War Thunder Training Missions Explained

Training missions are the cheapest practice in War Thunder: no repair costs, no other players, no clock pressure. Most new players skim them once and never return, then wonder why live battles feel overwhelming. Use them deliberately — each one teaches a specific skill you will need in your first hundred matches.

What the training missions cover

War Thunder’s training set spans the three big skill areas plus branch-specific basics:

Training area	What it drills	When to run it
Driving / movement	Acceleration, braking, hull traverse, reversing to cover	Before your first ground battle
Gunnery	Aiming, leading, shell drop over distance	Before your first realistic battle
Aircraft basics	Takeoff, level flight, simple maneuvers	Before your first air battle
Mode tutorials	Arcade, Realistic, and Simulator rule differences	Before switching modes

The exact mission list and names change between updates — check the training menu in-game for what is currently offered. The skill areas above stay constant.

How to use them properly

1. Run each mission once slowly. The goal is understanding the control scheme, not finishing fast.
2. Run gunnery twice. Aim is the skill everything else hangs on; extra reps here pay back every match.
3. Re-run a mission after changing controls or sensitivity. New binds need re-training, and a training mission is where you find out your mouse settings overshoot.
4. Return when switching branch. Moving from ground to air or helicopters means new controls; repeat the process.

What training missions do not teach

They do not teach map awareness, enemy behavior, or economy management — those only exist against live opponents. For the first live sessions, follow the first 10 hours route, and make sure your controls and sensitivity are settled before you queue. If you plan to start in a mode other than Arcade, read Arcade vs Realistic vs Simulator first so the marker and respawn differences do not ambush you.

The efficiency argument

Ten minutes of training per branch costs nothing and prevents the most common early deaths: driving into terrain you cannot cross, shooting beyond your gun’s effective range, and stalling on takeoff. Run the missions, then spend your Silver Lions where they count.