This is a translation from a Training Circular issued by the German Armored Force containing 30 basic lessons of armored combat on the Platoon and Company level derived from the Wehrmacht's experience fighting against the Soviets.

Written during the Second World War by a German Company Commander, these lessons are fresh with recent combat experience. The original text had cartoon-like illustrations and civilian "parables" on one page, with the combat lesson on the opposing page.

*The Combat Lessons are reproduced here, and modified for use in War Thunder*

The Panzer Regiment is, by reason of its firepower protection and mobility, the main fighting power of the Division. Its strength lies in unexpected, concentrated and determined attack; aggressive leadership and daring operations.

Combat in Russia has shown once again that for us, in action against the Communists, it is not so much the kind or number of our tanks but the spirit and skill of the tank soldiers that count.

This exemplary combat spirit however, can count for little as well as the weapons, speed, armor, or number of tanks in achieving success, if they are not led and employed by fully competent officers.

Superior tactical leadership in battle is a prerequisite when one desires few, or better still, no casualties.

The purpose of this volume is to collect the experiences of the veteran front-line combat leaders of our Regiments in action, and pass it on in simple and understandable form to our junior officers.

1. Before any attack, acquaint yourself with the ground. Use the information provided by other units, or by the map. Exact information and correct estimation of the terrain will be the decisive difference between victory and defeat.

2. No armored attack is so fast, even under the most pressing situation, that you do not have time to put subordinate leaders into the picture about the tactical situation, mission, and anything else which may impact on the coming action. Losses due to over-hasty action are your responsibility, and place the success of the mission in jeopardy.

3. Only careful combat reconnaissance can protect you from surprise. Protect to your flanks as well as the front. Observation to all sides is the duty of every commander. ALWAYS KEEP YOUR EYE OUT FOR THE ENEMY!

4. Your entire ability in combat must be used to make a constant appreciation of the situation. Only in this manner can you make the correct decision during the decisive seconds and issue short, clear orders, without delay. This is the kind of leadership for which you are responsible.

5. Iron radio discipline is a prerequisite of good leadership, particularly when your only method of command is radio (text chat). In the platoon for instance, the trailing tanks should not use the radio at all except in emergency, leaving the net clear for the platoon leader.

6. You must lead with strength. At least two tanks must be forward, and the trailing tanks must be held far enough forward to support the lead element. The more guns that fire in the first minute, the quicker the enemy will be defeated and the fewer losses you will suffer.

7. When breaking cover, do it quickly and together. The more targets the enemy is shown simultaneously, the harder his fire control and distribution will be, and the more guns you will have in effect on the enemy.

8. In the attack drive as fast as you can. At slow speed you can see and shoot only a little better than at high, and are much more likely to be hit. For a tank there should be only two speeds: the half speed (for firing) and all out forward. This is the basic principle of tank combat!

9. When enemy tanks are encountered at long or medium ranges, you must first return fire and then maneuver against them. First make a firing halt in order to bring effective fire to bear - then commit the bulk of the platoon to maneuver on the enemy with the continued support of the remainder.

10. When enemy tanks are encountered at close range, stopping is suicide. Only immediate attack at the highest speed with every weapon firing will have success and reduce losses.

11. In combat against enemy tanks you may never - even under the protection of strong fire support - allow a single tank to attack alone. Tanks are not employed singly. Remember - lone tanks are lost!

12. You must continually keep a broad interval between vehicles. This splits the enemy's defensive fire and complicates his fire control. Narrow intervals must be avoided at all costs, especially in critical situations, or it will cost you losses.

13. When making contact on unfavorable terrain, for instance a riverbed or antitank ditch, you must immediately and without hesitation give the order to withdraw into the nearest cover. Standing still, in open sight, trying to carry on the attack, has in such circumstances no sense and will only cost you losses. Your consideration on how to make a new start will be best made in the safety of cover.

14. When your attack must pass potential enemy tank positions, for instance a woodline, you should either pass by them so closely that you are inside their minimum range, or remain so far away that you are outside their maximum effective range.

15. Enemy tanks should not be attacked directly, because then they see you and know your strength before you can kill them. More often, you should avoid them until you can move into favorable firing positions, and surprise them from the flank or rear. Repelled enemy tank assaults must be aggressively pursued.

16. A strongpoint, for instance a small village or hilltop, whenever possible should be attacked from different directions simultaneously in order to split enemy defensive fire and deceive him about the true location and direction of the attack. In this manner your breakthrough will be easier and your losses fewer.

17. Always prepare hull down positions and camouflage against the possibility of scouts or artillery attack. Being sorry afterwards is no excuse for losses taken by these causes.

