Modules and Equipment

Introduction

When buying a tank after having researched it, in most cases you don’t really get the end product. In fact, what you get is just a very basic version of the vehicle, which can and should be upgraded if you want the tank to reach its full potential. There are two parallel ways of improving your vehicle’s performance: one mandatory (modules) and one optional (equipment).

Modules

The first of the aforementioned types of upgrades, the modules, are divided into five categories: suspension, engine, turret, radio and main gun.

All of these categories are valid for every vehicle type, with the exception of “Turret”, which is unavailable on most Tank Destroyers and SPGs. Investing XP and credits in modules is technically not really mandatory, but if you want not only to remain competitive in the respective tier but also to climb higher in the tech tree, researching modules is unavoidable. Moreover, bonuses provided by upgrading modules vastly outmatch those which you can get from equipment.

The priority in terms of which module should be upgraded first may differ between tanks, as many machines, even in their stock versions, may have strong points which won’t require immediate improvements. However, the most effective first choice for upgrades in most cases is the suspension, because stock tanks usually come almost at the limit of their weight capacity. As a result, these vehicles require first a better suspension before they can be improved further.

Useful Tip:

Please be careful when upgrading guns. Some vehicles can install different types of guns, which characteristics may require that you change your play style to fit the gun type.  For example, take the well-known and much appreciated German Tier V medium tank, the V Pz.Kpfw. IV Ausf. H . This particular vehicle is capable of mounting either a 7,5 cm gun or a 10,5 cm howitzer as its final armament:

Gun

	Characteristics	Comment
10,5 cm KwK 42 L/28	(click to enlarge)	Howitzer with a tremendous alpha damage potential for a Tier V vehicle. Horrible accuracy and penetration values Mediocre rate of fire Use of HE shells highly recommended
7,5 cm KwK 40 L/48	(click to enlarge)	Standard 75mm gun with good rate of fire Decent penetration values Decent alpha damage for a Tier V medium tank Acceptable accuracy

Installing the howitzer, which is quite inaccurate, would require that you shortened your engagement distance and started playing as a short to mid-range supporter and flanker. This play style requires an acute sense of timing and the ability to use your surrounding for cover. Choosing the 7,5 cm gun, on the other hand, allows you to fire faster, more accurately and with better penetration chances, thus enabling you to take down enemy vehicles at considerable distances.

Therefore always read the descriptions of the guns in the research window and make sure that you mount the right gun for your play style.

Equipment

Besides upgrading modules, you can improve your tank’s performance also by installing various pieces of equipment. In World of Tanks, the term ‘Equipment’ refers to specific independent devices, which – if installed – can improve a particular trait of your tank per device. You can install up to 3 pieces of equipment on a single vehicle.

Generally, you can install any piece of equipment on any vehicle in your garage. However, there are few exceptions which are vehicle type dependent or nation-dependent. For example, Additional Grousers can be fit only on certain tanks and Cyclone Filter can be used only on Soviet and Chinese vehicles.

Moreover, keep in mind that many pieces of equipment come in different variants, which determine on which tanks they can be installed. For example, the Gun Rammer comes in 2 variations: one for medium-caliber and one for high-caliber guns. Therefore, some devices you may buy on a low-tier vehicle may not be compatible later on. It is highly recommended to make sure that the item you are purchasing is compatible with the tank you want it for.

Installing equipment is purely optional and not having any on the tank will definitely not prevent you from progressing to higher tiers. However, if you’re planning to keep the tank you currently play, or have difficulties in making it work and expect a long grind, investing in additional equipment may give you the extra edge, allowing you to overcome your opponents on the battlefield.

When choosing equipment for your tank, you should aim for either boosting its distinguishing/ most important aspects, or countering its drawbacks. Here are some examples of equipment sets adjusted for certain vehicle types:

Vehicle Type