World of Tanks beginner tips

Are you interested in jumping into the hectic gameplay of World of Tanks but don't know where to start? These beginner tips are for you.

World of Tanks is a more realistic take on your standard warfare titles. There is a bit of a learning curve if you want to start being an efficient teammate and that might put some people off from trying to invest the time needed to fully enjoy the experience.

This guide will focus on general beginner tips. We know it can be overwhelming so think of it as us pointing you in the right direction so you can fully immerse yourself in the addictive nature of the World of Tanks gameplay.

Find your preferred playstyle

World of Tanks has an abundant selection of tanks at your disposal. They have specific playstyles or archetypes. Do you want to scout ahead and relay valuable intel for your team? Then pick a light tank. Are you the type of player to hold an area and be your team's first line of defence? then heavy tanks (slower but better firepower) are your pick.

There are a total of five vehicle types in World of Tanks (light, medium, heavy, tank destroyers, and self-propelled guns) so you're spoilt for choice. This leads us to our second point.

Learn the basics of each vehicle type

You might convince yourself that becoming proficient at a single type is the best route to go. Generally, if you're starting out that's a good thing, however, as you become more familiar with World of Tanks it is worth dipping your toes into all vehicle types.

• Light tanks: Manoeuvrable vehicles with compact dimensions, good concealment, and view range, but poor armour and firepower.
• Medium tanks: Versatile units with considerable firepower, armour, and manoeuvrability, often with good view range.
• Heavy tanks: Vehicles with low manoeuvrability, but decent armour and a powerful gun that can withstand damage and cause considerable harm.
• Tank destroyers. Weakly armoured vehicles with accurate long-range guns are ideal for ambushes due to their good concealment and firing capabilities.
• Self-propelled guns. Slow, poorly armoured assault guns can still be effective by firing High-Explosive shells at long distances, which can stun or damage multiple vehicles.

Get started in World of Tanks! Register for free and take a pick at your first tank.

Pick a country that fits your style

Credit: Wargaming

Now that you've established what you are trying to focus on and the types of vehicles available at your disposal it's time to pick a country. This is important because World of Tanks features hundreds of vehicles and each country excels at something different.

There are nine nations to choose from:

• USA
• China
• Germany
• USSR
• France
• UK
• Japan
• Czechoslovakia
• Sweden

Each country has a tech tree which hands out different vehicles if you progress through it. The USA is your standard all-arounder nation, the USSR is all about heavy artillery, meanwhile Japan is a combination of versatile high-mobility tanks and powerhouses to deal massive damage.

Play as a team

We have defined what you want to play as, now it's time to put that to the test. Don't feel like you have to do everything on the battlefield yourself, focus on playing your role.

If you're a fast, low-damage tank, scout ahead and give players using heavier tanks some valuable intel. Are you the one dishing out the damage? Then get yourself in an advantageous position to make sure you are ready for when your scouts give you the scoop.

Enjoy the game and keep learning

Finally, just enjoy learning World of Tanks. Remember that you are not married to a nation, if you didn't like the style you picked at first you can start grinding another.

Try out all playstyles, focus on improving slowly and before you know it, every minute detail during gameplay will become second nature to you.