Exterior Modules
A practical reference for upgrading your vehicle exterior: crafting recipes, cumulative part costs, module chest drop rates, and the modification milestones that unlock stronger vehicles.
Quick read
- Module crafting uses three matching parts per upgrade until level 10; recipes change after level 10.
- Costs compound sharply: reaching module level 10 requires 19,683 equivalent level-1 parts.
- Each of the six exterior modules has a different chest drop rate; estimated timelines depend on chest income.
- Vehicle modification and exterior modules are related but distinct systems—don't confuse Wrench costs with module crafting parts.
What are Exterior Modules?
Exterior Modules are six upgradeable parts fitted to your modded vehicle in the Modification Garage. Unlike Tactical Plugins, which provide faction-linked vehicle skills and effects, Exterior Modules primarily improve troop stats for different combat situations. Think of them as specialized vehicle components: some strengthen defense, others attack, and some apply their bonus mainly when attacking, defending, or fighting in the field.
Defensive modules
Tactical Radar: troop defense and siege-assault defense. Hybrid Armor: troop defense and siege-defense defense. Hubcap: troop defense and in-field defense. These also gain troop HP at higher levels.
Offensive modules
Nitro Booster: troop attack and siege-assault attack. Solar Cell: troop attack and siege-defense attack. Mounted Cannon: troop attack and in-field attack. These also gain troop damage at higher levels.
How upgrades and synthesis work
Duplicate parts of the same type are combined into higher-level module parts. Through level 10, the crafting path follows a three-to-one progression: for example, three level-6 parts make one level-7 part. The game also uses module EXP when feeding parts; each level-1 equivalent part supplies 5 EXP. Higher-level parts represent the corresponding accumulated value.
You can upgrade a module gradually; its main stats increase as progress advances, while HP or DMG bonuses are unlocked from level 6 and change at progression milestones. Because crafting requirements rise rapidly, check both your current inventory and the cost to reach the next useful level before committing a large stockpile.
Exterior module crafting: levels 1–15
These are cumulative equivalent level-1 part costs for a single module, not additional costs at that level.
| Level | Level-1 equivalent parts | Crafting recipe |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | 1 | Base part |
| 2 | 3 | 3 × level 1 |
| 3 | 9 | 3 × level 2 |
| 4 | 27 | 3 × level 3 |
| 5 | 81 | 3 × level 4 |
| 6 | 243 | 3 × level 5 |
| 7 | 729 | 3 × level 6 |
| 8 | 2,187 | 3 × level 7 |
| 9 | 6,561 | 3 × level 8 |
| 10 | 19,683 | 3 × level 9 |
| 11 | 39,366 | 2 × level 10 |
| 12 | 78,732 | 2 × level 10 + 1 × level 11 |
| 13 | 118,098 | 1 × level 11 + 1 × level 12 |
| 14 | 157,464 | 1 × level 11 + 1 × level 13 |
| 15 | 236,196 | 2 × level 11 + 1 × level 14 |
Module chest distribution
Published drop rates and illustrative time-to-max estimates for a free-income scenario. These estimates assume 119 level-1 chests plus 100 level-3 chests per week. They are measured in years, not weeks, and are projections rather than guarantees.
| Exterior module | Published drop rate | Estimated years to level 15 |
|---|---|---|
| Tactical Radar | 19.78% | 22.5 |
| Hybrid Armor | 19.78% | 22.5 |
| Hubcap | 17.58% | 25.4 |
| Nitro Booster | 16.48% | 27.0 |
| Solar Cell | 14.29% | 31.2 |
| Mounted Cannon | 12.09% | 36.9 |
Where do module parts come from?
Module/component boxes can come from in-game reward sources such as higher-level intercity trade trucks and the Glory Shop; check your server's current reward descriptions and availability. Chests can distribute parts unevenly, so a module with a lower drop rate may become the bottleneck even if you open boxes consistently.
The table above shows why planning matters: Mounted Cannon has a lower reported drop rate than Tactical Radar or Hybrid Armor. Treat projected completion time as a comparison of scarcity, not a schedule you should expect to follow exactly.
Vehicle modification milestones
Modification uses Wrenches. This abbreviated table highlights vehicle unlocks and the cap; the source contains the full five-level-step table from 0 to 240.
| Modification level | Milestone / unlock | Cumulative Wrenches |
|---|---|---|
| 0 | Conqueror | 5 |
| 45 | Cheetah Armored Vehicle | 150 |
| 95 | Hercules | 1,670 |
| 145 | Destroyer | 10,380 |
| 195 | Destroyer-EX | 35,240 |
| 240 | Modification cap | 70,640 |
Modules vs. modification vs. Tactical Plugins
Exterior Modules
Equip and level six component types for troop ATK, DEF, HP, DMG and combat-situation bonuses. Progress uses module parts, chests, synthesis, and EXP.
Vehicle Modification
Spend Wrenches and other vehicle-specific resources toward modification milestones and vehicle unlocks. This is separate from leveling exterior components.
Tactical Plugins
Equip four faction-matched plugins for hero bonuses, combat effects, and Resonance. Orange plugins are the long-term priority. Read the Tactical Plugins guide →
Modded Vehicle Tracker
Use the existing tracker to organize progression and make upgrades at the right time, without confusing the three systems.
How to prioritize upgrades
Work toward meaningful milestones
Look at the next unlock or measurable combat benefit rather than spending simply because parts or Wrenches are available.
Track bottlenecks
Compare current module levels, their crafting recipes, and your chest income to decide where progress is realistically achievable.