https://wiki.warthunder.com/api.php?action=feedcontributions&user=U11670196&feedformat=atomWar Thunder Wiki - User contributions [en]2024-03-29T14:38:23ZUser contributionsMediaWiki 1.30.0https://wiki.warthunder.com/index.php?title=Tank_ammunition&diff=64137Tank ammunition2020-07-22T00:14:58Z<p>U11670196: Further updates to HESH!</p>
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<div>Throughout the past century of tank development, a large range of ammunition types have been produced and seen combat. As time progressed, technology improved and rounds also improved in terms of lethality, accuracy and ballistic performance. Despite this, most rounds can be categorised under one of two primary categories: '''kinetic''' rounds and '''chemical''' rounds; and further under a variety of subcategories.<br />
<br />
== Kinetic energy shells ==<br />
'''Kinetic rounds''' penetrate and deal damage based on a number of factors; shell type, projectile mass, round velocity and material hardness. Mass, shell type and hardness are constants, but velocity reduces with distance travelled and as such at longer ranges kinetic rounds will lose penetration ability and in some cases post-penetration efficacy. Most kinetic rounds can hit targets through lighter obstacles - trees, walls and some buildings. Under the right circumstances, solid kinetic rounds can penetrate multiple vehicles along their trajectory.<br />
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=== Solid Armour-Piercing Rounds ===<br />
Solid AP rounds are a kinetic munition that utilise a hardened metal (often steel) shell with full-calibre diameter. The result is a simple, yet effective anti-tank round that will punch through armour with high equivalent thickness values, while retaining reasonable post-penetration effects which, when well-placed, can deal significant internal damage to components and crew directly within the shrapnelling path. The amount of spalling generated by a successful AP penetration depends on the shell mass and thickness of the penetrated armour and modules. Generally, solid AP does not stop until it has exhausted all of its force and is capable of passing through an entire vehicle if this energy is not fully expended.<br />
==== Armour-Piercing (AP) ====<br />
[[File:Icon rnd ap.png|left|frameless]] Armour-Piercing is a basic solid steel shot which is entirely reliant on kinetic energy to penetrate and deal damage. Providing the round possesses enough energy to penetrate any given armour, it will deal internal damage from steel fragments and spalling of the internal surfaces which can damage vehicle components, stored ammunition and crew members.<br />
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''AP is a standard early World War II ammunition for many nations. In War Thunder, AP rounds should be used as a general use anti-armour round, with careful round placement to maximise post-penetration damage. Some nations, such as the British, have modified versions of AP, usually denoted by a "HV" in the name, which is launched at a higher velocity than standard AP rounds, resulting in higher penetration potential.''<br />
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==== Armour-Piercing, Capped (APC) ====<br />
[[File:Icon rnd apc.png|left|frameless]] APC rounds have a nose cone (or cap) of softer metal which is fixed to the front of the solid shot. When this strikes the target armour the shock of the impact is transferred away from the tip of the round to the neck, helping prevent shattering. Additionally, the cap will collapse on contact with armour and the deformation will cause the round to angle towards the armour, more efficiently directing energy into the armour and improving the angled performance of the round. A downside of the cap is a decrease in long-range accuracy due to the cap interfering with the shell's aerodynamics.<br />
[[File:APC Normalization.gif|thumb|Display of shell normalization as an effect of a capped (APC) shell (clickable gif)]]<br />
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''APC is commonly found as a mid-tier shell for both the British and French on their mid-to-late WW2 vehicles. In War Thunder, APC is best used as a short-to-mid range round for combatting angled armour that regular AP rounds may not easily penetrate.''<br />
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==== Armour-Piercing, Ballistic Capped (APBC) ====<br />
[[File:Icon rnd apbc.png|left|frameless]] APBC rounds utilise a ballistic cap, designed to improve aerodynamic performance and hence round performance at longer ranges. The cap usually utilises a soft or brittle metal which collapses on impact and does not aid penetration or angled performance.<br />
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''APBC is found on some early Russian vehicles, but is relatively uncommon otherwise compared to APCBC. In War Thunder, APBC is best used as a longer-range alternative to APC or APHE rounds which often exhibit less favourable ranged performance.''<br />
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==== Armour-Piercing, Capped, Ballistic Capped (APCBC) ====<br />
[[File:Icon rnd apcbc.png|left|frameless]] APCBC rounds combine the standard cap and the ballistic cap, improving the round's aerodynamic and penetration performance. As such, APCBC rounds tend to exhibit the best 'all-round' characteristics of any conventional kinetic rounds.<br />
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''APCBC is found as a high-tier shell for British, French and American mid-to-late WW2 vehicles. In-game, APCBC should be the preferred option given a selection of full-calibre solid shot rounds, when available, and should be situationally switched for APHE rounds if they're available.''<br />
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=== HE-Filled Armour-Piercing Rounds ===<br />
HE-Filled Armour-Piercing Rounds take the concept of armour-piercing rounds and add a deadly twist - a quantity of HE filler on a timed fuse, designed to explode after a successful penetration. While the concept sacrifices some structural integrity and thus penetrating power, the destructive ability of an APHE round is nearly unrivalled. The fuse only activates if the shell collides with a surface of reasonable thickness, mostly dictated by shell caliber - though there are exceptions with a slower or faster fuse. After the fuse activates, the contained explosive will be ignited after passing a specified distance, resulting in significantly increased internal damage to a target. Vehicles with rolled homogenous armour side skirts of reasonable thickness can detonate fast fuse APHE early, sometime avoiding internal damage entirely. Tanks with large or numerous modules directly behind weak spots (for example, front-mounted transmissions) can block the entire round from further penetration, or simply block the post-penetration effect from passing. Keep this in mind, and try to aim for locations that will allow detonation as centrally within the target as possible.<br />
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==== Armour-Piercing, High-Explosive (APHE) ====<br />
[[File:Icon rnd aphe.png|left|frameless]] APHE rounds utilise a similar form to AP rounds, but incorporate a small chamber of high-explosive filler within the round. This often slightly reduces the round's mass and construction strength and as such APHE rounds tend to exhibit slightly worse penetration performance than their solid shot counterparts. However, upon successful penetration, APHE rounds often cause significantly more damage within a vehicle. APHE rounds have a fuse which will only activate on sufficiently thick armour.<br />
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''APHE is primarily found on Russian, German and Japanese vehicles earlier in the tech tree, and on a selection of earlier American vehicles. It should be prioritised for use when penetration is highly likely, or switched for AP or APCR if improved penetration is required.''<br />
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==== Armour-Piercing, High-Explosive, Ballistic Capped (APHEBC) ====<br />
[[File:Icon rnd aphebc.png|left|frameless]] APHEBC rounds, similarly to APHE, utilise APBC concepts with the addition of high-explosive filler. Again, the rounds tend to exhibit slightly worse penetrative performance than their solid shot brethren, but significantly more post-penetration damage. APHEBC rounds have a fuse which will only activate on sufficiently thick armour.<br />
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''APHEBC is primarily found on Russian and Italian vehicles earlier in the tech tree as a mid-tier round, and on some American and German vehicles. It's ideally used against targets where angled performance is required and HE filler is preferable.''<br />
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==== Armour-Piercing, High-Explosive, Capped, Ballistic Capped (APHECBC) ====<br />
[[File:Icon rnd aphecbc.png|left|frameless]] APHECBC rounds utilise standard APCBC designs with added explosive filler. APHECBC is often referred to as 'APCBC' in-game, and can be identified instead by the graphic or the explosive filler content on the round's stat card. As with other APHE rounds, APHECBC significantly improves the post-penetration lethality over that of a standard APCBC round. APHECBC rounds have a fuse which will only activate on sufficiently thick armour.<br />
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''APHECBC is found throughout the Russian tech tree as a high-tier round, and on some Japanese, American and German vehicles. APHECBC should be used preferentially and interchangeably with a high-penetration round where available.''<br />
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=== Sub-Calibre Armour-Piercing Rounds ===<br />
Sub-Calibre AP rounds are, essentially, what they say on the label - the penetrator itself is of a smaller calibre than the gun barrel, using a 'sabot' to make up the calibre difference. How the sabot is handled is dependent on the type of round - it may be either discarding or non-discarding. Sub-calibre rounds sacrifice post-penetration effectiveness for high round velocities and high penetration values.<br />
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==== Armour-Piercing, Composite, Rigid (APCR) ====<br />
[[File:Icon rnd apcr.png|left|frameless]] APCR rounds often use tungsten carbide or other extremely hard metals as a sub-calibre penetrator, wrapped within a softer full-calibre sabot - the APCR concept is essentially a predecessor to the APDS design. Upon impact, the soft shell will deform, allowing the hard metal penetrator contained within to penetrate the target's armour with force spread over a smaller surface area, resulting in significantly better penetration ability. APCR rounds often suffer due to their more concentrated post-penetration damage, as well as faster penetration drop-off over range than a standard AP round of the same calibre. Due to their design, APCR perform extremely poorly when fired upon angled armour, and will ricochet on much smaller angles than AP or APDS. <br />
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''APCR is found throughout most tech trees, most commonly available to vehicles from mid-WW2 through to early cold war vehicles. APCR rounds are best used against minimally angled armour, where other rounds will be unable to penetrate.''<br />
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==== Armour-Piercing, Discarding Sabot (APDS) ====<br />
[[File:Icon rnd apds.png|left|frameless]] APDS rounds utilise a hard core as a sub-calibre penetrator, with a full calibre sabot. Unlike APCR rounds, APDS rounds discard their sabot after exiting the cannon barrel. The result is an extremely high-velocity round with particularly high penetration values and good ranged accuracy. Unlike APCR, APDS does not suffer when used against angled armour. APDS produces a minimal amount of post-penetration damage - this can be attributed to the shell degradation the thicker the armour it has to penetrate. The thicker the armour, the more it deteriorates and the less spalling it will cause. Once the round deteriorates far enough, it will shatter. This is especially apparent for small-calibre APDS, or when used against some extremely heavy vehicles. Due to this, careful aim is required when utilising APDS rounds to maximise their post-penetration effect.<br />
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''APDS is first made available on post-WW2 British vehicles, and is available to most vehicles in possession of an [[Royal Ordnance L7A1 (105 mm)|L7]]-derived cannon. In War Thunder, APDS is best used as a long-range round, with multiple shots often being a necessity due to the lack of post-penetration damage. APDS can be quite ineffective against lightly-armoured vehicles and the frontal armour of super heavy tanks.''<br />
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==== Armour-Piercing, Fin-Stabilised, Discarding Sabot (APFSDS) ====<br />
[[File:Icon rnd apfsds.png|left|frameless]] APFSDS is the pinnacle of the kinetic anti-armour rounds. As with APDS, APFSDS utilises an extremely hard penetrator and a discarding sabot, however the penetrator is usually significantly longer than that of APDS and incorporates fins for improved long-range ballistics. The additional penetrator length improves the post-penetration damage effects. APFSDS rounds are the most powerful kinetic rounds available in-game.<br />
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''APFSDS is first made available to some late Rank V vehicles, and is often the primary round for most Rank VI or VII vehicles. Due to the extremely high velocity most APFSDS rounds are fired at, they are easy to aim and maintain their effective performance at even extreme ranges. APFSDS is quite ineffective against lightly-armoured vehicles and should be aimed at critical components to maximise their damage potential.''<br />
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== Chemical energy shells ==<br />
'''Chemical energy shells''' deal damage based on a chemical reaction, and unlike kinetic shells, their ability to penetrate and deal damage are unaffected by the shell's velocity. This means that target distance often doesn't affect the round's effectiveness. However, this also means that enemy tanks spaced and composite armour can be much more effective at preventing the damage, depending on the shell type used. Many chemical shells utilise extremely sensitive fuses and will detonate upon touching anything, while almost none of them can be fired through solid obstacles. Many chemical rounds have a very low muzzle velocity, reducing their effective range but allowing the user to launch them over terrain. <br />
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=== High-Explosive Rounds ===<br />
High-Explosive rounds are a simple shell packed full of a high-explosive material, primarily designed for anti-infantry and anti-emplacement applications. However, this translates surprisingly well when applied to light vehicles - significantly more so than armour-piercing rounds or in some cases even APHE rounds. Unfortunately, most HE-based rounds are relatively useless against well-armoured vehicles and force their user to target flaws in an enemy tank design.<br />
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==== High-Explosive (HE) ====<br />
[[File:Icon rnd he.png|left|frameless]] High-Explosive rounds are primarily intended for use as an anti-infantry/anti-emplacement round. As such, HE rounds tend to have minimal armour-piercing capability and are better used against particularly lightly armoured vehicles, although on occasion it can prove effective against the sides of a vehicle. Particularly high-calibre HE rounds may cause enough area damage to destroy a tank regardless of the round placement.<br />
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''HE rounds are available to almost every vehicle in-game. However, low-calibre HE rounds are ineffective against all but the most lightly armoured targets, so this type of round should only be utilised by vehicles with large-calibre guns, such as the [[KV-2]] or [[Sturmpanzer II]].''<br />
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==== High-Explosive Time Fuse (HE-DF) ====<br />
[[File:Icon rnd hevt.png|left|frameless]] HE-DF rounds use the simple concept of a timed fuse, resulting in an explosion at a pre-set range. While HE-DF rounds are no more effective than HE rounds against most heavy armour, they can be particularly effective against light vehicles with a known range or against aircraft (one of their original design uses).<br />
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''HE-DF rounds are available to a number of vehicles originally designed for anti-air purposes, such as the [[YaG-10 (29-K)]] and the [[8,8 cm Flak 37 Sfl.]]. They're best used against aircraft by rangefinding the aircraft in question, setting the fuse range to a reasonable assumption based on the result and leading sensibly. They can be extremely effective against aircraft if used correctly, but are mostly ineffective against armoured vehicles.''<br />
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==== High-Explosive Variable Time Fuse [Self-Destroying] (HE-VT*) ====<br />
[[File:Icon rnd he prx.png|left|frameless]] HE-VT rounds are an advanced round fitted with a specialised proximity fuse, designed to detonate the round upon reaching close proximity with a target. These are usually designed for anti-air applications, and are generally ineffective against most ground targets.<br />
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''HE-VT rounds are available to some later anti-air vehicles, such as the [[OTOMATIC]], or some light tanks, like the [[Begleitpanzer 57]], and are capable of destroying aircraft or helicopters if the round passes within close proximity of the target. They are extremely effective against mid-ranged aircraft but cannot be relied upon for use against armour.''<br />
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==== High-Explosive Grenade ====<br />
[[File:Icon grn he.png|left|frameless]] HE Grenades are specialised HE rounds designed to be fired from cannons which may not be otherwise capable of firing high-calibre rounds. They usually operate in a different manner to conventional cannon rounds, utilising a propellant rather than a charge, resulting in a relatively low round velocity and sub-par ballistics. However, this design has proven useful, as the low velocity can be used to 'sling' rounds over small terrain deformations, onto weak roof armour, or into trenches or bunkers.<br />
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''HE Grenades are available to vehicles with 'recoilless' cannon designs or other non-standard cannon designs. They are generally as effective as an equivalent HE round, however have significantly lower muzzle velocity and as such are extremely inaccurate at long ranges. HE Grenades are found on various vehicles, such as the [[BMP-1]].''<br />
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==== Rocket ====<br />
[[File:Icon spr rocket.png|left|frameless]] Rockets are unguided high-explosive self-propelled rounds which are often significantly higher calibre than standard tank cannons. They can be mounted as ancillary weaponry on some vehicles, or in some cases mounted on specialised rocket-carrier vehicles.<br />
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''Rockets can be unreliable and inaccurate, but due to their often large calibre, large amounts of HE filler, and ability to continuously launch them until the ammo rack is empty, they can prove effective against some armoured vehicles. Rockets are either mounted ancillary, as on the [[Calliope]] or the [[M26 T99]], or on rocket carriers such as the [[BM-13N]].''<br />
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=== Anti-Emplacement Rounds ===<br />
Anti-Emplacement rounds are designed specifically for combatting emplacements, however have proven to have some anti-tank value. They rely on different mechanics to normal rounds, but can prove particularly ineffective against heavy armour.<br />
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==== Shrapnel ====<br />
[[File:Shrapnel Round Icon.png|left|frameless]] Shrapnel rounds are a chemical round utilising a thin shell and a chamber of metal fillings or ball bearings with a small explosive charge. Upon successful penetration, shrapnel rounds cause a significant amount of damage. However, due to the thin outer shell, shrapnel rounds only perform well against particularly light armour and are completely ineffective when used against even moderately armoured targets.<br />
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''Shrapnel rounds are available exclusively to early Russian vehicles. Shrapnel is exclusively useful against lightly armoured targets, and shouldn't be used against front-facing armour of any other tank.''<br />
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==== High-Explosive Squash Head (HESH) ====<br />
[[File:Icon rnd hesh.png|left|frameless]] HESH rounds are designed as an anti-emplacement round. The 'squash head', usually comprised of some form of plastic explosive, is designed to squash onto a surface and detonate, causing the opposite side of the surface to rupture. If the given surface happens to be metal, this will often result in metal shards flying off the surface at high velocity. While in the past, HESH rounds have had improved performance on angled targets, their performance is now completely uniform at all ranges and angles.<br />
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''HESH rounds are available to most British vehicles from Rank V, and other vehicles in possession of an L7-derived gun. HESH should be primarily used against lighter armour or side armour, while specifically avoiding side skirts and any other forms of spaced armour, although occasionally the HE splash effect can cause unexpected results. HESH is completely ineffective against heavy armour or composite armour designs.''<br />
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=== High-Explosive Anti-Tank Rounds ===<br />
High-Explosive Anti-Tank (HEAT) rounds make use of shaped charges to penetrate armour, forcing superplastic metal through into the crew compartment, damaging crew and modules. HEAT rounds prove particularly effective at long ranges, as their method of action does not lose effectiveness with range. Unfortunately though, the fuse on a HEAT round must be extremely sensitive, causing the rounds to detonate even on bushes and wooden fences that other chemical rounds of high calibre have a chance to pass through. All HEAT-derived rounds have concentrated post-penetration damage, similar to APDS, which travels in a tight cone from the impact point. This often works in favor of the shell when a direct hit is achieved, in some cases allowing it to burn through modules such as frontally-mounted transmissions, dealing further damage to the vehicle's internals. This same effect can prove troublesome when a round collides on a sub-par angle or after penetration there's simply nothing within its cone of effect.<br />
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==== High-Explosive, Anti-tank (HEAT) ====<br />
[[File:Icon rnd heat.png|left|frameless]] HEAT rounds are designed specifically as an anti-tank round. They operate with a shaped charge that uses an explosive to force superplastic metal through a vehicle's armour, causing internal damage to crew and modules.<br />
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''HEAT rounds are available to a variety of WW2 German and Japanese vehicles, as well as higher-performance HEAT becoming available to some late French and American vehicles, as HEAT-FS rounds cannot be fired from rifled cannons. HEAT is limited in effectiveness and its usage should be carefully considered as many vehicles have armour it cannot penetrate. Due to its low velocity, HEAT often requires a high angle of attack and will arrive at a target on an angle - as such the often impressive 0° penetration statistics will often prove irrelevant, with angled penetration values being more accurate.''<br />
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==== High-Explosive, Anti-Tank, Fin-Stabilized (HEAT-FS) ====<br />
[[File:Icon rnd heatfs.png|left|frameless]] HEAT-FS rounds are an improvement over the HEAT concept, using improved penetrative chemicals and utilising fins for improved ballistic performance. HEAT-FS rounds maintain their penetration values at all ranges, and are well-suited to long-range engagements. HEAT-FS rounds are particularly sensitive, and may detonate on light obstacles such as shrubs or fences.<br />
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''HEAT-FS rounds become available to many nations from Rank V, although notably the British do not receive HEAT-FS at any stage due to its incompatibility with rifled cannons. At late Rank VI and Rank VII, HEAT-FS may prove ineffective in many cases due to the prevalence of ERA and composite armour. Despite this, it can still be used for ranged engagements against light tanks and medium tanks with insufficient ERA or composite protection, as particularly late HEAT-FS rounds have extremely high penetration power. High-calibre HEAT-FS rounds will reliably hull break light tanks, a mechanic that can be applied against vehicles APFSDS is ineffective against.''<br />
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==== High-Explosive, Anti-Tank, Fin-Stabilised, Proximity Fuse [Self-Destroying] (HEAT-FS VT*) ====<br />
[[File:Icon rnd heatfs.png|left|frameless]]HEAT-FS VT rounds are specialised HEAT-FS rounds which utilise a proximity fuse to detonate when in close proximity to a target. They can be used to destroy low-flying aircraft or helicopters, while maintaining their effectiveness against ground vehicles utilising normal HEAT-FS technology.<br />
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''HEAT-FS VT rounds are extremely specialised. As of Update 1.93, they are available to only the [[M1A2 Abrams]] and have an identical icon to the standard HEAT-FS. They combine the anti-armour power of a standard HEAT-FS round with the anti-aircraft effectiveness of a HE-VT round. Their proximity fuse will detonate only above a specified altitude, so they can be used normally against other armoured vehicles.''<br />
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==== High-Explosive, Anti-Tank Grenade ====<br />
[[File:Icon grn heat.png|left|frameless]] HEAT Grenades are specialised HEAT rounds, designed for use where normal tank rounds may not be possible to utilise. They often use a propellant rather than a standard charge, and as such suffer from low velocity and sub-par round ballistics. Despite this, they can prove effective against tanks due to their HEAT technology.<br />
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''HEAT Grenades are available to vehicles with 'recoilless' cannons or other non-standard cannon designs. Their effectiveness is similar to that of an equivalent HEAT round, however due to their low muzzle velocity they can be inaccurate at long ranges. HEAT Grenades are found on various light vehicles, such as the [[BMP-1]], [[FIAT 6614]] and [[Type 60 SPRG (C)]].''<br />
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=== Guided Missiles ===<br />
Guided missiles utilise a guidance system (of various types, such as MCLOS, SACLOS, Radar, Heat-Seeking) to accomplish their intended role. They sacrifice round velocity for long-range precision. Different missile types are effective in different applications - some have anti-tank properties, while others are effective against air targets.<br />
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==== Anti-Tank Guided Missile (ATGM) ====<br />
{{main|Anti-tank guided missiles}}<br />
[[File:Icon spr atgm.png|left|frameless]] ATGMs largely utilise the same concept as HEAT, however they integrate some form of propulsion and are usually guideable, either manually (MCLOS) or semi-automatically (SACLOS). ATGMs usually pack a large amount of explosive and often have particularly powerful shaped charges. However, they require specialised equipment to fire and tend to be heavy, often resulting in long reload times, especially for hybrid vehicles.<br />
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''ATGMs become available through Rank V, and are primarily carried by specialised ATGM carriers, although some tanks have ATGM-capable main cannons and some exceptional designs such as the [[Strv 81 (Rb.52)]] or the [[AMX-13 (HOT)]] mount ATGMs on ancillary pylons. ATGMs are powerful and SACLOS guided missiles are easily aimed, however they travel slowly and well-aware targets may be able to move into cover prior to the ATGM reaching them.''<br />
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==== Anti-Tank Guided Missile, Proximity Fuse [Self-Destroying] (ATGM-VT*) ====<br />
[[File:Icon spr atgm prx.png|left|frameless]] Proximity ATGMs utilise proximity fuses to detonate when in close proximity to aircraft. This, combined with their guidance systems (SACLOS) allows them to be used effectively against low-flying aircraft or helicopters.<br />
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''Proximity Fuse ATGMs can prove extremely effective against low-flying aircraft or helicopters, and utilise a similar proximity fuse concept to SAM missiles - although often ATGMs pack significantly more HE filler than SAMs do. ATGM-VT missiles are available to specialised ATGM carriers such as the [[Shturm-S]].''<br />
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==== Anti-Tank Guided Missile, Tandem Charge (ATGM Tandem) ====<br />
[[File:Icon spr atgm tandem.png|left|frameless]] Tandem ATGMs utilise a twin-stage warhead to overcome ERA - the first stage causes the ERA to detonate, while the second stage penetrates the armour below as normal. This concept does not work against NERA or composite armour.<br />
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''Tandem ATGMs are effective against ERA-protected vehicles, and often have very high penetration values. Tandem charge ATGMs are available to specialised ATGM carriers such as the [[Shturm-S]].''<br />
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==== Anti-Tank Guided Missile, HE (ATGM-HE) ====<br />
[[File:Icon spr atgm he.png|left|frameless]] HE ATGMs are a simplification of a standard ATGM; rather than a shaped HEAT charge, HE missiles simply utilise a large quantity of explosive to damage or destroy emplacements or light vehicles or other ATGM tanks.<br />
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''HE ATGMs are only effective against light vehicles and missile carriers in most cases, despite packing large quantities of HE filler. They are available to specialised ATGM carriers such as the [[Shturm-S]].''<br />
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==== Surface to Air Missile (SAM) ====<br />
[[File:Icon spr sam.png|left|frameless]] SAMs are high-velocity anti-air missiles, designed specifically to combat aircraft using a variety of technologies; often including proximity fuses and radar or heat-seeking guidance.<br />
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''SAMs are very effective at long distances against aircraft, particularly helicopters. They are often extremely high velocity and pack a large amount of HE filler for a powerful airburst effect. SAMs are available to specialised anti-air vehicles such as the [[ZPRK 2S6|2S6 Tunguska]] or the [[ADATS]], which, notably, has multi-purpose missiles that are also effective against armoured vehicles. Most SAMs pack less HE filler than an HE ATGM and are only reliably effective against lightly armoured ground vehicles.''<br />
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=== Utility Rounds ===<br />
Utility rounds are ineffective for use against other vehicles, but provide value in some sort of utility.<br />
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==== Smoke ====<br />
{{main|Smoke screen|l1=Smoke}}<br />
[[File:Icon rnd smoke.png|left|frameless]] Smoke shells are not designed as a damaging shell, and largely consist of chemicals designed to create a smoke screen. The produced smoke has a limited lifetime.<br />
<br />
''Smoke shells are available to various vehicles throughout most tech trees, however their effectiveness is somewhat limited compared to dedicated smoke launchers. The main advantage of smoke shells is that unlike ESS or hull mounted smoke canisters, they can be launched anywhere the equipped vehicle can aim, allowing for strategic placement for pushes or flanking maneuvers, or simply firing at an enemy vehicle to force them to move from their position.'' <br />
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== Media ==<br />
<!--Excellent additions to the article would be video guides, screenshots from the game, and photos.--><br />
{{Youtube-gallery|CZqzMhbnvO4|'''Tank Shells Guide''' - War Thunder Official Channel|Qyr_aw3YTe8|'''The Shooting Range #2''' - ''Science of War'' section at 05:11 discusses HESH rounds.|6O3MBjdSsIk|'''Tank Shells Guide - War Thunder ammo types explained''' - ''HowToPlay1337''|ajeqij4_jwM|'''Ammo Types in War Thunder EXPLAINED''' - ''skDoger''|_xCgMBOiA8U|'''High-explosive power''' - ''War Thunder Official Channel''|lK9Ck3P6AvM|'''Top 7 best rounds''' - ''War Thunder Official Channel''|fCc_B-wm0wA|'''Post-War Heat Shells''' - ''War Thunder Official Channel''}}<br />
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==See also==<br />
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* [[Ammo racks]] - How all tank ammunition is stored within the tank<br />
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[[Category:Ammunition]]</div>U11670196https://wiki.warthunder.com/index.php?title=OF-40_(MTCA)&diff=56285OF-40 (MTCA)2020-05-17T21:21:41Z<p>U11670196: Update to armour and mobility sections.</p>
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<div>{{Specs-Card<br />
|code=it_of_40_mtca<br />
|store=6880<br />
}}<br />
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== Description ==<br />
<!--In the description, the first part should be about the history of the creation and combat usage of the vehicle, as well as its key features. In the second part, tell the reader about the ground vehicle in the game. Insert a screenshot of the vehicle, so that if the novice player does not remember the vehicle by name, he will immediately understand what kind of vehicle the article is talking about.--><br />
[[File:GarageImage_{{PAGENAME}}.jpg|420px|thumb|left]]<br />
{{break}}<br />
The '''{{Specs|name}}''' is a premium rank {{Specs|rank}} Italian medium tank {{Battle-rating}}. It was introduced in [[Update 1.89 "Imperial Navy"]].<br />
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== General info ==<br />
=== Survivability and armour ===<br />
<!-- Describe armour protection. Note the most well protected and key weak areas. Appreciate the layout of modules as well as the number and location of crew members. Is the level of armour protection sufficient, is the placement of modules helpful for survival in combat? If necessary use a visual template to indicate the most secure and weak zones of the armour. --><br />
The OF-40 (MTCA) has very little in the way of armour - effectively identical to both OF-40 models in the tech tree - with just enough to protect its crew from most frontal attacks from light autocannons - however even then the turret ring and some other small weak spots are reasonably vulnerable. Despite this, the OF-40's steep constructional angles may on occasion bounce even APFSDS rounds, while the (minimalist) spaced armour in the turret may absorb some less-powerful chemical rounds. Regardless, the safe approach is to avoid enemy fire whenever possible.<br />
<br />
The OF-40's survivability is comparable to the [[Leopard A1A1 (L/44)]], as most of the vehicle's ammunition is stored in the hull adjacent to the driver, with a small portion of the ammunition being placed in primary stowage below the loader. The unfortunate result is that almost any hull penetration in the front half of the vehicle is liable to destroy ammunition with a high chance of detonation. Additionally, the turret crew are very poorly spaced and a well-placed round can easily knock out the entire crew simultaneously.<br />
<br />
The result of the lack of survivability and armour is that the OF-40 (MTCA) is not viable as a front-line MBT, but rather should be played in flanking or sniping roles.<br />
<br />
=== Mobility ===<br />
<!-- ''Write about the mobility of the ground vehicle. Estimate the specific power and manoeuvrability, as well as the maximum speed forwards and backwards.'' --><br />
<br />
{{tankMobility|abMinHp= 1550|rbMinHp= 884}}The OF-40 (MTCA) has an improved engine over its tech tree predecessors, offering its driver a notably improved power-to-weight ratio of 23.26 (RB, spaded), relative to the [[OF-40 Mk.2A|Mk.2A]]'s 19.3. This is a significant improvement that is easily noticeable, and the MTCA comfortably displays better mobility characteristics than most of its contemporaries.<br />
<br />
== Armaments ==<br />
=== Main armament ===<br />
<!--Give the reader information about the characteristics of the main gun. Assess its effectiveness in a battle based on the reloading speed, ballistics and the power of shells. Do not forget about the flexibility of the fire, that is how quickly the cannon can be aimed at the target, open fire on it and aim at another enemy. Add a link to the main article on the gun: <code><nowiki>{{main|Name of the weapon}}</nowiki></code>. Describe in general terms the ammunition available for the main gun. Advise about how to use them and how to fill the ammunition storage.--><br />
{{main|OTO Melara 105/52 (105 mm)}}<br />
<br />
{| class="wikitable" style="text-align:center"<br />
|-<br />
! colspan="6" | [[OTO Melara 105/52 (105 mm)|105 mm OTO Melara 105/52]]<br />
|-<br />
! colspan="3" | Capacity<br />
! Vertical<br>guidance<br />
! Horizontal<br>guidance<br />
! Stabilizer<br />
|-<br />
| colspan="3" | 61 || -9°/+20° || ±180° || Two-plane<br />
|-<br />
! colspan="6" | Turret rotation speed (°/s)<br />
|-<br />
! Mode<br />
! Stock<br />
! Upgraded<br />
! Prior +<br>Full crew<br />
! Prior +<br>Expert qualif.<br />
! Prior +<br>Ace qualif.<br />
|-<br />
| ''Arcade'' || 38.1 || 52.7 || 63.1 || ??.?? || ??.??<br />
|-<br />
| ''Realistic'' || 23.8 || 28.0 || 33.5 || ??.?? || ??.??<br />
|-<br />
! colspan="4" | Reloading rate (seconds)<br />
|-<br />
! Stock<br />
! Prior +<br>Full crew<br />
! Prior +<br>Expert qualif.<br />
! Prior +<br>Ace qualif.<br />
|-<br />
| 8.7 || 7.7 || ??.?? || ??.??<br />
|-<br />
|}<br />
<br />
==== Ammunition ====<br />
{| class="wikitable sortable" style="text-align:center" width="100%"<br />
! colspan="8" | Penetration statistics<br />
|-<br />
! rowspan="2" data-sort-type="text" | Ammunition<br />
! rowspan="2" | Type of<br>warhead<br />
! colspan="6" | '''Penetration @ 0° Angle of Attack (mm)'''<br />
|-<br />
! 10 m !! 100 m !! 500 m !! 1,000 m !! 1,500 m !! 2,000 m<br />
|-<br />
| DM23 || APFSDS || 337 || 335 || 330 || 322 || 314 || 306<br />
|-<br />
| M392A2 || APDS || 303 || 302 || 296 || 277 || 257 || 252<br />
|-<br />
| M393A2 || HESH || 127 || 127 || 127 || 127 || 127 || 127<br />
|-<br />
| M456 || HEATFS || 400 || 400 || 400 || 400 || 400 || 400<br />
|-<br />
|}<br />
{| class="wikitable sortable" style="text-align:center" width="100%"<br />
! colspan="11" | Shell details<br />
|-<br />
! rowspan="2" data-sort-type="text" | Ammunition<br />
! rowspan="2" | Type of<br>warhead<br />
! rowspan="2" | Velocity<br>(m/s)<br />
! rowspan="2" | Projectile<br>Mass (kg)<br />
! rowspan="2" | Fuse delay<br>(m)<br />
! rowspan="2" | Fuse sensitivity<br>(mm)<br />
! rowspan="2" | Explosive Mass<br>(TNT equivalent) (g)<br />
! rowspan="2" | Normalisation at 30°<br>from horizontal<br />
! colspan="3" | Ricochet<br />
|-<br />
! 0% !! 50% !! 100%<br />
|-<br />
| DM23 || APFSDS || 1,455 || 3.79 || N/A || N/A || N/A || ?.?° || 78° || 80° || 81°<br />
|-<br />
| M392A2 || APDS || 1,478 || 4.0 || N/A || N/A || N/A || +1.5° || 75° || 78° || 80°<br />
|-<br />
| M393A2 || HESH || 732 || 14.85 || 0.4 || 0.1 || 4305.6 || +0.0° || 73° || 77° || 80°<br />
|-<br />
| M456 || HEATFS || 1,173 || 10.5 || N/A || 0.1 || 1270.7 || +0.0° || 65° || 72° || 75°<br />
|-<br />
|}<br />
<br />
{| class="wikitable sortable" style="text-align:center"<br />
! colspan="7" | Smoke shell characteristics<br />
|-<br />
! Ammunition<br />
! Velocity<br>(m/s)<br />
! Projectile<br>Mass (kg)<br />
! Screen radius<br>(m)<br />
! Screen deploy time<br>(s)<br />
! Screen hold time<br>(s)<br />
! Explosive Mass<br>(TNT equivalent) (g)<br />
|-<br />
| M416 || 730 || 11.4 || 20 || 5 || 25 || 50<br />
|-<br />
|}<br />
<br />
==== [[Ammo racks]] ====<br />
<!-- [[File:Ammoracks_{{PAGENAME}}.png|right|thumb|x250px|[[Ammo racks]] of the {{PAGENAME}}]] --><br />
{| class="wikitable" style="text-align:center"<br />
|-<br />
! Full<br>ammo<br />
! 1st<br>rack empty<br />
! 2nd<br>rack empty<br />
! 3rd<br>rack empty<br />
! 4th<br>rack empty<br />
! 5th<br>rack empty<br />
! 6th<br>rack empty<br />
! Visual<br>discrepancy<br />
|-<br />
| '''61''' || ?? ''(+??)'' || ?? ''(+??)'' || ?? ''(+??)'' || ?? ''(+??)'' || ?? ''(+??)'' || ?? ''(+??)'' || ??<br />
|-<br />
|}<br />
<br />
==== [[Optics]] ====<br />
{| class="wikitable" style="text-align:center"<br />
! colspan="3" | {{PAGENAME}} Optics<br />
|-<br />
!<br />
! Default magnification<br />
! Maximum magnification<br />
|-<br />
! Main Gun optics<br />
| X8.0 || X16.1<br />
|-<br />
! Comparable optics<br />
| colspan="2" | ???<br />
|-<br />
|}<br />
<br />
=== Machine guns ===<br />
<!--Offensive and anti-aircraft machine guns not only allow you to fight some aircraft but also are effective against lightly armoured vehicles. Evaluate machine guns and give recommendations on its use.--><br />
{{main|M2HB (12.7 mm)|FN MAG 60-40 (7.62 mm)}}<br />
<br />
{| class="wikitable" style="text-align:center"<br />
|-<br />
! colspan="4" | [[M2HB (12.7 mm)|12.7 mm M2HB]]<br />
|-<br />
! colspan="4" | ''Commander pintle mount''<br />
|-<br />
! Capacity<br>(Belt capacity)<br />
! Fire rate<br>(shots/minute)<br />
! Vertical<br>guidance<br />
! Horizontal<br>guidance<br />
|-<br />
| 1,080 (200) || 576 || -8°/+20° || ±120°<br />
|-<br />
|}<br />
{| class="wikitable" style="text-align:center"<br />
|-<br />
! colspan="4" | [[FN MAG 60-40 (7.62 mm)|7.62 mm FN MAG 60-40]]<br />
|-<br />
! colspan="4" | ''Coaxial mount''<br />
|-<br />
! Capacity<br>(Belt capacity)<br />
! Fire rate<br>(shots/minute)<br />
! Vertical<br>guidance<br />
! Horizontal<br>guidance<br />
|-<br />
| 4,000 (200) || 600 || N/A || N/A<br />
|-<br />
|}<br />
<br />
== Usage in battles ==<br />
''Describe the tactics of playing in the vehicle, the features of using vehicles in the team and advice on tactics. Refrain from creating a "guide" - do not impose a single point of view but instead give the reader food for thought. Describe the most dangerous enemies and give recommendations on fighting them. If necessary, note the specifics of the game in different modes (AB, RB, SB).''<br />
<br />
=== Modules ===<br />
{| class="wikitable"<br />
! Tier<br />
! colspan="2" |Mobility<br />
! Protection<br />
! colspan="3" |Firepower<br />
|-<br />
| I<br />
| Tracks<br />
|<br />
| Parts<br />
| Horizontal Drive<br />
| M393A2<br />
|<br />
|-<br />
| II<br />
| Suspension<br />
| Brake System<br />
| FPE<br />
| Adjustment of Fire<br />
| M456<br />
| NVD<br />
|-<br />
| III<br />
| Filters<br />
|<br />
| Crew Replenishment<br />
| Elevation Mechanism<br />
| M416<br />
| Smoke grenade<br />
|-<br />
| IV<br />
| Transmission<br />
| Engine<br />
|<br />
| Artillery Support<br />
| DM23<br />
| Laser rangefinder<br />
|-<br />
|}<br />
<br />
=== Pros and cons ===<br />
<!--Summarise and briefly evaluate the vehicle in terms of its characteristics and combat effectiveness. Mark its pros and cons in a bulleted list. Try not to use more than 6 points for each of the characteristics. Avoid using categorical definitions such as "bad", "good" and the like - use substitutions with softer forms such as "inadequate" and "effective".--><br />
<br />
'''Pros:'''<br />
<br />
* One of the most mobile and speedy main battle tanks of its rank; notably more mobile than the Leopard A1A1 and L/44.<br />
* Great gun handling - vertical and horizontal turret/gun speeds are some of the best<br />
* Laser rangefinder and excellent optics permit easy sniping and long-range shots<br />
* Plentiful selection of ammo; APDS, APFSDS, HESH, HEAT-FS, and smoke shells, handy for marking enemies or blocking their line of sight<br />
* Spaced turret armour can save you from some autocannon fire, the front and sides are immune to HESH, and AP shot can bounce if angled<br />
* 12.7 mm (.50 cal) commander's roof gun with 1,080 round ammo count is great for disabling light vehicles and fending off harassing planes and helicopters<br />
<br />
'''Cons:'''<br />
<br />
* Rather large profile; the turret is quite large while peeking over a hilltop or ridgeline (although it can bounce shots; see above)<br />
* Low ready rack capacity (19+1); if carrying more than 20 shells, the spare rounds are placed next to the driver in the lightly armoured hull<br />
* It not having thermals at 9.0 limits its potential in night battles as most of the opposition has access to thermals<br />
<br />
== History ==<br />
''Describe the history of the creation and combat usage of the vehicle in more detail than in the introduction. If the historical reference turns out to be too long, take it to a separate article, taking a link to the article about the vehicle and adding a block "/History" (example: <nowiki>https://wiki.warthunder.com/(Vehicle-name)/History</nowiki>) and add a link to it here using the <code>main</code> template. Be sure to reference text and sources by using <code><nowiki><ref></ref></nowiki></code>, as well as adding them at the end of the article with <code><nowiki><references /></nowiki></code>. This section may also include the vehicle's dev blog entry (if applicable) and the in-game encyclopedia description (under <code><nowiki>=== In-game description ===</nowiki></code>, also if applicable).''<br />
<br />
== Media ==<br />
''Excellent additions to the article would be video guides, screenshots from the game, and photos.''<br />
<br />
== See also ==<br />
''Links to the articles on the War Thunder Wiki that you think will be useful for the reader, for example:''<br />
<br />
* ''reference to the series of the vehicles;''<br />
* ''links to approximate analogues of other nations and research trees.''<br />
<br />
== External links ==<br />
<!-- ''Paste links to sources and external resources, such as:''<br />
* ''topic on the official game forum;''<br />
* ''encyclopedia page on the tank;''<br />
* ''other literature.'' --><br />
<br />
* [[wt:en/news/6201-shop-of-40-mk-2-mtca-pre-order-en|[Shop<nowiki>]</nowiki> OF-40 Mk.2 MTCA pre-order]]<br />
<br />
{{Italy medium tanks}}<br />
{{Italy premium ground vehicles}}</div>U11670196https://wiki.warthunder.com/index.php?title=Tank_ammunition&diff=49856Tank ammunition2020-04-23T00:59:39Z<p>U11670196: Updates about HESH</p>
<hr />
<div>Throughout the past century of tank development, a large range of ammunition types have been produced and seen combat. As time progressed, technology improved and rounds also improved in terms of lethality, accuracy and ballistic performance. Despite this, most rounds can be categorised under one of two primary categories: '''kinetic''' rounds and '''chemical''' rounds; and further under a variety of subcategories.<br />
<br />
== Kinetic energy shells ==<br />
'''Kinetic rounds''' penetrate and deal damage based on a number of factors; shell type, projectile mass, round velocity and material hardness. Mass, shell type and hardness are constants, but velocity reduces with distance travelled and as such at longer ranges kinetic rounds will lose penetration ability and in some cases post-penetration efficacy. Most kinetic rounds can hit targets through lighter obstacles - trees, walls and some buildings. Under the right circumstances, solid kinetic rounds can penetrate multiple vehicles along their trajectory.<br />
<br />
=== Solid Armour-Piercing Rounds ===<br />
Solid AP rounds are a kinetic munition that utilise a hardened metal (often steel) shell with full-calibre diameter. The result is a simple, yet effective anti-tank round that will punch through armour with high equivalent thickness values, while retaining reasonable post-penetration effects which, when well-placed, can deal significant internal damage to components and crew directly within the shrapnelling path. The amount of spalling generated by a successful AP penetration depends on the shell mass and thickness of the penetrated armour and modules. Generally, solid AP does not stop until it has exhausted all of its force and is capable of passing through an entire vehicle if this energy is not fully expended.<br />
==== Armour-Piercing (AP) ====<br />
[[File:Icon rnd ap.png|left|frameless]] Armour-Piercing is a basic solid steel shot which is entirely reliant on kinetic energy to penetrate and deal damage. Providing the round possesses enough energy to penetrate any given armour, it will deal internal damage from steel fragments and spalling of the internal surfaces which can damage vehicle components, stored ammunition and crew members.<br />
<br />
''AP is a standard early World War II ammunition for many nations. In War Thunder, AP rounds should be used as a general use anti-armour round, with careful round placement to maximise post-penetration damage. Some nations, such as the British, have modified versions of AP, usually denoted by a "HV" in the name, which is launched at a higher velocity than standard AP rounds, resulting in higher penetration potential.''<br />
<br />
==== Armour-Piercing, Capped (APC) ====<br />
[[File:Icon rnd apc.png|left|frameless]] APC rounds have a nose cone (or cap) of softer metal which is fixed to the front of the solid shot. When this strikes the target armour the shock of the impact is transferred away from the tip of the round to the neck, helping prevent shattering. Additionally, the cap will collapse on contact with armour and the deformation will cause the round to angle towards the armour, more efficiently directing energy into the armour and improving the angled performance of the round. A downside of the cap is a decrease in long-range accuracy due to the cap interfering with the shell's aerodynamics.<br />
[[File:APC Normalization.gif|thumb|Display of shell normalization as an effect of a capped (APC) shell (clickable gif)]]<br />
<br />
''APC is commonly found as a mid-tier shell for both the British and French on their mid-to-late WW2 vehicles. In War Thunder, APC is best used as a short-to-mid range round for combatting angled armour that regular AP rounds may not easily penetrate.''<br />
<br />
==== Armour-Piercing, Ballistic Capped (APBC) ====<br />
[[File:Icon rnd apbc.png|left|frameless]] APBC rounds utilise a ballistic cap, designed to improve aerodynamic performance and hence round performance at longer ranges. The cap usually utilises a soft or brittle metal which collapses on impact and does not aid penetration or angled performance.<br />
<br />
''APBC is found on some early Russian vehicles, but is relatively uncommon otherwise compared to APCBC. In War Thunder, APBC is best used as a longer-range alternative to APC or APHE rounds which often exhibit less favourable ranged performance.''<br />
<br />
==== Armour-Piercing, Capped, Ballistic Capped (APCBC) ====<br />
[[File:Icon rnd apcbc.png|left|frameless]] APCBC rounds combine the standard cap and the ballistic cap, improving the round's aerodynamic and penetration performance. As such, APCBC rounds tend to exhibit the best 'all-round' characteristics of any conventional kinetic rounds.<br />
<br />
''APCBC is found as a high-tier shell for British, French and American mid-to-late WW2 vehicles. In-game, APCBC should be the preferred option given a selection of full-calibre solid shot rounds, when available, and should be situationally switched for APHE rounds if they're available.''<br />
<br />
=== HE-Filled Armour-Piercing Rounds ===<br />
HE-Filled Armour-Piercing Rounds take the concept of armour-piercing rounds and add a deadly twist - a quantity of HE filler on a timed fuse, designed to explode after a successful penetration. While the concept sacrifices some structural integrity and thus penetrating power, the destructive ability of an APHE round is nearly unrivalled. The fuse only activates if the shell collides with a surface of reasonable thickness, mostly dictated by shell caliber - though there are exceptions with a slower or faster fuse. After the fuse activates, the contained explosive will be ignited after passing a specified distance, resulting in significantly increased internal damage to a target. Vehicles with rolled homogenous armour side skirts of reasonable thickness can detonate fast fuse APHE early, sometime avoiding internal damage entirely. Tanks with large or numerous modules directly behind weak spots (for example, front-mounted transmissions) can block the entire round from further penetration, or simply block the post-penetration effect from passing. Keep this in mind, and try to aim for locations that will allow detonation as centrally within the target as possible.<br />
<br />
==== Armour-Piercing, High-Explosive (APHE) ====<br />
[[File:Icon rnd aphe.png|left|frameless]] APHE rounds utilise a similar form to AP rounds, but incorporate a small chamber of high-explosive filler within the round. This often slightly reduces the round's mass and construction strength and as such APHE rounds tend to exhibit slightly worse penetration performance than their solid shot counterparts. However, upon successful penetration, APHE rounds often cause significantly more damage within a vehicle. APHE rounds have a fuse which will only activate on sufficiently thick armour.<br />
<br />
''APHE is primarily found on Russian, German and Japanese vehicles earlier in the tech tree, and on a selection of earlier American vehicles. It should be prioritised for use when penetration is highly likely, or switched for AP or APCR if improved penetration is required.''<br />
<br />
==== Armour-Piercing, High-Explosive, Ballistic Capped (APHEBC) ====<br />
[[File:Icon rnd aphebc.png|left|frameless]] APHEBC rounds, similarly to APHE, utilise APBC concepts with the addition of high-explosive filler. Again, the rounds tend to exhibit slightly worse penetrative performance than their solid shot brethren, but significantly more post-penetration damage. APHEBC rounds have a fuse which will only activate on sufficiently thick armour.<br />
<br />
''APHEBC is primarily found on Russian and Italian vehicles earlier in the tech tree as a mid-tier round, and on some American and German vehicles. It's ideally used against targets where angled performance is required and HE filler is preferable.''<br />
<br />
==== Armour-Piercing, High-Explosive, Capped, Ballistic Capped (APHECBC) ====<br />
[[File:Icon rnd aphecbc.png|left|frameless]] APHECBC rounds utilise standard APCBC designs with added explosive filler. APHECBC is often referred to as 'APCBC' in-game, and can be identified instead by the graphic or the explosive filler content on the round's stat card. As with other APHE rounds, APHECBC significantly improves the post-penetration lethality over that of a standard APCBC round. APHECBC rounds have a fuse which will only activate on sufficiently thick armour.<br />
<br />
''APHECBC is found throughout the Russian tech tree as a high-tier round, and on some Japanese, American and German vehicles. APHECBC should be used preferentially and interchangeably with a high-penetration round where available.''<br />
<br />
=== Sub-Calibre Armour-Piercing Rounds ===<br />
Sub-Calibre AP rounds are, essentially, what they say on the label - the penetrator itself is of a smaller calibre than the gun barrel, using a 'sabot' to make up the calibre difference. How the sabot is handled is dependent on the type of round - it may be either discarding or non-discarding. Sub-calibre rounds sacrifice post-penetration effectiveness for high round velocities and high penetration values.<br />
<br />
==== Armour-Piercing, Composite, Rigid (APCR) ====<br />
[[File:Icon rnd apcr.png|left|frameless]] APCR rounds often use tungsten carbide or other extremely hard metals as a sub-calibre penetrator, wrapped within a softer full-calibre sabot - the APCR concept is essentially a predecessor to the APDS design. Upon impact, the soft shell will deform, allowing the hard metal penetrator contained within to penetrate the target's armour with force spread over a smaller surface area, resulting in significantly better penetration ability. APCR rounds often suffer due to their more concentrated post-penetration damage, as well as faster penetration drop-off over range than a standard AP round of the same calibre. Due to their design, APCR perform extremely poorly when fired upon angled armour, and will ricochet on much smaller angles than AP or APDS. <br />
<br />
''APCR is found throughout most tech trees, most commonly available to vehicles from mid-WW2 through to early cold war vehicles. APCR rounds are best used against minimally angled armour, where other rounds will be unable to penetrate.''<br />
<br />
==== Armour-Piercing, Discarding Sabot (APDS) ====<br />
[[File:Icon rnd apds.png|left|frameless]] APDS rounds utilise a hard core as a sub-calibre penetrator, with a full calibre sabot. Unlike APCR rounds, APDS rounds discard their sabot after exiting the cannon barrel. The result is an extremely high-velocity round with particularly high penetration values and good ranged accuracy. Unlike APCR, APDS does not suffer when used against angled armour. APDS produces a minimal amount of post-penetration damage - this can be attributed to the shell degradation the thicker the armour it has to penetrate. The thicker the armour, the more it deteriorates and the less spalling it will cause. Once the round deteriorates far enough, it will shatter. This is especially apparent for small-calibre APDS, or when used against some extremely heavy vehicles. Due to this, careful aim is required when utilising APDS rounds to maximise their post-penetration effect.<br />
<br />
''APDS is first made available on post-WW2 British vehicles, and is available to most vehicles in possession of an [[Royal Ordnance L7A1 (105 mm)|L7]]-derived cannon. In War Thunder, APDS is best used as a long-range round, with multiple shots often being a necessity due to the lack of post-penetration damage. APDS can be quite ineffective against lightly-armoured vehicles and the frontal armour of super heavy tanks.''<br />
<br />
==== Armour-Piercing, Fin-Stabilised, Discarding Sabot (APFSDS) ====<br />
[[File:Icon rnd apfsds.png|left|frameless]] APFSDS is the pinnacle of the kinetic anti-armour rounds. As with APDS, APFSDS utilises an extremely hard penetrator and a discarding sabot, however the penetrator is usually significantly longer than that of APDS and incorporates fins for improved long-range ballistics. The additional penetrator length improves the post-penetration damage effects. APFSDS rounds are the most powerful kinetic rounds available in-game.<br />
<br />
''APFSDS is first made available to some late Rank V vehicles, and is often the primary round for most Rank VI or VII vehicles. Due to the extremely high velocity most APFSDS rounds are fired at, they are easy to aim and maintain their effective performance at even extreme ranges. APFSDS is quite ineffective against lightly-armoured vehicles and should be aimed at critical components to maximise their damage potential.''<br />
<br />
== Chemical energy shells ==<br />
'''Chemical energy shells''' deal damage based on a chemical reaction, and unlike kinetic shells, their ability to penetrate and deal damage are unaffected by the shell's velocity. This means that target distance often doesn't affect the round's effectiveness. However, this also means that enemy tanks spaced and composite armour can be much more effective at preventing the damage, depending on the shell type used. Many chemical shells utilise extremely sensitive fuses and will detonate upon touching anything, while almost none of them can be fired through solid obstacles. Many chemical rounds have a very low muzzle velocity, reducing their effective range but allowing the user to launch them over terrain. <br />
<br />
=== High-Explosive Rounds ===<br />
High-Explosive rounds are a simple shell packed full of a high-explosive material, primarily designed for anti-infantry and anti-emplacement applications. However, this translates surprisingly well when applied to light vehicles - significantly more so than armour-piercing rounds or in some cases even APHE rounds. Unfortunately, most HE-based rounds are relatively useless against well-armoured vehicles and force their user to target flaws in an enemy tank design.<br />
<br />
==== High-Explosive (HE) ====<br />
[[File:Icon rnd he.png|left|frameless]] High-Explosive rounds are primarily intended for use as an anti-infantry/anti-emplacement round. As such, HE rounds tend to have minimal armour-piercing capability and are better used against particularly lightly armoured vehicles, although on occasion it can prove effective against the sides of a vehicle. Particularly high-calibre HE rounds may cause enough area damage to destroy a tank regardless of the round placement.<br />
<br />
''HE rounds are available to almost every vehicle in-game. However, low-calibre HE rounds are ineffective against all but the most lightly armoured targets, so this type of round should only be utilised by vehicles with large-calibre guns, such as the [[KV-2]] or [[Sturmpanzer II]].''<br />
<br />
==== High-Explosive Time Fuse (HE-DF) ====<br />
[[File:Icon rnd hevt.png|left|frameless]] HE-DF rounds use the simple concept of a timed fuse, resulting in an explosion at a pre-set range. While HE-DF rounds are no more effective than HE rounds against most heavy armour, they can be particularly effective against light vehicles with a known range or against aircraft (one of their original design uses).<br />
<br />
''HE-DF rounds are available to a number of vehicles originally designed for anti-air purposes, such as the [[YaG-10 (29-K)]] and the [[8,8 cm Flak 37 Sfl.]]. They're best used against aircraft by rangefinding the aircraft in question, setting the fuse range to a reasonable assumption based on the result and leading sensibly. They can be extremely effective against aircraft if used correctly, but are mostly ineffective against armoured vehicles.''<br />
<br />
==== High-Explosive Variable Time Fuse [Self-Destroying] (HE-VT*) ====<br />
[[File:Icon rnd he prx.png|left|frameless]] HE-VT rounds are an advanced round fitted with a specialised proximity fuse, designed to detonate the round upon reaching close proximity with a target. These are usually designed for anti-air applications, and are generally ineffective against most ground targets.<br />
<br />
''HE-VT rounds are available to some later anti-air vehicles, such as the [[OTOMATIC]], or some light tanks, like the [[Begleitpanzer 57]], and are capable of destroying aircraft or helicopters if the round passes within close proximity of the target. They are extremely effective against mid-ranged aircraft but cannot be relied upon for use against armour.''<br />
<br />
==== High-Explosive Grenade ====<br />
[[File:Icon grn he.png|left|frameless]] HE Grenades are specialised HE rounds designed to be fired from cannons which may not be otherwise capable of firing high-calibre rounds. They usually operate in a different manner to conventional cannon rounds, utilising a propellant rather than a charge, resulting in a relatively low round velocity and sub-par ballistics. However, this design has proven useful, as the low velocity can be used to 'sling' rounds over small terrain deformations, onto weak roof armour, or into trenches or bunkers.<br />
<br />
''HE Grenades are available to vehicles with 'recoilless' cannon designs or other non-standard cannon designs. They are generally as effective as an equivalent HE round, however have significantly lower muzzle velocity and as such are extremely inaccurate at long ranges. HE Grenades are found on various vehicles, such as the [[BMP-1]].''<br />
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==== Rocket ====<br />
[[File:Icon spr rocket.png|left|frameless]] Rockets are unguided high-explosive self-propelled rounds which are often significantly higher calibre than standard tank cannons. They can be mounted as ancillary weaponry on some vehicles, or in some cases mounted on specialised rocket-carrier vehicles.<br />
<br />
''Rockets can be unreliable and inaccurate, but due to their often large calibre, large amounts of HE filler, and ability to continuously launch them until the ammo rack is empty, they can prove effective against some armoured vehicles. Rockets are either mounted ancillary, as on the [[Calliope]] or the [[M26 T99]], or on rocket carriers such as the [[BM-13N]].''<br />
<br />
=== Anti-Emplacement Rounds ===<br />
Anti-Emplacement rounds are designed specifically for combatting emplacements, however have proven to have some anti-tank value. They rely on different mechanics to normal rounds, but can prove particularly ineffective against heavy armour.<br />
<br />
==== Shrapnel ====<br />
[[File:Shrapnel Round Icon.png|left|frameless]] Shrapnel rounds are a chemical round utilising a thin shell and a chamber of metal fillings or ball bearings with a small explosive charge. Upon successful penetration, shrapnel rounds cause a significant amount of damage. However, due to the thin outer shell, shrapnel rounds only perform well against particularly light armour and are completely ineffective when used against even moderately armoured targets.<br />
<br />
''Shrapnel rounds are available exclusively to early Russian vehicles. Shrapnel is exclusively useful against lightly armoured targets, and shouldn't be used against front-facing armour of any other tank.''<br />
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==== High-Explosive Squash Head (HESH) ====<br />
[[File:Icon rnd hesh.png|left|frameless]] HESH rounds are designed as an anti-emplacement round. The 'squash head', usually comprised of some form of plastic explosive, is designed to squash onto a surface and detonate, causing the opposite side of the surface to rupture. If the given surface happens to be metal, this will often result in metal shards flying off the surface at high velocity. While in the past, HESH rounds have had improved performance on angled targets, this was reverted and now HESH performs similarly to other rounds; with optimal performance on flat surfaces.<br />
<br />
''HESH rounds are available to most British vehicles from Rank V, and other vehicles in possession of an L7-derived gun. HESH should be primarily used against lighter armour or side armour, while specifically avoiding side skirts and any other forms of spaced armour, although occasionally the HE splash effect can cause unexpected results. HESH is completely ineffective against heavy armour or composite armour designs.''<br />
<br />
=== High-Explosive Anti-Tank Rounds ===<br />
High-Explosive Anti-Tank (HEAT) rounds make use of shaped charges to penetrate armour, forcing superplastic metal through into the crew compartment, damaging crew and modules. HEAT rounds prove particularly effective at long ranges, as their method of action does not lose effectiveness with range. Unfortunately though, the fuse on a HEAT round must be extremely sensitive, causing the rounds to detonate even on bushes and wooden fences that other chemical rounds of high calibre have a chance to pass through. All HEAT-derived rounds have concentrated post-penetration damage, similar to APDS, which travels in a tight cone from the impact point. This often works in favor of the shell when a direct hit is achieved, in some cases allowing it to burn through modules such as frontally-mounted transmissions, dealing further damage to the vehicle's internals. This same effect can prove troublesome when a round collides on a sub-par angle or after penetration there's simply nothing within its cone of effect.<br />
<br />
==== High-Explosive, Anti-tank (HEAT) ====<br />
[[File:Icon rnd heat.png|left|frameless]] HEAT rounds are designed specifically as an anti-tank round. They operate with a shaped charge that uses an explosive to force superplastic metal through a vehicle's armour, causing internal damage to crew and modules.<br />
<br />
''HEAT rounds are available to a variety of WW2 German and Japanese vehicles, as well as higher-performance HEAT becoming available to some late French and American vehicles, as HEAT-FS rounds cannot be fired from rifled cannons. HEAT is limited in effectiveness and its usage should be carefully considered as many vehicles have armour it cannot penetrate. Due to its low velocity, HEAT often requires a high angle of attack and will arrive at a target on an angle - as such the often impressive 0° penetration statistics will often prove irrelevant, with angled penetration values being more accurate.''<br />
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==== High-Explosive, Anti-Tank, Fin-Stabilized (HEAT-FS) ====<br />
[[File:Icon rnd heatfs.png|left|frameless]] HEAT-FS rounds are an improvement over the HEAT concept, using improved penetrative chemicals and utilising fins for improved ballistic performance. HEAT-FS rounds maintain their penetration values at all ranges, and are well-suited to long-range engagements. HEAT-FS rounds are particularly sensitive, and may detonate on light obstacles such as shrubs or fences.<br />
<br />
''HEAT-FS rounds become available to many nations from Rank V, although notably the British do not receive HEAT-FS at any stage due to its incompatibility with rifled cannons. At late Rank VI and Rank VII, HEAT-FS may prove ineffective in many cases due to the prevalence of ERA and composite armour. Despite this, it can still be used for ranged engagements against light tanks and medium tanks with insufficient ERA or composite protection, as particularly late HEAT-FS rounds have extremely high penetration power. High-calibre HEAT-FS rounds will reliably hull break light tanks, a mechanic that can be applied against vehicles APFSDS is ineffective against.''<br />
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==== High-Explosive, Anti-Tank, Fin-Stabilised, Proximity Fuse [Self-Destroying] (HEAT-FS VT*) ====<br />
[[File:Icon rnd heatfs.png|left|frameless]]HEAT-FS VT rounds are specialised HEAT-FS rounds which utilise a proximity fuse to detonate when in close proximity to a target. They can be used to destroy low-flying aircraft or helicopters, while maintaining their effectiveness against ground vehicles utilising normal HEAT-FS technology.<br />
<br />
''HEAT-FS VT rounds are extremely specialised. As of Update 1.93, they are available to only the [[M1A2 Abrams]] and have an identical icon to the standard HEAT-FS. They combine the anti-armour power of a standard HEAT-FS round with the anti-aircraft effectiveness of a HE-VT round. Their proximity fuse will detonate only above a specified altitude, so they can be used normally against other armoured vehicles.''<br />
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==== High-Explosive, Anti-Tank Grenade ====<br />
[[File:Icon grn heat.png|left|frameless]] HEAT Grenades are specialised HEAT rounds, designed for use where normal tank rounds may not be possible to utilise. They often use a propellant rather than a standard charge, and as such suffer from low velocity and sub-par round ballistics. Despite this, they can prove effective against tanks due to their HEAT technology.<br />
<br />
''HEAT Grenades are available to vehicles with 'recoilless' cannons or other non-standard cannon designs. Their effectiveness is similar to that of an equivalent HEAT round, however due to their low muzzle velocity they can be inaccurate at long ranges. HEAT Grenades are found on various light vehicles, such as the [[BMP-1]], [[FIAT 6614]] and [[Type 60 SPRG (C)]].''<br />
<br />
=== Guided Missiles ===<br />
Guided missiles utilise a guidance system (of various types, such as MCLOS, SACLOS, Radar, Heat-Seeking) to accomplish their intended role. They sacrifice round velocity for long-range precision. Different missile types are effective in different applications - some have anti-tank properties, while others are effective against air targets.<br />
<br />
==== Anti-Tank Guided Missile (ATGM) ====<br />
{{main|Anti-tank guided missiles}}<br />
[[File:Icon spr atgm.png|left|frameless]] ATGMs largely utilise the same concept as HEAT, however they integrate some form of propulsion and are usually guideable, either manually (MCLOS) or semi-automatically (SACLOS). ATGMs usually pack a large amount of explosive and often have particularly powerful shaped charges. However, they require specialised equipment to fire and tend to be heavy, often resulting in long reload times, especially for hybrid vehicles.<br />
<br />
''ATGMs become available through Rank V, and are primarily carried by specialised ATGM carriers, although some tanks have ATGM-capable main cannons and some exceptional designs such as the [[Strv 81 (Rb.52)]] or the [[AMX-13 (HOT)]] mount ATGMs on ancillary pylons. ATGMs are powerful and SACLOS guided missiles are easily aimed, however they travel slowly and well-aware targets may be able to move into cover prior to the ATGM reaching them.''<br />
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==== Anti-Tank Guided Missile, Proximity Fuse [Self-Destroying] (ATGM-VT*) ====<br />
[[File:Icon spr atgm prx.png|left|frameless]] Proximity ATGMs utilise proximity fuses to detonate when in close proximity to aircraft. This, combined with their guidance systems (SACLOS) allows them to be used effectively against low-flying aircraft or helicopters.<br />
<br />
''Proximity Fuse ATGMs can prove extremely effective against low-flying aircraft or helicopters, and utilise a similar proximity fuse concept to SAM missiles - although often ATGMs pack significantly more HE filler than SAMs do. ATGM-VT missiles are available to specialised ATGM carriers such as the [[Shturm-S]].''<br />
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==== Anti-Tank Guided Missile, Tandem Charge (ATGM Tandem) ====<br />
[[File:Icon spr atgm tandem.png|left|frameless]] Tandem ATGMs utilise a twin-stage warhead to overcome ERA - the first stage causes the ERA to detonate, while the second stage penetrates the armour below as normal. This concept does not work against NERA or composite armour.<br />
<br />
''Tandem ATGMs are effective against ERA-protected vehicles, and often have very high penetration values. Tandem charge ATGMs are available to specialised ATGM carriers such as the [[Shturm-S]].''<br />
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==== Anti-Tank Guided Missile, HE (ATGM-HE) ====<br />
[[File:Icon spr atgm he.png|left|frameless]] HE ATGMs are a simplification of a standard ATGM; rather than a shaped HEAT charge, HE missiles simply utilise a large quantity of explosive to damage or destroy emplacements or light vehicles or other ATGM tanks.<br />
<br />
''HE ATGMs are only effective against light vehicles and missile carriers in most cases, despite packing large quantities of HE filler. They are available to specialised ATGM carriers such as the [[Shturm-S]].''<br />
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==== Surface to Air Missile (SAM) ====<br />
[[File:Icon spr sam.png|left|frameless]] SAMs are high-velocity anti-air missiles, designed specifically to combat aircraft using a variety of technologies; often including proximity fuses and radar or heat-seeking guidance.<br />
<br />
''SAMs are very effective at long distances against aircraft, particularly helicopters. They are often extremely high velocity and pack a large amount of HE filler for a powerful airburst effect. SAMs are available to specialised anti-air vehicles such as the [[ZPRK 2S6|2S6 Tunguska]] or the [[ADATS]], which, notably, has multi-purpose missiles that are also effective against armoured vehicles. Most SAMs pack less HE filler than an HE ATGM and are only reliably effective against lightly armoured ground vehicles.''<br />
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=== Utility Rounds ===<br />
Utility rounds are ineffective for use against other vehicles, but provide value in some sort of utility.<br />
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==== Smoke ====<br />
{{main|Smoke screen|l1=Smoke}}<br />
[[File:Icon rnd smoke.png|left|frameless]] Smoke shells are not designed as a damaging shell, and largely consist of chemicals designed to create a smoke screen. The produced smoke has a limited lifetime.<br />
<br />
''Smoke shells are available to various vehicles throughout most tech trees, however their effectiveness is somewhat limited compared to dedicated smoke launchers. The main advantage of smoke shells is that unlike ESS or hull mounted smoke canisters, they can be launched anywhere the equipped vehicle can aim, allowing for strategic placement for pushes or flanking maneuvers, or simply firing at an enemy vehicle to force them to move from their position.'' <br />
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== Media ==<br />
{{Youtube-gallery|CZqzMhbnvO4|'''Tank Shells Guide''' - War Thunder Official Channel|6O3MBjdSsIk|'''Tank Shells Guide - War Thunder ammo types explained''' - ''HowToPlay1337''|ajeqij4_jwM|'''Ammo Types in War Thunder EXPLAINED''' - ''skDoger''}}<br />
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==See also==<br />
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* [[Ammo racks]] - How all tank ammunition is stored within the tank<br />
<br />
[[Category:Ammunition]]</div>U11670196https://wiki.warthunder.com/index.php?title=Tank_ammunition&diff=43689Tank ammunition2020-02-10T21:56:55Z<p>U11670196: Confirmed that all solid shot rounds are capable of penetrating multiple targets, not only APFSDS rounds.</p>
<hr />
<div>Throughout the past century of tank development, a large range of ammunition types have been produced and seen combat. As time progressed, technology improved and rounds also improved in terms of lethality, accuracy and ballistic performance. Despite this, most rounds can be categorised under one of two primary categories: '''kinetic''' rounds and '''chemical''' rounds; and further under a variety of subcategories.<br />
<br />
== Kinetic energy shells ==<br />
