Am I the only gunner in the world that keeps HEAT up?

[Hunt3r]

When I gun tanks these days, I keep HEAT up, and only switch to sabot if tanks are known to be near my tank.

In general, I've just found that HEAT is so much more versatile and is so much more capable against more threats to the tank that there is no point in keeping sabot up. HEAT will take out anything up to a tank, and even then, the tank will be damaged, and if you hit them in the optics, it'll buy you the time to switch to sabot after the shot.

Sure, if the enemy tank gets all of their sabot rounds into you, without missing, they will kill you, but then again if it is completely down to how fast you can mash the button and how many rounds you can pump into the enemy tank, then haven't you lost already?

As a side note, how many HEAT rounds would it take to destroy a tank from the front, sides, rear, and top?

[nedlands1]

As a side note, how many HEAT rounds would it take to destroy a tank from the front, sides, rear, and top?

Create a local server on Kashan and try.

[Hunt3r]

I believe that in local they've modified damages and armor values?

[gaurd502]

I always figured it was because Armour would be more of a threat, and that you would want to get your most damaging round on it as soon possible. While if you need heat you will have more time to switch to it.

[Ninja2dan]

In PR, I would say it all depends on the map and other various aspects of the situation.

Are there enemy armored non-MBT vehicles in the area, such as APC/MAA/IFV/etc? What is the terrain like? What are your chances of coming into contact with an enemy foot squad? What are the chances of you coming into contact with an enemy defensive position with AT capabilities? How much heavy armor (MBT or AT-capable APC) does the enemy have, and where was it last reported? All of these things can change every minute, and the answers to those questions plus others are what would determine which round I kept chambered.

Personally, I think enemy armor is a much bigger threat. If you do encounter enemy ground troops with AT capabilities, you still have a coax to zap em with or at least get their heads down long enough for you to move into a hull-down or protective position and load up on HEAT or call in other support options. But armor will whoop your ***, and fast.

The issue with armor in PR is that players do not use realistic tactics, and in the end tank-vs-tank battles are often just a slug-fest. Who ever gets the first round in wins, it's that easy. So if you've got a HEAT round loaded up, you can only win if you see them first or you get real lucky. Like win the lottery kind of lucky. Your best option though is to fall back.

[goguapsy]

Yeah, pretty much the same thing with infantry:

You can keep burst/auto mode or single fire mode.

I keep burst/fire mode because I don't know when I'm gonna get surprised by an enemy. If he is far enough to use single-fire instead of auto- or burst-fire, you WILL have time to change. Afterall, that doesn't affect deviation (I think). The tanks hav a form of deviation - the round changing delay.

[Hunt3r]

I dunno about you, but in general I keep HEAT up because it still will one shot or throw off a potential AT equipped APC hard enough that the missile can miss altogether, even if in flight. I am all about camping it up waiting for the enemy to make the first move, and open up an opportunity to cleanly take out the enemy while they are confused and busy canceling previous actions while they try to start observing again when I am already acting to cleanly take them out.

It is all about the OODA loop. You use information to be able to dictate the terms at which you engage, and from there you create a pocket of time in which they cannot relay information to the team, while they are confused and are easily taken out. Once they're dead, they can't relay accurate information, and they have lost their advantage. By the time they see where the tracer is coming from, they no longer can set a marker and see where I was, because they're dead.

BTW, this only applies to MBTs. With ATGM equipped APCs it's a whole new ballgame when it takes 30 whole agonizing seconds to get your ATGM loaded. IFVs are especially vulnerable against tanks unless you are behind them and they do not see you for all the ammo you unload on them. My advice is to use them against infantry, only killing tanks if you have a decisive advantage where you are absolutely sure you cannot have them ever get their sights on you.

[nedlands1]

I believe that in local they've modified damages and armor values?

The some of the singleplayer vehicles (ie with bots) are different but the local server assets should be the same.

