Which is better for Tank vs Tank battles in PR, APFSDS-T or the HEAT round?
When i was new to PR, i went on a server and joined an IFV squad.
I was the gunner of the IFV. The driver pretty much taught me what i needed to know. He told me to use AP rounds for vehicles, and HEAT for lighter vehicles. I know an IFV is different from a tank, but they both pretty much have the same types of rounds (just not the same sized rounds and the tank is stronger). I apologise for the noobness and lack of full military knowledge
"APFSDS" stands for Armor Piercing, Fin Stabilized Discarding SABOT. A SABOT is a type of round in which the actual projectile's diameter is smaller than the diameter of the cannon. Imagine you have this ten inch-wide cannon, but you shoot a three-inch wide spike through it. The SABOT part of the round is the filler around that three-inch spike that fills up the remaining seven inches. As soon as the whole round leaves the end of the barrel, the SABOT part falls off, but the spike is traveling incredibly fast. The SABOT forces all of the energy into the smaller spike. This spike travels through the air at insane speeds with tons and tons of energy, and it destroys the target through kinetic energy and penetration, rather than an explosive warhead. These spikes are made of an incredibly durable substance, usually depleted uranium. They go super fast into a target, penetrating it deeply, rather than just exploding upon impact.
This is why they are so good against tanks. A tank's armor is strong enough to withstand a big explosion, whose energy is spread out over a large area. However, if tons and tons of energy is put into a small area, then the armor will give way.
IF you shoot, say, a HMMWV, IRL the round will pass right though, doing relatively little damage to the overall structure. An explosive round, though, against such a soft-skinned vehicle will do much damage.
GLP4X wrote:Yes, but i once had a case where 3 direct HEAT rounds to the back end of a hummer did not kill it.
i put 3 rounld in the side of truck once with armor pericing rounld and the rest with heat. and it just keept going, i alos fired 50, directly into a huey and it just kept coming, 1 rounld into a humvie with a heat rounld and it survived.
There is a difference between the two and the SABOT (AP) round is far more effective on heavily armored vehicles. The HEAT round is a compromise, it still has a shape charge, but no where near as effective as a SABOT round.
On long tank missions on Kashan, I usually use HEAT for everything except APC/Tank. Save the AP for stronger targets, and use the HEAT rounds for other lesser items. This can help keep you on the field longer without the need for ammo runs.
GLP4X wrote:Yes, but i once had a case where 3 direct HEAT rounds to the back end of a hummer did not kill it.
i know what you mean. i was in a Bradley IFV once and i shot a enemy logistics truck at least 7 times with HEAT rounds almost nothing happened, except that they got away. i guess the HEAT rounds maybe shouldnt destroy trucks in PR for gameplay (IRL i think it would tho), but it should at least kill the driver and crew and not be able to drive away.
i read or heard somewhere that the HEAT rounds not affecting vehicles is a glitch.
and Heat is for Infantry, although can be used for vehicles if needed
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