Hi Uwe,
WWIIonline is abit different. It has a persistent world and I think you have to pay per month.
WT is free to play and are always small battles. Multicrew is not possible. Here is a checklist how to play WT together:
1. You must download and install the game via steam or
warthunder.com and register. Maybe use a name like: J30_Name so we can find you easily. You can also change the name later in the game again.
2. You have to know the names of your friends you want play TW together.
3. Add your friends in the contact list of TW. Click icon next to your name on the top, or play with friends left low right. Type in the name in the seach field, select the name and add him to you list with small icon right to the name.
4. When your friend adds you also to the contact list you can see each other if you are online. The icon left to the name will switch from red to green.
5. Now you are able to chat with each other. Double click on the name or press send message of the icons right of the selected name.
6. In the menu under games option you find also the settings for voice chat. Enable it, select micro and speakers, adjust the level and choose push to talk key or voice activation.
7. To play together one player must be the squad leader and invites the others. Select the name in your friends list and press invite icon right of the name. Next to the name now a small chain icon shows that you are in a squad. In the chat window you now have a squad tab where you can chat with the squad members. This squad is only temporary for the game session.
8. The squad leader will select the game type and what servers. Below the To Battle button you can select in the menu the game type and on the bottom you can select the server location. This will effect only the player you meet and the ping speed. You dont need to modify the server location to play with members from EU etc.
9. The squad leader will start the game by pressing To Battle, the other squad member see a Ready button instead. They all have to press the Ready button what the squad is able to jump into a game. The Ready button toggles the ready state. After pressing it switches to Not Ready. Now you now that you are Ready to play, in case you dont want to play press it again and it switches back to Ready. It show always the action and not the current state.
10. Before you enter the game you should select tank or plane set you wanna use. Right before the entering the server you see the mission screen, where you select your tank or plane, configure the ammo load, and see the mission objectives.
11. In the game it self the squad spawn next to each other. All squad members uses green icons, friendly blue and enemies red. You can see them also as green dots on the mini map.
12. After the game you get research point to unlock modifications, unlock tanks and planes and upgrade your crews. You have to select which modification you want to research and before the game you select which plane or tank you want to unlock.
13. When a modification or plane or tank is researched you are able to buy it. You buy it with silver lions. You can recieve silver lions after each match or you can buy it with golden eagles. Golden eagles can be add to you account only with real money. With golden eagles you can speed up the leveling or you can by special planes or tanks which can be unlocked only with golden eagles.
14. Some times you recieve some bonus when entering the game or after successful match. These can speed up the leveling or you get some mods or planes, tanks for free.