In War Thunder, French tanks have a rough start. The starting options are very painful to use and do not fare well when faced with most other tanks in War Thunder. But in the mid-tiers, from around 6.7, the tanks start to get better, offering good firepower, mobility, and armor. From 8.0, the armor gets lighter, but the firepower and the mobility stay top-notch.
French tanks really shine from Battle Rating 6.7 to 7.7, with the AMX series of tanks being some of the best tanks in that BR bracket.
In this article, we will talk about the five best French tanks in this free-to-play vehicle combat MMO.
Note: The opinions expressed in this article are subjective and the rankings are in no particular order. We have not taken into account premium or event vehicles.
What are the five best French tanks in War Thunder?
1) AMX M4
The AMX M4 is a French medium tank that sits at Rank IV, Battle Rating 6.7. It is decently armored and has good mobility. It can easily keep up with many fast-light tanks at its BR.
As for the armaments, it is equipped with the 90 mm SA47 cannon, which can fire solid shots that can penetrate up to 259 mm of armor. This makes it one of the best-performing guns at its BR.
Additionally, the tank is equipped with a 6.7-second autoloader with seven shells in its ready rack, which allows it to keep shooting at enemies consistently.
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2) AMX-50 (TOA100)
The AMX-50 (TOA100) comes right after the AMX M4 and sits at Rank V, BR 7.7 in the French tech tree. The armor and mobility of this tank are about the same as the previous entry, but what makes it better is its firepower.
The tank is equipped with a 100 mm SA47 L/58 cannon, which fires solid shots that can penetrate up to 273 mm of armor. The main highlight of this tank is its autoloader which can dish out shells with a reload speed of just 4 seconds. This makes it extremely good for brawling.
However, be mindful of your ready rack so that you do not run out of ready-to-use ammo in the middle of a fight.
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3) AMX-50 Surbaissé
The AMX-50 Surbaissé is a heavy tank that also sits at Rank V, BR 7.7. It is one of the best heavy tanks in the game due to its performance and boasts high mobility and good armor. However, the armor is a bit less compared to other heavy tanks, like those in the Russian tech tree.
It includes a massive 120 mm SA46 cannon that has enough firepower to one-shot most tanks you can face. The solid shell of the Surbaissé can penetrate up to 301 mm of armor. That, coupled with its six-second autoloader with a substantial amount of ready-to-use ammo makes it one of the most formidable tanks at its BR.
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4) Vextra 105
The Vextra 105 is a Rank VI, BR 9.7 wheeled French light tank. Like most other wheeled platforms, it is extremely fast and mobile, but its armor can stop machine gun fire and artillery fragments at most. Being a light tank, it gets active scouting, and considering it is a Rank VI vehicle, it also gets access to scout drones.
The 105 mm Giat 105 G2 cannon is the main weapon of the Vextra. The firepower is quite decent at its BR and it can fire HEAT-FS, APFSDS, HE, and smoke shells. While it does not get access to an autoloader, it gets generation two thermal sights for the gunner.
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5) Leclerc AZUR
The Leclerc AZUR is the current top-tier French MBT. It is a well-rounded tank with good firepower, mobility, and decent survivability. The armor, though not the best, can survive hits at specific parts.
What makes it stand out is its five-second autoloader, which gives it one of the fastest reload speeds at its BR. The 120 mm Giat CN120-26 F1 cannon can fire HEAT-FS and APFSDS rounds, which are pretty reliable. Also, the AZUR gets access to generation two thermal sights for its gunner.
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