War Thunder’s naval battles were added in 2017 and have since blown any other sea-battle simulator right out of the water. If you want some battleship action, look no further. War Thunder’s attention to detail, varied game modes, and true-to-life vehicle replication provides the perfect opportunity to try out your best naval tactics on your very own crew.
It’s not all plain sailing, you’ll need to consider your choices before and during every battle if you want to float on to victory. Fortunately, the La Royale update adds plenty more naval choices into the mix. 14 new ships kickstart the French Navy’s closed beta, and four other ships from Germany, the USSR, Great Britain, and Japan have made their debut. There is also a new place to set sail, as Franz Josef Land has been added to the location selector.
For those of you who may not have tried naval battles yet – perhaps you were too preoccupied with the equally excellent land and air battles – we’ve put together a brief summary of the boats available, tech tree differences, and some key tips to bear in mind.
National navies
Each country’s fleet has different priorities, strengths, and weaknesses. For those who like to play a more complex game, attacking from multiple angles, the US offers some great air and sea combat duos, for example. Their WW2-era technology is particularly advanced and focused on motor gunboats beefed up with Bofors and Oerlikon cannons. Their ships also tend to have some significant armor in place, combined with high rates of fire that can be used to your advantage.
If you’re looking to focus on naval warfare only but want something as hardy as it is powerful, the USSR’s aquatic war machines might be for you. Slow to fire and a little tough to handle on the whole, they more than make up for it with the sheer thickness of their armor and the potential accuracy of each shot, making them perfect for training your sights in your own time. The La Royale update brings a classic example of a Soviet ship in the form of the Braviy, an impressive missile-carrying destroyer.
More skilled players might lean toward Japanese ships, which begin to grow more diverse as the tech tree advances. A combination of unusual designs and more classic models, the Japanese navy boats are a challenge to maneuver and control, having very little resistance to shots from aircraft and other boats, but featuring several powerful torpedo-bearing destroyers at Rank III.
British ships form a sort of middle ground, offering flexibility but rarely excelling at anything specific, while German boats focus on speed over anything else, although larger ships become available the more you play. French ships will be available in the near future, as the La Royale update brings the formidable battleship Lorraine to Rank V and kickstarts the closed beta with a selection of 14 new ships.
Vehicle variations
When browsing the many naval vehicles available in War Thunder, you’ll find that they are best separated into five categories – boats, frigates, destroyers, battleships, and cruisers.
Boats are further split into five types which all serve slightly different purposes. You’ll find most boats at Rank I and II. Torpedo boats are quick and deadly, carrying lethal weapons capable of sinking a ship with a single well-placed shot. Motor gunboats are much the same, but instead of torpedoes, they are armed with guns, while armored gunboats are slower versions of the motor gunboat, packing some serious protection. Sub chasers are larger variations, often equipped with depth charges to take out deep-sea vehicles, while barges are the slowest of the lot, providing enhanced survivability over maneuverability.
Frigates will become available around Rank II, a selection of mostly post-war designs. They’re not as powerful as a destroyer, but have a little more warfare capability than the humble boat. Use these for longer distances or more powerful weaponry when dealing with a boat-heavy opposing force.
Destroyers are, aside from having the coolest name, some of the most powerful ships in the game. Access to them begins at Rank III, and they handle differently from boats, requiring more practice and familiarity before you can hope to become an expert. These giant ships are slow, heavy, and sitting targets for cleverly-deployed torpedoes. They are also armed to the teeth and capable of carrying anti-aircraft guns, torpedoes, depth charges, and standard guns all at once.
Battleships are the slowest and most cumbersome ships, but they boast thick armor and exceptional heavy weaponry. It’ll take a lot to bring one of these down, but enough torpedoes should get them underwater with time, just take care that your enemies aren’t firing them right back.
Cruisers come into their own at rank IV and V. They are capable of lethal precision over wide spaces and can carry every weapon you could possibly want at your disposal, including machine guns and cannons. Once again, maneuverability suffers, but cruisers more than make up for it with the size of the crew and sheer power of the machines on board.
These are split into light and heavy types – the light cruisers are able to keep up with destroyers in battle, but the heavy cruisers are larger and boast more powerful weaponry. Both have their weaknesses, however, and are perhaps not as well-armored as you might expect. A well-coordinated attack, even from smaller ships, could bring them down.
Fighting FAQ
You’ll also have access to supplementary aircraft in some sea battles, with fighters, attackers, and dive bombers coming in useful when used in tandem with your naval fleet. This is worth bearing in mind if you’re already skilled at air combat but new to naval battles.
Watching out for non-combatant obstacles is a must, given how unwieldy many of these ships are due to their enormous size. Icebergs, shipwrecks, and awkward corners of land will always crop up when you least expect it. But, if you’re clever, not only can you avoid these, you can bait your enemies into hitting them.
The best way to learn is to jump aboard and start sailing, so download War Thunder today and enjoy all that the La Royale update brings. If you’re looking for more War Thunder content, check out our guides on air battles and land battles, too.