[AnThRaX-NL]

It depends on the map in maps like Basrah, Karbala there is no point keeping AP rounds up because there is no threat of enemy vehicles. But in Kashan I prefer the AP rounds because it could make the difference in a 1 on 1 fight with another tank and heat rounds wont take out a chopper with 1 round either.

[Brummy]

It depends on the map in maps like Basrah, Karbala there is no point keeping AP rounds up because there is no threat of enemy vehicles. But in Kashan I prefer the AP rounds because it could make the difference in a 1 on 1 fight with another tank and heat rounds wont take out a chopper with 1 round either.

HEAT will definitely take out choppers, you'll kill their engines at least.

[Arnoldio]

I keep AP when travelling, switch to heat when engaging large masses of infantry. I use the coax alot too.

[L4gi]

A lot of people use coax to just give away their position, basically shooting at infantry miles away. Personally I wouldnt fire the coax unless I was really close or out of HEAT/AP.

[CastleBravo]

I drive IFVs instead. Keep the ATGM up, and switch to HE autocannon instantly when needed.

But seriously, a well driven tank will never be surprised by a target; the crew should always know what and where the threats are and hence always have the correct ammunition loaded when presented with a shot.

[goguapsy]

It depends on the map in maps like Basrah, Karbala there is no point keeping AP rounds up because there is no threat of enemy vehicles. But in Kashan I prefer the AP rounds because it could make the difference in a 1 on 1 fight with another tank and heat rounds wont take out a chopper with 1 round either.

If you ever run out of HEAT rounds, how are you going to get back to main?

I think I had to use a couple of my AP rounds while RTBing in Karbala after wasting 2 heat rounds on a gary. My SL got pretty mad because the gary was 5 feet away from us in my last shot

[Tim270]

I keep AP in tanks loaded on the basis that it is the best for killing armour and emplacements (TOW), the biggest threats to my tank. Coax will suffice in suppressing most infantry and you can kill people at range with it pretty easily.

[BobTheSilensious]

As a side note, how many HEAT rounds would it take to destroy a tank from the front, sides, rear, and top?

[where your hit]=[percent damaged]/[number of shots needed to destroy(not disable)]

Tank vs HEAT

Tracks hit = 37.5% dam. / 3 shots
Front hit = 22.5% dam. / 5 shots
Side hit = 22.5% dam. / 5 shots
Rear/top/wheels hit = 56.25% dam. / 2 shots
Glass hit = 22.5% dam. / 5 shots

Tank vs AP

Tracks hit = 32.5% dam. / 3 shots
Front hit = 24.375% dam. / 4 shots
Side hit = 48.75% dam. / 2 shots
Rear/top/wheels hit = 81.25% dam. / 2 shots
Glass hit = 73.125% dam. / 1-2 shots <- Yup, you can "one shot" a tank by hitting glass parts (try by yourself if you dont believe me :wink

Source : Myself and BF2 Editor

[Nehil]

Depends, if the enemy team has APCs with ATGM I would not allow my tank gunner to drive with HEAT loaded, since it won't kill the APC with 1 HEAT round. But 1 ATGM will kill a tank.

But if the enemy only has tanks/inf/APCs without ATGM, then sure. Getting surprised by a HAT team is more likely than a tank surprising you. If a tank does surprise you, you aren't doing your job.

[myles]

It depends on the map in maps like Basrah, Karbala there is no point keeping AP rounds up because there is no threat of enemy vehicles. But in Kashan I prefer the AP rounds because it could make the difference in a 1 on 1 fight with another tank and heat rounds wont take out a chopper with 1 round either.

well somtimes you need ap on karbal basrah as gary takes 2 heat shots and 1 AP shot

o yeah just to tell you i have video on youtube with you as SL on a CAS squad YouTube - PR 0.91 CAS squad Kashan Desert

[/Randoph/]

you can destroy any vehicle with sabot while HEAT round is mostly effective against infantry or jeep(why not exists a tank with two cannons one with HEAT round loaded and second one With SABOT)

[myles]

sorry but while we our on this topic is MPAT heat?