'''Kinetic rounds''' penetrate and deal damage based on a number of factors; shell type, projectile mass, round velocity and material hardness. Mass, shell type and hardness are constants, but velocity reduces with distance travelled and as such at longer ranges kinetic rounds will lose penetration ability and in some cases post-penetration efficacy. Most kinetic rounds can hit targets through lighter obstacles - trees, walls and some buildings. Under the right circumstances, solid kinetic rounds can penetrate multiple vehicles along their trajectory.<br />
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=== Solid Armour-Piercing Rounds ===<br />
Solid AP rounds are a kinetic munition that utilise a hardened metal (often steel) shell with full-calibre diameter. The result is a simple, yet effective anti-tank round that will punch through armour with high equivalent thickness values, while retaining reasonable post-penetration effects which, when well-placed, can deal significant internal damage to components and crew directly within the shrapnelling path. The amount of spalling generated by a successful AP penetration depends on the shell mass and thickness of the penetrated armour and modules. Generally, solid AP does not stop until it has exhausted all of its force and is capable of passing through an entire vehicle if this energy is not fully expended.<br />
==== Armour-Piercing (AP) ====<br />
[[File:Icon rnd ap.png|left|frameless]] Armour-Piercing is a basic solid steel shot which is entirely reliant on kinetic energy to penetrate and deal damage. Providing the round possesses enough energy to penetrate any given armour, it will deal internal damage from steel fragments and spalling of the internal surfaces which can damage vehicle components, stored ammunition and crew members.<br />
<br />
''AP is a standard early World War II ammunition for many nations. In War Thunder, AP rounds should be used as a general use anti-armour round, with careful round placement to maximise post-penetration damage. Some nations, such as the British, have modified versions of AP, usually denoted by a "HV" in the name, which is launched at a higher velocity than standard AP rounds, resulting in higher penetration potential.''<br />
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==== Armour-Piercing, Capped (APC) ====<br />
[[File:Icon rnd apc.png|left|frameless]] APC rounds have a nose cone (or cap) of softer metal which is fixed to the front of the solid shot. When this strikes the target armour the shock of the impact is transferred away from the tip of the round to the neck, helping prevent shattering. Additionally, the cap will collapse on contact with armour and the deformation will cause the round to angle towards the armour, more efficiently directing energy into the armour and improving the angled performance of the round. A downside of the cap is a decrease in long-range accuracy due to the cap interfering with the shell's aerodynamics.<br />
[[File:APC Normalization.gif|thumb|Display of shell normalization as an effect of a capped (APC) shell (clickable gif)]]<br />
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''APC is commonly found as a mid-tier shell for both the British and French on their mid-to-late WW2 vehicles. In War Thunder, APC is best used as a short-to-mid range round for combatting angled armour that regular AP rounds may not easily penetrate.''<br />
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==== Armour-Piercing, Ballistic Capped (APBC) ====<br />
[[File:Icon rnd apbc.png|left|frameless]] APBC rounds utilise a ballistic cap, designed to improve aerodynamic performance and hence round performance at longer ranges. The cap usually utilises a soft or brittle metal which collapses on impact and does not aid penetration or angled performance.<br />
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''APBC is found on some early Russian vehicles, but is relatively uncommon otherwise compared to APCBC. In War Thunder, APBC is best used as a longer-range alternative to APC or APHE rounds which often exhibit less favourable ranged performance.''<br />
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==== Armour-Piercing, Capped, Ballistic Capped (APCBC) ====<br />
[[File:Icon rnd apcbc.png|left|frameless]] APCBC rounds combine the standard cap and the ballistic cap, improving the round's aerodynamic and penetration performance. As such, APCBC rounds tend to exhibit the best 'all-round' characteristics of any conventional kinetic rounds.<br />
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''APCBC is found as a high-tier shell for British, French and American mid-to-late WW2 vehicles. In-game, APCBC should be the preferred option given a selection of full-calibre solid shot rounds, when available, and should be situationally switched for APHE rounds if they're available.''<br />
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=== HE-Filled Armour-Piercing Rounds ===<br />
HE-Filled Armour-Piercing Rounds take the concept of armour-piercing rounds and add a deadly twist - a quantity of HE filler on a timed fuse, designed to explode after a successful penetration. While the concept sacrifices some structural integrity and thus penetrating power, the destructive ability of an APHE round is nearly unrivalled. The fuse only activates if the shell collides with a surface of reasonable thickness, mostly dictated by shell caliber - though there are exceptions with a slower or faster fuse. After the fuse activates, the contained explosive will be ignited after passing a specified distance, resulting in significantly increased internal damage to a target. Vehicles with rolled homogenous armour side skirts of reasonable thickness can detonate fast fuse APHE early, sometime avoiding internal damage entirely. Tanks with large or numerous modules directly behind weak spots (for example, front-mounted transmissions) can block the entire round from further penetration, or simply block the post-penetration effect from passing. Keep this in mind, and try to aim for locations that will allow detonation as centrally within the target as possible.<br />
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==== Armour-Piercing, High-Explosive (APHE) ====<br />
[[File:Icon rnd aphe.png|left|frameless]] APHE rounds utilise a similar form to AP rounds, but incorporate a small chamber of high-explosive filler within the round. This often slightly reduces the round's mass and construction strength and as such APHE rounds tend to exhibit slightly worse penetration performance than their solid shot counterparts. However, upon successful penetration, APHE rounds often cause significantly more damage within a vehicle. APHE rounds have a fuse which will only activate on sufficiently thick armour.<br />
<br />
''APHE is primarily found on Russian, German and Japanese vehicles earlier in the tech tree, and on a selection of earlier American vehicles. It should be prioritised for use when penetration is highly likely, or switched for AP or APCR if improved penetration is required.''<br />
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==== Armour-Piercing, High-Explosive, Ballistic Capped (APHEBC) ====<br />
[[File:Icon rnd aphebc.png|left|frameless]] APHEBC rounds, similarly to APHE, utilise APBC concepts with the addition of high-explosive filler. Again, the rounds tend to exhibit slightly worse penetrative performance than their solid shot brethren, but significantly more post-penetration damage. APHEBC rounds have a fuse which will only activate on sufficiently thick armour.<br />
<br />
''APHEBC is primarily found on Russian and Italian vehicles earlier in the tech tree as a mid-tier round, and on some American and German vehicles. It's ideally used against targets where angled performance is required and HE filler is preferable.''<br />
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==== Armour-Piercing, High-Explosive, Capped, Ballistic Capped (APHECBC) ====<br />
[[File:Icon rnd aphecbc.png|left|frameless]] APHECBC rounds utilise standard APCBC designs with added explosive filler. APHECBC is often referred to as 'APCBC' in-game, and can be identified instead by the graphic or the explosive filler content on the round's stat card. As with other APHE rounds, APHECBC significantly improves the post-penetration lethality over that of a standard APCBC round. APHECBC rounds have a fuse which will only activate on sufficiently thick armour.<br />
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''APHECBC is found throughout the Russian tech tree as a high-tier round, and on some Japanese, American and German vehicles. APHECBC should be used preferentially and interchangeably with a high-penetration round where available.''<br />
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=== Sub-Calibre Armour-Piercing Rounds ===<br />
Sub-Calibre AP rounds are, essentially, what they say on the label - the penetrator itself is of a smaller calibre than the gun barrel, using a 'sabot' to make up the calibre difference. How the sabot is handled is dependent on the type of round - it may be either discarding or non-discarding. Sub-calibre rounds sacrifice post-penetration effectiveness for high round velocities and high penetration values.<br />
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==== Armour-Piercing, Composite, Rigid (APCR) ====<br />
[[File:Icon rnd apcr.png|left|frameless]] APCR rounds often use tungsten carbide or other extremely hard metals as a sub-calibre penetrator, wrapped within a softer full-calibre sabot - the APCR concept is essentially a predecessor to the APDS design. Upon impact, the soft shell will deform, allowing the hard metal penetrator contained within to penetrate the target's armour with force spread over a smaller surface area, resulting in significantly better penetration ability. APCR rounds often suffer due to their more concentrated post-penetration damage, as well as faster penetration drop-off over range than a standard AP round of the same calibre. Due to their design, APCR perform extremely poorly when fired upon angled armour, and will ricochet on much smaller angles than AP or APDS. <br />
<br />
''APCR is found throughout most tech trees, most commonly available to vehicles from mid-WW2 through to early cold war vehicles. APCR rounds are best used against minimally angled armour, where other rounds will be unable to penetrate.''<br />
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==== Armour-Piercing, Discarding Sabot (APDS) ====<br />
[[File:Icon rnd apds.png|left|frameless]] APDS rounds utilise a hard core as a sub-calibre penetrator, with a full calibre sabot. Unlike APCR rounds, APDS rounds discard their sabot after exiting the cannon barrel. The result is an extremely high-velocity round with particularly high penetration values and good ranged accuracy. Unlike APCR, APDS does not suffer when used against angled armour. APDS produces a minimal amount of post-penetration damage - this can be attributed to the shell degradation the thicker the armour it has to penetrate. The thicker the armour, the more it deteriorates and the less spalling it will cause. Once the round deteriorates far enough, it will shatter. This is especially apparent for small-calibre APDS, or when used against some extremely heavy vehicles. Due to this, careful aim is required when utilising APDS rounds to maximise their post-penetration effect.<br />
<br />
''APDS is first made available on post-WW2 British vehicles, and is available to most vehicles in possession of an [[Royal Ordnance L7A1 (105 mm)|L7]]-derived cannon. In War Thunder, APDS is best used as a long-range round, with multiple shots often being a necessity due to the lack of post-penetration damage. APDS can be quite ineffective against lightly-armoured vehicles and the frontal armour of super heavy tanks.''<br />
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==== Armour-Piercing, Fin-Stabilised, Discarding Sabot (APFSDS) ====<br />
[[File:Icon rnd apfsds.png|left|frameless]] APFSDS is the pinnacle of the kinetic anti-armour rounds. As with APDS, APFSDS utilises an extremely hard penetrator and a discarding sabot, however the penetrator is usually significantly longer than that of APDS and incorporates fins for improved long-range ballistics. The additional penetrator length improves the post-penetration damage effects. APFSDS rounds are the most powerful kinetic rounds available in-game.<br />
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''APFSDS is first made available to some late Rank V vehicles, and is often the primary round for most Rank VI or VII vehicles. Due to the extremely high velocity most APFSDS rounds are fired at, they are easy to aim and maintain their effective performance at even extreme ranges. APFSDS is quite ineffective against lightly-armoured vehicles and should be aimed at critical components to maximise their damage potential.''<br />
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== Chemical energy shells ==<br />
'''Chemical energy shells''' deal damage based on a chemical reaction, and unlike kinetic shells, their ability to penetrate and deal damage are unaffected by the shell's velocity. This means that target distance often doesn't affect the round's effectiveness. However, this also means that enemy tanks spaced and composite armour can be much more effective at preventing the damage, depending on the shell type used. Many chemical shells utilise extremely sensitive fuses and will detonate upon touching anything, while almost none of them can be fired through solid obstacles. Many chemical rounds have a very low muzzle velocity, reducing their effective range but allowing the user to launch them over terrain. <br />
<br />
=== High-Explosive Rounds ===<br />
High-Explosive rounds are a simple shell packed full of a high-explosive material, primarily designed for anti-infantry and anti-emplacement applications. However, this translates surprisingly well when applied to light vehicles - significantly more so than armour-piercing rounds or in some cases even APHE rounds. Unfortunately, most HE-based rounds are relatively useless against well-armoured vehicles and force their user to target flaws in an enemy tank design.<br />
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==== High-Explosive (HE) ====<br />
[[File:Icon rnd he.png|left|frameless]] High-Explosive rounds are primarily intended for use as an anti-infantry/anti-emplacement round. As such, HE rounds tend to have minimal armour-piercing capability and are better used against particularly lightly armoured vehicles, although on occasion it can prove effective against the sides of a vehicle. Particularly high-calibre HE rounds may cause enough area damage to destroy a tank regardless of the round placement.<br />
<br />
''HE rounds are available to almost every vehicle in-game. However, low-calibre HE rounds are ineffective against all but the most lightly armoured targets, so this type of round should only be utilised by vehicles with large-calibre guns, such as the [[KV-2]] or [[Sturmpanzer II]].''<br />
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==== High-Explosive Time Fuse (HE-DF) ====<br />
[[File:Icon rnd hevt.png|left|frameless]] HE-DF rounds use the simple concept of a timed fuse, resulting in an explosion at a pre-set range. While HE-DF rounds are no more effective than HE rounds against most heavy armour, they can be particularly effective against light vehicles with a known range or against aircraft (one of their original design uses).<br />
<br />
''HE-DF rounds are available to a number of vehicles originally designed for anti-air purposes, such as the [[YaG-10 (29-K)]] and the [[8,8 cm Flak 37 Sfl.]]. They're best used against aircraft by rangefinding the aircraft in question, setting the fuse range to a reasonable assumption based on the result and leading sensibly. They can be extremely effective against aircraft if used correctly, but are mostly ineffective against armoured vehicles.''<br />
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==== High-Explosive Variable Time Fuse [Self-Destroying] (HE-VT*) ====<br />
[[File:Icon rnd he prx.png|left|frameless]] HE-VT rounds are an advanced round fitted with a specialised proximity fuse, designed to detonate the round upon reaching close proximity with a target. These are usually designed for anti-air applications, and are generally ineffective against most ground targets.<br />
<br />
''HE-VT rounds are available to some later anti-air vehicles, such as the [[OTOMATIC]], or some light tanks, like the [[Begleitpanzer 57]], and are capable of destroying aircraft or helicopters if the round passes within close proximity of the target. They are extremely effective against mid-ranged aircraft but cannot be relied upon for use against armour.''<br />
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==== High-Explosive Grenade ====<br />
[[File:Icon grn he.png|left|frameless]] HE Grenades are specialised HE rounds designed to be fired from cannons which may not be otherwise capable of firing high-calibre rounds. They usually operate in a different manner to conventional cannon rounds, utilising a propellant rather than a charge, resulting in a relatively low round velocity and sub-par ballistics. However, this design has proven useful, as the low velocity can be used to 'sling' rounds over small terrain deformations, onto weak roof armour, or into trenches or bunkers.<br />
<br />
''HE Grenades are available to vehicles with 'recoilless' cannon designs or other non-standard cannon designs. They are generally as effective as an equivalent HE round, however have significantly lower muzzle velocity and as such are extremely inaccurate at long ranges. HE Grenades are found on various vehicles, such as the [[BMP-1]].''<br />
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==== Rocket ====<br />
[[File:Icon spr rocket.png|left|frameless]] Rockets are unguided high-explosive self-propelled rounds which are often significantly higher calibre than standard tank cannons. They can be mounted as ancillary weaponry on some vehicles, or in some cases mounted on specialised rocket-carrier vehicles.<br />
<br />
''Rockets can be unreliable and inaccurate, but due to their often large calibre, large amounts of HE filler, and ability to continuously launch them until the ammo rack is empty, they can prove effective against some armoured vehicles. Rockets are either mounted ancillary, as on the [[Calliope]] or the [[M26 T99]], or on rocket carriers such as the [[BM-13N]].''<br />
<br />
=== Anti-Emplacement Rounds ===<br />
Anti-Emplacement rounds are designed specifically for combatting emplacements, however have proven to have some anti-tank value. They rely on different mechanics to normal rounds, but can prove particularly ineffective against heavy armour.<br />
<br />
==== Shrapnel ====<br />
[[File:Shrapnel Round Icon.png|left|frameless]] Shrapnel rounds are a chemical round utilising a thin shell and a chamber of metal fillings or ball bearings with a small explosive charge. Upon successful penetration, shrapnel rounds cause a significant amount of damage. However, due to the thin outer shell, shrapnel rounds only perform well against particularly light armour and are completely ineffective when used against even moderately armoured targets.<br />
<br />
''Shrapnel rounds are available exclusively to early Russian vehicles. Shrapnel is exclusively useful against lightly armoured targets, and shouldn't be used against front-facing armour of any other tank.''<br />
<br />
==== High-Explosive Squash Head (HESH) ====<br />
[[File:Icon rnd hesh.png|left|frameless]] HESH rounds are designed as an anti-emplacement round. The 'squash head', usually comprised of some form of plastic explosive, is designed to squash onto a surface and detonate, causing the opposite side of the surface to rupture. If the given surface happens to be metal, this will often result in metal shards flying off the surface at high velocity. Due to this design, HESH rounds perform better the further they can spread, and as such they're more effective when applied to angled armour, within reason.<br />
<br />
''HESH rounds are available to most British vehicles from Rank V, and other vehicles in possession of an L7-derived gun. HESH should be primarily used against lighter armour or side armour, while specifically avoiding side skirts and any other forms of spaced armour, although occasionally the HE splash effect can cause unexpected results. HESH is completely ineffective against heavy armour or composite armour designs.''<br />
<br />
=== High-Explosive Anti-Tank Rounds ===<br />
High-Explosive Anti-Tank (HEAT) rounds make use of shaped charges to penetrate armour, forcing superplastic metal through into the crew compartment, damaging crew and modules. HEAT rounds prove particularly effective at long ranges, as their method of action does not lose effectiveness with range. Unfortunately though, the fuse on a HEAT round must be extremely sensitive, causing the rounds to detonate even on bushes and wooden fences that other chemical rounds of high calibre have a chance to pass through. All HEAT-derived rounds have concentrated post-penetration damage, similar to APDS, which travels in a tight cone from the impact point. This often works in favor of the shell when a direct hit is achieved, in some cases allowing it to burn through modules such as frontally-mounted transmissions, dealing further damage to the vehicle's internals. This same effect can prove troublesome when a round collides on a sub-par angle or after penetration there's simply nothing within its cone of effect.<br />
<br />
==== High-Explosive, Anti-tank (HEAT) ====<br />
[[File:Icon rnd heat.png|left|frameless]] HEAT rounds are designed specifically as an anti-tank round. They operate with a shaped charge that uses an explosive to force superplastic metal through a vehicle's armour, causing internal damage to crew and modules.<br />
<br />
''HEAT rounds are available to a variety of WW2 German and Japanese vehicles, as well as higher-performance HEAT becoming available to some late French and American vehicles, as HEAT-FS rounds cannot be fired from rifled cannons. HEAT is limited in effectiveness and its usage should be carefully considered as many vehicles have armour it cannot penetrate. Due to its low velocity, HEAT often requires a high angle of attack and will arrive at a target on an angle - as such the often impressive 0° penetration statistics will often prove irrelevant, with angled penetration values being more accurate.''<br />
<br />
==== High-Explosive, Anti-Tank, Fin-Stabilized (HEAT-FS) ====<br />
[[File:Icon rnd heatfs.png|left|frameless]] HEAT-FS rounds are an improvement over the HEAT concept, using improved penetrative chemicals and utilising fins for improved ballistic performance. HEAT-FS rounds maintain their penetration values at all ranges, and are well-suited to long-range engagements. HEAT-FS rounds are particularly sensitive, and may detonate on light obstacles such as shrubs or fences.<br />
<br />
''HEAT-FS rounds become available to many nations from Rank V, although notably the British do not receive HEAT-FS at any stage due to its incompatibility with rifled cannons. At late Rank VI and Rank VII, HEAT-FS may prove ineffective in many cases due to the prevalence of ERA and composite armour. Despite this, it can still be used for ranged engagements against light tanks and medium tanks with insufficient ERA or composite protection, as particularly late HEAT-FS rounds have extremely high penetration power. High-calibre HEAT-FS rounds will reliably hull break light tanks, a mechanic that can be applied against vehicles APFSDS is ineffective against.''<br />
<br />
==== High-Explosive, Anti-Tank, Fin-Stabilised, Proximity Fuse [Self-Destroying] (HEAT-FS VT*) ====<br />
[[File:Icon rnd heatfs.png|left|frameless]]HEAT-FS VT rounds are specialised HEAT-FS rounds which utilise a proximity fuse to detonate when in close proximity to a target. They can be used to destroy low-flying aircraft or helicopters, while maintaining their effectiveness against ground vehicles utilising normal HEAT-FS technology.<br />
<br />
''HEAT-FS VT rounds are extremely specialised. As of Update 1.93, they are available to only the [[M1A2 Abrams]] and have an identical icon to the standard HEAT-FS. They combine the anti-armour power of a standard HEAT-FS round with the anti-aircraft effectiveness of a HE-VT round. Their proximity fuse will detonate only above a specified altitude, so they can be used normally against other armoured vehicles.''<br />
<br />
==== High-Explosive, Anti-Tank Grenade ====<br />
[[File:Icon grn heat.png|left|frameless]] HEAT Grenades are specialised HEAT rounds, designed for use where normal tank rounds may not be possible to utilise. They often use a propellant rather than a standard charge, and as such suffer from low velocity and sub-par round ballistics. Despite this, they can prove effective against tanks due to their HEAT technology.<br />
<br />
''HEAT Grenades are available to vehicles with 'recoilless' cannons or other non-standard cannon designs. Their effectiveness is similar to that of an equivalent HEAT round, however due to their low muzzle velocity they can be inaccurate at long ranges. HEAT Grenades are found on various light vehicles, such as the [[BMP-1]], [[FIAT 6614]] and [[Type 60 SPRG (C)]].''<br />
<br />
=== Guided Missiles ===<br />
Guided missiles utilise a guidance system (of various types, such as MCLOS, SACLOS, Radar, Heat-Seeking) to accomplish their intended role. They sacrifice round velocity for long-range precision. Different missile types are effective in different applications - some have anti-tank properties, while others are effective against air targets.<br />
<br />
==== Anti-Tank Guided Missile (ATGM) ====<br />
{{main|Anti-tank guided missiles}}<br />
[[File:Icon spr atgm.png|left|frameless]] ATGMs largely utilise the same concept as HEAT, however they integrate some form of propulsion and are usually guideable, either manually (MCLOS) or semi-automatically (SACLOS). ATGMs usually pack a large amount of explosive and often have particularly powerful shaped charges. However, they require specialised equipment to fire and tend to be heavy, often resulting in long reload times, especially for hybrid vehicles.<br />
<br />
''ATGMs become available through Rank V, and are primarily carried by specialised ATGM carriers, although some tanks have ATGM-capable main cannons and some exceptional designs such as the [[Strv 81 (Rb.52)]] or the [[AMX-13 (HOT)]] mount ATGMs on ancillary pylons. ATGMs are powerful and SACLOS guided missiles are easily aimed, however they travel slowly and well-aware targets may be able to move into cover prior to the ATGM reaching them.''<br />
<br />
==== Anti-Tank Guided Missile, Proximity Fuse [Self-Destroying] (ATGM-VT*) ====<br />
[[File:Icon spr atgm prx.png|left|frameless]] Proximity ATGMs utilise proximity fuses to detonate when in close proximity to aircraft. This, combined with their guidance systems (SACLOS) allows them to be used effectively against low-flying aircraft or helicopters.<br />
<br />
''Proximity Fuse ATGMs can prove extremely effective against low-flying aircraft or helicopters, and utilise a similar proximity fuse concept to SAM missiles - although often ATGMs pack significantly more HE filler than SAMs do. ATGM-VT missiles are available to specialised ATGM carriers such as the [[Shturm-S]].''<br />
<br />
==== Anti-Tank Guided Missile, Tandem Charge (ATGM Tandem) ====<br />
[[File:Icon spr atgm tandem.png|left|frameless]] Tandem ATGMs utilise a twin-stage warhead to overcome ERA - the first stage causes the ERA to detonate, while the second stage penetrates the armour below as normal. This concept does not work against NERA or composite armour.<br />
<br />
''Tandem ATGMs are effective against ERA-protected vehicles, and often have very high penetration values. Tandem charge ATGMs are available to specialised ATGM carriers such as the [[Shturm-S]].''<br />
<br />
==== Anti-Tank Guided Missile, HE (ATGM-HE) ====<br />
[[File:Icon spr atgm he.png|left|frameless]] HE ATGMs are a simplification of a standard ATGM; rather than a shaped HEAT charge, HE missiles simply utilise a large quantity of explosive to damage or destroy emplacements or light vehicles or other ATGM tanks.<br />
<br />
''HE ATGMs are only effective against light vehicles and missile carriers in most cases, despite packing large quantities of HE filler. They are available to specialised ATGM carriers such as the [[Shturm-S]].''<br />
<br />
==== Surface to Air Missile (SAM) ====<br />
[[File:Icon spr sam.png|left|frameless]] SAMs are high-velocity anti-air missiles, designed specifically to combat aircraft using a variety of technologies; often including proximity fuses and radar or heat-seeking guidance.<br />
<br />
''SAMs are very effective at long distances against aircraft, particularly helicopters. They are often extremely high velocity and pack a large amount of HE filler for a powerful airburst effect. SAMs are available to specialised anti-air vehicles such as the [[ZPRK 2S6|2S6 Tunguska]] or the [[ADATS]], which, notably, has multi-purpose missiles that are also effective against armoured vehicles. Most SAMs pack less HE filler than an HE ATGM and are only reliably effective against lightly armoured ground vehicles.''<br />
<br />
=== Utility Rounds ===<br />
Utility rounds are ineffective for use against other vehicles, but provide value in some sort of utility.<br />
<br />
==== Smoke ====<br />
{{main|Smoke screen|l1=Smoke}}<br />
[[File:Icon rnd smoke.png|left|frameless]] Smoke shells are not designed as a damaging shell, and largely consist of chemicals designed to create a smoke screen. The produced smoke has a limited lifetime.<br />
<br />
''Smoke shells are available to various vehicles throughout most tech trees, however their effectiveness is somewhat limited compared to dedicated smoke launchers. The main advantage of smoke shells is that unlike ESS or hull mounted smoke canisters, they can be launched anywhere the equipped vehicle can aim, allowing for strategic placement for pushes or flanking maneuvers, or simply firing at an enemy vehicle to force them to move from their position.'' <br />
<br />
== Media ==<br />
{{Youtube-gallery|6O3MBjdSsIk|'''Tank Shells Guide - War Thunder ammo types explained''' - ''HowToPlay1337''}}<br />
<br />
==See also==<br />
<br />
* [[Ammo racks]] - How all tank ammunition is stored within the tank<br />
<br />
[[Category:Ammunition]]</div>U11670196https://wiki.warthunder.com/index.php?title=User:U11670196&diff=41809User:U116701962020-01-13T21:22:01Z<p>U11670196: </p>
<hr />
<div>Hi! I'm ftsartek (just call me artek). I've played Warthunder on-and-off since release, although I only really got into it properly more recently when I first picked up ground forces somewhere around 2016/2017.<br />
<br />
I originally made my way up through the Russian ground lineup without touching another nation until I reached the Russian Rank V, when I started grinding the British.<br />
<br />
Over time I worked my way up and as of October 2019, I have full Rank VII ground forces lineups for the British, the Russians, the Germans and the Americans and a Rank V lineup for the French. I pretty regularly play Ground RB at just about any rank, though, depending on how I feel at any given time.<br />
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I also play a bit of Air RB, although primarily with the intention of grinding aircraft to support my ground lineups.<br />
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I have a VR setup and on occasion play Air Simulator Battles with it until nausea (or the ground) gets the best of me (thanks for the advice though AN_TRN_26!). <!--One trick to help with the motion sickness when using VR is to have a small fan blowing on you, this will trick your brain into thinking you are actually moving and should help reduce the motion sickness. I had the same problem, once I started the fan, all motion sickness went away and I didn't have any issues after that.--><!-- Thanks! I'll give this a shot. --><br />
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My intention on the Wiki is to (where possible) keep info up-to-date where possible, clean up any grammatical issues or simply help ensure that people can rely on the wiki for gameplay suggestions and recommendations. I also like the Oxford comma. Don't judge me.<br />
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'''Everything below is my opinion only; take it how you like.'''<br />
<br />
=== '''Favourite Vehicles''' ===<br />
<u>[[Centurion Mk 10|Centurion Mk.10]], [[Vickers MBT|Vickers MBT]] and [[Conqueror|Conqueror Mk.2]]:</u> These three tanks make up what is probably my most played individual lineup in War Thunder: 7.3 British. The L7 is amazing, the L1 is amazing, and the Vickers' reload is amazing.<br />
<br />
<u>[[IS-7|IS-7:]]</u> This thing is great fun. It's not really the best tank at 8.3, where every game's against 8.7 tanks and armour means nothing... But popping something with a 130mm nuke shell is pretty damn satisfying.<br />
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<u>[[T-80U|T-80U:]]</u> This thing is great. Unless you get shot in the side, but eventually you've gotta get used to it. The gun, the mobility, the survivability... Incredible vehicle, extremely competitive at top tier.<br />
<br />
<u>[[FV4005|FV4005:]]</u> The HESH Barn is the single most inconsistent vehicle I think I've ever driven in War Thunder. HESH is weird. But I've had a love for this thing since the first time I got a multi-kill; a round hit the side of a Panther, killing it and the Ru 251 directly adjacent, AND a plane that was in the vicinity. I don't even think the plane was that close. Yet to repeat that, but I have had a couple double kills with it since. <br />
<br />
<u>[[ZiS-12 (94-KM)]]:</u> This is not an AA. This is a tank destroyer disguised as a milk truck. I've probably killed like 3 planes for every 20 tanks I've killed with this. Driving around like a maniac in a truck is stupid and amusing. So damn amusing.<br />
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<u>[[Firefly "Scorpion"|Firefly Scorpion]]:</u> To be honest, the 17pdr is dirty at 4.7. Yeah, okay, the thing can't take a hit, but jeez, nothing it faces can either. Plus the Brit 4.7 lineup is a GREAT SL grinder (if you're good with solid shot, at least).<br />
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<u>[[Sd.Kfz.234/4]]:</u> Speaking of pesky, this is the king of it. This is like the Centauro before the Italians ''dreamed'' of a light, fast vehicle designed just to annoy people in War Thunder. And on top of being light and fast, it's got a really good gun that can actually do some work in just about any uptier.<br />
<br />
=== Hated Vehicles ===<br />
<u>[[ADATS]]:</u> NOW HULLBREAKS ON ANYTHING: GAIJIN HAVE SAVED TOP TIER!<br />
<br />
<u>[[M10 GMC]]:</u> I paid for a turreted tank destroyer, not a casemate. Whose idea was this? Turret traverse pls.<br />
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<u>[[Flakpanzer 341]]:</u> Love the concept. Still can't reliably shoot planes down ''or'' deal with tanks. Maybe I'm just bad.<br />
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<u>[[Archer]]:</u> ???????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????<br />
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''Also, all of the French vehicles prior to the B1 Bis. Anyone else who has also had to grind the reserve vehicles in the French lineup will understand why.''<br />
<br />
=== Personal Considerations for WT ===<br />
I enjoy War Thunder, and I'm happy to put time and money into it. Of course, no game can ever be perfect but there are some improvements I'd really like to see:<br />
<br />
'''Quality of Life'''<br />
<br />
* '''Dynamic Spawn Points''': This is likely a complex implementation, but ideally open up the area vehicles can spawn into on subsequent spawns ''if'' there are nearby enemies. Initial spawns can and would work as currently, but respawning would be far more dynamic, denying teams the current 'lockout' ability they currently have if they take an early advantage. If enemy vehicles were detected near or in a spawn, or (using path-tracing) detected with a direct line of sight in a spawn area, vehicles would instead be spawned in a nearby, but non-affected area. This allows for more than 'just get a few kills then die' and avoids the current spawn sniping issues too.<br />
* '''Cleaning up classic maps for modern gameplay''': A number of maps which were made available to top tier in the recent update have areas which are unbelievably good but are simply too easy to get to with MBTs and later light tanks. These need to be further restricted. This also somewhat applies to some newer maps where there are extremely good sniping positions available to one side and no spots available on the other side.<br />
* '''ULQ''': Ultra Low Quality is game-breaking, especially with Thermal in the game now. Being punished for playing the game on higher graphics is sad. There needs to be a compromise, a way to avoid issues for players who genuinely do need ULQ and players who really shouldn't be using it. Pet peeve, but I like my games looking good.<br />
* '''Night Maps & NVD''': Night maps are great fun... for people with NVD. If you don't have NVD you're on the back foot, and if it's one of those pitch black maps, you're basically done for. That isn't fun.<br />
<br />
'''Balance'''<br />
<br />
* '''Dynamic Battle Ratings''': This is, of course, a complex idea; probably requires lots of back-end work. Still, it'd be great for vehicles such as the M48A2 G A2 which is unbelievably out-classed until it gets APFSDS, and even then it's kinda over-ranked IMO.<br />
* '''Early-Game ATGM Helicopters''': I don't think early ATGM choppers are healthy for the game. They make people spawn into missile AA at the beginning of the game, which (unless you're in an ADATS) means your early game impact is basically limited to saving your defenseless teammates. Just doesn't really fit. Make ATGMs something you've gotta earn again. If nothing else, limit how many choppers can spawn simultaneously; it's frustrating for both teams when 80% of a team is in choppers.<br />
* '''Decompression''': Everyone asks about it, and for a reason. Gaijin have made a good start on this but I think it needs to go a bit further. Here's hoping.<br />
* '''Close Look at Top Tier Balance''': I feel like some tanks could do with better rounds now that they've been essentially power creeped (M1/IPM1, Challenger 1s, Chally 2, 2A4)<br />
* '''Anti-Chopper Aircraft''': Ensure aircraft (without anti-ground ordinance) are able to spawn for the same cost as ATGM helicopters. It's fair enough that there's a viable option to fight back against ATGM choppers besides ground-based AA (which may well be superseded with the advent of long range ATGMs coming up). And most late choppers can deal with planes fairly easily if they're attention.<br />
<br />
'''Additions/Updates'''<br />
<br />
* A gamemode similar to Battlefield's Rush would be awesome in WT. It would probably require bigger maps, dynamic spawn points, etc, but god it'd be fun.<!-- @ftsartek, welcome to the wiki! We are glad to have your help working on articles where you can share your experience with specific vehicles or tactics and in general making this an inviting place for people to learn more about War Thunder and the vehicles within. If you should have any questions, please don't hesitate to ask. --U64962917 (talk) 10:27, 15 August 2019 (UTC) --></div>U11670196https://wiki.warthunder.com/index.php?title=M1A2_Abrams&diff=41745M1A2 Abrams2020-01-12T22:08:47Z<p>U11670196: Small updates in clarity and conciseness.</p>
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<div>{{Specs-Card|code=us_m1a2_abrams}}<br />
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== Description ==<br />
<!--In the description, the first part should be about the history of the creation and combat usage of the vehicle, as well as its key features. In the second part, tell the reader about the ground vehicle in the game. Insert a screenshot of the vehicle, so that if the novice player does not remember the vehicle by name, he will immediately understand what kind of vehicle the article is talking about.--><br />
[[File:GarageImage_M1A2 Abrams.jpg|420px||thumb|left]]<br />
{{break}}<br />
The '''{{Specs|name}}''' (shortened to '''{{Specs|pseudonym}}''') is a rank {{Specs|rank}} American medium tank {{Battle-rating}}. It was introduced in [[Update 1.93 "Shark Attack"]] as the top researchable vehicle in the US Ground Forces tech tree. The M1A2 introduces heavy depleted uranium armour, a commander's thermal sight and the only driver's thermal imager in the game. <br />
<br />
== General info ==<br />
=== Survivability and armour ===<br />
<!--Describe armour protection. Note the most well protected and key weak areas. Appreciate the layout of modules as well as the number and location of crew members. Is the level of armour protection sufficient, is the placement of modules helpful for survival in combat? If necessary use a visual template to indicate the most secure and weak zones of the armour.--><br />
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[[File:M1A2 armour scheme.png|thumbnail|The M1A2's frontal KE protection vs CL1343 at 500 metres]]<br />
[[File:M1A2 CE armour scheme.png|thumbnail|The M1A2's frontal CE protection vs MIM-146]]<br />
<br />
The M1A2's armour is a massive improvement in comparison to its predecessor, the [[M1A1 Abrams|M1A1,]] and is the first Abrams in the game to be equipped with depleted uranium composite armour, located behind the turret cheeks of the tank. The protection afforded with the use of depleted uranium amounts to roughly over 200 mm RHAe more armour against kinetic energy projectiles whilst retaining the near-impenetrable chemical protection of the M1A1. The turret's overall kinetic energy protection ranges from around 690 mm to 600 mm, whilst the chemical energy protection ranges from 1200 mm to 1000 mm. However, the M1A2 has no depleted uranium located in the lower front plate, retaining the same weak spots as the M1A1's hull. The turret ring and breech also are weak spots, though the breech on the Abrams series is notably some of the strongest out of all NATO main battle tanks being small and well protected against chemical energy rounds and some early APFSDS rounds. <br />
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=== Mobility ===<br />
<!--Write about the mobility of the ground vehicle. Estimate the specific power and manoeuvrability, as well as the maximum speed forwards and backwards.--><br />
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The M1A2 retains the same 1,519 horsepower AGT-1500 gas turbine on previous Abrams variants, though the tank has gained an additional 4 metric tons of weight, putting the total mass of the tank at 61.7 tonnes. This translates to a noticeable decrease in acceleration and manoeuvrability due to a lower hp/ton ratio. However, the tank retains the same 68 km/h top speed and 40 km/h reverse speed and relative to its counterparts the M1A2 is still fairly mobile, especially at speeds over 40 km/h. When stock, the hull traverse is quite horrendous and acceleration is lacking, though these are largely remedied by researching the engine, filters, transmission and tracks modules.<br />
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== Armaments ==<br />
=== Main armament ===<br />
<!--Give the reader information about the characteristics of the main gun. Assess its effectiveness in a battle based on the reloading speed, ballistics and the power of shells. Do not forget about the flexibility of the fire, that is how quickly the cannon can be aimed at the target, open fire on it and aim at another enemy. Add a link to the main article on the gun: <code><nowiki>{{main|Name of the weapon}}</nowiki></code>. Describe in general terms the ammunition available for the main gun. Give advice on how to use them and how to fill the ammunition storage.--><br />
{{main|M256 (120 mm)}}<br />
<br />
The M1A2 is armed with the same 120 mm M256 smoothbore gun as the M1A1 and has access to the same ammunition of APFSDS and HEAT-FS. However, the M1A2 also gets access to a new HEAT-MP-T shell, M830A1. The M829 APFSDS round is still an excellent anti-tank munition, boasting the third highest penetration figures out of any sabot round in the game, at 493 mm of flat penetration at point-blank and decreasing to just 458 mm at 2 kilometres. Its angled performance is also excellent, penetrating 284 mm of armour at 60 degrees point-blank and 264 mm at 2 kilometres. It is sufficient to reliably engage any vehicle in the game frontally. The M830 HEAT-FS shell penetrates a meagre 480 mm of armour. It is not recommended to use this shell after unlocking the M829. The M1A2's new shell, M830A1 is a special type of HEAT-FS round. Instead of using a conventional impact fuse, M830A1 is a sub-calibre HEAT-FS round that has been saboted into a 120 mm casing and fitted with a proximity fuse. This allows it to effectively engage low flying aircraft and helicopters up to a range of 4.5 kilometres. The sub-calibre nature of the round means it travels extremely quickly at 1,400 m/s, making it the fastest HEAT round in the game. However, its effectiveness against armoured vehicles is limited as it penetrates a mere 350 mm of armour. <br />
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The M1A2's gun handles very well, with a very efficient stabiliser that allows accurate fire at any speed and a very fast 40 degrees per second turret traverse. The gun has good depression and elevation angles; negative 10 and positive 20 degrees respectively. An aced crew can reload the gun in just six seconds, which is comparable to the Leopard 2A5, Leclerc and T-80U, although slower than the Type 90 and Challenger 2. <br />
<br />
{| class="wikitable"<br />
! colspan="6" |[[M256 (120 mm)|120 mm M256]]<br />
|-<br />
! colspan="3" rowspan="1" |Capacity<br />
! rowspan="1" |Vertical<br />
guidance<br />
! rowspan="1" |Horizontal<br />
guidance<br />
! rowspan="1" |Stabilizer<br />
|-<br />
| colspan="3" |42<br />
| -10°/+20°<br />
|±180°<br />
|Two-plane<br />
|-<br />
! colspan="6" |Turret rotation speed (°/s)<br />
|-<br />
!Mode<br />
!Stock<br />
!Upgraded<br />
!Prior + Full crew<br />
!Prior + Expert qualif.<br />
!Prior + Ace qualif.<br />
|-<br />
|''Arcade''<br />
|38.08<br />
|52.71<br />
|64.00<br />
|70.8<br />
|75.29<br />
|-<br />
|''Realistic''<br />
|23.8<br />
|28.0<br />
|34.0<br />
|37.6<br />
|40.0<br />
|-<br />
! colspan="4" |Reloading rate (seconds)<br />
|-<br />
! colspan="1" |Stock<br />
! colspan="1" |Prior + Full crew<br />
! colspan="1" |Prior + Expert qualif.<br />
! colspan="1" |Prior + Ace qualif.<br />
|-<br />
|7.80<br />
|6.9<br />
|6.36<br />
|6.0<br />
|}<br />
<br />
=====Ammunition=====<br />
{| class="wikitable sortable" style="text-align:center" width="100%"<br />
! colspan="8" |Penetration statistics<br />
|-<br />
! rowspan="2" data-sort-type="text" |Ammunition<br />
! rowspan="2" class="unsortable" |Type of <br />
warhead<br />
! colspan="6" |'''Penetration''' ''in mm'' '''@ 0° Angle of Attack'''<br />
|-<br />
!10m<br />
!100m<br />
!500m<br />
!1000m<br />
!1500m<br />
!2000m<br />
|-<br />
|M830||HEAT-FS||480||480||480||480||480||480<br />
|-<br />
|M829||APFSDS||493||492||484||476||467||458<br />
|-<br />
|M830A1<br />
|HEAT-MP<br />
|350<br />
|350<br />
|350<br />
|350<br />
|350<br />
|350<br />
|}<br />
{| class="wikitable sortable" style="text-align:center" width="100%"<br />
! colspan="11" |Shell details<br />
|-<br />
! rowspan="2" data-sort-type="text" |Ammunition<br />
! rowspan="2" class="unsortable" |Type of <br />
warhead<br />
! rowspan="2" |Velocity <br />
in m/s<br />
! rowspan="2" |Projectile<br />
Mass in kg<br />
! rowspan="2" |''Fuse delay''<br />
''in m:''<br />
! rowspan="2" |''Fuse sensitivity''<br />
''in mm:''<br />
! rowspan="2" |''Explosive Mass in g'' ''(TNT equivalent):''<br />
! rowspan="2" |''Normalization At 30°''<br />
''from horizontal:''<br />
! colspan="3" |''Ricochet:''<br />
|-<br />
!0%<br />
!50%<br />
!100%<br />
|-<br />
|M830||HEAT-FS||1,140||13.5||0.0||0.1||1,640||+0°||65°||72°||75°<br />
|-<br />
|M829||APFSDS||1,679||4.3||N/A||N/A||N/A||+1.5°||78°||80°||81°<br />
|-<br />
|M830A1<br />
|HEAT-MP<br />
|1,400<br />
|11.4<br />
|400<br />
|0.1<br />
|1.39<br />
|<br />
|65°<br />
|72°<br />
|75°<br />
|}<br />
=====[[Ammo racks]]=====<br />
{| class="wikitable sortable" style="text-align:center"<br />
|-<br />
! class="wikitable unsortable" |Full<br />
ammo<br />
! class="wikitable unsortable" |1st<br />
rack empty<br />
! class="wikitable unsortable" |2nd<br />
rack empty<br />
! class="wikitable unsortable" |Visual<br />
discrepancy<br />
|-<br />
||'''42'''||18||24|| style="text-align:left" |Yes<br />
|-<br />
|}<br />
=== Machine guns ===<br />
{{main|M2HB (12.7 mm)|M240 (7.62 mm)}}<!--''Offensive and anti-aircraft machine guns not only allow you to fight some aircraft, but also are effective against lightly armoured vehicles. Evaluate machine guns and give recommendations on its use.''--><br />
<br />
{| class="wikitable" style="text-align:center"<br />
|-<br />
! colspan="7" |[[M2HB (12.7 mm)|12.7 mm M2HB]]<br />
|-<br />
! colspan="7" |''Pintle mount (Commander)''<br />
|-<br />
! colspan="4" rowspan="1" style="width:5em" |Capacity (Belt capacity)<br />
! rowspan="1" |Fire rate <br />
(shots/minute)<br />
! rowspan="1" |Vertical <br />
guidance<br />
! rowspan="1" |Horizontal <br />
guidance<br />
|-<br />
| colspan="4" |1,000 (200)||577||-9°/+65°||±180°<br />
|}<br />
{| class="wikitable" style="text-align:center"<br />
|-<br />
! colspan="7" |[[M240 (7.62 mm)|7.62 mm M240]]<br />
|-<br />
! colspan="7" |''Coaxial mount''<br />
|-<br />
! colspan="4" rowspan="1" style="width:5em" |Capacity (Belt capacity)<br />
! rowspan="1" |Fire rate <br />
(shots/minute)<br />
! rowspan="1" |Vertical <br />
guidance<br />
! rowspan="1" |Horizontal <br />
guidance<br />
|-<br />
| colspan="4" |10,000 (200)||750||-10°/+20°||±180°<br />
|-<br />
! colspan="7" |''Pintle mount (Loader)''<br />
|-<br />
! colspan="4" rowspan="1" style="width:5em" |Capacity (Belt capacity)<br />
! rowspan="1" |Fire rate <br />
(shots/minute)<br />
! rowspan="1" |Vertical <br />
guidance<br />
! rowspan="1" |Horizontal <br />
guidance<br />
|-<br />
| colspan="4" |1,400 (200)||750||-9°/+65°||-77°/+135°<br />
|}<br />
===Optics and night vision===<br />
The M1A2 is equipped with a thermal imager for the commander, gunner and driver. It has good resolution and provides excellent situational awareness for the vehicle.<br />
{| class="wikitable"<br />
! colspan="7" |{{PAGENAME}} [[Optics]]<br />
|-<br />
! rowspan="3" |Type of optic<br />
! rowspan="3" |Magnification<br />
! colspan="5" |[[Night Vision Devices]]<br />
|-<br />
! colspan="3" |Image Intensifier<br />
! rowspan="2" |Thermal Imager<br />
Resolution<br />
! rowspan="2" |Notes<br />
|-<br />
!Resolution<br />
!Light Mult<br />
!Noise Level<br />
|-<br />
!Gunner's Sight<br />
|X3.0 - X10.0<br />
|Not fitted<br />
|N/A<br />
|N/A<br />
|800 x 600<br />
|<br />
|-<br />
!Commander's View<br />
|X6<br />
|Not fitted<br />
|N/A<br />
|N/A<br />
|800 x 600<br />
|<br />
|-<br />
!Driver's View<br />
|X1<br />
|Not fitted<br />
|N/A<br />
|N/A<br />
|800 x 600<br />
|}<br />
<br />
== Usage in battles ==<br />
<!--Describe the tactics of playing in the vehicle, the features of using vehicles in the team and advice on tactics. Refrain from creating a "guide" - do not impose a single point of view but instead give the reader food for thought. Describe the most dangerous enemies and give recommendations on fighting them. If necessary, note the specifics of the game in different modes (AB, RB, SB).--><br />
The M1A2 Abrams excels as an all-around jack of all trades vehicle capable of any role presented to it. It has a great combination of protection, firepower, situational awareness and mobility to allow it to adapt to any task it may face, from close-quarters fighting in urban areas to long-range engagements on large open maps.<br />
<br />
;Urban combat<br />
<br />
The M1A2, with its good mobility and improved protection over the M1A1 can function as an effective brawler in close-quarters urban fighting. The M1A2's reload rate is on par when aced to its counterparts, with the exception of the Challenger 2 and Type 90, making it able to quickly dish out damage and deal with multiple foes. Thusly, the M1A2 has no issue leading the charge into urban areas and being a frontline vehicle in the thick of the action, being able to equally deal damage and take it. <br />
<br />
;Rural combat<br />
<br />
On large open maps, the M1A2 is fully able to exploit its improved turret protection and commander's thermal imaging to give it the upper hand in long-range battles. The mobility of the M1A2 allows it to reach advantageous positions that overlook key areas of the map and its improved thermal quality allows easier identification of targets at range and in dense woodland. The commander's thermal imager means the player can keep track of threats all around the vehicle and monitor the battlefield without exposing the turret at all. The M1A2 is best played as an ambush sniper, using its commander's thermal sight to survey from cover, exposing the tank only to engage a target. The turret armour also means the M1A2 should be kept in a hull-down position, making the tank extremely hard to destroy. The M1A2 also retains the ability to effectively take the enemy head-on when the situation calls for it, such as assaulting capture points. The M830A1 shell is also valuable, allowing the M1A2 to become an ad-hoc anti-aircraft vehicle, especially against unwary helicopters that get too close to you or your allies. <br />
<br />
;Notable enemies<br />
<br />
* [[Leopard 2A5]]: This is the main counterpart of the M1A2 and both tanks are evenly matched in nearly all aspects. Thusly the Leopard 2A5 should be a high-priority target to be dealt with carefully. When hull down, the Leopard 2A5 can only be effectively penetrated through the gun mantlet or a lucky shot into the turret ring, so aim for the gun area, which usually results in at least the disablement of the cannon or breech. If the Leopard 2A5 presents its hull, aim for the left side as the lined-up crew members usually result in all of them being knocked out at the same time.<br />
<br />
* [[T-80U]]: The T-80U can be a fearsome enemy if you are unaware of its significant disadvantages and weaknesses. The tank's frontal protection is very strong, though the area around the gun and the driver's hatch are weak spots that should be targeted. The T-80U, like many other T-series vehicles, are prone to being destroyed in one-shot due to the tightly-packed interior that has the turret crew sitting on top of all the ammunition. Furthermore, the T-80U is very vulnerable to any form of angling in the hull as its side protection is very weak in comparison to the frontal armour. A single penetration at all but the most oblique angles usually results in the detonation of the hull-ammo carousel to easily destroy the T-80U. <br />
<br />
* [[Leclerc]]: The Leclerc's good mobility, firepower and protection make it a formidable foe to engage. However the tank's armour scheme is inconsistent and presents three main weak spots frontally; the massive and extremely weak mantlet, the UFP and LFP. These are quite easy to hit and present a good chance of dealing serious damage or knocking out the vehicle entirely. <br />
<br />
=== Pros and cons ===<br />
<!--Summarise and briefly evaluate the vehicle in terms of its characteristics and combat effectiveness. Mark its pros and cons in a bulleted list. Try not to use more than 6 points for each of the characteristics. Avoid using categorical definitions such as "bad", "good" and the like - use substitutions with softer forms such as "inadequate" and "effective".--><br />
<br />
'''Pros:''' <br />
<br />
* New depleted uranium composite armour layout makes the frontal turret extremely difficult to penetrate to all munitions in the game<br />
* Can effectively destroy aircraft or helicopters with new HEATFS shell through proximity detonation<br />
* Thermal sight for the commander, gunner and driver<br />
* Excellent thermal quality (800 x 600), comparable to the [[Leopard 2A5]]<br />
* Good crew survivability like the rest of the Abrams line <br />
<br />
'''Cons:'''<br />
<br />
* Has the same weak spots as the preceding Abrams<br />
* The mantlet can be penetrated by almost all shells, will only stop HEATFS<br />
* The Italian CL1343 APFSDS found on the Ariete line of tanks can penetrate some areas of the gunner's side turret cheek at close range<br />
* Least manoeuvrable Abrams in the game, due to its weight of 61.7 tonnes <br />
<br />
== History ==<br />
<!--Describe the history of the creation and combat usage of the ground vehicle in more detail than in the introduction. If the historical reference turns out to be too long, take it to a separate article, taking a link to the article about the vehicle and adding a block "/ History" (example: <nowiki>https://wiki.warthunder.com/(Vehicle-name)/History</nowiki>) and add a link to it here using the <code>main</code> template. Be sure to reference text and sources by using <code><nowiki><ref></nowiki></code>, as well as adding them at the end of the article. This section may also include the vehicle's dev blog entry (if applicable) and the in-game encyclopedia description (under <code><nowiki>=== In-game description ===</nowiki></code>, also if applicable).--><br />
<br />
In the second half of the 1980s, a development project was launched to increase the combat effectiveness of the Abrams MBT. The result of this undertaking became the M1A2 version of the Abrams.<br />
<br />
The new version featured an upgraded fire control system, a new independent commander’s panoramic sight as well as improved protection thanks to the use of second generation depleted uranium composite armor. All of these upgrades combined significantly bolstered the combat capabilities of the Abrams tank. Production of the M1A2 began in 1986 and the modification was formally introduced into US service in 1992.<br />
<br />
The M1A2 and its sub-variants are the most advanced modifications of the Abrams tank fielded to date. Over 1,500 M1A2s have been built with some older variants also being upgraded to the M1A2 standard. Apart from the U.S. as its primary operator, the M1A2 also sees service with the armed forces of Kuwait and Saudi Arabia.<br />
<br />
''- From [[wt:en/news/6451-development-m1a2-abrams-higher-and-higher-en|Devblog]]''<br />
<br />
== Media ==<br />
<!--Excellent additions to the article would be video guides, screenshots from the game, and photos.--><br />
<li style="display: inline-block;"> [[File:M1A2 on Kursk.png |thumb|250px|M1A2, ''Angel of Death'', scanning the horizon on [[Kursk (Ground Forces)|Kursk]].]][[File:Shot 2019.12.17 15.34.50.jpg|thumb|M1A2 sporting the unlockable Allied Spirit VIII skin.This skin represents US Army units in Europe, 2018.]]</li><br />
== See also ==<br />
''Links to the articles on the War Thunder Wiki that you think will be useful for the reader, for example:''<br />
<br />
* ''reference to the series of the vehicles;''<br />
* ''links to approximate analogues of other nations and research trees.''<br />
<br />
== External links ==<br />
<!--Paste links to sources and external resources, such as:<br />
* ''topic on the official game forum;''<br />
* ''encyclopedia page on the tank;''<br />
* ''other literature.''--><br />
<br />
* [[wt:en/news/6451-development-m1a2-abrams-higher-and-higher-en|[Development<nowiki>]</nowiki> M1A2 Abrams - Higher and Higher]]<br />
<br />
{{USA medium tanks}}</div>U11670196https://wiki.warthunder.com/index.php?title=Tank_ammunition&diff=38863Tank ammunition2019-12-13T00:55:55Z<p>U11670196: General grammatical corrections, a couple of added notes and a few changes for clarity or conciseness.</p>
<hr />
<div>Throughout the past century of tank development, a large range of ammunition types have been produced and seen combat. As time progressed, technology improved and rounds also improved in terms of lethality, accuracy and ballistic performance. Despite this, most rounds can be categorised under one of two primary categories: '''kinetic''' rounds and '''chemical''' rounds; and further under a variety of subcategories.<br />
<br />
== Kinetic energy shells ==<br />
'''Kinetic rounds''' penetrate and deal damage based on a number of factors; shell type, projectile mass, round velocity and material hardness. Mass, shell type and hardness are constants, but velocity reduces with distance travelled and as such at longer ranges kinetic rounds will lose penetration ability and in some cases post-penetration efficacy. Most kinetic rounds can hit targets through lighter obstacles - trees, walls and some buildings.<br />
<br />
=== Solid Armour-Piercing Rounds ===<br />
Solid AP rounds are a kinetic munition that utilise a hardened metal (often steel) shell with full-calibre diameter. The result is a simple, yet effective anti-tank round that will punch through armour with high equivalent thickness values, while retaining reasonable post-penetration effects which, when well-placed, can deal significant internal damage to components and crew directly within the shrapnelling path. The amount of spalling generated by a successful AP penetration depends on the shell mass and thickness of the penetrated armour and modules. Generally, solid AP does not stop until it has exhausted all of its force and is capable of passing through an entire vehicle if this energy is not fully expended.<br />
==== Armour-Piercing (AP) ====<br />
[[File:Icon rnd ap.png|left|frameless]] Armour-Piercing is a basic solid steel shot which is entirely reliant on kinetic energy to penetrate and deal damage. Providing the round possesses enough energy to penetrate any given armour, it will deal internal damage from steel fragments and spalling of the internal surfaces which can damage vehicle components, stored ammunition and crew members.<br />
<br />
''AP is a standard early World War II ammunition for many nations. In War Thunder, AP rounds should be used as a general use anti-armour round, with careful round placement to maximise post-penetration damage. Some nations, such as the British, have modified versions of AP, usually denoted by a "HV" in the name, which is launched at a higher velocity than standard AP rounds, resulting in higher penetration potential.''<br />
<br />
==== Armour-Piercing, Capped (APC) ====<br />
[[File:Icon rnd apc.png|left|frameless]] APC rounds have a nose cone (or cap) of softer metal which is fixed to the front of the solid shot. When this strikes the target armour the shock of the impact is transferred away from the tip of the round to the neck, helping prevent shattering. Additionally, the cap will collapse on contact with armour and the deformation will cause the round to angle towards the armour, more efficiently directing energy into the armour and improving the angled performance of the round. A downside of the cap is a decrease in long-range accuracy due to the cap interfering with the shell's aerodynamics.<br />
[[File:APC Normalization.gif|thumb|Display of shell normalization as an effect of a capped (APC) shell (clickable gif)]]<br />
<br />
''APC is commonly found as a mid-tier shell for both the British and French on their mid-to-late WW2 vehicles. In War Thunder, APC is best used as a short-to-mid range round for combatting angled armour that regular AP rounds may not easily penetrate.''<br />
<br />
==== Armour-Piercing, Ballistic Capped (APBC) ====<br />
[[File:Icon rnd apbc.png|left|frameless]] APBC rounds utilise a ballistic cap, designed to improve aerodynamic performance and hence round performance at longer ranges. The cap usually utilises a soft or brittle metal which collapses on impact and does not aid penetration or angled performance.<br />
<br />
''APBC is found on some early Russian vehicles, but is relatively uncommon otherwise compared to APCBC. In War Thunder, APBC is best used as a longer-range alternative to APC or APHE rounds which often exhibit less favourable ranged performance.''<br />
<br />
==== Armour-Piercing, Capped, Ballistic Capped (APCBC) ====<br />
[[File:Icon rnd apcbc.png|left|frameless]] APCBC rounds combine the standard cap and the ballistic cap, improving the round's aerodynamic and penetration performance. As such, APCBC rounds tend to exhibit the best 'all-round' characteristics of any conventional kinetic rounds.<br />
<br />
''APCBC is found as a high-tier shell for British, French and American mid-to-late WW2 vehicles. In-game, APCBC should be the preferred option given a selection of full-calibre solid shot rounds, when available, and should be situationally switched for APHE rounds if they're available.''<br />
<br />
=== HE-Filled Armour-Piercing Rounds ===<br />
HE-Filled Armour-Piercing Rounds take the concept of armour-piercing rounds and add a deadly twist - a quantity of HE filler on a timed fuse, designed to explode after a successful penetration. While the concept sacrifices some structural integrity and thus penetrating power, the destructive ability of an APHE round is nearly unrivalled. The fuse only activates if the shell collides with a surface of reasonable thickness, mostly dictated by shell caliber - though there are exceptions with a slower or faster fuse. After the fuse activates, the contained explosive will be ignited after passing a specified distance, resulting in significantly increased internal damage to a target. Vehicles with rolled homogenous armour side skirts of reasonable thickness can detonate fast fuse APHE early, sometime avoiding internal damage entirely. Tanks with large or numerous modules directly behind weak spots (for example, front-mounted transmissions) can block the entire round from further penetration, or simply block the post-penetration effect from passing. Keep this in mind, and try to aim for locations that will allow detonation as centrally within the target as possible.<br />
<br />
==== Armour-Piercing, High-Explosive (APHE) ====<br />
[[File:Icon rnd aphe.png|left|frameless]] APHE rounds utilise a similar form to AP rounds, but incorporate a small chamber of high-explosive filler within the round. This often slightly reduces the round's mass and construction strength and as such APHE rounds tend to exhibit slightly worse penetration performance than their solid shot counterparts. However, upon successful penetration, APHE rounds often cause significantly more damage within a vehicle. APHE rounds have a fuse which will only activate on sufficiently thick armour.<br />
<br />
''APHE is primarily found on Russian, German and Japanese vehicles earlier in the tech tree, and on a selection of earlier American vehicles. It should be prioritised for use when penetration is highly likely, or switched for AP or APCR if improved penetration is required.''<br />
<br />
==== Armour-Piercing, High-Explosive, Ballistic Capped (APHEBC) ====<br />
[[File:Icon rnd aphebc.png|left|frameless]] APHEBC rounds, similarly to APHE, utilise APBC concepts with the addition of high-explosive filler. Again, the rounds tend to exhibit slightly worse penetrative performance than their solid shot brethren, but significantly more post-penetration damage. APHEBC rounds have a fuse which will only activate on sufficiently thick armour.<br />
<br />
''APHEBC is primarily found on Russian and Italian vehicles earlier in the tech tree as a mid-tier round, and on some American and German vehicles. It's ideally used against targets where angled performance is required and HE filler is preferable.''<br />
<br />
==== Armour-Piercing, High-Explosive, Capped, Ballistic Capped (APHECBC) ====<br />
[[File:Icon rnd aphecbc.png|left|frameless]] APHECBC rounds utilise standard APCBC designs with added explosive filler. APHECBC is often referred to as 'APCBC' in-game, and can be identified instead by the graphic or the explosive filler content on the round's stat card. As with other APHE rounds, APHECBC significantly improves the post-penetration lethality over that of a standard APCBC round. APHECBC rounds have a fuse which will only activate on sufficiently thick armour.<br />
<br />
''APHECBC is found throughout the Russian tech tree as a high-tier round, and on some Japanese, American and German vehicles. APHECBC should be used preferentially and interchangeably with a high-penetration round where available.''<br />
<br />
=== Sub-Calibre Armour-Piercing Rounds ===<br />
Sub-Calibre AP rounds are, essentially, what they say on the label - the penetrator itself is of a smaller calibre than the gun barrel, using a 'sabot' to make up the calibre difference. How the sabot is handled is dependent on the type of round - it may be either discarding or non-discarding. Sub-calibre rounds sacrifice post-penetration effectiveness for high round velocities and high penetration values.<br />
<br />
==== Armour-Piercing, Composite, Rigid (APCR) ====<br />
[[File:Icon rnd apcr.png|left|frameless]] APCR rounds often use tungsten carbide or other extremely hard metals as a sub-calibre penetrator, wrapped within a softer full-calibre sabot - the APCR concept is essentially a predecessor to the APDS design. Upon impact, the soft shell will deform, allowing the hard metal penetrator contained within to penetrate the target's armour with force spread over a smaller surface area, resulting in significantly better penetration ability. APCR rounds often suffer due to their more concentrated post-penetration damage, as well as faster penetration drop-off over range than a standard AP round of the same calibre. Due to their design, APCR perform extremely poorly when fired upon angled armour, and will ricochet on much smaller angles than AP or APDS. <br />
<br />
''APCR is found throughout most tech trees, most commonly available to vehicles from mid-WW2 through to early cold war vehicles. APCR rounds are best used against minimally angled armour, where other rounds will be unable to penetrate.''<br />
<br />
==== Armour-Piercing, Discarding Sabot (APDS) ====<br />
[[File:Icon rnd apds.png|left|frameless]] APDS rounds utilise a hard core as a sub-calibre penetrator, with a full calibre sabot. Unlike APCR rounds, APDS rounds discard their sabot after exiting the cannon barrel. The result is an extremely high-velocity round with particularly high penetration values and good ranged accuracy. Unlike APCR, APDS does not suffer when used against angled armour. APDS produces a minimal amount of post-penetration damage - this can be attributed to the shell degradation the thicker the armour it has to penetrate. The thicker the armour, the more it deteriorates and the less spalling it will cause. Once the round deteriorates far enough, it will shatter. This is especially apparent for small-calibre APDS, or when used against some extremely heavy vehicles. Due to this, careful aim is required when utilising APDS rounds to maximise their post-penetration effect.<br />
<br />
''APDS is first made available on post-WW2 British vehicles, and is available to most vehicles in possession of an [[Royal Ordnance L7A1 (105 mm)|L7]]-derived cannon. In War Thunder, APDS is best used as a long-range round, with multiple shots often being a necessity due to the lack of post-penetration damage. APDS can be quite ineffective against lightly-armoured vehicles and the frontal armour of super heavy tanks.''<br />
<br />
==== Armour-Piercing, Fin-Stabilised, Discarding Sabot (APFSDS) ====<br />
[[File:Icon rnd apfsds.png|left|frameless]] APFSDS is the pinnacle of the kinetic anti-armour rounds. As with APDS, APFSDS utilises an extremely hard penetrator and a discarding sabot, however the penetrator is usually significantly longer than that of APDS and incorporates fins for improved long-range ballistics. The additional penetrator length improves the post-penetration damage effects. APFSDS rounds are the most powerful kinetic rounds available in-game. APFSDS rounds are the only type in-game that are capable of penetrating multiple vehicles along their vector.<br />
<br />
''APFSDS is first made available to some late Rank V vehicles, and is often the primary round for most Rank VI or VII vehicles. Due to the extremely high velocity most APFSDS rounds are fired at, they are easy to aim and maintain their effective performance at even extreme ranges. APFSDS is quite ineffective against lightly-armoured vehicles and should be aimed at critical components to maximise their damage potential.''<br />
<br />
== Chemical energy shells ==<br />
'''Chemical energy shells''' deal damage based on a chemical reaction, and unlike kinetic shells, their ability to penetrate and deal damage are unaffected by the shell's velocity. This means that target distance often doesn't affect the round's effectiveness. However, this also means that enemy tanks spaced and composite armour can be much more effective at preventing the damage, depending on the shell type used. Many chemical shells utilise extremely sensitive fuses and will detonate upon touching anything, while almost none of them can be fired through solid obstacles. Many chemical rounds have a very low muzzle velocity, reducing their effective range but allowing the user to launch them over terrain. <br />
<br />
=== High-Explosive Rounds ===<br />
High-Explosive rounds are a simple shell packed full of a high-explosive material, primarily designed for anti-infantry and anti-emplacement applications. However, this translates surprisingly well when applied to light vehicles - significantly more so than armour-piercing rounds or in some cases even APHE rounds. Unfortunately, most HE-based rounds are relatively useless against well-armoured vehicles and force their user to target flaws in an enemy tank design.<br />
<br />
==== High-Explosive (HE) ====<br />
[[File:Icon rnd he.png|left|frameless]] High-Explosive rounds are primarily intended for use as an anti-infantry/anti-emplacement round. As such, HE rounds tend to have minimal armour-piercing capability and are better used against particularly lightly armoured vehicles, although on occasion it can prove effective against the sides of a vehicle. Particularly high-calibre HE rounds may cause enough area damage to destroy a tank regardless of the round placement.<br />
<br />
''HE rounds are available to almost every vehicle in-game. However, low-calibre HE rounds are ineffective against all but the most lightly armoured targets, so this type of round should only be utilised by vehicles with large-calibre guns, such as the [[KV-2]] or [[Sturmpanzer II]].''<br />
<br />
==== High-Explosive Time Fuse (HE-DF) ====<br />
[[File:Icon rnd hevt.png|left|frameless]] HE-DF rounds use the simple concept of a timed fuse, resulting in an explosion at a pre-set range. While HE-DF rounds are no more effective than HE rounds against most heavy armour, they can be particularly effective against light vehicles with a known range or against aircraft (one of their original design uses).<br />
<br />
''HE-DF rounds are available to a number of vehicles originally designed for anti-air purposes, such as the [[YaG-10 (29-K)]] and the [[8,8 cm Flak 37 Sfl.]]. They're best used against aircraft by rangefinding the aircraft in question, setting the fuse range to a reasonable assumption based on the result and leading sensibly. They can be extremely effective against aircraft if used correctly, but are mostly ineffective against armoured vehicles.''<br />
<br />
==== High-Explosive Variable Time Fuse [Self-Destroying] (HE-VT*) ====<br />
[[File:Icon rnd he prx.png|left|frameless]] HE-VT rounds are an advanced round fitted with a specialised proximity fuse, designed to detonate the round upon reaching close proximity with a target. These are usually designed for anti-air applications, and are generally ineffective against most ground targets.<br />
<br />
''HE-VT rounds are available to some later anti-air vehicles, such as the [[OTOMATIC]], or some light tanks, like the [[Begleitpanzer 57]], and are capable of destroying aircraft or helicopters if the round passes within close proximity of the target. They are extremely effective against mid-ranged aircraft but cannot be relied upon for use against armour.''<br />
<br />
==== High-Explosive Grenade ====<br />
[[File:Icon grn he.png|left|frameless]] HE Grenades are specialised HE rounds designed to be fired from cannons which may not be otherwise capable of firing high-calibre rounds. They usually operate in a different manner to conventional cannon rounds, utilising a propellant rather than a charge, resulting in a relatively low round velocity and sub-par ballistics. However, this design has proven useful, as the low velocity can be used to 'sling' rounds over small terrain deformations, onto weak roof armour, or into trenches or bunkers.<br />
<br />
''HE Grenades are available to vehicles with 'recoilless' cannon designs or other non-standard cannon designs. They are generally as effective as an equivalent HE round, however have significantly lower muzzle velocity and as such are extremely inaccurate at long ranges. HE Grenades are found on various vehicles, such as the [[BMP-1]].''<br />
<br />
==== Rocket ====<br />
[[File:Icon spr rocket.png|left|frameless]] Rockets are unguided high-explosive self-propelled rounds which are often significantly higher calibre than standard tank cannons. They can be mounted as ancillary weaponry on some vehicles, or in some cases mounted on specialised rocket-carrier vehicles.<br />
<br />
''Rockets can be unreliable and inaccurate, but due to their often large calibre, large amounts of HE filler, and ability to continuously launch them until the ammo rack is empty, they can prove effective against some armoured vehicles. Rockets are either mounted ancillary, as on the [[Calliope]] or the [[M26 T99]], or on rocket carriers such as the [[BM-13N]].''<br />
<br />
=== Anti-Emplacement Rounds ===<br />
Anti-Emplacement rounds are designed specifically for combatting emplacements, however have proven to have some anti-tank value. They rely on different mechanics to normal rounds, but can prove particularly ineffective against heavy armour.<br />
<br />
==== Shrapnel ====<br />
[[File:Shrapnel Round Icon.png|left|frameless]] Shrapnel rounds are a chemical round utilising a thin shell and a chamber of metal fillings or ball bearings with a small explosive charge. Upon successful penetration, shrapnel rounds cause a significant amount of damage. However, due to the thin outer shell, shrapnel rounds only perform well against particularly light armour and are completely ineffective when used against even moderately armoured targets.<br />
<br />
''Shrapnel rounds are available exclusively to early Russian vehicles. Shrapnel is exclusively useful against lightly armoured targets, and shouldn't be used against front-facing armour of any other tank.''<br />
