War Thunder Beginner Tips - Modes, Battle Rating, Economy, and Crews

War Thunder, developed by Gaijin Entertainment and published on Steam by Gaijin Network Ltd, is a free-to-play online military vehicle game about aircraft, helicopters, ground vehicles, and naval vessels across Arcade, Realistic, Simulator, PvE, and event formats.

This guide is for new players building stable habits. It is not a current best-nation guide, best-premium guide, vehicle tier list, top-tier loadout guide, event route, shell spreadsheet, or Heavy Cavalry meta guide.

Patch note: Around Heavy Cavalry and Update 2.57.1.7, exact vehicle, Battle Rating, economy, event, store, platform, and anti-cheat details can change.

Essential Tips

1. Start in Arcade, Then Move Up Deliberately

Arcade teaches the interface without hiding every cue.

Arcade gives more visible help through markers, lead indicators, easier reload behavior, and simplified handling. Use it to learn aiming, capture points, spawn flow, crew slots, ammo menus, and post-battle rewards before treating Realistic as your default mode.

2. Read Battle Rating Before Every Queue

Your lineup is matched by in-game effectiveness, not vehicle history.

Battle Rating can differ by mode, and most lineups are judged by the highest relevant BR you bring. Do not place one much-higher-BR vehicle into a low lineup unless you are prepared for stronger opponents across the whole match.

3. Keep Lineups Narrow

A balanced group of vehicles is safer than one standout machine.

For ground and naval battles, build several vehicles close to the same BR so you still have useful respawns after the first death. A single high-BR premium, squadron vehicle, or newly unlocked machine can drag weaker backups into fights they are not ready for.

4. Treat Realistic as a Different Ruleset

Realistic removes crutches that Arcade quietly gives you.

In Ground Realistic, enemies are not marked for you, the penetration crosshair help is gone, repairs take longer, and aircraft use Spawn Points. In Air Realistic, you do not get the Arcade lead marker and may need to return to an airfield to rearm and repair.

5. Do Not Rush Simulator

Simulator expects map knowledge, recognition, and control confidence.

Simulator uses first-person or crew perspectives, no enemy markers, special lobbies or Enduring Confrontation rules, and stricter vehicle sets. Save it until you can identify vehicles, navigate maps, and fly or drive without relying on Arcade markers.

6. Learn Objectives Before Chasing Kills

Tickets, capture zones, base defense, and event rules decide matches.

Domination, Conquest, Battle, Assault, and temporary events do not reward the same behavior. Before sprinting toward the first spotted target, check whether the match needs capture pressure, defense, scouting, bombing, convoy work, or wave control.

7. Aim for Modules, Crew, and Ammo

Many vehicles die because a key internal system fails, not because a health bar runs out.

In ground battles, use Protection Analysis, X-ray views, and shell cards to understand where crew, ammo, engine, gun breech, turret drives, and fuel sit. High penetration is useful only if the shot damages something that matters after it gets through armor.

8. Spend Silver Lions Like Repairs Matter

Progress stalls when every match costs more than it earns.

Silver Lions pay for vehicles, crew training, modifications, repairs, ammunition, and replenishment. Check the post-battle economy report after expensive matches, especially when using costly ammo, repeated spawns, or unfamiliar higher-rank vehicles.

9. Use Golden Eagles Slowly

Premium currency can speed progress, but it does not teach positioning.

Golden Eagles, premium account time, premium vehicles, talismans, bundles, and limited shop offers can all affect progression speed or convenience. Check current prices and contents in the client or storefront before spending, and do not buy a vehicle you cannot support with a real lineup.

10. Train Crews With a Plan

Crew slots become part of your account strength.

Crew XP and skills affect things like targeting, rangefinding, reloading, artillery behavior, and radio information. Keep commonly used vehicle types on consistent crews instead of scattering progress across random slots.

11. Scout and Repair When Your Vehicle Can

Light vehicles can earn value without being top damage.

Active Scouting can mark enemies, reward Research Points and Silver Lions, help allies secure kills, reduce aircraft Spawn Point costs in Realistic, and make allied repairs stronger. A scout that survives and feeds information can matter more than a reckless flank kill.

12. Keep BattlEye Enabled for Required Queues

Anti-cheat is part of getting into many battles.

War Thunder uses BattlEye, and some modes or BRs require anti-cheat to be active. If BattlEye blocks launch or kicks you from a protected server, use Gaijin’s support troubleshooting rather than trying unofficial workarounds.

Modes and Lineups

1. Arcade Battles: Best first stop for learning controls, markers, lead assists, reload behavior, capture points, and basic vehicle roles.
2. Realistic Battles: Better once you can read maps and silhouettes; expect fewer markers, stricter repairs/reloads, and more punishing positioning.
3. Simulator Battles: Advanced mode for first-person/crew perspectives, no markers, special vehicle sets, Enduring Confrontation, and stricter control demands.
4. Assault Mode: Useful PvE wave defense with Arcade-style mechanics, BR brackets, spawn costs, and daily reward potential, but not a substitute for learning PvP objectives.
5. Events and Tournaments: Check rules every time. Events can have special BR ranges, spawn rules, maps, rewards, team sizes, and time windows.
6. Air Arcade lineups: Remember that Air Arcade can use an average of the top aircraft, so one plane can still shape the match even when averaging applies.
7. Ground and naval lineups: Build multiple useful respawns near the same BR, including anti-air or utility options when the mode supports them.

