My review will assume Realistic Battles gamemode.
This review functions more as a way for me to get some notes across from my time of playing War Thunder. It may be updated as time passes.
War Thunder is pretty fun when you understand what's going on, but it requires a lot of trial and error (read: Frustration) in terms of understanding both your plane/tank/boat and that of the enemy.
After Rank 3, premium becomes more or less mandatory in terms of enjoying the game. If you expect to free-2-play your way to the top, reconsider!

War Thunder operates with a "Battle Rating" system, in which every vehicle within 1 battle rating (BR) up or down of the highest vehicle in your lineup you have selected can be faced in your highest BR vehicle in a lineup, as well as any vehicles the user may choose to bring out, down to Reserve level. This means that as you progress in BR, it will get exceedingly hard to understand what you're facing because the amount of vehicles you can theoretically face will balloon.

The absolute size of the amount of things available to play in War Thunder is absolutely a draw towards the game, but you should know you will likely never be a top dog, except for in downtiers, which are uncommon because of the nature of the game.*

Enjoying War Thunder relies on having an understanding of when the game is just not going your way, and shrugging it off and trying to have fun, or quitting for a short time to cool off before you shout obscenities at your teammates / cat / sister.
It's heavily recommended to not focus on getting ONE vehicle in particular and thinking it will be rosy, instead you should enjoy and learn to play the vehicles on the way to your favorite vehicle.

The reason you are asked to reconsider your free-2-play mentality is primarily because after rank 3, repair costs for vehicles, and RP required both rise to such levels that an inexperienced player will struggle to earn the amounts of RP needed to unlock new vehicles as well as repair those that get destroyed in battles.

"How are you supposed to engage in playing with premium? It's too expensive for me!"
That's understandable. Gaijin holds sales a few times a year. Primarily typically a summer sale and winter sale, which will include pack vehicles, in-game vehicles and premium time on sale for cheaper.

*certain BRs notwithstanding, fx. around powerful premium vehicles, which function as magnets for nearby BR-brackets.

[b] My review will assume Realistic Battles gamemode. [/b] This review functions more as a way for me to get some notes across from my time of playing War Thunder. It may be updated as time passes. War Thunder is pretty fun when you understand what's going on, but it requires a lot of trial and error (read: Frustration) in terms of understanding both your plane/tank/boat and that of the enemy. After Rank 3, premium becomes more or less mandatory in terms of enjoying the game. If you expect to free-2-play your way to the top, reconsider! War Thunder operates with a "Battle Rating" system, in which every vehicle within 1 battle rating (BR) up or down of the highest vehicle in your lineup you have selected can be faced in your highest BR vehicle in a lineup, as well as any vehicles the user may choose to bring out, down to Reserve level. This means that as you progress in BR, it will get exceedingly hard to understand what you're facing because the amount of vehicles you can theoretically face will balloon. The absolute size of the amount of things available to play in War Thunder is absolutely a draw towards the game, but you should know you will likely never be a top dog, except for in downtiers, which are uncommon because of the nature of the game.* Enjoying War Thunder relies on having an understanding of when the game is just not going your way, and shrugging it off and trying to have fun, or quitting for a short time to cool off before you shout obscenities at your teammates / cat / sister. It's heavily recommended to not focus on getting ONE vehicle in particular and thinking it will be rosy, instead you should enjoy and learn to play the vehicles on the way to your favorite vehicle. The reason you are asked to reconsider your free-2-play mentality is primarily because after rank 3, repair costs for vehicles, and RP required both rise to such levels that an inexperienced player will struggle to earn the amounts of RP needed to unlock new vehicles as well as repair those that get destroyed in battles. "How are you supposed to engage in playing with premium? It's too expensive for me!" That's understandable. Gaijin holds sales a few times a year. Primarily typically a summer sale and winter sale, which will include pack vehicles, in-game vehicles and premium time on sale for cheaper. *certain BRs notwithstanding, fx. around powerful premium vehicles, which function as magnets for nearby BR-brackets.