War Thunder guide for brainlets

-Role: Anti-air. Emergency light vehicle defense. How to Use It:

• Constantly scan the skies for enemy aircraft. Your job is to disrupt/deny CAS to the enemy team and protect allied CAS.

• Prioritize bombers & fighter bombers. They’re the biggest threat to your team and YOU.

• Stay mobile and reposition. Camping will get you bombed by CAS.

• Don´t expect to kill other tanks unless lightly armored or open top vehicles. Incendiary or explosive ammo works better,

How to Fight It:

• Use HE or HEAT to take them down. SPAA are lightly armored and cannot tank direct hits.

• Avoid AP unless you know where each internal components are, either you risk overpen and give a chance to the enemy to flee or fight back.

• Expect high fire rate, do not underestimate their pen, but remember they have low survivability.

-Role: Scouts, flankers, and fast capture of objectives.

How to Use It:

• Scout ahead. Use your speed to reach points and spot enemies advancing onto objectives.

• Avoid direct fights unless you're sure of the kill, prioritize engaging targets that are distracted, isolated, or lightly armored.

• If you're forced to engage, always go for the more dangerous target first — especially enemy scouts likely to relay your position.

• Turn off your engine (i key) when camping to stay hidden and unheard.

• Use smoke to retreat or cover movement.

• never attempt to brawl, you´re NOT meant to take hits. If spotted and fired upon retreat,reposition and find allies for support.

How to Fight It:

• If you see it first, take it down before it spots you or a teammate.

• if it sees you first, take it down and reposition, Artillery fire or enemies will be right on your position in a moment.

• Use HE or HEAT to knock them out, light tanks are light armored like SPAA and not meant to take hits, their general purpose is to move quickly around the map and scout enemy positions.
  

They’re fast but fragile — hit first, hit hard.

-Role: All-rounders. Backbone of most teams.

How to Use It:

• Lead pushes with heavies, flank on enemy blind spots or protect light tanks from afar.

• Don’t brawl like a heavy even if you can take a single hit with proper angling, peek and shoot from cover just like you would with a light tank.

• Your reload is often faster than a heavy, take advantage of a enemy whos still reloading to aim your gun and shoot. Use the terrain to your advantage too.

• When defending remember to angle (boxy tanks) but don’t rely on armor. minimize exposure to enemy fire.

• Never be stationary as a bunker, use your medium mobility to reposition constantly.

How to Fight It:

• Know the conmon weak spots (or just get a bigger gun) M4 shermans MG port, PZ IV Cupola or T-34 turret ring

• Use AP shells but aim carefully, some mediums tend to have more armor on the obvious spots.

• Assume they are not alone. Mediums often move with heavies or light tanks, expect more tanks to be nearby.

-Role: Frontline tanks. Tanks with BIG guns and BIG armor.

How to Use It:

• You will be slow, don’t rush, treat armor like a last resort...not like a invulnerability shield.

• Angle your tank (especially German heavies or boxy vehicles).

• Snipe from the rear or push with support from other tanks, going alone is a death sentence.

• Avoid brawling with other tanks unless you're confident 100% of winning (and ensuring there’s no enemy supports nearby).

How to Fight It:

• Flank them, heavy tanks are slow and predictable.

• Assume they have support nearby; never engage an apparently isolated heavy unless you’re sure.

• Prioritize keeping them from firing or moving, canon or breech shots, tracks or engine

• Use HEAT, APDS, or high-penetration shells (200–350mm+).

• No tank is invincible: go for side shots, trap shots, or weak points like turret cheeks and lower glacis.

• Avoid brawling unless you're confident your shell will penetrate.

• Use elevation or surprise attacks to negate their armor advantage.

Role: Snipers. Hit hard, vanish fast.

How to Use It:

• Always snipe from cover/concealment, avoid close combat/brawling especially in urban maps.

• Watch for teammates fighting as they bait targets right into your sights, your best role is NEVER being seen by anyone.