Economy, Crews, and Research

1. Research connected vehicles when practical - Directly preceding vehicles can receive a research bonus, while large rank gaps can reduce efficiency.
2. Buy and crew vehicles intentionally - Unlocking a vehicle is not the end; purchasing it and training a crew costs Silver Lions.
3. Prioritize useful modifications - Parts, fire prevention, better ammo, mobility, and weapon improvements often matter more than chasing the next vehicle immediately.
4. Watch ammunition costs - High-performance shells are tools, not default answers for every shot.
5. Use boosters where you can perform - Activate RP or SL boosters when you are playing vehicles and modes you understand.
6. Treat premium account as convenience - Premium bonuses speed research and earnings, but they do not fix bad lineups, missed shots, or poor map reads.
7. Avoid buying into top tier blind - A high-rank premium can place you into complex radar, missile, armor, and map systems before your crews and habits are ready.

Combat Fundamentals

1. Ground vehicles: Learn weak spots, shell behavior, rangefinding, concealment, hull-down positions, and when to disable a gun or track instead of chasing a one-shot kill.
2. Aircraft: Use short bursts, learn lead in Arcade, expect no lead marker in Realistic, manage energy, and return to base when the mode requires it.
3. Naval vessels: Watch rangefinding, reload rules, torpedo use, compartments, crew distribution, and capture zones; Arcade and Realistic aiming support differs.
4. Helicopters and modern vehicles: Treat guided weapons, radar, countermeasures, thermal sights, and anti-air threats as separate systems that need current-patch learning.
5. Combined arms: In ground modes with aircraft, think about anti-air coverage, scouting, Spawn Points, and whether your team needs air defense more than another tank.
6. Sound and visibility: Listen for nearby engines and tracks, use binoculars and optics, and avoid assuming an unmarked enemy is not there.

Hidden Mechanics

Mechanic	What It Changes	Beginner Habit
Battle Rating by mode	The same vehicle can sit differently across modes	Check the selected mode before queueing
Highest-BR lineup matching	One high-BR vehicle can lift the match	Keep lineups close together
Air Arcade averaging	Top aircraft can affect match BR differently	Do not pad a lineup without understanding the formula
Research efficiency	Rank gaps can reduce RP toward vehicles	Research near your current rank when possible
Crew specialization	Skills affect aiming, reloads, rangefinding, and info	Keep regular vehicles on planned crews
Module damage	Guns, engines, ammo, and crew matter more than a health bar	Aim at internal systems, not only armor plates
Scouting rewards	Marking enemies can pay RP/SL and help allies	Use scout vehicles for information and assists
Spawn Points	Actions can unlock later spawns in some modes	Earn points before relying on aircraft or backups
Event rule changes	Temporary modes can alter BRs, spawns, rewards, and objectives	Read event rules before building a lineup
BattlEye requirements	Protected queues may require anti-cheat enabled	Resolve launch issues through official support

Common Mistakes to Avoid

1. Do not queue one high-BR vehicle with weak backups - The rest of the lineup may be dragged into fights it cannot handle.

2. Do not assume a World War II vehicle always fights World War II vehicles - Matchmaking is based on Battle Rating, not calendar history.

3. Do not move from Arcade to Realistic without changing habits - Markers, lead help, repairs, reloads, and spawn rules change.

4. Do not fire the highest-penetration shell at every target - Post-penetration damage, angle, distance, armor type, and module placement still matter.

5. Do not ignore Silver Lion losses after a bad match - Repairs, ammo, respawns, and crew costs can slow progression.

6. Do not spread crew XP across random slots - Planned crew slots make your favorite vehicles perform better over time.

7. Do not treat premium vehicles as complete lineups - A single purchased vehicle still needs backups, crew training, and map knowledge.

8. Do not skip objectives for a distant duel - Tickets, capture points, base defense, and event objectives often win before the scoreboard looks impressive.

9. Do not leave scout tools unused - Marking enemies, helping repairs, and feeding assists can carry matches without top damage.

10. Do not follow old event or top-tier advice blindly - War Thunder changes through major updates, hotfixes, BR adjustments, economy updates, and rotating events.

Summary

Category	Top Tip
First mode	Start in Arcade, then move to Realistic once markers and assists are no longer your main teacher
Matchmaking	Build lineups around Battle Rating, not historical era
Lineups	Keep several useful vehicles close in BR
Economy	Watch Silver Lion costs and spend Golden Eagles slowly
Research	Stay near efficient ranks and prioritize useful modifications
Crews	Train consistent slots for vehicles you actually play
Ground combat	Aim for crew, ammo, guns, engines, and other key modules
Air combat	Learn lead and energy management before relying on advanced aircraft
Team utility	Scout, repair, defend, and cover anti-air needs
Live service	Refresh exact vehicle, BR, event, shop, and anti-cheat details after updates