<br />
==== High-Explosive Squash Head (HESH) ====<br />
[[File:Icon rnd hesh.png|left|frameless]] HESH rounds are designed as an anti-emplacement round. The 'squash head', usually comprised of some form of plastic explosive, is designed to squash onto a surface and detonate, causing the opposite side of the surface to rupture. If the given surface happens to be metal, this will often result in metal shards flying off the surface at high velocity. Due to this design, HESH rounds perform better the further they can spread, and as such they're more effective when applied to angled armour, within reason.<br />
<br />
''HESH rounds are available to most British vehicles from Rank V, and other vehicles in possession of an L7-derived gun. HESH should be primarily used against lighter armour or side armour, while specifically avoiding side skirts and any other forms of spaced armour, although occasionally the HE splash effect can cause unexpected results. HESH is completely ineffective against heavy armour or composite armour designs.''<br />
<br />
=== High-Explosive Anti-Tank Rounds ===<br />
High-Explosive Anti-Tank (HEAT) rounds make use of shaped charges to penetrate armour, forcing superplastic metal through into the crew compartment, damaging crew and modules. HEAT rounds prove particularly effective at long ranges, as their method of action does not lose effectiveness with range. Unfortunately though, the fuse on a HEAT round must be extremely sensitive, causing the rounds to detonate even on bushes and wooden fences that other chemical rounds of high calibre have a chance to pass through. All HEAT-derived rounds have concentrated post-penetration damage, similar to APDS, which travels in a tight cone from the impact point. This often works in favor of the shell when a direct hit is achieved, in some cases allowing it to burn through modules such as frontally-mounted transmissions, dealing further damage to the vehicle's internals. This same effect can prove troublesome when a round collides on a sub-par angle or after penetration there's simply nothing within its cone of effect.<br />
<br />
==== High-Explosive, Anti-tank (HEAT) ====<br />
[[File:Icon rnd heat.png|left|frameless]] HEAT rounds are designed specifically as an anti-tank round. They operate with a shaped charge that uses an explosive to force superplastic metal through a vehicle's armour, causing internal damage to crew and modules.<br />
<br />
''HEAT rounds are available to a variety of WW2 German and Japanese vehicles, as well as higher-performance HEAT becoming available to some late French and American vehicles, as HEAT-FS rounds cannot be fired from rifled cannons.'' ''HEAT is limited in effectiveness and its usage should be carefully considered as many vehicles have armour it cannot penetrate. Due to'' ''its low velocity,'' ''HEAT often requires a high angle of attack and will arrive at a target on an angle'' ''- as'' ''such'' ''the'' ''often'' ''impressive 0°'' ''penetration statistics'' ''will often prove irrelevant, with angled penetration values being more accurate.''<br />
==== High-Explosive, Anti-Tank, Fin-Stabilized (HEAT-FS) ====<br />
[[File:Icon rnd heatfs.png|left|frameless]] HEAT-FS rounds are an improvement over the HEAT concept, using improved penetrative chemicals and utilising fins for improved ballistic performance. HEAT-FS rounds maintain their penetration values at all ranges, and are well-suited to long-range engagements. HEAT-FS rounds are particularly sensitive, and may detonate on light obstacles such as shrubs or fences.<br />
<br />
''HEAT-FS rounds become available to many nations from Rank V, although notably the British do not receive HEAT-FS at any stage due to its incompatibility with rifled cannons. At late Rank VI and Rank VII, HEAT-FS may prove ineffective in many cases due to the prevalence of ERA and composite armour. Despite this, it can still be used for ranged engagements against light tanks and medium tanks with insufficient ERA or composite protection, as particularly late HEAT-FS rounds have extremely high penetration power. High-calibre HEAT-FS rounds will reliably hull break light tanks, a mechanic that can be applied against vehicles APFSDS is ineffective against.''<br />
<br />
==== High-Explosive, Anti-Tank, Fin-Stabilised, Proximity Fuse [Self-Destroying] (HEAT-FS VT*) ====<br />
[[File:Icon rnd heatfs.png|left|frameless]]HEAT-FS VT rounds are specialised HEAT-FS rounds which utilise a proximity fuse to detonate when in close proximity to a target. They can be used to destroy low-flying aircraft or helicopters, while maintaining their effectiveness against ground vehicles utilising normal HEAT-FS technology.<br />
<br />
''HEAT-FS VT rounds are extremely specialised. As of Update 1.93, they are available to only the [[M1A2 Abrams]] and have an identical icon to the standard HEAT-FS. They combine the anti-armour power of a standard HEAT-FS round with the anti-aircraft effectiveness of a HE-VT round. Their proximity fuse will detonate only above a specified altitude, so they can be used normally against other armoured vehicles.''<br />
<br />
==== High-Explosive, Anti-Tank Grenade ====<br />
[[File:Icon grn heat.png|left|frameless]] HEAT Grenades are specialised HEAT rounds, designed for use where normal tank rounds may not be possible to utilise. They often use a propellant rather than a standard charge, and as such suffer from low velocity and sub-par round ballistics. Despite this, they can prove effective against tanks due to their HEAT technology.<br />
<br />
''HEAT Grenades are available to vehicles with 'recoilless' cannons or other non-standard cannon designs. Their effectiveness is similar to that of an equivalent HEAT round, however due to their low muzzle velocity they can be inaccurate at long ranges. HEAT Grenades are found on various light vehicles, such as the [[BMP-1]], [[FIAT 6614]] and [[Type 60 SPRG (C)]].''<br />
<br />
=== Guided Missiles ===<br />
Guided missiles utilise a guidance system (of various types, such as MCLOS, SACLOS, Radar, Heat-Seeking) to accomplish their intended role. They sacrifice round velocity for long-range precision. Different missile types are effective in different applications - some have anti-tank properties, while others are effective against air targets.<br />
<br />
==== Anti-Tank Guided Missile (ATGM) ====<br />
{{main|Anti-tank guided missiles}}<br />
[[File:Icon spr atgm.png|left|frameless]] ATGMs largely utilise the same concept as HEAT, however they integrate some form of propulsion and are usually guideable, either manually (MCLOS) or semi-automatically (SACLOS). ATGMs usually pack a large amount of explosive and often have particularly powerful shaped charges. However, they require specialised equipment to fire and tend to be heavy, often resulting in long reload times, especially for hybrid vehicles.<br />
<br />
''ATGMs become available through Rank V, and are primarily carried by specialised ATGM carriers, although some tanks have ATGM-capable main cannons and some exceptional designs such as the [[Strv 81 (Rb.52)]] or the [[AMX-13 (HOT)]] mount ATGMs on ancillary pylons. ATGMs are powerful and SACLOS guided missiles are easily aimed, however they travel slowly and well-aware targets may be able to move into cover prior to the ATGM reaching them.''<br />
<br />
==== Anti-Tank Guided Missile, Proximity Fuse [Self-Destroying] (ATGM-VT*) ====<br />
[[File:Icon spr atgm prx.png|left|frameless]] Proximity ATGMs utilise proximity fuses to detonate when in close proximity to aircraft. This, combined with their guidance systems (SACLOS) allows them to be used effectively against low-flying aircraft or helicopters.<br />
<br />
''Proximity Fuse ATGMs can prove extremely effective against low-flying aircraft or helicopters, and utilise a similar proximity fuse concept to SAM missiles - although often ATGMs pack significantly more HE filler than SAMs do. ATGM-VT missiles are available to specialised ATGM carriers such as the [[Shturm-S]].''<br />
<br />
==== Anti-Tank Guided Missile, Tandem Charge (ATGM Tandem) ====<br />
[[File:Icon spr atgm tandem.png|left|frameless]] Tandem ATGMs utilise a twin-stage warhead to overcome ERA - the first stage causes the ERA to detonate, while the second stage penetrates the armour below as normal. This concept does not work against NERA or composite armour.<br />
<br />
''Tandem ATGMs are effective against ERA-protected vehicles, and often have very high penetration values. Tandem charge ATGMs are available to specialised ATGM carriers such as the [[Shturm-S]].''<br />
<br />
==== Anti-Tank Guided Missile, HE (ATGM-HE) ====<br />
[[File:Icon spr atgm he.png|left|frameless]] HE ATGMs are a simplification of a standard ATGM; rather than a shaped HEAT charge, HE missiles simply utilise a large quantity of explosive to damage or destroy emplacements or light vehicles or other ATGM tanks.<br />
<br />
''HE ATGMs are only effective against light vehicles and missile carriers in most cases, despite packing large quantities of HE filler. They are available to specialised ATGM carriers such as the [[Shturm-S]].''<br />
<br />
==== Surface to Air Missile (SAM) ====<br />
[[File:Icon spr sam.png|left|frameless]] SAMs are high-velocity anti-air missiles, designed specifically to combat aircraft using a variety of technologies; often including proximity fuses and radar or heat-seeking guidance.<br />
<br />
''SAMs are very effective at long distances against aircraft, particularly helicopters. They are often extremely high velocity and pack a large amount of HE filler for a powerful airburst effect. SAMs are available to specialised anti-air vehicles such as the [[ZPRK 2S6|2S6 Tunguska]] or the [[ADATS]], which, notably, has multi-purpose missiles that are also effective against armoured vehicles. Most SAMs pack less HE filler than an HE ATGM and are only reliably effective against lightly armoured ground vehicles.''<br />
<br />
=== Utility Rounds ===<br />
Utility rounds are ineffective for use against other vehicles, but provide value in some sort of utility.<br />
<br />
==== Smoke ====<br />
{{main|Smoke screen|l1=Smoke}}<br />
[[File:Icon rnd smoke.png|left|frameless]] Smoke shells are not designed as a damaging shell, and largely consist of chemicals designed to create a smoke screen. The produced smoke has a limited lifetime.<br />
<br />
''Smoke shells are available to various vehicles throughout most tech trees, however their effectiveness is somewhat limited compared to dedicated smoke launchers. The main advantage of smoke shells is that unlike ESS or hull mounted smoke canisters, they can be launched anywhere the equipped vehicle can aim, allowing for strategic placement for pushes or flanking maneuvers, or simply firing at an enemy vehicle to force them to move from their position.'' <br />
<br />
== Media ==<br />
{{Youtube-gallery|6O3MBjdSsIk|'''Tank Shells Guide - War Thunder ammo types explained''' - ''HowToPlay1337''}}<br />
<br />
==See also==<br />
<br />
* [[Ammo racks]] - How all tank ammunition is stored within the tank<br />
<br />
[[Category:Ammunition]]</div>U11670196https://wiki.warthunder.com/index.php?title=Type_90&diff=38831Type 902019-12-12T01:36:10Z<p>U11670196: Full rewrite, including replaced tables.</p>
<hr />
<div>{{Specs-Card|code=jp_type_90}}<br />
{{About<br />
|about=the medium tank '''{{PAGENAME}}'''<br />
|usage=other usages of "Type 90"<br />
|link=Type 90 (Disambiguation)<br />
}}<br />
== Description ==<br />
<!--''In the description, the first part needs to be about the history of the creation and combat usage of the vehicle, as well as its key features. In the second part, tell the reader about the ground vehicle in the game. Insert the screenshot of the vehicle. If the novice player does not remember the vehicle by name, they will immediately understand what kind of vehicle it is talking about.''--><br />
[[File:GarageImage_{{PAGENAME}}.jpg|420px|thumb|left]]<br />
{{Break}}<br />
The '''{{Specs|name}}''' is a Rank {{Specs|rank}} Japanese medium tank {{Battle-rating}}. It was introduced in [[Update 1.79 "Project X"]]. <br />
<br />
The Type 90 MBT was initially accepted into service in 1990 as a replacement for both the [[Type 61]] and [[Type 74]] models. Despite its appearance being similar to the [[Leopard 2A4]] and mounting a license produced Rheinmetall L44-based cannon, it is significantly different in a number of aspects. <br />
<br />
== General info ==<br />
=== Survivability and armour ===<br />
[[File:Type 90 Density Visualisation.png|thumb|Type 90 [[Protection Density Visualisation]]]]<!--Describe armour protection. Note the most well protected and key weak areas. Appreciate the layout of modules as well as the number and location of crew members. Is the level of armour protection sufficient, is the placement of modules helpful for survival in combat?<br />
<br />
If necessary use a visual template to indicate the most secure and weak zones of the armour.--><br />
The Type 90 MBT was designed with inspiration from the Leopard 2A4, but sacrifices much of the 2A4's protection and survivability in order to attain a smaller profile and a lighter vehicle overall (vehicle weight is important in Japan in order to pass over their many bridges). As such, most 'improved' rounds available to other 10.0-10.3 MBTs (such as the Leopard 2A5's DM33, or the [[Leclerc|Leclerc's]] OFL 120 F1) will punch through even the Type 90's turret cheeks or upper front plate. It's important to keep in mind that even some autocannon ammunition will easily penetrate some of the weaker sections of the Type 90 from the front.<br />
<br />
Despite the mediocre protection, the Type 90 has one main survivability feature: Its primary ammunition is stored in blowout-protected containment, sparing the crew from side shots on the rear of the turret, providing no more than 19 rounds are carried. Unfortunately, however, due to the autoloaded cannon the Type 90 is crewed by only 3, increasing the chances of being disabled from an initial shot.<br />
<br />
=== Mobility ===<br />
<!--''Write about the mobility of the ground vehicle. Estimate the specific power and maneuverability as well as the maximum speed forward and backward.''-->The Type 90 is powered by a 10-cylinder two-stroke diesel engine producing a maximum of 1,500 horsepower at 2400 RPM. Combined with its relatively light weight of only 51.6 tonnes, this gives it an excellent power-to-weight ratio of 29.07 - close to the highest ratio currently in War Thunder. As such, the Type 90 is often one of the first vehicles to reach cap points in a match, and can comfortably flank or move into advantageous positions earlier than many of its contemporaries. This power is transferred to the drive sprockets via an automatic transmission with 7 forward and 2 backward gears, unfortunately limiting the otherwise extremely mobile vehicle to 72 km/h (RB/SB) forwards and 33 km/h (RB/SB) backwards - speeds which it will reach with ease on-road.<br />
<br />
The Type 90 also mounts hydropneumatic suspension, allowing it to actively change the vehicle's ride height and angle. This can be used to improve traction on angled surfaces.<br />
<br />
{| class="wikitable" style="text-align:center"<br />
|-<br />
! colspan="3" |Mobility Characteristics<br />
|-<br />
!Weight (tons)<br />
! colspan="1" |Add-on Armour<br />
weight (tons)<br />
! colspan="1" |Max speed (km/h)<br />
|-<br />
| rowspan="2" |51.6|| colspan="1" rowspan="2" |N/A|| colspan="1" |80 (AB)<br />
|-<br />
|72 (RB/SB)<br />
|-<br />
! colspan="3" |Engine power (horsepower)<br />
|-<br />
! colspan="1" |Mode<br />
!Stock<br />
!Upgraded<br />
|-<br />
|''Arcade''<br />
| --<br />
| --<br />
|-<br />
|''Realistic/Simulator''<br />
| --<br />
|1,500<br />
|-<br />
! colspan="3" |Power-to-weight ratio (hp/ton)<br />
|-<br />
! colspan="1" |Mode<br />
!Stock<br />
!Upgraded<br />
|-<br />
|''Arcade''<br />
| --<br />
| --<br />
|-<br />
|''Realistic/Simulator''<br />
| --<br />
|29.07<br />
|}<br />
<br />
== Armaments ==<br />
=== Main armament ===<br />
<!--''Give the reader information about the characteristics of the main gun. Assess its effectiveness in a battle based on the reloading speed, ballistics and the power of shells. Do not forget about the flexibility of the fire, that is how quickly the cannon can be aimed at the target, open fire on it and aim at another enemy. Add a link to the main article on the gun: <code><nowiki>{{main|Name of the weapon}}</nowiki></code>. Describe in general terms the ammunition available for the main gun. Give advice on how to use them and how to fill the ammunition storage.''--><br />
{{main|Type 90 (120 mm)|l1=Type 90 L/44 (120 mm)}}The Type 90 L/44 120 mm cannon is a license-produced clone of the Rheinmetall L/44 cannon found on the Leopard 2 series and the M1A1/M1A2. As such, it shares their excellent accuracy and firepower characteristics, with a key advantage: the Type 90 is autoloaded. This results in a flat 5 second reload, better than the peak manually loaded speeds available to the other L/44-mounting vehicles (6 seconds). Additionally, reloads are not hindered by fire or the loss of crew members. The Type 90 has two rounds available to it; the powerful JM33 APFSDS round (based off the NATO DM33 round) and the JM12A1 HEAT-FS round (based off DM12A1). These rounds are more than capable of penetrating any opponent the Type 90 may face, although when facing some later vehicles such as the M1A2 or Leopard 2A5, weak points must be targeted.<br />
<br />
{| class="wikitable" style="text-align:center"<br />
|-<br />
! colspan="6" | [[Type 90 (120 mm)|120 mm Type 90 L/44]]<br />
|-<br />
! colspan="3" rowspan="1" style="width:5em" |Capacity<br />
! rowspan="1" | Vertical <br> guidance<br />
! rowspan="1" | Horizontal <br> guidance<br />
! rowspan="1" | Stabilizer<br />
|-<br />
| colspan="3" | 42 || -7°/+10° || ±180° || Two-plane<br />
|-<br />
! colspan="6" | Turret rotation speed (°/s)<br />
|-<br />
! style="width:4em" |Mode<br />
! style="width:4em" |Stock<br />
! style="width:4em" |Upgraded<br />
! style="width:4em" |Prior + Full crew<br />
! style="width:4em" |Prior + Expert qualif.<br />
! style="width:4em" |Prior + Ace qualif.<br />
|-<br />
| ''Arcade'' || 28.6 || __.__ || __.__ || __.__ || __.__<br />
|-<br />
| ''Realistic'' || 17.9 || __.__ || __.__ || __.__ || __.__<br />
|-<br />
! colspan="4" | Reloading rate (seconds)<br />
|-<br />
! colspan="1" style="width:4em" |Stock<br />
! colspan="1" style="width:4em" |Prior + Full crew<br />
! colspan="1" style="width:4em" |Prior + Expert qualif.<br />
! colspan="1" style="width:4em" |Prior + Ace qualif.<br />
|-<br />
| 5.00 || 5.00 || 5.00 || 5.00 <br />
|-<br />
|}<br />
<br />
===== Ammunition =====<br />
{| class="wikitable sortable" style="text-align:center" width="100%"<br />
! colspan="8" | Penetration statistics<br />
|-<br />
! rowspan="2" data-sort-type="text" | Ammunition<br />
! rowspan="2" class="unsortable" | Type of <br /> warhead<br />
! colspan="6" | '''Penetration''' '''''in mm''''' '''@ 0° Angle of Attack'''<br />
|-<br />
! 10m<br />
! 100m<br />
! 500m<br />
! 1000m<br />
! 1500m<br />
! 2000m<br />
|-<br />
| JM33 || APFSDS ||481||478||470||461||450||440<br />
|-<br />
| JM12A1 || HEATFS ||480||480||480||480||480||480<br />
|- <br />
|}<br />
{| class="wikitable sortable" style="text-align:center" width="100%"<br />
! colspan="11" | Shell details<br />
|-<br />
! rowspan="2" data-sort-type="text" | Ammunition<br />
! rowspan="2" class="unsortable" | Type of <br /> warhead<br />
! rowspan="2" |Velocity <br /> in m/s<br />
! rowspan="2" |Projectile<br />Mass in kg<br />
! rowspan="2" | ''Fuse delay''<br />
''in m:''<br />
! rowspan="2" | ''Fuse sensitivity''<br />
''in mm:''<br />
! rowspan="2" | ''Explosive Mass in g<br /> (TNT equivalent):''<br />
! rowspan="2" | ''Normalization At 30° <br> from horizontal:''<br />
! colspan="3" | ''Ricochet:''<br />
|-<br />
! 0%<br />
! 50%<br />
! 100%<br />
|-<br />
| JM33 || APFSDS || 1,640 || 4.3 || N/A || N/A || N/A || ° || 78° || 80° || 81°<br />
|-<br />
| JM12A1 || HEATFS || 1,140 || 13.5 || 0.0 || 0.1 ||2,150|| ° || 65° || 72° || 75°<br />
|- <br />
|}<br />
<br />
===== [[Ammo racks|Ammo racks]] =====<br />
{| class="wikitable sortable" style="text-align:center"<br />
|-<br />
! class="wikitable unsortable" |Full<br /> ammo<br />
! class="wikitable unsortable" |1st<br /> rack empty<br />
! class="wikitable unsortable" |2nd<br /> rack empty<br />
! class="wikitable unsortable" |3rd<br /> rack empty<br />
! class="wikitable unsortable" |4th<br /> rack empty<br />
! class="wikitable unsortable" |5th<br /> rack empty<br />
! class="wikitable unsortable" |6th<br /> rack empty<br />
! class="wikitable unsortable" width="10%" |Recommendations<br />
! class="wikitable unsortable" |Visual<br /> discrepancy<br />
|-<br />
|| '''42''' || XX&nbsp;''(X+)'' || &nbsp;''(+)'' || &nbsp;''(+)'' || &nbsp;''(+)'' || &nbsp;''(+)'' || &nbsp;''(+)'' || style="text-align:left" | Hull empty: &nbsp;(18) || style="text-align:left" | no <br />
|-<br />
|}<br />
<br />
====Optics and night vision====<br />
The Type 90 receives night vision imagers once the tier 3 modification 'NVD' is researched. This unlocks standard 500 x 300 resolution thermal sights for the gunner, as well as standard image intensifiers for all crew (available in third person view in AB/RB additionally).<br />
{| class="wikitable" style="text-align:center"<br />
! colspan="7" |{{PAGENAME}} [[Optics]]<br />
|-<br />
! rowspan="3" |Type of optic<br />
! rowspan="3" |Magnification<br />
! colspan="5" |[[Night Vision Devices]]<br />
|-<br />
! colspan="3" |Image Intensifier<br />
! rowspan="2" |{{Annotation|Thermal Imager<br>Resolution|The higher the resolution the clearer and more detailed the image is}}<br />
! rowspan="2" |Notes<br />
|-<br />
!{{Annotation|Resolution|The higher the resolution the clearer and more detailed the image is}}<br />
!{{Annotation|Light Mult|By how much the image intensifier amplifies the existing light, primarily useful for comparing image intensifiers}}<br />
!{{Annotation|Noise Level|How much noise is present in the image (how grainy the image is)}}<br />
|-<br />
!Gunner's Sight<br />
|8.0x - 16.1x||--||--||--||500 x 300||Intensifier & thermal sights unlocked by 'NVD' modification (tier 3)<br />
|-<br />
!Commander's View<br />
|6.0x||1600 x 1200||9.0||High||N/A||Intensifier unlocked by 'NVD' modification (tier 3)<br />
|-<br />
!Driver's View<br />
|1.0x||800 x 600||5.0||High||N/A||Intensifier unlocked by 'NVD' modification (tier 3)<br />
|}<br />
=== Machine guns ===<br />
<!--''Offensive and anti-aircraft machine guns not only allow you to fight some aircraft, but also are effective against lightly armoured vehicles. Evaluate machine guns and give recommendations on its use.''--><br />
{{main|Browning M2HB (12.7 mm)|Type 74 (7.62 mm)}}The Type 90 mounts two machine guns; one pintle-mounted 12.7 mm and one coaxial mounted 7.62 mm. These can be used as deterrent for low-flying aircraft, clearing light obstacles or crew from open-top vehicles, or spotting enemy vehicles.<br />
<br />
{| class="wikitable" style="text-align:center"<br />
|-<br />
! colspan="7" | [[Browning M2HB (12.7 mm)|12.7 mm M2HB]]<br />
|-<br />
! colspan="7" | ''Pintle mount''<br />
|-<br />
! colspan="4" rowspan="1" style="width:5em" |Capacity (Belt capacity)<br />
! rowspan="1" | Fire rate <br> (shots/minute)<br />
! rowspan="1" | Vertical <br> guidance<br />
! rowspan="1" | Horizontal <br> guidance<br />
|-<br />
| colspan="4" | 1,000 (200) || 577 || -8°/+40° || ±120°<br />
|-<br />
|}<br />
{| class="wikitable" style="text-align:center"<br />
|-<br />
! colspan="7" | [[Type 74 (7.62 mm)|7.62 mm Type 74]]<br />
|-<br />
! colspan="7" | ''Coaxial mount''<br />
|-<br />
! colspan="4" rowspan="1" style="width:5em" |Capacity (Belt capacity)<br />
! rowspan="1" | Fire rate <br> (shots/minute)<br />
! rowspan="1" | Vertical <br> guidance<br />
! rowspan="1" | Horizontal <br> guidance<br />
|-<br />
| colspan="4" | 4,500 (250) || 500 || N/A || N/A<br />
|-<br />
|}<br />
<br />
== Usage in battles ==<br />
<!--Describe the tactics of playing in the vehicle, the features of using vehicles in the team and advice on tactics. Refrain from creating a "guide" - do not impose a single point of view but give the reader food for thought. Describe the most dangerous enemies and give recommendations on fighting them. If necessary, note the specifics of the game in different modes (AB, RB, SB).--><br />
<br />
The Type 90 is an extremely capable vehicle in the hands of an experienced tanker, but heed must be paid to the vehicle's weaknesses at all times.<br />
<br />
'''Rural Combat'''<br />
<br />
The Type 90 is very capable in rural combat where cover is plentiful and flanking routes are available. It should ideally be used for early flanks where available (such as the eastern flank on [[Maginot Line (Ground Forces)|Maginot Line]]) or when unavailable, pushing quickly for early captures before moving to a nearby protected location to hold that point. It's important to be aware of which routes might be sniper-covered early, as many snipers (such as the Challenger 2 or Ariete PSO) will easily penetrate the Type 90, even at range - avoid giving them the opportunity.<br />
<br />
'''Urban Combat'''<br />
<br />
The Type 90 can prove itself to be an excellent urban combat vehicle, primarily due to its mobility and reliably fast reload. As in rural combat, an early push for a cap can prove viable before moving into a protected position, although often by the time the capture is completed enemy targets will be nearby. Early flanking (such as around the sides of [[American Desert]]) is also viable.<br />
<br />
'''Notable Targets'''<br />
<br />
<u>[[Challenger 2]]:</u> The Challenger 2 is often found as a sniper due to its pin-point accuracy, good reload and excellent turret armour. The Type 90 should never be used to face a sniping CR2 head-on, but instead should attempt to flank or force engagements at close range where weak spots are easily targeted.<br />
<br />
<u>[[M1A2 Abrams]]:</u> The M1A2 Abrams has excellent frontal protection and can prove tricky to discern from earlier models in the heat of a battle. As a general rule it's preferable to aim for the gun mantlet or turret ring on any Abrams, despite the fact that JM33 will penetrate nearly anywhere on early models - better safe than sorry. <br />
<br />
<u>[[Leopard 2A5]]:</u> The Leopard 2A5 is very well protected, although JM33 will punch through its hull without any significant trouble. Avoid fighting a hull-down 2A5 head-on, rather taking flanking routes when available. If no choice is presented, aim for the gun mantlet or the turret ring.<br />
<br />
<u>[[T-80U]]:</u> The T-80U is extremely well protected from the front, and care should be taken when engaging - aim for the driver viewport or the lower front plate; or where these are not options try to disable its gun through the mantlet. If flanking, side shots will often despatch the T-80U quickly.<br />
<br />
<u>[[Leclerc]]:</u> The Leclerc is extremely fast, with a power-to-weight ratio not far short of the Type 90's. When pushing early for caps or flanks, be aware that the Leclerc may be one of the first vehicles you'll counter.<br />
<br />
<u>[[Leopard 2K]]:</u> The Leopard 2K has the best power-to-weight ratio of any MBT currently in War Thunder, and it will often be capable of getting to positions before the Type 90. Keep in mind that it can be penetrated anywhere, but aware the 'bouncy' armour; aim carefully.<br />
<br />
<u>[[AMX-40]]:</u> The AMX-40 is extremely mobile and caution is advised when pushing early. Fortunately, the AMX-40 has negligible protection and JM33 will make quick work of it. <br />
<br />
===Modules===<br />
{| class="wikitable"<br />
! Tier<br />
! colspan="2" |Mobility<br />
! Protection<br />
! colspan="3" |Firepower<br />
|-<br />
| I<br />
| Tracks||<br />
| Parts<br />
| Horizontal Drive||||<br />
|-<br />
| II<br />
| Suspension||Brake System<br />
| FPE<br />
| Adjustment of Fire||||<br />
|-<br />
| III<br />
| Filters||<br />
| Crew Replenishment<br />
| Elevation mechanism||Smoke grenade||NVD<br />
|-<br />
| IV<br />
| Transmission||Engine<br />
| <br />
| Artillery Support||JM33||Laser rangefinder<br />
|-<br />
|}<br />
<br />
=== Pros and cons ===<br />
<!--''Summarize and briefly evaluate the vehicle in terms of its characteristics and combat effectiveness. Mark its pros and cons in a bulleted list. Try not to use more than 6 points for each of the characteristics. Avoid using categorical definitions such as "bad", "good" and the like - they have a substitution in the form of softer "inadequate", "effective".''--><br />
'''Pros:'''<br />
<br />
*Relatively small profile despite visual similarities to the Leopard 2A4<br />
*Autoloaded 120 mm cannon, 5 second reload unaffected by crew or fire<br />
*Extremely mobile, high power-to-weight of 29.07<br />
*Fitted with [[Hydropneumatic suspension]], although this can only be operated when stationary<br />
*JM33 APFSDS round is competitive (identical to DM33, the 'improved' round on the Leopard 2A5)<br />
*Primary ammunition storage protected within blow-out containment in the rear of the turret<br />
<br />
'''Cons:'''<br />
<br />
*Despite having composite protection in the turret and upper front plate, it's insufficient protection for many of the tanks it will face<br />
*Only three crew, a well-placed shot can easily cause a crew knockout<br />
*Forced to use a mediocre HEAT-FS round prior to researching the tier 4 JM33<br />
*Can only carry 19 ammunition before additional ammo is stored in the unsafe hull racks<br />
<br />
== History ==<br />
<!--''Describe the history of the creation and combat usage of the ground vehicle in more detail than in the introduction. If the historical reference turns out to be too big, take it to a separate article, taking a link to an article about the vehicle and adding a block "/ History" (example: <nowiki>https://wiki.warthunder.com/(Vehicle-name)/History</nowiki>) and add a link to it here using the <code>main</code> template. Be sure to reference text and sources by using <code><ref></code>, as well as adding them at the end of the article.''--><br />
Development of the Type 90 began almost immediately after the introduction of the Type 74 into service, with the Japanese High Command already looking for a superior replacement. A central aspect of the new machine would have to be the ability to take on and defeat the new Soviet T-72 main battle tank. With that in mind, Japanese engineers began working on a prototype design, which would see completion in 1980. Two prototypes of this initial design were built, tested and improved upon between 1980 - 1986.<br />
<br />
Testing resumed in 1986 with a second batch of four prototype vehicles, featuring a number of improvements over the initial two. The most significant change included the replacement of a Japanese-made 120mm smoothbore gun with the established Rheinmetall 120 L/44, most notably used by the M1A1 Abrams and Leopard 2 at the time. The decision to change the gun from a domestic one to a licence-built alternative most likely came as a measure to reduce production costs. However, unlike the MBTs of western armies, the designers of the Type 90 opted to equip the tank with an autoloading mechanism, making it the only production vehicle that did so in combination with the Rh 120 cannon. Further testing and army trials of these prototypes was conducted during the late 80s before the Japanese army formally introduced the tank into service in 1990 as the Type 90. Production of the Type 90 began in 1990 and continued until 2009, with 341 vehicles made.<br />
<br />
''- From [https://warthunder.com/en/news/5499-development-type-90-the-lightweight-heavy-hitter-en Devblog]''<br />
<br />
== Media ==<br />
<!--''An excellent addition to the article will be video guides, as well as screenshots from the game and photos.''--><br />
[https://live.warthunder.com/feed/camouflages/?vehicleCountry=japan&vehicleType=tank&vehicleClass=medium_tank&vehicle=jp_type_90 '''Skins''' and '''camouflages''' for the Type 90 from live.warthunder.com.]<br />
<br />
== See also ==<br />
''Links to the articles on the War Thunder Wiki that you think will be useful for the reader, for example:''<br />
<br />
* ''reference to the series of the vehicles;''<br />
* ''links to approximate analogues of other nations and research trees.''<br />
<br />
== External links ==<br />
<!--''Paste links to sources and external resources, such as:''<br />
* ''topic on the official game forum;''<br />
* ''encyclopedia page on tank;''<br />
* ''other literature.''--><br />
<br />
* [https://warthunder.com/en/news/5499-development-type-90-the-lightweight-heavy-hitter-en [Devblog<nowiki>]</nowiki> Type 90: The Lightweight Heavy Hitter]<br />
<br />
{{Japan medium tanks}}</div>U11670196https://wiki.warthunder.com/index.php?title=Phantom_FGR.2&diff=38818Phantom FGR.22019-12-11T19:08:35Z<p>U11670196: Primarily grammatical and punctuation corrections, with a few sentence rewrites for clearer information conveyance.</p>
<hr />
<div>{{Specs-Card|code=f-4m_fgr2}}<br />
{{About<br />
| about = British jet fighter '''{{PAGENAME}}'''<br />
| usage = the USAF version<br />
| link = F-4C Phantom II<br />
}}<br />
<br />
== Description ==<br />
<!-- ''In the description, the first part should be about the history of and the creation and combat usage of the aircraft, as well as its key features. In the second part, tell the reader about the aircraft in the game. Insert a screenshot of the vehicle, so that if the novice player does not remember the vehicle by name, he will immediately understand what kind of vehicle the article is talking about.'' --><br />
[[File:GarageImage_{{PAGENAME}}.jpg|420px|thumb|left]]<br />
{{break}}<br />
The '''{{Specs|name}}''', also known as the '''F-4M''' is a rank {{Specs|rank}} British jet fighter {{Battle-rating}}. It was introduced in [[Update 1.93 "Shark Attack"]]. It is a British version of the American F-4 Phantom II.<br />
<br />
Although at first glance the F-4M appears very similar to its American counterpart the [[F-4C Phantom II]], there are a number of major visual and performance differences between the two aircraft. Phantoms produced for the RAF were redesigned to use British Rolls-Royce Spey turbofan engines, instead of the General Electric J79 turbojet engines found on American Phantoms. The British engines produced more thrust than the American engines, but were larger; as a result the fuselage of British Phantoms was modified to be slightly wider than on the American models. In addition the Phantom FGR.2 has larger air intakes than the F-4C, in order to allow for the increased airflow required by the new engines. The rear of the Fuselage is also significantly different on the Phantom FGR.2; the engines are noticeably angled downwards, and due to the different afterburner arrangement on the Spey engines the exhaust ports and the surrounding area were redesigned. Most distinctively, the Phantom FGR.2 has a squared off tail, and lacks the under-nose probe of the F-4C.<br />
<br />
In game these changes mean that the Phantom FGR.2 has much better low altitude acceleration and climb rate, compared to the [[F-4C]], as a result of the more powerful engines. In games you will usually see the Phantom FGR.2s get off the ground and to altitude quicker than the F-4Cs; however due to the increased drag of the redesigned fuselage, and the performance characteristics of the Spey engines, it does not perform quite as well as the F-4C at high altitude, and cannot reach the same maximum speed.<br />
<br />
== General info ==<br />
=== Flight performance ===<br />
''Describe how the aircraft behaves in the air. Speed, manoeuvrability, acceleration and allowable loads - these are the most important characteristics of the vehicle.''<br />
[[File:FGR.2 fenris 001.jpg|450px|thumb|right|]]<br />
<br />
{| class="wikitable" style="text-align:center"<br />
|-<br />
! colspan="8" | Characteristics<br />
|-<br />
! colspan="8" | ''Stock''<br />
|-<br />
! colspan="2" | Max Speed<br>(km/h at 10,667 m)<br />
! rowspan="2" | Max altitude<br>(meters)<br />
! colspan="2" | Turn time<br>(seconds)<br />
! colspan="2" | Rate of climb<br>(meters/second)<br />
! rowspan="2" | Take-off run<br>(meters)<br />
|-<br />
! AB !! RB !! AB !! RB !! AB !! RB<br />
|-<br />
| 2,195 || 2,185 || {{Specs|ceiling}} || 26.5 || 26.8 || 139.3 || 129.0 || 850<br />
|-<br />
! colspan="8" | ''Upgraded''<br />
|-<br />
! colspan="2" | Max Speed<br>(km/h at 10,667 m)<br />
! rowspan="2" | Max altitude<br>(meters)<br />
! colspan="2" | Turn time<br>(seconds)<br />
! colspan="2" | Rate of climb<br>(meters/second)<br />
! rowspan="2" | Take-off run<br>(meters)<br />
|-<br />
! AB !! RB !! AB !! RB !! AB !! RB<br />
|-<br />
| ??? ||2,268|| {{Specs|ceiling}} || ??.? ||26|| ??.? ||210<!-- Actually capable of sustaining (at 1 minutes fuel load) a climb rate 278-290 m/s while maintaining mach 0.935 @ 65 degrees above the horizon, between 500-6000m. -->|| 850<br />
|-<br />
|}<br />
<br />
==== Details ====<br />
{| class="wikitable" style="text-align:center"<br />
|-<br />
! colspan="5" | Features<br />
|-<br />
! Combat flaps !! Take-off flaps !! Landing flaps !! Air brakes !! Arrestor gear<br />
|-<br />
| X || ✓ || ✓ || ✓ || ✓ <!-- ✓ --><br />
|-<br />
|}<br />
[[File:FGR.2 fenris 004.png|450px|thumb|right|]]<br />
{| class="wikitable" style="text-align:center"<br />
|-<br />
! colspan="5" | Limits<br />
|-<br />
! rowspan="2" | Wing-break speed<br>(km/h)<br />
! rowspan="2" | Gear limit<br>(km/h)<br />
! rowspan="2" | Combat flaps<br>(km/h)<br />
! colspan="2" | Max Static G<br />
|-<br />
! + !! -<br />
|-<br />
| {{Specs|destruction|constructions}} || {{Specs|destruction|chassis}} || 625 || ~11 || ~4<br />
|-<br />
|}<br />
<br />
{| class="wikitable" style="text-align:center"<br />
|-<br />
! colspan="4" | Optimal velocities<br />
|-<br />
! Ailerons<br>(km/h)<br />
! Rudder<br>(km/h)<br />
! Elevators<br>(km/h)<br />
! Radiator<br>(km/h)<br />
|-<br />
| < 810 || < 750 || < 700 || N/A<br />
|-<br />
|}<br />
<br />
{| class="wikitable" style="text-align:center"<br />
|-<br />
! colspan="3" | Compressor (RB/SB)<br />
|-<br />
! colspan="3" | Setting 1<br />
|-<br />
! Optimal altitude<br />
! 100% Engine power<br />
! WEP Engine power<br />
|-<br />
| 0 m || 5,120 kgf || 7,168 kgf<br />
|-<br />
|}<br />
<br />
=== Survivability and armour ===<br />
<!--''Examine the survivability of the aircraft. Note how vulnerable the structure is and how secure the pilot is, whether the fuel tanks are armoured, etc. Describe the armour, if there is any, and also mention the vulnerability of other critical aircraft systems.''--><br />
<br />
Much like the older [[F-4C]] variant, the British {{PAGENAME}} is without any armour protection whatsoever - the weight savings allow the aircraft to take on more fuel or ordnance while utilising speed as its best defence. This fighter packs numerous fuel tanks, while some are located in the leading edges of the wings, the majority of the fuel tanks are located within the fuselage packed around the engines and behind the cockpit. The control lines for the {{PAGENAME}} run from the cockpit down the length of the upper fuselage to the tailplane, relatively exposed to enemy gunfire.<br />
<br />
Fighters attempting to take down a {{PAGENAME}} should try to force it to bleed its energy in a turn with missiles - a slow Phantom is a vulnerable Phantom. Autocannons and missiles will be most effective for disabling or destroying critical components, but smaller rockets such as [[M/55]], [[SNEB Type 23]] or [[FFAR Mighty Mouse]] unguided rockets fired in salvos during a head-on engagement may cause enough of a scattered grouping that a {{PAGENAME}} may not be able to avoid them all and fly into at least one.<br />
<br />
== Armaments ==<br />
=== Suspended armament ===<br />
<!--''Describe the aircraft's suspended armament: additional cannons under the wings, bombs, rockets and torpedoes. This section is especially important for bombers and attackers. If there is no suspended weaponry remove this subsection.''--><br />
{{main|M61 (20 mm)|G.P. 1,000 lb Mk.I (1,000 lb)|SNEB Type 23|AIM-9D}}<br />
[[File:FGR.2 fenris 002.png|450px|thumb|right|]]<br />
The '''''{{PAGENAME}}''''' can be outfitted with the following ordnance:<br />
<br />
* 1 x 20 mm M61 Vulcan rotary cannon, gun pod mounted under fuselage (1,200 round)<br />
* 1 x 20 mm M61 Vulcan rotary cannon + 8 х 1,000 LB G.P. Mk.I bomb<br />
* 1 x 20 mm M61 Vulcan rotary cannon + 108 х SNEB type 23 rocket<br />
* 1 х 20 mm M61 cannon rotary cannon + 4 х AIM-9D Sidewinder air-to-air missiles<br />
* 1 х 20 mm M61 cannon rotary cannon + 4 х AIM-9D Sidewinder air-to-air missiles + 4 х 1000 LB G.P. Mk.I bomb<br />
* 4 х AIM-9D Sidewinder air-to-air missiles<br />
<br />
Like the [[F-4C]] the Phantom FGR.2 lacks any internal guns; instead relying on a M61 Vulcan rotary cannon, mounted centrally under the fuselage. The cannon is angled downwards at about 1°, coupled with the guns position under aircraft this makes aiming slightly more difficult than on other aircraft; the gun also has a wide bullet spread. A benefit of the rotary cannon is that it can fire all 1,200 rounds of ammo before it can overheat and jam. Unlick the F-4C the Phantom FGR.2 can only carry a single gunpod.<br />
<br />
In terms of other suspended weaponry the Phantom FGR.2 falls far behind the F-4C, having 6 loadout options compared to the F-4C's 21. It has a more limited choice of bombs, carries fewer rockets and cannot carry Bullpup air to ground missiles.<br />
<br />
In terms of air to air missiles the Phantom FGR.2 can carry four [[AIM-9D]] Sidewinder missiles; as opposed to the F-4C's choice of [[AIM-9B]] and [[AIM-9E]] Sidewinders. The AIM-9D's perform better than the AIM-9B, but worse than the AIM-9E. The AIM-9E has a wider seeker gimbal so tracks better, and also has an uncaged seeker.<br />
<br />
== Usage in battles ==<br />
''Describe the tactics of playing in the aircraft, the features of using aircraft in a team and advice on tactics. Refrain from creating a "guide" - do not impose a single point of view, but instead, give the reader food for thought. Examine the most dangerous enemies and give recommendations on fighting them. If necessary, note the specifics of the game in different modes (AB, RB, SB).''<br />
<br />
=== Modules ===<br />
{| class="wikitable"<br />
! Tier<br />
! Flight performance<br />
! Survivability<br />
! colspan="2" | Weaponry<br />
|-<br />
| I<br />
| Compressor<br />
| Fuselage Repair<br />
| <br />
| 1000 LB GP<br />
|-<br />
| II<br />
| New boosters<br />
| Airframe<br />
| Offensive 20 mm<br />
| Matra SNEB<br />
|-<br />
| III<br />
| Wings repair<br />
| G-Suit<br />
| <br />
| AIM-9D<br />
|-<br />
| IV<br />
| Engine<br />
| Cover<br />
| New 20 mm cannons<br />
| <br />
|-<br />
|}<br />
<br />
=== Pros and cons ===<br />
<!--''Summarise and briefly evaluate the vehicle in terms of its characteristics and combat effectiveness. Mark its pros and cons in the bulleted list. Try not to use more than 6 points for each of the characteristics. Avoid using categorical definitions such as "bad", "good" and the like - use substitutions with softer forms such as "inadequate" and "effective".''--><br />
[[File:FGR.2 fenris 003.png |450px|thumb|right|]]<br />
'''Pros:'''<br />
<br />
* Better acceleration and climb rate than the [[F-4C]]<br />
* One of the fastest aircraft in the game, especially at low altitude (at sea level it can reach Mach 1.18 when stock)<br />
* One of the fastest climbing aircraft in the game <br />
* Carries [[AIM-9D]] air-to-air missiles, which are reasonably effective, but not as good as the [[AIM-9E]] found on the [[F-4C]]<br />
* Very high rate of fire from autocannon, which does not jam<br />
* Has tailhook, can land on aircraft carriers<br />
<br />
'''Cons:'''<br />
<br />
* Gun pod is slightly angled downwards; wide bullet spread when stock, although useful in some situations, causes missed shots in others<br />
* Gun pod cannot be fired while the landing gear is down<br />
* Missiles are tier 3 upgrade modification which needs to be researched<br />
* Large target compared to other aircraft such as the [[MiG-21 F-13|MiG-21]]<br />
* Due to large weight it requires a high landing sped (~350 kph), can be tricky for players new to the fighter to land (especially on aircraft carriers)<br />
* Not quite as good at high altitude as the [[F-4C]]<br />
* Taking minimum fuel leaves you with very limited battle endurance (especially if you use the afterburner), while the 20 min fuel option noticeably impacts handling<br />
* Missiles cannot be fired while you are pulling more than 4G's, when flying at high speed even gentle manoeuvres will cause you exceed that limit<br />
* Stock ammunition belt has no tracer rounds, which coupled with angled gun pod and wide weapon spread makes aiming difficult.<br />
<br />
== History ==<br />
''Describe the history of the creation and combat usage of the aircraft in more detail than in the introduction. If the historical reference turns out to be too long, take it to a separate article, taking a link to the article about the vehicle and adding a block "/History" (example: <nowiki>https://wiki.warthunder.com/(Vehicle-name)/History</nowiki>) and add a link to it here using the <code>main</code> template. Be sure to reference text and sources by using <code><nowiki><ref></ref></nowiki></code>, as well as adding them at the end of the article with <code><nowiki><references /></nowiki></code>. This section may also include the vehicle's dev blog entry (if applicable) and the in-game encyclopedia description (under <code><nowiki>=== In-game description ===</nowiki></code>, also if applicable).''<br />
<br />
== Media ==<br />
<!--''Excellent additions to the article would be video guides, screenshots from the game, and photos.''--><br />
<br />
;Videos<br />
{{Youtube-gallery|DXovE9BD1a0|'''Should You Buy the Phantom FGR.2''' - ''Sako Sniper''|03iOjLo81uU|'''British Phantom FGR.2 Gameplay review war thunder''' - ''Sgt. Vittie''|nrfff8Y8pK8|'''War thunder Phantom FGR.2''' - ''riko toho''}}<br />
<br />
== See also ==<br />
<!--''Links to the articles on the War Thunder Wiki that you think will be useful for the reader, for example:''<br />
<br />
* ''reference to the series of the aircraft;''<br />
* ''links to approximate analogues of other nations and research trees.''--><br />
<br />
;Other variants in-game<br />
<br />
* [[F-4C Phantom II]] - U.S. Air Force variant multi-role fighter-bomber which could be outfitted with various autocannons, rockets, missiles and bombs. This aircraft is an effective fighter, ground-attacker and bomber. One of the fastest fighters currently available in War Thunder. <br />
<br />
;Aircraft of comparable role, configuration and era<br />
<br />
* Mikoyan-Gurevich [[MiG-21 F-13|MiG-21]]<br />
* Shenyang [[J-7II]]<br />
<br />
== External links ==<br />
''Paste links to sources and external resources, such as:''<br />
<br />
* ''topic on the official game forum;''<br />
* ''encyclopedia page on the aircraft;''<br />
* ''other literature.''<br />
<br />
{{Britain jet aircraft}}</div>U11670196https://wiki.warthunder.com/index.php?title=Leclerc&diff=38776Leclerc2019-12-11T02:08:43Z<p>U11670196: Complete re-write, included normal tables.</p>
<hr />
<div>{{Specs-Card|code=fr_leclerc_s1}}<br />
<br />
== Description ==<br />
<!--In the description, the first part should be about the history of the creation and combat usage of the vehicle, as well as its key features. In the second part, tell the reader about the ground vehicle in the game. Insert a screenshot of the vehicle, so that if the novice player does not remember the vehicle by name, he will immediately understand what kind of vehicle the article is talking about.--><br />
[[File:GarageImage_{{PAGENAME}}.jpg|420px|thumb|left]]<br />
{{break}}<br />
The '''{{Specs|name}}''' is a rank {{Specs|rank}} French medium tank {{Battle-rating}}. It was introduced in [[Update 1.89 "Imperial Navy"]].<br />
<br />
Developed by GIAT in the late 1980s, this variant of the Leclerc (the Serie 1) was the first production model. Despite this, it sports numerous modern technologies, a powerful NATO-compliant 120mm cannon equipped with an autoloader (as with many French tanks) and a powerful, advanced diesel engine with a gas turbine 'charger'.<br />
<br />
== General info ==<br />
=== Survivability and armour ===<br />
[[File:Leclerc Serie 1 Protection Density Visualisation.png|thumb|Leclerc Serie 1 [[Protection Density Visualisation]]]]<!--''Describe armour protection. Note the most well protected and key weak areas. Appreciate the layout of modules as well as the number and location of crew members. Is the level of armour protection sufficient, is the placement of modules helpful for survival in combat?''<br />
''If necessary use a visual template to indicate the most secure and weak zones of the armour.''--><br />
[[File:Leclerc layout overview.png|thumb|Leclerc S1 Internal Layout]]<br />
The Leclerc MBT is generally well protected with a well-designed layout resulting in good survivability. It does, however, have a number of prominent weak spots which are not easily hidden - most notable of which is the gun mantlet, which is mostly unprotected and can easily be penetrated to disable the cannon breech and often the tank commander, who sits on the exposed side of the mantlet (right side, looking from the front of the vehicle). The LFP (lower front plate) and UFP (upper front plate) are both weakly protected, with only the central front plate providing sufficient protection against incoming rounds. The Leclerc's turret cheeks are extremely well protected by modular composite armour, combining hard metals, semi-reactive and ceramic layers, protecting against even the most powerful kinetic rounds and most chemical rounds.<br />
<br />
Despite only seating three crew members, the Leclerc's survivability proves to be reasonable, with spaced out crew members, a blow-out compartment for the primary ammunition storage and the turret crew placed as low as feasible. As such, even successful penetration of the Leclerc is unlikely to disable the vehicle immediately - and even a vehicle fire or crew knockout will not stop the vehicle from reloading, ready to fire back. It is possible to destroy the Leclerc with one round by hitting the two crew on the right (viewed from the front).<br />
<br />
=== Mobility ===<br />
<!--''Write about the mobility of the ground vehicle. Estimate the specific power and manoeuvrability, as well as the maximum speed forwards and backwards.''--><br />
The Leclerc is powered by an excellent V8 diesel engine with a gas turbine auxiliary charger, producing a peak of 1474.5 horsepower at 2500 RPM, transferred to the drive sprockets via a transmission with 8 forward and 4 backward gears. With a maximum power-to-weight ratio of 27.01, the Leclerc is more than capable of reaching these speeds, with excellent acceleration and maneuverability characteristics to boot. The Leclerc will easily keep up with most of its counterparts such as the [[M1A2 Abrams]] or the [[Leopard 2A5]], and as such can comfortably reach strategic positions quickly or make its way into cap points with haste. It can also quickly escape sub-optimal situations, with a perfectly reasonable 38km/h reverse speed.<br />
{| class="wikitable" style="text-align:center"<br />
|-<br />
! colspan="3" |Mobility Characteristics<br />
|-<br />
!Weight (tons)<br />
! colspan="1" |Add-on Armour<br />
weight (tons)<br />
! colspan="1" |Max speed (km/h)<br />
|-<br />
| rowspan="2" |54.6|| colspan="1" rowspan="2" |N/A|| colspan="1" |78 (AB)<br />
|-<br />
|70 (RB/SB)<br />
|-<br />
! colspan="3" |Engine power (horsepower)<br />
|-<br />
! colspan="1" |Mode<br />
!Stock<br />
!Upgraded<br />
|-<br />
|''Arcade''<br />
|2,285<br />
|<br />
|-<br />
|''Realistic/Simulator''<br />
|1,304<br />
|1,474<br />
|-<br />
! colspan="3" |Power-to-weight ratio (hp/ton)<br />
|-<br />
! colspan="1" |Mode<br />
!Stock<br />
!Upgraded<br />
|-<br />
|''Arcade''<br />
|41.85<br />
|<br />
|-<br />
|''Realistic/Simulator''<br />
|23.88<br />
|27.00<br />
|}<br />
== Armaments ==<br />
=== Main armament ===<br />
<!--''Give the reader information about the characteristics of the main gun. Assess its effectiveness in a battle based on the reloading speed, ballistics and the power of shells. Do not forget about the flexibility of the fire, that is how quickly the cannon can be aimed at the target, open fire on it and aim at another enemy. Add a link to the main article on the gun: <code><nowiki>{{main|Name of the weapon}}</nowiki></code>. Describe in general terms the ammunition available for the main gun. Give advice on how to use them and how to fill the ammunition storage.''--><br />
{{main|GIAT CN120-26 F1 (120 mm)}}<br />
<br />
The Leclerc Serie 1 mounts a 120 mm GIAT CN120-26/52 smoothbore cannon, fitted with a two-plane stabiliser and an autoloading system. The CN120 is a competitive cannon, displaying excellent performance with the OFL 120 F1 APFSDS round, up to a maximum of 528 mm of penetration at 0°. Combined with the consistent 6 second reload (independent of crew), this 120 mm cannon is more than competitive when compared to the offerings on its contemporaries. However, it's important to note that the OFL 120 F1 round is a tier 4 modification, and as such a stock Leclerc will be required to use the OCC 120 G1 HEAT-FS round - which, while capable, can prove somewhat unreliable when used against late vehicles with ERA and composite armour. <br />
<br />
{| class="wikitable" style="text-align:center"<br />
|-<br />
! colspan="6" |[[GIAT CN120-26 F1 (120 mm)|GIAT CN120-26/52 120 mm]]<br />
|-<br />
! colspan="3" rowspan="1" style="width:5em" |Capacity<br />
! rowspan="1" |Vertical guidance<br />
! rowspan="1" |Horizontal guidance<br />
! rowspan="1" |Stabilizer<br />
|-<br />
| colspan="3" |40||-8°/+20°||±180°||Two-plane<br />
|-<br />
! colspan="6" |Turret rotation speed (°/s)<br />
|-<br />
! style="width:4em" |Mode<br />
! style="width:4em" |Stock<br />
! style="width:4em" |Upgraded<br />
! style="width:4em" |Prior + Full crew<br />
! style="width:4em" |Prior + Expert qualif.<br />
! style="width:4em" |Prior + Ace qualif.<br />
|-<br />
|''Arcade''||28.60||_.__||_.__||_.__||_.__<br />
|-<br />
|''Realistic''||17.90||_.__||_.__||_.__||_.__<br />
|-<br />
! colspan="4" |Reloading rate (seconds)<br />
|-<br />
! colspan="1" style="width:4em" |Stock<br />
! colspan="1" style="width:4em" |Prior + Full crew<br />
! colspan="1" style="width:4em" |Prior + Expert qualif.<br />
! colspan="1" style="width:4em" |Prior + Ace qualif.<br />
|-<br />
|6.00||6.00||6.00||6.00<br />
|} <br />
<br />
{| class="wikitable sortable" style="text-align:center" width="100%"<br />
! colspan="8" |Penetration statistics<br />
|-<br />
! rowspan="2" data-sort-type="text" |Ammunition<br />
! rowspan="2" class="unsortable" |Type of <br />
warhead<br />
! colspan="6" |'''Penetration''' '''''in mm''''' '''@ 0° Angle of Attack'''<br />
|-<br />
!10m<br />
!100m<br />
!500m<br />
!1000m<br />
!1500m<br />
!2000m<br />
|-<br />
|OCC 120 G1||HEAT-FS||480||480||480||480||480||480<br />
|-<br />
|OFL 120 F1||APFSDS||528||527||519||511||503||494<br />
|} <br />
<br />
{| class="wikitable sortable" style="text-align:center" width="100%"<br />
! colspan="11" |Shell details<br />
|-<br />
! rowspan="2" data-sort-type="text" |Ammunition<br />
! rowspan="2" class="unsortable" |Type of <br />
warhead<br />
! rowspan="2" |Velocity <br />
in m/s<br />
! rowspan="2" |Projectile<br />
Mass in kg<br />
! rowspan="2" |''Fuse delay''<br />
''in m:''<br />
! rowspan="2" |''Fuse sensitivity''<br />
''in mm:''<br />
! rowspan="2" |''Explosive Mass in g'' ''(TNT equivalent):''<br />
! rowspan="2" |''Normalization At 30°''<br />
''from horizontal:''<br />
! colspan="3" |''Ricochet:''<br />
|-<br />
!0%<br />
!50%<br />
!100%<br />
|-<br />
|OCC 120 G1<br />
|HEAT-FS<br />
|1,100<br />
|14.4<br />
|N/A<br />
|0.1<br />
|2,150<br />
|N/A<br />
|65°<br />
|72°<br />
|75°<br />
|-<br />
|OFL 120 F1||APFSDS||1,790||3.8||N/A||N/A||4,100||N/A||78°||80°||81°<br />
|}<br />
=== Machine guns ===<br />
<!--''Offensive and anti-aircraft machine guns not only allow you to fight some aircraft but also are effective against lightly armoured vehicles. Evaluate machine guns and give recommendations on its use.''--><br />
{{main|M2HB (12.7 mm)}}<br />
<br />
The Leclerc mounts a single coaxial 12.7mm machine gun. While this coaxial mount limits it to +20° of elevation, if it can be placed on target it can prove effective against low-flying aircraft. Besides this, it can be useful for clearing out light obstacles, knocking out crew on open-top vehicles, and marking targets. <br />
<br />
==== Optics and night vision ====<br />
The Leclerc receives night vision imagers once the tier 4 modification 'NVD' is researched. This unlocks 800 x 600 resolution thermal sights for both the gunner and commander, as well as standard image intensifiers for all crew (available in third person view in AB/RB additionally)<br />
{| class="wikitable" style="text-align:center"<br />
! colspan="7" |{{PAGENAME}} [[Optics]]<br />
|-<br />
! rowspan="3" |Type of optic<br />
! rowspan="3" |Magnification<br />
! colspan="5" |[[Night Vision Devices]]<br />
|-<br />
! colspan="3" |Image Intensifier<br />
! rowspan="2" |{{Annotation|Thermal Imager<br>Resolution|The higher the resolution the clearer and more detailed the image is}}<br />
! rowspan="2" |Notes<br />
|-<br />
!{{Annotation|Resolution|The higher the resolution the clearer and more detailed the image is}}<br />
!{{Annotation|Light Mult|By how much the image intensifier amplifies the existing light, primarily useful for comparing image intensifiers}}<br />
!{{Annotation|Noise Level|How much noise is present in the image (how grainy the image is)}}<br />
|-<br />
!Gunner's Sight<br />
|8.0x - 12.0x||--||--||--||800 x 600||Intensifier & thermal sights unlocked by 'NVD' modification (tier 4)<br />
|-<br />
!Commander's View<br />
|6.0x||--||--||--||800 x 600||Intensifier & thermal sights unlocked by 'NVD' modification (tier 4)<br />
|-<br />
!Driver's View<br />
|1.0x||1200 x 800||7.0||High||N/A||Intensifier unlocked by 'NVD' modification (tier 4)<br />
|}<br />
==Usage in battles==<br />
<!--''Describe the tactics of playing in the vehicle, the features of using vehicles in the team and advice on tactics. Refrain from creating a "guide" - do not impose a single point of view but instead give the reader food for thought. Describe the most dangerous enemies and give recommendations on fighting them. If necessary, note the specifics of the game in different modes (AB, RB, SB).''--><br />
<br />
The Leclerc is an extremely capable MBT, and can be deadly in the right hands. It can prove somewhat vulnerable in close-range engagements, where its numerous weak points are easily targeted, and as such it's preferable to make use of its high round velocity to snipe, or its excellent mobility to flank enemies.<br />
<br />
'''Rural Combat'''<br />
<br />
The Leclerc's OFL 120 F1 round, with its 1,790 m/s muzzle velocity and high penetration values is a potent sniping round. As such, on open maps (such as [[Kursk (Ground Forces)|Kursk]] or [[Maginot Line (Ground Forces)|Maginot Line]]), it's recommended to operate the Leclerc as a sniper - this allows it to both employ these round characteristics optimally and avoid the Leclerc's large weak spots being easy targets. On maps where flanking is viable (for example, the eastern hill on Maginot Line), the Leclerc's excellent power to weight ratio can be used to access and push through these routes.<br />
<br />
'''Urban Combat'''<br />
<br />
The Leclerc is less comfortable in urban combat situations, although still more than capable. On maps such as [[Alaska]], it's preferable to take flanking routes around the edges of urban regions where possible or cap points on the outskirts of the map (such as the A point in Alaska Domination), avoiding close quarters. In situations where avoiding close quarters is mostly impossible, it's best to play conservatively and maintain full awareness of enemy presence (audio is extremely important information in War Thunder - you can hear most vehicles coming!). Fortunately the Leclerc has a respectable reverse speed of 38 km/h and providing your engine, transmission and driver remain intact after a penetration it's more than capable of reversing out of trouble.<br />
<br />
'''Notable Targets'''<br />
<br />
<u>[[Challenger 2]]:</u> The CR2's turret cheeks are essentially immune to even OFL 120 F1 - and the Challenger is deadly accurate at long range. As such, sniping matches with the Challenger 2 should be avoided at all costs, instead attempt to flank it where possible. If there is no opportunity to get closer, move around between shots and try to land a shot on the gun mantlet or the UFP/LFP.<br />
<br />
<u>[[M1A1 Abrams|M1A1]]/[[M1A2 Abrams]]:</u> The Abrams is a deadly opponent, and thanks to the crew and module spacing will often survive multiple shots. In any engagement, first try to disable the cannon breech - this avoids the Abrams firing back and with your quick reload you'll often have time to disable its mobility entirely.<br />
<br />
<u>[[Leopard 2A5]]:</u> The Leopard 2A5 is a dangerous opponent, with a small gun mantlet weak spot and impenetrable turret cheeks. Fortunately, the OFL 120 F1 round can punch straight through the hull. If the opportunity for a hull shot does not arise, try to shoot through the gun mantlet or turret ring where possible.<br />
===Modules===<br />
{| class="wikitable"<br />
! Tier<br />
! colspan="2" |Mobility<br />
! Protection<br />
! colspan="3" |Firepower<br />
|-<br />
| I<br />
| Tracks||<br />
| Parts<br />
| Horizontal Drive||||<br />
|-<br />
| II<br />
| Suspension||Brake System<br />
| FPE<br />
| Adjustment of Fire||||<br />
|-<br />
| III<br />
| Filters||<br />
| Crew Replenishment<br />
| Elevation Mechanism||Laser rangefinder||Smoke grenade<br />
|-<br />
| IV<br />
| Transmission||Engine<br />
| <br />
| Artillery Support||OFL 120 F1||NVD<br />
|-<br />
|}<br />
The OFL 120 F1 round is the most important module to research for the Leclerc, followed closely by NVD (thermals help maintain a comfortable advantage over opponents). <br />
<br />
Parts and FPE should be the first modules researched, followed by Adjustment of Fire, Crew Replenishment, your choice of Laser Rangefinder or Smoke Grenades, then OFL 120 F1, NVD, and ideally mobility upgrades afterwards. <br />
<br />
===Pros and cons===<br />
<!--Summarise and briefly evaluate the vehicle in terms of its characteristics and combat effectiveness. Mark its pros and cons in a bulleted list. Try not to use more than 6 points for each of the characteristics. Avoid using categorical definitions such as "bad", "good" and the like - use substitutions with softer forms such as "inadequate" and "effective".--><br />
<br />
'''Pros:'''<br />
<br />
* Six second autoloader is very competitive<br />
* Extremely good composite protection on turret cheeks and centre frontal plate<br />
* Well-spaced crew and modules<br />
* Blow-out contained primary ammunition storage<br />
* Extremely mobile, with excellent acceleration and maneuverability characteristics<br />
* Very effective 528 mm kinetic round<br />
<br />
'''Cons:'''<br />
<br />
* Only three crew members<br />
* Numerous large vulnerabilities <br />
* Only HEAT-FS available stock, has to research APFSDS as a tier 4 modification <br />
<br />
== History ==<br />
<!--Describe the history of the creation and combat usage of the ground vehicle in more detail than in the introduction. If the historical reference turns out to be too long, take it to a separate article, taking a link to the article about the vehicle and adding a block "/ History" (example: <nowiki>https://wiki.warthunder.com/(Vehicle-name)/History</nowiki>) and add a link to it here using the <code>main</code> template. Be sure to reference text and sources by using <code><nowiki><ref></nowiki></code>, as well as adding them at the end of the article. This section may also include the vehicle's dev blog entry (if applicable) and the in-game encyclopedia description (under <code><nowiki>=== In-game description ===</nowiki></code>, also if applicable).--><br />
Development of the Leclerc main battle tank dates back to 1964, when the French military initiated a study on possible replacements for the AMX-30 tank, about to be introduced into service at the time. By the early ‘70s, the inferiority of the AMX-30 compared to more modern Soviet T-series MBTs had become obvious. As a result, work on developing a replacement officially began, with first specifications being drawn up by 1977.<br />
<br />
In 1980, France and Germany began joint development of a new main battle tank. However, similarly to the previous Europanzer development decades ago, the joint effort quickly came to an end shortly afterwards due to various disagreements, with France continuing work on its own.<br />
<br />
The new main battle tank was intended to offer cutting-edge performance by making use of the latest equipment available. However, as the per unit price was projected to be substantial, France sought partnership with another state to reduce these costs. Eventually, a partnership was established with the UAE, who would be the second and only other primary operator of the new tank, other than France itself.<br />
<br />
Thus, in 1986 the tank received its name “Leclerc”, with six initial prototypes being produced. Mass production subsequently started in 1990 and went on until 2007. During production, the Leclerc was built in various batches and series, each introducing various tweaks and changes to the design, while some also incorporated major upgrades.<br />
<br />
The Leclerc saw service as part of a number of UN peacekeeping missions, primarily in Kosovo and Lebanon, with reported favourable performance. Most recently, the UAE deployed a number of its Leclercs to Yemen, with some vehicles getting damaged. As of the end of production in 2007, a total of around 860 Leclercs were built for both French and UAE forces combined.<br />
<br />
''- From [[wt:en/news/6177-development-leclerc-s1-la-r%C3%A9publique-s-finest-en|Devblog]]''<br />
<br />
== Media ==<br />
<!--Excellent additions to the article would be video guides, screenshots from the game, and photos.--><br />
<br />
[[File:Leclerc.jpg|center|thumb|none|Leclerc tank in Saumur museum tank]]<br />
<br />
== See also ==<br />
''Links to the articles on the War Thunder Wiki that you think will be useful for the reader, for example:''<br />
<br />
* ''reference to the series of the vehicles;''<br />
* ''links to approximate analogues of other nations and research trees.''<br />
<br />
== External links ==<br />
<!--Paste links to sources and external resources, such as:<br />
* ''topic on the official game forum;''<br />
* ''encyclopedia page on the tank;''<br />
* ''other literature.''--><br />
<br />
* [[wt:en/news/6177-development-leclerc-s1-la-r%C3%A9publique-s-finest-en|[Devblog<nowiki>]</nowiki> Leclerc S1 - La République’s Finest]]<br />
* [https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/GIAT_CN120-26/52 Wikipedia - GIAT CN120-26/52]<br />
<br />
{{France medium tanks}}</div>U11670196https://wiki.warthunder.com/index.php?title=Tank_ammunition&diff=38772Tank ammunition2019-12-10T22:13:53Z<p>U11670196: Standardised 'VT' over 'PRX' throughout.</p>
<hr />
<div>Throughout the past century of tank development, a large range of ammunition types have been produced and seen combat. As time progressed, technology improved and rounds also improved in terms of lethality, accuracy and ballistic performance. Despite this, most rounds can be categorised under one of two primary categories: '''kinetic''' rounds and '''chemical''' rounds; and further under a variety of subcategories.<br />
<br />
== Kinetic energy shells ==<br />
'''Kinetic rounds''' penetrate and deal damage based on a number of factors; shell type, projectile mass, round velocity and material hardness. Mass, shell type and hardness are constants, but velocity reduces with distance travelled and as such at longer ranges kinetic rounds will lose penetration ability and in some cases post-penetration efficacy.<br />
<br />
=== Solid Armour-Piercing Rounds ===<br />
Solid AP rounds are a kinetic munition that utilise a hardened metal (often steel) shell with full-calibre diameter. The result is a simple, yet effective anti-tank round that will punch through armour with high equivalent thickness values, while retaining reasonable post-penetration effects which, when well-placed, can deal significant internal damage to components and crew directly within the shrapnelling path.<br />
<br />
==== Armour-Piercing (AP) ====<br />
[[File:Icon rnd ap.png|left|frameless]] Armour-Piercing is a basic solid steel shot which is entirely reliant on kinetic energy to penetrate and deal damage. Providing the round possesses enough energy to penetrate any given armour, it will deal internal damage from steel fragments and spalling of the internal surfaces which can damage vehicle components, stored ammunition and crew members.<br />
<br />
''AP is a standard early World War II ammunition for many nations. In War Thunder, AP rounds should be used as a general use anti-armour round, with careful round placement to maximise post-penetration damage.''<br />
<br />
==== Armour-Piercing, Capped (APC) ====<br />
[[File:Icon rnd apc.png|left|frameless]] APC rounds have a nose cone (or cap) of softer metal which is fixed to the front of the solid shot. When this strikes the target armour the shock of the impact is transferred away from the tip of the round to the neck, helping prevent shattering. Additionally, the cap will collapse on contact with armour and the deformation will cause the round to angle towards the armour, more efficiently directing energy into the armour and improving the angled performance of the round. A downside of the cap is a decrease in long-range accuracy due to the cap interfering with the shell's aerodynamics.<br />
<br />
''APC is commonly found as a mid-tier shell for both the British and French on their mid-to-late WW2 vehicles. In War Thunder, APC is best used as a short-to-mid range round for combatting angled armour that regular AP rounds may not easily penetrate.''<br />
<br />
==== Armour-Piercing, Ballistic Capped (APBC) ====<br />
[[File:Icon rnd apbc.png|left|frameless]] APBC rounds utilise a ballistic cap, designed to improve aerodynamic performance and hence round performance at longer ranges. The cap usually utilises a soft or brittle metal which collapses on impact and does not aid penetration or angled performance.<br />
<br />
''APBC is found on some early Russian vehicles, but is relatively uncommon otherwise compared to APCBC. In War Thunder, APBC is best used as a longer-range alternative to APC or APHE rounds which often exhibit less favourable ranged performance.''<br />
<br />
==== Armour-Piercing, Capped, Ballistic Capped (APCBC) ====<br />
[[File:Icon rnd apcbc.png|left|frameless]] APCBC rounds combine the standard cap and the ballistic cap, improving the round's aerodynamic and penetration performance. As such, APCBC rounds tend to exhibit the best 'all-round' characteristics of any conventional kinetic rounds.<br />
<br />
''APCBC is found as a high-tier shell for British, French and American mid-to-late WW2 vehicles. In-game, APCBC should be the preferred option of solid shot rounds in all situations, when available, and should be situationally switched for APHE rounds if they're available.''<br />
<br />
=== HE-Filled Armour-Piercing Rounds ===<br />
HE-Filled Armour-Piercing Rounds take the concept of armour-piercing rounds and add a deadly twist - a quantity of HE filler on a timed fuse, designed to explode after a successful penetration. While the concept sacrifices some structural integrity and thus penetrating power, the destructive ability of an APHE round is nearly unrivalled.<br />
<br />
==== Armour-Piercing, High-Explosive (APHE) ====<br />
[[File:Icon rnd aphe.png|left|frameless]] APHE rounds utilise a similar form to AP rounds, but incorporate a small chamber of high-explosive filler within the round. This often slightly reduces the round's mass and construction strength and as such APHE rounds tend to exhibit slightly worse penetration performance than their solid shot counterparts. However, upon successful penetration, APHE rounds often cause significantly more damage within a vehicle. APHE rounds have a fuse which will only activate on sufficiently thick armour.<br />
<br />
''APHE is primarily found on Russian vehicles earlier in the tech tree, and on some earlier American and German vehicles. It should be prioritised for use when penetration is likely, or switched for AP or APCR if improved penetration is required.''<br />
<br />
==== Armour-Piercing, High-Explosive, Ballistic Capped (APHEBC) ====<br />
[[File:Icon rnd aphebc.png|left|frameless]] APHEBC rounds, similarly to APHE, utilise APBC concepts with the addition of high-explosive filler. Again, the rounds tend to exhibit slightly worse penetrative performance than their solid shot brethren, but significantly more post-penetration damage. APHEBC rounds have a fuse which will only activate on sufficiently thick armour.<br />
<br />
''APHEBC is primarily found on Russian vehicles earlier in the tech tree as a mid-tier round, and on some American and German vehicles. It's ideally used against targets where angled performance is required and HE filler is preferable.''<br />
<br />
==== Armour-Piercing, High-Explosive, Capped, Ballistic Capped (APHECBC) ====<br />
[[File:Icon rnd aphecbc.png|left|frameless]] APHECBC rounds utilise standard APCBC designs with added explosive filler. APHECBC is often referred to as 'APCBC' in-game, and can be identified instead by the graphic or the explosive filler content on the round's stat card. As with other APHE rounds, APHECBC significantly improves the post-penetration lethality over that of a standard APCBC round. APHECBC rounds have a fuse which will only activate on sufficiently thick armour.<br />
<br />
''APHECBC is found throughout the Russian tech tree as a high-tier round, and on some American and German vehicles. APHECBC should be used preferentially and interchangeably with a high-penetration round where available.''<br />
<br />
=== Sub-Calibre Armour-Piercing Rounds ===<br />
Sub-Calibre AP rounds are, essentially, what they say on the label - the penetrator itself is of a smaller calibre than the gun barrel, using a 'sabot' to make up the calibre difference. How the sabot is handled is dependent on the type of round - it may be either discarding or non-discarding. Sub-calibre rounds sacrifice post-penetration effectiveness for high round velocities and high penetration values.<br />
<br />
==== Armour-Piercing, Composite, Rigid (APCR) ====<br />
[[File:Icon rnd apcr.png|left|frameless]] APCR rounds often use tungsten carbide or other extremely hard metals as a sub-calibre penetrator, wrapped within a softer full-calibre sabot - the APCR concept is essentially a predecessor to the APDS design. Upon impact, the soft shell will deform, allowing the hard metal penetrator contained within to penetrate the target's armour with force spread over a smaller surface area, resulting in significantly better penetration ability. APCR rounds often suffer from less post-penetration damage as well as faster penetration drop-off over range than a standard AP round of the same calibre, and due to their design perform much worse when facing angled armour.<br />
<br />
''APCR is found throughout most tech trees, most commonly available to vehicles from mid-WW2 through to early cold war vehicles. APCR rounds are best used against minimally angled armour, where other rounds will be unable to penetrate.''<br />
<br />
==== Armour-Piercing, Discarding Sabot (APDS) ====<br />
[[File:Icon rnd apds.png|left|frameless]] APDS rounds utilise a hard core as a sub-calibre penetrator, with a full calibre sabot. Unlike APCR rounds, APDS rounds discard their sabot after exiting the cannon barrel. The result is an extremely high-velocity round with particularly high penetration values and good ranged accuracy. APDS produces a minimal amount of post-penetration damage. There is also a small chance for APDS rounds to shatter given certain circumstances.<br />
<br />
''APDS is first made available on post-WW2 British vehicles, and is available to most vehicles in possession of an L7-derived gun. In War Thunder, APDS is best used as a long-range round, with multiple shots often being a necessity due to the lack of post-penetration damage. APDS is quite ineffective against lightly-armoured vehicles.''<br />
<br />
==== Armour-Piercing, Fin-Stabilised, Discarding Sabot (APFSDS) ====<br />
[[File:Icon rnd apfsds.png|left|frameless]] APFSDS is the pinnacle of the kinetic anti-armour rounds. As with APDS, APFSDS utilises an extremely hard penetrator and a discarding sabot, however the penetrator is usually significantly longer than that of APDS and incorporates fins for added long-range accuracy. The additional penetrator length improves the post-penetration damage effects. APFSDS rounds are the most powerful kinetic rounds available in-game.<br />
<br />
''APFSDS is first available to some late Rank V vehicles, and is often the primary round for most Rank VI or VII vehicles. It's effective at all ranges, and due to most APFSDS rounds having an extremely high velocity, they maintain their performance at even extreme ranges. APFSDS is quite ineffective against lightly-armoured vehicles.''<br />
<br />
== Chemical energy shells ==<br />
'''Chemical energy shells''' deal damage based on a chemical reaction, and unlike kinetic shells, their ability to penetrate and deal damage are unaffected by the shell's velocity. This means that target distance often doesn't affect the round's effectiveness.<br />
<br />
=== High-Explosive Rounds ===<br />
High-Explosive rounds are a simple shell packed full of a high-explosive material, primarily designed for anti-infantry and anti-emplacement applications. However, this translates surprisingly well when applied to light vehicles - significantly more so than armour-piercing rounds or in some cases even APHE rounds. Unfortunately, most HE-based rounds are relatively useless against well-armoured vehicles.<br />
<br />
==== High-Explosive (HE) ====<br />
[[File:Icon rnd he.png|left|frameless]] High-Explosive rounds are primarily intended for use as an anti-infantry/anti-emplacement round. As such, HE rounds tend to have minimal armour-piercing capability and are better used against particularly lightly armoured vehicles, although on occasion it can prove effective against the sides of a vehicle. Particularly high-calibre HE rounds may cause enough area damage to destroy a tank regardless of the round placement.<br />
<br />
