Tank Commander Tests ACTUAL CAMO TACTICS In War Thunder!

Actual Tank Commander tests the true effectiveness of War Thunder's Camouflage system including paint colours, camo nets and premium cosmetics. How realistic is it? And does it actually work in War Thunder? Let's find out!
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PanzerPaw is a former tank commander turned gaming KZbinr, specializing in military-themed strategy, combat, and simulator games. With his real-world experience, PanzerPaw brings a unique perspective to titles like War Thunder, World of Tanks, and other tactical warfare games. Tune in for expert insights and engaging gameplay, offering a blend of strategic tips and thrilling in-game action. Perfect for the military enthusiast or gaming fan!

[@AstralHeretic]

In sim you need to leave the gunner sight uncovered or you'll be having to 3rd person shoot at 1km

[@gcherfzthequietone]

my biggest grape with that fact is that the last time i took the leo 1 into sim the gunners sight was half a mantel higher than it was in the x-ray. It was more like a telescope sight from the cam placement, thou i also don´t know if that´s the only tank that has this problem.

[@owainevans89]

I have had so many matches where I've forgotten to move the bushes lol

[@hoshyro]

@@gcherfzthequietone I mean, the gunner's optic is on the roof

[@gcherfzthequietone]

@@hoshyro seems i´ve misswritten in my previous comment but yes there is a optic on the roof but i don´t thing anyone sane would put a 8x-~16x magnification on the periscope sight(which´s placement i called telescope like) of the gunner. On the rangefinders scope? Maybe, but even that is lower and more to the site. Thou i don´t know a single piece of tank design so maybe they did do it but it still doesn´t seem to me like the most logic option for the standard sight for shooting over the telescopic sight besides the barrel, which would make aiming a lot more intuitive in my opinion.

[@hoshyro]

@@gcherfzthequietone The sight situated inside the mantlet is a backup sight that is used by the gunner in case the main one (roof mounted one) is damaged, as to the magnification, it's always preferred to have good zoom

[@FireTurtle-cc1tq]

I love how he just used this as an opportunity to play this tank and talk about it

[@PanzerPaw]

Oop, he knows O_O

[@fahianhaque4413]

You didn't really hide it @@PanzerPaw

[@evansyiem3433]

@@PanzerPaw gotta use bushes and palm leaves now¯\_(ツ)_/¯

[@TIannone]

@@PanzerPaw yeah if you wanted to find out how easy it is to hide a tank, just find those shorts of the L3 hiding in cap pretending to be a bush and the enemy team not figuring out for the longest time why they were capturing the base

[@cjmpaja]

L3 has a stabilized gun. The gunner is essentially shouldering an anti-tank rifle. Gun jesus has a vid on the gun that the L3 uses...

[@PanzerPaw]

True, but imagine the bouncing and shaking from the hull. I just can't picture someone keeping that stable just with arm and shoulder power lol

[@Streaky100001]

@@PanzerPaw it's OK Panzer, it works really well. The trick you have the tank bounce around enough so the gunners vision gets blurry, then they're in no fit state to argue with the assertion that the gun is in fact stable :P

[@MatoVuc]

​@@PanzerPaw that depends on how well the gun is balanced in the mounting.

[@TheKythia]

Judging by all the jungle trees and pine leafs I've been killed, camo definitely works in War Thunder.

[@hunormagyar1843]

Whacking the weed in WT is like the most satisfying thing for me to do lol Partly indeed cuz they're a quite a bit more effective than regular uncamo'd guys, and it's a little funny how like the most readily available crap on a non-desert combat environment is the one thing locked to paywall. Whatever, it's fine, just funny.

[@ostellan]

You're not just a bush, you're the whole jungle!!!

[@realsaibanetto]

You're not a clown, you're the entire circus!!!

[@dingodon853]

Everywhere but nowhere

[@tsuaririndoku]

The main reason why Gaijin not adding Vietnamese Tank because US tank will struggle to fight it.

