A fixture of the PC gaming community, mods allow fans of a game to integrate new, original content into an established world. Sometimes it's as simple as adding a new weapon or creating a new skin for a vehicle. Other times, mods can be a complete overhaul of the original game, reimagining the original IP into something far beyond what the developers had initially designed.
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In Gaijin Entertainment's 2012 combat-sim War Thunder, players can seamlessly integrate numerous mods into the game, allowing for a truly personalized experience when competing in online multiplayer. Among these mods, this list outlines some of the best.
Updated August 1, 2021, by Sid Natividad: When it comes to War Thunder mods, one can't settle for just a few texture packs or reskins. Modding can be as addicting as the game itself, after all. Thankfully, the highly active modding community for War Thunder just keeps adding to the lovely collection of mods. Thus, for anyone looking for even more substantial and cosmetic additions to their war machinery experience, the list has been updated with even more mods. A general instruction set of how to install them is also present for those who are just starting out with the process.
How to install most mods:
Before starting, players will have to take note that gameplay mods are usually not allowed. War Thunder is a competitive online-only game, meaning anything that alters the gameplay or even some parts of the user interface can be considered cheating. Hence, most mods players are allowed to install are skins and cosmetics. Follow these steps:
- Download the mod.
- Open the mod pack using WinRar or other extraction apps.
- Extract the contents folder or the contents of the .zip or .rar file to the War Thunder installation directory. This directory is usually located in Program Files.
- If the mod doesn't come in a .zip or .rar file, simply copy and paste the folder to the install directory.
15 12 Tank Skins For All tanks
Author: Talon6713
Release Date: June 6, 2014
There's no need to go through the trouble of picking several different varieties of tank skins. This mod has a healthy collection. It contains 12 designs, most of which are different shades and colors of camouflage for tanks. It's also compatible with all tanks from the crude man-mincers of WWII to modern age beasts.
14 Basics Roundels
Author: Alaire
Release Date: July 5, 2014
One of the joys of playing War Thunder is getting to pick a favorite faction. Each of them has its own motif and theme that signals their approach and also acts as their precedent. War Thunder does seem to suffer from a shortage of faction-themed designs, which is why this mod was created. It adds a great to the textures and styles of each vehicle of war. The roundels are also well-researched and historically accurate, with Wikipedia being the primary source.
13 T-34 1940 Hazard Camouflage
Author: Nyte Skye
Release Date: January 29, 2015
The legendary T-34 is one of the most famous tanks in WWII, particularly on the Eastern Front. In War Thunder, it's also a solid choice as a main tank in low- to mid-tier battles. Sadly, the game's usual skins for the T-34 don't let players appreciate the tank enough. As such, the T-34 1940 Hazard Camouflage is there for the rescue. It's a peculiar and tactically unsound style for the tank but it's enough to strike fear into the hearts of one's enemies.
12 World War II Countries Paints
Author: Himmelsgott
Release Date: March 21, 2014
Most of the time, War Thunder has to sacrifice some historical accuracy in order to make gameplay more fun. Additionally, some censorship concerns are ever-present regarding certain notorious symbols. But if games find themselves craving for a more historically accurate representation of their favorite factions, then World War II Countries Paints does a good job. It's a collection of 12 faction paints which the author feels best constitutes the elements of known history.
11 he51c1 Red Baron
Author: Alaire
Release Date: June 6, 2014
Speaking of historical accuracy and striking fear using nothing but style, the Red Baron is another scourge of war history whose aesthetics are tried and tested. He finally made his way into War Thunder thanks to the he51c1 Red Baron mod. It replaces the texture and skin of a certain biplane with a crimson German Air Force design back in World War I. It's not only great for roleplaying, but also for some serious ranked matches.
10 GF Skin Installer
Author: Tiger_IV
Release Date: May 23, 2014
A useful tool for any aspiring modder, the GF Skin Installer gives players everything they need to start developing their own vehicle skins in War Thunder. Included are step-by-step guides on how to apply a designed skin, and to which vehicle. Included in the download are also a few skins developed by the author, giving the player a few ideas to work with as well as free custom content from the get-go.
