[Wiki] War Thunder Wiki: Short Guides Competition

[_82AB_GruberRd 853]

Take off and Landing

 

• No matter what game mode you play in: You will not collide with teammates (planes) while your wheels are on the airfield.  So don't worry about crashing into them but don't run into a ground vehicle or an enemy.  There is actually a small height you can be off the runway (I think) but I don't take chances with it.  
• Take Off:  Just because you can lift off the ground does NOT mean that you should.  Level out and stay on the ground until you gain more speed (about 100 MPH) and then lift off slowly.  Raise gear and then flaps almost immediately after lift off.  Be careful because when you lift your flaps you will need to adjust your flight angle to avoid hitting the ground if you are too low.  In a Jet this technique pays off huge.  
• Landing:  Practice, practice and practice.  The key is getting to the ground alive.  You don't have to have Landing Flaps down to land.  But they help to stop you once you are on the ground.  If your plane is damaged you most likely don't want to use them.  In that case you just try the Combat and Take Off positions to see which one gives you the most control until you reach the ground.  And you have to be able to stop before the runway ends (or very shortly after) so don't land while going too fast.  Zig-zag on approach to burn off speed. 

[TRI_COLOR_SMOKE 42]

Air Arcade Battles For New Players

 

Some important tips that will help new players right out of the gate:

 

The C Key:

Any time you are 10 seconds or more from the nearest enemy, you want to be using the C key to look around. I see so many players getting shot down with an enemy players on their tail, reloading for 30 seconds, with no attempt made to dodge. Here are the key times to be looking around.

 

-When approaching a furball - ensure there aren't enemies that have drifted out of it above or behind you

-A few seconds before engaging an enemy, excluding head on engagements - again ensure someone is not tailing you

-After getting shot down - might as well use this time to check your spawn area, so you know if you are being spawn camped

 

Gun Convergence Settings:

There are so many control and other settings in the game, so I would like to point out this critical one. Since so much has been written on it already please refer to this article:

https://warthunder.fandom.com/wiki/Gun_Convergence

I would suggest starting with 800m and setting verticle to ON, and making small adjustments to see what works best for you

 

Pitch Up/Down - Mouse button 4/5:

Pitch up and down is when the nose of the plane moves straight up to the sky or down to the ground. Most players find it helpful to bind these to mouse keys. When dogfighting you always want to be able to apply max elevator when needed, if your mouse has buttons you can use with your thumb you may find this helpful.

 

Dodging Bullets:

You WILL find yourself in a situation where you have an enemy stuck to your tail, unloading on you. Many players will only perform simple turns, which makes for an easy target. Try the following to attempt to throw the pursuer or allow your team enough time to help.

 

Elevator turns - Never pull straight up to loop while being pursued - instead roll your aircraft over and pull straight "up" towards the ground. Use gravity to assist your turning speed. Many inexperienced opponents will attempt to nose down after you, which may allow you to stay out of their gun sights for long enough to reverse the situation.

 

Rudder turns - Ensure you utilize the rudder when dodging (by default the Q and E keys. This will slide the aircraft left or right. When all is lost and it feels like you are guaranteed to get shot down, it is beneficial to waste as much of the enemy ammo and time as possible. If the enemy is close. try a full pitch up combined with holding one of the rudder keys - this will cause the aircraft to perform a tight spiral that is difficult to track. Pressing the L key to turn on aerobatic smoke will further distract the enemy. If the enemy is 600m or farther behind you, hold and release the rudder every 1 second or so, otherwise they can continue to shoot in the same spot which will intersect with your spiral.

 

Measurements:

Many players will be more familiar with feet and miles compared to KM and M. I suggest trying KM as your distance measurement. The reason for this is that it becomes easier to calculate the closing time between you and your enemy - since everything is divisible by 10. It can also assist with head ons as described below.