[@DanielWilczek-nu7ff]

@@tsuaririndoku The key to good bait, is that you tell a truth that is heavily debated. "Vietnamese" Tanks in the context of the US/Vietnam war aren't debated all too often considering most of their fielded vehicles were bought direct from the Chinese, or put together with hope and adhesive with whatever could be found. Not to discredit the ingenuity of the Vietnamese throughout the war, they had many tactics that were actually hyper-effective against US troops. Tanks though, not quite- especially since they never fielded all that many. If we're talking modern tanks? Hell I didn't even know Vietnam is producing it's own tank model I'm intrigued.

[@bakaneko6639]

@@DanielWilczek-nu7ff wooosh

[@jdawwwgytb]

I wish gaijin would add camouflage nets to tanks that actually had them

[@dioniscaraus6124]

As if the game needs more pay2win mechanics

[@hunter_0221]

Camo nets are not vehicle specific. Every tank can have a camo net. However, they're quite expensive, and especially during the big wars the few ones the armies actually had would primarily go to the infantry.

[@DanSpam225]

problem with trying this is bushes dont render in at certain distances nor for that matter do tanks half the time it still amazes me that u can see a plane spawn 14km away but watch as a tank pops in and out of rendering in a big open area aswell as not being able to see some tanks in planes just above the battlefield while others stand out like a double decker bus despite being the size of an l3.

[@Techy93]

for whatever reason I get planes and helis visible in third person but binos and gunner sights don't seem to render them until they're closer.... would love to know gaijins reasoning for that one haha

[@DanSpam225]

@@Techy93 yeah i've had that too thinking on it. really not sure what goes on in gaijins mind at this point and probly never will.

[@Boris_The_Turtle]

@@Techy93glad to know I’m not the only one

[@gcherfzthequietone]

can we add silent tanks to this list? honestly if i would count probably half the enemy teams tanks are silent and or don´t get rendered in for me even if their basically in arms reach. and since this shouldn´t be a rant i won´t start on apparently invisible terrain and tree for the enemy. I really don´t wan´t to stoop as low as turning on old card support but warthunder truly seems to have a no graphics meta "cough" asu that´s smaller than grass on max "cough" (and maybe other vehicles).

[@DanSpam225]

@@gcherfzthequietone yeah one thing i really don't understand is why do friendly and enemy tank engines have different volumes they should all be set to the same level (with their own distinct engine noise etc) but it shouldnt be a tiger for your team blurring away but an enemy tiger closer to you making less noise it makes no sense its like their trying to make it harder to listen for the enemy.

[@Streaky100001]

Ah, camoflaging the Maus is easier, the enemy will never expect that factory to start driving around and shooting......

[@Vaasref]

I do camouflage as a train when I play my 2C and 2C bis. I just stay next to a streetcar. It hides the hull but I can still see over it, and it absorbs shots too. Just sitting with the 2C is viable camo, same as staying on fire for the longest time as it takes minutes to kill.

[@toedtoed]

Bushes mainly makes it harder to aim for small weakspots. As soon as thermals are a thing they loose their purpose of concealment that "sort of" work at lower tiers. I'd say that terrainmasking, which is what you essentially used in the video, is what can hide a tank. But even that is only useful beyond hearshot. Now the sound issues in WT is another can of worms entirely.

[@RyanDoesMinecraft100]

Hello, in regards to you mentioning not bushing the gunners sight. If you play in ground SB, you shoot through the actual gunners sight. If you have bushes covering the gunner sight, then all you’ll be able to see is the bushes blocking your sight. In ground AB and RB, bushing the gunner sight does nothing because the camera is from the gun barrel POV. In the settings, you can actually change it to use the gunner sight instead of the barrel sight for AB and RB

[@benhawkins4245]

The ‘stabiliser’ on the l3 and most low tier tanks (all “stabilised” British 2 and 6 pdrs for definite) comes from the gun elevation not being controlled by gears but instead it is free to move up and down and is either just controlled by the gunner holding the rear of the gun or supporting it on his shoulder

[@benhawkins4245]

Blocking the sights with a bush does blind the gunner in warthunder but only if you have the option where you have to use gunners sight turned on (which is the simulator mode gunner sight)

[@kristofferjakobsen8337]

A guy from work had to go to a military exercise since he is also in the home guard. And it was in the winter he was at a checkpoint for 1 hour without seeing the leopard in the snow with camo on rigth next to him. Only saw it when they turned it on to move it