9 WTExtractor
Author: CynicRus
Release Date: September 8, 2014
Perhaps slightly more technically minded than the GF Skin Installer, the WTExtractor is another tool aimed at helping modders implement their content into the game. Specifically, it serves as an extractor for vromfs.bin and dpx.bin resources in the game files. Simply put, this allows players access to War Thunder's textures, and all the fun that goes along with it.
8 B-25J-20 Night Bomber
Author: Mexicanmuscel
Release Date: April 29, 2014
The B-25J-20 Night Bomber mod brings something new to the table, as it is specifically designed to not be seen. The all-black camouflage is well suited for its nighttime operations, and the detailed shark face decal on the nose of the plane adds to the overall intimidation factor for anyone unlucky enough to get close.
7 Tank Crew Sound Mods
Author: TDSEB
Release Dates: February 8, 2019 – April 20, 2020
While technically a collection of a number of smaller mods, the tank crew sound mods made by author TDSEB integrate character voices from Relic Entertainment's Company of Heroes 2, and offer fans of the franchise a chance to hear some of their favorite character voices from the RTS title.
RELATED: War Thunder: The Best Tanks in the Game, Ranked
Integrating these tank crew mods into War Thunder fleshes out the overall experience, and makes for much more lively combat dialogue.
6 Blank P38-E Skin
Author: Akaba777
Release Date: March 4, 2016
While most game mods will include some form of original content to spruce up the overall game, the Blank P38-E skin offers players a unique opportunity: a completely blank canvas to experiment and tinker with. Author Akaba777 has removed all paints and decals from the iconic World War II-era fighter and gives the player everything they need to customize the plane as they see fit.
5 AG-20G with Normandy Invasion Stripes
Author: WalkableBuffalo
Release Date: April 16, 2014
A faithful re-creation of the combat paint used on June 6, 1944, the AG-20G Normandy Invasion Stripes mod looks straight out of a colorized history textbook. The alternating black-and-white stripes located on the wings and fuselage blend seamlessly with the olive drab of the plane's main body, and the U.S. star aileron is an excellent accent piece. All-and-all, this mod put in a great deal of time and effort to be as historically accurate as possible.
4 Ki-45 Ko Toryu Midnight Muncher
Author: Emil A/Gingrich
Release Date: April 16, 2014
In much the same vein as B-25J-20 Night Bomber, the Ki-45 Ko Toryu Midnight Muncher sports a menacing all-black paint job, one which highlights the numerous custom accents dotted over the plane.
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These include a number of Japanese characters, as well as several claw marks raking their way across the wing of the fighter, giving the plane a battle-hardened look not seen in the base skin.
3 P-40E Checker-Tail Tigershark
Author: foxlight713
Release Date: April 16, 2014
The level of detail is evident right from the start with this mod. Everything from the checkerboard design on the tail wings to the chipped paint at certain rivet points practically screams attention to detail. It's no wonder that creator foxlight713 has revised the original design over three times on nexusmods.com, with each iteration offering slight but noticeable enhancements to the overall vehicle skin.
2 Raw Steel/Chrome Tanks
Author: Talon6713
Release Date: May 20, 2014
While perhaps not best suited for missions relying heavily on camouflage or stealth, the Raw Steel/Chrome Tanks mod is sure to grab the attention of friend and foe alike. Rather than attempt a stealthy approach, this mod instead strips away all semblance of paint or camouflage, and instead opts for a polished, metallic surface, as if the tank were fresh off the assembly line. The mod is also versatile, as it can be applied to all in-game tanks, giving the player a number of options to choose from.
1 P-51 Miss America
Author: spogooter/brocollocalypse
Release Date: April 13, 2014
One of the more visually striking mods available for download on nexusmods.com, the P-51 Miss America skin is a detailed recreation of a real-world aircraft. The star-spangled paint job mirrors the one applied in 1969 to honor the Thunderbirds of the U.S. Airforce, and does so down to the most minute details. This skin commands attention and does so in a seemingly effortless fashion.
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