Exterior Customization

World of Tanks allows you to customize both the whole exterior of your vehicle and its individual parts. You can make your vehicle a truly personalized, one-of-a-kind battle machine using one of the customization methods:

• Preset styles are a pre-made set of customization elements for all map types. You can customize your vehicle in just one click.
• Custom styles are a collection of different elements, which you can apply to your vehicle in various combinations. Choosing and combining elements on your own allows you to create a unique vehicle design for each map type. 

Preset Styles

Preset styles are a pre-made set of customization elements for all map types. Each preset style can include paints, camouflage, decals, inscriptions, emblems, and visual effects. 

Preset styles can be divided into the following types:

• Rental styles. Styles that can be rented for any vehicle for a number of battles using credits.
• Primary styles. Permanent styles for some vehicle tiers, available for gold for an unlimited number of battles.
• Special styles. Styles that can be received as a gift in special events or earned in missions and some battle types. You can also purchase some special styles using gold in the in-game Store.
• Unique styles. Rare 3D styles that can be obtained from various in-game events and specials.

As well as offering a balanced design for all map types, preset styles also provide a concealment bonus. Preset styles are applied to the whole vehicle. Depending on their adjustability, preset styles can be:

• Adjustable. Allows you to remove or replace elements that come with certain styles, such as the Flora adjustable 2D style.
• Adjustable after receiving progressive decals. Allows you to make adjustments to most preset styles in the game once you receive a progressive decal for the selected vehicle.
• Unadjustable. Does not allow you to edit styles, such as rental styles.

How to Apply

To apply a preset style to your vehicle:

1. In your Garage, click Exterior. In the lower part of the screen, the exterior customization panel is displayed.
2. Go to the PRESET STYLES tab on the customization panel.
3. Select a style—it is automatically applied to your vehicle. To see the exterior design for other map types, switch between them on the left side of the screen.
   To learn more about some of the styles — click (Style Details). The style's concealment bonus, historical accuracy, type, and description will be displayed in a panel on the right side of the screen.
   While applying a Rental style, you can turn on automatic rent extension—click  (Extend Rental Period) in the radial menu in the center of the screen.

4. If you are applying an adjustable style, click (Adjust Style) and edit it with the available customization elements.

5. To rent or buy the selected style, click Go to Purchase in the upper-right corner of the customization panel. In the screen with the elements for purchase, click Purchase and Exit.

How to Remove

To remove a preset style from your vehicle:

1. In your Garage, click Exterior.
2. Go to the PRESET STYLES tab.
3. Click the vehicle, then click  (Remove Style) in the radial menu displayed.
4. Click Apply and Exit in the upper-right corner of the customization panel.

The removed styles are preserved and can be reapplied to the same vehicle or to any other for which this style is available. You can also sell permanent styles purchased using credits: right-click the style and select Sell.

Custom Style

Custom styles are a range of customization elements that you can apply to your vehicle in various combinations.

The following elements are available for creating a custom style:

Paints

Every nation has a range of paints available for vehicle decoration. Paints can be applied to five vehicle parts—the hull, turret, suspension, gun and gun mantlet. It takes one paint bucket to paint one part. So, you need a maximum of five buckets to paint the whole vehicle for a map type.

Camouflages

This exterior customization is functional and can enhance your vehicle’s concealment. You can apply three types camouflages that change automatically depending on the map you are playing on.

Camouflage can be applied separately to the hull, turret and gun. This allows you to combine camouflages. Apart from different combinations, you can also edit the scale and, in some cases, the color palette for each camouflaged vehicle part.

To get a concealment bonus, you have to apply camouflage to the hull. If you camouflage only the turret and the gun, your vehicle’s visibility is not affected.

Decals

Large images that spread over several vehicle parts. You can scale and flip the image horizontally. The number of available slots for decals on the vehicle depends on their aspect ratio. Note: the number of decals applied simultaneously on a vehicle is limited to three.

Emblems

Vehicles can be decorated with emblems instead of standard flags and signs, like red Soviet stars or German crosses. Depending on the vehicle model, you can apply one or two emblems to it.

