Naval battles in War Thunder are in a weird spot. They’re chaotic, they’re brutal for new players, and – let’s be real – they’re easily the best Silver Lions farm in the entire game. Once you actually get how the economy works, the whole vibe changes. Suddenly, every match feels worth it. Every shell that lands, every cap you take, and every fire you put out is basically money in the bank. This is everything you need to know in one place. Bookmark it – you’re going to need it.
Naval Economy Fundamentals
Progress is driven by two things: Silver Lions (SL) and Research Points (RP). They work differently, and if you don’t know the math, you’re going to waste a lot of time. SL is your wallet – it pays for repairs, mods, crew training, and new boats. RP is what actually unlocks the next ship. Everything you do in a match feeds both, but the payout depends on a bunch of variables that Gaijin doesn’t always make obvious.
Here’s what actually makes you money:
- Damage dealt – This is your main bread and butter.
- Kills – A nice fat bonus on top.
- Critical hits – Extra rewards for blowing up specific modules.
- Capturing points – A massive, underrated source of steady income.
- Activity time – This is the big one.
If you spawn once, die, and leave, you’re killing your earnings. I’ve tested this: one-death leavers usually pull maybe 2,000 – 3,000 RP, while players who use a full lineup and stay in the fight can hit 5,000 – 7,000 RP for the same amount of time. The math is simple: stay in the match.
For raw SL, nothing touches Naval. If you run a premium account and a premium ship, making 1,000,000 SL a day is actually doable. Even with a standard tech tree ship and premium time, a mediocre match still nets you 50,000 – 75,000 SL. When top-tier ships cost millions, those numbers are life-savers.
Game Modes: Where’s the Payout?
There are three modes, and they all reward you differently.
- Arcade Battles (AB): The easiest way to start. The physics are boosted, you get an aim assist, and queues are fast. SL payouts are great for casual play: a decent match gets you 60,000 – 100,000 SL, and a carry can easily clear 250,000 SL.
- Realistic Battles (RB): No aim assist, manual lead, and you have to account for shell arc and weather. The rewards are similar to Arcade, but you have to work way harder for them.
- Enduring Confrontation (EC): These are massive three-hour matches. Unlimited respawns sound great, but there’s a catch: every spawn costs SL. At BR 5.3 and up, you also need spawn points. If you keep dying in expensive ships, you’ll go broke fast.
| Feature | Arcade (AB) | Realistic (RB) |
|---|---|---|
| Lead indicator | Full horizontal + vertical assist | Horizontal only; you do the rest |
| 3D markers | Everyone is visible with range | Only friendlies; you have to lock targets for range |
| Handling | Fast and agile | Realistic physics (aka slow) |
| Ammo | Resupply anywhere | Friendly caps only |
EC Pro-tip: Watch out for torpedo nets around ports – they’re invisible walls that’ll eat your torps. Also, if an enemy has a white box instead of range info, they’re stuck. Kill the escorts in convoys first before you move in for the big points.
Grinding SL and RP Efficiently
Just playing isn’t enough; you have to play smart. The most important thing to understand is the Rank Penalty. War Thunder punishes you if the ship you’re playing is too far away in rank from the one you’re researching. If you ignore this, your RP basically disappears:
- 2 ranks away: 60 – 70% RP loss
- 3 ranks away: 70 – 80% RP loss
- 4 ranks away: 80 – 95% RP loss (You’re basically playing for free)
The fix? Stay within one rank of your target. Or, use a premium ship – they ignore these penalties entirely. Premium Time Math: A 90k RP ship takes about 45 matches at 2k RP each. With premium, you’re getting 4k RP, so you’re done in 22. It literally cuts the suffering in half. The “Get Rich” Checklist:
- Don’t 1-death quit. Your earnings will triple if you stay in.
- Bring a full lineup. More ships = more damage = more money.
- Watch the ranks. Stay within +/- 1 rank of your grind.
- Premium Account: +100% RP, +50% SL. It’s basically “pay to survive.”
- Premium Ships: These are the gold standard. 2x RP, massive SL bonuses, and they come “spaded” (fully upgraded).
- Daily Tasks: Do these. Warbonds get you free boosters and backups.
- Boosters: Don’t stack them all at once. Use one good one per session when you’re actually playing well.
- Cap points: It’s free money even if you can’t aim that day.
