How is the tech tree VBCI even meant to be played?

It only has a 20mm gun that struggle to even dent side/rear armor at point blank range

No IRST so I can’t even do bootleg SPAA

Manned turret on a 2 story high chassis that can barely depress to aim right in front of you

Why is that thing 9.3 and how do I play a flanker that can barely pen even side armor?

It’s a 25mm, and while the base belt is abysmal having 1/3 round being a pathetic APDS, the APFSDS is good enough.
The main issue you face in the VBCI is that the maps are poorly laid out, small, and overpopulated which leaves you little options to not have to take a fight headon.

It does have tracking capability, but you must capture the target from the gunner view, and the capture zone is pretty small. You are also at the mercy of Gaijin’s whims as far as the capture range goes.

It’s 9.3 because the maps may be terrible, but the players have no issue being even worse. As such, fast moving vehicles can very quickly take control of massive swathes of the already too small maps and can decide the outcome of the match in doing so. The VBCI is all around more capable than the Type 87 RCV that’s already at 9.3, but at 9.7 there’s the VBCI-2 that’s better, so 9.3 it is.

The stock grind is absolute misery however, and will probably turn most people away from the vehicle.
Until you get the APFSDS, you’ll have to play super passively farming scouting assists and hoping that Gaijin doesn’t rob you out of those, capping points if you can, and only firing if you are under direct threat or if you find an unsupervised light vehicle.

its meant to be played like a better XM800T

It clearly does NOT have IRST, that feature is on the premium

All internal modules doesn’t list any tracking option

Edit : alright unlisted until thermal are unlocked