I've talked in the past about how beginners can start playing better - now I'm going to again step in and tell you 5 more tips that you must absolutely know if you want to improve your play. All of these are applicable to players of any standard but will again likely be of most help to beginners and those who are trying to break into the higher tiers.
Hopefully, you find these tips useful or if you have any other suggestions for new players, let me know in the comments below!
1. Upgrading your tank
This is a pretty fundamental part of World of Tanks but it is important to remember one simple rule when it comes to upgrades. Always go for the tracks and best gun first! The gun is your ticket to earning experience and credits which you can use to buy and install the rest of your upgrades. Without a decent gun, you won't be able to penetrate some of the tanks you meet which hampers your income. However, because newer guns are often heavier they usually require upgraded tracks, which have a higher load limit, so it is usually a good idea to do this first.
Also bear in mind that sometimes you do not need to buy every upgrade for a vehicle. If the improved engine only gives you 20 extra horsepower or the new gun is exactly the same as your old one except with 10mm more penetration, then it might not be worth the cost.
2. Aiming - know when to fully aim and when to snap shot
Hey, look! Another core basic feature of the game that many new players don't do properly.
It is imperative to aim well in order to damage your opponents (obviously), so why do people not take their time to aim fully? If you are in no immediate danger or are in a protected position take your time and fully aim your shots. Even if you are in danger of return fire, if you know your armour has the ability to ricochet then take your time. Similarly, don't wait for your reload to complete before starting to aim as this will minimise your damage per minute output.
On the other hand, it is important to know when you should take a snap shot instead of aiming fully. If you are exposed but have somewhere where you can quickly retreat to, then it is often a good idea to take a fast shot that isn't fully aimed whilst you pull back. At least there is then a chance that you might damage an enemy tank but most importantly you won't be sitting out in the open taking damage as you line up your shot.
3. Don't pointlessly put your tank at risk
This is something that a huge number of new players and bad light tank drivers do way too much. Suicide running is not the way to go and any heavy, medium or tank destroyer drivers that think they can take on the whole enemy team by themselves, isolated and alone, will soon realise they cannot. As I said in my first beginners guide, working with teammates is an absolute must and will give you the best chance of winning a match.
Always remember: if your tank is still in the fight then you are still a threat to the enemy team. Don't throw your tank away at the start of the game without doing anything.
4. Play with people of equal or better skill
Platooning with people is definitely a way of improving your basic skills and teamwork as you can co-ordinate with your platoon members more easily than random people on your team. The latest version of the WoT server allows players to form platoons from the battle map itself, making it easier than ever to find players to join up with.
I would say that playing with people who are better than you is a great way of improving yourself. Watch where they go, how they outplay opponents and work alongside them in support. Soon enough you will be able to take their place and show someone else the ropes!
5. Download a modpack
This is more of a suggestion than a 'must do' tip, however, mods can absolutely help to improve your play by making simple but helpful additions to your HUD.
There are a huge number of mods to choose from but I personally use Quickbaby's modpack as shown in the video above. The reason for this is because it does not make a mess of the reticule or the HUD and adds a number of useful features that make it easier to keep track of enemy movements, how much damage you have dealt or received, your view range and render range, and also lets you know how skilled players are on both your own team and the enemy team.
You will need to log into XVM in order to access the statistics but QuickBaby lets you know exactly how to do this in the video above.
