War Thunder Crafting Guide

Intro

Look, if you’re new to War Thunder, you might be wondering about a “crafting” system—like, can you build or modify your vehicles at a workbench? Here’s the straight answer: War Thunder doesn’t have a traditional crafting system. But that doesn’t mean you can’t customize your ride. What does exist is a deep research and module upgrade system, and that’s basically your “crafting” pipeline. In this War Thunder Crafting Guide, I’m going to break down exactly how to research, unlock, and install weapons, engines, armor, and equipment on your planes, tanks, and ships. Whether you’re grinding for that 6.3 premium tank or hunting the perfect loadout for your jet, this guide covers everything you need to know about building up your arsenal in War Thunder.

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Core Mechanics Table

Mechanic	What It Does	Currency / Cost
Research (Silver Lions)	Unlock new vehicles, modules, and abilities by earning tech points through battles	Silver Lions (SL) — earned per battle
Golden Eagles (GE)	Premium currency for accelerating research, buying rare vehicles, or skipping queues	Real money or in-game events
Modules	Upgrades for engines, turrets, radios, optikos, ammo racks, etc.	Silver Lions per module
Spare Parts & Repair Kits	Consumables placed in your vehicle slots for battle recovery	Silver Lions (bought in hangar)
Artisan / Cosmetic Unlocks	Special skins, decals, flags earned from events or GE	Event medals or GE
Workshop Tasks	Time-based missions that reward bonus GE, vehicle unlocks, and consumables	Free, based on playtime
R&D Tech Points	Alternate currency earned in certain battles, used for fast-track research	R&D Points (battle-earned)
Crew Training	Improve crew skill (marksmanship, repair, etc.) for better vehicle performance	Skill Points (SP) earned per battle
Custom Liveries	Apply unique paint schemes and markings unlocked from events or store	Event-specific or GE
Battle Requests	Vote on what nations/vehicles appear next in matchmaking	No cost, community-driven

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Step-by-Step: How to “Craft” Your Vehicle in War Thunder

Step 1 — Pick Your Nation and Branch

Every “crafting” run starts with choosing what you want to build. In War Thunder, you pick a nation (Germany, USSR, USA, Japan, UK, France, China, etc.) and a branch (ground forces, aviation, or navy). Each nation has its own tech tree, and each branch has its own progression path.

Tip: Start with the nation you’re most familiar with. The earlier tiers are straightforward, and your existing knowledge of vehicles translates into faster learning.

Step 2 — Earn Silver Lions

You can’t buy anything without Silver Lions (SL). Here’s how you earn them:

• Completing battles — SL is awarded based on your performance, rank of enemies defeated, and objective completion.
• Daily quests — Check the Mission tab for SL bonuses.
• Event medals — Seasonal events often drop SL or items that convert to SL.
• Trading modules — Surplus modules from other vehicles can be sold to the market for SL.

Step 3 — Research Your Vehicle

1. Open the Tech Tree (press F7 or click the tree icon in the hangar).
2. Click on a vehicle you want to unlock.
3. Select “Research” and confirm the SL cost.
4. Play battles in vehicles at or below your current Battle Rating (BR) to earn Research Points (RP).
5. When RP is sufficient, the vehicle becomes researchable. Spend your SL to unlock it.

Quick tip: Researching lower-tier vehicles first opens up better options at higher tiers. Don’t rush tier 8 just because it looks cool.

Step 4 — Research and Buy Modules

Once a vehicle is unlocked, it starts with basic versions of its components. To “craft” a optimal build:

1. In the hangar, select your vehicle and go to the Module tab.
2. Each module (engine, turret, radio, armor, etc.) has multiple research levels.
3. Research the module using RP (same system as vehicle research).
4. Buy the upgraded module with SL.
5. Some modules require prerequisites — research trees branch out, so plan ahead.

Step 5 — Equip Consumables

Consumables fill three slots in your hangar and provide in-battle advantages:

• Repair Kit — Restores hit points and fixes destroyed modules.
• Motley (Mothball) — Reduces crew injury and module degradation.
• Adrenaline Booster — Restores a portion of HP on use.
• Optical Decay Preventer (Aviation) — Clears rain/fog on your optics.
• VSH-2 / ETC-1 (Aviation) — Drop tanks or extra fuel for range.

