Hello! And welcome to my first installation of Authentic Tank Decal Guides for each nation in War Thunder. France is our first choice and is our experiment to see what systems work best for making an efficient guide for each nation's ground vehicles. Do know that not all vehicles will make the cut as some vehicles are "nude/blank" or were "prototype" tanks. This is a project of interest and love for history of these metal machines and I hope to share that interest with you. Please Enjoy ~Skylier

• Not 100% accurate
  
• This is for increased immersion and for those who enjoy a little bit more "realism in their game
  
• I will work to keep this up to date, but I am doing this on my own time

Sources are primarily based off of collecting and using photos taking during the period of time the vehicle was in service. No decals are based off of models/dioramas.
Additional information has been obtained from some sights (yes I do know some are intended for model making but provide historical information). I will provide my sources below and an additional link for the photos primarily used on this project.

Vehicle Camouflage and Markings[www.littlewars.se]
French Sherman Tank History[the.shadock.free.fr]
French Army Colours and Markings[france1940.free.fr]
World War Photos[www.worldwarphotos.info]


~Thanks to InFerNos1 for being the inspiration for this project~

Vehicles manufactured pre-war are painted in a dark green colour known as the "Army Green". Some fighting vehicles would be fortunate enough to be applied with additional camouflage. For the most of this guide, I will be working with the default "army green" skin offered in the game. If I have unlocked any other camo/skin during the time of using these vehicles I will show off alternatives that could have appeared.


Two Markings will be required out of this category, one of which you MUST PURCHASE in order to play along. The Purchasable decal, is in the flag section and is the France flag. Otherwise the only other decal is the roundel of the French Air Force, unlocked by playing 50 missions as France. These are generally used to take place of the licence plates (for the flags), and the roundels serve the purpose of recognition for both ground and airborne vehicles. These markings were historically important as "friendly fire" was a common incident.

In 1939 a new indication system is introduced for recognition of the company and platoon a vehicle belonged to. The use of a single playing card symbol of three colours (in sequence of the national flag) is applied to either the turret or the hull side. If you wish to learn more about how this indicating and recognition system works, click on this link: Little Wars: France 1940[www.littlewars.se]


Most of the accurate markings are hidden behind the Week's Latest, and unlocking/purchasing them will provide use in this guide. Divisional markings that are can be unlocked by all players in the French (Tanks) decal menu rarely apply to vehicles in the tech tree other than the 2DB Insignia.

Two of these decals can be unlocked and used for accurately representing French Forces and they do get heavily used in this guide. Tank company markings generally look similar to each other, we have one example of the letters in the brackets that are placed on Free French Forces "FFL" vehicles. As for the flag, there are variants that would exist historically with writing on it and would be flipped 90 degrees to represent a different company. The "]C|" insignia is for the French Armoured Forces.

Numbers are (sometimes) used to distinguish the individual tanks on the battlefield. These numbers are painted on the sides of turrets. This practice was more accomplished on vehicles under the Cavalry Regiments. No formal font for numbers is adopted, so they tend to have their own style unique to the unit. So for the for the vehicles that were commanded before the fall of France, I generally use the USSR(tanks) numbers. Some of the numbers can be unlocked and others are purchasable. For vehicles that are post fall of France the USA(tanks) numbers are used with some from the USSR options that can be unlocked.

Only obtainable by purchasing the Premium 5th Canadian Stuart and the A13 Mk II 1939. These Weight numbers are not generally the correct weight for the vehicle that we use the decal on. But It ends up being one of the few decals that get used on that vehicle. Your choice on how you want to tackle this hurdle.

Not very common. You will mainly see this on vehicles that are large and unique such as the Char B-1. There are photos of names applied to Renault Ft-17 and other "light" vehicles. The best example of this is the premium vehicle H.39 "Cambrohne". Achieving this is up to you as French name decals become available to players over time via the France/USA/Germany decal options.
And names for vehicles are generally but not limited to regions in France. "Franche-Comte" is a region in France and could be applied to a french vehicle. Names often appeared on Free French Forces Vehicles if you image search for French Shermans, Stuarts, and Wolverines.

If you see this: (M) If this is next to a decal name, the decal is mirrored.

A cavalry number (M) placed on either the hull or turret cheek works (used is digit "3"). French Roundels are commonly placed upon the top of the cupola to indicate the nationality of the vehicle to aircraft. French Roundels (M) can be placed on the cheeks for ground forces recognition. And an playing card marking is placed on the hatch on the rear of the turret.

Cavalry numbers (used is "33" found in France(tanks)) (M) can be placed on the turret cheeks. French Roundels or playing card markings are placed on the hull aft of the viewport on the tank's right hand side. A French Roundel is commonly found on the rear of the turret covering the top and even the handle. An additional French Roundel can be placed on the front hull of the gearbox near the "HOTCHKISS" manufacturers mark.

Playing card markings (M) are placed on the rear corners of the turret.Your choice of Divisional markings are placed on the front cheek of the turret, in this case I have used the 2/26 tank battalion (M). This can be replaced with a cavalry number or even a name. I placed a France Flag where the registration marking would go.

A French Roundel can be placed on the front square surface of the hull. A France Flag is placed where the registration marking would go.

French Roundels (M) are placed on the hull sides, and on the front center of the hull. A single digit number (M) is placed on the rear corners of the turret. And either divisional or playing card markings (M) are placed on the front top corner of the hull like seen here.

Like the H.35, French Roundels (M) can be placed on turret cheeks and rear of turret. Cavalry numbers like "65" from USSR(tanks) (M) can go on the rear corners of the turret. Divisional or playing card markings can go on the hull similarly to the H.35.

