World of Tanks: How to Play Effectively

Tanks are divided into 5 classes, most having subclasses
Light tanks –
Passive scout
Active scout
Lightium

Medium tanks –
Lightium
Medium TD
Heavium

Heavy tanks –
Heavium
TDium
Super Heavy
Medium

TDs –
Assault TD
Sniper TD
Medium TD
Light TD

SPGs –
SPG (also not covering this one, just press Shift and G)

Knowing your class and subclass changes the way you play and influence the game
Currently the meta is Heaviums and Assault TDs – use this to influence the Tech Trees you wish to go down

Russia – Tech Trees
Obj 261 – Spg
Obj 268 v4 – Assault TD
Obj 268 – Assault TD
Obj 277 – Heavium
IS-7 – Heavium (note – on the heavier end of the classification than 277)
Obj 705a – Super Heavy
IS-4 – Super Heavy
ST-II – Heavy
Obj 430u – Heavium
Obj 140 – Medium
K-91 – Medium TD
T-100 LT – Passive Scout

USA – Tech Trees
T92 HMC – Spg
T110e3 – Assault TD
T110e4 – Assault TD
T110e5 – Heavium
T57 Heavy – Heavy TD (Not for camping*)
M48 Patton – Medium
Sheridan – Lightium

UK – Tech Trees
Conqueror GC – Spg
FV4005 – Camping TD
Badger – Assault TD
S. Conqueror – Heavy
Centurion AX – Medium
Manticore – Passive Scout

Sweden – Tech Trees
Strv 103b – Camping TD
Kranvagn – Heavy (autoloader)
Udes 15/16 – Medium

Poland – Tech trees
60TP – Super heavy
Cs-63 – Lightium

Japan – Tech trees
Type 5 Heavy – Super heavy
Stb-1 – Medium

Italy – Tech trees
Rinoceronte – Heavy TD (not for camping)
Progetto 65 – Medium

Germany – Tech Trees
G.W.E 100 – Spg
Jg.Pz E 100 – Assault TD / Camping TD
Grille 15 – Camping TD
Pz.Kpfw. VII – Super heavy
Maus – Super heavy
E100 – Super heavy
E50M – Heavium
Leopard 1 – Medium TD
Rhm. Pzw. – Passive scout / Lightium (Hard to classify)

France – Tech trees
B-C 155 58 – Spg (autoloader!)
Foch B – Assault TD / Camping TD (autoloader)
AMX 50b – Heavium / Heavy TD (not for camping)
AMX M4 54 – Heavy
B-C 25t – Lightium
Amx 13 105 – Lightium (mini B-C) / Passive Scout
EBR 105 – Active Scout

Czech – Tech Trees
TVP T 50/51 – Lightium
Vz 55 – Heavy TD (not for camping) [Yet to be released]

China – Tech Trees
WZ-113G FT – Assault / Camping TD
WZ-111 5a – Heavium
121 – Heavium
WZ-132-1 – Lightium / Passive scout

Bear in mind these are not accurate to the entire Tech Tree and are Gross oversimplifications of actual gameplay style

After choosing your tank, your play style is dictated by the class is comes under – bear in mind, classes that do not match the job their doing are still capable of doing that job, e.g: a heavy spotting. This is generally not a good idea

Passive Scouting –
This is done by mobile and well camouflaged light tanks
They use bushes to achieve higher camo rating.
Trees and Shrubs can be used as bushes too, Trees need to be knocked over before use however
Avoid Engagements in these types of tanks. Generally you do not have the staying power to fight others. This is a very team reliant Subclass. Without TDs you will not get assist and will eventually be spotted, then die.

Active Scouting –
This is done by very mobile tanks, and can be done in anything with view range
Wheeled vehicles do this somewhat well
Active scouting does NOT mean suicide scouting, but rather scouting on the move. This means binocs and camo net are not an option.
Good positions for active scouting are generally slopes, where you can poke your gun or cupola up to spot, and get back very quickly

Lightiums –
The hardest light tank subclass, these tanks act as support vehicles, finding holes in enemy lines to exploit weak side armour and assisting pushes. Some of these tanks can brawl, having armour that is more reliable than some mediums. This isn’t a subclass that is easy to summarise, and one I personally do not recommend

Standard Mediums –
You play support, using your mobility to assist different flanks and to abuse openings. It is an all class. You can camp, you can brawl, you can flank

Lightiums –
Very mobile mediums. Generally lose armour for this, leading to the loss of being able to brawl. Extra Mobility means these mediums can act more like a Light tank and are much more flexible as a result

Heaviums –
These mediums lose mobility for armour. They are great brawlers. They can outtrade a wide variety of opponents with large calibre guns. They currently are the meta, being able to stomp entire flanks with decent mobility and armour

