In World of Tanks, the element of surprise and the ability to get the first shot off can make the difference in most fights. By understanding how cover works, as well as scouting, a player can obtain advantageous benefits to his play; this section will take a look at these concepts, and how you can use it to further your progress.

First, we will identify the different types of cover that you will encounter in World of Tanks. Cover can range from the terrain itself, buildings and objects, and brushes and trees. Out of all of these, terrain cover provides the best cover you can find. Terrain includes hills, rocks, sand dunes and so forth. Terrain is ideal due to the land being indestructible. When under enemy fire, using the lay of the land can give you ideal spots to lay low while under siege.

Buildings and objects can give you great angles when fighting in city battles, and make great obstacles to shoot and then duck behind. However, it is important to note that some buildings are destructible. It is fairly simple to tell the difference between a sturdy structure and one you can plow through. If the building is made of wood, clay, or sticks, then there is a good chance you can go right through it. Objects are also mostly destructible, but they can typically take a shot before they are destroyed. For example, in many maps you will find idle cars around the stage that you can hide behind, but when they get shot, the car flattens and ceases to provide any cover.

Bushes and trees can possible be the most important areas of refuge in the game. They can provide you with an offensive and defensive advantage. Bushes can camouflage your tank if positioned correctly, giving you the first strike as an unsuspecting tanker approaches your position. It is important to note that bushes and trees do not provide a barrier between you and enemy fire, but mainly serve to conceal. Another thing to look for, is even though they may give off the impression of an ideal concealment spot, downed trees do not camouflage you at all, so do not fall victim to hiding behind downed trees or you will end up roasted.

The use of bushes and cover really identify the way the game was meant to be played, in particular, the role of the scout. As we noted in Part 1, light tanks typically do not have the arsenal to go toe to toe with other tanks in the game. However, their small size and speed allows them to get to ideal bushes that will allow them to spot the enemy before they are spotted themselves. When taking cover behind bushes, it is important to remember a couple of things. First, rotate the camera to look at you behind the bush; if you can see yourself, then the enemy can probably see you as well. If not, your concealment is in place and you can spot enemies as they approach. Second, do not put yourself inside the bush. Ideally, you want to position yourself behind the bush. You will know you are too close when the bush becomes transparent. If this happens, reverse a couple of feet.

A couple of other aspects come into play when scouting also. The first thing to take note of is your view range. The larger the view range, the quicker you will spot the enemy, giving your team more time to take them out. It is also important to note that each tank has two sensors that the enemy can spot. There is one sensor in the front of the tank and one on top. If you are behind a rock with your turret sticking out, you may find your top being blown off.

Scouting is definitely not an easy thing, and doing it correctly will take patience on the drivers' part. Many scouts get the urge to drive out into the middle of the enemy, only to get destroyed in the first few seconds of the match. This does your team zero benefit and leaves them a man down. Use cover and the tips from this article to increase your effectiveness as a scout and assist your team in their success.

Next week, we will look at your crew, and how you can give them skills and perks to increase the overall effectiveness of your vehicle. Until next week tankers, roll out!