[2023] BM-31-12: Katyusha’s Little Brother

Soviet multiple-rocket launch system BM-31-12 will become the main prize of the upcoming Victory Day event in War Thunder.

BM-31-12, MLRS, USSR, rank III. Premium.
Features:

• Deadly heavy rockets
  
• Lacks direct fire
  
• Light protection

Unguided 300-mm M-30 rockets were used by the Red Army since 1942 as a field artillery, being fired from metal frames right in the transporting containers. Soon, an upgraded version of the rocket appeared under the designation M-31 with an improved engine and a significantly increased range. Engineers from the special design bureau of the Moscow Kompressor plant designed a combat vehicle on the chassis of the US-built Studebaker US6 three-axle truck with a framework of 12 welded rails to launch these powerful rockets. The machine was successfully tested in the spring of 1944 and was put into service in June under the designation BM-31-12. In the troops, by analogy with the Katyusha MLRS, the new vehicle was nicknamed Andryusha (“little Andrey” in Russian). Rocket launchers Andryusha were widely used in the battles of the final stages of WWII in Europe, including the urban battles as a fire support for Soviet storming troops. In total, the Red Army received 1,807 BM-31-12 Andryusha vehicles until the end of the war.




We are pleased to present to you the main prize of the upcoming special event, a collectable BM-31-12 Andryusha multiple launch rocket system, the younger brother of the legendary Katyusha.

The BM-31-12 was designed to fire the heavy M-31 300mm unguided rockets. Guidance and launch are carried out with a welded framework of 12 rails mounted on the chassis of the Studebaker military truck. Even with a full load of rockets, the vehicle moves very fast on paved roads and hard ground, which allows the commander to quickly change positions and reload. The crew of the BM-31-12 is only two people in the cabin, covered with very thin armor, so the BM-31-12 can’t survive any fire including machine-guns.




Like the Katyusha, the BM-31-12’s launcher is unable to fire directly, so commanders have to be smart in finding the right position to hit close targets: place the vehicle on hillsides, in gullies and pits, it is also recommended to learn suspension control. Shooting from BM-31-12 is also difficult because of the spread of the rockets and limited ammunition load... but what a pleasure it is to hit targets! Light vehicles and even medium tanks can be destroyed by close hits, heavy tanks and self-propelled guns will require a direct hit to kill. In any case, you are advised to shoot multiple rockets, so the chances of hitting are much higher.

Master this challenging, but very interesting machine: come up with new tactics, invent custom sights, make tables of fire in different locations according to enemy congestion areas and camper sites. In a couple of days, we will publish the full list of prizes and tasks of the upcoming event, in which you can get the rocket Andryusha to your hangar! Follow the news!