World of Tanks Game Strategy

Unlike most games that allow you to put nearby enemies in your sights and fire on them, World of Tanks uses a camouflage system that hides tanks from view even if they're out in the open or nearby. The inexperienced player, especially those who haven't read manual or wiki, will cry foul and claim an invisible tank is hacking. As your crew gains experience you can train them to deliver better concealment, as well as purchase a camouflage net that improves concealment when stationary. So long as you're stationary and not within 50 meters of an enemy, you'll be hidden until you fire. Camouflage is a huge aspect of WoT, because even skilled tankers won't risk revealing themselves by shooting what they cannot see. Learn to find a good defensible position, remain stationary to promote camouflage, fire at enemy and relocate to evade long-reaching artillery (SPG) fire.

Free Tank Garage Layout

After playing nearly 8,000 matches in World of Tanks, I might possibly be considered an experienced tanker. I've learned that each map has its own natural plan designed into it, with distinctive paths for attack, cover, and concealment. Some maps are built to promote aggressive game play over defensive, or vice versa, so it pays to spend time in non-ranked training matches to learn these key variables before a team depends on your performance. Because you're only given one chance to win, the best way to play World of Tanks is by switching into survival mode and waiting to ambush the enemy as they reveal themselves. This is a challenge few WoT players accept, and you'll often see the majority of tanks rushing out by themselves only to be consumed by a greater number of enemy tanks. The object is to remain operational and work as a team, because even a slow and badly damaged tank can fire the final shot that ends a battle.

In-Game Battle Layout

The World of Tanks match making system is a controversial topic, primarily because uninformed players complain when they see a bigger enemy tank across the board from them. That's not how the match making system works, and it benefits players to understand how battles are generated. According to the WoT wiki, the purpose of the match-making system is to generate battles with teams of equal 'value' from online players waiting in queue. The 'value' assigned is based on average battle performance of a particular vehicle calculated on a multiplier basis of a vehicle's tier and type. The match maker value system does not take into account installed equipment, modules, upgrades, or crew. The match-making system also ensures that both teams have an equal 'value' of SPGs, but not necessarily an equal number (which can be +/- 1 SPG). Each tank has a limited set of battle tiers it can join, so players will only fight tanks available within the designated range.

Match Maker (Top-Tier Battle)

Speed is of the essence, in World of Tanks. A slow-moving tank is an easy target for enemy tanks, especially powerful artillery damage from a SPG. So it's up to the player to determine the best route to travel, as some surfaces yield better traction and speed than others. Additionally, upgraded suspension and engine modules will deliver quicker acceleration (suspension) and faster top speed (engine/driver). Sometimes speed is all it takes for a fast tank to out-maneuver a slower much heavier and more powerful tank, especially if damage is directed towards the less protected rear of the tank.

German E-50 Medium Tank

Heavy tanks depend on medium tanks for flanking support and sustained spotting of nearby enemies, which tank destroyers can snipe from a distance. To the same extent, light tanks with little chance of inflicting damage are intended to be the scouting eyes for heavy-hitting SPG artillery fire. Some novice World of Tanks players forget that SPGs need them to the very end, and rush into the enemy base only to be quickly destroyed. While the light tank receives points for spotting enemy, they also earn extra points for remaining operational throughout the battle. Alternatively, the enemy light tank is a SPG's worst nightmare, because it can pass through friendly tanks and destroy artillery. The mission of the light tank is not one that should not be taken... lightly.

USA M12 Self-Propelled Gun

Self-Propelled Gun's have a unique artillery view they use, similar to the sniper view of other tanks. This gives them an overhead perspective of the entire battlefield, and enables them to see every tank revealed to friendly forces. To some players this sounds like shooting ducks in a pond, but in reality it much more difficult score direct hits with artillery than any other tank. SPGs have terrible gun accuracy, which forces the artillery player to really improve performance by training the crew to their maximum potential. Additionally, the overhead view doesn't show terrain features such as slight inclines/declines, making it difficult to estimate angle of attack. With lots of skill and some luck from WoT's random variable generator, a SPG will survive the initial rush of scouting light tanks and safely deal out massive damage.

SPG Artillery View

World of Tanks rewards winners, and punishes losers. In random battles the winning team receives an added 50% bonus to their experience and credits, while the losing team suffers with fewer rewards. On a more positive note, there's always something worth playing for: daily doubles. Your first victory of each day (in each tank) is rewarded with twice the experience, and occasionally the developers offer a special promotion that gives you even more - sometimes 3x-5x the regular reward. These same promotions occasionally allow you to buy premium account items for less cost than usual.

In the next and final section, I share my own personal collection of deadly sins and saving skills for WoT. For those enthusiasts equipped with NVIDIA 3D Vision or similar 3D gaming hardware, Benchmark Reviews offers 2D and 3D comparison images to help entice you into the World of Tanks...

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