War Thunder Beginner Guide: Modes, Research, Crews, and Matchmaking

Choose a mode that makes the basics readable

War Thunder has three main competitive formats: Arcade, Realistic, and Simulator Battles, alongside several other modes. For a first session, Arcade is the clearest place to learn the interface because the official wiki describes it as the most simplified, easiest-to-learn, and fastest-paced format. Arcade also provides more aiming and spotting assistance than the other main formats. That support lets a new player concentrate on movement, target selection, capture points, and the rhythm of a match before taking on a mode with fewer aids.

Choose one vehicle family for the first few sessions rather than trying air, ground, and naval controls at once. The purpose is not to decide on a permanent specialty; it is to create a repeatable practice loop. Learn how one vehicle accelerates, turns, aims, and returns to cover. Then review the result screen and repeat. Once those actions feel deliberate, try the same vehicle type in Realistic Battles and notice which Arcade assists are no longer present. That comparison teaches more than changing several systems at the same time.

• Start in Arcade if the interface and aiming systems are still unfamiliar.
• Practice one vehicle family long enough to recognize its controls and match objectives.
• Move to another mode only when you can explain what you want to learn from the change.

Evidence: [1][2]

Build the lineup around battle rating, not vehicle rank

Battle rating, usually shortened to BR, is the main value used by War Thunder matchmaking. It is not the same thing as a vehicle's research rank or its historical introduction date. The official matchmaking reference says BR represents in-game effectiveness and can differ by mode. Before pressing To Battle, check the rating shown for the selected mode on each vehicle card and beneath the battle button. This small habit prevents a common beginner problem: adding one higher-rated vehicle without understanding how it changes the opponents the lineup may meet.

The exact lineup calculation depends on the mode. Ground Arcade, Ground Realistic, and several naval formats use the highest relevant BR in the lineup, while Air Arcade uses an averaging rule based on the highest aircraft. A practical beginner approach is to keep the useful vehicles in a lineup reasonably close in BR and confirm the displayed matchmaking value after every change. This is a planning rule, not a promise of an easy match. It simply reduces the chance that most of your lineup is poorly matched to the level set by one vehicle.

• Read the BR for the mode you are actually about to play.
• Recheck the value shown under To Battle after editing a lineup.
• Do not assume research rank determines matchmaking.

Evidence: [3]

Use research as a plan, not a race

The official economy overview separates War Thunder's progression resources into currencies and Research Points. Silver Lions are an earnable currency, while Research Points drive several forms of progression. That distinction matters when following a War Thunder research guide: unlocking an item and being ready to purchase or use it are connected but different decisions. Check the research screen before a session, select a reachable next vehicle or modification, and keep enough attention on your Silver Lions balance to avoid treating every unlock as an automatic purchase.

If you are asking how to research fast in War Thunder, begin by removing wasted progress rather than looking for a shortcut. Pick a short branch goal, use vehicles you can operate consistently, and finish matches with an objective in mind. Avoid spreading every session across many nations and vehicle types unless variety is the goal itself. A focused route makes the next unlock visible and gives you time to learn the vehicles that lead to it. Progression speed still depends on match results and account factors, so no route produces the same pace for every player.

• Select one reachable research target before entering the queue.
• Treat Research Points and Silver Lions as related but separate constraints.
• Review the post-match research allocation before changing your plan.

Evidence: [5]

Spend crew points on the task you actually perform

Crew skills improve different parts of vehicle operation, and the useful priority changes with the vehicle type. The official crew reference lists skills for pilots, ground crews, and naval crews, including areas such as stamina, repair, targeting, reloading, and leadership. Crew Experience Points are earned through participation in battles and can be assigned from the crew training screen. Because one universal allocation cannot fit every vehicle, start with the repeated limitation you can identify in your own matches rather than copying a maximum-level build without context.

For a ground lineup, that might mean comparing targeting, weapon reloading, field repair, agility, and leadership descriptions before spending points. For aircraft, read how G-tolerance, stamina, and logistical skills affect the crew. The safe method is simple: open the skill description, connect it to a recurring problem, spend a small batch of points, and continue observing. Crew qualification is vehicle-specific, so also check which crew is assigned before paying for a qualification. That avoids improving or qualifying a slot you do not intend to use for the chosen vehicle.

• Assign points from the crew that operates the intended vehicle.
• Read the in-game skill description before committing points.
• Prioritize a repeated operational weakness instead of copying a generic list.

Evidence: [4]

Turn early matches into a simple learning loop

A useful first-match objective should be smaller than winning the whole battle. In Arcade ground battles, for example, enemy markers, the minimap, capture objectives, and aiming assistance provide several kinds of feedback. Choose one: survive the first contact, reach a capture point without crossing open ground, or identify why a shot failed. In air battles, focus on maintaining awareness and approaching one target without losing track of the wider fight. The match result matters, but one observable decision gives you something specific to change next time.

After the match, write a one-sentence diagnosis: poor route, rushed shot, exposed position, unsuitable lineup, or missed objective. Then change only one response in the next battle. This keeps the lesson attributable to a decision instead of to a complete settings overhaul. Use the official War Thunder wiki when the question is mechanical, such as BR calculation, a mode rule, or the effect of a crew skill. Use community discussion for tactics only after checking that the underlying mechanic still matches an official reference.

• Set one observable practice goal for each match.
• Name the decision that caused the earliest major problem.
• Change one behavior in the next match and compare the result.

Evidence: [2][3][4]

A practical route to rank two

Players searching how to get to rank 2 in War Thunder often need a reliable routine more than a complicated optimization. Choose a vehicle branch, select the next required research target, and play a lineup whose BR you understand. Keep the same crew assignments where practical so that crew experience supports the slots you continue using. Check both the research result and Silver Lions balance after a short group of matches. If the target is advancing and the lineup remains affordable, continue; if not, identify whether research selection, performance, or spending is the actual constraint.

Do not interpret rank as a direct measure of matchmaking difficulty or personal skill. The official matchmaking guide states that player statistics and research rank are not used for standard BR matchmaking; vehicle BR is the key value. Reaching a new rank therefore expands the research tree, but it does not remove the need to build a coherent lineup or learn the selected mode. Before fielding a newly unlocked vehicle, inspect its BR in that mode and decide whether the rest of the lineup is ready to move with it.

• Follow the research-tree requirements shown in the client.
• Keep the lineup's displayed BR visible while adding a new vehicle.
• Delay a purchase or lineup change when it would leave the rest of the preset behind.

Evidence: [3][5]

Frequently asked questions

Which War Thunder mode is best for a beginner?

Arcade Battles are the clearest starting point because the official wiki describes Arcade as simplified, fast-paced, and typically easiest to learn. Start there to learn controls and objectives, then compare another mode once you know which assistance and rules are changing.

How does War Thunder matchmaking use battle rating?

Battle rating is the main matchmaking value, but the calculation varies by mode. Several ground and naval modes use the lineup's highest relevant BR, while Air Arcade uses an averaging rule. Always check the displayed BR for the selected mode before queuing.

How can a beginner research faster in War Thunder?

Use a focused branch goal, select the intended research target, play a lineup you understand, and review the post-match allocation. This reduces scattered progress, but results and account factors still affect the pace, so there is no single fixed time for an unlock.

Where should I spend my first War Thunder crew points?

Start with a skill tied to a recurring limitation in the vehicle type you play, and read the in-game description first. The relevant choices differ between aircraft, ground vehicles, and naval vessels, so a universal order can be misleading.