Inscriptions

A decorative element represented by a short text or number. Textual inscriptions are non-editable and can be either specific to a certain vehicle nation or applicable to any vehicle in the game. As an option, you can decorate your vehicle with a tactical number—an editable digit combination with a range of fonts available. Depending on the vehicle model, you can apply one or two inscriptions to its turret or hull.

Effects

With effects, you can give your vehicle a battle-hardened look or make it shine like a brand new combat machine, fresh from the garage. Effects allow you to add wear or gloss to the paints and camouflages applied to your vehicle.

All exterior customizations are layered on each other in the same order as they are presented in the customization panel. For example, if you apply camouflage after painting your vehicle, the camouflage will cover the paint.

Progressive Elements

Progressive elements are customization elements for a vehicle that are earned for fulfilling certain battle conditions in this vehicle, such as earning mastery badges.

Each progressive element has levels that can be reached after fulfilling conditions of increasing difficulty. The element's appearance changes with each level. Upon receiving a progressive element, you get one instance of it for free. To use this element for different map types or multiple slots, you will need to purchase additional instances of this element. You can apply a progressive element of any achieved level to your vehicles. Once acquired, progressive elements can be used for most preset styles.

To learn about progressive elements and the levels you have unlocked, go to the Progressive elements tab in the left part of the screen.

How to apply

To apply a custom style element to your vehicle:

1. In your Garage, click Exterior. In the lower part of the screen, the exterior customization panel is displayed.
2. Go to the CUSTOM STYLES tab on the customization panel.
3. In the left part of the screen, select a map type for which you want to customize your vehicle.
4. In the customization panel, click the paint, camouflage, or any other element. The element’s icon is displayed to the right of the cursor .
   To select elements of a particular group or aspect ratio (for decals), use the filter on the left side of the customization panel.
5. Click all the vehicle parts you want to customize with this element.
   To speed up, click Paint Whole Vehicle for paints and camouflages, or Apply for All Types of Maps for emblems, inscriptions, and styles in the window to the right of the vehicle.

To exit the radial menu, click (Close Menu). Note: if any customization settings were applied, they are not cancelled upon exiting the menu.

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6. To buy the applied customization, click Go to Purchase in the upper-right corner of the customization panel. In the screen with the elements for purchase, сlick Purchase and Exit.

To view the current list of applied customization elements for the selected map type, click  to the left of the Go to Purchase button.

Customization elements can be purchased without applying them to the vehicle:

1. Right-click the element and select Add to cart.
2. In the Purchase Confirmation window, set the necessary number of elements and click Purchase.

To view only the elements you have in stock, use a special filter: click (In Depot) on the left side of the customization panel.

How to Remove

To remove a custom style element from your vehicle:

1. In your Garage, click Exterior.
2. Go to the CUSTOM STYLES tab.
3. Select the map type and the type of customization you want to remove.
4. The vehicle parts with the selected customization applied are marked with a special icon . Click the part you want to clear.
5. In the radial menu displayed, click the Remove button—for example, Remove From Turret or Remove Emblem.
   To remove uniform painting or camouflage, click Remove from Vehicle. To remove emblems, inscriptions, and visual effects applied for all map types, click Remove for All Map Types.
6. Click Apply and exit in the upper-right corner of the customization panel.

The removed element is preserved and can be reapplied to the same vehicle or on any other for which this element is available. You can also sell elements: right-click the element and select Sell.

Historical Accuracy

All customization elements in the game can be:

Historical. Styles and customization elements that existed and were used (or could have been used) at some point in real life.

Non-historical. Styles and customization elements that didn't exist, but could theoretically be used in certain real-life situations.

Fictional. Styles and customization elements that most likely could not be used in real life.

How does this affect the game?

By default, all vehicles are displayed only with a historical or basic exterior. The display of all designs and customization elements can be turned on in the game settings.

To configure the display of exteriors:

1. In your Garage, press Esc and select Settings.
2. In the General tab, scroll to the Display of customization elements in battle and choose the required option.
3. Click Apply.