 

Head On Attacks:

Everyone says - do not do it. But it is so much fun, and it must be since you see it so often. Here is how to win it. If you have your distance set to KM, most guns are going to start becoming effective at 1KM out. Start firing just above the enemy at 1.5K or so, depending on the closing speed. When 900M distance is reached, quickly tap one of your rudders and slide your mouse in the same direction. Assuming they may have performed the same technique, you just dodged their fire and threw their aim off. Quickly correct your aim and continue firing.

 

At this point, you either shot the enemy down or did not. You want to prepare to dodge prior to 400m distance to allow enough time to not get rammed down by the enemy plan or its corpse. Consider the size of the plane, and if they have rolled the aircraft (twin engine fighters and bombers will need a bit more time to dodge).

 

 

[Toshio_1987 4]

I hereby submit a brief video on how to raise crew skills.  https://youtu.be/_Qm5ZBzk5gE  A much improved version with fantastic background music is also available here: https://youtu.be/mnyvg7ITHY8

[DennyDengo 11]

Adding Two Factor Authentication to your Account

 

[LittleHenry 28]

6 hours ago, War_Gaming_NL said:

Lmao. The fact that people try it already doesn't make sence. Because lets say for the videos 10 people actually have the chance to get the E-100 or IS-7 for free. Great job Gaijin! Really fair and really logical.....

 

Don't get me wrong BTW LittleHenry, but if i'm correct there already is a tutorial of how to shoot? Just saying

 

I’ve seen some as well. But none that explain how to combine the two effectively. Also reducing the sensitivity is a tip I haven’t seen stated elsewhere. Which makes it a lot more accurate

[Guest Y22cow]

Cow’s quick and gritty guide to carrier take offs 

 

Unlike the standard runway where you take off at the same time with all your teammates, carrier take offs are a bit different. If everyone takes off at the same 3 out of 4 of you will crash into the ocean. Those are not good odds. To avoid turning your naval fighter into a submarine, you need to “wait your turn”. When a player takes off he is boosted by some invisible force that propels him forward with enough speed to fly off. This “catapult” system only works for one aircraft at a time. 

 

So when players space out their take offs, they will all successfully fly off regardless of how loaded down they are. Next time you spawn in, keep an eye on whose gearing to take off, waiting an extra 5 seconds is much easier than waiting the 7 minutes after crashing

[Terran_Dominion 4]

How to aim with SPAA
Considering how planes might be more than a kilometer away, the idea of NOT using your scope would seem like a silly idea. However, the scope can often be a major hindrance to aiming. Put simply, it is often not wide enough to accommodate the lead required to hit your target. Seen below, this M16 MGMC is aiming at a Bf 110 with the help of the lead indicator (hidden in screenshots). To get the lead required, the M16 MGMC would need to move the cross hair so far that the Bf 110 would barely even fit in the sight picture! There are only a few times where scoping would be recommended: shooting at enemy tanks, or shooting an enemy plane that is diving onto you in a straight line.

 

Aiming with tracers

Now deprived of your trusty scope, you might be wondering how in the world you are to aim at all! The answer is tracers. Tracer rounds can be determined by finding a belt with round that have "tracer" in their description. Ideally you want as many of these in your belt as possible because A) unlike in Air battles, you want your rounds to be very visible so as to aim more easily, and B) More tracers tell an enemy plane they really not ought to come even close to your team.



Aiming with tracers can be a challenge for new players. First, create a straight path of rounds leading in front of the target, don't expect to get any one shot one kills either. Next, the lead distance based on how the tracers appear in relation to your target. Note that you will need to be rather perceptive to notice the following patterns.

If the tracers are behind the target, you have aimed too far.


Likewise, aiming too short will mean that you can barely see your target!


What you want to look for are bright flashes, signs of damage such as smoke or creation of debris, or if you're particularly lucky, a ricochet as those are the most obvious signs you are now landing hits!


Be sure to be mindful of your allies' planes while firing; the repair cost of your vehicle is a fraction of the deduction of SL should you team-kill!

Edited June 8, 2019 by Terran_Dominion

[Skreezilla 171]

 

How to use the protection analysis tool in War Thunder. 
It is what it is a quick guide to using the tool, simple quick and explaining how to use it, and how to use on vehicles you do not own. 