Premium Ships, Talismans, and the Marketplace
Premium ships are the ultimate shortcut. They come with all the mods unlocked, so you don’t have to suffer through the “stock grind” with bad shells. Between the SL bonus and the rank penalty ignore, they pay for themselves in saved sanity. Talismans are the budget version. They double the RP on a tech tree ship you already own, but they don’t give you an SL bonus. Only use these on ships you actually love playing. The Marketplace (PC Only): This is the secret long game. You can earn event vehicle coupons, make them tradable, and sell them for Gaijin Coins (GJN).
- New event ships usually go for 20 – 30 GJN.
- Rare ones can spike to 90+ GJN.
- Pro-tip: Never equip a high-value camo if you plan to sell it. The second you take it into battle, it’s “used” and you’re stuck with it.
How Damage Actually Works
Naval rewards aren’t just about how many times you click. Payouts are based on how much of the enemy’s crew you killed. If you keep shooting a section of a ship that’s already “black” or destroyed, you’re getting almost zero rewards. You need to spread the love. Hit fresh compartments to bleed their crew numbers.
Key Awards:
- “Battered”: You took out 30% of a Cruiser or Battleship’s crew.
- Severe Damage: You took out 50% of their crew. Even if someone else “steals” the kill, you still get the lion’s share of the rewards.
Targeting Priorities:
- Ammo Racks: Instant kill, big payout.
- Engines/Boilers: Stops them moving and starts fires.
- Bridge: Kills their steering and command crew.
- Intact Compartments: This is where the rest of the crew is hiding.
Crew Skills: Don’t Waste Your Points
Crew skills are a massive grind, so don’t mess up the order.
The “Must-Haves”:
- Leadership: Gives a 5% boost to everything else.
- Fire Prevention/Extinguishing: Highest priority. Fire is the #1 killer in Naval.
- Crew Interchangeability: Helps you stay alive after taking heavy hits.
- Breach Repair/Unwatering: Essential for Bluewater ships so you don’t sink from one torpedo.
- Main Caliber Reload: You need to shoot faster than the other guy.
Ship Upgrades (The Order):
Get Parts first, then FPE (Fire Protection), then Pumps. Everything else comes after you’ve secured the ability to not die immediately.
Nation Highlights: Who to Play?
USA
The kings of AA. If you hate planes, play US. Their destroyers are solid all-rounders, and the Moffet is a legendary SL printer.
- Top Picks: Fletcher, Sumner, Gearing, and the Atlanta (which is basically a giant destroyer).
Germany
Fast torpedo boats and heavy-hitting cruisers. Watch out for the weird “hexagonal” turret layouts on their older ships – they can be tricky to aim.
- Top Picks: LS 3 (best reserve boat), Albatros, Admiral Hipper, and the Prinz Eugen.
USSR/Russia
Speed and big guns. The G-5 is a literal rocket on water, and the Moskva is one of the tankiest destroyers at its tier.
- Top Picks: Pr. 206, Ognevoy, and the Moskva.
UK
Rough start, but the end-game is worth it. Their destroyers like the Eskimo have great gun layouts for “bow-in” fighting.
- Top Picks: HMS Vega, HMS Eskimo, and HMAS Tobruk.
Japan
The torpedo specialists. Their guns are often “meh,” but their Long Lance torpedoes are terrifying.
- Top Picks: JDS Harukaze and the Shimakaze (if you’re a torp god).
Italy
Agile ships that reward flanking. They don’t have great planes, but their crews are some of the best in the game.
- Top Picks: RN Turbine and RN Comandante Margottini.
France
Still in Early Access, but they bring “floating hotels” with massive armor and guns.
- Top Picks: Bourrasque and Kleber.
Final Tactical Advice
- Don’t sail in a straight line. You’re just asking to get torped or sniped.
- Stick with the team. Isolated ships are easy food.
- Smoke is a trap. It rarely actually hides you; it just tells everyone where you are.
- Use Test Sail. Every ship feels different. Learn the shell travel time before you waste SL in a real match.
- Targeting Glitch? If your target lock disappears, check your controls for “Naval target tracking.” It’s a life-saver.
The Bottom Line: Grinding Naval isn’t about finding a magic glitch. It’s about staying in the match, using a full lineup, and understanding that crew kills = money. Play smart, stay consistent, and the Silver Lions will take care of themselves.
