A French Army tank crewman has leaked a portion of the Leclerc Main Battle Tank’s classified manual on the forum for popular online game War Thunder, the second time a leak of tank specifications has happened.

War Thunder is a vehicular combat multiplayer video game developed and published by Gaijin Entertainment. Despite the fact that Gaijin Entertainment lists itself as a Cyprus-based studio, it was originally founded in Moscow, Russia, where it still has offices today.

It also has branches in Germany, Hungary, and Latvia, you can read more on the studio here.


This article was submitted by John. John is a student at the University of South Carolina studying political science. He has also studied the Arab-Israeli conflict at the Hebrew University of Jerusalem. John currently hosts ‘The Osint Bunker‘ podcast, a popular bimonthly production focusing on global events, you can read more about the podcast on our dedicated page here.


Screenshots below have been blurred to protect any information that’s not public domain.

The posts were made Sunday night during an argument between multiple users regarding the in game representation of the Leclerc. The tanker claims to have been a crew member on the Leclerc S2, currently fielded by the French Army.

Forum moderators removed the content quickly, but the some of the information remains on the website at this time.

Moderators posted the following statement after the redactions.

“Guys its not funnny to leak classified Documents of modern equipment you put the lives of many on stake who work daily with the Vehicles! Keep in Mind that those documents will be deleted immediately alongside sanctions. Thanks for reading!”

This is not the first time classified tank documents have been leaked on the War Thunder forums.

Earlier this year, another War Thunder user posted classified specifications of the Challenger 2 main battle tank.

The user posted a classified document online relating to the Challenger 2 in order to improve the accuracy of the design of the tank in-game.

Classified Challenger tank specs leaked online for videogame

The gamer, identifying as Challenger 2 commander, posted a classified document online in order to improve the accuracy of the design of the tank in the game ‘War Thunder’. You can read more about that by clicking here.

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Terence Patrick Hewett
Terence Patrick Hewett
2 years ago

It is I, Leclerc.

Propellerman
Propellerman
2 years ago

i think everyone missed the Allo Allo gag – quality 🙂

Airborne
Airborne
2 years ago
Reply to  Propellerman

Nope, clocked it lol

Locking Nut
Locking Nut
2 years ago
Reply to  Airborne

Clocked, and had a good moaning about it. 😋

Airborne
Airborne
2 years ago
Reply to  Locking Nut

Quality!

ChariotRider
ChariotRider
2 years ago

😂

Love it – that was a great show.

Apparently it is still popular in Germany and France..!

Cheers CR

Not Sure
Not Sure
2 years ago

I recall reading that this has happened more than twice on the forums, and that the Challenger 2 leak from earlier this year wasn’t the first one by that user.

Reaper
Reaper
2 years ago

Who really cares, the people who actually want the specs of the Frog tank will either already have or will get it easily.

Jas
Jas
2 years ago
Reply to  Reaper

French Tank, fixed it for you

eclipse
eclipse
2 years ago
Reply to  Jas

What?

Monkey spanker
Monkey spanker
2 years ago

Never played the game myself. Looked like it would cost cash to get decent kit. Those players take it really seriously lol

Zeth_27
Zeth_27
2 years ago
Reply to  Monkey spanker

I mean, if you want to play with the modern stuff instantly, yeah you’re gonna have to pay, but for someone like me who likes to play with early-mid WW2 tanks I’ve already reached where I want to be without paying to progress. It’s a fun game, but both the community and the devs can sometimes be really stupid (usually because of eachother).

OldSchool
OldSchool
2 years ago

France – our friend. UK helps them out in Mali. They threaten to cut power supplies to Jersey……

David
David
2 years ago
Reply to  OldSchool

Easy to spot French tanks… painted white.

AlexS
AlexS
2 years ago
Reply to  David

Maybe you should read on tank battles in France.1940

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Battle_of_Hannut

Hermes
Hermes
2 years ago
Reply to  David

And you dont need to fear the UK ones, the crew is far from the tank to embark and back to england as soon as they see the ennemies.

Did all Brits forget what happened in 1940 or ?