[Guest Alex99]

How to choose and modificate camouflage in War Thunder

 

Edited June 8, 2019 by Alex99

[Guest Alex99]

How to make a good nose art in War Thunder

 

 

[halika6 8]

for the newcomers to warthunder.

 

here is a small list of country's that might suit your tastes 

as you are new i will keep it simple so you understand

 

america: the nation is a good balance of Armour and gun it has it's oddity's but it's generally fun to play its not too hard to play.

 

               the planes are also balanced for players who like to fly they have good guns but are rather slow turners so don't try to turn with most of their planes they are fast in a boom and                         zoom that's where they shine.

 

Germany: at the beginning of the tech tree its more focused on speed and power rather than Armour but as you get higher in the tech tree you get slower and heavier this is for people who                     like to camp or like slow game play. 

 

                for our pilots out there Germany is also a great option they have a good balance with guns and maneuverability they shine when they climb above the enemy team so dont go low                    and slow try to go high with the Germans and you'll be fine (hopefully)

 

Russia: just like america its balance with Armour and gun is good especially with the T-34 line of tanks and its heavy tanks such as the KV-1 and IS-2 they are for players who like more fast                paced game play while not sacrificing  Armour or gun for it.

 

             the planes on the Russian planes do tend to be rather big they are the tanks in the sky but do not be mislead they are not invincible but they are more forgiving when making a                        mistake they are good at any altitude they are for players who like a good mix of everything

 

British: their tanks are more speed and Armour focused it depend on the tank really but they have in the most simple terms 2 category's Heavy tank and lighter but faster tanks

            they have not the most powerful guns but they reload very fast so be careful later on in the tech tree you get some of the most powerful guns at your tier though Britain is for the                      player who like to pen a lot of things in a short span of time and have decent Armour for that they are best suited in the back of the map sniping so they are for players who like to be                calm and sneaky but also want the option to be  fast.

 

            the planes of the British are good turn fighters and have pretty good armament they are very good at high altitude if you like to be fast and deadly this is your pick.

 

Japan: the tanks of the Japanese are not armored at all most of the time if you are luck you might survive two or 3 shot's max they are meant to be played sneakily they are glass cannons                  basically 

            they are for players who like a good challenge in their game play

.

            the planes of the Japanese are some of the best in the game but don't be mislead they are hard to play right and are very fragile but if you get them to work for you you have some of              the bast turn fighters and guns in the game be weary for good Japanese players they are very good at what they do NEVER try to out turn a Japanese aircraft NEVER! 

            the Japanese planes are for people who like to be fast and deadly at any altitude while also having a challenge to play them.

 

Italy:    for Italy the tank in the beginning are kinda lackluster but once you get to about 3.7 ish you get the basic principle the Italians still have today Speed and Fire power

            the Italian tanks have a lot of speed and fire power as i mentioned but are glass cannons they are best suited for players who like to be fast and deadly on the ground

            

            the Italian planes are a very balanced bunch since they follow the German designs you should play like a German pilot would.

 

French: the french are a weird bunch of tank's they are kinda bad at the start of the tech tree but get some of the best tank in the game later on !!WARNING the french are not for beginners!!

            they are every expensive to grind out so it's best to leave them for later when you have more experience in tanks they are for player who like fire power and speed .

 

            most of the Italian planes are actually american but for the rest of them they follow other country's designs like Germany so they have a varying mic of strategy's you can use 

            they do get their own jets though but you as a new player should not worry about that jet.

            they are most best suited for those who like to have a mix of everything.

 

 

I do hope you found this to be useful for your endeavors in warthunder happy hunting soldier.

with kind regards Helika6.

 

 

 

 

Edited June 8, 2019 by halika6

[RollingThunder1968 331]

HOW TO: USE MANUAL ENGINE CONTROL.