• Always scout with binoculars before setting up.

How to Fight It:

• First strike is critical, ensure you are the FIRST one to see them and strike.

• Target weak points: MG ports, open tops, or gun barrels.

• If you can’t pen them, immobilize/disable and mark them for heavier better armed allies.

You don't need to memorize every map in War Thunder to be an effective tank commander. However, recognizing the type of map you are playing can drastically improve your fighting performance. Tank choices also matter in order to provide the better support for your team and cause the most damage to the enemy team!

• Open maps

  Deserts and plains tend to favor long-range combat against mobility and speed. These maps suit tank destroyers, heavy tanks, superheavies, and artillery (mortar) units that can take advantage of their powerful guns and range to pick off enemies from afar (Including tanking hits from enemy tanks at a distance)

  -(Heavy, SuperHeavy,Tank destroyer,Mortar & SPAA)

• Forest, mountain, & snow maps

  These kind of maps usually feature more varied terrain and medium-range sightlines. These maps favor almost all types of tanks, heavy tanks or Tank destroyers however, struggle in these due to the rough terrain and their slow mobility...making them an easier target to literally anything clever enough to flank it.

  -(Medium tank, light tank, Heavy tanks RARELY No superheavy tanks, Mortars & SPAA are OK though)

• Urban and city maps

  These types of maps are in general the worst environment for a tank to be at. Forcing combat to be close quarters. This type of map is usually perfect for light tanks and medium tanks that can quickly flank through narrow alleyways and fight in tight spaces.

  Tank destroyers without rotating turretts tend to be at disadvantage here since lights and mediums can easily flank and knock them out. If employed in these maps they must have an escort or used in roads with little to no flank spots.

  Mortars can excel here by firing over the top of buildings and hitting behind cover, SPAAs tend to have a bit of a disadvantage against planes due to the cover some buildings can provide.

  -Light tank,medium tank,Tank destroyer (ONLY with fully rotating turrets) Mortars and SPAA

Here’s a straightforward look at what you’ll usually face with teammates in War Thunder and some essential general tips to keep you alive and effective on the battlefield. Expect chaos early on, don’t rely too much on team coordination, and use these practical tactics to get the upper hand.

🤦 What to Expect From Teammates

• Spawn is usually the most chaotic time of the game, usually with MG & smoke spam as people move in a group... which includes lots of ramming and Radio message spam. Sit back and let the chaos pass.

• -Steer clear of teammates, teammates are usually enemies on your same color, they will often ram you, blind you with smoke, spam radio messages or steal kills/refuse to shoot a enemy that is right in front of you. At most only expect help towing or repairing if it benefits or gives SL

• ]Use your Binoculars to spot other enemy tanks from afar

• Dont be afraid to use alternative paths to find flanking routes/surprise enemies.

• Turn off your engine to stay hidden from others

• Use alternative paths, dont stick to main roads...Tanks move faster on main roads but can go off-road too.

• Use your ears, engine nose can mean an ally or enemy is nearby

• Don’t rely on team. Play like you're solo unless proven otherwise.

• Spotting gives SL/RP too, it can be fun to be sneaky and fast

• Never go into combat fully loaded. Carry a maximum of about 30 shells to reduce the risk of ammo rack explosion.

• Pack only what you need/Carry a mix of ammo types: HE (High Explosive) for soft targets and light vehicles, AP (Armor Piercing) for heavily armored enemies, and HEAT (High Explosive Anti-Tank) for penetrating thick armor at medium range.

• Know when to switch shells. Use the right shell type depending on your target, armor and situation to maximize damage and conserve ammo.

• Angle smartly. Even 5-10º angling can save your life.

• Always move after shooting. Don’t be a sitting duck.

• Smoke is not a vanishing button, it will only get you out of view but it will bring attention to your positon, reposition fast after popping smoke

• Use cover, not concealment. Bushes can hide you, but rocks and buildings can save you