Medium TDs – These are mediums meant more for camping. K-91 for example. It has very fast shells, very good camo but lacks a full turret. This is a rare and generally poor performing subclass. Not recommended

Heaviums –
Much the same as with medium Heaviums, they are the perfect mixture of Armour and mobility, the current meta tanks

Standard Heavies –
Decent armour, below par mobility and large guns. Not the most flexible, but they get the job done

Super Heavies –
Poor mobility, but extremely thick armour. Can stomp flanks. Out of meta due to Premium Rounds. Not recommended but fun – Avoid artillery in this tank

Heavy TDs – These are usually autoloaders, and are great at picking off targets at the cost for armour and staying power. If you have two of these tanks, you can pick off targets easily one by one, so these are considered somewhat in meta

Sniper TDs –
Boring 3rd line gameplay. You take sightlines and shoot enemies that approach. Very powerful and easy to play but relatively out of meta and poor performers for winning games

Assault TDs –
This is where the fun begins. You act like a super heavy with a better gun, but without a turret or full turret. Out of meta due to gold spam, but fun and usable regardless

Medium TDs –
The rarest subclass. Usually have turrets and ability to move as they please around the battlefield – T25/2 as an example

Light TDs –
Rare just like medium TDs, they are generally only low tier. Kanon jpz 105 is a tier 8 example

Equipment is important to gameplay. It improves your tank and how you play it. You get full equipment list from tier 5, but some special equips are only available at higher tiers

Gun rammer – Essential to almost ALL tanks. Improves your Reload by 10%. A meta Equipment

Vents – Improve everything about your tank threw crew by 5%. Increases Crew skills too (if applicable)

Optics – Improves your View range by 10%. Many light and medium tanks benefit from this

Vstabs – improves stabilisation of gun by 10%. Used on all tanks, except for ones with already good gun stabilisation e.g t110e5 and T-100lt. Not recommended for light tanks as they have better options for scouting instead

Binocs – Improves View range by 25% when stationary for 3 seconds

Camo net – improves camo by 10% when stationary for 3 seconds – not recommended due to Exhaust

Low Noise Exhaust – Improves camo by 6% at all times

Commanders Vision System – Removes enemies concealment while behind bushes and while moving, useful on light tanks

Improved Aiming Unit – Improves your gun dispersion by 5% at ALL times. Extra stabiliser

Improved Rotation Mechanism – Improves your rotation speed, does NOT effect gun handling as that stat is to counterbalance the extra speed

Turbocharger – Increases top speed and Acceleration

Improved Radio Set – Makes your spotted time less, while increasing enemy spotted time

Improved Hardening – Increases track health and vehicle load limit along with HP

Improved Configuration – Less module damage, module saves from fires and ammoracks

Gun laying Drive – 10% faster aiming speed (only while stationary)

Spall Liner – better HE protection, better Ramming protection, less stun duration and protection of crew

Additional Grousers – better maintaining speed and ground resistances

For Passive scouts –
CVS, Binocs, Vents/rammer or CVS, optics, vents/rammer (pick whatever gets you 445m View range)
For active scouts –
CVS, Optics, Vents/rammer

For Mediums –
Optics, Vstab Rammer or Vents Vstab Rammer or Turbo Vstab Rammer

For Heavies (general) –
Improved hardening, Vstab, Rammer

For Heaviums –
Turbo, Vstab, Rammer

For Autoloaders –
Vents, Improved Aiming, Vstab

For TDs –
Improved Aiming, vents (if applicable), Rammer (if applicable).

These are general builds. Feel free to experiment. To see stats of tanks check out Tanks.gg

To check Armour of enemy tanks and where to shoot them, Check here: Tanks.gg

Tanks have 3 weakspots

Cupola (sticks up from turret)
Lower Glacis plate (bottom of the tank)
Turret ring (self explanatory)

These weakspots don’t appear on all tanks, so its best to research that yourself

Crew is essential to the game.
Crew skills can make or break a tank
They come in Basic and Role based skills
There are too many to document here, but the basic ones all tanks require are:
Brothers in Arms (all crew MUST have 100% to take effect)
Sixth Sense (on commander) lets you know when you get spotted
Repairs
Concealment (for TDs, LTs and MTs)
Situational Awareness and Recon for View Range (Sit Aware first, more benefit)
Safe Stowage to avoid being 1 shot

Train Crews with Premium tanks or Lower tier elite tanks before moving forward on tech trees

Buy Preset Nation exterior style for 75000 on every tank. 750 credits per game for 2% – 4% extra concealment is large and necessary for good gameplay