18. Ammunition should not always be conserved; in the decisive moment, if you want to save casualties, you may expend ammunition at exceptionally high rates (for instance, an emergency attack). When a strong enemy attack is encountered, and you are retreating, fire at anything and everything. Often the best way to break up an enemy attack is to overwhelm them with defensive fires and for them to seek their own cover and concealment.

19. Never split your combat power; that is to say, do not employ parts of the platoon in such a manner that they cannot support each other. When your attack has two objectives you should attack first one and then the other with all weapons. In this way you will more certainly end up with both objectives in hand and fewer casualties.

20. Support from artillery fire must be used immediately, that is to say, while the fire is still hitting the enemy. Afterward, when the fire has stopped it is too late. You must know that mostly such fires only produce a suppressing effect, not a destroying one. It is better to risk a friendly shell or bomb than to charge into an active tank defense.

21. Other weapons and arms, cross-attached to you, should not be misused. Do not use them for purposes for which they were not intended, for example, do not use tank destroyers as assault guns, or medium tanks as heavy tanks, or recon tanks as medium tanks.

22. Unarmored or lightly armored units attached to you must be protected from any unnecessary losses until they are needed for their own operational tasks, for which reason they were attached to you.

23. Cross-attached units placed under your command are not your servants, but your guests. Don't just use them on guard duty! In this way they will work better and more loyally for you when you need them. And that will be often!

24. In combined operations with different tanks, you must make certain that the arms stick close together; only so can they help each other and achieve success. Which of the two is leading is a secondary matter; what must be known is that it is the intention of the enemy to separate you and that you must prevent this in all circumstances.

25. You and your soldiers must always concentrate on your combat mission, i.e. "the bridge," and you may not turn aside, for example, to an enemy on your flank, unless he is actually dangerous to the accomplishment of your mission. Then you must attack and destroy him!

26. After a victorious battle; i.e. the seizure of a bridge or the occupation of a village, keep your helmets on. That is to say, prepare for a counterattack which will certainly come, perhaps in a different place than you expect.

27. In a defense or security mission place your tanks so that not only their firepower, but also their shock action can be brought into play. Also, leave only a few tanks in stationary firing positions. Keep most as mobile reserves under cover. Tanks defend aggressively!

28. Against strong enemy resistance, there is no point in continuing to attack. Every failed attack only costs more casualties. Your effort must always be to hold the enemy with only weak forces, in order to use mass of your strength at another, weaker place, breakthrough, and destroy the enemy by surprise attack in the rear or flank.

29. Never forget that the platoon does not belong to you. Personal glory hunting and senseless aggression lead only in exceptional cases to success, but always cost blood. In battle against the enemy you must temper your courage with your judgement, your cunning, your instincts and your tactical ability. Only then will you have the prerequisites to be victorious in battle and only then will your soldiers look on you with loyalty and respect and always stand by you in untiring combat readiness.

30. The Panzer Division in modern warfare today holds the former place of Cavalry as the decisive arm of combat. Tank officers must carry on in the tradition of the Cavalry, take up its aggressive spirit on behalf of the Panzer arm. Therefore take note, as a basic combat principle, of Marshall Blucher's motto, "FORWARD AND THROUGH!"

When you are engaging a target, one of the most common mistakes is to park yourself where you can easily be seen. You might think having a clear view to the enemy is a good thing, but the more easily you can see the enemy, the more easily he can see you!

If you can see your target clearly, he can see you clearly as well.

A clear sight picture cuts both ways.

If you reverse until terrain bisects your sight picture...

... You will be harder to see, and harder to hit.

So how do you prevent this from happening to you?

When choosing your firing position, allow for both Hull-Down, and Turret-Down locations.

To go Turret-Down, reverse until the enemy disappears from your sight picture. Then, reverse a bit more to be sure.

While you are Turret-Down, you can monitor the enemy using the 3rd Person camera, or the Tank Commander's viewpoint.

Remember, all positioning is relative. While we are turret down to the burning Panzer II, the Maus in the distance can still see us!


When you make contact with the enemy, taking a few moments to check the nearby terrain, and put yourself into a superior position, WILL SAVE YOUR LIFE.

1. Know Your Equipment.
The only way to learn the limitations and advantages of your vehicle is to practice using it.
You should be able to thread your tank through the smallest possible gaps at speed, and know how to make sudden, accurate changes in direction while moving. Learn how to spin your tank 180 degrees in mere seconds, and how to run at speed in reverse and find nearby cover. You should be able to hit a target at the extreme of your gun's range, with no more than 2 shots to determine the spread of your shot. At medium and close range, you should be able to specify the point on the target you wish to hit, and hit it 8 times out of 10. This is the level of expertise you should strive for.