Buy these from the Shop → Consumables menu. You can equip one of each type per slot. Choose based on your playstyle and vehicle class.

Step 6 — Train Your Crew

Crew skills matter. Every vehicle has a crew (driver, gunner, commander, loader, etc.), and each earns Skill Points (SP) over time:

1. Go to the Crew tab in the hangar.
2. Spend SP to improve skills like:
   • Free Gunner — Allows switching guns without penalty.
   • Adrenaline — Faster skill point gain.
   • Solid Shot — Increased penetration.
   • Repair — Faster module repair in battle.
   • Sixth Sense — Spotted enemy indicator.
3. Use Coated Shments or Toxic Rod training modules to speed things up.

Step 7 — Apply Cosmetics and Customs

While not “crafting” in the traditional sense, this is where personalization happens:

• Unlocked skins go in the Appearance tab.
• Flags and decals are equipped from the hangar banner menu.
• Special event cosmetics often require completing specific challenges or purchasing with Golden Eagles.
• Modifications (like slat armor or ERA on ground vehicles) can sometimes be toggled on/off depending on the vehicle and update.

Step 8 — Optimize Loadouts Per Battle

Before every match, customize your Battle Loadout:

1. Select your Ammo Racks — HE, AP, APCR, etc.
2. Choose your Weaponry — which guns, rockets, or bombs to carry.
3. Set your Consumable slots.
4. Save multiple loadouts for different situations (e.g., anti-tank vs. air-to-air).

This is the closest thing War Thunder has to “crafting a build,” and it’s where real optimization happens.

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Tips

• Don’t hoard SL on lower-tier junk. Sell duplicates and invest in the vehicles you actually want to play.
• Focus on one nation at a time. Spreading research thin across multiple nations slows you down significantly.
• Use the Workshop daily. Free tasks reward GE, consumables, and sometimes entire vehicles. It’s free progress.
• Check the Market. Other players sell spare modules and resources. It can be cheaper than researching from scratch.
• Premium accounts speed everything up. If you’re serious about progressing, a VIP status gives 2x SL and RP gain, plus daily bonuses.
• Plan your module paths. Some upgrades require researching multiple branches. Map it out before committing SL.
• Crew skills > raw stats in the long run. A well-trained crew on a mid-tier vehicle beats an untrained crew on a top-tier one.
• Use R&D points wisely. If you earn R&D points, saving them for a high-value vehicle is smarter than spending them on cheap fast-tracks.
• Watch BR transitions. When you unlock a new tier, don’t immediately rush into 8.0+ battles. Ease into higher BRs to avoid stomping.
• Event vehicles are worth prioritizing. They often come with unique modules and cosmetics that aren’t available through normal research.

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FAQ

Q: Can I craft or modify vehicles in War Thunder like in other games? A: No. War Thunder doesn’t have a crafting or modding system where you combine parts to create custom vehicles. What you can do is research and upgrade modules, tune your loadouts, and personalize cosmetics. Think of it as “progression crafting” rather than “bench crafting.”

Q: What’s the difference between Silver Lions and Golden Eagles? A: Silver Lions (SL) are the standard in-game currency earned through battles and missions. You use SL to research vehicles and buy modules. Golden Eagles (GE) are premium currency bought with real money (or occasionally earned from events). GE can speed up research, buy exclusive vehicles, or purchase rare cosmetics. SL is far more accessible; GE is for those who want to skip time investment.

Q: How do I get the best loadout for my aircraft or tank? A: The best loadout depends on your Battle Rating, playstyle, and role. Start with the default recommended setup, then experiment. For tanks, balance between AP (armor-piercing) and HE (high-explosive) ammo. For aircraft, prioritize rockets or bombs for ground attack, or guns/missiles for air combat. Save multiple loadout profiles and swap before battles based on the map and team needs.

Q: Is War Thunder getting a crafting system in the future? A: As of Update 2.59, there is no announced crafting system in War Thunder. Gaijin Entertainment has consistently focused on realism and historical accuracy, which makes traditional crafting systems unlikely. The progression through research, crew training, and module upgrades remains the core way to “build up” your vehicles. Keep an eye on official patch notes and community announcements for any future changes.