You've earned some credits and experience in battles; now you can spend resources on upgrading your vehicles for greater combat performance. Learn what modules are; explore various ammunition, consumables and equipment, and don't forget about crew training! Finally, learn how to add new vehicles to your collection of combat machines.
Modules
Modules are essential basic elements of any vehicle.
Researchable modules fall into five types.
You can upgrade modules on any regular vehicle except for most Tier X vehicles (e.g. IS-4 and Bat.-Châtillon 25 t can still be upgraded). Why is that essential?
- Better modules enhance your vehicle's characteristics.
- To move to the next tier, you have to research a certain number of modules of the current vehicle.
- Vehicles with all modules and subsequent vehicles researched acquire Elite status. Combat Experience earned in an Elite vehicle can be either used to accelerate crew training, or converted to Free Experience.
You will need credits and experience to research new modules:
- Click Research in the upper-right corner of the Garage to access the current vehicle's Tech Tree.
The amount of Combat XP required to research modules is displayed on the unresearched modules. If you have enough Combat XP, the research cost is displayed on a green background. - Click the cost and confirm researching. Now the module displays the purchase cost in credits.
- Click the purchase cost and confirm purchase. The module is automatically mounted on your vehicle.
Ammunition
When you first enter the game, your Tier I vehicles are equipped with standard armor-piercing shells, but these are not the only shells that you can use. Explore all the shell types and learn their main features. Knowing when to switch between shells will bring you better results on the battlefield.
Armor-piercing (AP) shells are the standard type of shell for most vehicles in the game. They deal their damage when they penetrate armor or hit a module.
AP shells are generally suitable for firing at vehicles of the same tier or lower, and at vehicles with moderate armor protection.
Disadvantages of AP shells:
- No damage if they do not penetrate
- Have a high chance of ricochet
- Penetration ability declines at long range
Some vehicles can be equipped with premium AP shells with better penetration or higher damage.
High-Explosive (HE) shells generally have a low penetration potential. However, if they do manage to penetrate a vehicle's armor, they are likely to cause heavy destruction, including critical damage. If they fail to penetrate the armor, HE shells explode on the armor surface, dealing (at most) a small amount damage and having a chance of breaking a module.
Therefore, on the one hand, HE shells can be a good choice against thinly armored targets that they can actually penetrate: light tanks, open-topped tank destroyers, and the like. On the other hand, they may also be your best option against extremely heavily armored targets, because doing a small amount of damage and perhaps breaking a module is better than doing no damage at all.
Disadvantages of HE shells:
- Low penetration rate
- Low damage if they explode on armor exterior
- Damage can be fully absorbed by armor
Some vehicles can carry premium HE shells with even greater splash damage. Some British guns can be equipped with special HESH shells with greater penetration.
Armor-Piercing Composite-Rigid (APCR) shells are the most common premium shell type in game. Their effect is similar to that of AP shells, but their speed and penetration are higher. However, their penetration drops off faster than that of AP shells at long ranges. And, like AP shells, they can ricochet if they hit an armor plate at an extreme angle.
Disadvantages of APCR shells:
- Low effectiveness when shooting at angles or at great distance
- High cost
These shells are used as standard ammunition for some mid- and high-tier vehicles.
High-Explosive Anti-Tank (HEAT) shells are a special type of shell with penetration much higher than that of AP and APCR types. HEAT shells don't lose penetration at distance and don't follow the standard principles of ricochet. Premium HEAT shells are great against heavily armored vehicles and at long range.
Disadvantages of HEAT shells:
- Often have no effect when hitting armor at high angles
- Detonate instead of passing through destructible objects
- High cost
These shells are used as standard ammunition for some mid- and high-tier vehicles.
Shells can be bought in the Garage.
- Click on any ammo slot above the vehicle panel.
- Use the sliders to set the number of the shells you want the vehicle to carry.
- Click Apply to confirm the purchase.
Note: at the beginning of the battle, the vehicle is automatically loaded with shells from the first slot. You can change the ammo order in the slots with the arrows 
while purchasing shells.
Equipment
Equipment is a category of additional systems that can improve a vehicle’s combat characteristics. Equipment can be mounted on any vehicle starting from Tier II. The number of slots for equipment depends on the vehicle's tier: one slot is avalable at Tier II, two slots at Tier III and three slots at Tier IV and higher.
There are four types of equipment:
- Standard equipment can be obtained for credits or earned in in-game events. Standard equipment is divided into classes depending on the vehicle tier on which it can be mounted. In addition to classes, standard equipment is divided into four categories by the characteristics that it improves: firepower, survivability, mobility, and scouting. From Tier VI, one equipment slot is assigned to one of these categories depending on the vehicle. If equipped to this slot, equipment of the corresponding category is more effective. Standard equipment can be demounted and sent to the Depot for gold or with a Demounting Kit.
- Improved equipment provides a greater bonus to vehicle characteristics than standard equipment, and is purchased for bonds. As a downside, improved equipment is not tied to any of the four equipment categories, meaning that it will not receive any additional bonuses from being placed in a specialized slot. Improved equipment can be demounted for bonds.
