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.
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 October 14th, 2022, 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.
In fact, there are still new War Thunder mods coming in from time to time despite the game's age. Some of them are rather small additions while others just might breathe new life into the game.
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 on 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.
20 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.
19 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 deal 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.
18 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 the 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.
17 Pr26.Kirov.1941
- Author: Killer_Duke
- Release Date: May 27, 2022
All these tank and plane reskin mods; where's the love for ships? Well, here's one of the few mods for War Thunder that focuses on beautifying ships. In this case, the ship is the PR26 Kirov 1941, which is Soviet war hardware. It's apparently one of the more popular ships in the game due to the number of downloads on the skin. Plus, the name is pretty iconic in the gaming community.
In any case, this brings the Kirov's historical camouflage and decals into the game. They have better gray tones now and a brighter maroon deck. Beyond that, the mod doesn't really do much, but it's a simple way of including some love for War Thunder's warships.
16 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 that the author feels best constitutes the elements of known history.
15 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.
14 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.
13 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.
12 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.
11 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.
Integrating these tank crew mods into War Thunder fleshes out the overall experience and makes for much more lively combat dialogue.
10 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.
9 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.
8 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.
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.
7 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.
6 Cursed Kennedy's - M22 Locust - RED Skins
- Author: CursedKing404
- Release Date: June 13, 2020
It's definitely polarizing, especially for those aiming for historical realism, but the Cursed Kennedy mod for the M22 Locust is just too hard to pass up. It essentially turns the M22 tank into a Warhammer 40,000 Space Marine Vindicator. It's great for those who are tired of the usual camo and default skin.
The color schemes are a bit limited as they all come in different shades or motifs of red, white, and black, but there are varied styles. Some even have generic insignias fitting the color combination. Just think up something to suspend disbelief for a bit.
5 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.
4 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.
3 IFN1 Vehicle Re-Name Mod
- Author:InFerNos1
- Release Date: June 12, 2018
Here's a little something for historical nuts and sticklers. The IFN1 Vehicle Re-Name Mod is a simple overhaul that replaces the names of most of the vehicles, guns, and ammunition in the game with something more historically accurate compared to the default naming schemes.
Not only that, but the mod also makes the names more detailed. Whether this will help or hinder players with gameplay or practicality depends on the depth of their historical understanding and memory. But the mod is a good display of attention to detail nonetheless.
2 Mega skin pack 108 skins
.jpg?q=50&fit=crop&w=1500&dpr=1.5)
- Author:brownninja9
- Release Date: September 10, 2014
Can't decide which skin replacement to download? Then here's a mega pack consisting of more than a hundred skins for a whole battalion of War Thunder vehicles. The author released the mod in three parts, and it's now complete, though don't expect it to cover all of the available vehicles.
Most of them are skins for warplanes but there are some included tank skins for players who want slower combat. The author notably completed the mod in 2014 and didn't further add any more skins to the pack, so don't expect an update any time soon. Still, that's a lot of options.
1 Gorilla Shade - ReShade Presets
- Author:TheGorillaScientist
- Release Date: June 6, 2022
For those wondering about the name, it's because the mod author named it after himself; it has nothing to do with actual Gorillas and their aesthetics (or lack thereof). This is a simple War Thunder ReShade preset, though with how old the game is right now, it needs any graphical boost it can get.
The mod makes War Thunder a lot more lively and similar to the vividness of more modern simulation titles such as Microsoft Flight Simulator. For those who don't like too much radiance, there's a Cinematic mode or option for the ReShade preset to make the game look like a Speilberg war film.
War Thunder was released on November 1, 2012, and is available on Microsoft Windows, macOS, Linux, PlayStation 4, Xbox One, PlayStation 5, and Xbox Series X/S.