[@losersingames]

15:12 there is a setting "view from gunner sight" or zomething like that

[@lilcoolcat]

15:05 fun fact if you play tank sim battles or select the option in the settings you can play from the tanks actual gun sight and decorations do block your sight

[@AdamBrzozowski]

If you would like a somewhat fun and interesting challenge, i would recommend going into RB and ONLY be able to use the driver, gunner (gunner sight, not the default one) and commander sights. No third person, as soon as you spawn you have to use one of the sights. I tried this and it honestly is quite a fun one

[@sentinelxcix2526]

22:02 they added in sabot petals in the last major update, I think it was, so I think the thing that hit the ground there would have been one of those while your dart went above the stairs and into the BMP?

[@SOAxZIPPER]

13:23 Bro, all of us Walker bulldog lovers wish it had a STAB. The things I couldve done to ruin peoples days even more wouldve been ludicrous. That being said. The M41 is a incredibly capable tank without it.

[@ArmySergie]

I love watching your vids, because as an Abrams mechanic, i understand how the tanks work. But watching you and hearing your thinking is very interesting to me, gives me a decent insight to the mind of tankers. 😀

[@bosmense]

i cant believe the l3/33 cc has crew replenishment 💀 I've completely maxed out the tank and played with it for a week since then and not a single time have I needed to replenish crew. its either because the shot deflected completely, or I died instantly

[@Switzerland_489]

The Italians used that camo to blend in with rocks, roads, and mountains

[@obsidianjane4413]

@10:33 The irony of your bushy tank getting killed by Mr. Anti-camo. Most players learn to recognize the bushes because even when they are "correct", they often have a different orientation and contrast compared to the cutnpaste map vegetation. And that's not even considering moving (even traverse) totally negates bushes.

[@GeorgeCammack]

"your dog is probably bigger than a L3" and "there probably isn't enough camouflage in the world to hide a maus" made me a subscriber

[@pavelslama5543]

2:22 IIRC its stabilized by the gunner´s hands, as the gun pivots freely and is not controlled by turning a worm gear like in most guns.

[@brettleisy356]

the best way to check is having another player in a private match check, especially for thermals (which I am curious about). but on the lower BRs Ive hade players look right at me (barrels turn and look in my direction) and then drive off, which gives me nice side shots with their barrels away from me. I wish they would scale the size of coverage based on the visibility % of the tank.

[@Taoscape]

You can look through the server replay and go into the PZ 3's view and see where he was looking and what he was seeing.

[@stavbycz6866]

15:37 you could use the chines premium m41 becouse it has camo net on its cannon

[@AaronHardillo]

The Brown camouflage on the Japanese’s tank is pretty good

[@AaronHardillo]

Except for the tiger skins

[@thecursed01]

i have seen a demonstration here in germany. a tank waiting in a forest with camo is VERY well camouflaged

[@BernGrylls]

There is an option that, when in "sniper mode", simulates the correct placing as for the gunsight view. That includes both position perpective and things placed in front of the gun scope (e.g. cammo and stuff), wich may block the view.

[@midladder]

​@@BernGrylls I used it in the ISU152,couldn't see the right side 😅

[@BiscuitWaite]

As I understand camo whether it be a human or a tank is not to hide, but to breakup an outline so that the human eye doesn't immediately pick it out. You darken the high spots, lighten the low spots. I can't speak to tanks but I can speak to infantry and I've had great success with that thinking.

[@thatjerrycan5505]

I do not have many hours in War Thunder, and I play AA a lot because I'm not good at facing off against other tanks. But on the subject of staying hidden: Sticking to the shadows of trees & buildings has often proven useful in hiding from planes that are aware of my presence, but not my exact location.

[@Chry0nn]

what is this guy on about? there is no tank there thats just a bush.

[@theforestita2376]

No all i see is

[@the_defaultguy]

@@theforestita2376 same, i thought im the only one who noticed the

[@Nate_wright]

@@theforestita2376 yea all I see is

[@BFaygo_]

I once walked right up to a tank without seeing it until the last second it was a demilitarized tank sitting in a park

[@TheGraySeed]

Funnily enough, you can actually sneak around Maus. The thing is so slow that they appear invisible to your average War Thunder players, also their size made them quite decent on hiding among friendly tanks as your enemy are looking for a tank sized tanks, not a house sized tank.

