At Gamescom 2018, the new combat helicopters for War Thunder were showcased for the first time. With update 1.81 “The Valkyries,” the helicopters are now playable, although not for everyone.
The 4th weapon type in the game: With combat helicopters, War Thunder becomes even more complex. These flying platforms are particularly well-suited for wreaking havoc on ground targets. On the other hand, the helicopters are slower than planes and can therefore be effectively countered by tanks and especially anti-aircraft guns.
With the current update 1.81, the combat helicopters are finally playable. However, you must either put in some effort or pay money.
How to gain access to the helicopter beta
The helicopters are currently being tested in a closed beta until October 19, 2018. You can only try them out if you have access.
How do I get into the helicopter beta? There are two ways to get into the helicopter beta:
- Purchase a bundle with a helicopter and goodies for 39.99. There is one for the American UH-1C-XM 30 or the Russian Mi-24D.
- Complete 10 daily tasks in the game to obtain tester status for free.
What helicopters are available? Initially, there will be about a dozen helicopters from the USA and the USSR in the beta. These include the Bell UH-1 Huey, a symbol of the Vietnam War, as well as three other variants of the Bell AH-1 Cobra, the first mass-produced dedicated combat helicopter.
The Soviet Union will receive the multipurpose helicopter Mi-4AV as well as several variants of the famous “flying tank” Mi-24 “Crocodile” (NATO reporting name “Hind”) and its modern version Mi-35M.
How do I get helicopters in the game? You can only unlock and research helicopters once you have at least one aircraft or vehicle at rank 5.
What do you get in the beta? If you test the helicopters in the beta, you can earn “Tester Stars” for goodies:
- A Tester Star is awarded for 5 victories if you control a USA or USSR vehicle of ranks V-VI in random battles with an activity of at least 60%.
- You will receive a unique “Valkyrie” badge for 12 Tester Stars.
- The daily tasks for “Tester Stars” are updated daily at 1:00 PM CEST.
- You can earn only one “Tester Star” per day.
- You must win a battle while controlling a vehicle of rank V or VI from the tech tree of the USA or USSR to guarantee the “Tester Star”. You should control one of these vehicles at the end of the battle.