''HE rounds are available to almost every vehicle in-game. However, low-calibre HE rounds are ineffective against all but the most lightly armoured targets, so this type of round should only be utilised by vehicles with large-calibre guns, such as the KV-2 or Sturmpanzer II.''<br />
<br />
==== High-Explosive Time Fuse (HE-DF) ====<br />
[[File:Icon rnd hevt.png|left|frameless]] HE-DF rounds use the simple concept of a timed fuse, resulting in an explosion at a pre-set range. While HE-DF rounds are no more effective than HE rounds against most heavy armour, they can be particularly effective against light vehicles with a known range or against aircraft (one of their original design uses).<br />
<br />
''HE-DF rounds are available to a number of vehicles originally designed for anti-air purposes, such as the YaG-10 (29-K) and the 8,8 cm Flak 37 Sfl. They're best used against aircraft by rangefinding the aircraft in question, setting the fuse range to a reasonable assumption based on the result and leading reasonably. They can be extremely effective against aircraft if used correctly, but are mostly ineffective against armoured vehicles.''<br />
<br />
==== High-Explosive Variable Time Fuse [Self-Destroying] (HE-VT*) ====<br />
[[File:Icon rnd he prx.png|left|frameless]] HE-VT rounds are an advanced round with specialised proximity fuses, designed to detonate the round upon reaching close proximity with a target. These are usually designed for anti-air applications, and are generally ineffective against most ground targets.<br />
<br />
''HE-VT rounds are available to some later anti-air vehicles, such as the OTOMATIC or Begleitpanzer 57, and are capable of destroying aircraft or helicopters if the round passes within close proximity of the target. They are extremely effective against mid-ranged aircraft but cannot be relied upon for use against armour.''<br />
<br />
==== High-Explosive Grenade ====<br />
[[File:Icon grn he.png|left|frameless]] HE Grenades are specialised HE rounds designed to be fired from cannons which may not be otherwise capable of firing high-calibre rounds. They usually operate in a different manner to conventional cannon rounds, utilising a propellant rather than a charge, resulting in a relatively low round velocity and sub-par ballistics. However, this design has proven useful, as the low velocity can be used to 'sling' rounds onto weak roof armour or into trenches or bunkers.<br />
<br />
''HE Grenades are available to vehicles with 'recoilless' cannon designs or other non-standard cannon designs. They are generally as effective as an equivalent HE round, however have significantly lower muzzle velocity and as such are extremely inaccurate at long ranges. HE Grenades are found on vehicles such as the BMP-1.''<br />
<br />
==== Rocket ====<br />
[[File:Icon spr rocket.png|left|frameless]] Rockets are unguided high-explosive self-propelled rounds which are often significantly higher calibre than standard tank cannons. They can be mounted as ancillary weaponry on some vehicles, or in some cases mounted on specialised rocket-carrier vehicles.<br />
<br />
''Rockets can be unreliable and inaccurate, but due to their often large calibre and large amounts of HE filler, they can prove effective against some armoured vehicles. Rockets are either mounted ancillary, as on the Calliope or the M26 T99, or on rocket carriers such as the BM-13N.''<br />
<br />
=== Anti-Emplacement Rounds ===<br />
Anti-Emplacement rounds are designed specifically for combatting emplacements, however have proven to have some anti-tank value. They rely on different mechanics to normal rounds, but can prove particularly ineffective against heavy armour.<br />
<br />
==== Shrapnel ====<br />
[[File:Shrapnel Round Icon.png|left|frameless]] Shrapnel rounds are a chemical round utilising a thin shell and a chamber of metal fillings or ball bearings with a small explosive charge. Upon successful penetration, shrapnel rounds cause a significant amount of damage. However, due to the thin outer shell, shrapnel rounds only perform well against particularly light armour and are completely ineffective when used against even moderately armoured targets.<br />
<br />
''Shrapnel rounds are available exclusively to early Russian vehicles. Shrapnel is exclusively useful against lightly armoured targets, and shouldn't be used against front-facing armour of any other tank.''<br />
<br />
==== High-Explosive Squash Head (HESH) ====<br />
[[File:Icon rnd hesh.png|left|frameless]] HESH rounds are designed as an anti-emplacement round. The 'squash head', usually comprised of some form of plastic explosive, is designed to squash onto a surface and detonate, causing the opposite side of the surface to rupture. If the given surface happens to be metal, this will often result in metal shards flying off the surface at high velocity. Due to this design, HESH rounds perform better the further they can spread, and as such they're more effective when applied to angled armour, within reason.<br />
<br />
''HESH rounds are available to most British vehicles from Rank V, and other vehicles in possession of an L7-derived gun. HESH should be primarily used against lighter armour or side armour, although occasionally the HE splash effect can cause unexpected results. HESH is completely ineffective against heavy armour or composite armour designs.''<br />
<br />
=== High-Explosive Anti-Tank Rounds ===<br />
High-Explosive Anti-Tank (HEAT) rounds make use of shaped charges to penetrate armour, forcing superplastic metal through into the crew compartment, damaging crew and modules. HEAT rounds prove particularly effective at long ranges, as their method of action does not lose effectiveness with range. Unfortunately, though, the fuse on a HEAT round must be extremely sensitive, allowing the rounds to detonate on trees and fences that other rounds would pass through.<br />
<br />
==== High-Explosive, Anti-tank (HEAT) ====<br />
[[File:Icon rnd heat.png|left|frameless]] HEAT rounds are designed specifically as an anti-tank round. They operate by superheating metallic armour with a shaped charge, with the external pressure caused by the charge explosion forcing the superplastic metal into the internals of the vehicle, causing internal damage to crew and modules.<br />
<br />
''HEAT rounds are available to a variety of WW2 German vehicles, as well as higher-performance HEAT becoming available to some late French and American vehicles, as HEAT-FS rounds cannot be fired from rifled cannons. HEAT is limited in effectiveness and its usage should be carefully considered as many vehicles have armour it cannot penetrate.''<br />
<br />
==== High-Explosive, Anti-Tank, Fin-Stabilized (HEAT-FS) ====<br />
[[File:Icon rnd heatfs.png|left|frameless]] HEAT-FS rounds are an improvement over the HEAT concept, using improved penetrative chemicals and utilising fins for improved ballistic performance. HEAT-FS rounds maintain their penetration values at all ranges, and are well-suited to long-range engagements. HEAT-FS rounds are particularly sensitive, and may detonate on light obstacles such as shrubs or fences.<br />
<br />
''HEAT-FS rounds become available to many nations from Rank V although notably the British do not receive HEAT-FS at any stage due to its incompatibility with rifled cannons. At Rank VI and Rank VII, HEAT-FS may prove ineffective in many cases due to the prevalence of ERA and composite armour. Despite this, it can still be used for ranged engagements, as particularly late HEAT-FS rounds have extremely high penetration power.''<br />
<br />
==== High-Explosive, Anti-Tank, Fin-Stabilised, Proximity Fuse [Self-Destroying] (HEAT-FS VT*) ====<br />
[[File:Icon HEAT-FS Shell.jpg|left|frameless]]<br />
HEAT-FS VT rounds are specialised HEAT-FS rounds which utilise a proximity fuse to detonate when in close proximity to a target. They can be used to destroy low-flying aircraft or helicopters, while maintaining their effectiveness against ground vehicles utilising normal HEAT-FS technology.<br />
<br />
''HEAT-FS VT rounds are extremely specialised and are available to only the M1A2 Abrams (as of 1.93). They combine the anti-armour power of a standard HEAT-FS round with the anti-aircraft effectiveness of a HE-VT round. Their proximity fuse will detonate only above a specified altitude, so they can be used normally against other armoured vehicles.''<br />
<br />
==== High-Explosive, Anti-Tank Grenade ====<br />
[[File:Icon grn heat.png|left|frameless]] HEAT Grenades are specialised HEAT rounds, designed for use where normal tank rounds may not be possible to utilise. They often use a propellant rather than a standard charge, and as such suffer from low velocity and sub-par round ballistics. Despite this, they can prove effective against tanks due to their HEAT technology.<br />
<br />
''HEAT Grenades are available to vehicles with 'recoilless' cannons or other non-standard cannon designs. Their effectiveness is similar to that of an equivalent HEAT round, however due to their low muzzle velocity they can be inaccurate at long ranges. HEAT Grenades are found on vehicles such as the BMP-1.''<br />
<br />
=== Guided Missiles ===<br />
Guided missiles utilise a guidance system (of various types, such as MCLOS, SACLOS, Radar, Heat-Seeking) to accomplish their intended role. They sacrifice round velocity for long-range precision. Different missile types are effective in different applications - some have anti-tank properties, while others are effective against air targets.<br />
<br />
==== Anti-Tank Guided Missile (ATGM) ====<br />
{{main|Anti-tank guided missiles}}<br />
[[File:Icon spr atgm.png|left|frameless]] ATGMs largely utilise the same concept as HEAT, however they integrate some form of propulsion and are usually guidable, either manually (MCLOS) or semi-automatically (SACLOS). ATGMs usually pack a large amount of explosive and often have particularly powerful shaped charges. However, they require specialised equipment to fire and tend to be heavy, often resulting in long reload times.<br />
<br />
''ATGMs become available through Rank V, and are primarily carried by specialised ATGM carriers, although some tanks have ATGM-capable main cannons and some exceptional designs such as the Strv 81 (Rb.52) or the AMX-13 (HOT) mount ATGMs on ancillary pylons. ATGMs are powerful and SACLOS guided missiles are easily aimed, however they travel slowly and well-aware targets may be able to move into cover prior to the ATGM reaching them.''<br />
<br />
==== Anti-Tank Guided Missile Proximity Fuse [Self-Destroying] (ATGM-VT*) ====<br />
[[File:Icon spr atgm prx.png|left|frameless]] Proximity ATGMs utilise proximity fuses to detonate when in close proximity to aircraft. This, combined with their guidance systems (SACLOS) allows them to be used effectively against low-flying aircraft or helicopters.<br />
<br />
''Proximity Fuse ATGMs can prove extremely effective against low-flying aircraft or helicopters, and utilise a similar proximity fuse concept to SAM missiles - although often ATGMs pack significantly more HE filler than SAMs do. ATGM-VT missiles are available to specialised ATGM carriers such as the Shturm-S.''<br />
<br />
==== Anti-Tank Guided Missile, Tandem Charge (ATGM Tandem) ====<br />
[[File:Icon spr atgm tandem.png|left|frameless]] Tandem ATGMs utilise a twin-stage warhead to overcome ERA - the first stage causes the ERA to detonate, while the second stage penetrates the armour below as normal. This concept does not work against NERA or composite armour.<br />
<br />
''Tandem ATGMs are effective against ERA-protected vehicles, and often have very high penetration values. Tandem charge ATGMs are available to specialised ATGM carriers such as the Shturm-S.''<br />
<br />
==== Anti-Tank Guided Missile, HE (ATGM-HE) ====<br />
[[File:Icon spr atgm he.png|left|frameless]] HE ATGMs are a simplification of a standard ATGM; rather than a shaped HEAT charge, HE missiles simply utilise a large quantity of explosive to damage or destroy emplacements or light vehicles.<br />
<br />
''HE ATGMs are only effective against light vehicles in most cases, despite packing large quantities of HE filler. They are available to specialised ATGM carriers such as the Shturm-S.''<br />
<br />
==== Surface to Air Missile (SAM) ====<br />
[[File:Icon spr sam.png|left|frameless]] SAMs are high-velocity anti-air missiles, designed specifically to combat aircraft using a variety of technologies; often including proximity fuses and radar or heat-seeking guidance.<br />
<br />
''SAMs are very effective at long distances against aircraft, particularly helicopters. They are often extremely high velocity and pack a large amount of HE filler for a powerful airburst effect. SAMs'' ''are available to specialised anti-air vehicles such as the 2S6 Tunguska or the ADATS (which, notably, has multi-purpose missiles that are also effective against armoured vehicles).''<br />
<br />
=== Utility Rounds ===<br />
Utility rounds are ineffective for use against other vehicles, but provide value in some sort of utility.<br />
<br />
==== Smoke ====<br />
{{main|Smoke screen|l1=Smoke}}<br />
[[File:Icon rnd smoke.png|left|frameless]] Smoke shells are not designed as a damaging shell, and largely consist of chemicals designed to create a smoke screen. The produced smoke has a limited lifetime.<br />
<br />
''Smoke shells are available to various vehicles throughout most tech trees, however their effectiveness is somewhat limited compared to dedicated smoke launchers.''<br />
<br />
== Media ==<br />
{{Youtube-gallery|6O3MBjdSsIk|'''Tank Shells Guide - War Thunder ammo types explained''' - ''HowToPlay1337''}}<br />
<br />
==See also==<br />
<br />
* [[Ammo racks]] - How all tank ammunition is stored within the tank<br />
<br />
[[Category:Ammunition]]</div>U11670196https://wiki.warthunder.com/index.php?title=Tank_ammunition&diff=38771Tank ammunition2019-12-10T22:12:43Z<p>U11670196: Updated other 'PRX' rounds to 'VT*' to match in-game designation, including 'Self-destroying' name convention.</p>
<hr />
<div>Throughout the past century of tank development, a large range of ammunition types have been produced and seen combat. As time progressed, technology improved and rounds also improved in terms of lethality, accuracy and ballistic performance. Despite this, most rounds can be categorised under one of two primary categories: '''kinetic''' rounds and '''chemical''' rounds; and further under a variety of subcategories.<br />
<br />
== Kinetic energy shells ==<br />
'''Kinetic rounds''' penetrate and deal damage based on a number of factors; shell type, projectile mass, round velocity and material hardness. Mass, shell type and hardness are constants, but velocity reduces with distance travelled and as such at longer ranges kinetic rounds will lose penetration ability and in some cases post-penetration efficacy.<br />
<br />
=== Solid Armour-Piercing Rounds ===<br />
Solid AP rounds are a kinetic munition that utilise a hardened metal (often steel) shell with full-calibre diameter. The result is a simple, yet effective anti-tank round that will punch through armour with high equivalent thickness values, while retaining reasonable post-penetration effects which, when well-placed, can deal significant internal damage to components and crew directly within the shrapnelling path.<br />
<br />
==== Armour-Piercing (AP) ====<br />
[[File:Icon rnd ap.png|left|frameless]] Armour-Piercing is a basic solid steel shot which is entirely reliant on kinetic energy to penetrate and deal damage. Providing the round possesses enough energy to penetrate any given armour, it will deal internal damage from steel fragments and spalling of the internal surfaces which can damage vehicle components, stored ammunition and crew members.<br />
<br />
''AP is a standard early World War II ammunition for many nations. In War Thunder, AP rounds should be used as a general use anti-armour round, with careful round placement to maximise post-penetration damage.''<br />
<br />
==== Armour-Piercing, Capped (APC) ====<br />
[[File:Icon rnd apc.png|left|frameless]] APC rounds have a nose cone (or cap) of softer metal which is fixed to the front of the solid shot. When this strikes the target armour the shock of the impact is transferred away from the tip of the round to the neck, helping prevent shattering. Additionally, the cap will collapse on contact with armour and the deformation will cause the round to angle towards the armour, more efficiently directing energy into the armour and improving the angled performance of the round. A downside of the cap is a decrease in long-range accuracy due to the cap interfering with the shell's aerodynamics.<br />
<br />
''APC is commonly found as a mid-tier shell for both the British and French on their mid-to-late WW2 vehicles. In War Thunder, APC is best used as a short-to-mid range round for combatting angled armour that regular AP rounds may not easily penetrate.''<br />
<br />
==== Armour-Piercing, Ballistic Capped (APBC) ====<br />
[[File:Icon rnd apbc.png|left|frameless]] APBC rounds utilise a ballistic cap, designed to improve aerodynamic performance and hence round performance at longer ranges. The cap usually utilises a soft or brittle metal which collapses on impact and does not aid penetration or angled performance.<br />
<br />
''APBC is found on some early Russian vehicles, but is relatively uncommon otherwise compared to APCBC. In War Thunder, APBC is best used as a longer-range alternative to APC or APHE rounds which often exhibit less favourable ranged performance.''<br />
<br />
==== Armour-Piercing, Capped, Ballistic Capped (APCBC) ====<br />
[[File:Icon rnd apcbc.png|left|frameless]] APCBC rounds combine the standard cap and the ballistic cap, improving the round's aerodynamic and penetration performance. As such, APCBC rounds tend to exhibit the best 'all-round' characteristics of any conventional kinetic rounds.<br />
<br />
''APCBC is found as a high-tier shell for British, French and American mid-to-late WW2 vehicles. In-game, APCBC should be the preferred option of solid shot rounds in all situations, when available, and should be situationally switched for APHE rounds if they're available.''<br />
<br />
=== HE-Filled Armour-Piercing Rounds ===<br />
HE-Filled Armour-Piercing Rounds take the concept of armour-piercing rounds and add a deadly twist - a quantity of HE filler on a timed fuse, designed to explode after a successful penetration. While the concept sacrifices some structural integrity and thus penetrating power, the destructive ability of an APHE round is nearly unrivalled.<br />
<br />
==== Armour-Piercing, High-Explosive (APHE) ====<br />
[[File:Icon rnd aphe.png|left|frameless]] APHE rounds utilise a similar form to AP rounds, but incorporate a small chamber of high-explosive filler within the round. This often slightly reduces the round's mass and construction strength and as such APHE rounds tend to exhibit slightly worse penetration performance than their solid shot counterparts. However, upon successful penetration, APHE rounds often cause significantly more damage within a vehicle. APHE rounds have a fuse which will only activate on sufficiently thick armour.<br />
<br />
''APHE is primarily found on Russian vehicles earlier in the tech tree, and on some earlier American and German vehicles. It should be prioritised for use when penetration is likely, or switched for AP or APCR if improved penetration is required.''<br />
<br />
==== Armour-Piercing, High-Explosive, Ballistic Capped (APHEBC) ====<br />
[[File:Icon rnd aphebc.png|left|frameless]] APHEBC rounds, similarly to APHE, utilise APBC concepts with the addition of high-explosive filler. Again, the rounds tend to exhibit slightly worse penetrative performance than their solid shot brethren, but significantly more post-penetration damage. APHEBC rounds have a fuse which will only activate on sufficiently thick armour.<br />
<br />
''APHEBC is primarily found on Russian vehicles earlier in the tech tree as a mid-tier round, and on some American and German vehicles. It's ideally used against targets where angled performance is required and HE filler is preferable.''<br />
<br />
==== Armour-Piercing, High-Explosive, Capped, Ballistic Capped (APHECBC) ====<br />
[[File:Icon rnd aphecbc.png|left|frameless]] APHECBC rounds utilise standard APCBC designs with added explosive filler. APHECBC is often referred to as 'APCBC' in-game, and can be identified instead by the graphic or the explosive filler content on the round's stat card. As with other APHE rounds, APHECBC significantly improves the post-penetration lethality over that of a standard APCBC round. APHECBC rounds have a fuse which will only activate on sufficiently thick armour.<br />
<br />
''APHECBC is found throughout the Russian tech tree as a high-tier round, and on some American and German vehicles. APHECBC should be used preferentially and interchangeably with a high-penetration round where available.''<br />
<br />
=== Sub-Calibre Armour-Piercing Rounds ===<br />
Sub-Calibre AP rounds are, essentially, what they say on the label - the penetrator itself is of a smaller calibre than the gun barrel, using a 'sabot' to make up the calibre difference. How the sabot is handled is dependent on the type of round - it may be either discarding or non-discarding. Sub-calibre rounds sacrifice post-penetration effectiveness for high round velocities and high penetration values.<br />
<br />
==== Armour-Piercing, Composite, Rigid (APCR) ====<br />
[[File:Icon rnd apcr.png|left|frameless]] APCR rounds often use tungsten carbide or other extremely hard metals as a sub-calibre penetrator, wrapped within a softer full-calibre sabot - the APCR concept is essentially a predecessor to the APDS design. Upon impact, the soft shell will deform, allowing the hard metal penetrator contained within to penetrate the target's armour with force spread over a smaller surface area, resulting in significantly better penetration ability. APCR rounds often suffer from less post-penetration damage as well as faster penetration drop-off over range than a standard AP round of the same calibre, and due to their design perform much worse when facing angled armour.<br />
<br />
''APCR is found throughout most tech trees, most commonly available to vehicles from mid-WW2 through to early cold war vehicles. APCR rounds are best used against minimally angled armour, where other rounds will be unable to penetrate.''<br />
<br />
==== Armour-Piercing, Discarding Sabot (APDS) ====<br />
[[File:Icon rnd apds.png|left|frameless]] APDS rounds utilise a hard core as a sub-calibre penetrator, with a full calibre sabot. Unlike APCR rounds, APDS rounds discard their sabot after exiting the cannon barrel. The result is an extremely high-velocity round with particularly high penetration values and good ranged accuracy. APDS produces a minimal amount of post-penetration damage. There is also a small chance for APDS rounds to shatter given certain circumstances.<br />
<br />
''APDS is first made available on post-WW2 British vehicles, and is available to most vehicles in possession of an L7-derived gun. In War Thunder, APDS is best used as a long-range round, with multiple shots often being a necessity due to the lack of post-penetration damage. APDS is quite ineffective against lightly-armoured vehicles.''<br />
<br />
==== Armour-Piercing, Fin-Stabilised, Discarding Sabot (APFSDS) ====<br />
[[File:Icon rnd apfsds.png|left|frameless]] APFSDS is the pinnacle of the kinetic anti-armour rounds. As with APDS, APFSDS utilises an extremely hard penetrator and a discarding sabot, however the penetrator is usually significantly longer than that of APDS and incorporates fins for added long-range accuracy. The additional penetrator length improves the post-penetration damage effects. APFSDS rounds are the most powerful kinetic rounds available in-game.<br />
<br />
''APFSDS is first available to some late Rank V vehicles, and is often the primary round for most Rank VI or VII vehicles. It's effective at all ranges, and due to most APFSDS rounds having an extremely high velocity, they maintain their performance at even extreme ranges. APFSDS is quite ineffective against lightly-armoured vehicles.''<br />
<br />
== Chemical energy shells ==<br />
'''Chemical energy shells''' deal damage based on a chemical reaction, and unlike kinetic shells, their ability to penetrate and deal damage are unaffected by the shell's velocity. This means that target distance often doesn't affect the round's effectiveness.<br />
<br />
=== High-Explosive Rounds ===<br />
High-Explosive rounds are a simple shell packed full of a high-explosive material, primarily designed for anti-infantry and anti-emplacement applications. However, this translates surprisingly well when applied to light vehicles - significantly more so than armour-piercing rounds or in some cases even APHE rounds. Unfortunately, most HE-based rounds are relatively useless against well-armoured vehicles.<br />
<br />
==== High-Explosive (HE) ====<br />
[[File:Icon rnd he.png|left|frameless]] High-Explosive rounds are primarily intended for use as an anti-infantry/anti-emplacement round. As such, HE rounds tend to have minimal armour-piercing capability and are better used against particularly lightly armoured vehicles, although on occasion it can prove effective against the sides of a vehicle. Particularly high-calibre HE rounds may cause enough area damage to destroy a tank regardless of the round placement.<br />
<br />
''HE rounds are available to almost every vehicle in-game. However, low-calibre HE rounds are ineffective against all but the most lightly armoured targets, so this type of round should only be utilised by vehicles with large-calibre guns, such as the KV-2 or Sturmpanzer II.''<br />
<br />
==== High-Explosive Time Fuse (HE-DF) ====<br />
[[File:Icon rnd hevt.png|left|frameless]] HE-DF rounds use the simple concept of a timed fuse, resulting in an explosion at a pre-set range. While HE-DF rounds are no more effective than HE rounds against most heavy armour, they can be particularly effective against light vehicles with a known range or against aircraft (one of their original design uses).<br />
<br />
''HE-DF rounds are available to a number of vehicles originally designed for anti-air purposes, such as the YaG-10 (29-K) and the 8,8 cm Flak 37 Sfl. They're best used against aircraft by rangefinding the aircraft in question, setting the fuse range to a reasonable assumption based on the result and leading reasonably. They can be extremely effective against aircraft if used correctly, but are mostly ineffective against armoured vehicles.''<br />
<br />
==== High-Explosive Variable Time Fuse [Self-Destroying] (HE-VT*) ====<br />
[[File:Icon rnd he prx.png|left|frameless]] HE-VT rounds are an advanced round with specialised proximity fuses, designed to detonate the round upon reaching close proximity with a target. These are usually designed for anti-air applications, and are generally ineffective against most ground targets.<br />
<br />
''HE-VT rounds are available to some later anti-air vehicles, such as the OTOMATIC or Begleitpanzer 57, and are capable of destroying aircraft or helicopters if the round passes within close proximity of the target. They are extremely effective against mid-ranged aircraft but cannot be relied upon for use against armour.''<br />
<br />
==== High-Explosive Grenade ====<br />
[[File:Icon grn he.png|left|frameless]] HE Grenades are specialised HE rounds designed to be fired from cannons which may not be otherwise capable of firing high-calibre rounds. They usually operate in a different manner to conventional cannon rounds, utilising a propellant rather than a charge, resulting in a relatively low round velocity and sub-par ballistics. However, this design has proven useful, as the low velocity can be used to 'sling' rounds onto weak roof armour or into trenches or bunkers.<br />
<br />
''HE Grenades are available to vehicles with 'recoilless' cannon designs or other non-standard cannon designs. They are generally as effective as an equivalent HE round, however have significantly lower muzzle velocity and as such are extremely inaccurate at long ranges. HE Grenades are found on vehicles such as the BMP-1.''<br />
<br />
==== Rocket ====<br />
[[File:Icon spr rocket.png|left|frameless]] Rockets are unguided high-explosive self-propelled rounds which are often significantly higher calibre than standard tank cannons. They can be mounted as ancillary weaponry on some vehicles, or in some cases mounted on specialised rocket-carrier vehicles.<br />
<br />
''Rockets can be unreliable and inaccurate, but due to their often large calibre and large amounts of HE filler, they can prove effective against some armoured vehicles. Rockets are either mounted ancillary, as on the Calliope or the M26 T99, or on rocket carriers such as the BM-13N.''<br />
<br />
=== Anti-Emplacement Rounds ===<br />
Anti-Emplacement rounds are designed specifically for combatting emplacements, however have proven to have some anti-tank value. They rely on different mechanics to normal rounds, but can prove particularly ineffective against heavy armour.<br />
<br />
==== Shrapnel ====<br />
[[File:Shrapnel Round Icon.png|left|frameless]] Shrapnel rounds are a chemical round utilising a thin shell and a chamber of metal fillings or ball bearings with a small explosive charge. Upon successful penetration, shrapnel rounds cause a significant amount of damage. However, due to the thin outer shell, shrapnel rounds only perform well against particularly light armour and are completely ineffective when used against even moderately armoured targets.<br />
<br />
''Shrapnel rounds are available exclusively to early Russian vehicles. Shrapnel is exclusively useful against lightly armoured targets, and shouldn't be used against front-facing armour of any other tank.''<br />
<br />
==== High-Explosive Squash Head (HESH) ====<br />
[[File:Icon rnd hesh.png|left|frameless]] HESH rounds are designed as an anti-emplacement round. The 'squash head', usually comprised of some form of plastic explosive, is designed to squash onto a surface and detonate, causing the opposite side of the surface to rupture. If the given surface happens to be metal, this will often result in metal shards flying off the surface at high velocity. Due to this design, HESH rounds perform better the further they can spread, and as such they're more effective when applied to angled armour, within reason.<br />
<br />
''HESH rounds are available to most British vehicles from Rank V, and other vehicles in possession of an L7-derived gun. HESH should be primarily used against lighter armour or side armour, although occasionally the HE splash effect can cause unexpected results. HESH is completely ineffective against heavy armour or composite armour designs.''<br />
<br />
=== High-Explosive Anti-Tank Rounds ===<br />
High-Explosive Anti-Tank (HEAT) rounds make use of shaped charges to penetrate armour, forcing superplastic metal through into the crew compartment, damaging crew and modules. HEAT rounds prove particularly effective at long ranges, as their method of action does not lose effectiveness with range. Unfortunately, though, the fuse on a HEAT round must be extremely sensitive, allowing the rounds to detonate on trees and fences that other rounds would pass through.<br />
<br />
==== High-Explosive, Anti-tank (HEAT) ====<br />
[[File:Icon rnd heat.png|left|frameless]] HEAT rounds are designed specifically as an anti-tank round. They operate by superheating metallic armour with a shaped charge, with the external pressure caused by the charge explosion forcing the superplastic metal into the internals of the vehicle, causing internal damage to crew and modules.<br />
<br />
''HEAT rounds are available to a variety of WW2 German vehicles, as well as higher-performance HEAT becoming available to some late French and American vehicles, as HEAT-FS rounds cannot be fired from rifled cannons. HEAT is limited in effectiveness and its usage should be carefully considered as many vehicles have armour it cannot penetrate.''<br />
<br />
==== High-Explosive, Anti-Tank, Fin-Stabilized (HEAT-FS) ====<br />
[[File:Icon rnd heatfs.png|left|frameless]] HEAT-FS rounds are an improvement over the HEAT concept, using improved penetrative chemicals and utilising fins for improved ballistic performance. HEAT-FS rounds maintain their penetration values at all ranges, and are well-suited to long-range engagements. HEAT-FS rounds are particularly sensitive, and may detonate on light obstacles such as shrubs or fences.<br />
<br />
''HEAT-FS rounds become available to many nations from Rank V although notably the British do not receive HEAT-FS at any stage due to its incompatibility with rifled cannons. At Rank VI and Rank VII, HEAT-FS may prove ineffective in many cases due to the prevalence of ERA and composite armour. Despite this, it can still be used for ranged engagements, as particularly late HEAT-FS rounds have extremely high penetration power.''<br />
<br />
==== High-Explosive, Anti-Tank, Fin-Stabilised, Proximity Fuse [Self-Destroying] (HEAT-FS VT*) ====<br />
[[File:Icon HEAT-FS Shell.jpg|left|frameless]]<br />
HEAT-FS PRX rounds are specialised HEAT-FS rounds which utilise a proximity fuse to detonate when in close proximity to a target. They can be used to destroy low-flying aircraft or helicopters, while maintaining their effectiveness against ground vehicles utilising normal HEAT-FS technology.<br />
<br />
''HEAT-FS PRX rounds are extremely specialised and are available to only the M1A2 Abrams (as of 1.93). They combine the anti-armour power of a standard HEAT-FS round with the anti-aircraft effectiveness of a HE-PRX round. Their proximity fuse will detonate only above a specified altitude, so they can be used normally against other armoured vehicles.''<br />
<br />
==== High-Explosive, Anti-Tank Grenade ====<br />
[[File:Icon grn heat.png|left|frameless]] HEAT Grenades are specialised HEAT rounds, designed for use where normal tank rounds may not be possible to utilise. They often use a propellant rather than a standard charge, and as such suffer from low velocity and sub-par round ballistics. Despite this, they can prove effective against tanks due to their HEAT technology.<br />
<br />
''HEAT Grenades are available to vehicles with 'recoilless' cannons or other non-standard cannon designs. Their effectiveness is similar to that of an equivalent HEAT round, however due to their low muzzle velocity they can be inaccurate at long ranges. HEAT Grenades are found on vehicles such as the BMP-1.''<br />
<br />
=== Guided Missiles ===<br />
Guided missiles utilise a guidance system (of various types, such as MCLOS, SACLOS, Radar, Heat-Seeking) to accomplish their intended role. They sacrifice round velocity for long-range precision. Different missile types are effective in different applications - some have anti-tank properties, while others are effective against air targets.<br />
<br />
==== Anti-Tank Guided Missile (ATGM) ====<br />
{{main|Anti-tank guided missiles}}<br />
[[File:Icon spr atgm.png|left|frameless]] ATGMs largely utilise the same concept as HEAT, however they integrate some form of propulsion and are usually guidable, either manually (MCLOS) or semi-automatically (SACLOS). ATGMs usually pack a large amount of explosive and often have particularly powerful shaped charges. However, they require specialised equipment to fire and tend to be heavy, often resulting in long reload times.<br />
<br />
''ATGMs become available through Rank V, and are primarily carried by specialised ATGM carriers, although some tanks have ATGM-capable main cannons and some exceptional designs such as the Strv 81 (Rb.52) or the AMX-13 (HOT) mount ATGMs on ancillary pylons. ATGMs are powerful and SACLOS guided missiles are easily aimed, however they travel slowly and well-aware targets may be able to move into cover prior to the ATGM reaching them.''<br />
<br />
==== Anti-Tank Guided Missile Proximity Fuse [Self-Destroying] (ATGM-VT*) ====<br />
[[File:Icon spr atgm prx.png|left|frameless]] Proximity ATGMs utilise proximity fuses to detonate when in close proximity to aircraft. This, combined with their guidance systems (SACLOS) allows them to be used effectively against low-flying aircraft or helicopters.<br />
<br />
''Proximity Fuse ATGMs can prove extremely effective against low-flying aircraft or helicopters, and utilise a similar proximity fuse concept to SAM missiles - although often ATGMs pack significantly more HE filler than SAMs do. ATGM-PRX missiles are available to specialised ATGM carriers such as the Shturm-S.''<br />
<br />
==== Anti-Tank Guided Missile, Tandem Charge (ATGM Tandem) ====<br />
[[File:Icon spr atgm tandem.png|left|frameless]] Tandem ATGMs utilise a twin-stage warhead to overcome ERA - the first stage causes the ERA to detonate, while the second stage penetrates the armour below as normal. This concept does not work against NERA or composite armour.<br />
<br />
''Tandem ATGMs are effective against ERA-protected vehicles, and often have very high penetration values. Tandem charge ATGMs are available to specialised ATGM carriers such as the Shturm-S.''<br />
<br />
==== Anti-Tank Guided Missile, HE (ATGM-HE) ====<br />
[[File:Icon spr atgm he.png|left|frameless]] HE ATGMs are a simplification of a standard ATGM; rather than a shaped HEAT charge, HE missiles simply utilise a large quantity of explosive to damage or destroy emplacements or light vehicles.<br />
<br />
''HE ATGMs are only effective against light vehicles in most cases, despite packing large quantities of HE filler. They are available to specialised ATGM carriers such as the Shturm-S.''<br />
<br />
==== Surface to Air Missile (SAM) ====<br />
[[File:Icon spr sam.png|left|frameless]] SAMs are high-velocity anti-air missiles, designed specifically to combat aircraft using a variety of technologies; often including proximity fuses and radar or heat-seeking guidance.<br />
<br />
''SAMs are very effective at long distances against aircraft, particularly helicopters. They are often extremely high velocity and pack a large amount of HE filler for a powerful airburst effect. SAMs'' ''are available to specialised anti-air vehicles such as the 2S6 Tunguska or the ADATS (which, notably, has multi-purpose missiles that are also effective against armoured vehicles).''<br />
<br />
=== Utility Rounds ===<br />
Utility rounds are ineffective for use against other vehicles, but provide value in some sort of utility.<br />
<br />
==== Smoke ====<br />
{{main|Smoke screen|l1=Smoke}}<br />
[[File:Icon rnd smoke.png|left|frameless]] Smoke shells are not designed as a damaging shell, and largely consist of chemicals designed to create a smoke screen. The produced smoke has a limited lifetime.<br />
<br />
''Smoke shells are available to various vehicles throughout most tech trees, however their effectiveness is somewhat limited compared to dedicated smoke launchers.''<br />
<br />
== Media ==<br />
{{Youtube-gallery|6O3MBjdSsIk|'''Tank Shells Guide - War Thunder ammo types explained''' - ''HowToPlay1337''}}<br />
<br />
==See also==<br />
<br />
* [[Ammo racks]] - How all tank ammunition is stored within the tank<br />
<br />
[[Category:Ammunition]]</div>U11670196https://wiki.warthunder.com/index.php?title=File:Leclerc_layout_overview.png&diff=38770File:Leclerc layout overview.png2019-12-10T21:09:09Z<p>U11670196: </p>
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<div>Overview of the internal layout of the Leclerc Serie 1</div>U11670196https://wiki.warthunder.com/index.php?title=User:U11670196&diff=38769User:U116701962019-12-10T19:31:47Z<p>U11670196: Removed WIP section as it has been moved to its proper page.</p>
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<div>Hi! I'm ftsartek (just call me artek). I've played Warthunder on-and-off since release, although I only really got into it more recently when I first picked up ground forces somewhere around 2016/2017.<br />
<br />
I originally made my way up through the Russian ground lineup without touching another nation until I reached the Russian Rank V, when I started grinding the British.<br />
<br />
Over time I worked my way up and as of October 2019, I have full Rank VII lineups for the British, the Russians and the Americans; a Rank VI lineup for the Germans and a Rank IV lineup for the French. I pretty regularly play lineups at just about any rank, though, depending on how I feel at any given time.<br />
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I also play a bit of Air RB, although primarily with the intention of grinding aircraft to support my ground lineups.<br />
<br />
I have a VR setup and on occasion play Air Simulator Battles with it until nausea (or the ground) gets the best of me. <!--One trick to help with the motion sickness when using VR is to have a small fan blowing on you, this will trick your brain into thinking you are actually moving and should help reduce the motion sickness. I had the same problem, once I started the fan, all motion sickness went away and I didn't have any issues after that.--><!-- Thanks! I'll give this a shot. --><br />
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My intention on the Wiki is to (where possible) keep info up-to-date where possible, clean up any grammatical issues or simply help ensure that people can rely on the wiki for gameplay suggestions and recommendations.<br />
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'''Everything below is my opinion only; take it how you like.'''<br />
<br />
=== '''Favourite Vehicles''' ===<br />
<u>[[Centurion Mk 10|Centurion Mk.10:]]</u> I have a special relationship with the Mk.10. It makes up one of my favourite lineups in the game; 7.3 British. I mean, look at this thing! It gets a stabilised 105mm with over 300mm of flat pen, a decent reload, perfectly acceptable armour... Sure, it's not the fastest thing around, but who even cares when you don't need to stop to shoot?<br />
<br />
<u>[[Vickers MBT|Vickers MBT:]]</u> Pretty much the same story as the Centurion. Except this time, you get to run around in a stabilised 105mm with one of the fastest reloads for its tier. Paper armour can be overcome but well-placed APDS can't. I think this is actually my most played medium tank.<br />
<br />
<u>[[Conqueror|Conqueror Mk.2:]]</u> THIS is what a heavy tank should be. A beastly gun, serious armour, decent mobility. Even better, not many tanks you'll face in this thing stand a chance in a snipe-off. And again, British 7.3.<br />
<br />
<u>[[IS-7|IS-7:]]</u> Okay, enough fawning over that British lineup. This thing is great fun. It's not really the best tank at 8.3, where every game's against 8.7 tanks and armour means nothing... But jeez, this defies expectations. No heavy should be this fast, ever. And no tank should be in possession of such a veritable armada of machine guns. Besides that, the fun of a 130mm APHE shell popping in the middle of a tank is pretty unbeatable.<br />
<br />
<u>[[T-80U|T-80U:]]</u> This thing is great. Unless you get shot in the side, but eventually you've gotta get used to it. The gun, the mobility, the survivability... Incredible vehicle, extremely competitive at top tier.<br />
<br />
<u>[[Challenger Mk.2]] & [[Challenger Mk.3|Mk.3]]:</u> These aren't actually amazing tanks, but they look cool, they snipe well, and the fact that they're not super fast means they pace your gameplay. They force you to play more carefully, more strategically.<br />
<br />
<u>[[FV4005|FV4005:]]</u> The HESH Barn is the single most inconsistent vehicle I think I've ever driven in War Thunder. HESH is weird. But I've had a love for this thing since the first time I got a multi-kill; a round hit the side of a Panther, killing it and the Ru 251 directly adjacent, AND a plane that was in the vicinity. I don't even think the plane was that close. Yet to repeat that, but I have had a couple double kills with it since. <br />
<br />
<u>[[ZiS-12 (94-KM)]]:</u> This is not an AA. This is a tank destroyer disguised as a milk truck. I've probably killed like 3 planes for every 20 tanks I've killed with this. Driving around like a maniac in a truck is stupid and amusing. So damn amusing.<br />
<br />
<u>[[T-34-57]]:</u> Who woulda thought a 57mm could do so much damage? This thing's right at the comfortable tier where it still has somewhat effective armour, and that gun is incredible.<br />
<br />
<u>[[IS-2 (1944)]]:</u> 122mm of APHE on a properly armoured hull (unlike the first IS-2 where anything can go through that flat upper section of the UFP.) The Russians just ''get'' me.<br />
<br />
<u>[[Firefly "Scorpion"|Firefly Scorpion]]:</u> To be honest, the 17pdr is dirty at 4.7. Yeah, okay, the thing can't take a hit, but jeez, nothing it faces can either. Plus the Brit 4.7 lineup is a GREAT SL grinder (if you're good with solid shot, at least).<br />
<br />
<u>[[Panther II]]:</u> An 88mm on a Panther hull was the best idea ever. I feel genuinely sad that newer players might never have the opportunity to get this tank. Still, they'll get the opportunity to get blown up by it; better than nothing, right?<br />
<br />
<u>[[Tiger II (10.5 cm Kw.K)|Tiger II (10.5cm Kw.K)]]:</u> This really doesn't have anything over the Tiger II (H) but there's a sorta prestige to having a bigger gun. It's not even the best 6.7 heavy out there, but it sure as hell makes quick work of those pesky T29s/T34s.<br />
<br />
<u>[[Sd.Kfz.234/4]]:</u> Speaking of pesky, this is the king of it. This is like the Centauro before the Italians ''dreamed'' of a light, fast vehicle designed just to annoy people in War Thunder. And on top of being light and fast, it's got a really good gun that can actually do some work in just about any uptier.<br />
<br />
<u>[[M6A1]]:</u> Y'know what's satisfying? Baiting someone out of cover with a fake shot. Works every damn time, and never fails to amuse.<br />
<br />
<u>[[XM-1 (GM)]]:</u> I'd be lying if I said I didn't like this. I mean, really, it's a filthy vehicle. Nothing at 9.0 should be allowed to do what this thing can do. It's a damn Ferrari with a gun on top!<br />
<br />
=== Hated Vehicles ===<br />
<u>[[ADATS]]:</u> Above and before anything else, I hate the ADATS. It's not the missiles; sure, they're bloody ridiculous. It's just that the damn thing won't ''die''. I have to survive long enough to fire off my APFSDS round, reload a HE/ATGM round, and then shoot it again. And half the time, HE isn't even enough to finish it. I've had an ADATS survive 4 HE shots before (this was prior to researching HEAT or ATGMs on the T-80U).<br />
<br />
<u>[[Ru 251]]:</u> I actually got used to fighting Ru 251s pretty quickly, but once in a while I get got by an Ru and it frustrates the hell out of me. It's mostly my fault, though, because I should know better by now.<br />
<br />
<u>[[AUBL/74 HVG]]:</u> Imagine a Leopard 1. Imagine that Leopard 1 is given double its power to weight ratio, a stabilised gun and only moved up 0.3 BR. You have successfully imagined the AUBL/74 HVG. It menaced my 7.7 German games for two weeks (spawn once, die early, no respawn), it menaced my 7.3 Brit/German and 8.3 Russian games for two weeks (supercar is in your spawn before you leave it). Least the thing dies easy.<br />
<br />
<u>[[SIDAM 25 (Mistral)]]:</u> This thing should actually be illegal. What it does to planes is probably against the law in most countries... It ''violates'' them. Jeez.<br />
<br />
<u>[[OTOMATIC]]:</u> What's up with this thing? I swear its breech doesn't ''actually'' die when it dies. I've shot one out and it just starts shooting blanks at me, blocking my view. It's weird, and also you never see the shots coming in a plane which is a little rude.<br />
<br />
<u>[[Ariete|C1 Ariete]] & [[Ariete PSO]]:</u> If you can penetrate the turret cheeks of a Challenger 1, you need to shoot someone that isn't the harmless Challenger 1. They never did anything wrong.<br />
<br />
<u>[[AMX-50 Foch]]:</u> Oh, it's a CA Lorraine. Cool, easy kill... Oh. Oh, it's a Foch. Oh, I'm dead. Oh. (I have nobody to blame but myself for this one)<br />
<br />
<u>[[M10 GMC]]:</u> I paid for a turreted tank destroyer, not a casemate. Whose idea was this?<br />
<br />
<u>[[Flakpanzer 341]]:</u> Love the concept. Still can't reliably shoot planes down ''or'' deal with tanks. Maybe I'm just bad.<br />
<br />
<u>[[Archer]]:</u> ???????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????<br />
<br />
<u>[[M48A2 G A2]]:</u> This is the only vehicle that I honestly think is just hopelessly over-tiered. For 0.4 BR increase, you get a stabiliser, a hell of a lot of speed, and it's not like your armour matters in the first place.<br />
<br />
''Also, all of the French vehicles prior to the B1 Bis. Anyone else who has also had to grind the reserve vehicles in the French lineup will understand why.''<br />
<br />
=== Personal Considerations for WT ===<br />
I enjoy War Thunder, and I'm happy to put time and money into it. Of course, no game can ever be perfect but there are some improvements I'd really like to see:<br />
<br />
'''Quality of Life'''<br />
<br />
* '''Dynamic Spawn Points''': This is likely a complex implementation, but ideally open up the area vehicles can spawn into on subsequent spawns ''if'' there are nearby enemies. Initial spawns can and would work as currently, but respawning would be far more dynamic, denying teams the current 'lockout' ability they currently have if they take an early advantage. If enemy vehicles were detected near or in a spawn, or (using path-tracing) detected with a direct line of sight in a spawn area, vehicles would instead be spawned in a nearby, but non-affected area. This allows for more than 'just get a few kills then die' and avoids the current spawn sniping issues too.<br />
* '''Cleaning up classic maps for modern gameplay''': A number of maps which were made available to top tier in the recent update have areas which are unbelievably good but are simply too easy to get to with MBTs and later light tanks. These need to be further restricted. This also somewhat applies to some newer maps where there are extremely good sniping positions available to one side and no spots available on the other side.<br />
* '''ULQ''': Ultra Low Quality is game-breaking, especially with Thermal in the game now. Being punished for playing the game on higher graphics is sad. There needs to be a compromise, a way to avoid issues for players who genuinely do need ULQ and players who really shouldn't be using it. Pet peeve, but I like my games looking good.<br />
* '''Night Maps & NVD''': Night maps are great fun... for people with NVD. If you don't have NVD you're on the back foot, and if it's one of those pitch black maps, you're basically done for. That isn't fun.<br />
<br />
'''Balance'''<br />
<br />
* '''Dynamic Battle Ratings''': This is, of course, a complex idea; probably requires lots of back-end work. Still, it'd be great for vehicles such as the M48A2 G A2 which is unbelievably out-classed until it gets APFSDS, and even then it's kinda over-ranked IMO.<br />
* '''Early-Game ATGM Helicopters''': I don't think early ATGM choppers are healthy for the game. They make people spawn into missile AA at the beginning of the game, which (unless you're in an ADATS) means your early game impact is basically limited to saving your defenseless teammates. Just doesn't really fit. Make ATGMs something you've gotta earn again. If nothing else, limit how many choppers can spawn simultaneously; it's frustrating for both teams when 80% of a team is in choppers.<br />
* '''Decompression''': Everyone asks about it, and for a reason. Vehicles such as the Chieftain Mk.10 shouldn't be fighting 10.0 vehicles, but at the same time it would probably ruin current 7.7 vehicles. Can't move it down, but it's not good where it is. Needs to be decompressed.<br />
* '''Close Look at Top Tier Balance''': I feel like some tanks could do with better rounds now that they've been essentially power creeped (M1/IPM1, Challenger 1s, Chally 2, M1A1....)<br />
* '''Anti-Chopper Aircraft''': Ensure aircraft (without anti-ground ordinance) are able to spawn for the same cost as ATGM helicopters. It's fair enough that there's a viable option to fight back against ATGM choppers besides ground-based AA (which may well be superseded with the advent of long range ATGMs coming up).<br />
<br />
'''Additions/Updates'''<br />
<br />
* A gamemode similar to Battlefield's Rush would be awesome in WT. It would probably require bigger maps, dynamic spawn points, etc, but god it'd be fun.<!-- @ftsartek, welcome to the wiki! We are glad to have your help working on articles where you can share your experience with specific vehicles or tactics and in general making this an inviting place for people to learn more about War Thunder and the vehicles within. If you should have any questions, please don't hesitate to ask. --U64962917 (talk) 10:27, 15 August 2019 (UTC) --></div>U11670196https://wiki.warthunder.com/index.php?title=User_talk:U11670196&diff=38768User talk:U116701962019-12-10T19:30:57Z<p>U11670196: /* Tank ammunition Icons */</p>
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<div>Cheers.<br />
I see that you are using Visual edit to change text a lot, please, do note that it has a tendency to damage walls of text and randomly delete sentences and tank links when you click away from text boxes. This happens more often when page is above 30000 bytes, but can happen anywhere really. (could be seen on the latter FV4005 edit where the is-7 link just got randomly vaporized, unless you deleted it yourself without a replacement for some reason?)<br />
Either way, have fun editing. --[[User:U42773747|U42773747]] ([[User talk:U42773747|talk]]) 07:16, 22 October 2019 (UTC)<br />
:I didn't spot that disappearing, cheers for picking it up - I had the intention of somewhat rewriting that section but ran out of time yesterday afternoon - having said that I've got no clue why the link would have disappeared, I never ended up touching it as far as I remember. Is there a specific preference for source editing over visual editing? Or is that just down to personal preference, and people just needa be careful when using visual editing? --[[User:U11670196|U11670196]] ([[User talk:U11670196|talk]]) 19:22, 22 October 2019 (UTC)<br />
::Well, it's just preference. I also like to use visual editor and nobody will bash you for doing it, but after a while of editing on [[Striker]] page i just noticed how it deleted like 1000 bytes of text into oblivion on random. I mean, alright, but then after that on [[Churchill Mk VII]] page the disappearing text started to appear again after a while. Had much fun purging this thing and after that i just stopped using it on big pages unless i'm just editing tables or something. I just recommend to check what the "show changes" says after you did the change, it usually displays if something is amiss. I mean, it just killed the links on BMP-2 page as well, lol. --[[User:U42773747|U42773747]] ([[User talk:U42773747|talk]]) 19:33, 22 October 2019 (UTC)<br />
:::That's really odd. I'll keep an eye on it - I do notice sometimes visual editor adds in random page breaks, but this is the first I've noticed of other stuff being affected. Hope that's something that will be fixed with future wikimedia updates, as visual editor is MUCH easier to use. --[[User:U11670196|U11670196]] ([[User talk:U11670196|talk]]) 20:10, 22 October 2019 (UTC)<br />
::::*Visual editor may be easier to use, but I seem to have more control with the regular editor, granted, it has taken some time to understand how the code works together (still learning, I can thank several wiki editors for their help in understanding it better!).--[[User:U64962917|U64962917]] ([[User talk:U64962917|talk]]) 21:07, 22 October 2019 (UTC)<br />
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== Tank ammunition Icons ==<br />
<br />
Hello. From what I see, you are starting a project to update the tank ammunition page with the new information, following your updates on the existing shells on the page currently. I've got a few pointers I would like to note:<br />
* If possible, you can update the currently existing icons with your new images rather than upload them anew so that we can try and reduce the number of images hosted on the site.<br />
* Another point I would like to mention is that the new images right now seem to be less sharp and blurrier compared to some of the icons currently on the Wiki. I remember the discussion we had on your images a while ago for the wiki, but didn't notice too big of a difference between the new ones and the current ones on the Wiki until they were on the site and I was able to compare them closely.<br />
<br />
Examples:<br />
<gallery mode="packed"><br />
File:Icon_AP_Shot.jpg|Wiki - AP Shot<br />
File:Rnd_ap.png|New - AP Shot<br />
File:Icon_HEAT-FS_Shell.jpg|Wiki - HEAT-FS<br />
File:Rnd_heatfs.png|New - HEAT-FS<br />
File:Icon Smoke Shell.jpg|Wiki - HEAT-FS<br />
File:Rnd smoke.png|New - HEAT-FS<br />
</gallery><br />
<br />
It would be appreciated if the new images were a little bit clearer to closer match the ones currently on the Wiki. If I may offer some help, the way I recall the wiki icons were produced was by screen-shotting and cropping the shell icons from the vehicle's modification tables in the game. If this method is replicated, perhaps a icon matching, if not surpassing, the Wiki's current icons can be produced. You can try this and see if it does produce more crisper tank shell images.<br />
<br />
Regards, --[[User:U28580205|U28580205]] ([[User talk:U28580205|talk]]) 09:12, 4 December 2019 (UTC)<br />
<br />
:Hey mate; to address your points (although AN_TRN_26 has already sent you a message with some stuff we discussed this morning).<br />
:*The wiki actually wouldn't accept these files as updated versions of the old ones. While I'm not sure why (it was complaining about incorrect MIME type but I tried a variety of filetype/compression settings) it was consistent across all of the old icon files. If we can find a solution or a fix for this issue, that would be good.<br />
:*The reason they appear slightly more blurry there is that the 'contents' of the image is actually stretched further in the 'new' images. The old screenshots - which I did actually try initially - include a larger border, and the new images are pulled directly from the gamefile, but have a smaller border (at normal size, 1px instead of 3px). In the images you've linked above, you'd need to scale the 'new' images down a little to match the actual content size - and the images should be the same 'sharpness' after that. I will spend some time seeing if I can make them look a little better though.<br />
: [[User:U11670196|U11670196]] ([[User talk:U11670196|talk]]) 23:17, 4 December 2019 (UTC)<br />
::Hello, I heard from AN_TRN_26. The newer images you had uploaded are a good improvement from its previous versions, and are comparable to the ones on the Wiki. Seems the fix was making the older image scale back to a 1:1 aspect ratio of 54 px. I would approve for further implementation. I think the main problem with the "updated" step with the wiki versions is because the wiki versions are jpeg format while your versions are png. As I understand, this type of update is not compatible unless the file types are the same. Perhaps this would make a good test on whether a JPG or PNG image would have better resolution for this project. If PNG does produce a better image, I would not object to its continual usage for the project. --[[User:U28580205|U28580205]] ([[User talk:U28580205|talk]]) 07:55, 5 December 2019 (UTC)<br />
:::Yeah, the wiki didn't like the PNG files, but I'm wondering if maybe the originals are something odd like jpeg2000 (I tried regular JPG to no avail). Regardless; PNG images are generally higher quality (PNG is a lossless format, unlike JPG) and allow for transparency. In my experience with web design, PNG is preferable for these reasons, although JPG files tend to be smaller overall - as such where quality matters I'd suggest PNG images would be ideal, and where size matters JPG is probably better. --[[User:U11670196|U11670196]] ([[User talk:U11670196|talk]]) 18:50, 5 December 2019 (UTC)<br />
Hello again. Another question regarding the edited page and icon, the [https://wiki.warthunder.com/File:Icon_rnd_heatfs_prx.png "HEAT-FS PRX" icon] you used. Is this a custom-made image or an image found in-game? I cannot seem to find a depiction of it in-game.--[[User:U28580205|U28580205]] ([[User talk:U28580205|talk]]) 08:07, 10 December 2019 (UTC)<br />
:Hi Inceptor. That is custom-made. I spoke to AN_TRN_26 about it this morning - my thought process on this was from looking at how the in-game icons for HE-VT and HE-PRX rounds were handled: initially, they were implemented with the standard HE icons, before being updated a few patches later with the VT/PRX icons. As such I wanted something to differentiate it. However, AN mentioned that the best thing to do would be to match the in-game icon, so you'll see in the latest update that I've swapped it out for the regular HEAT-FS icon. We'll see what happens in future with the in-game icon; if it perhaps receives a unique one. --[[User:U11670196|U11670196]] ([[User talk:U11670196|talk]]) 19:30, 10 December 2019 (UTC)</div>U11670196https://wiki.warthunder.com/index.php?title=Tank_ammunition&diff=38767Tank ammunition2019-12-10T19:25:50Z<p>U11670196: Updated HEAT-FS PRX round image to match in-game.</p>
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<div>Throughout the past century of tank development, a large range of ammunition types have been produced and seen combat. As time progressed, technology improved and rounds also improved in terms of lethality, accuracy and ballistic performance. Despite this, most rounds can be categorised under one of two primary categories: '''kinetic''' rounds and '''chemical''' rounds; and further under a variety of subcategories.<br />
<br />
== Kinetic energy shells ==<br />
'''Kinetic rounds''' penetrate and deal damage based on a number of factors; shell type, projectile mass, round velocity and material hardness. Mass, shell type and hardness are constants, but velocity reduces with distance travelled and as such at longer ranges kinetic rounds will lose penetration ability and in some cases post-penetration efficacy.<br />
<br />
=== Solid Armour-Piercing Rounds ===<br />
Solid AP rounds are a kinetic munition that utilise a hardened metal (often steel) shell with full-calibre diameter. The result is a simple, yet effective anti-tank round that will punch through armour with high equivalent thickness values, while retaining reasonable post-penetration effects which, when well-placed, can deal significant internal damage to components and crew directly within the shrapnelling path.<br />
<br />
==== Armour-Piercing (AP) ====<br />
[[File:Icon rnd ap.png|left|frameless]] Armour-Piercing is a basic solid steel shot which is entirely reliant on kinetic energy to penetrate and deal damage. Providing the round possesses enough energy to penetrate any given armour, it will deal internal damage from steel fragments and spalling of the internal surfaces which can damage vehicle components, stored ammunition and crew members.<br />
<br />
''AP is a standard early World War II ammunition for many nations. In War Thunder, AP rounds should be used as a general use anti-armour round, with careful round placement to maximise post-penetration damage.''<br />
<br />
==== Armour-Piercing, Capped (APC) ====<br />
[[File:Icon rnd apc.png|left|frameless]] APC rounds have a nose cone (or cap) of softer metal which is fixed to the front of the solid shot. When this strikes the target armour the shock of the impact is transferred away from the tip of the round to the neck, helping prevent shattering. Additionally, the cap will collapse on contact with armour and the deformation will cause the round to angle towards the armour, more efficiently directing energy into the armour and improving the angled performance of the round. A downside of the cap is a decrease in long-range accuracy due to the cap interfering with the shell's aerodynamics.<br />
<br />
''APC is commonly found as a mid-tier shell for both the British and French on their mid-to-late WW2 vehicles. In War Thunder, APC is best used as a short-to-mid range round for combatting angled armour that regular AP rounds may not easily penetrate.''<br />
<br />
==== Armour-Piercing, Ballistic Capped (APBC) ====<br />
[[File:Icon rnd apbc.png|left|frameless]] APBC rounds utilise a ballistic cap, designed to improve aerodynamic performance and hence round performance at longer ranges. The cap usually utilises a soft or brittle metal which collapses on impact and does not aid penetration or angled performance.<br />
<br />
''APBC is found on some early Russian vehicles, but is relatively uncommon otherwise compared to APCBC. In War Thunder, APBC is best used as a longer-range alternative to APC or APHE rounds which often exhibit less favourable ranged performance.''<br />
<br />
==== Armour-Piercing, Capped, Ballistic Capped (APCBC) ====<br />
[[File:Icon rnd apcbc.png|left|frameless]] APCBC rounds combine the standard cap and the ballistic cap, improving the round's aerodynamic and penetration performance. As such, APCBC rounds tend to exhibit the best 'all-round' characteristics of any conventional kinetic rounds.<br />
<br />
''APCBC is found as a high-tier shell for British, French and American mid-to-late WW2 vehicles. In-game, APCBC should be the preferred option of solid shot rounds in all situations, when available, and should be situationally switched for APHE rounds if they're available.''<br />
<br />
=== HE-Filled Armour-Piercing Rounds ===<br />
HE-Filled Armour-Piercing Rounds take the concept of armour-piercing rounds and add a deadly twist - a quantity of HE filler on a timed fuse, designed to explode after a successful penetration. While the concept sacrifices some structural integrity and thus penetrating power, the destructive ability of an APHE round is nearly unrivalled.<br />
<br />
==== Armour-Piercing, High-Explosive (APHE) ====<br />
[[File:Icon rnd aphe.png|left|frameless]] APHE rounds utilise a similar form to AP rounds, but incorporate a small chamber of high-explosive filler within the round. This often slightly reduces the round's mass and construction strength and as such APHE rounds tend to exhibit slightly worse penetration performance than their solid shot counterparts. However, upon successful penetration, APHE rounds often cause significantly more damage within a vehicle. APHE rounds have a fuse which will only activate on sufficiently thick armour.<br />
<br />
''APHE is primarily found on Russian vehicles earlier in the tech tree, and on some earlier American and German vehicles. It should be prioritised for use when penetration is likely, or switched for AP or APCR if improved penetration is required.''<br />
<br />
==== Armour-Piercing, High-Explosive, Ballistic Capped (APHEBC) ====<br />
[[File:Icon rnd aphebc.png|left|frameless]] APHEBC rounds, similarly to APHE, utilise APBC concepts with the addition of high-explosive filler. Again, the rounds tend to exhibit slightly worse penetrative performance than their solid shot brethren, but significantly more post-penetration damage. APHEBC rounds have a fuse which will only activate on sufficiently thick armour.<br />
<br />
''APHEBC is primarily found on Russian vehicles earlier in the tech tree as a mid-tier round, and on some American and German vehicles. It's ideally used against targets where angled performance is required and HE filler is preferable.''<br />
<br />
==== Armour-Piercing, High-Explosive, Capped, Ballistic Capped (APHECBC) ====<br />
[[File:Icon rnd aphecbc.png|left|frameless]] APHECBC rounds utilise standard APCBC designs with added explosive filler. APHECBC is often referred to as 'APCBC' in-game, and can be identified instead by the graphic or the explosive filler content on the round's stat card. As with other APHE rounds, APHECBC significantly improves the post-penetration lethality over that of a standard APCBC round. APHECBC rounds have a fuse which will only activate on sufficiently thick armour.<br />
<br />
''APHECBC is found throughout the Russian tech tree as a high-tier round, and on some American and German vehicles. APHECBC should be used preferentially and interchangeably with a high-penetration round where available.''<br />
<br />
=== Sub-Calibre Armour-Piercing Rounds ===<br />
Sub-Calibre AP rounds are, essentially, what they say on the label - the penetrator itself is of a smaller calibre than the gun barrel, using a 'sabot' to make up the calibre difference. How the sabot is handled is dependent on the type of round - it may be either discarding or non-discarding. Sub-calibre rounds sacrifice post-penetration effectiveness for high round velocities and high penetration values.<br />
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==== Armour-Piercing, Composite, Rigid (APCR) ====<br />
[[File:Icon rnd apcr.png|left|frameless]] APCR rounds often use tungsten carbide or other extremely hard metals as a sub-calibre penetrator, wrapped within a softer full-calibre sabot - the APCR concept is essentially a predecessor to the APDS design. Upon impact, the soft shell will deform, allowing the hard metal penetrator contained within to penetrate the target's armour with force spread over a smaller surface area, resulting in significantly better penetration ability. APCR rounds often suffer from less post-penetration damage as well as faster penetration drop-off over range than a standard AP round of the same calibre, and due to their design perform much worse when facing angled armour.<br />
<br />
''APCR is found throughout most tech trees, most commonly available to vehicles from mid-WW2 through to early cold war vehicles. APCR rounds are best used against minimally angled armour, where other rounds will be unable to penetrate.''<br />
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==== Armour-Piercing, Discarding Sabot (APDS) ====<br />
[[File:Icon rnd apds.png|left|frameless]] APDS rounds utilise a hard core as a sub-calibre penetrator, with a full calibre sabot. Unlike APCR rounds, APDS rounds discard their sabot after exiting the cannon barrel. The result is an extremely high-velocity round with particularly high penetration values and good ranged accuracy. APDS produces a minimal amount of post-penetration damage. There is also a small chance for APDS rounds to shatter given certain circumstances.<br />
<br />
''APDS is first made available on post-WW2 British vehicles, and is available to most vehicles in possession of an L7-derived gun. In War Thunder, APDS is best used as a long-range round, with multiple shots often being a necessity due to the lack of post-penetration damage. APDS is quite ineffective against lightly-armoured vehicles.''<br />
<br />
==== Armour-Piercing, Fin-Stabilised, Discarding Sabot (APFSDS) ====<br />
[[File:Icon rnd apfsds.png|left|frameless]] APFSDS is the pinnacle of the kinetic anti-armour rounds. As with APDS, APFSDS utilises an extremely hard penetrator and a discarding sabot, however the penetrator is usually significantly longer than that of APDS and incorporates fins for added long-range accuracy. The additional penetrator length improves the post-penetration damage effects. APFSDS rounds are the most powerful kinetic rounds available in-game.<br />
<br />
''APFSDS is first available to some late Rank V vehicles, and is often the primary round for most Rank VI or VII vehicles. It's effective at all ranges, and due to most APFSDS rounds having an extremely high velocity, they maintain their performance at even extreme ranges. APFSDS is quite ineffective against lightly-armoured vehicles.''<br />
<br />
== Chemical energy shells ==<br />
'''Chemical energy shells''' deal damage based on a chemical reaction, and unlike kinetic shells, their ability to penetrate and deal damage are unaffected by the shell's velocity. This means that target distance often doesn't affect the round's effectiveness.<br />
<br />
=== High-Explosive Rounds ===<br />
High-Explosive rounds are a simple shell packed full of a high-explosive material, primarily designed for anti-infantry and anti-emplacement applications. However, this translates surprisingly well when applied to light vehicles - significantly more so than armour-piercing rounds or in some cases even APHE rounds. Unfortunately, most HE-based rounds are relatively useless against well-armoured vehicles.<br />
<br />
==== High-Explosive (HE) ====<br />
[[File:Icon rnd he.png|left|frameless]] High-Explosive rounds are primarily intended for use as an anti-infantry/anti-emplacement round. As such, HE rounds tend to have minimal armour-piercing capability and are better used against particularly lightly armoured vehicles, although on occasion it can prove effective against the sides of a vehicle. Particularly high-calibre HE rounds may cause enough area damage to destroy a tank regardless of the round placement.<br />
<br />
''HE rounds are available to almost every vehicle in-game. However, low-calibre HE rounds are ineffective against all but the most lightly armoured targets, so this type of round should only be utilised by vehicles with large-calibre guns, such as the KV-2 or Sturmpanzer II.''<br />
<br />
==== High-Explosive Time Fuse (HE-DF) ====<br />
[[File:Icon rnd hevt.png|left|frameless]] HE-DF rounds use the simple concept of a timed fuse, resulting in an explosion at a pre-set range. While HE-DF rounds are no more effective than HE rounds against most heavy armour, they can be particularly effective against light vehicles with a known range or against aircraft (one of their original design uses).<br />
<br />
''HE-DF rounds are available to a number of vehicles originally designed for anti-air purposes, such as the YaG-10 (29-K) and the 8,8 cm Flak 37 Sfl. They're best used against aircraft by rangefinding the aircraft in question, setting the fuse range to a reasonable assumption based on the result and leading reasonably. They can be extremely effective against aircraft if used correctly, but are mostly ineffective against armoured vehicles.''<br />
<br />
==== High-Explosive Variable Time Fuse (HE-VT)' ====<br />
[[File:Icon rnd he prx.png|left|frameless]] HE-VT rounds are an advanced round with specialised proximity fuses, designed to detonate the round upon reaching close proximity with a target. These are usually designed for anti-air applications, and are generally ineffective against most ground targets.<br />
<br />
''HE-VT rounds are available to some later anti-air vehicles, such as the OTOMATIC or Begleitpanzer 57, and are capable of destroying aircraft or helicopters if the round passes within close proximity of the target. They are extremely effective against mid-ranged aircraft but cannot be relied upon for use against armour.''<br />
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==== High-Explosive Grenade ====<br />
[[File:Icon grn he.png|left|frameless]] HE Grenades are specialised HE rounds designed to be fired from cannons which may not be otherwise capable of firing high-calibre rounds. They usually operate in a different manner to conventional cannon rounds, utilising a propellant rather than a charge, resulting in a relatively low round velocity and sub-par ballistics. However, this design has proven useful, as the low velocity can be used to 'sling' rounds onto weak roof armour or into trenches or bunkers.<br />
<br />
''HE Grenades are available to vehicles with 'recoilless' cannon designs or other non-standard cannon designs. They are generally as effective as an equivalent HE round, however have significantly lower muzzle velocity and as such are extremely inaccurate at long ranges. HE Grenades are found on vehicles such as the BMP-1.''<br />
<br />
==== Rocket ====<br />
[[File:Icon spr rocket.png|left|frameless]] Rockets are unguided high-explosive self-propelled rounds which are often significantly higher calibre than standard tank cannons. They can be mounted as ancillary weaponry on some vehicles, or in some cases mounted on specialised rocket-carrier vehicles.<br />
<br />
''Rockets can be unreliable and inaccurate, but due to their often large calibre and large amounts of HE filler, they can prove effective against some armoured vehicles. Rockets are either mounted ancillary, as on the Calliope or the M26 T99, or on rocket carriers such as the BM-13N.''<br />
<br />
=== Anti-Emplacement Rounds ===<br />
Anti-Emplacement rounds are designed specifically for combatting emplacements, however have proven to have some anti-tank value. They rely on different mechanics to normal rounds, but can prove particularly ineffective against heavy armour.<br />
<br />
==== Shrapnel ====<br />
[[File:Shrapnel Round Icon.png|left|frameless]] Shrapnel rounds are a chemical round utilising a thin shell and a chamber of metal fillings or ball bearings with a small explosive charge. Upon successful penetration, shrapnel rounds cause a significant amount of damage. However, due to the thin outer shell, shrapnel rounds only perform well against particularly light armour and are completely ineffective when used against even moderately armoured targets.<br />
<br />
''Shrapnel rounds are available exclusively to early Russian vehicles. Shrapnel is exclusively useful against lightly armoured targets, and shouldn't be used against front-facing armour of any other tank.''<br />
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==== High-Explosive Squash Head (HESH) ====<br />
[[File:Icon rnd hesh.png|left|frameless]] HESH rounds are designed as an anti-emplacement round. The 'squash head', usually comprised of some form of plastic explosive, is designed to squash onto a surface and detonate, causing the opposite side of the surface to rupture. If the given surface happens to be metal, this will often result in metal shards flying off the surface at high velocity. Due to this design, HESH rounds perform better the further they can spread, and as such they're more effective when applied to angled armour, within reason.<br />
<br />
''HESH rounds are available to most British vehicles from Rank V, and other vehicles in possession of an L7-derived gun. HESH should be primarily used against lighter armour or side armour, although occasionally the HE splash effect can cause unexpected results. HESH is completely ineffective against heavy armour or composite armour designs.''<br />
<br />
=== High-Explosive Anti-Tank Rounds ===<br />
High-Explosive Anti-Tank (HEAT) rounds make use of shaped charges to penetrate armour, forcing superplastic metal through into the crew compartment, damaging crew and modules. HEAT rounds prove particularly effective at long ranges, as their method of action does not lose effectiveness with range. Unfortunately, though, the fuse on a HEAT round must be extremely sensitive, allowing the rounds to detonate on trees and fences that other rounds would pass through.<br />
<br />