We all know about the hates of the low minder anglosaxon and french but I think this website is more oriented on facts and reality news

Last edited 2 years ago by Hermes
Andrew Thorne
Andrew Thorne
2 years ago
Reply to  Hermes

Dunkirk is a bit more complicated than that Hermes as you well know. I would point out that the British expedionary force was protecting France and Belgium – I think there needs to be due gratitude to the British men that laid down their lives for foreign countries – something Europe has a problem in showing due gratitude to Britain for saving them twice (yes Britain largely did in WW1 and played a major role in WW2 including fighting alone up until 1941 and essentially nearing break the back of the all powerful Luftwaffe). Indeed Britain forced the German’s to… Read more »

Hermes
Hermes
2 years ago
Reply to  Andrew Thorne

Of course I know, I was just answering at the same low level of @David Despite the french-british historic rivalry we stand together since the last 200y. And even if our relations are complicated, especially these last weeks after the AUKUS and the BREXIT affairs. I dont understand how so hateful against the french seams anglosaxons can be, although we know that we are going to face a major issue with China and probably not her alone. What is the plan to be so stupid among us ? The last 1000y of bloody wars between us are not enough ?… Read more »

Last edited 2 years ago by Hermes
Andrew Thorne
Andrew Thorne
2 years ago
Reply to  Hermes

I like France and I like French people – they are kind and welcoming. We can all agree Macron has been using unfair and underhand tactics against Britain so our ire should be directed at his government. Macron is a moron and that’s being polite. He sees himself as this modern day Napoleon but in reality the emperor has no clothes. They are deliberately exacerbating the migrant crisis which is largely due to the dreadfully poor external borders of the EU and the schengen zone where you (or illegal migrants and criminals) can pass through all EU borders without showing… Read more »

Hermes
Hermes
2 years ago
Reply to  Andrew Thorne

EPR is not french, it’s a FR-GER (50/50). Framatome(Areva) is one these entities unable to bankrupt because of strategics interests. I dont think EU politicians see the Brexit as a problem, but they need to stand as “one” to show up, the UK should never be a part of EU, too many conflict. That doesn’t mean we cannot be fair partner, its just… very bad timing with COVID. You cannot ask for governments to act as grown men… The electricity cut affair of Jersey is just BS, even the fr.ench citizens will not tolerate such a threat against a neighbor.… Read more »

RobW
RobW
2 years ago
Reply to  Hermes

Hopefully the adults in the room will prevail and relations with our French cousins will normalize, but I’d imagine it will take time. Macron may see some easy wins in his bid to be reelected in bashing us, the EU will continue to do the same over Brexit and the NI protocol, and our lot will bluster and threaten their way through all these issues even after signing up to the withdrawal agreement. It all seems like a political game to politicians despite the fact it has a big impact on ordinary people. All the while normal people on both… Read more »

Tomartyr
Tomartyr
2 years ago
Reply to  Hermes

It would probably be a good start to not refer to the British as ‘anglosaxons’.
Although I do appreciate that it was probably stirred by the childish comments before you.

Hermes
Hermes
2 years ago
Reply to  Tomartyr

I don’t say Anglo-Saxons as a bad thing, it’s just to talk for UK/US/Aussie and not just the UK.
I didn’t know that “Anglo-Saxon” was seen as bad for British.

If its the case, it was not my intention.

Jonathan
Jonathan
2 years ago
Reply to  Hermes

Anglo-Saxon was just one cultural group making up a patchwork across the the British isles. The term Anglo Saxon relates to the German peoples who populated and controlled a fair chunk of what is know England, the culture merges with the Norman culture and governance model after the conquest.

You have to remember wider British culture is a patchwork of Q and P Celt, Romano Celt, Dane, anglo Saxon and Norman.

So Anglo Saxon is more a term for one of the UKs root cultures.

LongTime
LongTime
2 years ago
Reply to  Hermes

Hi H there will always be childish comment on here some through ignorance, some through friendly teasing and unfortunately there are some muppets out there. 👍🏼

AlexS
AlexS
2 years ago
Reply to  Andrew Thorne

“I think the French over confidence in the Maginot line was their downfall.”

No it was not. Maginot line worked. Germans did not invaded there.

Sending the best army to Belgium and Holland and having no coherent reserves was the biggest fault.

Bluemoonday
Bluemoonday
2 years ago
Reply to  Andrew Thorne

Is David’s comment not worth criticising?