[@TitaniusAnglesmith]

I've found that a combo of bushes on the bottom and spruce boughs on the top is good for Karelia. Spruce alone actually tends to be better for snow, but is also better in alot of forest settings than just bushes. It's dark so people kind of just ignore it

[@Mega-tl8vv]

15:10 : If you play Ground SB (simulator battles) it actually makes a difference, since you can't look through your bushes with sim difficulty, the bushes can actually 'block' your sights Go try it out, it's fun :) PS if you try this test video again but in SB you should take vehicles that don't exist in other tech trees because if enemies should see you they still might not care if they think that you are in their team

[@y.m.9277]

I'd say camos in upper tiers are more likely used to hide your weakspots. It's like if you hide the glacis of Leopard 2A5/6, the enemy wouldn't be able to tell them apart from A7Vs at the first glance, which has an almost impenetrable glacis. Same on T80s and T90s. You can put bushes on your tank to hide the weakspots. But hiding and stay out of detection? No, not gonna work.

[@glados2677]

yes, the thermal in WT is better than in the real tank, it looks like a firefly both from the front and from the back, and the bushes that are cold also light up as far as I know, but it could be quite interesting to have tanks in the game that have thermal protection against thermal traces in thermal

[@namelessking8905]

In world of tanks I was the last player on my team so I hid in a bush behind a large rock and the entire enemy platoon of 7 tanks just drove past me, but that was their lack of attention and not good camo. I did manage to take 4 of them out before I got caped.

[@TeamValkyrie2023]

Step 1 in not being seen, finding a match without wall hackers

[@Vaasref]

Japan low BR reddish brown camo is great to hide in a pile of corpses. And the Char 2C and 2C bis are naturals at hiding in industrial maps if you stay still or if you sit next to a streetcar in city maps.

[@digitalcobradk]

Weirdest feeling is being by a tank while it drives by it shakes the ground (it was a challenger 2) but definitely a scary feeling

[@USSWisconsin]

With premium account you can adjust the size and rotation, so the desert khaki camo you could make it a more even split of green and beige by shrinking it.

[@gameboosted007]

The thermals in WarThunder are more like InfraRed then seei g heat signatures right?

[@Dsaberz]

I hate the L3. Whenever I use it people just want to run or flip me over.

[@Tigerpanzer6666]

dosent war thunder have recordings for every match that you can watch to see his angle

[@Gracefulwarrior2124]

Yes, not sure how long they stick around, but you are able to

[@ArfurFaulkesHake]

Camouflaging a mouse is easy. Put a shingled roof on top, put plaster on the sides and park it in some convinient village. Maybe put a house number on it as well.

[@llthk138]

weasel 1a2 is the best tank for this. Bushes can completely cover its front making it very very hard to see while still having tow2a/b’s which means it isnt helpless when it faces a mbt head on

[@VisibleToThePublic]

My recommendation, sometimes use the bushes to confuse other players, not to hide. If it’s a light and small tank I’ll probably use it to hide. It’s easier to stay alive if I can stay hidden. If it’s a large/heavy tank I’ll pay attention to how I die most often. (Weak spots or play style.) Then I’ll put the bushes to hide the weak spots, distract, distort the size, ect. Since where on the subject of surviving. Watch your ammo count. Never have the max amount, and watch where they get stored. Sometimes Gajin does sneaky tricks and stores ammo in places that will get you killed.

[@Gracefulwarrior2124]

The biggest advantage when it comes to bushes, is fooling the enemy as to what tank you are by breaking up the shape and lines of your tank

[@jeffkardosjr.3825]

On most vehicles I put the bushes on the turret front first.

