Russian tanks. From my experience, they were always easy to learn and were pretty balanced when it came to armaments and armor but it’s been a while since the last time I’ve played them. Heavy tanks with sloped armor are my favorite as they usually have great survivability and can bounce off a couple of projectiles if you get lucky enough. Anyways, let’s start:

Tier 1

The best tank: T-70

I remember having fun with this tank, mostly because I got shot in the front multiple times and was rarely punished for it(the armor in the front is surprisingly sturdy). The main cannon(45mm) has a high damage/penetration output and should not be ignored by other players. Keep in mind that this tank is pretty small and hard to shoot from afar!

More info: https://wiki.warthunder.com/T-70 

See it in action: https://wiki.warthunder.com/BA-11 

The second-best tank: BA-11

Ba-11 is a light tank that can reach high speeds on the road and off the road(around 70 KM/H). It’s also equipped with the same cannon as the T-70, although the armor is a bit wack, which means that it’s recommended to play with your teammates, to maximize your chances of survival. Take cover often, stick to your buddies and you’ll be home before you know it!

More info: https://wiki.warthunder.com/BA-11 

See it in action: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=y_RDaRYTIFk 

Tier 2

The best tank: T-34 

The point of this tank is to not be shy when it comes to close-proximity combat. This tank excels in urban environments due to its turret’s excellent rotation speed and the general speed of the tank(it can reach 50-55 KM/H), which allows flanking and blitzkrieg tactics. Anyways, it’s not that easy to destroy this tank and the armaments can be pretty devastating if you manage to land an accurate shot!

More info: https://wiki.warthunder.com/T-34_(1942) 

See it in action: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LjAB9O8HF_U 

The second-best tank: SU-85A 

Also known as a glass cannon tank. If it receives damage from another tank it’s gonna melt like ice cream. That’s why it’s important to not get into the epicenter of battle and play from afar or at least with some of your buddies to cover you. Your primary strength is your main cannon - they are rather accurate and can deal massive amounts of damage, keep also in mind that your tank is equipped with various types of ammunition that can be used against all types of opponents. It’s also pretty fast and can change positions rather quickly, making it a pain in the ass to pin this guy down!

More info: https://wiki.warthunder.com/SU-85A 

See it in action: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=icTFJlA_L5c 

Tier 3

The best tank: SU-100Y 

I picked this tank because it looks funny. On a serious note though, this is one of the most powerful tanks on this tier, capable of 1-shotting other enemy tanks from distances of a half-kilometer. Keep in mind that this tank is bigger than my mom, which means it’s not that hard to find it. Players who played War Thunder will know that this tank is no joking matter and will make sure that it gets destroyed, thus don’t engage in close-proximity combat and shoot from afar, or at least stay with your teammates in case stuff gets too serious. Still, this tank has a 6-man crew, which greatly increases your chances of staying afloat on the battlefield!

More info: https://wiki.warthunder.com/SU-100Y 

See it in action: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0VM5Pdx_aQQ 

The second-best tank: T-34-85

This feller on the other hand is a lot smaller than the SU-100Y, allowing it to take cover more efficiently. It’s also a lot faster(can reach 62-55 KM/H) and the maneuvrability is top notch, making this tank one of the best flankers in tier 3. The sloped armor on some parts of the tank can save your life, although you shouldn’t rely on it solely and use the mobility to your advantage. Your 85mm cannon slaps HARD, so make sure your enemy tanks get their turrets blown off into space!

More info: https://wiki.warthunder.com/T-34-85_(D-5T) 

See it in action: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BOAHHv2nlss 

Tier 4

The best tank: T-44-100

The front of the armor is pretty sloped, making it very likely that incoming shells might bounce off your armor into other friendly tanks, causing slight episodes of rage. It’s important to upgrade this tank, as it’s gonna be an absolute beast in terms of forward/backward speed. The 100mm cannon is pretty nerve-wracking for opponents, as it means sudden death if they manage to get hit once. Also, the DHSK’a mounted on the top can fend off or even destroy enemy aircraft pecking you!