 

Manual engine control- abbreviated to MEC- is an oft-neglected tool available to Aerial Realistic Battles and Simulator Battles players in aircraft. It is a powerful tool- using the right settings, one can dramatically improve climb rate, top speed and also the maximum amount of time needed to make an engine overheat at 100% throttle or while using WEP. Each plane responds differently to different MEC settings, so unfortunately, there is no one setting that suits all aircraft. At its core, it revolves around the following four variables: Supercharger Gear, Mixture, Propellor Pitch and Radiator. Each of these is bindable in the aircraft "Full-real" options, and then useable with any of the other control types, including mouse aim. A good place to bind the keys to is the numberpad. The five essential keybinds are: Activate Manual Engine Control (a sure necessity!), Supercharger gear activation, increase/decrease/toggle automatic Propeller Pitch, increase/decrease/reset Mixture and finally increase/decrease/toggle automatic Radiator. The Automatic setting is only useable on some planes, but it is generally better to have a keybind to set them to auto, in case you end up in a battle and cannot micromanage it.

 

Propeller pitch controls the degree at which each blade hits the air, and also is directly proportional to RPM in War Thunder. Higher pitches (80% and above) are better for climbing. Lower pitches (0%-40%) are for increasing speed in a dive or inducing an overshoot by sudden speed decreases, and middle-range pitches (50%-70%) are better for level flight. The radiator cools the engine, but opening it fully- putting it at 100%- will increase drag, while allowing for faster cooling and increased time until the engine overheats. This is better for engines that heat up quickly- like the Hurricane Mk I/Late's or the Spitfire mk Ia's Merlin engine, but may not be so good for engines that do not overheat quickly. The drag increase is negligible compared to the massive increase in performance bestowed by extended WEP time. Mixture is the ratio of fuel to air inside the engine.  In War Thunder, unlike real life, the percentage in mixture actually represents the amount of air when one would usually associate it with fuel. Hence, higher altitudes (5000 metres/16000 feet and above) require you to use higher mixture percentages (80% and above), while lower altitudes (below 2000 metres/6500 feet). Unlike the other variables, the range of percentages is 0%-120%, with the default being 60% (the value that Mixture will reset to). The supercharger compresses air so that an engine can combust fuel more efficiently at higher altitudes. Activation altitudes vary between aircraft to aircraft, but generally, they should be turned on around 4000 metres / 13000 feet. Finding and maintaining the "Sweet spots"- where Mixture, Pitch, Radiator and the Supercharger blend their effects together to make the engine perform best is what your goal should be- and if you do, then you will be able to make the plane's performance skyrocket!

 

Good Luck, Happy Hunting, and may the winds forever be with you~

Aussie_Mantis

EDIT: The link to the full guide I excerpted this from (that I wrote!) is here: https://docs.google.com/document/d/1HLJBLP2X9u_bfxCyfcp0iYWsAt9SQgYLPOAKZNUdaSg/edit?usp=sharing 

Edited June 8, 2019 by Aussie_Mantis
added the full guide link. edited the mixture section and radiator sections.

[Pheonixcaus 1]

How to use your range finder to effectively hit targets in War thunder

 

[skDoger 3]

How to fire from your top mounted machine guns

 

 

Edited June 8, 2019 by skDoger
fixed link

[fisherbait 16]

How to Make a Custom Skin for Aircraft in War Thunder

All file names are in Bold

I will be using the F4U-1d as an example.

　

Step 1: After choosing a vehicle that you want to make a custom skin for, open the customization tab.

　

Step 2: Create a User skin file by clicking on the wand button.

　

　

　

Step 3: Open the War Thunder folder and open the Userskins folder. Your skin will be in a folder named template_f4u-1d. Open this folder.

　

Step 4: Inside the folder their will be about 5 files named as the following:

 

f4u_1d.tga -this is the skin that you see in the hangar and in battle.

f4u_1d_c_dmg.tga -this is the damaged skin that you see when your plane is damaged

f4u_1d_n.tga -skin normals (you do not need to modify this file)

f4u_1d_n_dmg.tga -damaged skin normals (you do not need to modify this file)

f4u_1d.blk -this defines the skin. Do not modify this file.