[@Hentendo-h8d]

0:26 I ❤ Volkswagen Polos. Fun fact (for non germen speaking people) Volkswagen means Peoples car

[@cyanide7270]

Honestly i think the effectivenes of the bushes largely comes down to the player. For me, i can spot a tank thats covered in bushes a mile off for many reasons, obvious one being if theyre moving, the smoke thats comes off the radiator deck is a dead give away, the barrels typically cant have bushes on them so theyre very prominent, but the biggest factor is the colour of them. The standard ones are just so vibrantly yellow green that they stand out on every map, and even worse if they just simply dont belong like the autmun bushes on a a very green map are like red bullseyes, or the palm trees on literally any map becuase even on Jungle they dont match. This is why i always laugh when people say bushes are pay to win. An L3 covered in those bushes is no better hidden in a bunch of foliage than if he had no bushes on. This may be inflammatory for the conversation, but i honestly think they absolutely should add dynamic camo netting as decorations, where they will drape over barrels, over hard edges, can be bent around turret angles etc that are universal across maps, changing colour, adding branches and leaves or built up snow dependent on the map. Yknow, ACTUAL camouflaging, but then people will cry more about pay to win so its a double edged sword.

[@IncorrectForMe]

No matter if you can or can’t see the maus with camo, you can still feel it coming.

[@Sky-wt5nm]

Now only if the Type 5 Heavy from world of tanks was in here I don’t think it would be possible to put camo on that behemoth considering it dwarfs the E-100 let alone a O-I that’s a tier 6 in world of tanks that is as large if not larger than the E-100

[@h3nder]

Isn't it as real as the Ho-Ri tho?

[@Warthunderfan217]

Didn’t know you served in the military until this video. Love your content.

[@rubyroser4197]

U can always change the camera to view from the gunner sight in the ground vehicles tab in options

[@abartlett66]

Just change your settings for when you aim , change it for the camera to use the gunners sight. That's what I use and have used all the time with custome historic sights

[@Fazorplays]

The plane J’d out near you so you got the kill, if you did hit him and he died it would’ve showed the tank round in the kill feed.

[@toyfischer]

bro said you cant sneak up on people with a ghillie suit. carlos hathcock says hold my beer.

[@S1030dan]

Depending on the size of course relatively easy with proper cammo. Of course given the proper terrain and surroundings even a uhhh Naked? tank could be hidden from direct view while still having overwatch lines of sight. Now today i do actually wonder if its even possible at all to hide anything even a latrine, given how cranked up surveillance/optics systems have become.

[@tsuaririndoku]

Technically, if you do a house paint on the Maus it will hide really well.

[@PanzerPaw]

A Maus painted like a house? A Maus Haus, if you will

[@halla9538]

"ive shot down a plane and i shot down a tank" you shot down a tank? didnt know gliders got introduced to WT

[@Manuelslayor]

A god way to imagine the size. You are joust about a head higher than the top of the hull If you are 180 cm tall.

[@funwithmagnus8570]

So I bushed out the waffentrager and a few maps like the fields of Normandy I can go 6 kills + without return fire. It's kind of broken.

[@notsoseriouslen6374]

the leopard with that stock cover is great protection even with thermals it hides pretty good...and are u using wifi or something?? that ping has been monsterous lol

[@Marcel-ODB]

Camo is not about being completely covered with bushes (which isn't bad at all) It's about hiding sharp lines that would look unnatural in a treeline for example. Best camo of all is actually standing still 😂

[@Superbus753]

I can’t tell with certainty with mbt but as a m109 kawest driver i can say breaking the outline of the vehicle is the most important but it is only done in the waiting position. While moving it is impossible. But also not done in fiering position. It would hinder the function of the artillery piece and also you are supposed to get into the firing position, fire and be gone again-> no camouflage. Do mbts use camouflage in firing positions?

[@Superbus753]

Fun fact we call the Batterielauerstellung LAURA. Its shorter and everyone in artillery knows what we mean.

[@SL-mj2eq]

Up close its not the appearance of the tanks but the roaring of the engine that gives you away... LIke u can lower ur own engine sounds while still maxing out the enemies tank sound.... No camo will save u from the sound ur engine makes 500m away

[@Firefuzz11]

ASU-57 will always be the official bush monster.