More info: https://wiki.warthunder.com/T-44-100 

See it in action: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6GvV6dKmXUc 

The second-best tank: Type 62 

A tank with decent ammo count and a stabilizer that makes it easier to use your cannon while driving. The tank is fast enough, even without upgrades, and can easily flank your opponents or change positions. You can also use it as a sniper, the shells on this tank can be very devastating and can sometimes penetrate up to 300mm of armor. 

More info: https://wiki.warthunder.com/Type_62_(USSR) 

See it in action: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_BPx03OS8Eg 

Tier 5

The best tank: IS-4M

This feller has pretty sloped and thick armor in the front, with a minor weak spot that’s extremely hard to hit. There’s also a chance that shells might bounce off the front of the armor and sometimes off the turret. If stuff is getting too tough on the other hand, you can always use the reverse speed to your advantage and escape into safety. The 122mm cannon is known for instagibbing opponents and it also has an access to a large variety of shells, used for different opponents, etc. Keep in mind that the reload speed is not that fast and it should be played as a sniper or in coordination with other teammates!

More info: https://wiki.warthunder.com/IS-4M 

See it in action: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hgKcgh4uSXw 

The second-best tank: IS-3

Again, this is yet another tank from the IS family and the turret is surrounded with thick metal from all angles, which might cause confusion for your opponents after they hit your tank and nothing happens. If there are squishy, lower BR tanks, make sure to act as their bodyguard. And finally when it comes to the main cannon(122mm D-25T) it can cause serious panic on the battlefield, especially if you load it with decent shells. For a heavy tank, it has a decent forward speed and an acceptable reverse speed.

More info: https://wiki.warthunder.com/IS-3 

See it in action: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yCCVT_QaVR8 

Tier 6

The best tank: T-72B

A tank equipped with powerful shells(also ATGMs) and a badass main cannon called 125 mm 2A46M-1, which will make short work of other tanks if your projectiles hit. The armor is decent enough, you can amplify your chances of survival by correctly angling the tank. If you or some of your buddies are necks deep in shit, you can deploy some of your smoke grenades to save yourself or them. The reverse speed is what you should look out for in this tank - don’t expect to get away if you’re gonna start getting shelled!

More info: https://wiki.warthunder.com/T-72B_(1989) 

See it in action: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_h35VTWbCH0 

The second-best tank: Object 685

The name makes this tank seem like some alien artifact or whatever but in reality, it’s just a tank that can save your teammates’ lives and has the unique feature of being amphibious, extra useful if you want to relocate to inaccessible spots. It’s equipped with plenty of smoke grenades, combing this with the fast speed of the tank means that you can deploy smoke and create a smoke cover for retreating friendly tanks. If you’re selfish, you can also play this tank in a sniper role, firing a shell, reloading, and relocating to a different spot. A fun&unique tank!

More info: https://wiki.warthunder.com/Object_685 

See it in action: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=y7vJ2sAz-cI 

Tier 7

The best tank: T-80BVM

Gun controls in this tank feel smooth and pleasant to play with, in terms of speed, it can reach up to 80 KM/H, which is decent for a medium tank. Thanks to the autoloader, you don’t have to worry about the reload speed, which makes this one of the cooler tanks for urban settings. Such factors as ERA plates, smoke grenades, and composite armor greatly increase your chances of survival!

More info: https://wiki.warthunder.com/T-80BVM 

See it in action: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CUYktb1fH48 

The second-best tank: T-80U

This tank is known for a variety of ammunitions used against all types of opponents, the main cannon is equipped with a two-plane stabilizer, which reduces the movement of the gun while driving, and an autoloader that reduces the reload time of your cannon. The laser rangefinder makes it possible to play this tank in a sniper role but it can also be played in urban settings if careful enough. Forgot to mention that this tank is also equipped with thermal vision!

More info: https://wiki.warthunder.com/T-80U 

See it in action: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RHlpSALu88U