat, F4U-1 Corsair, F4U-4 Corsair, F2G Super Corsair, F7U Cutlass;
• Great Britain: Goldfinch, Demon, Skua;
• Japan: Type-91, J7W1 Shinden, J7W2 Shinden-Kai, J7W3;
• China: Hawk III.

Changes in the module research trees 

USSR

• I-5 — module “Rockets 2 х RS-82” added.
• I-16 (e.) — reduced impact of outboard rockets module on flight performance.
• I-16 (l.) — module “Synchronised machine gun 1 х 12.7 mm BS” removed, reduced impact of outboard rockets module on flight performance.
• I-17 — module “Rockets 4 х RS-82” removed.
• LaGG-3 removed modules:
• Airframe “LaGG-3-1”
• Airframe “LaGG-3-66”
• Hub-mounted machine gun “1 х 12.7 mm BS”
• Synchronised machine guns “2 х 12.7 mm BS”
• Synchronised machine guns “2 х 7.62 mm ShKAS (1941)”
• Rockets “6 х RS-82”
• Hub-mounted gun “1 х 37 mm ShFK”
• Stock airframe “LaGG-3-1” exchanged for “LaGG-3” frame
• Yak-7 — can no longer be researched through the LaGG-3. Now the plane needs to be unlocked through the preceding I-16 (l.) from the module “Wing-mounted autocannons 2 х 20 mm ShVAK (1936)”. Increased HP, reduced energy loss when manoeuvring, increased speed, increased nominal and boost speed, improved acceleration in nominal- and boosted mode, increased manoeuvrability, improved control responsiveness. Increased effectiveness of 37 mm hub-mounted gun.
•  Yak-1 — module “Rockets 6 х RSС-82” removed.
• P-40 М-105 — reduced impact of outboard rockets module on flight performance.
• Yak-1М — module “Synchronised machine gun 1 х 12.7 mm UBS” removed.
• Yak-9 — reduced energy loss when manoeuvring, increased optimum speed, increased nominal and boost speed, improved acceleration in nominal and boost mode, increased pitch and yaw manoeuvrability, reduced roll manoeuvrability, improved control responsiveness. Increased effectiveness of 37 mm and 45 mm hub-mounted guns.
• Yak-9U — increased HP, reduced energy loss when manoeuvring, increased nominal and boost speed, improved acceleration in nominal- and boost mode, increased pitch and yaw manoeuvrability, reduced roll manoeuvrability, improved control responsiveness. Increased effectiveness of 37 mm and 45 mm hub-mounted guns.
• Yak-19 — increased max firing duration until overheat for all weapons configurations.
• Yak-30 — increased max firing duration until overheat for all weapons configurations.
• La-15 — increased max firing duration until overheat.
• IL-2 — reduced impact of 37 mm gun on flight performance.
• IL-2 (t) — reduced impact of 37 mm gun on flight performance.
• IL-8 — reduced impact of 45 mm gun on flight performance.

Germany

• Ar 65 — module “Bombs 2 х 50 kg” added.
• Ar197 — reduced impact of outboard bombs on flight performance.
• He 112 — now Bf 109 E Emil can be researched from the module “Wing-mounted 2 х 20 mm MG-FF”.
• Bf 109 F Friedrich — module “Outboard guns 2 х 20 mm MG-151/20” removed. Module “Synchronised machine guns 2 х 13.2 mm MG-131” added. Flight performance was revised due to the removal of outboard weapons: improved energy retention when diving and manoeuvring, increased dive speed, increased acceleration in boost engine mode, slightly reduced pitch manoeuvrability, slightly reduced roll responsiveness.
• Bf 109 G Gustav — flight performance was revised due to the removal of outboard modules: reduced energy loss when manoeuvring, insignificantly increased pitch manoeuvrability. Increased effectiveness of 30mm hub-mounted Mk-108 gun. Removed modules:
• Rockets “2 х WGr-210”
• Outboard guns “2 х 20 mm MG-151/20”
• Outboard guns “2 х 30 mm MK-108”
• Bf 109 Z  Zwilling — can now be researched from Bf 109 F Friedrich from the module “Hub-mounted cannon 1 х 20 mm MG-151/20”. Module “Bomb 1 х 250 kg” added. Reduced impact of outboard 30mm Mk.108 guns on flight performance.
• Fw 190 V — module “Bombs 4 х 50 kg” added.
• Fw 190 A-5 — module “Bombs 4 х 50 kg” added. Reduced impact of primary and outboard weapons on flight performance, insignificantly reduced control responsiveness.
• Fw 190 D — module “Bomb 1 х 250 kg” added. Reduced impact of outboard cannons on flight performance, insignificantly reduced control responsiveness.
• Me 410 — reduced impact of bomb weapons and outboard guns on flight performance.
• Me 209 A — reduced impact of weapons on flight performance, increased weapons accuracy.
• Ta 152 — reduced impact of weapons on flight performance, reduced control responsiveness, reduced energy loss when manoeuvring, increased pitch manoeuvrability, increased weapons accuracy.
• Me 262 Schwalbe — module “Rockets 2 х WGr-210” removed, module “Bombs 2 х 250 kg” added.
• Me 262HG II — module “Bombs 2 х 250 kg” added.
• Me 262HG III — module “Bombs 2 х 250 kg” added.

