Game mechanics

Naval Enduring Confrontation (EC) in War Thunder is a strategic, objective-driven game mode available from Thursday to Monday in the “Events and Tournaments” section, switching between AB and RB every 24 hours. Matches can last up to three hours, focusing on capturing ports, defending/attacking convoys, and completing tasks to earn points, with unlimited respawns costing Silver Lions and, for higher BR ships, spawn points (SP).

IRCM systems are electronic devices that protect aircraft from infrared homing missiles. These systems use either pulsating signals or laser beams to confuse or blind missile seekers, causing them to lose track of the target.

Update 1.91 "Night Vision" added Night Vision Devices (NVDs) to a number of high tier tanks and helicopters. These devices provide a significant advantage in the now more common night battles. Two types of night vision devices were added, image intensifiers and thermal imaging systems. In addition infrared (IR) searchlights were added to tanks which historically had them.

Ground Assault is a cooperative PvE gamemode where players defend a capture zone against waves of AI-controlled enemies while using tanks and various aircraft. This gamemode offers players an easy way to earn Silver Lions and Research Points, making it a relatively beginner-friendly option for newer players. This guide explores the mechanics of Ground Assault, provides a list of vehicles used by enemy AI units, and offers a detailed breakdown of the layouts for all 7 maps.

In War Thunder, when a shell collides with an armor plate, a modifier will be applied to the thickness of the plate depending on the angle of impact and the type of shell. This is how War Thunder models a phenomenon known as normalization.

Airborne radars are found on aircraft at both low and high ranks, if an aircraft is equipped with radar then a radar display will be present in the right portion of a player's screen, as well as a compass displaying the player's current heading and the directions to detected targets at the top of the screen.

The account level reflects the total amount of experience gained by the player in battles. The maximum level in the game is 100. When reaching certain levels, the player also receives a new in-game Rank.

While hydroplanes were present in War Thunder prior to Update "Winged Lions", all were standalone aircraft present in the tech tree that could be piloted in air battles by the player. Shipboard reconnaissance aircraft allow large bluewater ships to utilize their plane catapults to send scout planes to perform reconnaissance of an area, land on capture zones, and pester enemy ships with their onboard weaponry.

Hydropneumatic suspension, or controlled suspension, is a wheel suspension system that allows a vehicle’s ground clearance to be adjusted. With these types of systems, vibrations are dampened by specially designed hydropneumatic shock absorbers, while the compression force is transmitted by fluid to each shock absorber’s pneumatic receiver chamber.

Scouting refers to special traits of certain lightly armoured vehicles, which allows them access to extra abilities. This perk is available only to light tanks of ranks II and above, as well as a select few tank destroyers plus vehicles armed solely with anti-air guided missiles.