Research Points Unlock Vehicles and Modifications
Research Points (RP) are War Thunder's progression currency, needed to unlock both new vehicles and modifications for vehicles you already own. RP is earned through actions in battle — kills, assists, capturing zones, destroying ground units or bases, and dealing critical or regular hits — with every vehicle and game mode carrying its own RP modifier for these actions.
Research Can't Be Lost, But Can't Shift Either
Unlike Silver Lions, which can be spent down or lost to repair costs, Research Points are never lost once earned. However, RP invested toward researching one vehicle can't be shifted to research a different one instead, making the initial choice of what to research a genuinely permanent commitment for that RP investment.
Crew Experience Compounds Across Tiers
Building up crew experience early — working through tiers evenly rather than rushing to high tiers — provides a foundation for later gains, since low-tier vehicles build crew points just as effectively as higher-tier ones. Getting crews to a solid experience baseline (commonly cited around 75%) before pushing further matters more than immediately jumping to top-tier vehicles with undertrained crews.
Choosing Between Arcade and Realistic Battles
Different battle modes (Arcade, Realistic, Simulator) offer different pacing and reward structures for both RP and Silver Lions. New or returning players weighing which mode suits their playstyle and time investment should factor in that mode choice affects not just difficulty but the practical rate of both currencies earned.
Completing Tutorials for Early Bonuses
Completing all available tutorials provides meaningful early Golden Eagles and Silver Lions, and using free premium vehicles (if available through promotional registration links or events) for the first tiers of research accelerates the early grind before your regular vehicle lineup is established.
Paid Progression Services
Paid Golden Eagle purchases and account services exist for War Thunder as with most vehicle-combat MMOs. Weigh the time saved against the account-action risk covered in our safety guide before deciding.
Frequently Asked Questions
What are Research Points used for?
Unlocking new vehicles and modifications for vehicles you already own, earned through in-battle actions like kills, assists, capturing zones, and dealing damage — each vehicle and mode has its own RP modifier.
Can I lose Research Points or move them between vehicles?
You can't lose RP once earned, but you also can't shift RP invested toward one vehicle's research to a different vehicle — the initial research choice is a genuinely permanent commitment for that RP.
Should I rush to high-tier vehicles or build crew experience gradually?
Building crew experience evenly across tiers is generally recommended — low-tier vehicles build crew points just as effectively as higher-tier ones, providing a stronger foundation than rushing undertrained crews to top tiers.