[@mariobosnjak99]

You should refrain from using the rangefinder at small distances, especially with guns that are relatively easy to use such as the L3/33

[@MultipilotSimulation]

The ironic thing about the L3 is that it actually isn’t that small. It is about a head shorter than me, and I’m 185cm tall

[@Volpeusz]

l3 is 1,28m so either you have a massive head or your l3 is better

[@Kyuschi]

The L3 isn't a tank it's a self-propelled foxhole

[@Aripar]

3:55 let's range it // 0.28k- "am I a joke to you?"

[@farmcat9873]

L3 has the equivalent armor as a cardboard box you mean Gotta Luv the guessing game of thinking the enemy doesn't know or do they know? Maybe they do know but know that pea shooter isn't going to do a thing to their tank so they act like they don't see you....LMFAO they don't see me 💥BOOM💥 oh yes they do. Sure you can camo in the Urban Terrain by using the TOG and the camo that is all Bricks so it looks like a Bricks wall, I did think that camo was pretty cheeky.

[@S1su]

1:17 on the bottom of the screen he has a funny lind up name.. why?

[@SL-mj2eq]

U can see it from his angle if u replay the battle and select that player :-).

[@Garda_Grasic1537king]

Please can someone tell me how to get golden eagles. I dont have money to buy them.PLEASE!

[@Ikaros0153]

"the paint is greenish" sir, that is gray, as evidence when you blended in with the road

[@hernes0071]

really really wish WT had actual camo nets for camo option.

[@DOM1N4TOR_FR34K]

Nice drifting dude. I am in the same steo as you 😂. However i am still worried that my RC is still having some problems. Have you learn if you also had the same problems as mine?

[@Tigerpanzer6666]

i like this tank just because of its history and typing on a computer that dose not want to exist is difficult

[@psycho_chicken_9589]

i got a god mode with the L33...that poor object 906, so, respect the mighty machine! lmao Sometimes i just play the L33 to have a laugh, it has bushes all around, so in maps like big normandy, i park it, wait for a tank to get close and shoot him once...they look but see nothing...but bushes! one time, a t34 spent 5 minutes driving around looking for me, shooting his mg everywhere, i nearly pissed myself laughing...every time he passed by me, after driving some 40/50 meters i would shoot him again, resetting his "search mode"...fun times!

[@Ty-hr6lp]

You didn't shoot down the plane. He J'd out.

[@tunakann7629]

I always thought tank camo was so useless until I played war thunder and didn't see someone right in front of me a krillion times

[@farmcat9873]

Should have played the ASU-57 thats a tiny one. @PAnzerPaw wheres the 6 pack camos I bought that 6 pack of each bush many many years ago and it sure covers tanks pretty well.

[@MiniGuitarSolos102]

What army did you serve in?

[@Barto25001]

Will you play in ASU-57?

[@ERENARCA-b4y]

im still trying to get over the fact that he said ' vegitated desert' instead of savannah

[@EmmanuelKoumentakis]

Bro I love you’re vids❤❤

[@lordcommanderainz419]

Humm do my eyes spot a kangaroo on your tank. Hummm I wonder are you Aussie? my good sir

[@PanzerPaw]

Yes I am. Grew up in WA.

[@lordcommanderainz419]

@@PanzerPaw omg so did I xd Bron in jero live in there Pilbara what a small world we live in. Hay I was wondering if you could please make a video of the A.I.C sentinel or there A.C.I.V sentinel since There some of there only good British tech tree tank Go Aussie power!

[@Xeilria]

How did you get the netting on the barrel??

[@CDe3179]

Can you try the permanent death on the German tech tree

[@The1austrian]

6.37 had the same thing in an IKV72 xD

[@TwanFaro]

do you know you can put the engine off?

[@justinthomas85]

You ranged a tank that was in a cap. Which tells you how far away it is. Lol.

[@Rob_The_Gamer]

The L3 is about the size of a mini car/smart car

[@texasthib2029]

Imagine not having the 6 bush bundle

[@joe_3006]

i have had foliage restrict vision in binocular

[@CloudyClobain]

If u can’t afford camo use black decals or green decals and set the tank camo to bad to make it look deadish

[@scandalf1337]

''is it possible to camo..'' man i cant spot them even without the camo lol

[@Gracefulwarrior2124]

And then pro WT gamers be like "Theres a bushed up tank 1.3 kilometers away on heading 21."😂