2. Know Your Environment.
Scan the area constantly. Catalogue good firing positions.
Watch them especially carefully for enemies taking advantage of them, and evaluate their potential as places to advance or retreat towards. Do not neglect to look both near and far. Your enemy would like nothing better than to attack you from concealment; you must deny him this, or be defeated before the firing even begins.
Do not lock yourself into watching your target exclusively. If you are not in imminent danger of your opponent destroying you, a quick scan of the area can unearth threats that otherwise would take you unaware. An unaware tank is a dead tank!

3. Think, Then Do.
Speed of decision is vital, yet there must still be thought before action.
Planning in advance will make this far easier; if you have already considered possible scenarios, and your best response, then you will not hesitate when the moment comes. If you lose a battle, reflect upon how you were defeated, and use this knowledge to improve your tactics for the next battle.

4. Be Mission-Focused, Not Kill-Focused.
Destroying a bunch of enemy tanks is good, but destroying none and rendering vital assistance in capturing the objective is better.
If an enemy can be bypassed without danger to the mission, then do so. Your primary consideration should always be the mission success, and not personal success.

5. Strike At The Enemy's Weakness.
Always attempt attacks from the flank or rear, if possible.
Come upon your targets from an unexpected direction; avoid roads or open terrain where you can be seen. Do not neglect the opportunities to attack from higher elevations, the weakest top armor will be exposed to you, and the effects of sloping armor are diminished when being attacked from above.
Always maneuver so that you have the advantage in an engagement, or at least no disadvantage. Learn where your opponents are most vulnerable to your weapons, and bring your fire to bear on those points. Inform your platoon of weak points in enemy tanks, and have all tanks concentrate fire. The essence of success in combat is to exploit your assets and the enemys defects, while protecting your defects and denying his assets.

6. Support Your Comrades In Other Roles.
It is imperative to provide as much support to your fellow tankers as is possible.
A good medium tank will support the heavies, not try to supplant them or ignore them. A good tank destroyer will kill and suppress enemies, allowing his platoon freedom to maneuver. A good scout tank will maintain contact with the enemy, and use all available cover and concealment to keep from being destroyed.

Remember:
A platoon without eyes is blind.
A platoon without teeth is impotent.
A platoon unwilling to move will be slaughtered like sheep.

Reconnaissance from your tank can save the lives of your less well-protected brethren, always be aware of who is around you and act as another pair of eyes for them, calling out any potential threats immediately.
As a heavy tank, aggressively defend your tank destroyers and scouts, draw fire onto yourself rather than let them be destroyed, or even better, demolish the threat and prepare yourself to meet another.

7. Support Your Tank Platoon
Three tanks working together are a match for 5 tanks working individually.
Try to find other good tankers, and work with them. When advancing, cover your brother tanks with your guns, then have them cover you as you advance in your turn.
Keep a reasonable distance between your vehicles, do not bunch up and present an easy target, nor should you be so far away that you cannot lend fire support when needed.
If a comrade is in trouble, fire on his attacker, and try to draw his attention. Often the sound of impacting shells will cause him to panic, and look about wildly for his new opponent.
Communicate enemy sightings, and coordinate your movements to bring maximum firepower upon your enemies, and to command your objectives.

8. Learn When To Use Speed
If you are in an untenable position, perhaps surprised, or outnumbered and vulnerable - often a surprise rush at the enemy is the only choice.
If you are forced into this situation, remember to run slantwise across the enemys sights, and try to come to close quarters as quickly as you can. Once you are in close, use violent changes in direction, and fire your gun while moving.
If you must retreat at speed, you should also use quick changes in direction to throw off your enemies aim. If you must sacrifice yourself to ensure the retreats of others, do so. It is better one tank dies than all of them! A successful retreat can be the precursor to a successful ambush. If you can establish superior position before the enemy pursuit brings him within range, you can make him pay for his over-eagerness.
Lastly, if support is needed in a particular sector, you must know when it is time to abandon all else and rush to the contested point. This should be the rare, exceptional case; but it will happen.

9. Quick Tips for Survival

* If you are going to sit still, it better be in a camouflaged, hull-down, or otherwise strong position. Balance off your need to SEE with the requirement to NOT BE SEEN by the enemy.

* It is very instructive to spectate a match and watch tanks fight. You will see how good positioning gets kills, and how the opposite gets you killed.

* Going just outside the spawn and sitting there is the worst move you can make. The spawn bases are the most scrutinized of areas. Move away from the base at high speed, and find any nearby cover you can.

* If the enemy is very near the spawn, ask for his direction BEFORE leaving cover. Point your turret to that heading, and THEN put your tank in gear. This can be the difference between getting crushed and getting another kill silhouette to paint on your turret.