==== High-Explosive, Anti-tank (HEAT) ====<br />
[[File:Icon rnd heat.png|left|frameless]] HEAT rounds are designed specifically as an anti-tank round. They operate by superheating metallic armour with a shaped charge, with the external pressure caused by the charge explosion forcing the superplastic metal into the internals of the vehicle, causing internal damage to crew and modules.<br />
<br />
''HEAT rounds are available to a variety of WW2 German vehicles, as well as higher-performance HEAT becoming available to some late French and American vehicles, as HEAT-FS rounds cannot be fired from rifled cannons. HEAT is limited in effectiveness and its usage should be carefully considered as many vehicles have armour it cannot penetrate.''<br />
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==== High-Explosive, Anti-Tank, Fin-Stabilized (HEAT-FS) ====<br />
[[File:Icon rnd heatfs.png|left|frameless]] HEAT-FS rounds are an improvement over the HEAT concept, using improved penetrative chemicals and utilising fins for improved ballistic performance. HEAT-FS rounds maintain their penetration values at all ranges, and are well-suited to long-range engagements. HEAT-FS rounds are particularly sensitive, and may detonate on light obstacles such as shrubs or fences.<br />
<br />
''HEAT-FS rounds become available to many nations from Rank V although notably the British do not receive HEAT-FS at any stage due to its incompatibility with rifled cannons. At Rank VI and Rank VII, HEAT-FS may prove ineffective in many cases due to the prevalence of ERA and composite armour. Despite this, it can still be used for ranged engagements, as particularly late HEAT-FS rounds have extremely high penetration power.''<br />
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==== High-Explosive, Anti-Tank, Fin-Stabilised, Proximity Fuse (HEAT-FS PRX) ====<br />
[[File:Icon HEAT-FS Shell.jpg|left|frameless]]<br />
HEAT-FS PRX rounds are specialised HEAT-FS rounds which utilise a proximity fuse to detonate when in close proximity to a target. They can be used to destroy low-flying aircraft or helicopters, while maintaining their effectiveness against ground vehicles utilising normal HEAT-FS technology.<br />
<br />
''HEAT-FS PRX rounds are extremely specialised and are available to only the M1A2 Abrams (as of 1.93). They combine the anti-armour power of a standard HEAT-FS round with the anti-aircraft effectiveness of a HE-PRX round. Their proximity fuse will detonate only above a specified altitude, so they can be used normally against other armoured vehicles.''<br />
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==== High-Explosive, Anti-Tank Grenade ====<br />
[[File:Icon grn heat.png|left|frameless]] HEAT Grenades are specialised HEAT rounds, designed for use where normal tank rounds may not be possible to utilise. They often use a propellant rather than a standard charge, and as such suffer from low velocity and sub-par round ballistics. Despite this, they can prove effective against tanks due to their HEAT technology.<br />
<br />
''HEAT Grenades are available to vehicles with 'recoilless' cannons or other non-standard cannon designs. Their effectiveness is similar to that of an equivalent HEAT round, however due to their low muzzle velocity they can be inaccurate at long ranges. HEAT Grenades are found on vehicles such as the BMP-1.''<br />
<br />
=== Guided Missiles ===<br />
Guided missiles utilise a guidance system (of various types, such as MCLOS, SACLOS, Radar, Heat-Seeking) to accomplish their intended role. They sacrifice round velocity for long-range precision. Different missile types are effective in different applications - some have anti-tank properties, while others are effective against air targets.<br />
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==== Anti-Tank Guided Missile (ATGM) ====<br />
{{main|Anti-tank guided missiles}}<br />
[[File:Icon spr atgm.png|left|frameless]] ATGMs largely utilise the same concept as HEAT, however they integrate some form of propulsion and are usually guidable, either manually (MCLOS) or semi-automatically (SACLOS). ATGMs usually pack a large amount of explosive and often have particularly powerful shaped charges. However, they require specialised equipment to fire and tend to be heavy, often resulting in long reload times.<br />
<br />
''ATGMs become available through Rank V, and are primarily carried by specialised ATGM carriers, although some tanks have ATGM-capable main cannons and some exceptional designs such as the Strv 81 (Rb.52) or the AMX-13 (HOT) mount ATGMs on ancillary pylons. ATGMs are powerful and SACLOS guided missiles are easily aimed, however they travel slowly and well-aware targets may be able to move into cover prior to the ATGM reaching them.''<br />
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==== Anti-Tank Guided Missile Proximity Fuse (ATGM-PRX) ====<br />
[[File:Icon spr atgm prx.png|left|frameless]] Proximity ATGMs utilise proximity fuses to detonate when in close proximity to aircraft. This, combined with their guidance systems (SACLOS) allows them to be used effectively against low-flying aircraft or helicopters.<br />
<br />
''Proximity Fuse ATGMs can prove extremely effective against low-flying aircraft or helicopters, and utilise a similar proximity fuse concept to SAM missiles - although often ATGMs pack significantly more HE filler than SAMs do. ATGM-PRX missiles are available to specialised ATGM carriers such as the Shturm-S.''<br />
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==== Anti-Tank Guided Missile, Tandem Charge (ATGM Tandem) ====<br />
[[File:Icon spr atgm tandem.png|left|frameless]] Tandem ATGMs utilise a twin-stage warhead to overcome ERA - the first stage causes the ERA to detonate, while the second stage penetrates the armour below as normal. This concept does not work against NERA or composite armour.<br />
<br />
''Tandem ATGMs are effective against ERA-protected vehicles, and often have very high penetration values. Tandem charge ATGMs are available to specialised ATGM carriers such as the Shturm-S.''<br />
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==== Anti-Tank Guided Missile, HE (ATGM-HE) ====<br />
[[File:Icon spr atgm he.png|left|frameless]] HE ATGMs are a simplification of a standard ATGM; rather than a shaped HEAT charge, HE missiles simply utilise a large quantity of explosive to damage or destroy emplacements or light vehicles.<br />
<br />
''HE ATGMs are only effective against light vehicles in most cases, despite packing large quantities of HE filler. They are available to specialised ATGM carriers such as the Shturm-S.''<br />
<br />
==== Surface to Air Missile (SAM) ====<br />
[[File:Icon spr sam.png|left|frameless]] SAMs are high-velocity anti-air missiles, designed specifically to combat aircraft using a variety of technologies; often including proximity fuses and radar or heat-seeking guidance.<br />
<br />
''SAMs are very effective at long distances against aircraft, particularly helicopters. They are often extremely high velocity and pack a large amount of HE filler for a powerful airburst effect. SAMs'' ''are available to specialised anti-air vehicles such as the 2S6 Tunguska or the ADATS (which, notably, has multi-purpose missiles that are also effective against armoured vehicles).''<br />
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=== Utility Rounds ===<br />
Utility rounds are ineffective for use against other vehicles, but provide value in some sort of utility.<br />
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==== Smoke ====<br />
{{main|Smoke screen|l1=Smoke}}<br />
[[File:Icon rnd smoke.png|left|frameless]] Smoke shells are not designed as a damaging shell, and largely consist of chemicals designed to create a smoke screen. The produced smoke has a limited lifetime.<br />
<br />
''Smoke shells are available to various vehicles throughout most tech trees, however their effectiveness is somewhat limited compared to dedicated smoke launchers.''<br />
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== Media ==<br />
{{Youtube-gallery|6O3MBjdSsIk|'''Tank Shells Guide - War Thunder ammo types explained''' - ''HowToPlay1337''}}<br />
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==See also==<br />
<br />
* [[Ammo racks]] - How all tank ammunition is stored within the tank<br />
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[[Category:Ammunition]]</div>U11670196https://wiki.warthunder.com/index.php?title=Talk:Tank_ammunition&diff=38766Talk:Tank ammunition2019-12-10T19:22:53Z<p>U11670196: /* Regarding shell descriptions */</p>
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<div>Anyone know where to source a shrapnel round image to match the rest in the page? I tried screenshotting it in-game but it didn't come out great. --[[User:U11670196|U11670196]] ([[User talk:U11670196|talk]]) 03:46, 25 October 2019 (UTC)<br />
:Looks like the other ones are just screenshots from the game. By comparison here is the clean image of a shrapnel round [[File:Icon Shrapnel Shot.jpg]]. Maybe worth a debate if we want to update the other ones in the article to be like that one I just uploaded, or if we want to update the image I uploaded to match the other ones (a screenshot). I would be inclined to say go with a screenshot as it shows the penetration effect. --[[User:U13682523|U13682523]] ([[User talk:U13682523|talk]]) 11:01, 27 October 2019 (UTC)<br />
<br />
==Regarding shell descriptions==<br />
<br />
I have a few points to make with page as it is right now, mainly in two ways:<br />
<br />
1) The explanation is made in very "main faction" way, as in US, GE, USSR, with a speck of French, while most of them mention WW2 period. Would probably be nice to also mention japan and Italy in appropriate sections, especially in HEAT and APHE department (or just rename Germany to Axis, where it can be generalized, because for the most part they receive those at same periods.) Dunno about china, because it's literally just using the abovementioned factions tanks.<br />
<br />
2) I also kind of have issue with the basic ammo explanations, because unique features of every ammo were and are still omitted in favour of flavor/historical text. <br />
<br />
I feel like APHE vs AP comparison is necessary, because the difference is just in that: AP can penetrate modules and APHE generally cannot, because after fuse activation it explodes to add AoE damage. The 1.91 practically killed the whole "you cannot use APHE against light tank" thing, since the fuses even on 105 mm are now 14mm, which is 1 less than armour on most vehicles in the game, so there is just no way it wont detonate. But there still is a high possibility of APHE hitting a big enough radiator/transmission and doing nothing.<br />
<br />
Same gripe with APDS: It's different from APCR only because it does not have negative normalization (nor much of positive) and it's not as bad against light tank as against spaced and heavy tanks, because when you hit heavy tank with it, the shell loses all it's "penetration" = "health" by penetrating armour and "shatters" inside of it or does miserable damage, IE you have to fish for unarmored tank parts and it is more for sniping, not just for bashing heavy tanks in(unless you have to), like APCR, in my opinion.<br />
<br />
APDSFS ability to penetrate multiple tanks should be mentioned, I believe. Also being ineffective against light tanks is pretty much void, because every time it hits a light tank, it either causes colossal spall (due to it working as both AP and APDS) and it hits ammo rack, resulting in explosion, or just hull breaks it. Specifically with 1.93 hull break updates 7.0-8.0 light tanks hullbreak easier than 4.0 artillery trucks ever did. (maybe it's just related to tanks, but, uh.)<br />
<br />
Perhaps it is possible to extend the paragraphs a bit for in-game strengths/weaknesses or comparisons? Could try to reshape, update and censor the [[User:U42773747#What_certain_shell_types_are_like_in-game_.28for_real.29|collected information]] on the matter, so it could be used here in some form. The main issue here is that both of last patches (1.91 and 1.93) severely changed the shell mechanics, so the info might get obsolete again in 1.95 or whenever (just like with radar pages).<br />
<br />
3) Not that important to the topic, but I heard people talking about something called "HE FS" being on soviet tanks, but I cannot find it anywhere. Is it some form of a practical re-name joke or it was removed from the game? The screenshots had a different icon for it too, I think?<br />
<br />
Either way, if you people agree on either of points i could try to look in some direction. --[[User:U42773747|U42773747]] ([[User talk:U42773747|talk]]) 11:09, 10 December 2019 (UTC)<br />
<br />
:Few points on this; first and foremost this was just an interim update to 'clean up' the page a little - if you look at the history the old layouts weren't very clean and the old info was pretty uninformative. Despite that, there's always room for more information and I'm definitely not gonna take offense to any changes.<br />
<br />
:In regards to APHE - you're correct, and that's probably a valuable point to add.<br />
:Your note on APDS is also correct but I do think you need to aim for vital points within a vehicle regardless of how heavily armoured it is - APDS has pretty negligible post-penetration, regardless of what it hits.<br />
:APFSDS does shrapnel a fair bit but remember that a lot of late light tanks are laid out in a way that counteracts that (such as the Type 89 which is more than capable of taking 3 or more shots from certain directions) - additionally, APFSDS doesn't often hull break and it's much more reliable with HEAT-FS (in 1.93 they updated it so 105mm HEAT-FS could hull break a lot of light vehicles that previously required a 120mm round, however I don't remember seeing any updates on APFSDS hullbreak)<br />
:The 'HE-FS' is what I believe the Russians referred to as 'HE-FRAG'; and it is essentially the same concept as a HE round, and has, at least as long as I've had high-tier Russians, had the same icon as HE in-game, despite the fact that the actual round looks different.<br />
:--[[User:U11670196|U11670196]] ([[User talk:U11670196|talk]]) 19:22, 10 December 2019 (UTC)</div>U11670196https://wiki.warthunder.com/index.php?title=Tank_ammunition&diff=38727Tank ammunition2019-12-10T01:26:56Z<p>U11670196: Minor update</p>
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<div>==Ground Forces Ammunition==<br />
Throughout the past century of tank development, a large range of ammunition types have been produced and have seen combat. As time has progressed, technology has improved and rounds have improved in terms lethality, accuracy and ballistic performance. Despite this, most rounds can be categorised under one of two primary categories: '''kinetic''' rounds and '''chemical''' rounds; and further under a variety of subcategories.<br />
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<br /><br />
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===<u>Kinetic energy shells</u>===<br />
'''Kinetic rounds''' penetrate and deal damage based on a number of factors; shell type, projectile mass, round velocity and material hardness. Mass, shell type and hardness are constants, but velocity reduces with distance travelled and as such at longer ranges kinetic rounds will lose penetration ability and in some cases post-penetration efficacy.<br />
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<br /><br />
<br /><br />
==== <u>Solid Armour Piercing Rounds</u> ====<br />
Solid AP rounds are a kinetic munition that utilise a hardened metal (often steel) shell with full-calibre diameter. The result is a simple, yet effective anti-tank round that will punch through armour with high equivalent thickness values, while retaining reasonable post-penetration effects which, when well-placed, can deal significant internal damage to components and crew directly within the shrapnelling path.<br />
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<br /><br />
[[File:Icon AP Shot.jpg|left|frameless]]<br />
'''Armour Piercing (AP)'''<br />
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Armour Piercing is a basic solid steel shot which is entirely reliant on kinetic energy to penetrate and deal damage. Providing the round possesses enough energy to penetrate any given armour, it will deal internal damage from steel fragments and spalling of the internal surfaces which can damage vehicle components, stored ammunition and crew members.<br />
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''AP is a standard early World War II ammunition for many nations. In War Thunder, AP rounds should be used as a general use anti-armour round, with careful round placement to maximise post-penetration damage.''<br />
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[[File:Rnd apc.png|left|frameless]]<br />
'''Armour Piercing, Capped (APC)'''<br />
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APC rounds have a nose cone (or cap) of softer metal is fixed to the front of the solid shot. When this strikes the target armour the shock of the impact is transferred away from the tip of the round to the neck, helping prevent shattering. Additionally, the cap will collapse on contact with armour and the deformation will cause the round to angle towards the armour, more efficiently directing energy into the armour and improving the angled performance of the round. A downside of the cap is a decrease in long-range accuracy due to the cap interfering with the shell's aerodynamics.<br />
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''APC is commonly found as a mid-tier shell for both the British and French on their mid-to-late WW2 vehicles. In War Thunder, APC is best used as a short-to-mid range round for combatting angled armour that regular AP rounds may not easily penetrate.''<br />
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[[File:Rnd apbc.png|left|frameless]]<br />
'''Armour Piercing, Ballistic Capped (APBC)'''<br />
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APBC rounds utilise a ballistic cap, designed to improve aerodynamic performance and hence round performance at longer ranges. The cap usually utilises a soft or brittle metal which collapses on impact and does not aid penetration or angled performance.<br />
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''APBC is found on some early Russian vehicles, but is relatively uncommon otherwise compared to APCBC. In War Thunder, APBC is best used as a longer-range alternative to APC or APHE rounds which often exhibit less favourable ranged performance.''<br />
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[[File:Rnd apcbc.png|left|frameless]]<br />
'''Armour Piercing, Capped, Ballistic Capped (APCBC)'''<br />
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APCBC rounds combine the standard cap and the ballistic cap, improving the round's aerodynamic and penetration performance. As such, APCBC rounds tend to exhibit the best 'all-round' characteristics of any conventional kinetic rounds.<br />
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''APCBC is found as a high-tier shell for British, French and American mid-to-late WW2 vehicles. In-game, APCBC should be the preferred option of solid shot rounds in all situations, when available, and should be situationally switched for APHE rounds if they're available.''<br />
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==== <u>HE-Filled Armour Piercing Rounds</u> ====<br />
HE-Filled Armour Piercing Rounds take the concept of armour piercing rounds and add a deadly twist - a quantity of HE filler on a timed fuse, designed to explode after a successful penetration. While the concept sacrifices some structural integrity and thus penetrating power, the destructive ability of an APHE round is nearly unrivalled.<br />
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[[File:Rnd aphe.png|left|frameless]]<br />
'''Armour Piercing, High Explosive (APHE)'''<br />
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APHE rounds utilise a similar form to AP rounds, but incorporate a small chamber of high explosive filler within the round. This often slightly reduces the round's mass and construction strength and as such APHE rounds tend to exhibit slightly worse penetration performance than their solid shot counterparts. However, upon successful penetration, APHE rounds often cause significantly more damage within a vehicle. APHE rounds have a fuse which will only activate on sufficiently thick armour.<br />
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''APHE is primarily found on Russian vehicles earlier in the tech tree, and on some earlier American and German vehicles. It should be prioritised for use when penetration is likely, or switched for AP or APCR if improved penetration is required.''<br />
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[[File:Rnd aphebc.png|left|frameless]]<br />
'''Armour Piercing, High Explosive, Ballistic Capped (APHEBC)'''<br />
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APHEBC rounds, similarly to APHE, utilise APBC concepts with the addition of high explosive filler. Again, the rounds tend to exhibit slightly worse penetrative performance than their solid shot brethren, but significantly more post-penetration damage. APHEBC rounds have a fuse which will only activate on sufficiently thick armour.<br />
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''APHEBC is primarily found on Russian vehicles earlier in the tech tree as a mid-tier round, and on some American and German vehicles. It's ideally used against targets where angled performance is required and HE filler is preferable.''<br />
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[[File:Rnd aphecbc.png|left|frameless]]<br />
'''Armour Piercing, High Explosive, Capped, Ballistic Capped (APHECBC)'''<br />
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APHECBC rounds utilise standard APCBC designs with added explosive filler. APHECBC is often referred to as 'APCBC' in-game, and can be identified instead by the graphic or the explosive filler content in the round stat sheet. As with other APHE rounds, APHECBC significantly improves the post-penetration lethality over that of a standard APCBC round. APHECBC rounds have a fuse which will only activate on sufficiently thick armour.<br />
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''APHECBC is found throughout the Russian tech tree as a high-tier round, and on some American and German vehicles. APHECBC should be used preferentially and interchangeably with a high-penetration round where available.''<br />
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==== <u>Sub-Calibre Armour Piercing Rounds</u> ====<br />
Sub-Calibre AP rounds are, essentially, what they say on the label - the penetrator itself is of a smaller calibre than the gun barrel, using a 'sabot' to make up the calibre difference. How the sabot is handled is dependant on the type of round - it may be either discarding or non-discarding. Sub-Calibre rounds sacrifice post-penetration effectiveness for high round velocities and high penetration values. <br />
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[[File:Rnd apcr.png|left|frameless]]<br />
'''Armour Piercing, Composite, Rigid (APCR)'''<br />
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APCR rounds often use tungsten carbide or other extremely hard metals as a sub-calibre penetrator, wrapped within a softer full-calibre sabot - the APCR concept is essentially a predecessor to the APDS design. Upon impact, the soft shell will deform, allowing the hard metal penetrator contained within to penetrate the target's armour with force spread over a smaller surface area, resulting in significantly better penetration ability. APCR rounds often suffer from less post-penetration damage than a standard AP round of the same calibre, and due to their design perform much worse when facing angled armour.<br />
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''APCR is found throughout most tech trees, most commonly available to vehicles from mid-WW2 through to early cold war vehicles. APCR rounds are best used against minimally angled armour, where other rounds will be unable to penetrate.''<br />
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[[File:Rnd apds.png|left|frameless]]<br />
'''Armour Piercing, Discarding Sabot (APDS)'''<br />
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APDS rounds utilise a hard core as a sub-calibre penetrator, with a full calibre sabot. Unlike APCR rounds, APDS rounds discard their sabot after exiting the cannon barrel. The result is an extremely high-velocity round with particularly high penetration values and good ranged accuracy. APDS produces a minimal amount of post-penetration damage. There is also a small chance for APDS rounds to shatter given certain circumstances.<br />
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''APDS is first made available on post-WW2 British vehicles, and is available to most vehicles in possession of an L7-derived gun.'' ''In War Thunder, APDS is best used as a long-range round, with multiple shots often being a necessity due to the lack of post-penetration damage. APDS is quite ineffective against lightly-armoured vehicles.''<br />
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[[File:Rnd apfsds.png|left|frameless]]<br />
'''Armour Piercing, Fin-Stabilised, Discarding Sabot (APFSDS)'''<br />
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APFSDS is the pinnacle of the kinetic anti-armour rounds. As with APDS, APFSDS utilises an extremely hard penetrator and a discarding sabot, however the penetrator is usually significantly longer than that of APDS and incorporates fins for added long-range accuracy. The additional penetrator legnth improves the post-penetration damage effects. APFSDS rounds are the most powerful kinetic rounds available in-game.<br />
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''APFSDS is first available to some late Rank V vehicles, and is often the primary round for most Rank VI or VII vehicles. It's effective at all ranges, and due to most APFSDS rounds having an extremely high velocity they maintain their performance at even extreme ranges. APFSDS is quite ineffective against lightly-armoured vehicles.''<br />
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===<u>Chemical energy shells</u>===<br />
'''Chemical energy shells''' deal damage based on a chemical reaction, and unlike kinetic shells, their ability to penetrate and deal damage are unaffected by the shell's velocity. This means that target distance often doesn't affect the round's effectiveness.<br />
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==== <u>High Explosive Rounds</u> ====<br />
High Explosive rounds are a simple shell packed full of a high explosive material, primarily designed for anti-infantry and anti-emplacement applications. However, this translates surprisingly well when applied to light vehicles - significantly moreso than armour piercing rounds or in some cases even APHE rounds. Unfortunately, most HE-based rounds are relatively useless against well-armoured vehicles.<br />
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[[File:Rnd he.png|left|frameless]]<br />
'''High Explosive (HE)'''<br />
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High Explosive rounds are primarily intended for use as an anti-infantry/anti-emplacement round. As such, HE rounds tend to have minimal armour-piercing capability and are better used against particularly lightly armoured vehicles, although on occasion it can prove effective against the sides of a vehicle. Particularly high-calibre HE rounds may cause enough area damage to destroy a tank regardless of the round placement.<br />
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''HE rounds are available to almost every vehicle in-game. However, low-calibre HE rounds are particularly ineffective and this type of round should only be utilised by vehicles with large-calibre guns, such as the KV-2 or Sturmpanzer II.''<br />
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[[File:Rnd he dist.png|left|frameless]]<br />
'''High Explosive Variable Timer (HE-VT)'''<br />
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HE-VT rounds use the simple concept of a timed fuse, resulting in an explosion at a preset range. While HE-VT rounds are no more effective than HE rounds against most heavy armour, they can be particularly effective against light vehicles with a known range or against aircraft (one of their original design uses). <br />
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''HE-VT rounds are available to a number of vehicles originally designed for anti-air purposes, such as the YaG-10 (29-K) and the 8,8 cm Flak 37 Sfl.'' ''They're best used against aircraft by rangefinding the aircraft in question, setting the fuse range to a reasonable assumption based on the result and leading reasonably. They can be extremely effective against aircraft if used correctly, but are mostly ineffective against armoured vehicles.''<br />
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[[File:Rnd he prox.png|left|frameless]]<br />
'''High Explosive Proximity Fuse (HE-PRX)'''<br />
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HE-PRX rounds are an advanced round with specialised proximity fuses, designed to detonate the round upon reaching close proximity with a target. These are usually designed for anti-air applications, and are generally ineffective against most ground targets. <br />
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''HE-PRX rounds are available to some later anti-air vehicles, such as the OTOMATIC or Begleitpanzer 57, and are capable of destroying aircraft or helicopters'' ''if the round passes within close proximity of the target. They'' ''are extremely effective against mid-ranged aircraft but cannot be relied upon for use against armour.''<br />
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[[File:Rnd he gnd.png|left|frameless]]<br />
'''High Explosive Grenade'''<br />
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HE Grenades are specialised HE rounds designed to be fired from cannons which may not be otherwise capable of firing high-calibre rounds. They usually operate in a different manner to conventional cannon rounds, utilising a propellant rather than a charge, resulting in a relatively low round velocity and sub-par ballistics. However, this design has proven useful, as the low velocity can be used to 'sling' rounds onto weak roof armour or into trenches or bunkers.<br />
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''HE Grenades are available to vehicles with 'recoilless' cannon designs or other non-standard cannon designs. They are generally as effective as an equivalent HE round, however have significantly lower muzzle velocity and as such are extremely inaccurate at long ranges. HE Grenades are found on vehicles such as the BMP-1.''<br />
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[[File:Rnd rocket.png|left|frameless]]<br />
'''Rocket'''<br />
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Rockets are unguided high-explosive self-propelled rounds which are often significantly higher calibre than standard tank cannons. They can be mounted as ancillary weaponry on some vehicles, or in some cases they're mounted on specialised rocket-carrier vehicles.<br />
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''Rockets can be unreliable and inaccurate, but due to their often large calibre and large amounts of HE filler, they can prove effective against some armoured vehicles. Rockets are either mounted ancillary, as on the Calliope or the M26 T99, or on rocket carriers such as the BM-13N.''<br />
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==== <u>Anti-Emplacement Rounds</u> ====<br />
Anti-Emplacement rounds are designed specifically for combatting emplacements, however have proven to have some anti-tank value. They rely on different mechanics to normal rounds, but can prove particularly ineffective against heavy armour.<br />
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[[File:Shrapnel Round Icon.png|left|frameless]]<br />
'''Shrapnel'''<br />
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Shrapnel rounds are a chemical round utilising a thin shell and a chamber of metal fillings or ball bearings with a small explosive charge. Upon successful penetration, shrapnel rounds cause a significant amount of damage. However, due to the thin outer shell, shrapnel rounds only perform well against particularly light armour and are completely ineffective when used against even moderately armoured targets.<br />
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''Shrapnel rounds are available exclusively to early Russian vehicles. Shrapnel is exclusively useful against lightly armoured targets, and shouldn't be used against front-facing armour of any other tank.''<br />
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[[File:Rnd hesh.png|left|frameless]]<br />
'''High Explosive Squash Head (HESH)'''<br />
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HESH rounds are designed as an anti-emplacement round. The 'squash head', usually comprised of some form of plastic explosive, is designed to squash onto a surface and detonate, causing the opposite side of the surface to rupture. If the given surface happens to be metal, this will often result in metal shards flying off the surface at high velocity. Due to this design, HESH rounds perform better the further they can spread, and as such they're more effective when applied to angled armour, within reason.<br />
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''HESH rounds are available to most British vehicles from Rank V, and other vehicles in possession of an L7-derived gun. HESH should be primarily used against lighter armour or side armour, although occasionally the HE splash effect can cause unexpected results. HESH is completely ineffective against heavy armour or composite armour designs.''<br /><br />
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==== <u>Anti-Tank Rounds</u> ====<br />
Anti-Tank rounds make use of shaped charges to penetrate armour, forcing molten metal through into the crew compartment, damaging crew and modules. HEAT rounds prove particularly effective at long ranges, as their method of action does not lose effectiveness with range. Unfortunately, though, the fuse on a HEAT round must be extremely sensitive, allowing the rounds to detonate on trees and fences that other rounds would pass through.<br />
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[[File:Rnd heat.png|left|frameless]]<br />
'''High Explosive, Anti-tank (HEAT)'''<br />
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HEAT rounds are designed specifically as an anti-tank round. They operate by superheating metallic armour with a shaped charge, with the external pressure caused by the charge explosion forcing the molten metal into the internals of the vehicle, causing internal damage to crew and modules. <br />
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''HEAT rounds are available to a variety of WW2 German vehicles, as well as higher-performance HEAT becoming available to some late French and American vehicles, as HEAT-FS rounds cannot be fired from rifled cannons. HEAT is limited in effectiveness and its usage should be carefully considered as many vehicles have armour it cannot penetrate.''<br />
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[[File:Rnd heatfs.png|left|frameless]]<br />
'''High Explosive, Anti-Tank, Fin-Stabilized (HEAT-FS)'''<br />
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HEAT-FS rounds are an improvement over the HEAT concept, using improved penetrative chemicals and utilising fins for improved ballistic performance. HEAT-FS rounds maintain their penetration values at all ranges, and are well-suited to long-range engagements. HEAT-FS rounds are particularly sensitive, and may detonate on light obstacles such as shrubs or fences.<br />
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''HEAT-FS rounds become available to many nations from Rank V although notably the British do not receive HEAT-FS at any stage due to its incompatibility with rifled cannons. At Rank VI and Rank VII, HEAT-FS may prove ineffective in many cases due to the prevalence of ERA and composite armour. Despite this, it can still be used for ranged engagements, as particularly late HEAT-FS rounds have extremely high penetration power.''<br />
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[[File:Icon rnd heatfs prx.png|left|frameless]]<br />
'''High Explosive, Anti-Tank, Fin-Stabilised, Proximity Fuse (HEAT-FS PRX)'''<br />
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HEAT-FS PRX rounds are specialised HEAT-FS rounds which utilise a proximity fuse to detonate when in close proximity to a target. They can be used to destroy low-flying aircraft or helicopters, while maintaining their effectiveness against ground vehicles utilising normal HEAT-FS technology. <br />
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''HEAT-FS PRX rounds are extremely specialised and are available to only the M1A2 Abrams (as of 1.93). They combine the anti-armour power of a standard HEAT-FS round with the anti-aircraft effectiveness of a HE-PRX round. Their proximity fuse will detonate only above a specified altitude, so they can be used normally against other armoured vehicles.''<br />
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[[File:Rnd heat gnd.png|left|frameless]]<br />
'''High Explosive, Anti-Tank Grenade'''<br />
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HEAT Grenades are specialised HEAT rounds, designed for use where normal tank rounds may not be possible to utilise. They often use a propellant rather than a standard charge, and as such suffer from low velocity and sub-par round ballistics. Despite this, they can prove effective against tanks due to their HEAT technology.<br />
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''HEAT Grenades are available to vehicles with 'recoilless' cannons or other non-standard cannon designs. Their effectiveness is similar to that of an equivalent HEAT round, however due to their low muzzle velocity they can be inaccurate at long ranges. HEAT Grenades are found on vehicles such as the BMP-1.''<br />
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==== <u>Guided Missiles</u> ====<br />
Guided missiles utilise a guidance system (of various types, such as MCLOS, SACLOS, Radar, Heat-Seeking) to accomplish their intended role. They sacrifice round velocity for long-range precision. Different missile types are effective in different applications - some have anti-tank properties, while others are effective against air targets.<br />
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[[File:Rnd atgm.png|left|frameless]]<br />
'''Anti-Tank Guided Missile (ATGM)'''<br />
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''Main article: [[Anti-tank guided missiles|Anti-tank Guided Missile]]''<br />
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ATGMs largely utilise the same concept as HEAT, however they integrate some form of propulsion and are usually guidable, either manually (MCLOS) or semi-automatically (SACLOS). ATGMs usually pack a large amount of explosive and often have particularly powerful shaped charges. However, they require specialised equipment to fire and tend to be heavy, often resulting in long reload times.<br />
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''ATGMs become available through Rank V, and are primarily carried by specialised ATGM carriers, although some tanks have ATGM-capable main cannons and some exceptional designs such as the Strv 81 (Rb.52) or the AMX-13 (HOT) mount ATGMs on ancillary pylons. ATGMs are powerful and SACLOS guided missiles are easily aimed, however they travel slowly and well-aware targets may be able to move into cover prior to the ATGM reaching them.''<br />
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[[File:Rnd atgm prox.png|left|frameless]]<br />
'''Anti-Tank Guided Missile Proximity Fuse (ATGM-PRX)'''<br />
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Proximity ATGMs utilise proximity fuses to detonate when in close proximity to aircraft. This, combined with their guidance systems (SACLOS) allows them to be used effectively against low-flying aircraft or helicopters.<br />
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''Proximity Fuse ATGMs can prove extremely effective against low-flying aircraft or helicopters, and utilise a similar proximity fuse concept to SAM missiles - although often ATGMs pack significantly more HE filler than SAMs do. ATGM-PRX missiles are available to specialised ATGM carriers such as the Shturm-S.''<br />
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[[File:Rnd atgm tandem.png|left|frameless]]<br />
'''Anti-Tank Guided Missile, Tandem Charge''' '''(ATGM Tandem)'''<br />
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Tandem ATGMs utilise a twin-stage warhead to overcome ERA - the first stage causes the ERA to detonate, while the second stage penetrates the armour below as normal. This concept does not work against NERA or composite armour.<br />
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''Tandem ATGMs are effective against ERA-protected vehicles, and often have very high penetration values. Tandem charge ATGMs are available to specialised ATGM carriers such as the Shturm-S.''<br />
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[[File:Rnd atgm he.png|left|frameless]]<br />
'''Anti-Tank Guided Missile, HE (ATGM-HE)'''<br />
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HE ATGMs are a simplification of a standard ATGM; rather than a shaped HEAT charge, HE missiles simply utilise a large quantity of explosive to damage or destroy emplacements or light vehicles.<br />
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''HE ATGMs are only effective against light vehicles in most cases, despite packing large quantities of HE filler. They are available to specialised ATGM carriers such as the Shturm-S.''<br />
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[[File:Rnd sam.png|left|frameless]]<br />
'''Surface to Air Missile (SAM)'''<br />
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SAMs are high-velocity anti-air missiles, designed specifically to combat aircraft using a variety of technologies; often including proximity fuses and radar or heat-seeking guidance.<br />
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''SAMs are very effective at long distances against aircraft, particularly helicopters. They are often extremely high velocity and pack a large amount of HE filler for a powerful airburst effect. SAMs'' ''are available to specialised anti-air vehicles such as the 2S6 Tunguska or the ADATS (which, notably, has multi-purpose missiles that are also effective against armoured vehicles).''<br />
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==== <u>Utility Rounds</u> ====<br />
Utility rounds are ineffective for use against other vehicles, but provide value in some sort of utility.<br />
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[[File:Rnd smoke.png|left|frameless]]<br />
'''Smoke'''<br />
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''Main article: [[Smoke screen|Smoke]]''<br />
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Smoke shells are not designed as a damaging shell, and largely consist of chemicals designed to create a smoke screen. The produced smoke has a limited lifetime.<br />
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''Smoke shells are available to various vehicles throughout most tech trees, however their effectiveness is somewhat limited compared to dedicated smoke launchers.''</div>U11670196https://wiki.warthunder.com/index.php?title=User:U11670196&diff=38726User:U116701962019-12-10T01:26:32Z<p>U11670196: /* Ground Forces Ammunition (WIP) */</p>
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<div>Hi! I'm ftsartek (just call me artek). I've played Warthunder on-and-off since release, although I only really got into it more recently when I first picked up ground forces somewhere around 2016/2017.<br />
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I originally made my way up through the Russian ground lineup without touching another nation until I reached the Russian Rank V, when I started grinding the British.<br />
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Over time I worked my way up and as of October 2019, I have full Rank VII lineups for the British, the Russians and the Americans; a Rank VI lineup for the Germans and a Rank IV lineup for the French. I pretty regularly play lineups at just about any rank, though, depending on how I feel at any given time.<br />
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I also play a bit of Air RB, although primarily with the intention of grinding aircraft to support my ground lineups.<br />
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I have a VR setup and on occasion play Air Simulator Battles with it until nausea (or the ground) gets the best of me. <!--One trick to help with the motion sickness when using VR is to have a small fan blowing on you, this will trick your brain into thinking you are actually moving and should help reduce the motion sickness. I had the same problem, once I started the fan, all motion sickness went away and I didn't have any issues after that.--><!-- Thanks! I'll give this a shot. --><br />
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My intention on the Wiki is to (where possible) keep info up-to-date where possible, clean up any grammatical issues or simply help ensure that people can rely on the wiki for gameplay suggestions and recommendations.<br />
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'''Everything below is my opinion only; take it how you like.'''<br />
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=== '''Favourite Vehicles''' ===<br />
<u>[[Centurion Mk 10|Centurion Mk.10:]]</u> I have a special relationship with the Mk.10. It makes up one of my favourite lineups in the game; 7.3 British. I mean, look at this thing! It gets a stabilised 105mm with over 300mm of flat pen, a decent reload, perfectly acceptable armour... Sure, it's not the fastest thing around, but who even cares when you don't need to stop to shoot?<br />
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<u>[[Vickers MBT|Vickers MBT:]]</u> Pretty much the same story as the Centurion. Except this time, you get to run around in a stabilised 105mm with one of the fastest reloads for its tier. Paper armour can be overcome but well-placed APDS can't. I think this is actually my most played medium tank.<br />
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<u>[[Conqueror|Conqueror Mk.2:]]</u> THIS is what a heavy tank should be. A beastly gun, serious armour, decent mobility. Even better, not many tanks you'll face in this thing stand a chance in a snipe-off. And again, British 7.3.<br />
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<u>[[IS-7|IS-7:]]</u> Okay, enough fawning over that British lineup. This thing is great fun. It's not really the best tank at 8.3, where every game's against 8.7 tanks and armour means nothing... But jeez, this defies expectations. No heavy should be this fast, ever. And no tank should be in possession of such a veritable armada of machine guns. Besides that, the fun of a 130mm APHE shell popping in the middle of a tank is pretty unbeatable.<br />
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<u>[[T-80U|T-80U:]]</u> This thing is great. Unless you get shot in the side, but eventually you've gotta get used to it. The gun, the mobility, the survivability... Incredible vehicle, extremely competitive at top tier.<br />
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<u>[[Challenger Mk.2]] & [[Challenger Mk.3|Mk.3]]:</u> These aren't actually amazing tanks, but they look cool, they snipe well, and the fact that they're not super fast means they pace your gameplay. They force you to play more carefully, more strategically.<br />
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<u>[[FV4005|FV4005:]]</u> The HESH Barn is the single most inconsistent vehicle I think I've ever driven in War Thunder. HESH is weird. But I've had a love for this thing since the first time I got a multi-kill; a round hit the side of a Panther, killing it and the Ru 251 directly adjacent, AND a plane that was in the vicinity. I don't even think the plane was that close. Yet to repeat that, but I have had a couple double kills with it since. <br />
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<u>[[ZiS-12 (94-KM)]]:</u> This is not an AA. This is a tank destroyer disguised as a milk truck. I've probably killed like 3 planes for every 20 tanks I've killed with this. Driving around like a maniac in a truck is stupid and amusing. So damn amusing.<br />
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<u>[[T-34-57]]:</u> Who woulda thought a 57mm could do so much damage? This thing's right at the comfortable tier where it still has somewhat effective armour, and that gun is incredible.<br />
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<u>[[IS-2 (1944)]]:</u> 122mm of APHE on a properly armoured hull (unlike the first IS-2 where anything can go through that flat upper section of the UFP.) The Russians just ''get'' me.<br />
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<u>[[Firefly "Scorpion"|Firefly Scorpion]]:</u> To be honest, the 17pdr is dirty at 4.7. Yeah, okay, the thing can't take a hit, but jeez, nothing it faces can either. Plus the Brit 4.7 lineup is a GREAT SL grinder (if you're good with solid shot, at least).<br />
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<u>[[Panther II]]:</u> An 88mm on a Panther hull was the best idea ever. I feel genuinely sad that newer players might never have the opportunity to get this tank. Still, they'll get the opportunity to get blown up by it; better than nothing, right?<br />
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<u>[[Tiger II (10.5 cm Kw.K)|Tiger II (10.5cm Kw.K)]]:</u> This really doesn't have anything over the Tiger II (H) but there's a sorta prestige to having a bigger gun. It's not even the best 6.7 heavy out there, but it sure as hell makes quick work of those pesky T29s/T34s.<br />
<br />
<u>[[Sd.Kfz.234/4]]:</u> Speaking of pesky, this is the king of it. This is like the Centauro before the Italians ''dreamed'' of a light, fast vehicle designed just to annoy people in War Thunder. And on top of being light and fast, it's got a really good gun that can actually do some work in just about any uptier.<br />
<br />
<u>[[M6A1]]:</u> Y'know what's satisfying? Baiting someone out of cover with a fake shot. Works every damn time, and never fails to amuse.<br />
<br />
<u>[[XM-1 (GM)]]:</u> I'd be lying if I said I didn't like this. I mean, really, it's a filthy vehicle. Nothing at 9.0 should be allowed to do what this thing can do. It's a damn Ferrari with a gun on top!<br />
<br />
=== Hated Vehicles ===<br />
<u>[[ADATS]]:</u> Above and before anything else, I hate the ADATS. It's not the missiles; sure, they're bloody ridiculous. It's just that the damn thing won't ''die''. I have to survive long enough to fire off my APFSDS round, reload a HE/ATGM round, and then shoot it again. And half the time, HE isn't even enough to finish it. I've had an ADATS survive 4 HE shots before (this was prior to researching HEAT or ATGMs on the T-80U).<br />
<br />
<u>[[Ru 251]]:</u> I actually got used to fighting Ru 251s pretty quickly, but once in a while I get got by an Ru and it frustrates the hell out of me. It's mostly my fault, though, because I should know better by now.<br />
<br />
<u>[[AUBL/74 HVG]]:</u> Imagine a Leopard 1. Imagine that Leopard 1 is given double its power to weight ratio, a stabilised gun and only moved up 0.3 BR. You have successfully imagined the AUBL/74 HVG. It menaced my 7.7 German games for two weeks (spawn once, die early, no respawn), it menaced my 7.3 Brit/German and 8.3 Russian games for two weeks (supercar is in your spawn before you leave it). Least the thing dies easy.<br />
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<u>[[SIDAM 25 (Mistral)]]:</u> This thing should actually be illegal. What it does to planes is probably against the law in most countries... It ''violates'' them. Jeez.<br />
<br />
<u>[[OTOMATIC]]:</u> What's up with this thing? I swear its breech doesn't ''actually'' die when it dies. I've shot one out and it just starts shooting blanks at me, blocking my view. It's weird, and also you never see the shots coming in a plane which is a little rude.<br />
<br />
<u>[[Ariete|C1 Ariete]] & [[Ariete PSO]]:</u> If you can penetrate the turret cheeks of a Challenger 1, you need to shoot someone that isn't the harmless Challenger 1. They never did anything wrong.<br />
<br />
<u>[[AMX-50 Foch]]:</u> Oh, it's a CA Lorraine. Cool, easy kill... Oh. Oh, it's a Foch. Oh, I'm dead. Oh. (I have nobody to blame but myself for this one)<br />
<br />
<u>[[M10 GMC]]:</u> I paid for a turreted tank destroyer, not a casemate. Whose idea was this?<br />
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<u>[[Flakpanzer 341]]:</u> Love the concept. Still can't reliably shoot planes down ''or'' deal with tanks. Maybe I'm just bad.<br />
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<u>[[Archer]]:</u> ???????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????<br />
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<u>[[M48A2 G A2]]:</u> This is the only vehicle that I honestly think is just hopelessly over-tiered. For 0.4 BR increase, you get a stabiliser, a hell of a lot of speed, and it's not like your armour matters in the first place.<br />
<br />
''Also, all of the French vehicles prior to the B1 Bis. Anyone else who has also had to grind the reserve vehicles in the French lineup will understand why.''<br />
<br />
=== Personal Considerations for WT ===<br />
I enjoy War Thunder, and I'm happy to put time and money into it. Of course, no game can ever be perfect but there are some improvements I'd really like to see:<br />
<br />
'''Quality of Life'''<br />
<br />
* '''Dynamic Spawn Points''': This is likely a complex implementation, but ideally open up the area vehicles can spawn into on subsequent spawns ''if'' there are nearby enemies. Initial spawns can and would work as currently, but respawning would be far more dynamic, denying teams the current 'lockout' ability they currently have if they take an early advantage. If enemy vehicles were detected near or in a spawn, or (using path-tracing) detected with a direct line of sight in a spawn area, vehicles would instead be spawned in a nearby, but non-affected area. This allows for more than 'just get a few kills then die' and avoids the current spawn sniping issues too.<br />
* '''Cleaning up classic maps for modern gameplay''': A number of maps which were made available to top tier in the recent update have areas which are unbelievably good but are simply too easy to get to with MBTs and later light tanks. These need to be further restricted. This also somewhat applies to some newer maps where there are extremely good sniping positions available to one side and no spots available on the other side.<br />
* '''ULQ''': Ultra Low Quality is game-breaking, especially with Thermal in the game now. Being punished for playing the game on higher graphics is sad. There needs to be a compromise, a way to avoid issues for players who genuinely do need ULQ and players who really shouldn't be using it. Pet peeve, but I like my games looking good.<br />
* '''Night Maps & NVD''': Night maps are great fun... for people with NVD. If you don't have NVD you're on the back foot, and if it's one of those pitch black maps, you're basically done for. That isn't fun.<br />
<br />
'''Balance'''<br />
<br />
* '''Dynamic Battle Ratings''': This is, of course, a complex idea; probably requires lots of back-end work. Still, it'd be great for vehicles such as the M48A2 G A2 which is unbelievably out-classed until it gets APFSDS, and even then it's kinda over-ranked IMO.<br />
* '''Early-Game ATGM Helicopters''': I don't think early ATGM choppers are healthy for the game. They make people spawn into missile AA at the beginning of the game, which (unless you're in an ADATS) means your early game impact is basically limited to saving your defenseless teammates. Just doesn't really fit. Make ATGMs something you've gotta earn again. If nothing else, limit how many choppers can spawn simultaneously; it's frustrating for both teams when 80% of a team is in choppers.<br />
* '''Decompression''': Everyone asks about it, and for a reason. Vehicles such as the Chieftain Mk.10 shouldn't be fighting 10.0 vehicles, but at the same time it would probably ruin current 7.7 vehicles. Can't move it down, but it's not good where it is. Needs to be decompressed.<br />
* '''Close Look at Top Tier Balance''': I feel like some tanks could do with better rounds now that they've been essentially power creeped (M1/IPM1, Challenger 1s, Chally 2, M1A1....)<br />
* '''Anti-Chopper Aircraft''': Ensure aircraft (without anti-ground ordinance) are able to spawn for the same cost as ATGM helicopters. It's fair enough that there's a viable option to fight back against ATGM choppers besides ground-based AA (which may well be superseded with the advent of long range ATGMs coming up).<br />
<br />
'''Additions/Updates'''<br />
<br />
* A gamemode similar to Battlefield's Rush would be awesome in WT. It would probably require bigger maps, dynamic spawn points, etc, but god it'd be fun.<!-- @ftsartek, welcome to the wiki! We are glad to have your help working on articles where you can share your experience with specific vehicles or tactics and in general making this an inviting place for people to learn more about War Thunder and the vehicles within. If you should have any questions, please don't hesitate to ask. --U64962917 (talk) 10:27, 15 August 2019 (UTC) --><br />
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<br />
==Ground Forces Ammunition (WIP) ==<br />
Throughout the past century of tank development, a large range of ammunition types have been produced and have seen combat. As time has progressed, technology has improved and rounds have improved in terms lethality, accuracy and ballistic performance. Despite this, most rounds can be categorised under one of two primary categories: '''kinetic''' rounds and '''chemical''' rounds.<br />
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===<u>Kinetic energy shells</u>===<br />
'''Kinetic rounds''' penetrate and deal damage based on a number of factors; shell type, projectile mass, round velocity and material hardness. Mass, shell type and hardness are constants, but velocity reduces with distance travelled and as such at longer ranges kinetic rounds will lose penetration ability and in some cases post-penetration efficacy.<br />
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==== <u>Solid Armour Piercing Rounds</u> ====<br />
Solid AP rounds are a kinetic munition that utilise a hardened metal (often steel) shell with full-calibre diameter. The result is a simple, yet effective anti-tank round that will punch through armour with high equivalent thickness values, while retaining reasonable post-penetration effects which, when well-placed, can deal significant internal damage to components and crew directly within the shrapnelling path.<br />
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<br /><br />
[[File:Icon AP Shot.jpg|left|frameless]]<br />
'''Armour Piercing (AP)'''<br />
<br />
Armour Piercing is a basic solid steel shot which is entirely reliant on kinetic energy to penetrate and deal damage. Providing the round possesses enough energy to penetrate any given armour, it will deal internal damage from steel fragments and spalling of the internal surfaces which can damage vehicle components, stored ammunition and crew members.<br />
<br />
''AP is a standard early World War II ammunition for many nations. In War Thunder, AP rounds should be used as a general use anti-armour round, with careful round placement to maximise post-penetration damage.''<br />
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[[File:Rnd apc.png|left|frameless]]<br />
'''Armour Piercing, Capped (APC)'''<br />
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APC rounds have a nose cone (or cap) of softer metal is fixed to the front of the solid shot. When this strikes the target armour the shock of the impact is transferred away from the tip of the round to the neck, helping prevent shattering. Additionally, the cap will collapse on contact with armour and the deformation will cause the round to angle towards the armour, more efficiently directing energy into the armour and improving the angled performance of the round. A downside of the cap is a decrease in long-range accuracy due to the cap interfering with the shell's aerodynamics.<br />
<br />
''APC is commonly found as a mid-tier shell for both the British and French on their mid-to-late WW2 vehicles. In War Thunder, APC is best used as a short-to-mid range round for combatting angled armour that regular AP rounds may not easily penetrate.''<br />
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[[File:Rnd apbc.png|left|frameless]]<br />
'''Armour Piercing, Ballistic Capped (APBC)'''<br />
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APBC rounds utilise a ballistic cap, designed to improve aerodynamic performance and hence round performance at longer ranges. The cap usually utilises a soft or brittle metal which collapses on impact and does not aid penetration or angled performance.<br />
<br />
''APBC is found on some early Russian vehicles, but is relatively uncommon otherwise compared to APCBC. In War Thunder, APBC is best used as a longer-range alternative to APC or APHE rounds which often exhibit less favourable ranged performance.''<br />
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[[File:Rnd apcbc.png|left|frameless]]<br />
'''Armour Piercing, Capped, Ballistic Capped (APCBC)'''<br />
<br />
APCBC rounds combine the standard cap and the ballistic cap, improving the round's aerodynamic and penetration performance. As such, APCBC rounds tend to exhibit the best 'all-round' characteristics of any conventional kinetic rounds.<br />
<br />
''APCBC is found as a high-tier shell for British, French and American mid-to-late WW2 vehicles. In-game, APCBC should be the preferred option of solid shot rounds in all situations, when available, and should be situationally switched for APHE rounds if they're available.''<br />
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==== <u>HE-Filled Armour Piercing Rounds</u> ====<br />
HE-Filled Armour Piercing Rounds take the concept of armour piercing rounds and add a deadly twist - a quantity of HE filler on a timed fuse, designed to explode after a successful penetration. While the concept sacrifices some structural integrity and thus penetrating power, the destructive ability of an APHE round is nearly unrivalled.<br />
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[[File:Rnd aphe.png|left|frameless]]<br />
'''Armour Piercing, High Explosive (APHE)'''<br />
<br />
APHE rounds utilise a similar form to AP rounds, but incorporate a small chamber of high explosive filler within the round. This often slightly reduces the round's mass and construction strength and as such APHE rounds tend to exhibit slightly worse penetration performance than their solid shot counterparts. However, upon successful penetration, APHE rounds often cause significantly more damage within a vehicle. APHE rounds have a fuse which will only activate on sufficiently thick armour.<br />
<br />
''APHE is primarily found on Russian vehicles earlier in the tech tree, and on some earlier American and German vehicles. It should be prioritised for use when penetration is likely, or switched for AP or APCR if improved penetration is required.''<br />
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[[File:Rnd aphebc.png|left|frameless]]<br />
'''Armour Piercing, High Explosive, Ballistic Capped (APHEBC)'''<br />
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APHEBC rounds, similarly to APHE, utilise APBC concepts with the addition of high explosive filler. Again, the rounds tend to exhibit slightly worse penetrative performance than their solid shot brethren, but significantly more post-penetration damage. APHEBC rounds have a fuse which will only activate on sufficiently thick armour.<br />
<br />
''APHEBC is primarily found on Russian vehicles earlier in the tech tree as a mid-tier round, and on some American and German vehicles. It's ideally used against targets where angled performance is required and HE filler is preferable.''<br />
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[[File:Rnd aphecbc.png|left|frameless]]<br />
'''Armour Piercing, High Explosive, Capped, Ballistic Capped (APHECBC)'''<br />
<br />
APHECBC rounds utilise standard APCBC designs with added explosive filler. APHECBC is often referred to as 'APCBC' in-game, and can be identified instead by the graphic or the explosive filler content in the round stat sheet. As with other APHE rounds, APHECBC significantly improves the post-penetration lethality over that of a standard APCBC round. APHECBC rounds have a fuse which will only activate on sufficiently thick armour.<br />
<br />
''APHECBC is found throughout the Russian tech tree as a high-tier round, and on some American and German vehicles. APHECBC should be used preferentially and interchangeably with a high-penetration round where available.''<br />
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==== <u>Sub-Calibre Armour Piercing Rounds</u> ====<br />
Sub-Calibre AP rounds are, essentially, what they say on the label - the penetrator itself is of a smaller calibre than the gun barrel, using a 'sabot' to make up the calibre difference. How the sabot is handled is dependant on the type of round - it may be either discarding or non-discarding. Sub-Calibre rounds sacrifice post-penetration effectiveness for high round velocities and high penetration values. <br />
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[[File:Rnd apcr.png|left|frameless]]<br />
'''Armour Piercing, Composite, Rigid (APCR)'''<br />
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APCR rounds often use tungsten carbide or other extremely hard metals as a sub-calibre penetrator, wrapped within a softer full-calibre sabot - the APCR concept is essentially a predecessor to the APDS design. Upon impact, the soft shell will deform, allowing the hard metal penetrator contained within to penetrate the target's armour with force spread over a smaller surface area, resulting in significantly better penetration ability. APCR rounds often suffer from less post-penetration damage than a standard AP round of the same calibre, and due to their design perform much worse when facing angled armour.<br />
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''APCR is found throughout most tech trees, most commonly available to vehicles from mid-WW2 through to early cold war vehicles. APCR rounds are best used against minimally angled armour, where other rounds will be unable to penetrate.''<br />
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[[File:Rnd apds.png|left|frameless]]<br />
'''Armour Piercing, Discarding Sabot (APDS)'''<br />
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APDS rounds utilise a hard core as a sub-calibre penetrator, with a full calibre sabot. Unlike APCR rounds, APDS rounds discard their sabot after exiting the cannon barrel. The result is an extremely high-velocity round with particularly high penetration values and good ranged accuracy. APDS produces a minimal amount of post-penetration damage. There is also a small chance for APDS rounds to shatter given certain circumstances.<br />
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''APDS is first made available on post-WW2 British vehicles, and is available to most vehicles in possession of an L7-derived gun.'' ''In War Thunder, APDS is best used as a long-range round, with multiple shots often being a necessity due to the lack of post-penetration damage. APDS is quite ineffective against lightly-armoured vehicles.''<br />
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[[File:Rnd apfsds.png|left|frameless]]<br />
'''Armour Piercing, Fin-Stabilised, Discarding Sabot (APFSDS)'''<br />
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APFSDS is the pinnacle of the kinetic anti-armour rounds. As with APDS, APFSDS utilises an extremely hard penetrator and a discarding sabot, however the penetrator is usually significantly longer than that of APDS and incorporates fins for added long-range accuracy. The additional penetrator legnth improves the post-penetration damage effects. APFSDS rounds are the most powerful kinetic rounds available in-game.<br />
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''APFSDS is first available to some late Rank V vehicles, and is often the primary round for most Rank VI or VII vehicles. It's effective at all ranges, and due to most APFSDS rounds having an extremely high velocity they maintain their performance at even extreme ranges. APFSDS is quite ineffective against lightly-armoured vehicles.''<br />
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===<u>Chemical energy shells</u>===<br />
'''Chemical energy shells''' deal damage based on a chemical reaction, and unlike kinetic shells, their ability to penetrate and deal damage are unaffected by the shell's velocity. This means that target distance often doesn't affect the round's effectiveness.<br />
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==== <u>High Explosive Rounds</u> ====<br />
High Explosive rounds are a simple shell packed full of a high explosive material, primarily designed for anti-infantry and anti-emplacement applications. However, this translates surprisingly well when applied to light vehicles - significantly moreso than armour piercing rounds or in some cases even APHE rounds. Unfortunately, most HE-based rounds are relatively useless against well-armoured vehicles.<br />
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[[File:Rnd he.png|left|frameless]]<br />
'''High Explosive (HE)'''<br />
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High Explosive rounds are primarily intended for use as an anti-infantry/anti-emplacement round. As such, HE rounds tend to have minimal armour-piercing capability and are better used against particularly lightly armoured vehicles, although on occasion it can prove effective against the sides of a vehicle. Particularly high-calibre HE rounds may cause enough area damage to destroy a tank regardless of the round placement.<br />
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''HE rounds are available to almost every vehicle in-game. However, low-calibre HE rounds are particularly ineffective and this type of round should only be utilised by vehicles with large-calibre guns, such as the KV-2 or Sturmpanzer II.''<br />
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[[File:Rnd he dist.png|left|frameless]]<br />
'''High Explosive Variable Timer (HE-VT)'''<br />
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HE-VT rounds use the simple concept of a timed fuse, resulting in an explosion at a preset range. While HE-VT rounds are no more effective than HE rounds against most heavy armour, they can be particularly effective against light vehicles with a known range or against aircraft (one of their original design uses). <br />
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''HE-VT rounds are available to a number of vehicles originally designed for anti-air purposes, such as the YaG-10 (29-K) and the 8,8 cm Flak 37 Sfl.'' ''They're best used against aircraft by rangefinding the aircraft in question, setting the fuse range to a reasonable assumption based on the result and leading reasonably. They can be extremely effective against aircraft if used correctly, but are mostly ineffective against armoured vehicles.''<br />
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[[File:Rnd he prox.png|left|frameless]]<br />
'''High Explosive Proximity Fuse (HE-PRX)'''<br />
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HE-PRX rounds are an advanced round with specialised proximity fuses, designed to detonate the round upon reaching close proximity with a target. These are usually designed for anti-air applications, and are generally ineffective against most ground targets. <br />
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''HE-PRX rounds are available to some later anti-air vehicles, such as the OTOMATIC or Begleitpanzer 57, and are capable of destroying aircraft or helicopters'' ''if the round passes within close proximity of the target. They'' ''are extremely effective against mid-ranged aircraft but cannot be relied upon for use against armour.''<br />
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[[File:Rnd he gnd.png|left|frameless]]<br />
'''High Explosive Grenade'''<br />
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HE Grenades are specialised HE rounds designed to be fired from cannons which may not be otherwise capable of firing high-calibre rounds. They usually operate in a different manner to conventional cannon rounds, utilising a propellant rather than a charge, resulting in a relatively low round velocity and sub-par ballistics. However, this design has proven useful, as the low velocity can be used to 'sling' rounds onto weak roof armour or into trenches or bunkers.<br />
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''HE Grenades are available to vehicles with 'recoilless' cannon designs or other non-standard cannon designs. They are generally as effective as an equivalent HE round, however have significantly lower muzzle velocity and as such are extremely inaccurate at long ranges. HE Grenades are found on vehicles such as the BMP-1.''<br />
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[[File:Rnd rocket.png|left|frameless]]<br />
'''Rocket'''<br />
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Rockets are unguided high-explosive self-propelled rounds which are often significantly higher calibre than standard tank cannons. They can be mounted as ancillary weaponry on some vehicles, or in some cases they're mounted on specialised rocket-carrier vehicles.<br />
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''Rockets can be unreliable and inaccurate, but due to their often large calibre and large amounts of HE filler, they can prove effective against some armoured vehicles. Rockets are either mounted ancillary, as on the Calliope or the M26 T99, or on rocket carriers such as the BM-13N.''<br />
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==== <u>Anti-Emplacement Rounds</u> ====<br />
Anti-Emplacement rounds are designed specifically for combatting emplacements, however have proven to have some anti-tank value. They rely on different mechanics to normal rounds, but can prove particularly ineffective against heavy armour.<br />
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[[File:Shrapnel Round Icon.png|left|frameless]]<br />
'''Shrapnel'''<br />
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Shrapnel rounds are a chemical round utilising a thin shell and a chamber of metal fillings or ball bearings with a small explosive charge. Upon successful penetration, shrapnel rounds cause a significant amount of damage. However, due to the thin outer shell, shrapnel rounds only perform well against particularly light armour and are completely ineffective when used against even moderately armoured targets.<br />
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''Shrapnel rounds are available exclusively to early Russian vehicles. Shrapnel is exclusively useful against lightly armoured targets, and shouldn't be used against front-facing armour of any other tank.''<br />
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[[File:Rnd hesh.png|left|frameless]]<br />
'''High Explosive Squash Head (HESH)'''<br />
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HESH rounds are designed as an anti-emplacement round. The 'squash head', usually comprised of some form of plastic explosive, is designed to squash onto a surface and detonate, causing the opposite side of the surface to rupture. If the given surface happens to be metal, this will often result in metal shards flying off the surface at high velocity. Due to this design, HESH rounds perform better the further they can spread, and as such they're more effective when applied to angled armour, within reason.<br />
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''HESH rounds are available to most British vehicles from Rank V, and other vehicles in possession of an L7-derived gun. HESH should be primarily used against lighter armour or side armour, although occasionally the HE splash effect can cause unexpected results. HESH is completely ineffective against heavy armour or composite armour designs.''<br /><br />
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==== <u>Anti-Tank Rounds</u> ====<br />
Anti-Tank rounds make use of shaped charges to penetrate armour, forcing molten metal through into the crew compartment, damaging crew and modules. HEAT rounds prove particularly effective at long ranges, as their method of action does not lose effectiveness with range. Unfortunately, though, the fuse on a HEAT round must be extremely sensitive, allowing the rounds to detonate on trees and fences that other rounds would pass through.<br />
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[[File:Rnd heat.png|left|frameless]]<br />
'''High Explosive, Anti-tank (HEAT)'''<br />
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HEAT rounds are designed specifically as an anti-tank round. They operate by superheating metallic armour with a shaped charge, with the external pressure caused by the charge explosion forcing the molten metal into the internals of the vehicle, causing internal damage to crew and modules. <br />
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''HEAT rounds are available to a variety of WW2 German vehicles, as well as higher-performance HEAT becoming available to some late French and American vehicles, as HEAT-FS rounds cannot be fired from rifled cannons. HEAT is limited in effectiveness and its usage should be carefully considered as many vehicles have armour it cannot penetrate.''<br />
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[[File:Rnd heatfs.png|left|frameless]]<br />
'''High Explosive, Anti-Tank, Fin-Stabilized (HEAT-FS)'''<br />