French Roundels (M) can be placed on the front cheeks of the turret or the use of divisional markings can work. A French Roundel is placed on the cupola for aircraft recognition. Cavalry numbers (M) (single digits will only fit) can be placed on the rear corners of the turret. A France Flag is placed where the registration mark would go.

French Roundels (M) are placed on the rear side of the turret. A divisional marking (M) is placed on the hull below the middle of the turret, in this case its the "Emblem of the 1st company of the 21 tank combat company" found in USSR(Tanks). And a playing card marking is placed underneath the viewport of the front of the turret.

French Roundels (M) can be placed on the rear of the hull below the exhaust, on the turret rear (either side works) and on the front. Cavalry numbers (M) like the "65" from USSR(tanks) are placed on the turret. Divisional/company markings can be placed on the hull sides below the driver's viewport.


P.7.T. AA Citroen Kegresse K1, Char D2

With the three digits (758 found in USA(tanks))(M) to replace where the serial number would go, this would really be the only marking that belongs on the tank. The location of the two France Flags (Turret flag:(M) are debatable to be historic due to quality of the photos. (Since these tanks served in Africa, the use of flags would be used rather than decals, so...

You can be a little creative with this. The 2DB insignia is generally seen, along with the FFL Insignia on the rear like seen in this example. A number (in this case: 54, found in the USA(tanks)) on the hull is common, or is placed aft of the hull closer to the company marking. Names or other french markings can go on the side of the tank except for the use of the French roundel. Everything is (M)Mirrored, names would be the exception.

A French roundel on the front hull, with a name above in this case "Paula" from the Germany (Tanks). A card recognition marking is placed on the rear turret hatch and a cavalry number (M) is placed on the turret cheek.

Much like the M3A3 Stuart, many options are available. A France Flag(M) is commonly found in this position on the rear side of the hull. The 2DB insignia(M) is also common. The FFL Insignia(M) can be placed either vertically or horizontally or the use of a name can be used. A number (14 found in USSR)(M) is placed on the turret, commonly a two-digit number.

The French Armoured Forces Insignia is moved to the front and the vehicle number 54 is found on the hull. The France Flag is found in this position. The FFL Insignia replaces the text that the 105 Shermans had marked in this position. All markings are (M)Mirrored.

Commonly found is the FFL Insignia in this spot between the track holders. The 2DB Insignia is placed at the front of the hull side. and the use of two "1" digits is used to make kill markings on the barrel of the gun. All markings are (M)Mirrored

Weight number 15 is placed on the front right bottom of the turret ring (it should be noted that this is NOT the correct weight number for this vehicle, but the closest number to 16). The Emblem of the 1st company of the 21 tank combat company" found in France (Tanks)(M) is placed on the side of the hull and a France Flag on the turret cheek in the center bottom.

Names are common (after regions) and are placed either on the turret ring or on the radiators. Cavalry Numbers are placed on both sides of the front of the hull. Usually a regional crest is on the left side of the turret, but a skull and crossbones was used with one crew.
And a mix of the ideas:

Char B1 Ter, SAu 40, CCKW 353 AA (40 MM Bofors)

These vehicles would generally have U.S.A. markings and roundels on them, but they can not be replicated due to the game's marking limitation not allowing to use other country's markings.

The [u"]Emblem of the 1st company of the 21 tank combat company" found in France(Tanks)(M)[/u] is placed on the forward cheek of the turret. Then the France Flag is used on both the front and the rear to act as the registration marking along with the 758 (found in USA(tanks) on the front to further the effect.

3 options presented using the French Flag, Free French Forces Flag, and 2DB Insignia (M) as the primary decals. Option 2 uses the Number 62 from the Canadian Stuart. With flag on front, FFL flags are placed centered on welded plates. Option 3 uses 54 from the USA (Tanks), the 2DB and France Flag(M)

the "Emblem of the 1st company of the 21 tank combat company" found in France(Tanks)(M) is once again used on the side of the hull in the center. The weight number 15 is used in place of what would be a 16 for the correct weight. And much like what was done on the AMX-13 (FL11), a France Flag and number 758 (found in USA(tanks) is used to mimic a registration marking.

A few options could be done here, but what I could do best is: Using the Canadian Armoured Forces Insignia (M) found in Allies (tanks) to recreate the chevron found on Israeli Shermans. Next the digit "5" (M) is used on the turret, and two digit "1" (M)s are placed on the barrel of the tank.

The 2DB Insignia is placed on the front cheek of the hull, the French Armoured Forces Insignia is used in the rear middle of the hull, followed by the France Flag. The number 54(found in USA(tanks) is placed on the turret (any white-two-digit number will do). All decals are mirrored with the exception of names

ARL-44 (ACL-1), ARL-44, M4A1 (FL10)

These vehicles would generally have U.S.A. markings and roundels on them, but they can not be replicated due to the game's marking limitation not allowing to use other country's markings.

Amx-13s in the desert used the second conflagration. While exported models to Brazil used the first option. For option 1, the Brazilian Army Insignia (M) is used with serial numbers where the 758 (M) is placed. Option 2 uses the Canadian Armoured Corpse and the 1st battery of the 1st group from Italy tanks to make a chevron. Tank name and number added to turret. Decals are all mirrored.

The desert camo uses the Marking of A company from USA (Tanks) with French Flag where the Identification plate goes. Option 2 uses a more traditional UN layout, using the Canadian Armoured Corpse as a chevron. Numbers where group numbers go, and the flag can be interchangeable with flags from members of the UN. All decals are mirrored.

334 from Germany (Tanks) is covered by the 2DB insignia (optional to mirror these on turret). 2DB insignia is on the hull, and French Flag is on the left track guard.

I don't own this vehicle, but it would be done similarly to the AMX-13

Since I don't own any Tier V+ vehicles yet, this project will be held until those vehicles are purchased and I can begin researching.