* Practice moving and shooting. This is only effective at close range - but that is where you will end up fighting most of your enemies, anyway.
If the enemy doesn't see you, or is already occupied - then you can stop and set up your shot. Otherwise, all you are doing is making it easy for him to kill you.

* Trading long range fire with a heavier tank is suicide. He has a better gun. Sometimes you have no choice, but if there is ANY cover nearby that will shield you from him, you'd better use it, and fast. Make him come to you, to where you can see him and hit him easily. Of course, if he doesn't spot you, and he is exposing his side, a few good rounds into him will often light him up.

* This is critically important: your mental attitude is what makes the difference between a tanker and a target. You must condition yourself to think of each enemy spotted as an opportunity - a chance to score another kill.
When I see a group of heavy tanks, I feel like a wolf confronted by a herd of big, stupid bison. Mmmm, tasty.
Use whatever imagery you like, but you must be both confident and aggressive at all times. Try to not cross the line into cocky and foolhardy, but push it as close as you can get it - your tank is an offensive weapon and trying to use it any other way will get you frustrated and killed.

* Avoid head-on confrontations. Always attempt to flank or maneuver in behind.

10. Know Yourself, And Know Your Enemy

The most commonly quoted military maxim is still one of the most relevant.

The best way in which to stay alive is to know your enemy. Know his capabilities, his equipment and his tactics. Observe them, learn how they operate. Let them be careless so they can drive into your sights, not the other way around.

One of the more important things you learn while operating a tank is how to NOT die. There are several reasons why some players head out only to be slaughtered like cattle, lets examine a few:

Reason 1 - They're All Alone.
Though it's sometimes a noble thing to dash off by yourself to save the day, you're better off waiting for backup consisting of at LEAST one other tank. I've worked repeatedly in two-tank teams with other players with great success. By having a 'wingman' you can protect each other as you advance, and you'll have more options when attacking.

Reason 2 - Lack of Cover and Concealment.
Your tank is your life, and you should take any means necessary to protect it. All too often I see tanks dashing off across an open field totally exposed, and later I see the smoke trails marking their demise. Use the terrain to your best advantage, even wide-open plains have some form of concealment you could use. Anything you can find which will prevent the enemy from either seeing you, or hitting you, can and should be used!

Reason 3 - Lack of Patience.
Yeah sure, we all want to start dropping rounds on the first sign of movement we see, it's a natural urge. But by waiting and maneuvering to the best position possible you can almost always assure yourself of several kills per sortie. Firing from maximum distance at a tiny target is not only very difficult, but it wastes ammo. Be patient and wait for the target to get closer, this applies to defense as well as attacking.

Echelon Left:
"Form Echelon Left/Right"

.............[X]
.......[X]
[X]

Tanks are formed in a diagonal line to the left rear of the leader. This formation is useful while advancing when you expect an attack from your left side or left front. All tank guns can be quickly brought to bear on the targets without crossing the path of fellow Panzers.
This formation can also be quickly turned into a Line Abreast formation by turning everyone to the left.

Echelon Right:

[X]
......[X]
.............[X]

Tanks are formed in a diagonal line to the right rear of the leader. This formation is useful when you expect an attack from your right side or right front.
Its flexibility is identical to Echelon Left.

Wedge:
"Form Wedge"

.......[X]
[X]..........[X]

This is a handy formation to use when you don't know for sure where the enemy will be attacking from. No matter where the enemy comes from the platoon will be able to have at least 2 tanks immediately start engaging the enemy.
The tanks which are out of the line of fire can then reposition if needed.
This formation also packs a powerful punch when sweeping through towns. Each driver maintains a mental 'drive line' through the town. As he encounters obstacles he maneuvers around them, and then returns to his drive line.
If used correctly, the entire town can be thoroughly cleared in one sweep, rather than several tanks scurrying around.

Line Abreast:
"Form Line"

[X]......[X]......[X]

This formation is great for attacking a single frontal target, or defending against attack from a known direction or choke point. Massive firepower and decent fields of fire are its key points.
Movement is difficult though and speeds should be kept moderate to maintain the formation.

So, when you're out there, driving your tank in War Thunder, don't be a statistic.
Don't hang yourself out as just another kill marker, on someone else's scorecard.
Apply these lessons, learn from your mistakes, and above all: Practice!

When the military trains tank crewmen, they apply a rigourous training program that goes on for months, and then constantly practice and refine their knowledge for years.

In War Thunder, the player is tasked with the roles of three different people, the Driver, the Gunner, and the Tank Commander.
You must learn these roles, and pracitce them constantly, if you are to improve yourself.