 

You only need the first file (f4u_1d.tga) in order to make a skin. However, this skin will dissapear as soon as you take damage, so you may want to modify the damage skin as well (f4u_1d_c_dmg.tga). Open these files with Photoshop, GIMP, or any other photo editor that opens targa (.tga) files.

　

Step 5: You can modify your skin the same way you would edit a picture. Note that some parts of the file modify different parts of the plane. Notice the wings, fuselage, and propeller in the example image.

　

Step 6: After you have modified the file, save as a a targa file (.tga) into the original folder. Be sure to replace the original files or there will be no change.

　

Step 7: Back in the customization tab, you can now select your skin from the dropdown menue. you can make multiple skins for the same plane if you wish.

　

You are all set now. Keep in mind that all custom skins will not be visible to other players. You can also download other player-made skins for free from live.warthunder.com.

 

 

 

Edited June 9, 2019 by fisherbait
Fixed misplaced pictures

[MrADATS 193]

 

Timing is key, when the camera spectates the tank who killed you, press M and mark them. Do it quick, you got a small window of opportunity.

[LittleHenry 28]

7 hours ago, Hotshot22 said:

How to use your range finder to effectively hit targets in War thunder

 

 

Gheghe, pretty much the same guide as I've written on the first page, only I use a key binding instead of the scroll wheel, makes for finder adjustments. Also. You can bind a key to reset the distance set, so you don't have to scroll back, but just hit one button and you're back to normal.

[warmind99 3]

How to choose a vehicle to spawn in late game:

First, we need to determine which way the game is going.

Does your team have two or more of the cap zones?

Maybe pick a plane or an SPAAG and try to defend the skies. If not, maybe take a light or medium tank and try to cap a zone.

 

Is there a tank your team just can't kill (Maus, E100, IS-4M, KV-1B, etc)?

Take a plane and try to bomb it, or grab a tank destroyed and try to flank it (remember, bombs will be more effective than guns or rockets).

 

Does your team have lots of tanks on the ground?

Take a plane or SPAAG, and vice versa.

 

The crux of the matter is this: your team needs to control the land and the sky, and you need to spawn in whatever vehicle your team lacks. Winning the ground is no use if you lose the sky and get bombed into oblivion, and winning the sky is no use if the enemy caps all the points and ends the match. Remember this:

 

Tanks kill everything on the ground (other tanks, lightly armored vehicles, SPAAGs, tank destroyers);

SPAAGs kill planes, lightly armored vehicles (other SPAAGs, light tanks, some tank destroyers), and helicopters;

Planes kill other planes, helicopters, and ground units;

Helicopters kill ground units;

Lightly armored tanks (M18, BMP-1/2, Type 89, etc) kill other lightly armored tanks and are useful for cap control and flanking;

Tank destroyers kill heavily armored tanks;

Heavy (Tiger 1, Tiger 2, IS-2, T-29) and Super Heavy tanks (IS-4M, Maus, E100) are useful for controlling a specific zone, e.g. near a cap or in a city, but are extremely vulnerable to planes.

[Aysom 17]

Active Scouting

 

Active Scouting is an ability available to all Light Tanks from Rank II upwards, as well as select Tank Destroyers (such as the ASU-57), allowing them to reveal enemy locations to allies temporarily. This feature is not present in Test Drive.

 

To use Active Scouting, move your Sniper Mode or Binoculars crosshair over a hostile ground vehicle, and press your Active Scouting key (V by default). A successful active scout will cause the enemy to be revealed for 30 seconds; in Arcade this displays their full marker to all teammates for the duration, and in Realistic this displays a small arrow above the target instead. Their position and vehicle type on the minimap is also revealed on the minimap in both cases.

 

 

Active Scouting rewards the player with a small amount of Silver Lions and Research Points for the action, with additional rewards if the target is destroyed by an ally while revealed. In Realistic Battles, the scout will also be rewarded with a 7% reduction in SP costs for their next aircraft spawn when the target is destroyed by an ally while revealed, increased to a 14% reduction if the Airstrike modification is researched. The scout receives no bonuses aside from the initial scouting bonus if they destroy the target.

