Gaijin Entertainment has announced the third stage of closed beta testing for War Thunder’s infantry battles mode, with applications now open on the official site. The test introduces a brand-new map, a larger player count, and several mechanics designed for bigger engagements. Here’s everything confirmed about the third phase and exactly how to sign up.
War Thunder Infantry Battles — третий этап закрытого бета-тестирования
Что объявила Gaijin
The third CBT phase will drop 128 players onto a new map called Kivu, set in Africa. Gaijin describes Kivu as four times larger than existing infantry locations, with gameplay built around capture points rather than a single objective push.

The test will feature modern military hardware alongside small arms from the US and Russian arsenals. No full weapon list has been provided.
Новые механики
Two mechanics stand out as additions for this phase. First, players can now respawn directly at capture points owned by their team, cutting out the long run back from base — though base respawn stays available as an alternative.
- Team-owned capture points become active respawn locations
- Base respawn remains as a fallback option
- Troop transport vehicles carry up to five players at once, enabling faster coordinated pushes to objectives
The transport vehicles should make it easier to deploy — though five players packed into one vehicle will make for an obvious target. The new gameplay rules as a whole are designed to support the larger 128-player engagements the Kivu map is built around.
Как подать заявку
Applications are open at the War Thunder infantry test page. Fill out the application by clicking the big button associated with your platform of choice, and do it quickly, since the test is supposed to take place sometime this month.
No specific start date has been confirmed by Gaijin yet.
Что это значит для игроков
Infantry mode has been in development for roughly seven months since Gaijin announced plans to bring infantry battles. Each CBT phase has expanded the scope — more players, larger maps, new mechanics — and this third stage looks like the most substantial test yet. If you’ve been holding off on applying, this is the round worth getting into.
For context on where War Thunder’s broader development is heading, the recent Heavy Cavalry update added anti-radiation missiles and electronic support measures, giving a sense of how aggressively Gaijin is expanding the game’s systems alongside infantry.

Третий этап закрытого бета-тестирования режима пехоты в War Thunder идёт на карте Kivu (Африка) с 128 игроками, новыми точками возрождения и транспортными машинами на пять человек — заявки принимаются на официальном сайте прямо сейчас. Удачи в бете!