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Intro to World of Tanks Modern Armor, Game Modes, and Matchmaking

In World of Tanks Modern Armor, you make history!

Learn more about your first steps as a new tanker by clicking the links below or scrolling on for all the info you need:

Introduction: Combat Training



Upon launching World of Tanks Modern Armor for the first time, the game will automatically load you into Combat Training. This training will cover the basics of tank driving and combat.

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Once you complete Combat Training, you’ll be sent to your garage. There you’ll begin a series of introductory tasks that are designed to get you familiar with the garage, the game’s menus, and all the items you can interact with. Your first task: choose a tank and play a battle!

Introduction Combat Training_garage

Each introductory task you complete will unlock additional tasks that will guide you through the game’s menus and unlock more menu items, until you’ve unlocked and explored all the major components of the garage menu.

Visit Training in the game mode menu to access Combat Training if you need a refresher course, or learn about special vehicle mechanics that you'll encounter throughout the game. Each training session has its own reward for the first time you complete it, and you can access guided or free-roam options once inside your chosen session.

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There are five vehicle mechanics to train in:

ATGM Training

This module teaches you how anti-tank guided missile (ATGM) rounds work, then provides a controlled space for you to practice using them.

Siege Training

Get a detailed look at Siege Mode and how it works on vehicles like the upper-tier Swedish tank destroyers! This module provides detail into how to enable and use Siege Mode to dominate the battlefield.

Artillery Training

Rain fire from afar! Artillery Training is made to fully explain how to use this class to its fullest and land those shots from the backlines.

Wheeled Vehicles Training

Ever wanted to go fast and spot enemy tanks with the ability to get away? Look no further, as Wheeled Vehicles Training is here to improve your driving skills! This session features a full driving course to help you learn how to control these lightning-fast tanks.

Multi-Turret Training

Some tanks just are built differently. This training session will teach you how to effectively use multi-turret tanks to immobilize your opponent while switching to your main cannon to deal big damage numbers!
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Co-Op and Multiplayer Battles



Whenever you’re ready for your first taste of battle alongside real players, the game will start you off with Co-Op battles.

But remember those introductory tasks we mentioned? One of those tasks will ask you to play your first Multiplayer battle, which will unlock Multiplayer mode for you from then on! For many players, Multiplayer is the core World of Tanks Modern Armor experience.

Co-Op Battles Multiplayer Battles
  • Player vs. Enemy (PvE) battles where you and 14 allies join forces against a team of 15 AI opponents
  • Earnings are reduced compared to Multiplayer to account for the difficulty of the matches
  • Player vs. Player (PvP) battles where you and 14 allies play against 15 enemy players
  • The highest potential earnings are available
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Introduction to the Game Modes



Although you’ll start in the Cold War Co-Op garage by default at the end of training, you can play Co-Op battles in either World War II or Cold War game mode and can switch between the two to unlock Multiplayer.
World War II Mode
Game Mode Icon - July 2024 - World War II
Cold War Mode
Game Mode Icon - July 2024 - Cold War

Each mode gives you the chance to take command of armored vehicles that saw battle as well as those that were based on blueprints or proposed designs from that time period in history.

Whichever mode you choose, you’ll be provided with vehicles to use for your initial Co-Op battles:

World War II Mode Starting Tanks Cold War Mode Starting Tanks
BT-7
M3 Stuart
T-127 (Premium Tank)
M46A1 Patton
T-44A
A41A Centurion Mk. II
M50 Sherman
TVP VTU 88mm

There are four main differences between World War II and Cold War game modes:

  1. The tanks available
  2. The spotting system
  3. The matchmaking system
  4. Artillery vs ATGM vehicles

Before you head into battle, learn more about each mode to answer the question: Where will you make your mark?

World War II Mode



Vehicles available in World War II mode include some of the most powerful battlefield machines in use in Europe and Asia from the years preceding World War II through the period that immediately followed. You’ll be able to play such iconic vehicles as the Sherman, the Tiger, and the T-34.

Nations and Classes

In World War II mode, the tanks you can play are assigned to 12 nations:
U.S.A.
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Germany
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U.K.
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U.S.S.R.
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France
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Japan
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China
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Czechoslovakia
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Sweden
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Poland
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Italy
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Mercenaries
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Within each nation, tank levels are shows as tiers. Tier III is the lowest tier, and Tier X is the highest.

Please note that although we will mention Tiers I and II below, tanks from these tiers are no longer available to acquire except through special events and can only play with each other.

