War Thunder: Best beginner nation, explored

War Thunder is the premier game in the vehicle combat MMO genre with a few beginner-friendly nations. There are 10 nations you can choose from in the game, but some of them are pretty tough to start with if you lack a good premium vehicle. Nations like Italy, France, and Japan have a very bad beginner grind.

This article will explain which nations you should choose if you are playing War Thunder for the first time. War Thunder allows mixed battles, which means the same match can have both aircraft and ground vehicles, and you can have both types of vehicles in your lineup.

Therefore, this nation list will take into account both the air and ground tech trees when talking about a beginner-friendly nation.

Note: This article is subjective and solely reflects the opinions of the writer.

What are the best beginner nations in War Thunder?

The American, German, and Soviet/Russian tech trees are the most beginner-friendly nations in the game. Although other nations are beginner-friendly, these three are the easiest to start with.

1) U.S.A

Ground vehicles:

If you choose the American ground tree at the start, you get the M2A4 and LVT(A)(1) as your reserve tanks. Both tanks are pretty versatile, and you can play them with whatever playstyle suits you.

The M2A4 is a small, nimble, and mobile light tank, making it a harder target for enemies to shoot at if you are on the move. Its AP and APCBC shells have enough penetrating power to deal with any tank.

The only downside is low post-pen damage as the shells do not have any explosive filler. It makes up for this shortcoming with a quick reload time and a slow speed stabilizer.

The LVT is the same when it comes to firepower and fire control. It is a large and slow tank, but it can house six crew members, making it a bit survivable. On top of that, it is amphibious, so you can engage targets while floating on water.

Aircraft:

The American air vehicles (Image via Gaijin Entertainment)

In the air tree, you get to start with the P-26A-34 and the BF2C-1. Both are good planes and can drop bombs. Although the bombs are just 100 lbs, they are good enough for the BR they are in. The P-26 is also a great dogfighter, while the BF2C is decent enough for air combat.

Also check out: All new vehicles in War Thunder 'Seek and Destroy' update

2) Germany

Ground vehicles:

The German ground tree in War Thunder (Image via Gaijin Entertainment)

The German ground tree lets you start with the Pz.35(t), Pz.III B, and the Pz.III E. For the BR they are in, all three are well-armored frontally. The firepower is decent, with around 55mm of penetration for the Pz.35 and about 47mm for the Pz.IIIs.

A big difference that the German tanks have over their American beginner counterparts is the explosive filler inside their shells. This makes it easier for you to kill enemies with a single hit, as the shells cause extra post-pen damage.

All three of the Panzers also have access to APCR shells for dealing with well-armored targets. Note that APCR should only be used on flat surfaces, as it bounces off angles.

Aircraft:

The German air tech tree (Image via Gaijin Entertainment)

As a beginner, you start off the German air tree with three variants of the He-51 fighter, namely the A-1, B-1, and C-1 variants. While the A-1 and B-1 variants are purely for air-to-air combat, you can carry six 10 kg bombs on the C-1 variant.

10 kg bombs would be ineffective against medium tanks, but you can destroy light targets and other unarmored vehicles with those. On top of that, the He-51 series is quite a forgiving plane for beginners. The controls are snappy, making them very easy to fly and very maneuverable.

3) USSR

Ground vehicles:

The USSR ground tree in War Thunder (Image via Gaijin Entertainment)

USSR is by far the best beginner nation in War Thunder. When it comes to ground vehicles, you get two light tanks, the BT-5 and the T-26. Although both lack armor, these are some of the most formidable tanks in the reserve tier.

The two tanks complement each other extremely well. The BT-5 is a fast vehicle that can rush the enemy flanks and catch them off-guard. The T-26, on the other hand, is slower. That makes it useful for slow-paced gameplay, giving you time to survey your surroundings.

Both tanks have the same firepower, with one solid shell and another with an explosive filler. Both the shells can penetrate 70mm of armor, which is more than enough at that BR. Good penetration, along with explosive fillers, makes it easy for you to deal with almost every tank.

Aircraft:

The Soviet air tree in the game (Image via Gaijin Entertainment)

The USSR air tree gives you access to three variants of the I-15 fighter as a beginner: the WR, M-22, and M-25. The I-15 series fighters are arguably the best biplanes in the game and excel at every role.

The I-15 is like the German He-51, but better at everything. The engine and flight performances are excellent, and they are brimming with firepower. All three planes get four 7.62mm machine guns and two 50kg bombs, enabling them to effectively combat both air and ground targets.

There are other nations in War Thunder like Sweden, China, and Great Britain, which have good beginner lineups. However, they fall short in one category or another when compared to the US, Germany, and USSR. For example, Sweden and Britain have good starting tanks, but their starting aircraft lack the firepower exhibited by the planes mentioned above.

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Edited by Sijo Samuel Paul