USA

• P-12 — module “Bombs 2 х 100 pounds” added.
• F11C-2 — reduced impact of outboard bombs on flight performance.
• F2F — reduced impact of outboard bombs on flight performance.
• F3F — reduced impact of outboard bombs on flight performance.
• P-36 Hawk — module “Outboard gun, 2 х 23 mm Madsen” removed.
• F2A Buffalo — module “Wing-mounted, 2 х 20 mm HS 404” removed. Reduced impact of outboard bombs on flight performance.
• F4F Wildcat — reduced impact of outboard bombs and rockets on flight performance.
• P-40 Warhawk — module “Rockets 6 х 4.5'' М8” removed. Reduced impact of outboard rockets on flight performance.
•  F4U-1 Corsair — module “Airframe XF4U-1” replaced with “Airframe F4U-1”. Module “Wing-mounted, 2 х 20mm M2” can now be researched from 12.7mm machine guns AN/M2. Reduced impact of outboard bombs and rockets on flight performance, reduced roll and pitch manoeuvrability, insignificantly reduced control responsiveness.  
• P-51A Mustang — module “Rockets 6 х 4.5'' М8” removed. Reduced dive controllability, insignificantly reduced roll and pitch manoeuvrability.
• P-51D Mustang — reduced dive controllability, insignificantly reduced pitch manoeuvrability, reduced roll responsiveness. Modules removed:
• Rockets 6 х 4.5'' М8
• Rockets 10 х HVAR Mk. 25
• P-51H Mustang — module “Rockets 10 х HVAR Mk. 25” removed. Insignificantly reduced pitch manoeuvrability, reduced control responsiveness and reduced dive controllability.
• F2H Banshee — increased dispersion for 20 mm gun Mk.12.
• F7U Cutlass — reduced impact of outboard bombs on flight performance.
• XF-90 — increased dispersion for 20 mm gun Mk.12.

Great Britain

• Goldfinch — module “Bombs 4 х 20 pounds” added.
• Demon — reduced impact of outboard bombs on flight performance.
• Skua — reduced impact of outboard bombs on flight performance.
• Blenheim F – removed modules:
• Airframe Blenheim IV
• Airframe Blenheim V
• Outboard machine guns, 4 х 0.303 Browning Mk. II

Modules added:

• Airframe Blenheim V (Bisley)
• Bombs 4 х 250 pounds
• Westland P.1056 — reduced impact of primary and outboard weapons on flight performance.
• Attacker — module “Rockets 8 х RP-3 HE/GP” removed.

Japan

• Type-91 — module “Bombs 2 х 30 kg” added.
• A4N — module “Bombs 2 х 30 kg” removed.
• A5M — module “Bombs 2 х 30 kg” removed.
• A6M1 Zero — module “Bombs 2 х 60 kg” removed.
• A6M2 Zero — module “Bomb 1 х 250 kg” removed. Insignificantly reduced pitch and yaw responsiveness.
• A6M5 Zero — module “Bomb 1 х 250 kg” removed. Insignificantly reduced pitch and yaw responsiveness.
• Ki-88 — increased pitch manoeuvrability, improved acceleration for boost engine mode, increased weapons effectiveness.
• A7M Reppu — module “Bombs 2 х 250 kg” removed. Increased HP, reduced energy loss when manoeuvring, increased optimum speed and nominal mode speed, improved acceleration for nominal- and boost engine mode, increased optimum altitude, increased service ceiling, improved pitch manoeuvrability.
• J7W1 Shinden — increased HP, reduced flammability, increased speed in nominal engine mode, increased roll performance, reduced control responsiveness, increased effectiveness of 30 mm guns.
• J7W2 Shinden-Kai — increased HP, reduced flammability, increased speed in nominal engine mode, increased roll performance, reduced control responsiveness, increased effectiveness of 30mm guns.
• J7W3 — increased HP, reduced flammability, increased speed in nominal engine mode, increased roll performance, reduced control responsiveness, increased effectiveness of 30 mm guns.

China

• Hawk III — reduced impact of outboard bombs on flight performance.