 

 

[Groundpound 32]

Are you an Army plane that needs ammo and repairs? Are you a carrier based plane that suddenly finds itself missing landing gear? No problem! This extremely short video shows you that you still have hope. No reason to J out and return to hanger. SImply land on the Aircraft Carrier and get back into the fight. 

 

[DeltaUMi 57]

How to not be killed... ahem... unconscious

1. Don’t be there. The easy solution is to never hit that battle button, but the intelligent player will interpret this as choosing his engagements in battle wisely. This means play the objectives. Minimizing your time on the battlefield minimizes the enemy’s available time to kill you.
2. Don’t be seen. The enemy won’t shoot what they can’t see, so use bushes, buildings, terrain to mask your movement and learn how not to be seen. But if you’re smart, this also means being in a position the enemy does not expect.
3. Don’t be acquired. This means don’t be an easy target. Don’t be the cannon fodder that rushes straight in and don’t go solo. Instead let your allies who haven’t read this wonderful guide be the fodder that blindly attacks the enemy.
4. Don’t be hit. Use concealment to make it more difficult for the enemy to aim and use hard cover to minimize the amount armor you expose to the enemy. Or you can use that nifty engine you have to disengage, fall back, and reengage on your terms.
5. Don’t be penetrated. In the inevitable event that you are hit, hopefully you brought a tank with decent armor. This is hardest to master as too much armor means you’re slow and will be shot, and guess what, weak spots and flanking exists. Too little armor brings you to the rather unappealing final step.
6. Don’t be killed. At this point, pray. Alternatively choose a vehicle with ample crew spacing or defensively place modules that will soak incoming shrapnel. And most importantly, don’t bring a full load of ammunition… unless that is if you love explosions! If so then ignore everything you've just read.

[keenmoose 5]

 

Quote

 

http://youtu.be/pThiHgbjZ4o

 

 

My little bit of advice for new comers. hope it helps.

 

go easy on me not the best at editing videos 

 

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pThiHgbjZ4o&feature=youtu.be

Edited June 10, 2019 by keenmoose

[Toshio_1987 4]

Resubmitting to ensure that I'm following the format properly.  Here is my guide for raising crew skill:  https://youtu.be/_Qm5ZBzk5gE

[Das_Vaterland1 0]

How to get good fast when just starting off.

When most people are just starting off, they use their  slow and lightly armed and armoured vehicles, which have outstanding maneuverability like the P 47, which has the exact opposite characteristics. They just head on everything and then leave the target alone or fly off then wait a few seconds before turning around to reengage. This is a classic example of what not to do.

Meanwhile, if you want to be successful in a reserve biplane, you need to dogfight people, so attack and then turn to get them in your cross hairs as fast as possible.  If you don't do this, less maneuverable planes will easily kill you, but if you do you can take out an A 36 with an I 15, simply by out turning them. Never disengage, because you lack the armour and speed to escape. Also, do not head on, as you lack the firepower. That's it for today!

[ALLINONEKILLER 1]

Be aware of your surroundings. 

 

While driving around, you can hold C to move the camera without moving the tank turret. This way you can look around for possible targets or danger while always keeping the turret pointed where you want. Alwas keep looking around and make sure to check your back periodicaly to catch anyone that is tying to flank you. 

 

Use your binoculars often. Bound to B by default, they give you a good zoom and have a wider field of view than the gun sight. Note that they are positioned on top of the tank, above the gun sight, so you can use them to peak over cover. If you press left mouse while in binoculars, your tank will point the turret to where ever you are pointing. This is useful for lining up shots from behing bushes or destroyable walls that can be shot through. 

 

How to use this to play better: scout ahead with binoculars, check around with free look, pay attention to your map and your allies. Dont rush , gather information and and choose the best path into battle. Use these tips to survive longer and get more kills.