Noobs in Combat Vehicles Tier List (V6.1)
Armor, transports, tank hunters, AA, and logistics ranked for campaign play.
Ranking rules for vehicles
This list ranks land vehicles and towed AA/AT evolutions that define most Noobs in Combat loadouts on V6.1. Scoring weights PvE campaign value: breakthrough power, transport tempo, anti-air coverage after the AA-to-air-slot move, and whether the chassis earns its tix before the map ends.
Pair every grade with infantry context from the Infantry Tier List and deck math in the Loadout Planner. Role theory lives on Units; full recipes on Best Loadout; unlock order on the Tech Tree. Return to the Tier List Hub for the ranking philosophy.
Naval and pure aircraft trees get callouts only where they change how you grade SPAAG / SAM / helicopters. Diamond-locked meme hulls are ignored unless they appear in normal research paths.
S tier — define the meta
Battle Tank (Medium → Heavy → Battle Tank line)
Battle Tank remains the default armored win condition for open plains and mid/late campaigns. It anchors pushes, trades into enemy armor, and forces the opponent to bring dedicated AT. Low vision means you still need Grunts or recon screens—never drive a lonely Battle Tank into fog.
V6 refreshed tank cannon shells and infantry aesthetics around the same patch window; the tactical job did not change: be the heavy fist while infantry capture and radio.
Supply Truck / Supply Carrier line
Logistics win long maps. A Supply Truck (and higher carrier evolutions) refills ammo and keeps wounded armor in the fight. Decks that skip suppliers look strong for five turns and then stall. S-tier is earned because every other S/A pick becomes mediocre without resupply.
SPAAG (and mobile AA that screens air)
Helicopters and air pressure spiked with V6’s heli rework and V6.1’s +2 air slots plus AA trees moving into air slots. SPAAG and mobile AA that can keep up with the advance protect your Battle Tank from being farmed by air. On maps with enemy helis or dive threats, SPAAG is not optional flavor—it is S-tier insurance.
A tier — workhorses
IFV and Wheeled IFV
IFV (price trimmed in V6) and the Wheeled IFV variant give mechanized infantry a fighting transport: move troops, add fire support, and contest mid-board. V6.1 buffed Wheeled IFV HP (then nudged price in 6.1.1), keeping the chassis relevant. Use IFVs to deliver Grunts into forests and towns faster than foot marches allow.
They die to dedicated AT if left alone—A tier, not immortal S—unless escorted.
APC
APC is the budget mechanized rush tool. Cheaper than IFV, great for dumping capture infantry onto points, fragile against serious anti-tank. In early campaigns and tix-tight presets, APC is often the correct A-tier pick over waiting for IFV.
Tank hunter → Tank Destroyer line
Tank hunter arrived in V6.1 as the Tank Destroyer pre-evolution, giving players an earlier on-ramp into the TD role. Ambush-oriented tank hunting punishes AI armor that overextends on roads. Grade the line A when the map is armor-heavy; drop it toward B on pure infantry city fights where a Light Gunner matters more.
Heavy AT Gun
Also new/finished in the V6.1 wave as an AT gun evolution. Towed heavy AT anchors defensive chokepoints and coastal approaches. Excellent on hold maps; awkward on blitz maps where everything must move every turn—still A when you know the mission shape.
B tier — important but conditional
SAM battery
SAM battery (AA cannon evolution, V6.1) is the long-range AA answer. After AA trees shifted toward air slots, SAM competes for precious air-related capacity. Bring it when enemy air is dense or when SPAAG coverage alone cannot stretch across a wide front. On ground-only maps, SAM is dead weight—hence B overall, S situationally.
Light / Medium tank intermediates
Scout tanks, light tanks, and mid-tier mediums teach armor play and fill early unlock gaps. Once Battle Tank is researched, most of these become temporary B-tier placeholders except on mobility-focused maps that punish heavy chassis.
Recon cars / armored cars
Vision and harass tools. Great for spotting radio targets and flanking soft units; poor as your only “tank.” Keep one recon brain in flexible decks, but do not confuse them with wincon armor.
C tier — easy to misuse
Transport Truck without a plan
Bare Transport Trucks move infantry and little else. Fine as a budget ferry, C-tier if you expected IFV-level combat value. Upgrade into APC/IFV when research allows.
Over-investing in duplicate heavies
Two Battle Tanks and zero suppliers or AA is a common C-tier trap. The hull is S-tier; the deck composition can still be C. Read the Loadout Planner role slots before cloning armor.
Ignoring fuel and ammo economy
Fuel-limited armored cars and ammo-hungry SPAAGs fall to C in practice when players forget suppliers. The unit sheet looks fine; the mid-game sputter is on you.
Air, AA slots, and helicopters
V6 added/rebalanced helicopters and Tank Buster-style dive tools; V6.1 moved AA trees into air slots and added air slot count. That means your vehicle grades now interact with slot accounting: every SAM or SPAAG decision competes with offensive air toys. Prefer SPAAG for mobile screens; prefer SAM when you need reach. Check the Changelog whenever slot rules shift again.
Suggested vehicle core for 600-tix style PvE
- Wincon: Battle Tank
- Transport: APC or IFV / Wheeled IFV
- AA screen: SPAAG (SAM if air is oppressive)
- AT answer: Tank hunter line or Heavy AT Gun depending on mobility needs
- Supplier: Supply Truck or better
Wrap that core with Grunts and Light Gunner from the Infantry Tier List. Cosmetic hulls (Patton, T-54, Löwe, Osório looks) from Skins do not change these grades.
Migration and patch hygiene
If your V5 tank unlocks look missing after the ownership move, complete V6 Migration on places 5734383673 → 94675483044457 before rebuying research. Then re-open presets—V6 lets you switch loadouts during deployment without backing out of the picker.
Related links
Re-rank after major balance notes: IFV price/HP nudges, Troopers economy (indirectly changes how many IFVs you can escort), and AA slot policy all move these letter grades more than flavor text does.
Frequently Asked Questions
Quick answers to the most common questions.
Is Battle Tank still the best generalist armor?
Yes for most PvE maps. Screen it with infantry and AA, and always bring a supplier so it does not strand itself mid-push.
APC or IFV for beginners?
Start with APC if tix are tight, then move to IFV or Wheeled IFV for a fighting transport once research and budget allow.
When should I take SAM battery over SPAAG?
Take SAM when you need longer-range AA coverage on wide or air-heavy maps. Prefer SPAAG when your front line is mobile and must stay under a moving umbrella.
Did V6.1 change vehicle priorities?
Yes. Tank hunter and Heavy AT Gun open AT paths earlier, Wheeled IFV got durability attention, and AA moving into air slots forces tighter SPAAG/SAM planning.