Weapons

Revised balance between guns (cannons) and machine-guns in the game. 

• Machine guns are supposed to be a good weapon for destroying the enemy at short distances with continuous fire. Thus we increased their fire duration (before overheating) and insignificantly increased damage at medium distances.
• Guns of the calibre 20-23 mm are intended to engage the enemy at medium and long distances. We have therefore increased their damage and destruction efficiency.
• The main advantage of large-calibre guns of 30 mm and 37-57 mm is the fact that each shell deals a lot of damage. This type of weapon is effective against both aircraft and ground targets. To reflect this, we have increased the damage and destruction efficiency for large-calibre weapons at medium and long range.
• We have also increased the efficiency of the primary, forward-oriented weapons against ground targets, including those of a smaller size.

Maps Update 

• Extended the battlefield on El Halluf
• High altitude anti-aircraft guns were added for all maps
• Some small ground targets were replaced with larger ones to make shooting at them easier.
  
  

Game Mode Fixes

• The speed at which a team gains superiority towards the end of the battle (when it already has accumulated a lot of points) was reduced by 10%.
• Reduced HP for armoured parts of ground targets.
• General amount of ground targets HP was increased for Tier VIII-X battles.
  
  

Economics

Following the analysis of gathered statistical data from Version 1.5.1, we have decided to adjust the reward coefficients for all planes:

• Increased experience and credits reward coefficients for dealing damage to planes.
• Reduced experience and credits reward coefficients for dealing damage to ground targets.
• Increased research cost of Me 209 A from 101790 to 105000 XP
• Increased research cost of Beaufighter from 9630 to 12000 XP

Matchmaker

• Fix for the problem when battles were created with an excessive number of Heavy Fighters or Attack Aircraft in each team.
• Fix for the problem where there would be no aircraft of only one tier lower to the top tier in the game
• Improved algorithm of flights balancing
• Probability of entering the battle as a top or medium tier plane was aligned.
• New players will be getting into the battles with other beginners for a longer period of time before being matched up with more experienced players.

Controls

Control scheme “Mouse”:

• Some key assignments were changed for the default “Mouse” settings.
• Added the possibility to fine-tune the mixing of the roll and pitch commands, which can be input with the keyboard and the mouse at the same time.
• We fixed the display of control elements upon using the “Back camera view” (Default Q key). The controls are now rightfully inversed when looking behind your plane in this view.
• Increased responsiveness of the “Automatically roll in turns” function for horizontal turns.
• Reduced longitudinal trembling of the reticule in turns
• Improved parallax consideration when aiming.
• Improved control when orienting the camera to the backward hemisphere of the plane.
• Fix for the problem of turn interruption on the “Hybrid” controls setting.

“Gamepad” control scheme:

• When rolling, the input from the triggers gets treated collectively, nullifying any movement if both triggers are pressed to the same extent at the same time. However, if you map any other command to the same triggers, both commands will be executed even if pressed at the same time and will not nullify each other.  
  
  

Awards and Achievements

The following achievements were moved from “Honorary Ranks” to the separate group “Serial/Collective Achievements”:

• First Blood
• Steady Results
• Scythe of Death
• Aerial Raider
• Sky Scourge
• Ground Pounder
• Furious
• Die Hard
• Persistent

• Implemented the possibility of getting an achievement even if its conditions were fulfilled only after the user’s plane was destroyed.

• Achievement “Expert Hunter” was credited to accounts with 3 or more battles in “Standard battle” mode that didn’t have this achievement unlocked previously.

Interface

• The loading screen for “Battle vs. Bots” now looks the same as the one for “Standard Battle”.
• Changed the look of the appearing pop-ups with the achievements descriptions.
• When checking the battle standings in-game (TAB button on default), the aircraft of both teams will now be sorted by those that are still alive and those that have been shot down.
• Added the possibility to choose between the look of the Premium hangar. You can now choose between the summer field one and the enclosed indoor hangar.
• We’ve changed and optimised the look of the system messages which appear upon entering the game or finishing a battle.
• Added some video explanations to some of the points in the settings/controls menu.
• Now you can find the little tooltip, explaining your efficiency against armoured targets not only on the plane itself but also on each individual armament module. 

Internal changes and Improvements

• We implemented multi-threaded processing for multiple operations related to the battle and hangar interface. This greatly improved the performance on PCs with processors of low and medium performance.
• Implemented the transition to a more functional and stable sound engine.

Other

• The button “Fill up with bots” was added to the training room, the pressing of which will lead to all free slots in both teams being filled up with bots. This will also replace all bots that may have previously been selected for either team.
• New sound effects were added when using Hangar and Menu elements.