[Event] Sea Hunting

Commanders! We invite you to take part in a special event dedicated to the Battle of the River Plate – the first major Allied naval victory of the Second World War.

Event dates: 🚩 December 10th – December 17th (ends at 10:00 GMT).

Join the themed event and receive 500,000 Silver Lions in total, a supply of boosters, and three unique titles!

Tasks

The event will last for 7 days. During the first 4 days, four new tasks per day will be unlocked for you. All tasks will be available for completion during the other 3 days.

Fill up the progress bar and receive a good amount of silver and unique title.

Please note that after the end of the event, it will not be possible to obtain themed decorative rewards.

Historical Note

By December 1939, the Second World War had only just begun. Shortly after the war began, the German pocket battleship Admiral Graf Spee, under the command of Captain Hans Langsdorff was operating as a raider in the South Atlantic, putting pressure on vital Allied trade routes. Its primary mission was to disrupt the maritime communications and logistics of Great Britain and its allies.

On December 13th, a British squadron under Commodore Henry Harwood, consisting of the heavy cruiser HMS Exeter and the light cruisers HMS Ajax and HMNZS Achilles, intercepted the raider at the mouth of the River Plate. The British ships altered their course to disperse the enemy’s fire, allowing the more fragile ships to avoid destruction. Exeter was heavily damaged, but Ajax and Achilles continued to fight. The two inflicted decent damage to the supply and fuel systems of the ship.

The German ship set course for the port of Montevideo (Uruguay). Under international law, it was permitted to remain there only for short-term repairs. While at port, the British cunningly spread disinformation regarding the approach of a powerful naval squadron, which led Captain Langsdorff to believe there was no way out.

On December 17th 1939, acting on orders from Berlin and unwilling to sacrifice the lives of his crew in vain, Captain Langsdorff ordered Admiral Graf Spee to be taken to the estuary of the river plate and scuttled. His crew were then interned in Argentina.

The outcome of the Battle of the River Plate was a significant strategic and morale victory for the Allies. The destruction of one of the most dangerous raiders boosted spirits in Britain and the Commonwealth. The battle proved the effectiveness of skillful tactics by a weaker force and forced Germany to curtail the activity of its surface raiders, easing the pressure on Atlantic convoys.

Join the event and increase your victories alongside teammates in War Thunder Mobile (WTM)!