As you earn Silver and XP from your introductory Co-Op battles, be sure to check out the “Tanks” tab in your garage. There you’ll find the tanks from each nation sorted into branching paths called Tech Trees. These show you the upgrade paths you can take to unlock and earn higher-tier tanks.

Intro Guide - WWII Tech Tree

In the Tech Trees, you’ll see that in World War II mode, you can play five different tank classes, each with their own strengths and weaknesses (see our Tank Class Guide for more info):

  • Light Tanks
  • Medium Tanks
  • Heavy Tanks
  • Tank Destroyers
  • Artillery (also known as Self-Propelled Gun, or SPG)

These tank classes are important to consider when it comes to matchmaking!

Matchmaking

For multiplayer battles in World War II mode, the game’s matchmaker will create teams by taking into account the tiers and classes of all the players’ tanks, with the goal of making the teams as equal as possible:

  • Matchmaking 101
    • The tanks you’ll face in battle will vary based on the tank and tier you are playing. The garage will display which tier you could possibly see with your selected tank.
Intro Guide - Matchmaking
  • Artillery Per Team
    • Teams are limited to three artillery players per team (and one per platoon). Additionally, the limit will be adjusted according to the number of players in the queue:
      • Artillery limits for Battle Tiers 3-4:
        • Fewer than 45 players in the queue: One per team
        • 45 or more players in the queue: Three per team
      • Artillery limits for Battle Tiers 5-11:
        • Fewer than 100 players in the queue: Two per team
        • 100 or more players in the queue: Three per team

Co-Op battles in World War II mode are slightly different. They use a two-tier bracketing system:

  • Tier I and II
  • Tier III and IV
  • Tier V and VI
  • Tier VII and VIII
  • Tier IX and X

So, if you select a Tier IV tank, you will face opponents only from Tier III or Tier IV.

Spotting System

Finally, there’s the spotting system that determines how tanks are detected:

  • Enemy vehicles remain completely hidden until spotted by you or your allies.
  • To spot an enemy vehicle so that their tank becomes visible, your tank’s view range is compared against the enemy tank’s camouflage to determine the distance at which your view range overpowers their concealment and they become spotted.
  • Spotted enemies can still be seen only up to a distance of 564 meters away from your vehicle. After that, you will be unable to see an enemy vehicle even if it has been spotted.
  • This is an automatic spotting system that is handled by the game.

The game HUD will display this spotting information to help you know when you can be spotted.

Cold War Mode



Vehicles available in Cold War mode saw action during the period of tension between the late 1940s and the 1990s. You’ll be able to play such iconic vehicles as the Abrams, the Leopard, and the T-72.

Factions, Classes, and Items

In Cold War mode, instead of nations, tanks are classified into three powerful factions:
Western Alliance
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Eastern Alliance
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Independent
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However, each faction still contains Tech Trees that show you the paths from introductory tanks to more advanced vehicles. You’ll quickly notice one key difference from World War II mode when looking at the Cold War Tech Trees: artillery is not available in Cold War mode!

Although there is no artillery, there are other items that are exclusive to Cold War:

Matchmaking

Unlike the World War II matchmaker, the Cold War matchmaker uses Era-Based Matchmaking. This applies for both Multiplayer and Co-Op matches.

Each tank in Cold War mode belongs to a specific Era in the table below. There are three levels of tanks per Era.

Eras matchmake within each other only! Post-War Era tanks like the M47 Patton will never face the M1A1 Abrams, which is situated in the Détente Era.

This system has been designed to create closer games in terms of power levels of the tanks, for more excitement and balance!
Post-War Era (Era 1)
Late 1940s – mid-1950s
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Escalation Era (Era 2)
1960s – 1970s
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Détente Era (Era 3)
1980s – 1990s
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Spotting System

The Cold War spotting system differs from the World War II spotting system:

  • Enemy vehicles are always visible at all times.
  • You can manually see enemies by using your optics to scan the battlefield without any distance limitations.
  • There is still the automatic spotting system as mentioned in the World War II section if they manage to get close enough without you manually seeing them.
  • This spotting system is a combination of manually spotting vehicles and an automatic spotting system that is handled by the game.

Additional Questions


Will World War II vehicles be placed in the same matchmaking queue as Cold War vehicles?

  • The World War II game mode and the Cold War game mode have separate queues to create fun, balanced matches.

Will I be able to use my Silver, Free XP, and Gold in both World War II mode and Cold War mode?

  • Yes! Use them for whichever mode you want to play.

Will my Premium Account apply to both Cold War mode and World War II mode?

  • Yes! Your Premium Account will provide the same benefits for whichever mode you play.

Is there
any
artillery in Cold War mode?

  • Cold War mode is artillery-free.

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