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HEAT-FS rounds are an improvement over the HEAT concept, using improved penetrative chemicals and utilising fins for improved ballistic performance. HEAT-FS rounds maintain their penetration values at all ranges, and are well-suited to long-range engagements. HEAT-FS rounds are particularly sensitive, and may detonate on light obstacles such as shrubs or fences.<br />
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''HEAT-FS rounds become available to many nations from Rank V although notably the British do not receive HEAT-FS at any stage due to its incompatibility with rifled cannons. At Rank VI and Rank VII, HEAT-FS may prove ineffective in many cases due to the prevalence of ERA and composite armour. Despite this, it can still be used for ranged engagements, as particularly late HEAT-FS rounds have extremely high penetration power.''<br />
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[[File:Icon rnd heatfs prx.png|left|frameless]]<br />
'''High Explosive, Anti-Tank, Fin-Stabilised, Proximity Fuse (HEAT-FS PRX)'''<br />
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HEAT-FS PRX rounds are specialised HEAT-FS rounds which utilise a proximity fuse to detonate when in close proximity to a target. They can be used to destroy low-flying aircraft or helicopters, while maintaining their effectiveness against ground vehicles utilising normal HEAT-FS technology. <br />
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''HEAT-FS PRX rounds are extremely specialised and are available to only the M1A2 Abrams (as of 1.93). They combine the anti-armour power of a standard HEAT-FS round with the anti-aircraft effectiveness of a HE-PRX round. Their proximity fuse will detonate only above a specified altitude, so they can be used normally against other armoured vehicles.''<br />
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[[File:Rnd heat gnd.png|left|frameless]]<br />
'''High Explosive, Anti-Tank Grenade'''<br />
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HEAT Grenades are specialised HEAT rounds, designed for use where normal tank rounds may not be possible to utilise. They often use a propellant rather than a standard charge, and as such suffer from low velocity and sub-par round ballistics. Despite this, they can prove effective against tanks due to their HEAT technology.<br />
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''HEAT Grenades are available to vehicles with 'recoilless' cannons or other non-standard cannon designs. Their effectiveness is similar to that of an equivalent HEAT round, however due to their low muzzle velocity they can be inaccurate at long ranges. HEAT Grenades are found on vehicles such as the BMP-1.''<br />
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==== <u>Guided Missiles</u> ====<br />
Guided missiles utilise a guidance system (of various types, such as MCLOS, SACLOS, Radar, Heat-Seeking) to accomplish their intended role. They sacrifice round velocity for long-range precision. Different missile types are effective in different applications - some have anti-tank properties, while others are effective against air targets.<br />
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[[File:Rnd atgm.png|left|frameless]]<br />
'''Anti-Tank Guided Missile (ATGM)'''<br />
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''Main article: [[Anti-tank guided missiles|Anti-tank Guided Missile]]''<br />
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ATGMs largely utilise the same concept as HEAT, however they integrate some form of propulsion and are usually guidable, either manually (MCLOS) or semi-automatically (SACLOS). ATGMs usually pack a large amount of explosive and often have particularly powerful shaped charges. However, they require specialised equipment to fire and tend to be heavy, often resulting in long reload times.<br />
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''ATGMs become available through Rank V, and are primarily carried by specialised ATGM carriers, although some tanks have ATGM-capable main cannons and some exceptional designs such as the Strv 81 (Rb.52) or the AMX-13 (HOT) mount ATGMs on ancillary pylons. ATGMs are powerful and SACLOS guided missiles are easily aimed, however they travel slowly and well-aware targets may be able to move into cover prior to the ATGM reaching them.''<br />
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[[File:Rnd atgm prox.png|left|frameless]]<br />
'''Anti-Tank Guided Missile Proximity Fuse (ATGM-PRX)'''<br />
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Proximity ATGMs utilise proximity fuses to detonate when in close proximity to aircraft. This, combined with their guidance systems (SACLOS) allows them to be used effectively against low-flying aircraft or helicopters.<br />
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''Proximity Fuse ATGMs can prove extremely effective against low-flying aircraft or helicopters, and utilise a similar proximity fuse concept to SAM missiles - although often ATGMs pack significantly more HE filler than SAMs do. ATGM-PRX missiles are available to specialised ATGM carriers such as the Shturm-S.''<br />
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[[File:Rnd atgm tandem.png|left|frameless]]<br />
'''Anti-Tank Guided Missile, Tandem Charge''' '''(ATGM Tandem)'''<br />
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Tandem ATGMs utilise a twin-stage warhead to overcome ERA - the first stage causes the ERA to detonate, while the second stage penetrates the armour below as normal. This concept does not work against NERA or composite armour.<br />
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''Tandem ATGMs are effective against ERA-protected vehicles, and often have very high penetration values. Tandem charge ATGMs are available to specialised ATGM carriers such as the Shturm-S.''<br />
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[[File:Rnd atgm he.png|left|frameless]]<br />
'''Anti-Tank Guided Missile, HE (ATGM-HE)'''<br />
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HE ATGMs are a simplification of a standard ATGM; rather than a shaped HEAT charge, HE missiles simply utilise a large quantity of explosive to damage or destroy emplacements or light vehicles.<br />
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''HE ATGMs are only effective against light vehicles in most cases, despite packing large quantities of HE filler. They are available to specialised ATGM carriers such as the Shturm-S.''<br />
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[[File:Rnd sam.png|left|frameless]]<br />
'''Surface to Air Missile (SAM)'''<br />
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SAMs are high-velocity anti-air missiles, designed specifically to combat aircraft using a variety of technologies; often including proximity fuses and radar or heat-seeking guidance.<br />
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''SAMs are very effective at long distances against aircraft, particularly helicopters. They are often extremely high velocity and pack a large amount of HE filler for a powerful airburst effect. SAMs'' ''are available to specialised anti-air vehicles such as the 2S6 Tunguska or the ADATS (which, notably, has multi-purpose missiles that are also effective against armoured vehicles).''<br />
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==== <u>Utility Rounds</u> ====<br />
Utility rounds are ineffective for use against other vehicles, but provide value in some sort of utility.<br />
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[[File:Rnd smoke.png|left|frameless]]<br />
'''Smoke'''<br />
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''Main article: [[Smoke screen|Smoke]]''<br />
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Smoke shells are not designed as a damaging shell, and largely consist of chemicals designed to create a smoke screen. The produced smoke has a limited lifetime.<br />
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''Smoke shells are available to various vehicles throughout most tech trees, however their effectiveness is somewhat limited compared to dedicated smoke launchers.''</div>U11670196https://wiki.warthunder.com/index.php?title=Tank_ammunition&diff=38725Tank ammunition2019-12-10T01:24:07Z<p>U11670196: Full re-write of page, including updated images, information and round types that were previously not included.</p>
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<div>==Ground Forces Ammunition (WIP) ==<br />
Throughout the past century of tank development, a large range of ammunition types have been produced and have seen combat. As time has progressed, technology has improved and rounds have improved in terms lethality, accuracy and ballistic performance. Despite this, most rounds can be categorised under one of two primary categories: '''kinetic''' rounds and '''chemical''' rounds; and further under a variety of subcategories.<br />
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===<u>Kinetic energy shells</u>===<br />
'''Kinetic rounds''' penetrate and deal damage based on a number of factors; shell type, projectile mass, round velocity and material hardness. Mass, shell type and hardness are constants, but velocity reduces with distance travelled and as such at longer ranges kinetic rounds will lose penetration ability and in some cases post-penetration efficacy.<br />
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==== <u>Solid Armour Piercing Rounds</u> ====<br />
Solid AP rounds are a kinetic munition that utilise a hardened metal (often steel) shell with full-calibre diameter. The result is a simple, yet effective anti-tank round that will punch through armour with high equivalent thickness values, while retaining reasonable post-penetration effects which, when well-placed, can deal significant internal damage to components and crew directly within the shrapnelling path.<br />
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[[File:Icon AP Shot.jpg|left|frameless]]<br />
'''Armour Piercing (AP)'''<br />
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Armour Piercing is a basic solid steel shot which is entirely reliant on kinetic energy to penetrate and deal damage. Providing the round possesses enough energy to penetrate any given armour, it will deal internal damage from steel fragments and spalling of the internal surfaces which can damage vehicle components, stored ammunition and crew members.<br />
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''AP is a standard early World War II ammunition for many nations. In War Thunder, AP rounds should be used as a general use anti-armour round, with careful round placement to maximise post-penetration damage.''<br />
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[[File:Rnd apc.png|left|frameless]]<br />
'''Armour Piercing, Capped (APC)'''<br />
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APC rounds have a nose cone (or cap) of softer metal is fixed to the front of the solid shot. When this strikes the target armour the shock of the impact is transferred away from the tip of the round to the neck, helping prevent shattering. Additionally, the cap will collapse on contact with armour and the deformation will cause the round to angle towards the armour, more efficiently directing energy into the armour and improving the angled performance of the round. A downside of the cap is a decrease in long-range accuracy due to the cap interfering with the shell's aerodynamics.<br />
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''APC is commonly found as a mid-tier shell for both the British and French on their mid-to-late WW2 vehicles. In War Thunder, APC is best used as a short-to-mid range round for combatting angled armour that regular AP rounds may not easily penetrate.''<br />
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[[File:Rnd apbc.png|left|frameless]]<br />
'''Armour Piercing, Ballistic Capped (APBC)'''<br />
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APBC rounds utilise a ballistic cap, designed to improve aerodynamic performance and hence round performance at longer ranges. The cap usually utilises a soft or brittle metal which collapses on impact and does not aid penetration or angled performance.<br />
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''APBC is found on some early Russian vehicles, but is relatively uncommon otherwise compared to APCBC. In War Thunder, APBC is best used as a longer-range alternative to APC or APHE rounds which often exhibit less favourable ranged performance.''<br />
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[[File:Rnd apcbc.png|left|frameless]]<br />
'''Armour Piercing, Capped, Ballistic Capped (APCBC)'''<br />
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APCBC rounds combine the standard cap and the ballistic cap, improving the round's aerodynamic and penetration performance. As such, APCBC rounds tend to exhibit the best 'all-round' characteristics of any conventional kinetic rounds.<br />
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''APCBC is found as a high-tier shell for British, French and American mid-to-late WW2 vehicles. In-game, APCBC should be the preferred option of solid shot rounds in all situations, when available, and should be situationally switched for APHE rounds if they're available.''<br />
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==== <u>HE-Filled Armour Piercing Rounds</u> ====<br />
HE-Filled Armour Piercing Rounds take the concept of armour piercing rounds and add a deadly twist - a quantity of HE filler on a timed fuse, designed to explode after a successful penetration. While the concept sacrifices some structural integrity and thus penetrating power, the destructive ability of an APHE round is nearly unrivalled.<br />
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[[File:Rnd aphe.png|left|frameless]]<br />
'''Armour Piercing, High Explosive (APHE)'''<br />
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APHE rounds utilise a similar form to AP rounds, but incorporate a small chamber of high explosive filler within the round. This often slightly reduces the round's mass and construction strength and as such APHE rounds tend to exhibit slightly worse penetration performance than their solid shot counterparts. However, upon successful penetration, APHE rounds often cause significantly more damage within a vehicle. APHE rounds have a fuse which will only activate on sufficiently thick armour.<br />
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''APHE is primarily found on Russian vehicles earlier in the tech tree, and on some earlier American and German vehicles. It should be prioritised for use when penetration is likely, or switched for AP or APCR if improved penetration is required.''<br />
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[[File:Rnd aphebc.png|left|frameless]]<br />
'''Armour Piercing, High Explosive, Ballistic Capped (APHEBC)'''<br />
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APHEBC rounds, similarly to APHE, utilise APBC concepts with the addition of high explosive filler. Again, the rounds tend to exhibit slightly worse penetrative performance than their solid shot brethren, but significantly more post-penetration damage. APHEBC rounds have a fuse which will only activate on sufficiently thick armour.<br />
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''APHEBC is primarily found on Russian vehicles earlier in the tech tree as a mid-tier round, and on some American and German vehicles. It's ideally used against targets where angled performance is required and HE filler is preferable.''<br />
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[[File:Rnd aphecbc.png|left|frameless]]<br />
'''Armour Piercing, High Explosive, Capped, Ballistic Capped (APHECBC)'''<br />
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APHECBC rounds utilise standard APCBC designs with added explosive filler. APHECBC is often referred to as 'APCBC' in-game, and can be identified instead by the graphic or the explosive filler content in the round stat sheet. As with other APHE rounds, APHECBC significantly improves the post-penetration lethality over that of a standard APCBC round. APHECBC rounds have a fuse which will only activate on sufficiently thick armour.<br />
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''APHECBC is found throughout the Russian tech tree as a high-tier round, and on some American and German vehicles. APHECBC should be used preferentially and interchangeably with a high-penetration round where available.''<br />
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==== <u>Sub-Calibre Armour Piercing Rounds</u> ====<br />
Sub-Calibre AP rounds are, essentially, what they say on the label - the penetrator itself is of a smaller calibre than the gun barrel, using a 'sabot' to make up the calibre difference. How the sabot is handled is dependant on the type of round - it may be either discarding or non-discarding. Sub-Calibre rounds sacrifice post-penetration effectiveness for high round velocities and high penetration values. <br />
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[[File:Rnd apcr.png|left|frameless]]<br />
'''Armour Piercing, Composite, Rigid (APCR)'''<br />
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APCR rounds often use tungsten carbide or other extremely hard metals as a sub-calibre penetrator, wrapped within a softer full-calibre sabot - the APCR concept is essentially a predecessor to the APDS design. Upon impact, the soft shell will deform, allowing the hard metal penetrator contained within to penetrate the target's armour with force spread over a smaller surface area, resulting in significantly better penetration ability. APCR rounds often suffer from less post-penetration damage than a standard AP round of the same calibre, and due to their design perform much worse when facing angled armour.<br />
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''APCR is found throughout most tech trees, most commonly available to vehicles from mid-WW2 through to early cold war vehicles. APCR rounds are best used against minimally angled armour, where other rounds will be unable to penetrate.''<br />
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[[File:Rnd apds.png|left|frameless]]<br />
'''Armour Piercing, Discarding Sabot (APDS)'''<br />
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APDS rounds utilise a hard core as a sub-calibre penetrator, with a full calibre sabot. Unlike APCR rounds, APDS rounds discard their sabot after exiting the cannon barrel. The result is an extremely high-velocity round with particularly high penetration values and good ranged accuracy. APDS produces a minimal amount of post-penetration damage. There is also a small chance for APDS rounds to shatter given certain circumstances.<br />
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''APDS is first made available on post-WW2 British vehicles, and is available to most vehicles in possession of an L7-derived gun.'' ''In War Thunder, APDS is best used as a long-range round, with multiple shots often being a necessity due to the lack of post-penetration damage. APDS is quite ineffective against lightly-armoured vehicles.''<br />
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[[File:Rnd apfsds.png|left|frameless]]<br />
'''Armour Piercing, Fin-Stabilised, Discarding Sabot (APFSDS)'''<br />
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APFSDS is the pinnacle of the kinetic anti-armour rounds. As with APDS, APFSDS utilises an extremely hard penetrator and a discarding sabot, however the penetrator is usually significantly longer than that of APDS and incorporates fins for added long-range accuracy. The additional penetrator legnth improves the post-penetration damage effects. APFSDS rounds are the most powerful kinetic rounds available in-game.<br />
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''APFSDS is first available to some late Rank V vehicles, and is often the primary round for most Rank VI or VII vehicles. It's effective at all ranges, and due to most APFSDS rounds having an extremely high velocity they maintain their performance at even extreme ranges. APFSDS is quite ineffective against lightly-armoured vehicles.''<br />
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===<u>Chemical energy shells</u>===<br />
'''Chemical energy shells''' deal damage based on a chemical reaction, and unlike kinetic shells, their ability to penetrate and deal damage are unaffected by the shell's velocity. This means that target distance often doesn't affect the round's effectiveness.<br />
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==== <u>High Explosive Rounds</u> ====<br />
High Explosive rounds are a simple shell packed full of a high explosive material, primarily designed for anti-infantry and anti-emplacement applications. However, this translates surprisingly well when applied to light vehicles - significantly moreso than armour piercing rounds or in some cases even APHE rounds. Unfortunately, most HE-based rounds are relatively useless against well-armoured vehicles.<br />
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[[File:Rnd he.png|left|frameless]]<br />
'''High Explosive (HE)'''<br />
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High Explosive rounds are primarily intended for use as an anti-infantry/anti-emplacement round. As such, HE rounds tend to have minimal armour-piercing capability and are better used against particularly lightly armoured vehicles, although on occasion it can prove effective against the sides of a vehicle. Particularly high-calibre HE rounds may cause enough area damage to destroy a tank regardless of the round placement.<br />
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''HE rounds are available to almost every vehicle in-game. However, low-calibre HE rounds are particularly ineffective and this type of round should only be utilised by vehicles with large-calibre guns, such as the KV-2 or Sturmpanzer II.''<br />
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[[File:Rnd he dist.png|left|frameless]]<br />
'''High Explosive Variable Timer (HE-VT)'''<br />
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HE-VT rounds use the simple concept of a timed fuse, resulting in an explosion at a preset range. While HE-VT rounds are no more effective than HE rounds against most heavy armour, they can be particularly effective against light vehicles with a known range or against aircraft (one of their original design uses). <br />
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''HE-VT rounds are available to a number of vehicles originally designed for anti-air purposes, such as the YaG-10 (29-K) and the 8,8 cm Flak 37 Sfl.'' ''They're best used against aircraft by rangefinding the aircraft in question, setting the fuse range to a reasonable assumption based on the result and leading reasonably. They can be extremely effective against aircraft if used correctly, but are mostly ineffective against armoured vehicles.''<br />
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[[File:Rnd he prox.png|left|frameless]]<br />
'''High Explosive Proximity Fuse (HE-PRX)'''<br />
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HE-PRX rounds are an advanced round with specialised proximity fuses, designed to detonate the round upon reaching close proximity with a target. These are usually designed for anti-air applications, and are generally ineffective against most ground targets. <br />
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''HE-PRX rounds are available to some later anti-air vehicles, such as the OTOMATIC or Begleitpanzer 57, and are capable of destroying aircraft or helicopters'' ''if the round passes within close proximity of the target. They'' ''are extremely effective against mid-ranged aircraft but cannot be relied upon for use against armour.''<br />
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[[File:Rnd he gnd.png|left|frameless]]<br />
'''High Explosive Grenade'''<br />
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HE Grenades are specialised HE rounds designed to be fired from cannons which may not be otherwise capable of firing high-calibre rounds. They usually operate in a different manner to conventional cannon rounds, utilising a propellant rather than a charge, resulting in a relatively low round velocity and sub-par ballistics. However, this design has proven useful, as the low velocity can be used to 'sling' rounds onto weak roof armour or into trenches or bunkers.<br />
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''HE Grenades are available to vehicles with 'recoilless' cannon designs or other non-standard cannon designs. They are generally as effective as an equivalent HE round, however have significantly lower muzzle velocity and as such are extremely inaccurate at long ranges. HE Grenades are found on vehicles such as the BMP-1.''<br />
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[[File:Rnd rocket.png|left|frameless]]<br />
'''Rocket'''<br />
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Rockets are unguided high-explosive self-propelled rounds which are often significantly higher calibre than standard tank cannons. They can be mounted as ancillary weaponry on some vehicles, or in some cases they're mounted on specialised rocket-carrier vehicles.<br />
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''Rockets can be unreliable and inaccurate, but due to their often large calibre and large amounts of HE filler, they can prove effective against some armoured vehicles. Rockets are either mounted ancillary, as on the Calliope or the M26 T99, or on rocket carriers such as the BM-13N.''<br />
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==== <u>Anti-Emplacement Rounds</u> ====<br />
Anti-Emplacement rounds are designed specifically for combatting emplacements, however have proven to have some anti-tank value. They rely on different mechanics to normal rounds, but can prove particularly ineffective against heavy armour.<br />
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[[File:Shrapnel Round Icon.png|left|frameless]]<br />
'''Shrapnel'''<br />
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Shrapnel rounds are a chemical round utilising a thin shell and a chamber of metal fillings or ball bearings with a small explosive charge. Upon successful penetration, shrapnel rounds cause a significant amount of damage. However, due to the thin outer shell, shrapnel rounds only perform well against particularly light armour and are completely ineffective when used against even moderately armoured targets.<br />
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''Shrapnel rounds are available exclusively to early Russian vehicles. Shrapnel is exclusively useful against lightly armoured targets, and shouldn't be used against front-facing armour of any other tank.''<br />
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[[File:Rnd hesh.png|left|frameless]]<br />
'''High Explosive Squash Head (HESH)'''<br />
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HESH rounds are designed as an anti-emplacement round. The 'squash head', usually comprised of some form of plastic explosive, is designed to squash onto a surface and detonate, causing the opposite side of the surface to rupture. If the given surface happens to be metal, this will often result in metal shards flying off the surface at high velocity. Due to this design, HESH rounds perform better the further they can spread, and as such they're more effective when applied to angled armour, within reason.<br />
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''HESH rounds are available to most British vehicles from Rank V, and other vehicles in possession of an L7-derived gun. HESH should be primarily used against lighter armour or side armour, although occasionally the HE splash effect can cause unexpected results. HESH is completely ineffective against heavy armour or composite armour designs.''<br /><br />
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==== <u>Anti-Tank Rounds</u> ====<br />
Anti-Tank rounds make use of shaped charges to penetrate armour, forcing molten metal through into the crew compartment, damaging crew and modules. HEAT rounds prove particularly effective at long ranges, as their method of action does not lose effectiveness with range. Unfortunately, though, the fuse on a HEAT round must be extremely sensitive, allowing the rounds to detonate on trees and fences that other rounds would pass through.<br />
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[[File:Rnd heat.png|left|frameless]]<br />
'''High Explosive, Anti-tank (HEAT)'''<br />
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HEAT rounds are designed specifically as an anti-tank round. They operate by superheating metallic armour with a shaped charge, with the external pressure caused by the charge explosion forcing the molten metal into the internals of the vehicle, causing internal damage to crew and modules. <br />
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''HEAT rounds are available to a variety of WW2 German vehicles, as well as higher-performance HEAT becoming available to some late French and American vehicles, as HEAT-FS rounds cannot be fired from rifled cannons. HEAT is limited in effectiveness and its usage should be carefully considered as many vehicles have armour it cannot penetrate.''<br />
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[[File:Rnd heatfs.png|left|frameless]]<br />
'''High Explosive, Anti-Tank, Fin-Stabilized (HEAT-FS)'''<br />
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HEAT-FS rounds are an improvement over the HEAT concept, using improved penetrative chemicals and utilising fins for improved ballistic performance. HEAT-FS rounds maintain their penetration values at all ranges, and are well-suited to long-range engagements. HEAT-FS rounds are particularly sensitive, and may detonate on light obstacles such as shrubs or fences.<br />
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''HEAT-FS rounds become available to many nations from Rank V although notably the British do not receive HEAT-FS at any stage due to its incompatibility with rifled cannons. At Rank VI and Rank VII, HEAT-FS may prove ineffective in many cases due to the prevalence of ERA and composite armour. Despite this, it can still be used for ranged engagements, as particularly late HEAT-FS rounds have extremely high penetration power.''<br />
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[[File:Icon rnd heatfs prx.png|left|frameless]]<br />
'''High Explosive, Anti-Tank, Fin-Stabilised, Proximity Fuse (HEAT-FS PRX)'''<br />
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HEAT-FS PRX rounds are specialised HEAT-FS rounds which utilise a proximity fuse to detonate when in close proximity to a target. They can be used to destroy low-flying aircraft or helicopters, while maintaining their effectiveness against ground vehicles utilising normal HEAT-FS technology. <br />
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''HEAT-FS PRX rounds are extremely specialised and are available to only the M1A2 Abrams (as of 1.93). They combine the anti-armour power of a standard HEAT-FS round with the anti-aircraft effectiveness of a HE-PRX round. Their proximity fuse will detonate only above a specified altitude, so they can be used normally against other armoured vehicles.''<br />
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[[File:Rnd heat gnd.png|left|frameless]]<br />
'''High Explosive, Anti-Tank Grenade'''<br />
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HEAT Grenades are specialised HEAT rounds, designed for use where normal tank rounds may not be possible to utilise. They often use a propellant rather than a standard charge, and as such suffer from low velocity and sub-par round ballistics. Despite this, they can prove effective against tanks due to their HEAT technology.<br />
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''HEAT Grenades are available to vehicles with 'recoilless' cannons or other non-standard cannon designs. Their effectiveness is similar to that of an equivalent HEAT round, however due to their low muzzle velocity they can be inaccurate at long ranges. HEAT Grenades are found on vehicles such as the BMP-1.''<br />
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==== <u>Guided Missiles</u> ====<br />
Guided missiles utilise a guidance system (of various types, such as MCLOS, SACLOS, Radar, Heat-Seeking) to accomplish their intended role. They sacrifice round velocity for long-range precision. Different missile types are effective in different applications - some have anti-tank properties, while others are effective against air targets.<br />
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[[File:Rnd atgm.png|left|frameless]]<br />
'''Anti-Tank Guided Missile (ATGM)'''<br />
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''Main article: [[Anti-tank guided missiles|Anti-tank Guided Missile]]''<br />
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ATGMs largely utilise the same concept as HEAT, however they integrate some form of propulsion and are usually guidable, either manually (MCLOS) or semi-automatically (SACLOS). ATGMs usually pack a large amount of explosive and often have particularly powerful shaped charges. However, they require specialised equipment to fire and tend to be heavy, often resulting in long reload times.<br />
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''ATGMs become available through Rank V, and are primarily carried by specialised ATGM carriers, although some tanks have ATGM-capable main cannons and some exceptional designs such as the Strv 81 (Rb.52) or the AMX-13 (HOT) mount ATGMs on ancillary pylons. ATGMs are powerful and SACLOS guided missiles are easily aimed, however they travel slowly and well-aware targets may be able to move into cover prior to the ATGM reaching them.''<br />
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[[File:Rnd atgm prox.png|left|frameless]]<br />
'''Anti-Tank Guided Missile Proximity Fuse (ATGM-PRX)'''<br />
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Proximity ATGMs utilise proximity fuses to detonate when in close proximity to aircraft. This, combined with their guidance systems (SACLOS) allows them to be used effectively against low-flying aircraft or helicopters.<br />
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''Proximity Fuse ATGMs can prove extremely effective against low-flying aircraft or helicopters, and utilise a similar proximity fuse concept to SAM missiles - although often ATGMs pack significantly more HE filler than SAMs do. ATGM-PRX missiles are available to specialised ATGM carriers such as the Shturm-S.''<br />
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[[File:Rnd atgm tandem.png|left|frameless]]<br />
'''Anti-Tank Guided Missile, Tandem Charge''' '''(ATGM Tandem)'''<br />
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Tandem ATGMs utilise a twin-stage warhead to overcome ERA - the first stage causes the ERA to detonate, while the second stage penetrates the armour below as normal. This concept does not work against NERA or composite armour.<br />
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''Tandem ATGMs are effective against ERA-protected vehicles, and often have very high penetration values. Tandem charge ATGMs are available to specialised ATGM carriers such as the Shturm-S.''<br />
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[[File:Rnd atgm he.png|left|frameless]]<br />
'''Anti-Tank Guided Missile, HE (ATGM-HE)'''<br />
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HE ATGMs are a simplification of a standard ATGM; rather than a shaped HEAT charge, HE missiles simply utilise a large quantity of explosive to damage or destroy emplacements or light vehicles.<br />
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''HE ATGMs are only effective against light vehicles in most cases, despite packing large quantities of HE filler. They are available to specialised ATGM carriers such as the Shturm-S.''<br />
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[[File:Rnd sam.png|left|frameless]]<br />
'''Surface to Air Missile (SAM)'''<br />
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SAMs are high-velocity anti-air missiles, designed specifically to combat aircraft using a variety of technologies; often including proximity fuses and radar or heat-seeking guidance.<br />
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''SAMs are very effective at long distances against aircraft, particularly helicopters. They are often extremely high velocity and pack a large amount of HE filler for a powerful airburst effect. SAMs'' ''are available to specialised anti-air vehicles such as the 2S6 Tunguska or the ADATS (which, notably, has multi-purpose missiles that are also effective against armoured vehicles).''<br />
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==== <u>Utility Rounds</u> ====<br />
Utility rounds are ineffective for use against other vehicles, but provide value in some sort of utility.<br />
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[[File:Rnd smoke.png|left|frameless]]<br />
'''Smoke'''<br />
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''Main article: [[Smoke screen|Smoke]]''<br />
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Smoke shells are not designed as a damaging shell, and largely consist of chemicals designed to create a smoke screen. The produced smoke has a limited lifetime.<br />
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''Smoke shells are available to various vehicles throughout most tech trees, however their effectiveness is somewhat limited compared to dedicated smoke launchers.''</div>U11670196https://wiki.warthunder.com/index.php?title=Leclerc&diff=38724Leclerc2019-12-10T01:10:23Z<p>U11670196: Added PDV.</p>
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<div>{{Specs-Card|code=fr_leclerc_s1}}<br />
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== Description ==<br />
<!--In the description, the first part should be about the history of the creation and combat usage of the vehicle, as well as its key features. In the second part, tell the reader about the ground vehicle in the game. Insert a screenshot of the vehicle, so that if the novice player does not remember the vehicle by name, he will immediately understand what kind of vehicle the article is talking about.--><br />
[[File:GarageImage_{{PAGENAME}}.jpg|420px|thumb|left]]<br />
{{break}}<br />
The '''{{Specs|name}}''' is a rank {{Specs|rank}} French medium tank {{Battle-rating}}. It was introduced in [[Update 1.89 "Imperial Navy"]].<br />
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== General info ==<br />
=== Survivability and armour ===<br />
[[File:Leclerc Serie 1 Protection Density Visualisation.png|thumb|Leclerc Serie 1 [[Protection Density Visualisation]]]]<!--''Describe armour protection. Note the most well protected and key weak areas. Appreciate the layout of modules as well as the number and location of crew members. Is the level of armour protection sufficient, is the placement of modules helpful for survival in combat?''<br />
''If necessary use a visual template to indicate the most secure and weak zones of the armour.''--><br />
The Leclerc is a very well protected MBT. It's not as strong as a [[Leopard 2A5]] and doesn't possess the strong [[Challenger 2]] turret. The armour consists of modular composite armour SXXI version include titanium, tungsten and semi-reactive layers. But, the Leclerc has only 3 crew members which is a significant disadvantage. However, this doesn't mean that you have weak armour and poor survivability, in fact, the Leclerc is one of the best-protected tanks in the game. The turret has a big weak spot being the box-shaped gun mantlet. Every MBT is able to penetrate this box and when they do, you will lose your gun breech almost every time. The cheeks are strong so it's not likely that you will be penetrated through these. The upper front plate is also quite strong and will help you a lot of the time. The sides and back of the Leclerc are very weak and every SPAA is able to do significant damage or will knock out the tank. The lower front plate is also very weak so take care of your driver!<br />
<br />
Although the Leclerc has only 3 crew members, the French Engineers made sure when they designed the tank, that the crew would be in such a position that the chances of being knocked out are as little as possible. This means that when you do get penetrated, it's likely that only 1 crew member will be knocked out. If the Leclerc didn't have an autoloader, this would be a problem because the fire rate would be dropping quite a bit. This means that the reloading process will not be reset and the fire rate will stay at 6 seconds.<br />
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Because the Leclerc has a good engine, you have very good speed. This makes the survivability of the Leclerc very good because aiming at you will become harder. <br />
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In addition, the Leclerc has blown out panels in the back of the turret. That means that if a shell is fired through the side of the turret, the tank will survive.<br />
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Long story short. The Leclerc has very decent armour and good survivability. This makes the Leclerc a deathly tank and should not be underestimated!<br />
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=== Mobility ===<br />
<!--''Write about the mobility of the ground vehicle. Estimate the specific power and manoeuvrability, as well as the maximum speed forwards and backwards.''--><br />
The Leclerc has V8X SACM (wärtsilä) 8-cylinder diesel engine which is able to produce 1500 hp. The transmission is an Automatic SESM with 8 gears. This gives the Leclerc a hp to ton ratio of 27.52. This makes the Leclerc a very manoeuvrable tank which is a very big plus point. The Leclerc has an average road speed of +50 km/h and 40 km/h off-road. The mobility can be used to drive quickly from point to point and gives the tank the ability to take strategic positions at the beginning of the match. The traverse rate of the Leclerc is decent and will do the job quite well. <br />
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== Armaments ==<br />
=== Main armament ===<br />
<!--''Give the reader information about the characteristics of the main gun. Assess its effectiveness in a battle based on the reloading speed, ballistics and the power of shells. Do not forget about the flexibility of the fire, that is how quickly the cannon can be aimed at the target, open fire on it and aim at another enemy. Add a link to the main article on the gun: <code><nowiki>{{main|Name of the weapon}}</nowiki></code>. Describe in general terms the ammunition available for the main gun. Give advice on how to use them and how to fill the ammunition storage.''--><br />
{{main|GIAT CN120-26 F1 (120 mm)}}<br />
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The Leclerc has a GIAT CN120-26/52 120mm tank gun. This tank gun fires either the APFSDS OFL 120 F1 shell or a standard HEAT shell. The APFSDS shell has a high-velocity, which is useful for hitting targets at range. It recommended that you research the APFSDS as quickly as possible just like the [[AMX-40]]. When you get the APFSDS, you'll be able to fire the second highest penetrating APFSDS in the game with a penetrating value of 528 mm at 0 degrees. You will have no trouble penetrating the upper front plate of a [[Leopard 2A5]] which is a very big advantage. Shoot this tank at the left side of the upper front plate because you can take out the driver, gunner and commander, destroying the [[Leopard 2A5]] in one shot. The turret can rotate very quickly and has high elevation and depression rates. Also, the Leclerc has an autoloader. This means that you will be able to fire a shell every 6 seconds without the dependency of the loader. This means that if the commander is taken out, the Leclerc will still be able to fire back without a reload nerf. All these factors combined makes the Leclerc very good at destroying tanks and has no trouble fighting any MBT in the game. <br />
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=== Machine guns ===<br />
<!--''Offensive and anti-aircraft machine guns not only allow you to fight some aircraft but also are effective against lightly armoured vehicles. Evaluate machine guns and give recommendations on its use.''--><br />
{{main|M2HB (12.7 mm)}}<br />
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Equipped with an M2HB 12.7 mm (.50 calibre) coaxial machine gun. This machine gun is very weak and should not be used to shoot down planes or helicopters. The chance of destroying them is very small and the only thing you do is giving away your position. Try to spot enemy's using your machine gun if needed. <br />
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==Usage in battles==<br />
<!--''Describe the tactics of playing in the vehicle, the features of using vehicles in the team and advice on tactics. Refrain from creating a "guide" - do not impose a single point of view but instead give the reader food for thought. Describe the most dangerous enemies and give recommendations on fighting them. If necessary, note the specifics of the game in different modes (AB, RB, SB).''--><br />
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The Leclerc is a very strong MBT because of it's armour, speed and powerful gun. This means that the Leclerc is a good cap contester and is able to take caps without trouble. Try to flank your enemy's with your speed. Cover your lower front plate because without a driver you're a sitting duck. Take 22 shell's max in order to keep the storage next to the driver empty. If you take more, the enemy will have no trouble setting the ammunition on fire and blow the tank apart. At the beginning of a match, you need to make sure you take strategic points before the enemy team. This means that you never should rush in. Take care of the mini-map and search for potential weak spots. Try to outflank your enemy in order to push. You can knife fight effectively but it's not desirable. The chance of getting destroyed is very big and it's not worth the risk. But when you do get in a knife fight, the chance of you winning is very big. But then again (and I can't stress this enough), flank your enemy!<br />
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===Modules===<br />
{| class="wikitable"<br />
! Tier<br />
! colspan="2" |Mobility<br />
! Protection<br />
! colspan="3" |Firepower<br />
|-<br />
| I<br />
| Tracks||<br />
| Parts<br />
| Horizontal Drive||||<br />
|-<br />
| II<br />
| Suspension||Brake System<br />
| FPE<br />
| Adjustment of Fire||||<br />
|-<br />
| III<br />
| Filters||<br />
| Crew Replenishment<br />
| Elevation Mechanism||Smoke grenade||<br />
|-<br />
| IV<br />
| Transmission||Engine<br />
| <br />
| Artillery Support||OFL 120 F1||Laser rangefinder<br />
|-<br />
|}<br />
It is recommended to research the modules in the following order: <br />
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Parts - FPE - Adjustment of fire - Smoke grenade - Crew Replenishment - OFL 120 F1 (APFSDS) - Engine - Transmission - Filters - Artillery Support - .... the rest is your choice.<br />
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The most important module to get however is the OFL 120 F1 for the APFSDS shell, as without it the competitiveness of the tank is quite low compared to its adversaries. <br />
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===Pros and cons===<br />
<!--Summarise and briefly evaluate the vehicle in terms of its characteristics and combat effectiveness. Mark its pros and cons in a bulleted list. Try not to use more than 6 points for each of the characteristics. Avoid using categorical definitions such as "bad", "good" and the like - use substitutions with softer forms such as "inadequate" and "effective".--><br />
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'''Pros:'''<br />
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* Has an autoloader<br />
* Possess advanced protection of composite armour in turret and hull<br />
* Perfect dynamics of armour, firepower, and mobility<br />
* Good crew layout <br />
* Good mobility<br />
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'''Cons:'''<br />
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* Small crew of three<br />
* Big weak spot at the gun mantlet <br />
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== History ==<br />
<!--Describe the history of the creation and combat usage of the ground vehicle in more detail than in the introduction. If the historical reference turns out to be too long, take it to a separate article, taking a link to the article about the vehicle and adding a block "/ History" (example: <nowiki>https://wiki.warthunder.com/(Vehicle-name)/History</nowiki>) and add a link to it here using the <code>main</code> template. Be sure to reference text and sources by using <code><nowiki><ref></nowiki></code>, as well as adding them at the end of the article. This section may also include the vehicle's dev blog entry (if applicable) and the in-game encyclopedia description (under <code><nowiki>=== In-game description ===</nowiki></code>, also if applicable).--><br />
Development of the Leclerc main battle tank dates back to 1964, when the French military initiated a study on possible replacements for the AMX-30 tank, about to be introduced into service at the time. By the early ‘70s, the inferiority of the AMX-30 compared to more modern Soviet T-series MBTs had become obvious. As a result, work on developing a replacement officially began, with first specifications being drawn up by 1977.<br />
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In 1980, France and Germany began joint development of a new main battle tank. However, similarly to the previous Europanzer development decades ago, the joint effort quickly came to an end shortly afterwards due to various disagreements, with France continuing work on its own.<br />
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The new main battle tank was intended to offer cutting-edge performance by making use of the latest equipment available. However, as the per unit price was projected to be substantial, France sought partnership with another state to reduce these costs. Eventually, a partnership was established with the UAE, who would be the second and only other primary operator of the new tank, other than France itself.<br />
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Thus, in 1986 the tank received its name “Leclerc”, with six initial prototypes being produced. Mass production subsequently started in 1990 and went on until 2007. During production, the Leclerc was built in various batches and series, each introducing various tweaks and changes to the design, while some also incorporated major upgrades.<br />
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The Leclerc saw service as part of a number of UN peacekeeping missions, primarily in Kosovo and Lebanon, with reported favourable performance. Most recently, the UAE deployed a number of its Leclercs to Yemen, with some vehicles getting damaged. As of the end of production in 2007, a total of around 860 Leclercs were built for both French and UAE forces combined.<br />
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''- From [[wt:en/news/6177-development-leclerc-s1-la-r%C3%A9publique-s-finest-en|Devblog]]''<br />
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== Media ==<br />
<!--Excellent additions to the article would be video guides, screenshots from the game, and photos.--><br />
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[[File:Leclerc.jpg|center|thumb|none|Leclerc tank in Saumur museum tank]]<br />
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== See also ==<br />
''Links to the articles on the War Thunder Wiki that you think will be useful for the reader, for example:''<br />
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* ''reference to the series of the vehicles;''<br />
* ''links to approximate analogues of other nations and research trees.''<br />
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== External links ==<br />
<!--Paste links to sources and external resources, such as:<br />
* ''topic on the official game forum;''<br />
* ''encyclopedia page on the tank;''<br />
* ''other literature.''--><br />
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* [[wt:en/news/6177-development-leclerc-s1-la-r%C3%A9publique-s-finest-en|[Devblog<nowiki>]</nowiki> Leclerc S1 - La République’s Finest]]<br />
* [https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/GIAT_CN120-26/52 Wikipedia - GIAT CN120-26/52]<br />
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{{France medium tanks}}</div>U11670196https://wiki.warthunder.com/index.php?title=File:Leclerc_Serie_1_Protection_Density_Visualisation.png&diff=38723File:Leclerc Serie 1 Protection Density Visualisation.png2019-12-10T01:09:29Z<p>U11670196: </p>
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<div>Overview of the frontal protection of the Leclerc Serie 1</div>U11670196https://wiki.warthunder.com/index.php?title=User:U11670196&diff=38698User:U116701962019-12-09T02:33:10Z<p>U11670196: </p>
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<div>Hi! I'm ftsartek (just call me artek). I've played Warthunder on-and-off since release, although I only really got into it more recently when I first picked up ground forces somewhere around 2016/2017.<br />
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I originally made my way up through the Russian ground lineup without touching another nation until I reached the Russian Rank V, when I started grinding the British.<br />
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Over time I worked my way up and as of October 2019, I have full Rank VII lineups for the British, the Russians and the Americans; a Rank VI lineup for the Germans and a Rank IV lineup for the French. I pretty regularly play lineups at just about any rank, though, depending on how I feel at any given time.<br />
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I also play a bit of Air RB, although primarily with the intention of grinding aircraft to support my ground lineups.<br />
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I have a VR setup and on occasion play Air Simulator Battles with it until nausea (or the ground) gets the best of me. <!--One trick to help with the motion sickness when using VR is to have a small fan blowing on you, this will trick your brain into thinking you are actually moving and should help reduce the motion sickness. I had the same problem, once I started the fan, all motion sickness went away and I didn't have any issues after that.--><!-- Thanks! I'll give this a shot. --><br />
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My intention on the Wiki is to (where possible) keep info up-to-date where possible, clean up any grammatical issues or simply help ensure that people can rely on the wiki for gameplay suggestions and recommendations.<br />
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'''Everything below is my opinion only; take it how you like.'''<br />
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=== '''Favourite Vehicles''' ===<br />
<u>[[Centurion Mk 10|Centurion Mk.10:]]</u> I have a special relationship with the Mk.10. It makes up one of my favourite lineups in the game; 7.3 British. I mean, look at this thing! It gets a stabilised 105mm with over 300mm of flat pen, a decent reload, perfectly acceptable armour... Sure, it's not the fastest thing around, but who even cares when you don't need to stop to shoot?<br />
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<u>[[Vickers MBT|Vickers MBT:]]</u> Pretty much the same story as the Centurion. Except this time, you get to run around in a stabilised 105mm with one of the fastest reloads for its tier. Paper armour can be overcome but well-placed APDS can't. I think this is actually my most played medium tank.<br />
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<u>[[Conqueror|Conqueror Mk.2:]]</u> THIS is what a heavy tank should be. A beastly gun, serious armour, decent mobility. Even better, not many tanks you'll face in this thing stand a chance in a snipe-off. And again, British 7.3.<br />
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<u>[[IS-7|IS-7:]]</u> Okay, enough fawning over that British lineup. This thing is great fun. It's not really the best tank at 8.3, where every game's against 8.7 tanks and armour means nothing... But jeez, this defies expectations. No heavy should be this fast, ever. And no tank should be in possession of such a veritable armada of machine guns. Besides that, the fun of a 130mm APHE shell popping in the middle of a tank is pretty unbeatable.<br />
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<u>[[T-80U|T-80U:]]</u> This thing is great. Unless you get shot in the side, but eventually you've gotta get used to it. The gun, the mobility, the survivability... Incredible vehicle, extremely competitive at top tier.<br />
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<u>[[Challenger Mk.2]] & [[Challenger Mk.3|Mk.3]]:</u> These aren't actually amazing tanks, but they look cool, they snipe well, and the fact that they're not super fast means they pace your gameplay. They force you to play more carefully, more strategically.<br />
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<u>[[FV4005|FV4005:]]</u> The HESH Barn is the single most inconsistent vehicle I think I've ever driven in War Thunder. HESH is weird. But I've had a love for this thing since the first time I got a multi-kill; a round hit the side of a Panther, killing it and the Ru 251 directly adjacent, AND a plane that was in the vicinity. I don't even think the plane was that close. Yet to repeat that, but I have had a couple double kills with it since. <br />
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<u>[[ZiS-12 (94-KM)]]:</u> This is not an AA. This is a tank destroyer disguised as a milk truck. I've probably killed like 3 planes for every 20 tanks I've killed with this. Driving around like a maniac in a truck is stupid and amusing. So damn amusing.<br />
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<u>[[T-34-57]]:</u> Who woulda thought a 57mm could do so much damage? This thing's right at the comfortable tier where it still has somewhat effective armour, and that gun is incredible.<br />
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<u>[[IS-2 (1944)]]:</u> 122mm of APHE on a properly armoured hull (unlike the first IS-2 where anything can go through that flat upper section of the UFP.) The Russians just ''get'' me.<br />
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<u>[[Firefly "Scorpion"|Firefly Scorpion]]:</u> To be honest, the 17pdr is dirty at 4.7. Yeah, okay, the thing can't take a hit, but jeez, nothing it faces can either. Plus the Brit 4.7 lineup is a GREAT SL grinder (if you're good with solid shot, at least).<br />
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<u>[[Panther II]]:</u> An 88mm on a Panther hull was the best idea ever. I feel genuinely sad that newer players might never have the opportunity to get this tank. Still, they'll get the opportunity to get blown up by it; better than nothing, right?<br />
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<u>[[Tiger II (10.5 cm Kw.K)|Tiger II (10.5cm Kw.K)]]:</u> This really doesn't have anything over the Tiger II (H) but there's a sorta prestige to having a bigger gun. It's not even the best 6.7 heavy out there, but it sure as hell makes quick work of those pesky T29s/T34s.<br />
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<u>[[Sd.Kfz.234/4]]:</u> Speaking of pesky, this is the king of it. This is like the Centauro before the Italians ''dreamed'' of a light, fast vehicle designed just to annoy people in War Thunder. And on top of being light and fast, it's got a really good gun that can actually do some work in just about any uptier.<br />
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<u>[[M6A1]]:</u> Y'know what's satisfying? Baiting someone out of cover with a fake shot. Works every damn time, and never fails to amuse.<br />
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<u>[[XM-1 (GM)]]:</u> I'd be lying if I said I didn't like this. I mean, really, it's a filthy vehicle. Nothing at 9.0 should be allowed to do what this thing can do. It's a damn Ferrari with a gun on top!<br />
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=== Hated Vehicles ===<br />
<u>[[ADATS]]:</u> Above and before anything else, I hate the ADATS. It's not the missiles; sure, they're bloody ridiculous. It's just that the damn thing won't ''die''. I have to survive long enough to fire off my APFSDS round, reload a HE/ATGM round, and then shoot it again. And half the time, HE isn't even enough to finish it. I've had an ADATS survive 4 HE shots before (this was prior to researching HEAT or ATGMs on the T-80U).<br />
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<u>[[Ru 251]]:</u> I actually got used to fighting Ru 251s pretty quickly, but once in a while I get got by an Ru and it frustrates the hell out of me. It's mostly my fault, though, because I should know better by now.<br />
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<u>[[AUBL/74 HVG]]:</u> Imagine a Leopard 1. Imagine that Leopard 1 is given double its power to weight ratio, a stabilised gun and only moved up 0.3 BR. You have successfully imagined the AUBL/74 HVG. It menaced my 7.7 German games for two weeks (spawn once, die early, no respawn), it menaced my 7.3 Brit/German and 8.3 Russian games for two weeks (supercar is in your spawn before you leave it). Least the thing dies easy.<br />
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<u>[[SIDAM 25 (Mistral)]]:</u> This thing should actually be illegal. What it does to planes is probably against the law in most countries... It ''violates'' them. Jeez.<br />
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<u>[[OTOMATIC]]:</u> What's up with this thing? I swear its breech doesn't ''actually'' die when it dies. I've shot one out and it just starts shooting blanks at me, blocking my view. It's weird, and also you never see the shots coming in a plane which is a little rude.<br />
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<u>[[Ariete|C1 Ariete]] & [[Ariete PSO]]:</u> If you can penetrate the turret cheeks of a Challenger 1, you need to shoot someone that isn't the harmless Challenger 1. They never did anything wrong.<br />
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<u>[[AMX-50 Foch]]:</u> Oh, it's a CA Lorraine. Cool, easy kill... Oh. Oh, it's a Foch. Oh, I'm dead. Oh. (I have nobody to blame but myself for this one)<br />
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<u>[[M10 GMC]]:</u> I paid for a turreted tank destroyer, not a casemate. Whose idea was this?<br />
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<u>[[Flakpanzer 341]]:</u> Love the concept. Still can't reliably shoot planes down ''or'' deal with tanks. Maybe I'm just bad.<br />
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<u>[[Archer]]:</u> ???????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????<br />
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<u>[[M48A2 G A2]]:</u> This is the only vehicle that I honestly think is just hopelessly over-tiered. For 0.4 BR increase, you get a stabiliser, a hell of a lot of speed, and it's not like your armour matters in the first place.<br />
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''Also, all of the French vehicles prior to the B1 Bis. Anyone else who has also had to grind the reserve vehicles in the French lineup will understand why.''<br />
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=== Personal Considerations for WT ===<br />
I enjoy War Thunder, and I'm happy to put time and money into it. Of course, no game can ever be perfect but there are some improvements I'd really like to see:<br />
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'''Quality of Life'''<br />
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* '''Dynamic Spawn Points''': This is likely a complex implementation, but ideally open up the area vehicles can spawn into on subsequent spawns ''if'' there are nearby enemies. Initial spawns can and would work as currently, but respawning would be far more dynamic, denying teams the current 'lockout' ability they currently have if they take an early advantage. If enemy vehicles were detected near or in a spawn, or (using path-tracing) detected with a direct line of sight in a spawn area, vehicles would instead be spawned in a nearby, but non-affected area. This allows for more than 'just get a few kills then die' and avoids the current spawn sniping issues too.<br />
* '''Cleaning up classic maps for modern gameplay''': A number of maps which were made available to top tier in the recent update have areas which are unbelievably good but are simply too easy to get to with MBTs and later light tanks. These need to be further restricted. This also somewhat applies to some newer maps where there are extremely good sniping positions available to one side and no spots available on the other side.<br />
* '''ULQ''': Ultra Low Quality is game-breaking, especially with Thermal in the game now. Being punished for playing the game on higher graphics is sad. There needs to be a compromise, a way to avoid issues for players who genuinely do need ULQ and players who really shouldn't be using it. Pet peeve, but I like my games looking good.<br />
* '''Night Maps & NVD''': Night maps are great fun... for people with NVD. If you don't have NVD you're on the back foot, and if it's one of those pitch black maps, you're basically done for. That isn't fun.<br />
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'''Balance'''<br />
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* '''Dynamic Battle Ratings''': This is, of course, a complex idea; probably requires lots of back-end work. Still, it'd be great for vehicles such as the M48A2 G A2 which is unbelievably out-classed until it gets APFSDS, and even then it's kinda over-ranked IMO.<br />
* '''Early-Game ATGM Helicopters''': I don't think early ATGM choppers are healthy for the game. They make people spawn into missile AA at the beginning of the game, which (unless you're in an ADATS) means your early game impact is basically limited to saving your defenseless teammates. Just doesn't really fit. Make ATGMs something you've gotta earn again. If nothing else, limit how many choppers can spawn simultaneously; it's frustrating for both teams when 80% of a team is in choppers.<br />
* '''Decompression''': Everyone asks about it, and for a reason. Vehicles such as the Chieftain Mk.10 shouldn't be fighting 10.0 vehicles, but at the same time it would probably ruin current 7.7 vehicles. Can't move it down, but it's not good where it is. Needs to be decompressed.<br />
* '''Close Look at Top Tier Balance''': I feel like some tanks could do with better rounds now that they've been essentially power creeped (M1/IPM1, Challenger 1s, Chally 2, M1A1....)<br />
* '''Anti-Chopper Aircraft''': Ensure aircraft (without anti-ground ordinance) are able to spawn for the same cost as ATGM helicopters. It's fair enough that there's a viable option to fight back against ATGM choppers besides ground-based AA (which may well be superseded with the advent of long range ATGMs coming up).<br />
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'''Additions/Updates'''<br />
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* A gamemode similar to Battlefield's Rush would be awesome in WT. It would probably require bigger maps, dynamic spawn points, etc, but god it'd be fun.<!-- @ftsartek, welcome to the wiki! We are glad to have your help working on articles where you can share your experience with specific vehicles or tactics and in general making this an inviting place for people to learn more about War Thunder and the vehicles within. If you should have any questions, please don't hesitate to ask. --U64962917 (talk) 10:27, 15 August 2019 (UTC) --><br />
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==Ground Forces Ammunition (WIP) ==<br />
Throughout the past century of tank development, a large range of ammunition types have been produced and have seen combat. As time has progressed, technology has improved and rounds have improved in terms lethality, accuracy and ballistic performance. Despite this, most rounds can be categorised under one of two primary categories: '''kinetic''' rounds and '''chemical''' rounds.<br />
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===<u>Kinetic energy shells</u>===<br />
'''Kinetic rounds''' penetrate and deal damage based on a number of factors; shell type, projectile mass, round velocity and material hardness. Mass, shell type and hardness are constants, but velocity reduces with distance travelled and as such at longer ranges kinetic rounds will lose penetration ability and in some cases post-penetration efficacy.<br />
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==== <u>Solid Armour Piercing Rounds</u> ====<br />
Solid AP rounds are a kinetic munition that utilise a hardened metal (often steel) shell with full-calibre diameter. The result is a simple, yet effective anti-tank round that will punch through armour with high equivalent thickness values, while retaining reasonable post-penetration effects which, when well-placed, can deal significant internal damage to components and crew directly within the shrapnelling path.<br />
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[[File:Icon AP Shot.jpg|left|frameless]]<br />
'''Armour Piercing (AP)'''<br />
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Armour Piercing is a basic solid steel shot which is entirely reliant on kinetic energy to penetrate and deal damage. Providing the round possesses enough energy to penetrate any given armour, it will deal internal damage from steel fragments and spalling of the internal surfaces which can damage vehicle components, stored ammunition and crew members.<br />
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''AP is a standard early World War II ammunition for many nations. In War Thunder, AP rounds should be used as a general use anti-armour round, with careful round placement to maximise post-penetration damage.''<br />
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[[File:Rnd apc.png|left|frameless]]<br />
'''Armour Piercing, Capped (APC)'''<br />
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APC rounds have a nose cone (or cap) of softer metal is fixed to the front of the solid shot. When this strikes the target armour the shock of the impact is transferred away from the tip of the round to the neck, helping prevent shattering. Additionally, the cap will collapse on contact with armour and the deformation will cause the round to angle towards the armour, more efficiently directing energy into the armour and improving the angled performance of the round. A downside of the cap is a decrease in long-range accuracy due to the cap interfering with the shell's aerodynamics.<br />
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''APC is commonly found as a mid-tier shell for both the British and French on their mid-to-late WW2 vehicles. In War Thunder, APC is best used as a short-to-mid range round for combatting angled armour that regular AP rounds may not easily penetrate.''<br />
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[[File:Rnd apbc.png|left|frameless]]<br />
'''Armour Piercing, Ballistic Capped (APBC)'''<br />
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APBC rounds utilise a ballistic cap, designed to improve aerodynamic performance and hence round performance at longer ranges. The cap usually utilises a soft or brittle metal which collapses on impact and does not aid penetration or angled performance.<br />
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''APBC is found on some early Russian vehicles, but is relatively uncommon otherwise compared to APCBC. In War Thunder, APBC is best used as a longer-range alternative to APC or APHE rounds which often exhibit less favourable ranged performance.''<br />
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[[File:Rnd apcbc.png|left|frameless]]<br />
'''Armour Piercing, Capped, Ballistic Capped (APCBC)'''<br />
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APCBC rounds combine the standard cap and the ballistic cap, improving the round's aerodynamic and penetration performance. As such, APCBC rounds tend to exhibit the best 'all-round' characteristics of any conventional kinetic rounds.<br />
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''APCBC is found as a high-tier shell for British, French and American mid-to-late WW2 vehicles. In-game, APCBC should be the preferred option of solid shot rounds in all situations, when available, and should be situationally switched for APHE rounds if they're available.''<br />
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==== <u>HE-Filled Armour Piercing Rounds</u> ====<br />
HE-Filled Armour Piercing Rounds take the concept of armour piercing rounds and add a deadly twist - a quantity of HE filler on a timed fuse, designed to explode after a successful penetration. While the concept sacrifices some structural integrity and thus penetrating power, the destructive ability of an APHE round is nearly unrivalled.<br />
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[[File:Rnd aphe.png|left|frameless]]<br />
'''Armour Piercing, High Explosive (APHE)'''<br />
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APHE rounds utilise a similar form to AP rounds, but incorporate a small chamber of high explosive filler within the round. This often slightly reduces the round's mass and construction strength and as such APHE rounds tend to exhibit slightly worse penetration performance than their solid shot counterparts. However, upon successful penetration, APHE rounds often cause significantly more damage within a vehicle. APHE rounds have a fuse which will only activate on sufficiently thick armour.<br />
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''APHE is primarily found on Russian vehicles earlier in the tech tree, and on some earlier American and German vehicles. It should be prioritised for use when penetration is likely, or switched for AP or APCR if improved penetration is required.''<br />
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[[File:Rnd aphebc.png|left|frameless]]<br />
'''Armour Piercing, High Explosive, Ballistic Capped (APHEBC)'''<br />
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APHEBC rounds, similarly to APHE, utilise APBC concepts with the addition of high explosive filler. Again, the rounds tend to exhibit slightly worse penetrative performance than their solid shot brethren, but significantly more post-penetration damage. APHEBC rounds have a fuse which will only activate on sufficiently thick armour.<br />
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''APHEBC is primarily found on Russian vehicles earlier in the tech tree as a mid-tier round, and on some American and German vehicles. It's ideally used against targets where angled performance is required and HE filler is preferable.''<br />
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[[File:Rnd aphecbc.png|left|frameless]]<br />
'''Armour Piercing, High Explosive, Capped, Ballistic Capped (APHECBC)'''<br />
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APHECBC rounds utilise standard APCBC designs with added explosive filler. APHECBC is often referred to as 'APCBC' in-game, and can be identified instead by the graphic or the explosive filler content in the round stat sheet. As with other APHE rounds, APHECBC significantly improves the post-penetration lethality over that of a standard APCBC round. APHECBC rounds have a fuse which will only activate on sufficiently thick armour.<br />
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''APHECBC is found throughout the Russian tech tree as a high-tier round, and on some American and German vehicles. APHECBC should be used preferentially and interchangeably with a high-penetration round where available.''<br />
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==== <u>Sub-Calibre Armour Piercing Rounds</u> ====<br />
Sub-Calibre AP rounds are, essentially, what they say on the label - the penetrator itself is of a smaller calibre than the gun barrel, using a 'sabot' to make up the calibre difference. How the sabot is handled is dependant on the type of round - it may be either discarding or non-discarding. Sub-Calibre rounds sacrifice post-penetration effectiveness for high round velocities and high penetration values. <br />
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[[File:Rnd apcr.png|left|frameless]]<br />
'''Armour Piercing, Composite, Rigid (APCR)'''<br />
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APCR rounds often use tungsten carbide or other extremely hard metals as a sub-calibre penetrator, wrapped within a softer full-calibre sabot - the APCR concept is essentially a predecessor to the APDS design. Upon impact, the soft shell will deform, allowing the hard metal penetrator contained within to penetrate the target's armour with force spread over a smaller surface area, resulting in significantly better penetration ability. APCR rounds often suffer from less post-penetration damage than a standard AP round of the same calibre, and due to their design perform much worse when facing angled armour.<br />
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''APCR is found throughout most tech trees, most commonly available to vehicles from mid-WW2 through to early cold war vehicles. APCR rounds are best used against minimally angled armour, where other rounds will be unable to penetrate.''<br />
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[[File:Rnd apds.png|left|frameless]]<br />
'''Armour Piercing, Discarding Sabot (APDS)'''<br />
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APDS rounds utilise a hard core as a sub-calibre penetrator, with a full calibre sabot. Unlike APCR rounds, APDS rounds discard their sabot after exiting the cannon barrel. The result is an extremely high-velocity round with particularly high penetration values and good ranged accuracy. APDS produces a minimal amount of post-penetration damage. There is also a small chance for APDS rounds to shatter given certain circumstances.<br />
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''APDS is first made available on post-WW2 British vehicles, and is available to most vehicles in possession of an L7-derived gun.'' ''In War Thunder, APDS is best used as a long-range round, with multiple shots often being a necessity due to the lack of post-penetration damage. APDS is quite ineffective against lightly-armoured vehicles.''<br />
