In 2021 the Israeli tech tree was added to war thunder. This brought about a whole new line of tanks and planes for players to explore. But for many new players, it seems to be something inaccessible so one question has to be asked.
So how do you play Israel in Warthunder?
Well, there are two ways to do so. The premium road and the free road. If you are already a seasoned war thunder veteran you most likely already have the Israel tech tree unlocked seeing as all you need is a rank IV vehicle for either ground or air. The premium road however is the best option for new players who want to right into the action without having to endure a soul-crushing grind.
So what is the premium path to Israel?
The easiest way by far to unlock Israel is by simply buying one of the new Israeli premium vehicles. Once purchased you will have full access to start researching those juicy new tech trees, but that in itself asks another question: What premium vehicle should I start with? well, you have many options to choose from.
Israeli Premium vehicles
Israel as of 7/7/22 currently has eight premium vehicles to choose from including tanks, planes, and helicopters. Let’s take a look at each of these categories.
Tanks
Israel currently has four premium tanks available to purchase ranging from Early Cold War tanks to modern MBTs. These tanks are as follows; M-51(W), Magach 3, Sho’t Cal Dalet, and the Merkerva Mk.2D.
So what tank is a prospective Israeli to choose? Well that all comes down to personal preference. If you are a new player I would not recommend pulling out your wallet and buying the biggest and worst tank on the tree this will only hurt your experience and your teammates this is becuase you will be thrown into a punishing world where you only have one tank to spawn in (which you will get blown up very quickly in) leaving you out the game rather quickly and your team down a member for the remainder of the match.
So how do you avoid this? Start low.
That means start with a lower BR premium tank like the M-51 (W) That way you can research the first tanks on the non-premium side of the tree and start to build a solid roster of tanks to choose from throughout your match as opposed to the marker where you will be left high and dry with your single tank lineup for a long time unless you want to bring an IV tier tank into a VI tier battle (do not recommend). So what are the M-51(W) and the rest of these tanks?
The M-51(W)
The M-51(W) is a tier IV rank 6.0 BR medium tank and is available in a pack for purchase at the war thunder store for about forty dollars. This pack comes with the tank along with 2,000 Golden eagles and seven days of premium playtime (talk about a good deal). This tank is a solid choice for many beginners thanks to its 105 mm cannon that can kill most anything you put between the crosshairs thanks to its 400mm of penetration. However, the m-51 is not a tank to be rushing in users will often find themselves to be disappointed in its lackluster armor and quickly learn that while they have a delete button on the end of their barrel they also are just as exposed to this same threat by most other tanks in its tier this tank is best described as a glass cannon.
The Magach 3
The Magach 3 is tier V rank 7.7 BR rating medium tank. With a very similar gun to the m-51. However, this does not translate to the same success because of its rank up to 7.7 all of the tanks you will be going up against will now have better armor and better cannons and rounds. This tank is best described as a “jack of all trades master of none”. Its armor will protect you from one or two shells sometimes but it never excels. I would not recommend this tank. (Also note this tank used to belong to the U.S tech tree but all information on it in past media is still up to date)
The Sho’t Cal Dalet
The Sho’t Cal Dalet is a tier VI rank 8.8 BR Medium tank. It has a 105 mm cannon that is very well stabilized leading to very good accuracy and the penetration of the main gun does what you need it to do. This tank, unlike the previous entries, comes with a new trick however this is ERA (Explosive Reactive Armor) this armor is very good for stopping those pesky Anti-Tank missiles that start to plague this tier of battle. But the Achilles heel of this tank is too much to ignore. While it is well protected against missiles and is still a glass cannon like its predecessor’s thanks to how tightly all the vital components are packed in the tank guaranteeing any penetration at all is going to pretty much take you out of the battle. This along with its lackluster speed compared to its peers might make it a deal-breaker for some.
The Merkava Mk.2D
So you want to be that guy huh? well, I’m not going to stop you. The Merkava Mk.2D is a tier VI medium tank with a battle rating of 9.0. This tank will run you sixty dollars to purchase the pack. It comes with a 105 mm cannon and what some would call too many machine guns. The Merkava shines for its short turret traversal and its gun stabilization along with the added perk of being front-engined. This allows you to take an “unlucky” hit from the front and not be immediately sent back to the hanger. This added survivability can make it a semi-forgiving tank for beginners who first pick it up but it will still struggle compared to its peers in the armor department. It also comes with a great assortment of smoke grenades and smoke screening along with a nifty thermal sight with a laser range finder. This tank is a great addition to a team as long as you have other tanks in your lineup to keep you in the action for when you inevitably get shit on.
In a nutshell for premium israeli tanks
At the end of the day, I would say if even if you are a seasoned war thunder veteran, if you are looking to go down the premium path to get real get the m-51 w it teaches you what to expect from your future playing israel and you can still have a fun time with its massive gun all while not being a hindrance to your team. So get out there and get some silver lions!