Yes. Premium time and vehicles speed research.

Both in combined battles. Air RB and Ground RB are different queues.

Premium helps. Skill and lineup still decide most Arcade/Realistic games.

Exists and is less populated. Try it after you understand one other tree.

#34 · Vehicle Combat · Free to play

War Thunder Wiki

Play the battle rating you unlocked, not the one you researched past

Gaijin Entertainment

Beginner guide All guides Steam store →

The loop

War Thunder is Gaijin's combined-arms vehicle shooter: planes, tanks, and ships across realistic and arcade modes. The economy and battle ratings are the long game.

Research a line, take a lineup that can actually spawn twice, play the objective, then crew the vehicles you keep dying in.

First moves

1.Start Arcade to learn lead, then Realistic when spawn and ammo matter.
2.Build a lineup at one battle rating. A single top tank with reserve backups is how you get uptiered into misery.
3.Aim for weak spots, not the armor paint. The protection analysis view is a teacher.
4.Crew skill and spare crews matter. A 0-skill crew is a stat stick.