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[[File:Rnd apfsds.png|left|frameless]]<br />
'''Armour Piercing, Discarding Sabot, Fin-Stabilized (APDS-FS)'''<br />
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APDS-FS (usually referred to as APFSDS in-game) is the pinnacle of the kinetic anti-armour rounds. As with APDS, APFSDS utilises an extremely hard penetrator and a discarding sabot, however the penetrator is usually significantly longer than that of APDS and incorporates fins for added long-range accuracy. The additional penetrator legnth improves the post-penetration damage effects. APFSDS rounds are the most powerful kinetic rounds available in-game.<br />
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''APFSDS is first available to some late Rank V vehicles, and is often the primary round for most Rank VI or VII vehicles. It's effective at all ranges, and due to most APFSDS rounds having an extremely high velocity they maintain their performance at even extreme ranges. APFSDS is quite ineffective against lightly-armoured vehicles.''<br />
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===<u>Chemical energy shells</u>===<br />
'''Chemical energy shells''' deal damage based on a chemical reaction, and unlike kinetic shells, their ability to penetrate and deal damage are unaffected by the shell's velocity. This means that target distance often doesn't affect the round's effectiveness.<br />
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==== <u>High Explosive Rounds</u> ====<br />
High Explosive rounds are a simple shell packed full of a high explosive material, primarily designed for anti-infantry and anti-emplacement applications. However, this translates surprisingly well when applied to light vehicles - significantly moreso than armour piercing rounds or in some cases even APHE rounds. Unfortunately, most HE-based rounds are relatively useless against well-armoured vehicles.<br />
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[[File:Rnd he.png|left|frameless]]<br />
'''High Explosive (HE)'''<br />
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High Explosive rounds are primarily intended for use as an anti-infantry/anti-emplacement round. As such, HE rounds tend to have minimal armour-piercing capability and are better used against particularly lightly armoured vehicles, although on occasion it can prove effective against the sides of a vehicle. Particularly high-calibre HE rounds may cause enough area damage to destroy a tank regardless of the round placement.<br />
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''HE rounds are available to almost every vehicle in-game. However, low-calibre HE rounds are particularly ineffective and this type of round should only be utilised by vehicles with large-calibre guns, such as the KV-2 or Sturmpanzer II.''<br />
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[[File:Rnd he dist.png|left|frameless]]<br />
'''High Explosive Variable Timer (HE-VT)'''<br />
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HE-VT rounds use the simple concept of a timed fuse, resulting in an explosion at a preset range. While HE-VT rounds are no more effective than HE rounds against most heavy armour, they can be particularly effective against light vehicles with a known range or against aircraft (one of their original design uses). <br />
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''HE-VT rounds are available to a number of vehicles originally designed for anti-air purposes, such as the YaG-10 (29-K) and the 8,8 cm Flak 37 Sfl.'' ''They're best used against aircraft by rangefinding the aircraft in question, setting the fuse range to a reasonable assumption based on the result and leading reasonably. They can be extremely effective against aircraft if used correctly, but are mostly ineffective against armoured vehicles.''<br />
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[[File:Rnd he prox.png|left|frameless]]<br />
'''High Explosive Proximity Fuse (HE-PRX)'''<br />
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HE-PRX rounds are an advanced round with specialised proximity fuses, designed to detonate the round upon reaching close proximity with a target. These are usually designed for anti-air applications, and are generally ineffective against most ground targets. <br />
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''HE-PRX rounds are available to some later anti-air vehicles, such as the OTOMATIC or Begleitpanzer 57, and are capable of destroying aircraft or helicopters'' ''if the round passes within close proximity of the target. They'' ''are extremely effective against mid-ranged aircraft but cannot be relied upon for use against armour.''<br />
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[[File:Rnd he gnd.png|left|frameless]]<br />
'''High Explosive Grenade'''<br />
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HE Grenades are specialised HE rounds designed to be fired from cannons which may not be otherwise capable of firing high-calibre rounds. They usually operate in a different manner to conventional cannon rounds, utilising a propellant rather than a charge, resulting in a relatively low round velocity and sub-par ballistics. However, this design has proven useful, as the low velocity can be used to 'sling' rounds onto weak roof armour or into trenches or bunkers.<br />
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''HE Grenades are available to vehicles with 'recoilless' cannon designs or other non-standard cannon designs. They are generally as effective as an equivalent HE round, however have significantly lower muzzle velocity and as such are extremely inaccurate at long ranges. HE Grenades are found on vehicles such as the BMP-1.''<br />
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[[File:Rnd rocket.png|left|frameless]]<br />
'''Rocket'''<br />
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Rockets are unguided high-explosive self-propelled rounds which are often significantly higher calibre than standard tank cannons. They can be mounted as ancillary weaponry on some vehicles, or in some cases they're mounted on specialised rocket-carrier vehicles.<br />
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''Rockets can be unreliable and inaccurate, but due to their often large calibre and large amounts of HE filler, they can prove effective against some armoured vehicles. Rockets are either mounted ancillary, as on the Calliope or the M26 T99, or on rocket carriers such as the BM-13N.''<br />
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==== <u>Anti-Emplacement Rounds</u> ====<br />
Anti-Emplacement rounds are designed specifically for combatting emplacements, however have proven to have some anti-tank value. They rely on different mechanics to normal rounds, but can prove particularly ineffective against heavy armour.<br />
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[[File:Shrapnel Round Icon.png|left|frameless]]<br />
'''Shrapnel'''<br />
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Shrapnel rounds are a chemical round utilising a thin shell and a chamber of metal fillings or ball bearings with a small explosive charge. Upon successful penetration, shrapnel rounds cause a significant amount of damage. However, due to the thin outer shell, shrapnel rounds only perform well against particularly light armour and are completely ineffective when used against even moderately armoured targets.<br />
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''Shrapnel rounds are available exclusively to early Russian vehicles. Shrapnel is exclusively useful against lightly armoured targets, and shouldn't be used against front-facing armour of any other tank.''<br />
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[[File:Rnd hesh.png|left|frameless]]<br />
'''High Explosive Squash Head (HESH)'''<br />
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HESH rounds are designed as an anti-emplacement round. The 'squash head', usually comprised of some form of plastic explosive, is designed to squash onto a surface and detonate, causing the opposite side of the surface to rupture. If the given surface happens to be metal, this will often result in metal shards flying off the surface at high velocity. Due to this design, HESH rounds perform better the further they can spread, and as such they're more effective when applied to angled armour, within reason.<br />
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''HESH rounds are available to most British vehicles from Rank V, and other vehicles in possession of an L7-derived gun. HESH should be primarily used against lighter armour or side armour, although occasionally the HE splash effect can cause unexpected results. HESH is completely ineffective against heavy armour or composite armour designs.''<br /><br />
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==== <u>Anti-Tank Rounds</u> ====<br />
Anti-Tank rounds make use of shaped charges to penetrate armour, forcing molten metal through into the crew compartment, damaging crew and modules. HEAT rounds prove particularly effective at long ranges, as their method of action does not lose effectiveness with range. Unfortunately, though, the fuse on a HEAT round must be extremely sensitive, allowign the rounds to detonate on trees and fences that other rounds would pass through.<br />
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[[File:Rnd heat.png|left|frameless]]<br />
'''High Explosive, Anti-tank (HEAT)'''<br />
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HEAT rounds are designed specifically as an anti-tank round. They operate by superheating metallic armour with a shaped charge, with the external pressure caused by the charge explosion forcing the molten metal into the internals of the vehicle, causing internal damage to crew and modules. <br />
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''HEAT rounds are available to a variety of WW2 German vehicles, as well as higher-performance HEAT becoming available to some late French and American vehicles, as HEAT-FS rounds cannot be fired from rifled cannons. HEAT is limited in effectiveness and its usage should be carefully considered as many vehicles have armour it cannot penetrate.''<br />
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[[File:Rnd heatfs.png|left|frameless]]<br />
'''High Explosive, Anti-Tank, Fin-Stabilized (HEAT-FS)'''<br />
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HEAT-FS rounds are an improvement over the HEAT concept, using improved penetrative chemicals and utilising fins for improved ballistic performance. HEAT-FS rounds maintain their penetration values at all ranges, and are well-suited to long-range engagements. HEAT-FS rounds are particularly sensitive, and may detonate on light obstacles such as shrubs or fences.<br />
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''HEAT-FS rounds become available to many nations from Rank V although notably the British do not receive HEAT-FS at any stage due to its incompatibility with rifled cannons. At Rank VI and Rank VII, HEAT-FS may prove ineffective in many cases due to the prevalence of ERA and composite armour. Despite this, it can still be used for ranged engagements, as particularly late HEAT-FS rounds have extremely high penetration power.''<br />
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[[File:Icon rnd heatfs prx.png|left|frameless]]<br />
'''High Explosive, Anti-Tank, Fin-Stabilised, Proximity Fuse (HEAT-FS PRX)'''<br />
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HEAT-FS PRX rounds are specialised HEAT-FS rounds which utilise a proximity fuse to detonate when in close proximity to a target. They can be used to destroy low-flying aircraft or helicopters, while maintaining their effectiveness against ground vehicles utilising normal HEAT-FS technology. <br />
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''HEAT-FS PRX rounds are extremely specialised and are available to only the M1A2 Abrams (as of 1.93). They combine the anti-armour power of a standard HEAT-FS round with the anti-aircraft effectiveness of a HE-PRX round. Their proximity fuse will detonate only above a specified altitude, so they can be used normally against other armoured vehicles.''<br />
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[[File:Rnd heat gnd.png|left|frameless]]<br />
'''High Explosive, Anti-Tank Grenade'''<br />
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HEAT Grenades are specialised HEAT rounds, designed for use where normal tank rounds may not be possible to utilise. They often use a propellant rather than a standard charge, and as such suffer from low velocity and sub-par round ballistics. Despite this, they can prove effective against tanks due to their HEAT technology.<br />
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''HEAT Grenades are available to vehicles with 'recoilless' cannons or other non-standard cannon designs. Their effectiveness is similar to that of an equivalent HEAT round, however due to their low muzzle velocity they can be inaccurate at long ranges. HEAT Grenades are found on vehicles such as the BMP-1.''<br />
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==== <u>Guided Missiles</u> ====<br />
Guided missiles utilise a guidance system (of various types, such as MCLOS, SACLOS, Radar, Heat-Seeking) to accomplish their intended role. They sacrifice round velocity for long-range precision. Different missile types are effective in different applications - some have anti-tank properties, while others are effective against air targets.<br />
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[[File:Rnd atgm.png|left|frameless]]<br />
'''Anti-Tank Guided Missile (ATGM)'''<br />
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''Main article: [[Anti-tank guided missiles|Anti-tank Guided Missile]]''<br />
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ATGMs largely utilise the same concept as HEAT, however they integrate some form of propulsion and are usually guidable, either manually (MCLOS) or semi-automatically (SACLOS). ATGMs usually pack a large amount of explosive and often have particularly powerful shaped charges. However, they require specialised equipment to fire and tend to be heavy, often resulting in long reload times.<br />
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''ATGMs become available through Rank V, and are primarily carried by specialised ATGM carriers, although some tanks have ATGM-capable main cannons and some exceptional designs such as the Strv 81 (Rb.52) or the AMX-13 (HOT) mount ATGMs on ancillary pylons. ATGMs are powerful and SACLOS guided missiles are easily aimed, however they travel slowly and well-aware targets may be able to move into cover prior to the ATGM reaching them.''<br />
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[[File:Rnd atgm prox.png|left|frameless]]<br />
'''Anti-Tank Guided Missile Proximity Fuse (ATGM-PRX)'''<br />
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Proximity ATGMs utilise proximity fuses to detonate when in close proximity to aircraft. This, combined with their guidance systems (SACLOS) allows them to be used effectively against low-flying aircraft or helicopters.<br />
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''Proximity Fuse ATGMs can prove extremely effective against low-flying aircraft or helicopters, and utilise a similar proximity fuse concept to SAM missiles - although often ATGMs pack significantly more HE filler than SAMs do. ATGM-PRX missiles are available to specialised ATGM carriers such as the Shturm-S.''<br />
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[[File:Rnd atgm tandem.png|left|frameless]]<br />
'''Anti-Tank Guided Missile, Tandem Charge''' '''(ATGM Tandem)'''<br />
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Tandem ATGMs utilise a twin-stage warhead to overcome ERA - the first stage causes the ERA to detonate, while the second stage penetrates the armour below as normal. This concept does not work against NERA or composite armour.<br />
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''Tandem ATGMs are effective against ERA-protected vehicles, and often have very high penetration values. Tandem charge ATGMs are available to specialised ATGM carriers such as the Shturm-S.''<br />
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[[File:Rnd atgm he.png|left|frameless]]<br />
'''Anti-Tank Guided Missile, HE (ATGM-HE)'''<br />
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HE ATGMs are a simplification of a standard ATGM; rather than a shaped HEAT charge, HE missiles simply utilise a large quantity of explosive to damage or destroy emplacements or light vehicles.<br />
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''HE ATGMs are only effective against light vehicles in most cases, despite packing large quantities of HE filler. They are available to specialised ATGM carriers such as the Shturm-S.''<br />
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[[File:Rnd sam.png|left|frameless]]<br />
'''Surface to Air Missile (SAM)'''<br />
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SAMs are high-velocity anti-air missiles, designed specifically to combat aircraft using a variety of technologies; often including proximity fuses and radar or heat-seeking guidance.<br />
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''SAMs are very effective at long distances against aircraft, particularly helicopters. They are often extremely high velocity and pack a large amount of HE filler for a powerful airburst effect. SAMs'' ''are available to specialised anti-air vehicles such as the 2S6 Tunguska or the ADATS (which, notably, has multi-purpose missiles that are also effective against armoured vehicles).''<br />
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==== <u>Utility Rounds</u> ====<br />
Utility rounds are ineffective for use against other vehicles, but provide value in some sort of utility.<br />
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[[File:Rnd smoke.png|left|frameless]]<br />
'''Smoke'''<br />
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''Main article: [[Smoke screen|Smoke]]''<br />
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Smoke shells are not designed as a damaging shell, and largely consist of chemicals designed to create a smoke screen. The produced smoke has a limited lifetime.<br />
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''Smoke shells are available to various vehicles throughout most tech trees, however their effectiveness is somewhat limited compared to dedicated smoke launchers.''</div>U11670196https://wiki.warthunder.com/index.php?title=User:U11670196&diff=38697User:U116701962019-12-09T02:31:21Z<p>U11670196: /* Ground Forces Ammunition (WIP) */</p>
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<div>Hi! I'm ftsartek (just call me artek). I've played Warthunder on-and-off since release, although I only really got into it more recently when I first picked up ground forces somewhere around 2016/2017.<br />
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I originally made my way up through the Russian ground lineup without touching another nation until I reached the Russian Rank V, when I started grinding the British.<br />
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Over time I worked my way up and as of October 2019, I have full Rank VII lineups for the British, the Russians and the Americans; a Rank VI lineup for the Germans and a Rank IV lineup for the French. I pretty regularly play lineups at just about any rank, though, depending on how I feel at any given time.<br />
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I also play a bit of Air RB, although primarily with the intention of grinding aircraft to support my ground lineups.<br />
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I have a VR setup and on occasion play Air Simulator Battles with it until nausea (or the ground) gets the best of me. <!--One trick to help with the motion sickness when using VR is to have a small fan blowing on you, this will trick your brain into thinking you are actually moving and should help reduce the motion sickness. I had the same problem, once I started the fan, all motion sickness went away and I didn't have any issues after that.--><!-- Thanks! I'll give this a shot. --><br />
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My intention on the Wiki is to (where possible) keep info up-to-date where possible, clean up any grammatical issues or simply help ensure that people can rely on the wiki for gameplay suggestions and recommendations.<br />
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'''Everything below is my opinion only; take it how you like.'''<br />
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=== '''Favourite Vehicles''' ===<br />
<u>[[Centurion Mk 10|Centurion Mk.10:]]</u> I have a special relationship with the Mk.10. It makes up one of my favourite lineups in the game; 7.3 British. I mean, look at this thing! It gets a stabilised 105mm with over 300mm of flat pen, a decent reload, perfectly acceptable armour... Sure, it's not the fastest thing around, but who even cares when you don't need to stop to shoot?<br />
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<u>[[Vickers MBT|Vickers MBT:]]</u> Pretty much the same story as the Centurion. Except this time, you get to run around in a stabilised 105mm with one of the fastest reloads for its tier. Paper armour can be overcome but well-placed APDS can't. I think this is actually my most played medium tank.<br />
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<u>[[Conqueror|Conqueror Mk.2:]]</u> THIS is what a heavy tank should be. A beastly gun, serious armour, decent mobility. Even better, not many tanks you'll face in this thing stand a chance in a snipe-off. And again, British 7.3.<br />
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<u>[[IS-7|IS-7:]]</u> Okay, enough fawning over that British lineup. This thing is great fun. It's not really the best tank at 8.3, where every game's against 8.7 tanks and armour means nothing... But jeez, this defies expectations. No heavy should be this fast, ever. And no tank should be in possession of such a veritable armada of machine guns. Besides that, the fun of a 130mm APHE shell popping in the middle of a tank is pretty unbeatable.<br />
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<u>[[T-80U|T-80U:]]</u> This thing is great. Unless you get shot in the side, but eventually you've gotta get used to it. The gun, the mobility, the survivability... Incredible vehicle, extremely competitive at top tier.<br />
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<u>[[Challenger Mk.2]] & [[Challenger Mk.3|Mk.3]]:</u> These aren't actually amazing tanks, but they look cool, they snipe well, and the fact that they're not super fast means they pace your gameplay. They force you to play more carefully, more strategically.<br />
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<u>[[FV4005|FV4005:]]</u> The HESH Barn is the single most inconsistent vehicle I think I've ever driven in War Thunder. HESH is weird. But I've had a love for this thing since the first time I got a multi-kill; a round hit the side of a Panther, killing it and the Ru 251 directly adjacent, AND a plane that was in the vicinity. I don't even think the plane was that close. Yet to repeat that, but I have had a couple double kills with it since. <br />
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<u>[[ZiS-12 (94-KM)]]:</u> This is not an AA. This is a tank destroyer disguised as a milk truck. I've probably killed like 3 planes for every 20 tanks I've killed with this. Driving around like a maniac in a truck is stupid and amusing. So damn amusing.<br />
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<u>[[T-34-57]]:</u> Who woulda thought a 57mm could do so much damage? This thing's right at the comfortable tier where it still has somewhat effective armour, and that gun is incredible.<br />
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<u>[[IS-2 (1944)]]:</u> 122mm of APHE on a properly armoured hull (unlike the first IS-2 where anything can go through that flat upper section of the UFP.) The Russians just ''get'' me.<br />
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<u>[[Firefly "Scorpion"|Firefly Scorpion]]:</u> To be honest, the 17pdr is dirty at 4.7. Yeah, okay, the thing can't take a hit, but jeez, nothing it faces can either. Plus the Brit 4.7 lineup is a GREAT SL grinder (if you're good with solid shot, at least).<br />
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<u>[[Panther II]]:</u> An 88mm on a Panther hull was the best idea ever. I feel genuinely sad that newer players might never have the opportunity to get this tank. Still, they'll get the opportunity to get blown up by it; better than nothing, right?<br />
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<u>[[Tiger II (10.5 cm Kw.K)|Tiger II (10.5cm Kw.K)]]:</u> This really doesn't have anything over the Tiger II (H) but there's a sorta prestige to having a bigger gun. It's not even the best 6.7 heavy out there, but it sure as hell makes quick work of those pesky T29s/T34s.<br />
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<u>[[Sd.Kfz.234/4]]:</u> Speaking of pesky, this is the king of it. This is like the Centauro before the Italians ''dreamed'' of a light, fast vehicle designed just to annoy people in War Thunder. And on top of being light and fast, it's got a really good gun that can actually do some work in just about any uptier.<br />
<br />
<u>[[M6A1]]:</u> Y'know what's satisfying? Baiting someone out of cover with a fake shot. Works every damn time, and never fails to amuse.<br />
<br />
<u>[[XM-1 (GM)]]:</u> I'd be lying if I said I didn't like this. I mean, really, it's a filthy vehicle. Nothing at 9.0 should be allowed to do what this thing can do. It's a damn Ferrari with a gun on top!<br />
<br />
=== Hated Vehicles ===<br />
<u>[[ADATS]]:</u> Above and before anything else, I hate the ADATS. It's not the missiles; sure, they're bloody ridiculous. It's just that the damn thing won't ''die''. I have to survive long enough to fire off my APFSDS round, reload a HE/ATGM round, and then shoot it again. And half the time, HE isn't even enough to finish it. I've had an ADATS survive 4 HE shots before (this was prior to researching HEAT or ATGMs on the T-80U).<br />
<br />
<u>[[Ru 251]]:</u> I actually got used to fighting Ru 251s pretty quickly, but once in a while I get got by an Ru and it frustrates the hell out of me. It's mostly my fault, though, because I should know better by now.<br />
<br />
<u>[[AUBL/74 HVG]]:</u> Imagine a Leopard 1. Imagine that Leopard 1 is given double its power to weight ratio, a stabilised gun and only moved up 0.3 BR. You have successfully imagined the AUBL/74 HVG. It menaced my 7.7 German games for two weeks (spawn once, die early, no respawn), it menaced my 7.3 Brit/German and 8.3 Russian games for two weeks (supercar is in your spawn before you leave it). Least the thing dies easy.<br />
<br />
<u>[[SIDAM 25 (Mistral)]]:</u> This thing should actually be illegal. What it does to planes is probably against the law in most countries... It ''violates'' them. Jeez.<br />
<br />
<u>[[OTOMATIC]]:</u> What's up with this thing? I swear its breech doesn't ''actually'' die when it dies. I've shot one out and it just starts shooting blanks at me, blocking my view. It's weird, and also you never see the shots coming in a plane which is a little rude.<br />
<br />
<u>[[Ariete|C1 Ariete]] & [[Ariete PSO]]:</u> If you can penetrate the turret cheeks of a Challenger 1, you need to shoot someone that isn't the harmless Challenger 1. They never did anything wrong.<br />
<br />
<u>[[AMX-50 Foch]]:</u> Oh, it's a CA Lorraine. Cool, easy kill... Oh. Oh, it's a Foch. Oh, I'm dead. Oh. (I have nobody to blame but myself for this one)<br />
<br />
<u>[[M10 GMC]]:</u> I paid for a turreted tank destroyer, not a casemate. Whose idea was this?<br />
<br />
<u>[[Flakpanzer 341]]:</u> Love the concept. Still can't reliably shoot planes down ''or'' deal with tanks. Maybe I'm just bad.<br />
<br />
<u>[[Archer]]:</u> ???????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????<br />
<br />
<u>[[M48A2 G A2]]:</u> This is the only vehicle that I honestly think is just hopelessly over-tiered. For 0.4 BR increase, you get a stabiliser, a hell of a lot of speed, and it's not like your armour matters in the first place.<br />
<br />
''Also, all of the French vehicles prior to the B1 Bis. Anyone else who has also had to grind the reserve vehicles in the French lineup will understand why.''<br />
<br />
=== Personal Considerations for WT ===<br />
I enjoy War Thunder, and I'm happy to put time and money into it. Of course, no game can ever be perfect but there are some improvements I'd really like to see:<br />
<br />
'''Quality of Life'''<br />
<br />
* '''Dynamic Spawn Points''': This is likely a complex implementation, but ideally open up the area vehicles can spawn into on subsequent spawns ''if'' there are nearby enemies. Initial spawns can and would work as currently, but respawning would be far more dynamic, denying teams the current 'lockout' ability they currently have if they take an early advantage. If enemy vehicles were detected near or in a spawn, or (using path-tracing) detected with a direct line of sight in a spawn area, vehicles would instead be spawned in a nearby, but non-affected area. This allows for more than 'just get a few kills then die' and avoids the current spawn sniping issues too.<br />
* '''Cleaning up classic maps for modern gameplay''': A number of maps which were made available to top tier in the recent update have areas which are unbelievably good but are simply too easy to get to with MBTs and later light tanks. These need to be further restricted. This also somewhat applies to some newer maps where there are extremely good sniping positions available to one side and no spots available on the other side.<br />
* '''ULQ''': Ultra Low Quality is game-breaking, especially with Thermal in the game now. Being punished for playing the game on higher graphics is sad. There needs to be a compromise, a way to avoid issues for players who genuinely do need ULQ and players who really shouldn't be using it. Pet peeve, but I like my games looking good.<br />
* '''Night Maps & NVD''': Night maps are great fun... for people with NVD. If you don't have NVD you're on the back foot, and if it's one of those pitch black maps, you're basically done for. That isn't fun.<br />
<br />
'''Balance'''<br />
<br />
* '''Dynamic Battle Ratings''': This is, of course, a complex idea; probably requires lots of back-end work. Still, it'd be great for vehicles such as the M48A2 G A2 which is unbelievably out-classed until it gets APFSDS, and even then it's kinda over-ranked IMO.<br />
* '''Early-Game ATGM Helicopters''': I don't think early ATGM choppers are healthy for the game. They make people spawn into missile AA at the beginning of the game, which (unless you're in an ADATS) means your early game impact is basically limited to saving your defenseless teammates. Just doesn't really fit. Make ATGMs something you've gotta earn again. If nothing else, limit how many choppers can spawn simultaneously; it's frustrating for both teams when 80% of a team is in choppers.<br />
* '''Decompression''': Everyone asks about it, and for a reason. Vehicles such as the Chieftain Mk.10 shouldn't be fighting 10.0 vehicles, but at the same time it would probably ruin current 7.7 vehicles. Can't move it down, but it's not good where it is. Needs to be decompressed.<br />
* '''Close Look at Top Tier Balance''': I feel like some tanks could do with better rounds now that they've been essentially power creeped (M1/IPM1, Challenger 1s, Chally 2, M1A1....)<br />
* '''Anti-Chopper Aircraft''': Ensure aircraft (without anti-ground ordinance) are able to spawn for the same cost as ATGM helicopters. It's fair enough that there's a viable option to fight back against ATGM choppers besides ground-based AA (which may well be superseded with the advent of long range ATGMs coming up).<br />
<br />
'''Additions/Updates'''<br />
<br />
* A gamemode similar to Battlefield's Rush would be awesome in WT. It would probably require bigger maps, dynamic spawn points, etc, but god it'd be fun.<!-- @ftsartek, welcome to the wiki! We are glad to have your help working on articles where you can share your experience with specific vehicles or tactics and in general making this an inviting place for people to learn more about War Thunder and the vehicles within. If you should have any questions, please don't hesitate to ask. --U64962917 (talk) 10:27, 15 August 2019 (UTC) --><br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
==Ground Forces Ammunition (WIP) ==<br />
Throughout the past century of tank development, a large range of ammunition types have been produced and have seen combat. As time has progressed, technology has improved and rounds have improved in terms lethality, accuracy and ballistic performance. Despite this, most rounds can be categorised under one of two primary categories: '''kinetic''' rounds and '''chemical''' rounds.<br />
<br />
===<u>Kinetic energy shells</u>===<br />
'''Kinetic rounds''' penetrate and deal damage based on a number of factors; shell type, projectile mass, round velocity and material hardness. Mass, shell type and hardness are constants, but velocity reduces with distance travelled and as such at longer ranges kinetic rounds will lose penetration ability and in some cases post-penetration efficacy.<br />
<br />
==== <u>Solid Armour Piercing Rounds</u> ====<br />
Solid AP rounds are a kinetic munition that utilise a hardened metal (often steel) shell with full-calibre diameter. The result is a simple, yet effective anti-tank round that will punch through armour with high equivalent thickness values, while retaining reasonable post-penetration effects which, when well-placed, can deal significant internal damage to components and crew directly within the shrapnelling path.<br />
<br />
[[File:Icon AP Shot.jpg|left|frameless]]<br />
'''Armour Piercing (AP)'''<br />
<br />
Armour Piercing is a basic solid steel shot which is entirely reliant on kinetic energy to penetrate and deal damage. Providing the round possesses enough energy to penetrate any given armour, it will deal internal damage from steel fragments and spalling of the internal surfaces which can damage vehicle components, stored ammunition and crew members.<br />
<br />
''AP is a standard early World War II ammunition for many nations. In War Thunder, AP rounds should be used as a general use anti-armour round, with careful round placement to maximise post-penetration damage.''<br />
<br /><br />
<br /><br />
[[File:Rnd apc.png|left|frameless]]<br />
'''Armour Piercing, Capped (APC)'''<br />
<br />
APC rounds have a nose cone (or cap) of softer metal is fixed to the front of the solid shot. When this strikes the target armour the shock of the impact is transferred away from the tip of the round to the neck, helping prevent shattering. Additionally, the cap will collapse on contact with armour and the deformation will cause the round to angle towards the armour, more efficiently directing energy into the armour and improving the angled performance of the round. A downside of the cap is a decrease in long-range accuracy due to the cap interfering with the shell's aerodynamics.<br />
<br />
''APC is commonly found as a mid-tier shell for both the British and French on their mid-to-late WW2 vehicles. In War Thunder, APC is best used as a short-to-mid range round for combatting angled armour that regular AP rounds may not easily penetrate.''<br /><br />
<br />[[File:Rnd apbc.png|left|frameless]]<br />
'''Armour Piercing, Ballistic Capped (APBC)'''<br />
<br />
APBC rounds utilise a ballistic cap, designed to improve aerodynamic performance and hence round performance at longer ranges. The cap usually utilises a soft or brittle metal which collapses on impact and does not aid penetration or angled performance.<br />
<br />
''APBC is found on some early Russian vehicles, but is relatively uncommon otherwise compared to APCBC. In War Thunder, APBC is best used as a longer-range alternative to APC or APHE rounds which often exhibit less favourable ranged performance.''<br />
<br /><br />
<br /><br />
[[File:Rnd apcbc.png|left|frameless]]<br />
'''Armour Piercing, Capped, Ballistic Capped (APCBC)'''<br />
<br />
APCBC rounds combine the standard cap and the ballistic cap, improving the round's aerodynamic and penetration performance. As such, APCBC rounds tend to exhibit the best 'all-round' characteristics of any conventional kinetic rounds.<br />
<br />
''APCBC is found as a high-tier shell for British, French and American mid-to-late WW2 vehicles. In-game, APCBC should be the preferred option of solid shot rounds in all situations, when available, and should be situationally switched for APHE rounds if they're available.''<br />
<br /><br />
<br /><br />
<br />
==== <u>HE-Filled Armour Piercing Rounds</u> ====<br />
HE-Filled Armour Piercing Rounds take the concept of armour piercing rounds and add a deadly twist - a quantity of HE filler on a timed fuse, designed to explode after a successful penetration. While the concept sacrifices some structural integrity and thus penetrating power, the destructive ability of an APHE round is nearly unrivalled.<br />
<br />
[[File:Rnd aphe.png|left|frameless]]<br />
'''Armour Piercing, High Explosive (APHE)'''<br />
<br />
APHE rounds utilise a similar form to AP rounds, but incorporate a small chamber of high explosive filler within the round. This often slightly reduces the round's mass and construction strength and as such APHE rounds tend to exhibit slightly worse penetration performance than their solid shot counterparts. However, upon successful penetration, APHE rounds often cause significantly more damage within a vehicle. APHE rounds have a fuse which will only activate on sufficiently thick armour.<br />
<br />
''APHE is primarily found on Russian vehicles earlier in the tech tree, and on some earlier American and German vehicles. It should be prioritised for use when penetration is likely, or switched for AP or APCR if improved penetration is required.''<br />
<br /><br />
<br /><br />
[[File:Rnd aphebc.png|left|frameless]]<br />
'''Armour Piercing, High Explosive, Ballistic Capped (APHEBC)'''<br />
<br />
APHEBC rounds, similarly to APHE, utilise APBC concepts with the addition of high explosive filler. Again, the rounds tend to exhibit slightly worse penetrative performance than their solid shot brethren, but significantly more post-penetration damage. APHEBC rounds have a fuse which will only activate on sufficiently thick armour.<br />
<br />
''APHEBC is primarily found on Russian vehicles earlier in the tech tree as a mid-tier round, and on some American and German vehicles. It's ideally used against targets where angled performance is required and HE filler is preferable.''<br />
<br /><br />
<br /><br />
[[File:Rnd aphecbc.png|left|frameless]]<br />
'''Armour Piercing, High Explosive, Capped, Ballistic Capped (APHECBC)'''<br />
<br />
APHECBC rounds utilise standard APCBC designs with added explosive filler. APHECBC is often referred to as 'APCBC' in-game, and can be identified instead by the graphic or the explosive filler content in the round stat sheet. As with other APHE rounds, APHECBC significantly improves the post-penetration lethality over that of a standard APCBC round. APHECBC rounds have a fuse which will only activate on sufficiently thick armour.<br />
<br />
''APHECBC is found throughout the Russian tech tree as a high-tier round, and on some American and German vehicles. APHECBC should be used preferentially and interchangeably with a high-penetration round where available.''<br />
<br /><br />
<br /><br />
<br />
==== <u>Sub-Calibre Armour Piercing Rounds</u> ====<br />
Sub-Calibre AP rounds are, essentially, what they say on the label - the penetrator itself is of a smaller calibre than the gun barrel, using a 'sabot' to make up the calibre difference. How the sabot is handled is dependant on the type of round - it may be either discarding or non-discarding. Sub-Calibre rounds sacrifice post-penetration effectiveness for high round velocities and high penetration values. <br />
<br />
[[File:Rnd apcr.png|left|frameless]]<br />
'''Armour Piercing, Composite, Rigid (APCR)'''<br />
<br />
APCR rounds often use tungsten carbide or other extremely hard metals as a sub-calibre penetrator, wrapped within a softer full-calibre sabot - the APCR concept is essentially a predecessor to the APDS design. Upon impact, the soft shell will deform, allowing the hard metal penetrator contained within to penetrate the target's armour with force spread over a smaller surface area, resulting in significantly better penetration ability. APCR rounds often suffer from less post-penetration damage than a standard AP round of the same calibre, and due to their design perform much worse when facing angled armour.<br />
<br />
''APCR is found throughout most tech trees, most commonly available to vehicles from mid-WW2 through to early cold war vehicles. APCR rounds are best used against minimally angled armour, where other rounds will be unable to penetrate.''<br />
<br /><br />
<br /><br />
[[File:Rnd apds.png|left|frameless]]<br />
'''Armour Piercing, Discarding Sabot (APDS)'''<br />
<br />
APDS rounds utilise a hard core as a sub-calibre penetrator, with a full calibre sabot. Unlike APCR rounds, APDS rounds discard their sabot after exiting the cannon barrel. The result is an extremely high-velocity round with particularly high penetration values and good ranged accuracy. APDS produces a minimal amount of post-penetration damage. There is also a small chance for APDS rounds to shatter given certain circumstances.<br />
<br />
''APDS is first made available on post-WW2 British vehicles, and is available to most vehicles in possession of an L7-derived gun.'' ''In War Thunder, APDS is best used as a long-range round, with multiple shots often being a necessity due to the lack of post-penetration damage. APDS is quite ineffective against lightly-armoured vehicles.''<br />
<br /><br />
<br /><br />
[[File:Rnd apfsds.png|left|frameless]]<br />
'''Armour Piercing, Discarding Sabot, Fin-Stabilized (APDS-FS)'''<br />
<br />
APDS-FS (usually referred to as APFSDS in-game) is the pinnacle of the kinetic anti-armour rounds. As with APDS, APFSDS utilises an extremely hard penetrator and a discarding sabot, however the penetrator is usually significantly longer than that of APDS and incorporates fins for added long-range accuracy. The additional penetrator legnth improves the post-penetration damage effects. APFSDS rounds are the most powerful kinetic rounds available in-game.<br />
<br />
''APFSDS is first available to some late Rank V vehicles, and is often the primary round for most Rank VI or VII vehicles. It's effective at all ranges, and due to most APFSDS rounds having an extremely high velocity they maintain their performance at even extreme ranges. APFSDS is quite ineffective against lightly-armoured vehicles.''<br />
<br /><br />
<br /><br />
===<u>Chemical energy shells</u>===<br />
'''Chemical energy shells''' deal damage based on a chemical reaction, and unlike kinetic shells, their ability to penetrate and deal damage are unaffected by the shell's velocity. This means that target distance often doesn't affect the round's effectiveness.<br />
<br />
==== <u>High Explosive Rounds</u> ====<br />
High Explosive rounds are a simple shell packed full of a high explosive material, primarily designed for anti-infantry and anti-emplacement applications. However, this translates surprisingly well when applied to light vehicles - significantly moreso than armour piercing rounds or in some cases even APHE rounds. Unfortunately, most HE-based rounds are relatively useless against well-armoured vehicles.[[File:Rnd he.png|left|frameless]]<br />
'''High Explosive (HE)'''<br />
<br />
High Explosive rounds are primarily intended for use as an anti-infantry/anti-emplacement round. As such, HE rounds tend to have minimal armour-piercing capability and are better used against particularly lightly armoured vehicles, although on occasion it can prove effective against the sides of a vehicle. Particularly high-calibre HE rounds may cause enough area damage to destroy a tank regardless of the round placement.<br />
<br />
''HE rounds are available to almost every vehicle in-game. However, low-calibre HE rounds are particularly ineffective and this type of round should only be utilised by vehicles with large-calibre guns, such as the KV-2 or Sturmpanzer II.''<br />
<br /><br />
<br /><br />
[[File:Rnd he dist.png|left|frameless]]<br />
'''High Explosive Variable Timer (HE-VT)'''<br />
<br />
HE-VT rounds use the simple concept of a timed fuse, resulting in an explosion at a preset range. While HE-VT rounds are no more effective than HE rounds against most heavy armour, they can be particularly effective against light vehicles with a known range or against aircraft (one of their original design uses). <br />
<br />
''HE-VT rounds are available to a number of vehicles originally designed for anti-air purposes, such as the YaG-10 (29-K) and the 8,8 cm Flak 37 Sfl.'' ''They're best used against aircraft by rangefinding the aircraft in question, setting the fuse range to a reasonable assumption based on the result and leading reasonably. They can be extremely effective against aircraft if used correctly, but are mostly ineffective against armoured vehicles.''<br />
<br /><br />
<br /><br />
[[File:Rnd he prox.png|left|frameless]]<br />
'''High Explosive Proximity Fuse (HE-PRX)'''<br />
<br />
HE-PRX rounds are an advanced round with specialised proximity fuses, designed to detonate the round upon reaching close proximity with a target. These are usually designed for anti-air applications, and are generally ineffective against most ground targets. <br />
<br />
''HE-PRX rounds are available to some later anti-air vehicles, such as the OTOMATIC or Begleitpanzer 57, and are capable of destroying aircraft or helicopters'' ''if the round passes within close proximity of the target. They'' ''are extremely effective against mid-ranged aircraft but cannot be relied upon for use against armour.''<br />
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<br /><br />
[[File:Rnd he gnd.png|left|frameless]]<br />
'''High Explosive Grenade'''<br />
<br />
HE Grenades are specialised HE rounds designed to be fired from cannons which may not be otherwise capable of firing high-calibre rounds. They usually operate in a different manner to conventional cannon rounds, utilising a propellant rather than a charge, resulting in a relatively low round velocity and sub-par ballistics. However, this design has proven useful, as the low velocity can be used to 'sling' rounds onto weak roof armour or into trenches or bunkers.<br />
<br />
''HE Grenades are available to vehicles with 'recoilless' cannon designs or other non-standard cannon designs. They are generally as effective as an equivalent HE round, however have significantly lower muzzle velocity and as such are extremely inaccurate at long ranges. HE Grenades are found on vehicles such as the BMP-1.''<br />
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<br /><br />
[[File:Rnd rocket.png|left|frameless]]<br />
'''Rocket'''<br />
<br />
Rockets are unguided high-explosive self-propelled rounds which are often significantly higher calibre than standard tank cannons. They can be mounted as ancillary weaponry on some vehicles, or in some cases they're mounted on specialised rocket-carrier vehicles.<br />
<br />
''Rockets can be unreliable and inaccurate, but due to their often large calibre and large amounts of HE filler, they can prove effective against some armoured vehicles. Rockets are either mounted ancillary, as on the Calliope or the M26 T99, or on rocket carriers such as the BM-13N.''<br />
<br />
==== <u>Anti-Emplacement Rounds</u> ====<br />
Anti-Emplacement rounds are designed specifically for combatting emplacements, however have proven to have some anti-tank value. They rely on different mechanics to normal rounds, but can prove particularly ineffective against heavy armour.<br />
<br />
[[File:Shrapnel Round Icon.png|left|frameless]]<br />
'''Shrapnel'''<br />
<br />
Shrapnel rounds are a chemical round utilising a thin shell and a chamber of metal fillings or ball bearings with a small explosive charge. Upon successful penetration, shrapnel rounds cause a significant amount of damage. However, due to the thin outer shell, shrapnel rounds only perform well against particularly light armour and are completely ineffective when used against even moderately armoured targets.<br />
<br />
''Shrapnel rounds are available exclusively to early Russian vehicles. Shrapnel is exclusively useful against lightly armoured targets, and shouldn't be used against front-facing armour of any other tank.''<br />
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<br /><br />
[[File:Rnd hesh.png|left|frameless]]<br />
'''High Explosive Squash Head (HESH)'''<br />
<br />
HESH rounds are designed as an anti-emplacement round. The 'squash head', usually comprised of some form of plastic explosive, is designed to squash onto a surface and detonate, causing the opposite side of the surface to rupture. If the given surface happens to be metal, this will often result in metal shards flying off the surface at high velocity. Due to this design, HESH rounds perform better the further they can spread, and as such they're more effective when applied to angled armour, within reason.<br />
<br />
''HESH rounds are available to most British vehicles from Rank V, and other vehicles in possession of an L7-derived gun. HESH should be primarily used against lighter armour or side armour, although occasionally the HE splash effect can cause unexpected results. HESH is completely ineffective against heavy armour or composite armour designs.''<br /><br />
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<br />
==== <u>Anti-Tank Rounds</u> ====<br />
Anti-Tank rounds make use of shaped charges to penetrate armour, forcing molten metal through into the crew compartment, damaging crew and modules. HEAT rounds prove particularly effective at long ranges, as their method of action does not lose effectiveness with range. Unfortunately, though, the fuse on a HEAT round must be extremely sensitive, allowign the rounds to detonate on trees and fences that other rounds would pass through.[[File:Rnd heat.png|left|frameless]]<br />
'''High Explosive, Anti-tank (HEAT)'''<br />
<br />
HEAT rounds are designed specifically as an anti-tank round. They operate by superheating metallic armour with a shaped charge, with the external pressure caused by the charge explosion forcing the molten metal into the internals of the vehicle, causing internal damage to crew and modules. <br />
<br />
''HEAT rounds are available to a variety of WW2 German vehicles, as well as higher-performance HEAT becoming available to some late French and American vehicles, as HEAT-FS rounds cannot be fired from rifled cannons. HEAT is limited in effectiveness and its usage should be carefully considered as many vehicles have armour it cannot penetrate.''<br />
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<br /><br />
[[File:Rnd heatfs.png|left|frameless]]<br />
'''High Explosive, Anti-Tank, Fin-Stabilized (HEAT-FS)'''<br />
<br />
HEAT-FS rounds are an improvement over the HEAT concept, using improved penetrative chemicals and utilising fins for improved ballistic performance. HEAT-FS rounds maintain their penetration values at all ranges, and are well-suited to long-range engagements. HEAT-FS rounds are particularly sensitive, and may detonate on light obstacles such as shrubs or fences.<br />
<br />
''HEAT-FS rounds become available to many nations from Rank V although notably the British do not receive HEAT-FS at any stage due to its incompatibility with rifled cannons. At Rank VI and Rank VII, HEAT-FS may prove ineffective in many cases due to the prevalence of ERA and composite armour. Despite this, it can still be used for ranged engagements, as particularly late HEAT-FS rounds have extremely high penetration power.''<br />
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<br /><br />
[[File:Icon rnd heatfs prx.png|left|frameless]]<br />
'''High Explosive, Anti-Tank, Fin-Stabilised, Proximity Fuse (HEAT-FS PRX)'''<br />
<br />
HEAT-FS PRX rounds are specialised HEAT-FS rounds which utilise a proximity fuse to detonate when in close proximity to a target. They can be used to destroy low-flying aircraft or helicopters, while maintaining their effectiveness against ground vehicles utilising normal HEAT-FS technology. <br />
<br />
''HEAT-FS PRX rounds are extremely specialised and are available to only the M1A2 Abrams (as of 1.93). They combine the anti-armour power of a standard HEAT-FS round with the anti-aircraft effectiveness of a HE-PRX round. Their proximity fuse will detonate only above a specified altitude, so they can be used normally against other armoured vehicles.''<br />
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<br /><br />
[[File:Rnd heat gnd.png|left|frameless]]<br />
'''High Explosive, Anti-Tank Grenade'''<br />
<br />
HEAT Grenades are specialised HEAT rounds, designed for use where normal tank rounds may not be possible to utilise. They often use a propellant rather than a standard charge, and as such suffer from low velocity and sub-par round ballistics. Despite this, they can prove effective against tanks due to their HEAT technology.<br />
<br />
''HEAT Grenades are available to vehicles with 'recoilless' cannons or other non-standard cannon designs. Their effectiveness is similar to that of an equivalent HEAT round, however due to their low muzzle velocity they can be inaccurate at long ranges. HEAT Grenades are found on vehicles such as the BMP-1.''<br />
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<br /><br />
<br />
==== <u>Guided Missiles</u> ====<br />
Guided missiles utilise a guidance system (of various types, such as MCLOS, SACLOS, Radar, Heat-Seeking) to accomplish their intended role. They sacrifice round velocity for long-range precision. Different missile types are effective in different applications - some have anti-tank properties, while others are effective against air targets.<br />
<br />
[[File:Rnd atgm.png|left|frameless]]<br />
'''Anti-Tank Guided Missile (ATGM)'''<br />
<br />
''Main article: [[Anti-tank guided missiles|Anti-tank Guided Missile]]''<br />
<br />
ATGMs largely utilise the same concept as HEAT, however they integrate some form of propulsion and are usually guidable, either manually (MCLOS) or semi-automatically (SACLOS). ATGMs usually pack a large amount of explosive and often have particularly powerful shaped charges. However, they require specialised equipment to fire and tend to be heavy, often resulting in long reload times.<br />
<br />
''ATGMs become available through Rank V, and are primarily carried by specialised ATGM carriers, although some tanks have ATGM-capable main cannons and some exceptional designs such as the Strv 81 (Rb.52) or the AMX-13 (HOT) mount ATGMs on ancillary pylons. ATGMs are powerful and SACLOS guided missiles are easily aimed, however they travel slowly and well-aware targets may be able to move into cover prior to the ATGM reaching them.''<br />
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[[File:Rnd atgm prox.png|left|frameless]]<br />
'''Anti-Tank Guided Missile Proximity Fuse (ATGM-PRX)'''<br />
<br />
Proximity ATGMs utilise proximity fuses to detonate when in close proximity to aircraft. This, combined with their guidance systems (SACLOS) allows them to be used effectively against low-flying aircraft or helicopters.<br />
<br />
''Proximity Fuse ATGMs can prove extremely effective against low-flying aircraft or helicopters, and utilise a similar proximity fuse concept to SAM missiles - although often ATGMs pack significantly more HE filler than SAMs do. ATGM-PRX missiles are available to specialised ATGM carriers such as the Shturm-S.''<br />
<br /><br />
<br /><br />
[[File:Rnd atgm tandem.png|left|frameless]]<br />
'''Anti-Tank Guided Missile, Tandem Charge''' '''(ATGM Tandem)'''<br />
<br />
Tandem ATGMs utilise a twin-stage warhead to overcome ERA - the first stage causes the ERA to detonate, while the second stage penetrates the armour below as normal. This concept does not work against NERA or composite armour.<br />
<br />
''Tandem ATGMs are effective against ERA-protected vehicles, and often have very high penetration values. Tandem charge ATGMs are available to specialised ATGM carriers such as the Shturm-S.''<br />
<br /><br />
<br /><br />
[[File:Rnd atgm he.png|left|frameless]]<br />
'''Anti-Tank Guided Missile, HE (ATGM-HE)'''<br />
<br />
HE ATGMs are a simplification of a standard ATGM; rather than a shaped HEAT charge, HE missiles simply utilise a large quantity of explosive to damage or destroy emplacements or light vehicles.<br />
<br />
''HE ATGMs are only effective against light vehicles in most cases, despite packing large quantities of HE filler. They are available to specialised ATGM carriers such as the Shturm-S.''<br />
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<br /><br />
[[File:Rnd sam.png|left|frameless]]<br />
'''Surface to Air Missile (SAM)'''<br />
<br />
SAMs are high-velocity anti-air missiles, designed specifically to combat aircraft using a variety of technologies; often including proximity fuses and radar or heat-seeking guidance.<br />
<br />
''SAMs are very effective at long distances against aircraft, particularly helicopters. They are often extremely high velocity and pack a large amount of HE filler for a powerful airburst effect. SAMs'' ''are available to specialised anti-air vehicles such as the 2S6 Tunguska or the ADATS (which, notably, has multi-purpose missiles that are also effective against armoured vehicles).''<br />
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==== <u>Utility Rounds</u> ====<br />
Utility rounds are ineffective for use against other vehicles, but provide value in some sort of utility.[[File:Rnd smoke.png|left|frameless]]<br />
'''Smoke'''<br />
<br />
''Main article: [[Smoke screen|Smoke]]''<br />
<br />
Smoke shells are not designed as a damaging shell, and largely consist of chemicals designed to create a smoke screen. The produced smoke has a limited lifetime.<br />
<br />
''Smoke shells are available to various vehicles throughout most tech trees, however their effectiveness is somewhat limited compared to dedicated smoke launchers.''</div>U11670196https://wiki.warthunder.com/index.php?title=Challenger_2&diff=38691Challenger 22019-12-08T23:21:26Z<p>U11670196: Removed duplicate info (two sentences about the gun mantlet)</p>
<hr />
<div>{{Specs-Card|code=uk_challenger_II}}<br />
{{About<br />
| about = British medium tank '''{{PAGENAME}}'''<br />
| usage = other uses<br />
| link = Challenger (Disambiguation)<br />
}}<br />
<br />
== Description ==<br />
<!--In the description, the first part should be about the history of the creation and combat usage of the vehicle, as well as its key features. In the second part, tell the reader about the ground vehicle in the game. Insert a screenshot of the vehicle, so that if the novice player does not remember the vehicle by name, he will immediately understand what kind of vehicle the article is talking about.--><br />
[[File:GarageImage_{{PAGENAME}}.jpg|420px|thumb|left]]<br />
{{break}}<br />
The '''{{Specs|name}}''' (shortened to '''CR2''') is a rank {{Specs|rank}} British medium tank {{Battle-rating}}. This tank was introduced in [[Update 1.87 "Locked On"]].<br />
<br />
== General info ==<br />
=== Survivability and armour ===<br />
<!--''Describe armour protection. Note the most well protected and key weak areas. Appreciate the layout of modules as well as the number and location of crew members. Is the level of armour protection sufficient, is the placement of modules helpful for survival in combat?<br />
''If necessary use a visual template to indicate the most secure and weak zones of the armour.''-->[[File:Challenger 2 Density Visualisation.png|thumb|CR2 Frontal [[Protection Density Visualisation]]]]<br />
The Challenger 2 (abbreviation CR2) reinforces the strengths of the Challenger 1 Mk.2/Mk.3, with extremely well protected turret cheeks and better UFP protection, while suffering from similar weaknesses - a particularly weak lower front plate and negligible side protection. The Challenger 2 has a defined gun mantlet that is far larger in area compared to previous Challenger models. This mantlet is very weak in comparison to the rest of the turret, providing roughly 300 mm of RHAe protection, making it a glaring weakspot that easily results in the destruction of the gun breech and loss of turret crew. Additionally, the taller turret design exposes a weak frontal roof slope - while this is a somewhat small vulnerability, penetration may result in the gunner or commander's incapacitation. Similarly to the Challenger 1s, the driver's hatch on the Challenger 2 is a significant weakness that compromises the well protected UFP. The hatch has no composite behind it and provides at best 100 mm of RHA protection. As such, the Challenger 2 thrives in hull-down positions where minimal vulnerabilities are exposed and it can retreat into further cover if one of the few weak spots are penetrated. In situations where protective positioning is not an option, the Challenger 2 should be used conservatively and carefully, avoiding direct confrontation wherever possible.<br />
<br />
=== Mobility ===<br />
<!--Write about the mobility of the ground vehicle. Estimate the specific power and manoeuvrability, as well as the maximum speed forwards and backwards.-->The Challenger 2 is fitted with a similar twin turbo V12 diesel engine to the Challenger 1, producing a maximum of 1,200 horsepower. The CR2 can reach a maximum forward speed of 66 km/h (41 mph) in AB and 59 km/h (37 mph) in RB. The vehicle's stock performance is lacklustre, with acceleration and manoeuvrability suffering due to the CR2's 62.5 tonne total weight. However, once all upgrades are researched, the Challenger 2 performs acceptably, despite being generally out-classed by competitor vehicles like the M1A2 and T-80U. The CR2 also utilises a fully functional neutral steering system, and even when stock the vehicle's neutral steering ability is admirable - easiest used with manual gear selection to avoid shifting during traverse. Notably, the CR2's reverse speed is quite comfortable, with the vehicle capable of up to 36 km/h (RB/SB) backwards thanks to the two reverse gears.<br />
<br />
{| class="wikitable" style="text-align:center"<br />
|-<br />
! colspan="3" |<br />
|-<br />
!Weight (tons)<br />
! colspan="1" |Add-on Armour<br />
weight (tons)<br />
! colspan="1" |Max speed (km/h)<br />
|-<br />
| rowspan="2" |62.5|| colspan="1" rowspan="2" |N/A|| colspan="1" |66 (AB)<br />
|-<br />
|59 (RB/SB)<br />
|-<br />
! colspan="3" |Engine power (horsepower)<br />
|-<br />
! colspan="1" |Mode<br />
!Stock<br />
!Upgraded<br />
|-<br />
|''Arcade''<br />
|1,886<br />
|2,290<br />
|-<br />
|''Realistic/Simulator''<br />
|1,076<br />
|1,200<br />
|-<br />
! colspan="3" |Power-to-weight ratio (hp/ton)<br />
|-<br />
! colspan="1" |Mode<br />
!Stock<br />
!Upgraded<br />
|-<br />
|''Arcade''<br />
|30.18<br />
|36.64<br />
|-<br />
|''Realistic/Simulator''<br />
|17.22<br />
|19.20<br />
|-<br />
|}<br />
<br />
== Armaments ==<br />
=== Main armament ===<br />
<!--Give the reader information about the characteristics of the main gun. Assess its effectiveness in a battle based on the reloading speed, ballistics and the power of shells. Do not forget about the flexibility of the fire, that is how quickly the cannon can be aimed at the target, open fire on it and aim at another enemy. Add a link to the main article on the gun: <code><nowiki>{{main|Name of the weapon}}</nowiki></code>. Describe in general terms the ammunition available for the main gun. Give advice on how to use them and how to fill the ammunition storage.--><br />
{{main|L30A1 (120 mm)}}<br />
<br />
The Challenger 2's primary armament is the 120mm L30A1 cannon. Unlike most modern MBT cannons, the L30A1 is rifled as opposed to smoothbore. This is primarily due to the British preference for HESH (High Explosive Squash Head) ammunition availability, the design of which requires a rifled cannon for accurate fire. The rifled design has some positive attributes: it's extremely accurate with both HESH and APFSDS rounds, including at long range; however the downside is a limited selection of ammunition: the CR2 only has the L23A1 and L26 APFSDS rounds, the L31A7 HESH round and the L34 Smoke round available to it. <br />
<br />
The L30A1 has a base reload time of 6.5 seconds, improving to 5 seconds with an aced crew. As a result, the Challenger 2 sports the fastest reloading 120mm cannon in-game along with the [[Type 90]]'s autoloaded 120mm (as of the time of writing). In addition, the Challenger 2 allows the L30A1 a comfortable 10° of gun depression and a reasonable turret traverse speed. <br />
<br />
The characteristics of the CR2 in combination with the L30A1 weight the vehicle towards a long-range sniping playstyle, something the vehicle generally feels very comfortable doing as it minimises the inferior mobility of the vehicle by having it stay in the back, providing long range fire support and exploiting unaware enemies.<br />
<br />
{| class="wikitable" style="text-align:center"<br />
|-<br />
! colspan="6" | [[L30A1 (120 mm)|120 mm L30A1]]<br />
|-<br />
! colspan="3" rowspan="1" style="width:5em" |Capacity<br />
! rowspan="1" | Vertical <br> guidance<br />
! rowspan="1" | Horizontal <br> guidance<br />
! rowspan="1" | Stabilizer<br />
|-<br />
| colspan="3" | 50 || -10°/+20° || ±180° || Two-plane<br />
|-<br />
! colspan="6" | Turret rotation speed (°/s)<br />
|-<br />
! style="width:4em" |Mode<br />
! style="width:4em" |Stock<br />
! style="width:4em" |Upgraded<br />
! style="width:4em" |Prior + Full crew<br />
! style="width:4em" |Prior + Expert qualif.<br />
! style="width:4em" |Prior + Ace qualif.<br />
|-<br />
| ''Arcade'' || 29.50 || _.__ || _.__ || _.__ || _.__<br />
|-<br />
| ''Realistic'' || 18.40 || _.__ || _.__ || _.__ || _.__<br />
|-<br />
! colspan="4" | Reloading rate (seconds)<br />
|-<br />
! colspan="1" style="width:4em" |Stock<br />
! colspan="1" style="width:4em" |Prior + Full crew<br />
! colspan="1" style="width:4em" |Prior + Expert qualif.<br />
! colspan="1" style="width:4em" |Prior + Ace qualif.<br />
|-<br />
| 6.50 || 5.75 || 5.30 || 5.00<br />
|-<br />
|}<br />
<br />
===== Ammunition =====<br />
{| class="wikitable sortable" style="text-align:center" width="100%"<br />
! colspan="8" | Penetration statistics<br />
|-<br />
! rowspan="2" data-sort-type="text" | Ammunition<br />
! rowspan="2" class="unsortable" | Type of <br /> warhead<br />
! colspan="6" | '''Penetration''' '''''in mm''''' '''@ 0° Angle of Attack'''<br />
|-<br />
! 10m<br />
! 100m<br />
! 500m<br />
! 1000m<br />
! 1500m<br />
! 2000m<br />
|-<br />
| Shot L23A1 || APFSDS || 396 || 394 || 387 || 376 || 367 || 357<br />
|-<br />
| Shell L31A7 || HESH || 152 || 152 || 152 || 152 || 152 || 152<br />
|-<br />
| Shot L26 || APFSDS || 471 || 469 || 464 || 457 || 450 || 443<br />
|-<br />
|}<br />
{| class="wikitable sortable" style="text-align:center" width="100%"<br />
! colspan="11" | Shell details<br />
|-<br />
! rowspan="2" data-sort-type="text" | Ammunition<br />
! rowspan="2" class="unsortable" | Type of <br /> warhead<br />
! rowspan="2" |Velocity <br /> in m/s<br />
! rowspan="2" |Projectile<br />Mass in kg<br />
! rowspan="2" | ''Fuse delay''<br />
''in m:''<br />
! rowspan="2" | ''Fuse sensitivity''<br />
''in mm:''<br />
! rowspan="2" | ''Explosive Mass in g<br /> (TNT equivalent):''<br />
! rowspan="2" | ''Normalization At 30° <br> from horizontal:''<br />
! colspan="3" | ''Ricochet:''<br />
|-<br />
! 0%<br />
! 50%<br />
! 100%<br />
|-<br />
| Shot L23A1 || APFSDS || 1,535 || 3.89 || N/A || N/A || N/A || +1.5° || 75° || 78° || 80°<br />
|-<br />
| Shell L31A7 || HESH || 670 || 17.10 || 0.4 || 0.1 || 4,100 || +0° || 73° || 77° || 80°<br />
|-<br />
| Shot L26 || APFSDS || 1,550 || 4.10 || N/A || N/A || N/A || +1.5° || 78° || 80° || 81°<br />
|-<br />
|}<br />
{| class="wikitable sortable" style="text-align:center"<br />
! colspan="7" | Smoke characteristic<br />
|-<br />
! Ammunition<br />
! Velocity <br /> in m/s<br />
! Projectile<br />Mass in kg<br />
! ''Screen radius <br /> in m''<br />
! ''Screen time <br /> in s''<br />
! ''Screen hold time <br /> in s:''<br />
! ''Explosive Mass in g<br /> (TNT equivalent):''<br />
|-<br />
| L34 || 670 || 17.1 || 20 || 5 || 25 || 50 <br />
|-<br />
|}<br />
<br />
=== Machine guns ===<br />
<!--Offensive and anti-aircraft machine guns not only allow you to fight some aircraft but also are effective against lightly armoured vehicles. Evaluate machine guns and give recommendations on its use.--><br />
{{main|L94A1 (7.62 mm)|L37A2 (7.62 mm)}}<br />
<br />
The Challenger 2 possesses one pintle-mounted 7.62 machine gun and one coaxial 7.62 machine gun. While these aren't particularly effective against aircraft, they can be used as a deterrent, and lucky shots may result in critical damage or pilot snipes. Besides anti-aircraft fire, they're useful for clearing light obstacles and the crew of open-top vehicles.<br />
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== Usage in battles ==<br />
<!--Describe the tactics of playing in the vehicle, the features of using vehicles in the team and advice on tactics. Refrain from creating a "guide" - do not impose a single point of view but instead give the reader food for thought. Describe the most dangerous enemies and give recommendations on fighting them. If necessary, note the specifics of the game in different modes (AB, RB, SB).-->The Challenger 2 excels as a sniper or a support tank, and should be played as such whenever possible. As such, it's important to try to find reasonable cover, regardless of the situation, with the ideal position being hull-down, preferably with some degree of angling available to maximise the bouncing capability of the frontal turret roof section. The Challenger 2 is the slowest of the top rank MBTs - a fact which is extremely important to keep in mind when using it - and as such should never be expected to rush points or used for quick flanks.<br />
<br />
'''Rural Combat'''<br />
<br />
The CR2 is most comfortable in rural combat, where cover is generally plentiful and targets will often open themselves to fire when moving forward. This is particularly perceptible on maps such as [[Maginot Line (Ground Forces)|Maginot Line]], where, in most configurations, the main routes to capture points are open to snipers on hills throughout the landscape. In these situations the CR2 excels, able to hold a defensive position while protecting team members in faster MBTs and covering capture points.<br />
<br />
'''Urban Combat'''<br />
<br />
The Challenger 2 is less agreeable in urban situations, where proper cover is more rare and its fatal weak points are often more exposed. In some situations, such as [[Alaska]], the opportunity may arise to flank around the side roads and pick a somewhat protected position behind the ridges lining them. However, in other maps like [[American Desert]] or [[Cargo Port]] proper hull-down cover is sparse and the vehicle can only be utilised without proper protection. In situations such as this, the Challenger 2 is best played defensively holding angles and slowly pushing forward with careful attention to the local surroundings and where opposing vehicles may appear from.<br />
<br />
'''Notable Targets'''<br />
<br />
<u>[[Leopard 2A5]]:</u> The 2A5 should be engaged with care: it has better overall protection than the Challenger 2, and in many situations can appear near-impossible to destroy at range. Aim for the gun mantlet with at least the intention of disabling the weapon; some rounds may make it past and knock crew out. If the frontal hull is presented, aim for the left side of the hull as usually the driver, gunner and commander are all lined up so they can be knocked out all at the same time, resulting in the Leopard's destruction.<br />
<br />
<u>[[Leclerc]]:</u> The Leclerc is in possession of one of the few rounds capable of penetrating the Challenger 2 UFP reliably. When in combat with the Leclerc, it's important to expose as little of the CR2 as possible - if the Leclerc is able to destroy your weapon, it will often be able to use its high speed to get close enough to finish you off.<br />
<br />
<u>[[Ariete|C1 Ariete]]/[[Ariete PSO]]:</u> The C1 Ariete and Ariete PSO with the CL1343 shell can penetrate nearly anywhere on the Challenger 2, with the exception of the outer turret cheeks (and even then, at close ranges and particular angles, it can even punch through those). As such, it's a potent sniper and should be handled with care. Fortunately, the Ariete MBTs have somewhat sub-par protection characteristics, and the Challenger 2 will often prove itself capable of quickly dispatching an Ariete at range.<br />
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=== Pros and cons ===<br />
<!--Summarise and briefly evaluate the vehicle in terms of its characteristics and combat effectiveness. Mark its pros and cons in a bulleted list. Try not to use more than 6 points for each of the characteristics. Avoid using categorical definitions such as "bad", "good" and the like - use substitutions with softer forms such as "inadequate" and "effective".--><br />
<br />
'''Pros:'''<br />
<br />
* Extremely accurate main cannon<br />
* Good gunner optics<br />
* 10° of gun depression<br />
* Fast reload, particularly for a 120mm<br />
* Extremely good turret cheek protection<br />
* Good UFP protection<br />
* 36 km/h reverse speed<br />
* Has ESS, smoke shells and smoke grenades<br />
<br />
'''Cons:'''<br />
<br />
* A CR2 with an exposed hull is extremely vulnerable<br />
* Negligible LFP armour<br />
* Cannon surround has negligible armour<br />
* The frontal turret roof is somewhat vulnerable to chemical rounds<br />
* Ammunition is strewn throughout the vehicle, penetration often results in ammo detonation<br />
* Sub-par acceleration and top speed relative to many other MBTs<br />
* Prior to mobility upgrades being researched, manual neutral gear selection is required for reasonable hull traverse<br />
<br />
== History ==<br />
<!--Describe the history of the creation and combat usage of the ground vehicle in more detail than in the introduction. If the historical reference turns out to be too long, take it to a separate article, taking a link to the article about the vehicle and adding a block "/ History" (example: <nowiki>https://wiki.warthunder.com/(Vehicle-name)/History</nowiki>) and add a link to it here using the <code>main</code> template. Be sure to reference text and sources by using <code><nowiki><ref></nowiki></code>, as well as adding them at the end of the article. This section may also include the vehicle's dev blog entry (if applicable) and the in-game encyclopedia description (under <code><nowiki>=== In-game description ===</nowiki></code>, also if applicable).--><br />
Work on developing a successor to the Challenger 1 began only a short time after the vehicle entered service with the British armed forces. Already by the mid-1980s, the Vickers company had developed a new MBT as part of a private venture. After requirements for a next-generation MBT have been issued, Vickers immediately submitted their design on the new Challenger 2 to the Ministry of Defence. Having briefly considered the adoption of the M1 Abrams, the Ministry decided to proceed with the Vickers design by ordering the construction of a prototype Challenger 2 for testing and evaluation. The Challenger 2 passed the evaluation and met expectations even when put through comparative testing against contemporary MBTs of other nations, such as the American M1 Abrams and German Leopard 2. Satisfied with the test results, the Ministry of Defence adopted the Challenger 2 and placed the first production order in 1993, with the initial batch consisting of 127 tanks in addition to 13 trainer vehicles. The first Challenger 2 tanks were delivered to the tank regiments by 1994. The Challenger 2 participated in several operations during the ‘90s and into the 2000s, ranging from peacekeeping missions on the Balkans to military interventions in Iraq. A number of Challenger 2 MBTs have also been exported to Oman, with this nation being the only operator of the Challenger 2, besides the UK. Production of Challenger 2 tanks seized in 2002 after all pending production orders were fulfilled, with close to 440 vehicles being produced. Since 2008, Challenger 2 tanks have constantly been undergoing modernization work, with a number of upgrade packages being developed. Thanks to these upgrades, the Challenger 2 MBT is expected to serve with the British Army well into the future. <br />
<br />
''- From [https://warthunder.com/en/news/6035-development-challenger-2-and-rank-vii-armored-vehicles-en Devblog]''<br />
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== Media ==<br />
''Excellent additions to the article would be video guides, screenshots from the game, and photos.''<br />
<br />
== See also ==<br />
''Links to the articles on the War Thunder Wiki that you think will be useful for the reader, for example:''<br />
<br />
* ''reference to the series of the vehicles;''<br />
* ''links to approximate analogues of other nations and research trees.''<br />
<br />
== External links ==<br />
<!--Paste links to sources and external resources, such as:<br />
* ''topic on the official game forum;''<br />
* ''encyclopedia page on the tank;''<br />
* ''other literature.''--><br />
<br />
* [https://warthunder.com/en/news/6035-development-challenger-2-and-rank-vii-armored-vehicles-en [Devblog<nowiki>]</nowiki> Challenger 2 and rank VII armored vehicles]<br />
<br />
{{Britain medium tanks}}</div>U11670196https://wiki.warthunder.com/index.php?title=User:U11670196&diff=38623User:U116701962019-12-06T00:09:25Z<p>U11670196: /* Chemical energy shells */</p>
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<div>Hi! I'm ftsartek (just call me artek). I've played Warthunder on-and-off since release, although I only really got into it more recently when I first picked up ground forces somewhere around 2016/2017.<br />
<br />
I originally made my way up through the Russian ground lineup without touching another nation until I reached the Russian Rank V, when I started grinding the British.<br />
<br />
Over time I worked my way up and as of October 2019, I have full Rank VII lineups for the British, the Russians and the Americans; a Rank VI lineup for the Germans and a Rank IV lineup for the French. I pretty regularly play lineups at just about any rank, though, depending on how I feel at any given time.<br />