- Bounty equipment is available through various in-game events such as the Battle Pass. The basic effect of Bounty Equipment is the same as that of the standard type, but you can upgrade it for credits, making it more effective. Bounty equipment is demounted for gold or with a Demounting Kit.
- Experimental equipment can be obtained by completing combat missions, participating in certain events. This equipment cannot be destroyed, but it can be disassembled for free. In return, you will receive components that can be used to upgrade or demount it.
Visit this page to learn more about equipment.
Equipment can be purchased in the Garage:
- Select the vehicle on which you want to mount equipment and click on any empty equipment slot on the vehicle panel.
- Click on the equipment you want to buy and mount on your vehicle. It will be displayed in the selected slot.
- To purchase and mount the equipment, click Apply.
You can change the equipment order in the slots. Hold down the left mouse button and drag the equipment from one slot to another.
To demount equipment, select its slot and then click 
Demount. The selected equipment will be sent to the Depot.
Consumables
Use consumables to repair modules, increase vehicle performance, heal crew members, and extinguish fires during battle. Consumables are cheaper than equipment and work for any vehicle, but, if used in combat, they are gone at the end of the battle and have to be resupplied. Consumables are available for all vehicles from Tier II. The number of slots for consumables depends on the vehicle's tier. One slot is avalable at Tier II, two slots at Tier III, and three slots at Tier IV and higher.
Consumables fall into two types:
- Standard consumables improve battle performance and are quite cheap.
- Improved consumables are far more effective and provide additional bonuses, but cost a significant amount of credits.
The Repair Kit, First Aid Kit, and Fire Extinguisher are reusable during a battle; when activated, the consumable has a cooldown (90 seconds for the standard and 60 seconds for the improved one), after which it is ready for reuse. You will have to resupply the consumable if you use it in battle, no matter how many times it was activated. All other consumables are activated automatically; they provide an effect within one battle and are gone at the end of it.
You can buy consumables right in your Garage:
- Click on any slot for consumables above the vehicle panel.
- Click on the consumable you want to equip your vehicle with. It will be displayed in the selected slot.
- Click Apply to confirm the purchase.
You can change the consumable order in the slots. Hold down the left mouse button and drag the consumable from one slot to another.
To remove a consumable from a slot, click 
Send to Depot.
Crew
No vehicle can roll into battle without a crew. A well-trained crew enhances your battle performance and is a key to your success on the battlefield.
Crew members get experience after each battle and improve their major qualification—their basic function—on the vehicle. After their training in their major qualification reaches 100%, crew members can begin learning special perks and skills. An experienced crew can provide noticeable benefits to the functioning of the vehicle.
New Vehicles
You've battled in your vehicle and upgraded it to the max. Are you ready to try out a new armored machine? It's time for you to explore the huge variety of vehicles in World of Tanks.
Researchable vehicles are the vast collection of vehicles of different nations and types, available to all players. To research and buy them, you will need Combat or Free XP and credits. Also, these vehicles can be partially or fully researched with vehicle blueprints.
Go to the TECH TREE tab in your Garage to view all of the nations and researchable vehicles that exist in the game. Each nation is represented by at least one branch of vehicles from Tier I to X. On the TECH TREE screen, you can explore vehicle characteristics in detail and see research and purchase costs. Here you can also research and buy new modules and vehicles.
Premium vehicles are unique vehicles that you don’t need to research. You can buy Premium vehicles for gold or bonds in the in-game Store or buy them for real money in the Premium Shop. You can also get them as gifts, win them in various specials, receive them as rewards for completing in-game missions, or purchase them during short-term events.
Premium vehicles provide a range of benefits:
- Boost Credit and Combat Experience earnings
- Carry Elite status by default, allowing you to accumulate Combat Experience that can be converted into Free Experience
- Allow the option of accelerated crew training
However, with all their economic benefits, Premium vehicles are not invincible and don’t have special advantage on the battlefield. Therefore, to get great income on Premiums you still have to be a skilled fighter.
Collectors' Vehicles are special vehicles that are available for credits in the in-game Store. They are not bound to the Tech Tree and are available immediately without researching. However, to unlock a Collectors' Vehicle for purchase, you have to research at least one vehicle of the same tier in the Tech Tree of the corresponding nation.
Collectors' Vehicles have researchable modules available for XP. With all modules researched, a Collectors' Vehicle acquires Elite status. You can apply Field Modification to Tier VI-X Collectors' vehicles.
Reward and Special vehicles are rare vehicles that are usually obtained in special battle modes and in-game events. Vehicles that were removed from the Tech Tree before Update 1.9 are also Special vehicles.
Some Reward and Special vehicles can be purchased for bonds in the in-game Store, or for credits during short-term special events like Black Market. You cannot purchase such vehicles for real money.
Reward and Special vehicles provide the same benefits as Premium vehicles, except for increased credits earned in battle.