Beginner’s Combat Guide for World of Tanks Blitz - The Basics of Tank Warfare
World of Tanks Blitz is a mobile port of the very popular tank-based PC shooter game, World of Tanks, originally released in 2010. Despite being a hybrid FPS and TPS, which is definitely nothing new at this point, this game managed to set itself apart due to one very specific element: Tanks.
Instead of the usual infantry shooter gameplay that has been made commonplace by series like Call of Duty and Battlefield, World of Tanks provides complex battles with armored vehicles of many different types. And the way this series cements itself as its own thing is thanks to its very detailed tank models, all which feature many different types of parts, armor, turrets, and other types of weapons that make every single model unique. Moreover, since these games are all about vehicle-based combat, there’s a very different approach to encounters, with players often trying to outmaneuver their enemies and trying to get clear shots on the weakest parts of their armor in order to get clean kills.
While the combat in World of Tanks Blitz is definitely a far cry from other squad-based shooters like CoD, the tanks themselves are also quite complicated, but you’ll need to learn all about them regardless if you want to defeat your enemies in the field. To this end, we’ve created this beginner’s guide where you’ll find some of the basic elements of the combat in this game.
If you’re just getting started, then this beginner’s guide is definitely for you.
The Different Tank Types
First and foremost, it’s important to know the distinctions between the four different types of tanks in World of Tanks Blitz, mostly because their role varies according to their category. The tanks in this game are divided into the following:
- Heavy Tanks (3 Stripes): The most beginner-friendly type of tanks, mostly due to their high armor, which allows the players to make mistakes without getting punished too much. These tanks are slow and cumbersome, and have low spotting ranges. They’re easy to spot from a distance, and easier still to shoot from afar, but they pack quite a punch, especially once you learn the ropes. This is probably the most common type of tank you’ll see in the beginning.
- Medium Tanks (2 Stripes): Good supporting tanks for the heavies due to their superior speed, as well as their higher HP, compared to light tanks. Most of these medium tanks also have shorter height and smaller profile than heavies, which makes them harder to spot from a distance. It’s not rare to attack a heavy tank, only to find a few mediums waiting to ambush you.
- Light Tanks (Diamond Icon): Though the weakest in terms of armor, weapons, and HP, light tanks are also the fastest, easily being able to outpace all other tanks in the game. This makes them ideal for playing as scouts, a fact that is further cemented thanks to their superior spotting distance. Furthermore, light tanks can also play the role of support by flanking and crippling enemy tanks that are already busy fighting other players.
- Tank Destroyers (Downwards Arrow Icon): One of the most complex types of tanks due to the wide variety of roles they can play. In a nutshell, however, tanks destroyers live up to their namesake by being the best at taking down other tanks. They do this mainly through two specific tools: Their superior camouflage that allows them to remain undetected, and their powerful guns with which they can easily tear anyone apart. You probably won’t see many of these in the beginning, and you’ll definitely need to go up against a few to learn what they can do, but just keep in mind that these are some of the most dangerous enemies.
When it comes to tank destroyers, there are actually a couple of subtypes of these vehicles in the game, though their purpose is mostly the same. You won’t really have to worry too much about it at first, but just keep in mind that they all have great guns.
Ammo Types
Just like there are different tank types in World of Tanks Blitz, there are also four different ammo types that are useful for different purposes:
- AP: The standard ammo type that the vast majority of tanks will use. There’s really nothing special about this ammo other than the fact that they can bounce off the enemy’s armor if impacting at a steep angle of >70°.
- HE: Powerful ammo type with less armor penetration than AP, but that deals much more damage if the shot manages to pierce through the enemy’s armor. They require precision and skill to use properly, and will be your go-to ammo for finishing off enemies. The good part about this ammo is that it never bounces off the enemy since it explodes on impact, which is fantastic against unarmored or lightly armored enemies.
- APCR: An expensive ammo type that has more armor penetration and speed than AP¨shells, but that deals less damage on a successful hit. A safe choice, albeit an expensive one.
- HEAT: The most powerful ammo type in terms of armor penetration, but they’re slow and very expensive. They are also blocked by any type of obstacle, so don’t try to shoot enemies when they’re behind cover with this ammo type.
There’s a different ammo type for every occasion in World of Tanks Blitz, though you’ll likely be using AP and HE most of the time. Keep in mind that, depending on the spot you’re aiming at, you can benefit from using specific ammo types. Speaking of which…
Tank Weak Spots
When it comes to actually engaging other players in combat, World of Tanks Blitz is very different from other shooters, mostly because it’s not enough to simply point and shoot since you’ll probably deal no damage to the enemy unless you know where to aim.
Every tank in this game has a certain armor distribution, which makes certain parts of their hull stronger than others. In most cases, the front of the tanks are the most armored areas, and this protection extends somewhat to the sides of the main turret. The side parts, on the other hand, are much more vulnerable to damage, especially when it comes to the tracks. Furthermore, depending on the area where you shoot the enemy, you might cripple their systems, injure their crew, or outright deal devastating blows to their HP.
The weak spots of every tank vary according to the model and the tier, and it will take some time for you to learn all of them. Luckily, you can use this awesome tool to learn the weak spots of all the tanks in the game. However, as a general rule of thumb, if you’re aiming to cripple the enemy’s mechanical parts, use AP rounds, and if you want to penetrate and cripple internal systems or harm the crew, HE ammo is the way to go. Alternatively, if you’re fighting against vehicles with little to no armor, use HE as well.
This is all you need to know before rolling into the battlefield in World of Tanks Blitz. Simply head into battle and play a few matches, and it’ll all start to make sense. Just remember about the different tank types, the ammo types, and try to always cover your weak spots, and you’ll come out on top.