<br />
I also play a bit of Air RB, although primarily with the intention of grinding aircraft to support my ground lineups.<br />
<br />
I have a VR setup and on occasion play Air Simulator Battles with it until nausea (or the ground) gets the best of me. <!--One trick to help with the motion sickness when using VR is to have a small fan blowing on you, this will trick your brain into thinking you are actually moving and should help reduce the motion sickness. I had the same problem, once I started the fan, all motion sickness went away and I didn't have any issues after that.--><!-- Thanks! I'll give this a shot. --><br />
<br />
My intention on the Wiki is to (where possible) keep info up-to-date where possible, clean up any grammatical issues or simply help ensure that people can rely on the wiki for gameplay suggestions and recommendations.<br />
<br />
'''Everything below is my opinion only; take it how you like.'''<br />
<br />
=== '''Favourite Vehicles''' ===<br />
<u>[[Centurion Mk 10|Centurion Mk.10:]]</u> I have a special relationship with the Mk.10. It makes up one of my favourite lineups in the game; 7.3 British. I mean, look at this thing! It gets a stabilised 105mm with over 300mm of flat pen, a decent reload, perfectly acceptable armour... Sure, it's not the fastest thing around, but who even cares when you don't need to stop to shoot?<br />
<br />
<u>[[Vickers MBT|Vickers MBT:]]</u> Pretty much the same story as the Centurion. Except this time, you get to run around in a stabilised 105mm with one of the fastest reloads for its tier. Paper armour can be overcome but well-placed APDS can't. I think this is actually my most played medium tank.<br />
<br />
<u>[[Conqueror|Conqueror Mk.2:]]</u> THIS is what a heavy tank should be. A beastly gun, serious armour, decent mobility. Even better, not many tanks you'll face in this thing stand a chance in a snipe-off. And again, British 7.3.<br />
<br />
<u>[[IS-7|IS-7:]]</u> Okay, enough fawning over that British lineup. This thing is great fun. It's not really the best tank at 8.3, where every game's against 8.7 tanks and armour means nothing... But jeez, this defies expectations. No heavy should be this fast, ever. And no tank should be in possession of such a veritable armada of machine guns. Besides that, the fun of a 130mm APHE shell popping in the middle of a tank is pretty unbeatable.<br />
<br />
<u>[[T-80U|T-80U:]]</u> This thing is great. Unless you get shot in the side, but eventually you've gotta get used to it. The gun, the mobility, the survivability... Incredible vehicle, extremely competitive at top tier.<br />
<br />
<u>[[Challenger Mk.2]] & [[Challenger Mk.3|Mk.3]]:</u> These aren't actually amazing tanks, but they look cool, they snipe well, and the fact that they're not super fast means they pace your gameplay. They force you to play more carefully, more strategically.<br />
<br />
<u>[[FV4005|FV4005:]]</u> The HESH Barn is the single most inconsistent vehicle I think I've ever driven in War Thunder. HESH is weird. But I've had a love for this thing since the first time I got a multi-kill; a round hit the side of a Panther, killing it and the Ru 251 directly adjacent, AND a plane that was in the vicinity. I don't even think the plane was that close. Yet to repeat that, but I have had a couple double kills with it since. <br />
<br />
<u>[[ZiS-12 (94-KM)]]:</u> This is not an AA. This is a tank destroyer disguised as a milk truck. I've probably killed like 3 planes for every 20 tanks I've killed with this. Driving around like a maniac in a truck is stupid and amusing. So damn amusing.<br />
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<u>[[T-34-57]]:</u> Who woulda thought a 57mm could do so much damage? This thing's right at the comfortable tier where it still has somewhat effective armour, and that gun is incredible.<br />
<br />
<u>[[IS-2 (1944)]]:</u> 122mm of APHE on a properly armoured hull (unlike the first IS-2 where anything can go through that flat upper section of the UFP.) The Russians just ''get'' me.<br />
<br />
<u>[[Firefly "Scorpion"|Firefly Scorpion]]:</u> To be honest, the 17pdr is dirty at 4.7. Yeah, okay, the thing can't take a hit, but jeez, nothing it faces can either. Plus the Brit 4.7 lineup is a GREAT SL grinder (if you're good with solid shot, at least).<br />
<br />
<u>[[Panther II]]:</u> An 88mm on a Panther hull was the best idea ever. I feel genuinely sad that newer players might never have the opportunity to get this tank. Still, they'll get the opportunity to get blown up by it; better than nothing, right?<br />
<br />
<u>[[Tiger II (10.5 cm Kw.K)|Tiger II (10.5cm Kw.K)]]:</u> This really doesn't have anything over the Tiger II (H) but there's a sorta prestige to having a bigger gun. It's not even the best 6.7 heavy out there, but it sure as hell makes quick work of those pesky T29s/T34s.<br />
<br />
<u>[[Sd.Kfz.234/4]]:</u> Speaking of pesky, this is the king of it. This is like the Centauro before the Italians ''dreamed'' of a light, fast vehicle designed just to annoy people in War Thunder. And on top of being light and fast, it's got a really good gun that can actually do some work in just about any uptier.<br />
<br />
<u>[[M6A1]]:</u> Y'know what's satisfying? Baiting someone out of cover with a fake shot. Works every damn time, and never fails to amuse.<br />
<br />
<u>[[XM-1 (GM)]]:</u> I'd be lying if I said I didn't like this. I mean, really, it's a filthy vehicle. Nothing at 9.0 should be allowed to do what this thing can do. It's a damn Ferrari with a gun on top!<br />
<br />
=== Hated Vehicles ===<br />
<u>[[ADATS]]:</u> Above and before anything else, I hate the ADATS. It's not the missiles; sure, they're bloody ridiculous. It's just that the damn thing won't ''die''. I have to survive long enough to fire off my APFSDS round, reload a HE/ATGM round, and then shoot it again. And half the time, HE isn't even enough to finish it. I've had an ADATS survive 4 HE shots before (this was prior to researching HEAT or ATGMs on the T-80U).<br />
<br />
<u>[[Ru 251]]:</u> I actually got used to fighting Ru 251s pretty quickly, but once in a while I get got by an Ru and it frustrates the hell out of me. It's mostly my fault, though, because I should know better by now.<br />
<br />
<u>[[AUBL/74 HVG]]:</u> Imagine a Leopard 1. Imagine that Leopard 1 is given double its power to weight ratio, a stabilised gun and only moved up 0.3 BR. You have successfully imagined the AUBL/74 HVG. It menaced my 7.7 German games for two weeks (spawn once, die early, no respawn), it menaced my 7.3 Brit/German and 8.3 Russian games for two weeks (supercar is in your spawn before you leave it). Least the thing dies easy.<br />
<br />
<u>[[SIDAM 25 (Mistral)]]:</u> This thing should actually be illegal. What it does to planes is probably against the law in most countries... It ''violates'' them. Jeez.<br />
<br />
<u>[[OTOMATIC]]:</u> What's up with this thing? I swear its breech doesn't ''actually'' die when it dies. I've shot one out and it just starts shooting blanks at me, blocking my view. It's weird, and also you never see the shots coming in a plane which is a little rude.<br />
<br />
<u>[[Ariete|C1 Ariete]] & [[Ariete PSO]]:</u> If you can penetrate the turret cheeks of a Challenger 1, you need to shoot someone that isn't the harmless Challenger 1. They never did anything wrong.<br />
<br />
<u>[[AMX-50 Foch]]:</u> Oh, it's a CA Lorraine. Cool, easy kill... Oh. Oh, it's a Foch. Oh, I'm dead. Oh. (I have nobody to blame but myself for this one)<br />
<br />
<u>[[M10 GMC]]:</u> I paid for a turreted tank destroyer, not a casemate. Whose idea was this?<br />
<br />
<u>[[Flakpanzer 341]]:</u> Love the concept. Still can't reliably shoot planes down ''or'' deal with tanks. Maybe I'm just bad.<br />
<br />
<u>[[Archer]]:</u> ???????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????<br />
<br />
<u>[[M48A2 G A2]]:</u> This is the only vehicle that I honestly think is just hopelessly over-tiered. For 0.4 BR increase, you get a stabiliser, a hell of a lot of speed, and it's not like your armour matters in the first place.<br />
<br />
''Also, all of the French vehicles prior to the B1 Bis. Anyone else who has also had to grind the reserve vehicles in the French lineup will understand why.''<br />
<br />
=== Personal Considerations for WT ===<br />
I enjoy War Thunder, and I'm happy to put time and money into it. Of course, no game can ever be perfect but there are some improvements I'd really like to see:<br />
<br />
'''Quality of Life'''<br />
<br />
* '''Dynamic Spawn Points''': This is likely a complex implementation, but ideally open up the area vehicles can spawn into on subsequent spawns ''if'' there are nearby enemies. Initial spawns can and would work as currently, but respawning would be far more dynamic, denying teams the current 'lockout' ability they currently have if they take an early advantage. If enemy vehicles were detected near or in a spawn, or (using path-tracing) detected with a direct line of sight in a spawn area, vehicles would instead be spawned in a nearby, but non-affected area. This allows for more than 'just get a few kills then die' and avoids the current spawn sniping issues too.<br />
* '''Cleaning up classic maps for modern gameplay''': A number of maps which were made available to top tier in the recent update have areas which are unbelievably good but are simply too easy to get to with MBTs and later light tanks. These need to be further restricted. This also somewhat applies to some newer maps where there are extremely good sniping positions available to one side and no spots available on the other side.<br />
* '''ULQ''': Ultra Low Quality is game-breaking, especially with Thermal in the game now. Being punished for playing the game on higher graphics is sad. There needs to be a compromise, a way to avoid issues for players who genuinely do need ULQ and players who really shouldn't be using it. Pet peeve, but I like my games looking good.<br />
* '''Night Maps & NVD''': Night maps are great fun... for people with NVD. If you don't have NVD you're on the back foot, and if it's one of those pitch black maps, you're basically done for. That isn't fun.<br />
<br />
'''Balance'''<br />
<br />
* '''Dynamic Battle Ratings''': This is, of course, a complex idea; probably requires lots of back-end work. Still, it'd be great for vehicles such as the M48A2 G A2 which is unbelievably out-classed until it gets APFSDS, and even then it's kinda over-ranked IMO.<br />
* '''Early-Game ATGM Helicopters''': I don't think early ATGM choppers are healthy for the game. They make people spawn into missile AA at the beginning of the game, which (unless you're in an ADATS) means your early game impact is basically limited to saving your defenseless teammates. Just doesn't really fit. Make ATGMs something you've gotta earn again. If nothing else, limit how many choppers can spawn simultaneously; it's frustrating for both teams when 80% of a team is in choppers.<br />
* '''Decompression''': Everyone asks about it, and for a reason. Vehicles such as the Chieftain Mk.10 shouldn't be fighting 10.0 vehicles, but at the same time it would probably ruin current 7.7 vehicles. Can't move it down, but it's not good where it is. Needs to be decompressed.<br />
* '''Close Look at Top Tier Balance''': I feel like some tanks could do with better rounds now that they've been essentially power creeped (M1/IPM1, Challenger 1s, Chally 2, M1A1....)<br />
* '''Anti-Chopper Aircraft''': Ensure aircraft (without anti-ground ordinance) are able to spawn for the same cost as ATGM helicopters. It's fair enough that there's a viable option to fight back against ATGM choppers besides ground-based AA (which may well be superseded with the advent of long range ATGMs coming up).<br />
<br />
'''Additions/Updates'''<br />
<br />
* A gamemode similar to Battlefield's Rush would be awesome in WT. It would probably require bigger maps, dynamic spawn points, etc, but god it'd be fun.<!-- @ftsartek, welcome to the wiki! We are glad to have your help working on articles where you can share your experience with specific vehicles or tactics and in general making this an inviting place for people to learn more about War Thunder and the vehicles within. If you should have any questions, please don't hesitate to ask. --U64962917 (talk) 10:27, 15 August 2019 (UTC) --><br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
== Ground Forces Ammunition (WIP) ==<br />
Throughout the past century of tank development, a large range of ammunition types have been produced and have seen combat. As time has progressed, technology has improved and rounds have improved in terms lethality, accuracy and ballistic performance. Despite this, most rounds can be categorised under one of two primary categories: '''kinetic''' rounds and '''chemical''' rounds.<br />
<br />
'''Kinetic rounds''' penetrate and deal damage based on a number of factors; shell type, projectile mass, round velocity and material hardness. Mass, shell type and hardness are constants, but velocity reduces with distance travelled and as such at longer ranges kinetic rounds will lose penetration ability and in some cases post-penetration efficacy.<br />
<br />
'''Chemical energy shells''' deal damage based on a chemical reaction, and unlike kinetic shells, their ability to penetrate and deal damage are unaffected by the shell's velocity. This means that target distance often doesn't affect the round's effectiveness.<br />
<br />
===Kinetic energy shells===<br />
<br /><br />
[[File:Icon AP Shot.jpg|left|frameless]]<br />
'''Armour Piercing (AP)'''<br />
<br />
Armour Piercing is a basic solid steel shot which is entirely reliant on kinetic energy to penetrate and deal damage. Providing the round possesses enough energy to penetrate any given armour, it will deal internal damage from steel fragments and spalling of the internal surfaces which can damage vehicle components, stored ammunition and crew members.<br />
<br />
''AP is a standard early World War II ammunition for many nations. In War Thunder, AP rounds should be used as a general use anti-armour round, with careful round placement to maximise post-penetration damage.''<br />
<br /><br />
<br /><br />
[[File:Rnd apc.png|left|frameless]]<br />
'''Armour Piercing, Capped (APC)'''<br />
<br />
APC rounds have a nose cone (or cap) of softer metal is fixed to the front of the solid shot. When this strikes the target armour the shock of the impact is transferred away from the tip of the round to the neck, helping prevent shattering. Additionally, the cap will collapse on contact with armour and the deformation will cause the round to angle towards the armour, more efficiently directing energy into the armour and improving the angled performance of the round. A downside of the cap is a decrease in long-range accuracy due to the cap interfering with the shell's aerodynamics.<br />
<br />
''APC is commonly found as a mid-tier shell for both the British and French on their mid-to-late WW2 vehicles. In War Thunder, APC is best used as a short-to-mid range round for combatting angled armour that regular AP rounds may not easily penetrate.''[[File:APC Normalization.gif|thumb|Display of shell normalization as an effect of a capped (APC) shell (clickable gif)|link=]]<br />
<br /><br />
<br /><br />
[[File:Rnd apbc.png|left|frameless]]<br />
'''Armour Piercing, Ballistic Capped (APBC)'''<br />
<br />
APBC rounds utilise a ballistic cap, designed to improve aerodynamic performance and hence round performance at longer ranges. The cap usually utilises a soft or brittle metal which collapses on impact and does not aid penetration or angled performance.<br />
<br />
''APBC is found on some early Russian vehicles, but is relatively uncommon otherwise compared to APCBC. In War Thunder, APBC is best used as a longer-range alternative to APC or APHE rounds which often exhibit less favourable ranged performance.''<br />
<br /><br />
<br /><br />
[[File:Rnd apcbc.png|left|frameless]]<br />
'''Armour Piercing, Capped, Ballistic Capped (APCBC)'''<br />
<br />
APCBC rounds combine the standard cap and the ballistic cap, improving the round's aerodynamic and penetration performance. As such, APCBC rounds tend to exhibit the best 'all-round' characteristics of any conventional kinetic rounds.<br />
<br />
''APCBC is found as a high-tier shell for British, French and American mid-to-late WW2 vehicles. In-game, APCBC should be the preferred option of solid shot rounds in all situations, when available, and should be situationally switched for APHE rounds if they're available.''<br />
<br /><br />
<br /><br />
[[File:Rnd aphe.png|left|frameless]]<br />
'''Armour Piercing, High Explosive (APHE)'''<br />
<br />
APHE rounds utilise a similar form to AP rounds, but incorporate a small chamber of high explosive filler within the round. This often slightly reduces the round's mass and construction strength and as such APHE rounds tend to exhibit slightly worse penetration performance than their solid shot counterparts. However, upon successful penetration, APHE rounds often cause significantly more damage within a vehicle. APHE rounds have a fuse which will only activate on sufficiently thick armour.<br />
<br />
''APHE is primarily found on Russian vehicles earlier in the tech tree, and on some earlier American and German vehicles. It should be prioritised for use when penetration is likely, or switched for AP or APCR if improved penetration is required.''<br />
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<br /><br />
[[File:Rnd aphebc.png|left|frameless]]<br />
'''Armour Piercing, High Explosive, Ballistic Capped (APHEBC)'''<br />
<br />
APHEBC rounds, similarly to APHE, utilise APBC concepts with the addition of high explosive filler. Again, the rounds tend to exhibit slightly worse penetrative performance than their solid shot brethren, but significantly more post-penetration damage. APHEBC rounds have a fuse which will only activate on sufficiently thick armour.<br />
<br />
''APHEBC is primarily found on Russian vehicles earlier in the tech tree as a mid-tier round, and on some American and German vehicles. It's ideally used against targets where angled performance is required and HE filler is preferable.''<br />
<br /><br />
<br /><br />
[[File:Rnd aphecbc.png|left|frameless]]<br />
'''Armour Piercing, High Explosive, Capped, Ballistic Capped (APHECBC)'''<br />
<br />
APHECBC rounds utilise standard APCBC designs with added explosive filler. APHECBC is often referred to as 'APCBC' in-game, and can be identified instead by the graphic or the explosive filler content in the round stat sheet. As with other APHE rounds, APHECBC significantly improves the post-penetration lethality over that of a standard APCBC round. APHECBC rounds have a fuse which will only activate on sufficiently thick armour.<br />
<br />
''APHECBC is found throughout the Russian tech tree as a high-tier round, and on some American and German vehicles. APHECBC should be used preferentially and interchangeably with a high-penetration round where available.''<br />
<br /><br />
<br /><br />
[[File:Rnd apcr.png|left|frameless]]<br />
'''Armour Piercing, Composite, Rigid (APCR)'''<br />
<br />
APCR rounds often use tungsten carbide or other extremely hard metals as a sub-calibre penetrator, wrapped within a softer full-calibre sabot - the APCR concept is essentially a predecessor to the APDS design. Upon impact, the soft shell will deform, allowing the hard metal penetrator contained within to penetrate the target's armour with force spread over a smaller surface area, resulting in significantly better penetration ability. APCR rounds often suffer from less post-penetration damage than a standard AP round of the same calibre, and due to their design perform much worse when facing angled armour.<br />
<br />
''APCR is found throughout most tech trees, most commonly available to vehicles from mid-WW2 through to early cold war vehicles. APCR rounds are best used against minimally angled armour, where other rounds will be unable to penetrate.''<br />
<br /><br />
<br /><br />
[[File:Rnd apds.png|left|frameless]]<br />
'''Armour Piercing, Discarding Sabot (APDS)'''<br />
<br />
APDS rounds utilise a hard core as a sub-calibre penetrator, with a full calibre sabot. Unlike APCR rounds, APDS rounds discard their sabot after exiting the cannon barrel. The result is an extremely high-velocity round with particularly high penetration values and good ranged accuracy. APDS produces a minimal amount of post-penetration damage. There is also a small chance for APDS rounds to shatter given certain circumstances.<br />
<br />
''APDS is first made available on post-WW2 British vehicles, and is available to most vehicles in possession of an L7-derived gun.'' ''In War Thunder, APDS is best used as a long-range round, with multiple shots often being a necessity due to the lack of post-penetration damage. APDS is quite ineffective against lightly-armoured vehicles.''<br />
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<br /><br />
[[File:Rnd apfsds.png|left|frameless]]<br />
'''Armour Piercing, Discarding Sabot, Fin-Stabilized (APDS-FS)'''<br />
<br />
APDS-FS (usually referred to as APFSDS in-game) is the pinnacle of the kinetic anti-armour rounds. As with APDS, APFSDS utilises an extremely hard penetrator and a discarding sabot, however the penetrator is usually significantly longer than that of APDS and incorporates fins for added long-range accuracy. The additional penetrator legnth improves the post-penetration damage effects. APFSDS rounds are the most powerful kinetic rounds available in-game.<br />
<br />
''APFSDS is first available to some late Rank V vehicles, and is often the primary round for most Rank VI or VII vehicles. It's effective at all ranges, and due to most APFSDS rounds having an extremely high velocity they maintain their performance at even extreme ranges. APFSDS is quite ineffective against lightly-armoured vehicles.''<br />
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<br /><br />
===Chemical energy shells===<br />
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[[File:Rnd he.png|left|frameless]]<br />
'''High Explosive (HE)'''<br />
<br />
High Explosive rounds are primarily intended for use as an anti-infantry/anti-emplacement round. As such, HE rounds tend to have minimal armour-piercing capability and are better used against particularly lightly armoured vehicles, although on occasion it can prove effective against the sides of a vehicle. Particularly high-calibre HE rounds may cause enough area damage to destroy a tank regardless of the round placement.<br />
<br />
''HE rounds are available to almost every vehicle in-game. However, low-calibre HE rounds are particularly ineffective and this type of round should only be utilised by vehicles with large-calibre guns, such as the KV-2 or Sturmpanzer II.''<br />
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[[File:Rnd he dist.png|left|frameless]]<br />
'''High Explosive Variable Timer (HE-VT)'''<br />
<br />
HE-VT rounds use the simple concept of a timed fuse, resulting in an explosion at a preset range. While HE-VT rounds are no more effective than HE rounds against most heavy armour, they can be particularly effective against light vehicles with a known range or against aircraft (one of their original design uses). <br />
<br />
''HE-VT rounds are available to a number of vehicles originally designed for anti-air purposes, such as the YaG-10 (29-K) and the 8,8 cm Flak 37 Sfl.'' ''They're best used against aircraft by rangefinding the aircraft in question, setting the fuse range to a reasonable assumption based on the result and leading reasonably. They can be extremely effective against aircraft if used correctly, but are mostly ineffective against armoured vehicles.''<br />
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<br /><br />
[[File:Rnd he prox.png|left|frameless]]<br />
'''High Explosive Proximity Fuse (HE-PRX)'''<br />
<br />
HE-PRX rounds are an advanced round with specialised proximity fuses, designed to detonate the round upon reaching close proximity with a target. These are usually designed for anti-air applications, and are generally ineffective against most ground targets. <br />
<br />
''HE-PRX rounds are available to some later anti-air vehicles, such as the OTOMATIC or Begleitpanzer 57, and are capable of destroying aircraft or helicopters'' ''if the round passes within close proximity of the target. They'' ''are extremely effective against mid-ranged aircraft but cannot be relied upon for use against armour.''<br />
<br /><br />
<br /><br />
[[File:Rnd he gnd.png|left|frameless]]<br />
'''High Explosive Grenade'''<br />
<br />
HE Grenades are specialised HE rounds designed to be fired from cannons which may not be otherwise capable of firing high-calibre rounds. They usually operate in a different manner to conventional cannon rounds, utilising a propellant rather than a charge, resulting in a relatively low round velocity and sub-par ballistics. However, this design has proven useful, as the low velocity can be used to 'sling' rounds onto weak roof armour or into trenches or bunkers.<br />
<br />
''HE Grenades are available to vehicles with 'recoilless' cannon designs or other non-standard cannon designs. They are generally as effective as an equivalent HE round, however have significantly lower muzzle velocity and as such are extremely inaccurate at long ranges. HE Grenades are found on vehicles such as the BMP-1.''<br />
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<br /><br />
[[File:Shrapnel Round Icon.png|left|frameless]]<br />
'''Shrapnel'''<br />
<br />
Shrapnel rounds are a chemical round utilising a thin shell and a chamber of metal fillings or ball bearings with a small explosive charge. Upon successful penetration, shrapnel rounds cause a significant amount of damage. However, due to the thin outer shell, shrapnel rounds only perform well against particularly light armour and are completely ineffective when used against even moderately armoured targets.<br />
<br />
''Shrapnel rounds are available exclusively to early Russian vehicles. Shrapnel is exclusively useful against lightly armoured targets, and shouldn't be used against front-facing armour of any other tank.''<br />
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[[File:Rnd hesh.png|left|frameless]]<br />
'''High Explosive Squash Head (HESH)'''<br />
<br />
HESH rounds are designed as an anti-emplacement round. The 'squash head', usually comprised of some form of plastic explosive, is designed to squash onto a surface and detonate, causing the opposite side of the surface to rupture. If the given surface happens to be metal, this will often result in metal shards flying off the surface at high velocity. Due to this design, HESH rounds perform better the further they can spread, and as such they're more effective when applied to angled armour, within reason.<br />
<br />
''HESH rounds are available to most British vehicles from Rank V, and other vehicles in possession of an L7-derived gun. HESH should be primarily used against lighter armour or side armour, although occasionally the HE splash effect can cause unexpected results. HESH is completely ineffective against heavy armour or composite armour designs.''[[File:HEAT Diagram.jpg|thumb|Display of a HEAT charge striking armour|link=]]<br />
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[[File:Rnd heat.png|left|frameless]]<br />
'''High Explosive, Anti-tank (HEAT)'''<br />
<br />
HEAT rounds are designed specifically as an anti-tank round. They operate by superheating metallic armour with a shaped charge, with the external pressure caused by the charge explosion forcing the molten metal into the internals of the vehicle, causing internal damage to crew and modules. <br />
<br />
''HEAT rounds are available to a variety of WW2 German vehicles, as well as higher-performance HEAT becoming available to some late French and American vehicles, as HEAT-FS rounds cannot be fired from rifled cannons. HEAT is limited in effectiveness and its usage should be carefully considered as many vehicles have armour it cannot penetrate.''<br />
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[[File:Rnd heatfs.png|left|frameless]]<br />
'''High Explosive, Anti-Tank, Fin-Stabilized (HEAT-FS)'''<br />
<br />
HEAT-FS rounds are an improvement over the HEAT concept, using improved penetrative chemicals and utilising fins for improved ballistic performance. HEAT-FS rounds maintain their penetration values at all ranges, and are well-suited to long-range engagements. HEAT-FS rounds are particularly sensitive, and may detonate on light obstacles such as shrubs or fences.<br />
<br />
''HEAT-FS rounds become available to many nations from Rank V although notably the British do not receive HEAT-FS at any stage due to its incompatibility with rifled cannons. At Rank VI and Rank VII, HEAT-FS may prove ineffective in many cases due to the prevalence of ERA and composite armour. Despite this, it can still be used for ranged engagements, as particularly late HEAT-FS rounds have extremely high penetration power.''<br />
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<br /><br />
[[File:Icon rnd heatfs prx.png|left|frameless]]<br />
'''High Explosive, Anti-Tank, Fin-Stabilised, Proximity Fuse (HEAT-FS PRX)'''<br />
<br />
HEAT-FS PRX rounds are specialised HEAT-FS rounds which utilise a proximity fuse to detonate when in close proximity to a target. They can be used to destroy low-flying aircraft or helicopters, while maintaining their effectiveness against ground vehicles utilising normal HEAT-FS technology. <br />
<br />
''HEAT-FS PRX rounds are extremely specialised and are available to only the M1A2 Abrams (as of 1.93). They combine the anti-armour power of a standard HEAT-FS round with the anti-aircraft effectiveness of a HE-PRX round. Their proximity fuse will detonate only above a specified altitude, so they can be used normally against other armoured vehicles.''<br />
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<br /><br />
[[File:Rnd heat gnd.png|left|frameless]]<br />
'''High Explosive, Anti-Tank Grenade'''<br />
<br />
HEAT Grenades are specialised HEAT rounds, designed for use where normal tank rounds may not be possible to utilise. They often use a propellant rather than a standard charge, and as such suffer from low velocity and sub-par round ballistics. Despite this, they can prove effective against tanks due to their HEAT technology.<br />
<br />
''HEAT Grenades are available to vehicles with 'recoilless' cannons or other non-standard cannon designs. Their effectiveness is similar to that of an equivalent HEAT round, however due to their low muzzle velocity they can be inaccurate at long ranges. HEAT Grenades are found on vehicles such as the BMP-1.''<br />
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[[File:Rnd atgm.png|left|frameless]]<br />
'''Anti-Tank Guided Missile (ATGM)'''<br />
<br />
''Main article: [[Anti-tank guided missiles|Anti-tank Guided Missile]]''<br />
<br />
ATGMs largely utilise the same concept as HEAT, however they integrate some form of propulsion and are usually guidable, either manually (MCLOS) or semi-automatically (SACLOS). ATGMs usually pack a large amount of explosive and often have particularly powerful shaped charges. However, they require specialised equipment to fire and tend to be heavy, often resulting in long reload times.<br />
<br />
''ATGMs become available through Rank V, and are primarily carried by specialised ATGM carriers, although some tanks have ATGM-capable main cannons and some exceptional designs such as the Strv 81 (Rb.52) or the AMX-13 (HOT) mount ATGMs on ancillary pylons. ATGMs are powerful and SACLOS guided missiles are easily aimed, however they travel slowly and well-aware targets may be able to move into cover prior to the ATGM reaching them.''<br />
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[[File:Rnd atgm prox.png|left|frameless]]<br />
'''Anti-Tank Guided Missile Proximity Fuse (ATGM-PRX)'''<br />
<br />
Proximity ATGMs utilise proximity fuses to detonate when in close proximity to aircraft. This, combined with their guidance systems (SACLOS) allows them to be used effectively against low-flying aircraft or helicopters.<br />
<br />
''Proximity Fuse ATGMs can prove extremely effective against low-flying aircraft or helicopters, and utilise a similar proximity fuse concept to SAM missiles - although often ATGMs pack significantly more HE filler than SAMs do. ATGM-PRX missiles are available to specialised ATGM carriers such as the Shturm-S.''<br />
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[[File:Rnd atgm tandem.png|left|frameless]]<br />
'''Anti-Tank Guided Missile, Tandem Charge''' '''(ATGM Tandem)'''<br />
<br />
Tandem ATGMs utilise a twin-stage warhead to overcome ERA - the first stage causes the ERA to detonate, while the second stage penetrates the armour below as normal. This concept does not work against NERA or composite armour.<br />
<br />
''Tandem ATGMs are effective against ERA-protected vehicles, and often have very high penetration values. Tandem charge ATGMs are available to specialised ATGM carriers such as the Shturm-S.''<br />
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[[File:Rnd atgm he.png|left|frameless]]<br />
'''Anti-Tank Guided Missile, HE (ATGM-HE)'''<br />
<br />
HE ATGMs are a simplification of a standard ATGM; rather than a shaped HEAT charge, HE missiles simply utilise a large quantity of explosive to damage or destroy emplacements or light vehicles.<br />
<br />
''HE ATGMs are only effective against light vehicles in most cases, despite packing large quantities of HE filler. They are available to specialised ATGM carriers such as the Shturm-S.''<br />
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[[File:Rnd sam.png|left|frameless]]<br />
'''Surface to Air Missile (SAM)'''<br />
<br />
SAMs are high-velocity anti-air missiles, designed specifically to combat aircraft using a variety of technologies; often including proximity fuses and radar or heat-seeking guidance.<br />
<br />
''SAMs are very effective at long distances against aircraft, particularly helicopters. They are often extremely high velocity and pack a large amount of HE filler for a powerful airburst effect. SAMs'' ''are available to specialised anti-air vehicles such as the 2S6 Tunguska or the ADATS (which, notably, has multi-purpose missiles that are also effective against armoured vehicles).''<br />
<br /><br />
<br /><br />
[[File:Rnd rocket.png|left|frameless]]<br />
'''Rocket'''<br />
<br />
Rockets are unguided high-explosive self-propelled rounds which are often significantly higher calibre than standard tank cannons. They can be mounted as ancillary weaponry on some vehicles, or in some cases they're mounted on specialised rocket-carrier vehicles.<br />
<br />
''Rockets can be unreliable and inaccurate, but due to their often large calibre and large amounts of HE filler, they can prove effective against some armoured vehicles. Rockets are either mounted ancillary, as on the Calliope or the M26 T99, or on rocket carriers such as the BM-13N.''<br />
<br /><br />
<br />
[[File:Rnd smoke.png|left|frameless]]<br />
'''Smoke'''<br />
<br />
''Main article: [[Smoke screen|Smoke]]''<br />
<br />
Smoke shells are not designed as a damaging shell, and largely consist of chemicals designed to create a smoke screen. The produced smoke has a limited lifetime.<br />
<br />
''Smoke shells are available to various vehicles throughout most tech trees, however their effectiveness is somewhat limited compared to dedicated smoke launchers.''</div>U11670196https://wiki.warthunder.com/index.php?title=User_talk:U11670196&diff=38611User talk:U116701962019-12-05T18:50:50Z<p>U11670196: /* Tank ammunition Icons */</p>
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<div>Cheers.<br />
I see that you are using Visual edit to change text a lot, please, do note that it has a tendency to damage walls of text and randomly delete sentences and tank links when you click away from text boxes. This happens more often when page is above 30000 bytes, but can happen anywhere really. (could be seen on the latter FV4005 edit where the is-7 link just got randomly vaporized, unless you deleted it yourself without a replacement for some reason?)<br />
Either way, have fun editing. --[[User:U42773747|U42773747]] ([[User talk:U42773747|talk]]) 07:16, 22 October 2019 (UTC)<br />
:I didn't spot that disappearing, cheers for picking it up - I had the intention of somewhat rewriting that section but ran out of time yesterday afternoon - having said that I've got no clue why the link would have disappeared, I never ended up touching it as far as I remember. Is there a specific preference for source editing over visual editing? Or is that just down to personal preference, and people just needa be careful when using visual editing? --[[User:U11670196|U11670196]] ([[User talk:U11670196|talk]]) 19:22, 22 October 2019 (UTC)<br />
::Well, it's just preference. I also like to use visual editor and nobody will bash you for doing it, but after a while of editing on [[Striker]] page i just noticed how it deleted like 1000 bytes of text into oblivion on random. I mean, alright, but then after that on [[Churchill Mk VII]] page the disappearing text started to appear again after a while. Had much fun purging this thing and after that i just stopped using it on big pages unless i'm just editing tables or something. I just recommend to check what the "show changes" says after you did the change, it usually displays if something is amiss. I mean, it just killed the links on BMP-2 page as well, lol. --[[User:U42773747|U42773747]] ([[User talk:U42773747|talk]]) 19:33, 22 October 2019 (UTC)<br />
:::That's really odd. I'll keep an eye on it - I do notice sometimes visual editor adds in random page breaks, but this is the first I've noticed of other stuff being affected. Hope that's something that will be fixed with future wikimedia updates, as visual editor is MUCH easier to use. --[[User:U11670196|U11670196]] ([[User talk:U11670196|talk]]) 20:10, 22 October 2019 (UTC)<br />
::::*Visual editor may be easier to use, but I seem to have more control with the regular editor, granted, it has taken some time to understand how the code works together (still learning, I can thank several wiki editors for their help in understanding it better!).--[[User:U64962917|U64962917]] ([[User talk:U64962917|talk]]) 21:07, 22 October 2019 (UTC)<br />
<br />
== Tank ammunition Icons ==<br />
<br />
Hello. From what I see, you are starting a project to update the tank ammunition page with the new information, following your updates on the existing shells on the page currently. I've got a few pointers I would like to note:<br />
* If possible, you can update the currently existing icons with your new images rather than upload them anew so that we can try and reduce the number of images hosted on the site.<br />
* Another point I would like to mention is that the new images right now seem to be less sharp and blurrier compared to some of the icons currently on the Wiki. I remember the discussion we had on your images a while ago for the wiki, but didn't notice too big of a difference between the new ones and the current ones on the Wiki until they were on the site and I was able to compare them closely.<br />
<br />
Examples:<br />
<gallery mode="packed"><br />
File:Icon_AP_Shot.jpg|Wiki - AP Shot<br />
File:Rnd_ap.png|New - AP Shot<br />
File:Icon_HEAT-FS_Shell.jpg|Wiki - HEAT-FS<br />
File:Rnd_heatfs.png|New - HEAT-FS<br />
File:Icon Smoke Shell.jpg|Wiki - HEAT-FS<br />
File:Rnd smoke.png|New - HEAT-FS<br />
</gallery><br />
<br />
It would be appreciated if the new images were a little bit clearer to closer match the ones currently on the Wiki. If I may offer some help, the way I recall the wiki icons were produced was by screen-shotting and cropping the shell icons from the vehicle's modification tables in the game. If this method is replicated, perhaps a icon matching, if not surpassing, the Wiki's current icons can be produced. You can try this and see if it does produce more crisper tank shell images.<br />
<br />
Regards, --[[User:U28580205|U28580205]] ([[User talk:U28580205|talk]]) 09:12, 4 December 2019 (UTC)<br />
<br />
:Hey mate; to address your points (although AN_TRN_26 has already sent you a message with some stuff we discussed this morning).<br />
:*The wiki actually wouldn't accept these files as updated versions of the old ones. While I'm not sure why (it was complaining about incorrect MIME type but I tried a variety of filetype/compression settings) it was consistent across all of the old icon files. If we can find a solution or a fix for this issue, that would be good.<br />
:*The reason they appear slightly more blurry there is that the 'contents' of the image is actually stretched further in the 'new' images. The old screenshots - which I did actually try initially - include a larger border, and the new images are pulled directly from the gamefile, but have a smaller border (at normal size, 1px instead of 3px). In the images you've linked above, you'd need to scale the 'new' images down a little to match the actual content size - and the images should be the same 'sharpness' after that. I will spend some time seeing if I can make them look a little better though.<br />
: [[User:U11670196|U11670196]] ([[User talk:U11670196|talk]]) 23:17, 4 December 2019 (UTC)<br />
::Hello, I heard from AN_TRN_26. The newer images you had uploaded are a good improvement from its previous versions, and are comparable to the ones on the Wiki. Seems the fix was making the older image scale back to a 1:1 aspect ratio of 54 px. I would approve for further implementation. I think the main problem with the "updated" step with the wiki versions is because the wiki versions are jpeg format while your versions are png. As I understand, this type of update is not compatible unless the file types are the same. Perhaps this would make a good test on whether a JPG or PNG image would have better resolution for this project. If PNG does produce a better image, I would not object to its continual usage for the project. --[[User:U28580205|U28580205]] ([[User talk:U28580205|talk]]) 07:55, 5 December 2019 (UTC)<br />
:::Yeah, the wiki didn't like the PNG files, but I'm wondering if maybe the originals are something odd like jpeg2000 (I tried regular JPG to no avail). Regardless; PNG images are generally higher quality (PNG is a lossless format, unlike JPG) and allow for transparency. In my experience with web design, PNG is preferable for these reasons, although JPG files tend to be smaller overall - as such where quality matters I'd suggest PNG images would be ideal, and where size matters JPG is probably better. --[[User:U11670196|U11670196]] ([[User talk:U11670196|talk]]) 18:50, 5 December 2019 (UTC)</div>U11670196https://wiki.warthunder.com/index.php?title=User:U11670196&diff=38586User:U116701962019-12-05T00:27:34Z<p>U11670196: /* Ground Forces Ammunition (WIP) */</p>
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<div>Hi! I'm ftsartek (just call me artek). I've played Warthunder on-and-off since release, although I only really got into it more recently when I first picked up ground forces somewhere around 2016/2017.<br />
<br />
I originally made my way up through the Russian ground lineup without touching another nation until I reached the Russian Rank V, when I started grinding the British.<br />
<br />
Over time I worked my way up and as of October 2019, I have full Rank VII lineups for the British, the Russians and the Americans; a Rank VI lineup for the Germans and a Rank IV lineup for the French. I pretty regularly play lineups at just about any rank, though, depending on how I feel at any given time.<br />
<br />
I also play a bit of Air RB, although primarily with the intention of grinding aircraft to support my ground lineups.<br />
<br />
I have a VR setup and on occasion play Air Simulator Battles with it until nausea (or the ground) gets the best of me. <!--One trick to help with the motion sickness when using VR is to have a small fan blowing on you, this will trick your brain into thinking you are actually moving and should help reduce the motion sickness. I had the same problem, once I started the fan, all motion sickness went away and I didn't have any issues after that.--><!-- Thanks! I'll give this a shot. --><br />
<br />
My intention on the Wiki is to (where possible) keep info up-to-date where possible, clean up any grammatical issues or simply help ensure that people can rely on the wiki for gameplay suggestions and recommendations.<br />
<br />
'''Everything below is my opinion only; take it how you like.'''<br />
<br />
=== '''Favourite Vehicles''' ===<br />
<u>[[Centurion Mk 10|Centurion Mk.10:]]</u> I have a special relationship with the Mk.10. It makes up one of my favourite lineups in the game; 7.3 British. I mean, look at this thing! It gets a stabilised 105mm with over 300mm of flat pen, a decent reload, perfectly acceptable armour... Sure, it's not the fastest thing around, but who even cares when you don't need to stop to shoot?<br />
<br />
<u>[[Vickers MBT|Vickers MBT:]]</u> Pretty much the same story as the Centurion. Except this time, you get to run around in a stabilised 105mm with one of the fastest reloads for its tier. Paper armour can be overcome but well-placed APDS can't. I think this is actually my most played medium tank.<br />
<br />
<u>[[Conqueror|Conqueror Mk.2:]]</u> THIS is what a heavy tank should be. A beastly gun, serious armour, decent mobility. Even better, not many tanks you'll face in this thing stand a chance in a snipe-off. And again, British 7.3.<br />
<br />
<u>[[IS-7|IS-7:]]</u> Okay, enough fawning over that British lineup. This thing is great fun. It's not really the best tank at 8.3, where every game's against 8.7 tanks and armour means nothing... But jeez, this defies expectations. No heavy should be this fast, ever. And no tank should be in possession of such a veritable armada of machine guns. Besides that, the fun of a 130mm APHE shell popping in the middle of a tank is pretty unbeatable.<br />
<br />
<u>[[T-80U|T-80U:]]</u> This thing is great. Unless you get shot in the side, but eventually you've gotta get used to it. The gun, the mobility, the survivability... Incredible vehicle, extremely competitive at top tier.<br />
<br />
<u>[[Challenger Mk.2]] & [[Challenger Mk.3|Mk.3]]:</u> These aren't actually amazing tanks, but they look cool, they snipe well, and the fact that they're not super fast means they pace your gameplay. They force you to play more carefully, more strategically.<br />
<br />
<u>[[FV4005|FV4005:]]</u> The HESH Barn is the single most inconsistent vehicle I think I've ever driven in War Thunder. HESH is weird. But I've had a love for this thing since the first time I got a multi-kill; a round hit the side of a Panther, killing it and the Ru 251 directly adjacent, AND a plane that was in the vicinity. I don't even think the plane was that close. Yet to repeat that, but I have had a couple double kills with it since. <br />
<br />
<u>[[ZiS-12 (94-KM)]]:</u> This is not an AA. This is a tank destroyer disguised as a milk truck. I've probably killed like 3 planes for every 20 tanks I've killed with this. Driving around like a maniac in a truck is stupid and amusing. So damn amusing.<br />
<br />
<u>[[T-34-57]]:</u> Who woulda thought a 57mm could do so much damage? This thing's right at the comfortable tier where it still has somewhat effective armour, and that gun is incredible.<br />
<br />
<u>[[IS-2 (1944)]]:</u> 122mm of APHE on a properly armoured hull (unlike the first IS-2 where anything can go through that flat upper section of the UFP.) The Russians just ''get'' me.<br />
<br />
<u>[[Firefly "Scorpion"|Firefly Scorpion]]:</u> To be honest, the 17pdr is dirty at 4.7. Yeah, okay, the thing can't take a hit, but jeez, nothing it faces can either. Plus the Brit 4.7 lineup is a GREAT SL grinder (if you're good with solid shot, at least).<br />
<br />
<u>[[Panther II]]:</u> An 88mm on a Panther hull was the best idea ever. I feel genuinely sad that newer players might never have the opportunity to get this tank. Still, they'll get the opportunity to get blown up by it; better than nothing, right?<br />
<br />
<u>[[Tiger II (10.5 cm Kw.K)|Tiger II (10.5cm Kw.K)]]:</u> This really doesn't have anything over the Tiger II (H) but there's a sorta prestige to having a bigger gun. It's not even the best 6.7 heavy out there, but it sure as hell makes quick work of those pesky T29s/T34s.<br />
<br />
<u>[[Sd.Kfz.234/4]]:</u> Speaking of pesky, this is the king of it. This is like the Centauro before the Italians ''dreamed'' of a light, fast vehicle designed just to annoy people in War Thunder. And on top of being light and fast, it's got a really good gun that can actually do some work in just about any uptier.<br />
<br />
<u>[[M6A1]]:</u> Y'know what's satisfying? Baiting someone out of cover with a fake shot. Works every damn time, and never fails to amuse.<br />
<br />
<u>[[XM-1 (GM)]]:</u> I'd be lying if I said I didn't like this. I mean, really, it's a filthy vehicle. Nothing at 9.0 should be allowed to do what this thing can do. It's a damn Ferrari with a gun on top!<br />
<br />
=== Hated Vehicles ===<br />
<u>[[ADATS]]:</u> Above and before anything else, I hate the ADATS. It's not the missiles; sure, they're bloody ridiculous. It's just that the damn thing won't ''die''. I have to survive long enough to fire off my APFSDS round, reload a HE/ATGM round, and then shoot it again. And half the time, HE isn't even enough to finish it. I've had an ADATS survive 4 HE shots before (this was prior to researching HEAT or ATGMs on the T-80U).<br />
<br />
<u>[[Ru 251]]:</u> I actually got used to fighting Ru 251s pretty quickly, but once in a while I get got by an Ru and it frustrates the hell out of me. It's mostly my fault, though, because I should know better by now.<br />
<br />
<u>[[AUBL/74 HVG]]:</u> Imagine a Leopard 1. Imagine that Leopard 1 is given double its power to weight ratio, a stabilised gun and only moved up 0.3 BR. You have successfully imagined the AUBL/74 HVG. It menaced my 7.7 German games for two weeks (spawn once, die early, no respawn), it menaced my 7.3 Brit/German and 8.3 Russian games for two weeks (supercar is in your spawn before you leave it). Least the thing dies easy.<br />
<br />
<u>[[SIDAM 25 (Mistral)]]:</u> This thing should actually be illegal. What it does to planes is probably against the law in most countries... It ''violates'' them. Jeez.<br />
<br />
<u>[[OTOMATIC]]:</u> What's up with this thing? I swear its breech doesn't ''actually'' die when it dies. I've shot one out and it just starts shooting blanks at me, blocking my view. It's weird, and also you never see the shots coming in a plane which is a little rude.<br />
<br />
<u>[[Ariete|C1 Ariete]] & [[Ariete PSO]]:</u> If you can penetrate the turret cheeks of a Challenger 1, you need to shoot someone that isn't the harmless Challenger 1. They never did anything wrong.<br />
<br />
<u>[[AMX-50 Foch]]:</u> Oh, it's a CA Lorraine. Cool, easy kill... Oh. Oh, it's a Foch. Oh, I'm dead. Oh. (I have nobody to blame but myself for this one)<br />
<br />
<u>[[M10 GMC]]:</u> I paid for a turreted tank destroyer, not a casemate. Whose idea was this?<br />
<br />
<u>[[Flakpanzer 341]]:</u> Love the concept. Still can't reliably shoot planes down ''or'' deal with tanks. Maybe I'm just bad.<br />
<br />
<u>[[Archer]]:</u> ???????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????<br />
<br />
<u>[[M48A2 G A2]]:</u> This is the only vehicle that I honestly think is just hopelessly over-tiered. For 0.4 BR increase, you get a stabiliser, a hell of a lot of speed, and it's not like your armour matters in the first place.<br />
<br />
''Also, all of the French vehicles prior to the B1 Bis. Anyone else who has also had to grind the reserve vehicles in the French lineup will understand why.''<br />
<br />
=== Personal Considerations for WT ===<br />
I enjoy War Thunder, and I'm happy to put time and money into it. Of course, no game can ever be perfect but there are some improvements I'd really like to see:<br />
<br />
'''Quality of Life'''<br />
<br />
* '''Dynamic Spawn Points''': This is likely a complex implementation, but ideally open up the area vehicles can spawn into on subsequent spawns ''if'' there are nearby enemies. Initial spawns can and would work as currently, but respawning would be far more dynamic, denying teams the current 'lockout' ability they currently have if they take an early advantage. If enemy vehicles were detected near or in a spawn, or (using path-tracing) detected with a direct line of sight in a spawn area, vehicles would instead be spawned in a nearby, but non-affected area. This allows for more than 'just get a few kills then die' and avoids the current spawn sniping issues too.<br />
* '''Cleaning up classic maps for modern gameplay''': A number of maps which were made available to top tier in the recent update have areas which are unbelievably good but are simply too easy to get to with MBTs and later light tanks. These need to be further restricted. This also somewhat applies to some newer maps where there are extremely good sniping positions available to one side and no spots available on the other side.<br />
* '''ULQ''': Ultra Low Quality is game-breaking, especially with Thermal in the game now. Being punished for playing the game on higher graphics is sad. There needs to be a compromise, a way to avoid issues for players who genuinely do need ULQ and players who really shouldn't be using it. Pet peeve, but I like my games looking good.<br />
* '''Night Maps & NVD''': Night maps are great fun... for people with NVD. If you don't have NVD you're on the back foot, and if it's one of those pitch black maps, you're basically done for. That isn't fun.<br />
<br />
'''Balance'''<br />
<br />
* '''Dynamic Battle Ratings''': This is, of course, a complex idea; probably requires lots of back-end work. Still, it'd be great for vehicles such as the M48A2 G A2 which is unbelievably out-classed until it gets APFSDS, and even then it's kinda over-ranked IMO.<br />
* '''Early-Game ATGM Helicopters''': I don't think early ATGM choppers are healthy for the game. They make people spawn into missile AA at the beginning of the game, which (unless you're in an ADATS) means your early game impact is basically limited to saving your defenseless teammates. Just doesn't really fit. Make ATGMs something you've gotta earn again. If nothing else, limit how many choppers can spawn simultaneously; it's frustrating for both teams when 80% of a team is in choppers.<br />
* '''Decompression''': Everyone asks about it, and for a reason. Vehicles such as the Chieftain Mk.10 shouldn't be fighting 10.0 vehicles, but at the same time it would probably ruin current 7.7 vehicles. Can't move it down, but it's not good where it is. Needs to be decompressed.<br />
* '''Close Look at Top Tier Balance''': I feel like some tanks could do with better rounds now that they've been essentially power creeped (M1/IPM1, Challenger 1s, Chally 2, M1A1....)<br />
* '''Anti-Chopper Aircraft''': Ensure aircraft (without anti-ground ordinance) are able to spawn for the same cost as ATGM helicopters. It's fair enough that there's a viable option to fight back against ATGM choppers besides ground-based AA (which may well be superseded with the advent of long range ATGMs coming up).<br />
<br />
'''Additions/Updates'''<br />
<br />
* A gamemode similar to Battlefield's Rush would be awesome in WT. It would probably require bigger maps, dynamic spawn points, etc, but god it'd be fun.<!-- @ftsartek, welcome to the wiki! We are glad to have your help working on articles where you can share your experience with specific vehicles or tactics and in general making this an inviting place for people to learn more about War Thunder and the vehicles within. If you should have any questions, please don't hesitate to ask. --U64962917 (talk) 10:27, 15 August 2019 (UTC) --><br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
== Ground Forces Ammunition (WIP) ==<br />
Throughout the past century of tank development, a large range of ammunition types have been produced and have seen combat. As time has progressed, technology has improved and rounds have improved in terms lethality, accuracy and ballistic performance. Despite this, most rounds can be categorised under one of two primary categories: '''kinetic''' rounds and '''chemical''' rounds.<br />
<br />
'''Kinetic rounds''' penetrate and deal damage based on a number of factors; shell type, projectile mass, round velocity and material hardness. Mass, shell type and hardness are constants, but velocity reduces with distance travelled and as such at longer ranges kinetic rounds will lose penetration ability and in some cases post-penetration efficacy.<br />
<br />
'''Chemical energy shells''' deal damage based on a chemical reaction, and unlike kinetic shells, their ability to penetrate and deal damage are unaffected by the shell's velocity. This means that target distance often doesn't affect the round's effectiveness.<br />
<br />
===Kinetic energy shells===<br />
<br /><br />
[[File:Icon AP Shot.jpg|left|frameless]]<br />
'''Armour Piercing (AP)'''<br />
<br />
Armour Piercing is a basic solid steel shot which is entirely reliant on kinetic energy to penetrate and deal damage. Providing the round possesses enough energy to penetrate any given armour, it will deal internal damage from steel fragments and spalling of the internal surfaces which can damage vehicle components, stored ammunition and crew members.<br />
<br />
''AP is a standard early World War II ammunition for many nations. In War Thunder, AP rounds should be used as a general use anti-armour round, with careful round placement to maximise post-penetration damage.''<br />
<br /><br />
<br /><br />
[[File:Rnd apc.png|left|frameless]]<br />
'''Armour Piercing, Capped (APC)'''<br />
<br />
APC rounds have a nose cone (or cap) of softer metal is fixed to the front of the solid shot. When this strikes the target armour the shock of the impact is transferred away from the tip of the round to the neck, helping prevent shattering. Additionally, the cap will collapse on contact with armour and the deformation will cause the round to angle towards the armour, more efficiently directing energy into the armour and improving the angled performance of the round. A downside of the cap is a decrease in long-range accuracy due to the cap interfering with the shell's aerodynamics.<br />
<br />
''APC is commonly found as a mid-tier shell for both the British and French on their mid-to-late WW2 vehicles. In War Thunder, APC is best used as a short-to-mid range round for combatting angled armour that regular AP rounds may not easily penetrate.''[[File:APC Normalization.gif|thumb|Display of shell normalization as an effect of a capped (APC) shell (clickable gif)|link=]]<br />
<br /><br />
<br /><br />
[[File:Rnd apbc.png|left|frameless]]<br />
'''Armour Piercing, Ballistic Capped (APBC)'''<br />
<br />
APBC rounds utilise a ballistic cap, designed to improve aerodynamic performance and hence round performance at longer ranges. The cap usually utilises a soft or brittle metal which collapses on impact and does not aid penetration or angled performance.<br />
<br />
''APBC is found on some early Russian vehicles, but is relatively uncommon otherwise compared to APCBC. In War Thunder, APBC is best used as a longer-range alternative to APC or APHE rounds which often exhibit less favourable ranged performance.''<br />
<br /><br />
<br /><br />
[[File:Rnd apcbc.png|left|frameless]]<br />
'''Armour Piercing, Capped, Ballistic Capped (APCBC)'''<br />
<br />
APCBC rounds combine the standard cap and the ballistic cap, improving the round's aerodynamic and penetration performance. As such, APCBC rounds tend to exhibit the best 'all-round' characteristics of any conventional kinetic rounds.<br />
<br />
''APCBC is found as a high-tier shell for British, French and American mid-to-late WW2 vehicles. In-game, APCBC should be the preferred option of solid shot rounds in all situations, when available, and should be situationally switched for APHE rounds if they're available.''<br />
<br /><br />
<br /><br />
[[File:Rnd aphe.png|left|frameless]]<br />
'''Armour Piercing, High Explosive (APHE)'''<br />
<br />
APHE rounds utilise a similar form to AP rounds, but incorporate a small chamber of high explosive filler within the round. This often slightly reduces the round's mass and construction strength and as such APHE rounds tend to exhibit slightly worse penetration performance than their solid shot counterparts. However, upon successful penetration, APHE rounds often cause significantly more damage within a vehicle. APHE rounds have a fuse which will only activate on sufficiently thick armour.<br />
<br />
''APHE is primarily found on Russian vehicles earlier in the tech tree, and on some earlier American and German vehicles. It should be prioritised for use when penetration is likely, or switched for AP or APCR if improved penetration is required.''<br />
<br /><br />
<br /><br />
[[File:Rnd aphebc.png|left|frameless]]<br />
'''Armour Piercing, High Explosive, Ballistic Capped (APHEBC)'''<br />
<br />
APHEBC rounds, similarly to APHE, utilise APBC concepts with the addition of high explosive filler. Again, the rounds tend to exhibit slightly worse penetrative performance than their solid shot brethren, but significantly more post-penetration damage. APHEBC rounds have a fuse which will only activate on sufficiently thick armour.<br />
<br />
''APHEBC is primarily found on Russian vehicles earlier in the tech tree as a mid-tier round, and on some American and German vehicles. It's ideally used against targets where angled performance is required and HE filler is preferable.''<br />
<br /><br />
<br /><br />
[[File:Rnd aphecbc.png|left|frameless]]<br />
'''Armour Piercing, High Explosive, Capped, Ballistic Capped (APHECBC)'''<br />
<br />
APHECBC rounds utilise standard APCBC designs with added explosive filler. APHECBC is often referred to as 'APCBC' in-game, and can be identified instead by the graphic or the explosive filler content in the round stat sheet. As with other APHE rounds, APHECBC significantly improves the post-penetration lethality over that of a standard APCBC round. APHECBC rounds have a fuse which will only activate on sufficiently thick armour.<br />
<br />
''APHECBC is found throughout the Russian tech tree as a high-tier round, and on some American and German vehicles. APHECBC should be used preferentially and interchangeably with a high-penetration round where available.''<br />
<br /><br />
<br /><br />
[[File:Rnd apcr.png|left|frameless]]<br />
'''Armour Piercing, Composite, Rigid (APCR)'''<br />
<br />
APCR rounds often use tungsten carbide or other extremely hard metals as a sub-calibre penetrator, wrapped within a softer full-calibre sabot - the APCR concept is essentially a predecessor to the APDS design. Upon impact, the soft shell will deform, allowing the hard metal penetrator contained within to penetrate the target's armour with force spread over a smaller surface area, resulting in significantly better penetration ability. APCR rounds often suffer from less post-penetration damage than a standard AP round of the same calibre, and due to their design perform much worse when facing angled armour.<br />
<br />
''APCR is found throughout most tech trees, most commonly available to vehicles from mid-WW2 through to early cold war vehicles. APCR rounds are best used against minimally angled armour, where other rounds will be unable to penetrate.''<br />
<br /><br />
<br /><br />
[[File:Rnd apds.png|left|frameless]]<br />
'''Armour Piercing, Discarding Sabot (APDS)'''<br />
<br />
APDS rounds utilise a hard core as a sub-calibre penetrator, with a full calibre sabot. Unlike APCR rounds, APDS rounds discard their sabot after exiting the cannon barrel. The result is an extremely high-velocity round with particularly high penetration values and good ranged accuracy. APDS produces a minimal amount of post-penetration damage. There is also a small chance for APDS rounds to shatter given certain circumstances.<br />
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''APDS is first made available on post-WW2 British vehicles, and is available to most vehicles in possession of an L7-derived gun.'' ''In War Thunder, APDS is best used as a long-range round, with multiple shots often being a necessity due to the lack of post-penetration damage. APDS is quite ineffective against lightly-armoured vehicles.''<br />
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[[File:Rnd apfsds.png|left|frameless]]<br />
'''Armour Piercing, Discarding Sabot, Fin-Stabilized (APDS-FS)'''<br />
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APDS-FS (usually referred to as APFSDS in-game) is the pinnacle of the kinetic anti-armour rounds. As with APDS, APFSDS utilises an extremely hard penetrator and a discarding sabot, however the penetrator is usually significantly longer than that of APDS and incorporates fins for added long-range accuracy. The additional penetrator legnth improves the post-penetration damage effects. APFSDS rounds are the most powerful kinetic rounds available in-game.<br />
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''APFSDS is first available to some late Rank V vehicles, and is often the primary round for most Rank VI or VII vehicles. It's effective at all ranges, and due to most APFSDS rounds having an extremely high velocity they maintain their performance at even extreme ranges. APFSDS is quite ineffective against lightly-armoured vehicles.''<br />
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===Chemical energy shells===<br />
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[[File:Rnd he.png|left|frameless]]<br />
'''High Explosive (HE)'''<br />
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High Explosive rounds are primarily intended for use as an anti-infantry/anti-emplacement round. As such, HE rounds tend to have minimal armour-piercing capability and are better used against particularly lightly armoured vehicles, although on occasion it can prove effective against the sides of a vehicle. Particularly high-calibre HE rounds may cause enough area damage to destroy a tank regardless of the round placement.<br />
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''HE rounds are available to almost every vehicle in-game. However, low-calibre HE rounds are particularly ineffective and they should only be utilised by vehicles with large-calibre guns, such as the KV-2 or Sturmpanzer II.''<br />
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[[File:Rnd he dist.png|left|frameless]]<br />
'''High Explosive Variable Timer (HE-VT)'''<br />
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HE-VT rounds use the simple concept of a timed fuse, resulting in an explosion at a preset range. While HE-VT rounds are no more effective than HE rounds against most heavy armour, they can be particularly effective against light vehicles with a known range or against aircraft (one of their original design uses). <br />
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[[File:Rnd he prox.png|left|frameless]]<br />
'''High Explosive Proximity Fuse (HE-PRX)'''<br />
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HE-PRX rounds are an advanced round with specialised proximity fuses, designed to detonate the round upon reaching close proximity with a target. These are usually designed for anti-air applications, and are generally ineffective against most ground targets. <br />
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[[File:Rnd he gnd.png|left|frameless]]<br />
'''High Explosive Grenade'''<br />
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HE Grenades are specialised HE rounds designed to be fired from cannons which may not be otherwise capable of firing high-calibre rounds. They usually operate in a different manner to conventional cannon rounds, utilising a propellant rather than a charge, resulting in a relatively low round velocity and sub-par ballistics. However, this design has proven useful, as the low velocity can be used to 'sling' rounds onto weak roof armour or into trenches or bunkers.<br />
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[[File:Shrapnel Round Icon.png|left|frameless]]<br />
'''Shrapnel'''<br />
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Shrapnel rounds are a chemical round utilising a thin shell and a chamber of metal fillings or ball bearings with a small explosive charge. Upon successful penetration, shrapnel rounds cause a significant amount of damage. However, due to the thin outer shell, shrapnel rounds only perform well against particularly light armour and are completely ineffective when used against even moderately armoured targets.<br />
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''Shrapnel rounds are available exclusively to early Russian vehicles. Shrapnel is exclusively useful against lightly armoured targets, and shouldn't be used against front-facing armour of any other tank.''<br />
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[[File:Rnd hesh.png|left|frameless]]<br />
'''High Explosive Squash Head (HESH)'''<br />
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HESH rounds are designed as an anti-emplacement round. The 'squash head', usually comprised of some form of plastic explosive, is designed to squash onto a surface and detonate, causing the opposite side of the surface to rupture. If the given surface happens to be metal, this will often result in metal shards flying off the surface at high velocity. Due to this design, HESH rounds perform better the further they can spread, and as such they're more effective when applied to angled armour, within reason.<br />
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''HESH rounds are available to most British vehicles from Rank V, and other vehicles in possession of an L7-derived gun. HESH should be primarily used against lighter armour or side armour, although occasionally the HE splash effect can cause unexpected results. HESH is completely ineffective against heavy armour.''[[File:HEAT Diagram.jpg|thumb|Display of a HEAT charge striking armour|link=]]<br />
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[[File:Rnd heat.png|left|frameless]]<br />
'''High Explosive, Anti-tank (HEAT)'''<br />
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HEAT rounds are designed specifically as an anti-tank round. They operate by superheating metallic armour with a shaped charge, with the external pressure caused by the charge explosion forcing the molten metal into the internals of the vehicle, causing internal damage to crew and modules. <br />
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''HEAT rounds are available to a variety of WW2 German vehicles, as well as higher-performance HEAT becoming available to some late French and American vehicles. HEAT is limited in effectiveness and its usage should be carefully considered as many vehicles have armour it cannot penetrate.''<br />
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[[File:Rnd heatfs.png|left|frameless]]<br />
'''High Explosive, Anti-Tank, Fin-Stabilized (HEAT-FS)'''<br />
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HEAT-FS rounds are an improvement over the HEAT concept, using improved penetrative chemicals and utilising fins for improved ballistic performance. HEAT-FS rounds maintain their penetration values at all ranges, and are well-suited to long-range engagements. HEAT-FS rounds are particularly sensitive, and may detonate on light obstacles such as shrubs or fences.<br />
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''HEAT-FS rounds become available to many nations from Rank V although notably the British do not receive HEAT-FS at any stage due to its incompatibility with rifled cannons. At Rank VI and Rank VII, HEAT-FS may prove ineffective in many cases due to the prevalence of ERA and composite armour. Despite this, it can still be used for ranged engagements, as particularly late HEAT-FS rounds have extremely high penetration power.''<br />
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[[File:Icon rnd he prx.png|left|frameless]]<br />
'''High Explosive, Anti-Tank, Fin-Stabilised, Proximity Fuse (HEAT-FS PRX)'''<br />
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HEAT-FS PRX rounds are specialised HEAT-FS rounds which utilise a proximity fuse to detonate when in close proximity to a target. They can be used to destroy low-flying aircraft or helicopters, while maintaining their effectiveness against ground vehicles utilising normal HEAT-FS technology. <br />
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[[File:Rnd heat gnd.png|left|frameless]]<br />
'''High Explosive, Anti-Tank Grenade'''<br />
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HEAT Grenades are specialised HEAT rounds, designed for use where normal tank rounds may not be possible to utilise. They often use a propellant rather than a standard charge, and as such suffer from low velocity and sub-par round ballistics. Despite this, they can prove effective against tanks due to their HEAT technology.<br />
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[[File:Rnd atgm.png|left|frameless]]<br />
'''Anti-Tank Guided Missile (ATGM)'''<br />
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''Main article: [[Anti-tank guided missiles|Anti-tank Guided Missile]]''<br />
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ATGMs largely utilise the same concept as HEAT, however they integrate some form of propulsion and are usually guidable, either manually (MCLOS) or semi-automatically (SACLOS). ATGMs usually pack a large amount of explosive and often have particularly powerful shaped charges. However, they require specialised equipment to fire and tend to be heavy, often resulting in long reload times.<br />
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''ATGMs become available through Rank V, and are primarily carried by specialised ATGM carriers, however some tanks have ATGM-capable main cannons. ATGMs are powerful and SACLOS guided missiles are easily aimed, however they travel slowly and well-aware targets may be able to move into cover prior to the ATGM reaching them.''<br />
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[[File:Rnd atgm prox.png|left|frameless]]<br />
'''Anti-Tank Guided Missile Proximity Fuse (ATGM-PRX)'''<br />
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ATGM-PRX missiles utilise proximity fuses to detonate when in close proximity to aircraft. This, combined with their guidance systems (SACLOS) allows them to be used effectively against low-flying aircraft or helicopters.<br />
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[[File:Rnd atgm tandem.png|left|frameless]]<br />
'''Anti-Tank Guided Missile, Tandem Charge''' '''(ATGM Tandem)'''<br />
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ATGM Tandem missiles utilise a twin-stage warhead to overcome ERA - the first stage causes the ERA to detonate, while the second stage penetrates the armour below as normal.<br />
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[[File:Rnd atgm he.png|left|frameless]]<br />
'''Anti-Tank Guided Missile, HE (ATGM-HE)'''<br />
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ATGM HE missiles are a simplification of a standard ATGM; rather than a shaped HEAT charge, HE missiles simply utilise a large quantity of explosive.<br />
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[[File:Rnd sam.png|left|frameless]]<br />
'''Surface to Air Missile (SAM)'''<br />
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SAM missiles are high-velocity anti-air missiles, designed specifically to combat aircraft using a variety of technologies; often including proximity fuses and radar or heat-seeking guidance.<br />
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[[File:Rnd rocket.png|left|frameless]]<br />
'''Rocket'''<br />
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Rockets are unguided high-explosive self-propelled rounds which are often significantly higher calibre than standard tank cannons. They can be mounted as ancillary weaponry on some vehicles, or in some cases they're mounted on specialised rocket-carrier vehicles.<br />
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[[File:Rnd smoke.png|left|frameless]]<br />
'''Smoke'''<br />
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''Main article: [[Smoke screen|Smoke]]''<br />
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Smoke shells are not designed as a damaging shell, and largely consist of chemicals designed to create a smoke screen. The produced smoke has a limited lifetime.<br />
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''Smoke shells are available to various vehicles throughout most tech trees, however their effectiveness is somewhat limited compared to dedicated smoke launchers.''</div>U11670196https://wiki.warthunder.com/index.php?title=File:Icon_rnd_smoke.png&diff=38584File:Icon rnd smoke.png2019-12-05T00:23:13Z<p>U11670196: U11670196 moved page File:Rnd smoke.png to File:Icon rnd smoke.png</p>
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<div>Standard Shrapnel Icon</div>U11670196https://wiki.warthunder.com/index.php?title=File:Icon_rnd_shrapnel.png&diff=38579File:Icon rnd shrapnel.png2019-12-05T00:19:49Z<p>U11670196: U11670196 moved page File:Shrapnel Round Icon.png to File:Icon rnd shrapnel.png</p>
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<div>SAM Round Icon</div>U11670196https://wiki.warthunder.com/index.php?title=File:Icon_spr_rocket.png&diff=38575File:Icon spr rocket.png2019-12-05T00:17:58Z<p>U11670196: U11670196 uploaded a new version of File:Icon spr rocket.png</p>
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<div>Rocket Round Icon</div>U11670196https://wiki.warthunder.com/index.php?title=File:Icon_spr_rocket.png&diff=38573File:Icon spr rocket.png2019-12-05T00:17:46Z<p>U11670196: U11670196 moved page File:Rnd rocket.png to File:Icon spr rocket.png</p>
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<div>HEAT Proximity Round Icon</div>U11670196https://wiki.warthunder.com/index.php?title=File:Icon_rnd_heat_prx.png&diff=38569File:Icon rnd heat prx.png2019-12-05T00:16:19Z<p>U11670196: U11670196 moved page File:Icon rnd heat prx.png to File:Icon rnd heatfs prx.png</p>
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<div>HEATFS Round Icon</div>U11670196https://wiki.warthunder.com/index.php?title=File:Icon_rnd_heatfs.png&diff=38565File:Icon rnd heatfs.png2019-12-05T00:15:50Z<p>U11670196: U11670196 moved page File:Rnd heatfs.png to File:Icon rnd heatfs.png</p>
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