War Thunder Basic Gameplay Guide

War Thunder Basic Gameplay Guide by GloDark7

Unlike your average FPS, there is considerably more skill involved in getting those shots on target with a WWII combat flight sim. It is not simply a case of pointing your mouse at the enemy and clicking (when in a position to do so), your method of targeting here is much more involved. If you haven’t already, you need to understand the basic principles of flight and learn (with practice) how to get your aircraft moving along a path that you decide and have your nose pointing in the direction you wish to fire. This may sound easy but for the uninitiated this can be quite difficult. There is a learning curve and the first steps can bevery frustrating. The key is practice.

The movable parts of your aircraft’s wings and tail are called the control surfaces. It is thesethat need to be manipulated in order to get you moving in the right direction during flight. For the greatest accuracy and control the best method of control will be a joystick (flight stick for those who take it more seriously!). There are some who have become very skilled with game controllers such as those forthe 360 and PS3 consoles, but there really is no match for a quality stick.Prices vary wildly and you will need to do some research in finding what is right for you.

There is no question that whatever you decide upon you must have some means of controlling your aircraft’s rudder. This is essential for accuracy in combat. Moving a stick left and right will control your aircraft’s roll with ailerons (attached to the wings) allowing you to bank left and right. Moving your stick backwards and forwards will make your aircraft pitch up and down with the elevator (horizontal part of the tail) allowing you to climb or dive. The rudder isusually controlled with pedals or more commonly (with flight sims) a ‘twist-rudder’ joystick. If you are not getting pedals then a ‘twist-rudder’ joystick is essential. Rudder controls the horizontal direction of your aircraft’s nose (yaw) and this will help enormously with fine-tuning your aimin combat. It would also be of benefit for your controller to have some form of throttle control.

All of the control surfaces used in the right combination at varying degrees and with the right amount of power will have going where you need. Either chasing after the enemy or escaping from him!

Beginner’s Tips by Macademic

Hello newcomers and welcome to the wonderful world of flying and WWII aerial combat. I’d like to join some fellow friends and expert virtual pilots in giving you some starter tips. If you listen to some of the advice available here and on the forum and keep practicing, before you know it you’ll become anAce yourself. But be aware that learning never stops and the sky is the limit!

1. learn to fly

Unlike in real life in War Thunder you can do learning by doing, so just jump right into some aircraft and take it up for a flight. Learn how your flight controls all interact with each other and get used to the freedom of moving through the three dimensions. Soon you will find that this freedom is only limited by the capability of your aircraft and by the skill of you as the pilot. And you will understand why there’s an old wisdom among flyers: ‘Speed is life’.

2. learn to shoot

Aerial shooting isan art that needs a lot of skill and practice to master. When you first go into battle you may find yourself more of a target than a hunter, but your experience will grow with every flight. Your gun aiming distance is where you will have the greatest firepower since at that distance all your bullets will come together in one small area, so if you’re firing at an opponent from this distance your chances of doing damage are the greatest. Learn deflection shooting, this is very important. Since you and your opponent are moving very fast through the air, you have to take your own and your opponent’s movements, your speeds and your relative angles toward each other into account, so that your bullets and the opponent’s aircraft arrive at the same time at the same place – and depending on all factors you have to aim and shoot ahead of your opponent’s flight path to hit him. At the same time you have to learn to keep acool head and keep your own aircraft steady and maneuver very smoothly, your chances of scoring hits will increase greatly.

3. learn to win

To quote a famous saying of WWII figher aces, there is nothing more confusing than aerial combat. In one moment the sky may be full of airplanes in all directions, the next youfind your self alone and wonder where everyone is. Learn to weigh the risks and benefits of every confrontation, position yourself so that the odds are in your favour and engage only when you have the advantage. Luckily you have no more to lose in the game than your pride, so enjoy your learning by doing. You will beshot down often in the beginning, but the more experienced you become, the more situational awareness you will have and the higher your chances to leave the battlefield as the winner.

Have fun with War Thunder, and I hope to meet you in the sky!