Jonathan
Jonathan
2 years ago
Reply to  Hermes

Let’s be honest Hermes the french third republic sowed its own destruction and was pretty moribund by its collapse in 1940. Yes both the french and British military leadership were out thought and beaten by first military to really grasp mid 20c warfare and combined arms. But the big difference was in how the governments of the U.K. and the third republic reacted to this. The U.K. government and society found the reserves to fight on, the third republic did not and was essentially not a government the french public were willing to bleed for. Thats not to say individual… Read more »

AlexS
AlexS
2 years ago
Reply to  Jonathan

Jonathan it is difficult to say what would be the UK reaction if there wasn’t the channel and Royal Navy.
Like in later in Falklands the defeatist attitude was only defeated by a small margin even then.

Jonathan
Jonathan
2 years ago
Reply to  AlexS

True, but in the UKs case the defeatism was more in a select group the ruling class who thought they could keep the empire and live with Hitler ( and they would have probably been correct, that warped empire saw the Britains as a kindred Germanic people and would have likely left us to it, as they headed off to murder all the Slavic peoples and steal their land for German families to farm). But this did not reflect the view of the county, which was to fight for every inch. Churchill’s greatness was about understanding that. The third republic… Read more »

Jonathan
Jonathan
2 years ago
Reply to  Hermes

Just to add some of the comments on this piece are a more than and bit racist and utterly inappropriate.

Some people tend to forget how interwoven french and British history actual is and that once apon a time many of us were all governed by the same dynasties and that both or nations have proud histories ( even if a lot of that history involved our two nations beating the crap out of each other).

Gfor
Gfor
2 years ago
Reply to  Jonathan

Inappropriate yes, racist no.
Check the definition and perhaps say Francophobic or xenophobic.
Frequently misunderstood and misused.

Andrew Thorne
Andrew Thorne
2 years ago
Reply to  Jonathan

The old Wacist banner…give me a break…it’s been overused so much I actually don’t know what the word “racist” means anymore. Typically left overuse a term designed for reprehensibel behaviour and tar everyone with the brush to stir up hatred. This encapsulates every single reason why I would never vote for a party on the left.

Jonathan
Jonathan
2 years ago
Reply to  Andrew Thorne

What is and is not race or racist is one of those areas of contention. There are the biological characteristics crew and the culture crew. I just go if your being a fuck about someone’s culture or ethic background your being a racist dick. I give a little if someone does not understand if what the say is racist, as I’m not a believer in jumping on someone’s cus they don’t know today’s favourite term. But if your say something like “Frog” in an unpleasant way, your be a racist dick, I don’t do Woke but I don’t do or… Read more »

AlexS
AlexS
2 years ago
Reply to  David

Strange… i posted a link to one of the French tank battles in 1940 days ago and it vanished…

Tomartyr
Tomartyr
2 years ago

I knew top tier was toxic but this is something else.

That said I do recommend the game, mostly because Britain could do with a larger playerbase and I know I can count on you guys to do your bit for blighty.

Jonathan
Jonathan
2 years ago
Reply to  Tomartyr

world of tanks all the way for me. Nothing like it after a hard day at the pandemic.

DaveyB
DaveyB
2 years ago
Reply to  Jonathan

Why did they nerf HESH?

peter Wait
peter Wait
2 years ago

The blurred writing looks like 11 seconds for the 360 degree rotation which seems a reasonable time!

peter Wait
peter Wait
2 years ago
Reply to  peter Wait

Elsewhere its reported to be 9 seconds!

LongTime
LongTime
2 years ago
Reply to  peter Wait

Guys it might be prudent to not speculate on what a ‘Leak’ of a Top secret document says 🤷🏻‍♂️

peter Wait
peter Wait
2 years ago
Reply to  LongTime

Most data is somewhere on the internet if you look lol, i would go with 9 as 11 is a bit M48 American rotation speed and that’s a tank from the 1950’s!

DaveyB
DaveyB
2 years ago
Reply to  peter Wait

I wonder if there is a physical human limit on the turret rotation speed? How fast can it spin before someone becomes either disorientated or sick? This is probably more pertinent to a SPAAG vehicle rather than a tank.

ben halford
ben halford
2 years ago

This is actually getting quite comedic. It’s children endangering national security, for a game. Like the workings of a joke, you lead the audience one way: classified information / well disciplined soldiers, only to shoot off in another direction: “lets make this video game more accurate, I’m fed up of getting ganked”.

Also, I’m somewhat curious as to why it’s founding place was relevant. It’s a video game company, not a government asset.