Help with the M18 Hellcat?

[XP47JSuperBolt]

Everytime with the M18 Hellcat I always have trouble. Main reason is that I always seem to have bad luck with the Hellcat. I'm always told "Flank-N-Spank that should work" and do a hull-down position but that never works. For one, Flank-N-Spank just gets me killed because I'm seen halfway across the map and somehow the "overpenetration" people say the m18 has is simply not true. I literally had a tiger shell go completely through my tank and once it hit the engine it started, and I ♥♥♥♥ you not. Bounce around inside my tank. Do any of you have a clue on what to do? I'm trying to find a good balance as I'm stuck with two conflicting thoughts, do I just do and don't think or treat it like the M10 and just poke out once in a while. By the way, neither of those worked so some pointers and is a "M18 for Dummies" guide available? I really need ya'lls help

[Masterofgaming22]

hull down is bad... people are more likely to get their fuse started due to the extra armor that they can see. usually i just play it like i would my sherman. first shot is life

[WickedestCard]

Hull down is probably the worst thing for a Hellcat. You want to stay moving as much as you can and as little time still as possible. MG fire can kill you so you want to limit the time you are in the line of sight of anything.

For cover, you want to use giant rocks, houses and such that completely hide you so that shells don't hit you at all. Go around the sides or less traveled paths and pick your shots. If you miss, just get out of that position and get somewhere else. If you find yourself one on one with another tank, just keep circling it as you are faster than the turret traverse of just about everything.

That's what worked for when I was in it so it may work for you as well.

[Katokevin]

Do NOT go hull down and sit there. The front of the turret is the thickest. Thick enough to set off most shells with an explosive filler which will kill the turret crew. You also have a few rounds stored on the right side of the turret that can be set off (I often aim for them). People who use the Hellcat need to remember how much of an advantage in speed they have. At close enough range, you can often move faster then the enemy can rotate his turret. But be careful around Tigers and Panthers. If they use there manual steering along with rotating the turret, they can catch up.

Use WickedestCard's advice for cover. If you get spoted, and they fire at you, back off and go find a new spot. You DO NOT want to get in 1 vs 1 fights with tanks, mainly Soviet tanks with a turret mounted DSHK (Those 12.7mm rounds will rip through your armor and destroy the crew). As for the issue of getting spoted, you want to stick to low level terrain. You don't always have to go for the edges of the map, but low areas around the edges are the best.

As for your gun, it is best used against the sides of your enemy if you know where to shoot. If the first shot does not kill, back off to cover, watch him look around for where it came from. If he does not spot you, he will probably turn back to whatever he was facing before, then you can strike again. I find the best thing for me is to knock out the engine, then go around and hit him while he can't move.

[Rumpelcrutchskin]

The bigger the round the more likely it will just obliterate you and not overpenetrate. 75-76 mm guns can overpenetrate M18 easily but Tiger H1 88 mm round just wipes the M18 and most SPAAs and other soft targets out in single shot if aimed well.
I dont even carry HE shells with my Tiger since nine times out of ten the standard APHE will do the job.
Not even talking about russian KV-2 and SU-152 derp guns, you have zero chance of surviving that hit.
So stay mobile and shoot first. If you are not sure you can kill with one shot then take out the gun barrel. Especially on Tiger II tanks the gun barrel is like made from paper.

[Coelian]

Originally posted by Rumpelcrutchskin:

The bigger the round the more likely it will just obliterate you and not overpenetrate. 75-76 mm guns can overpenetrate M18 easily but Tiger H1 88 mm round just wipes the M18 and most SPAAs and other soft targets out in single shot if aimed well.
I dont even carry HE shells with my Tiger since nine times out of ten the standard APHE will do the job.
Not even talking about russian KV-2 and SU-152 derp guns, you have zero chance of surviving that hit.
So stay mobile and shoot first. If you are not sure you can kill with one shot then take out the gun barrel. Especially on Tiger II tanks the gun barrel is like made from paper.

A m18 thought my loaders were dead and i had recently shot someone, so hetook the chance of running at my face when i pointed the big short nuclear gun at him, and he shot at me, i bounced, i shot that smug turret. Everything in his tank died

[Baldovah]

The number one thing i get frustrated the most in warthunder is that many people don't know how to use the hellcat. They hear it's great and try it without even knowing how to play it. But hey, for you I'll make an exception. For me the hellcat is THE best tank destroyer in the game. Why? 1st of all, you have the Speed. This is the hellcat's most prized weapon. Back in WWII german tanks couldnt even turn their turrets or even traverse fast enough to catch up with the hellcat. The hellcats crew used the hellcat's speed to their full advantage. (1. To get behind cover or a good spot to set up an ambush before the enemy arrives. 2. Scout and spot for other hellcats 3. Even when facing against the odds the hellcat used it's speed to flank enemy tanks. How? Let's say you are in warthunder, you're trying to ambush a tank, let's say a tiger II and failed to pen the turret while aiming for the gunner and he spots you. now he's heading towards you. don't panic, think. reverse or maneuver and find another way around him that you could either shoot him from the side or shoot him right in his ass to set the engine on fire. Make sure to check your surroundings before doing so. Another situation where you get to a spot early, again using ur speed, to where you can ambush ur prey then let's say you had 6 kills already and all of a sudden your spot is compromised. Don't stay on the same spot. Use your speed again to quickly get out of that area and relocate and find another ambush zone. It's just "hit and run" with the hellcat.) 2nd you have very good Maneuverability for a tank destroyer. The best during WWII. 3rd You have the 76mm high velocity gun which can pretty much kill anything with one shot. But the secret to one shotting your enemy isn't just point-click-and shoot. It's knowing where to aim and where to shoot it (weakspots or ammo). You can stalk and snipe enemies from long ranges without them knowing where you are. "Hull down" means only show the turret in a spot where you are far away from the enemy not in front of it. This lowers your profile making you harder to spot when people are looking for you. You have 3 great things in the hellcat. It may not have the armor, but it has the Speed, Maneuverability and Firepower. To anyone reading this who is new to the hellcat remember that: The hellcat is a TANK DESTROYER. It's meant to STALK, AMBUSH(from long or mid ranges), OUTMANEUVER and FLANK enemy tanks, not to go head to head with them. Because going head to head with them is the number one mistake most people make when playing the hellcat. Many kids just play it because they heard it's cool without even knowing the history of it and how it was used, and what it was meant for.You're not bad at it, you just need more practice. Remember, the Hellcat is THE most deadliest weapon against panzers, stugs, tigers (I&II), Panthers, T34's (all variants from the 57 up to the 85), t-44, IS (1&2), SPG's, SPAA, Japanese tanks. not the sherman, or the t34 heavy or t29 or t25 or pershing. Sure they all got good armor but when it comes to being flanked? sure they can hold out 2-3 guys frontally in some occasions, but when someone flanks them, poof gone. This is also another job for the hellcat. when heavies and mediums tend to push, sit back and watch their backs, if anyone tries to flank them, blow their ass. or just simply shoot them so they'll be notified where the enemy is. Don't worry if they push too far, you can always catch up. It's a very deadly weapon at the right hands for blowing your enemies to kingdom come. Use those 3 wonders the hellcat has to your full advantage and you'll be just fine. That's the perfect tank if you want to get double ace in murica mid tier. Once you're doing well, don't get too greedy for kills, this usually ends up you getting killed. 1st priority of the hellcat is to set up an ambush or sniping spot so they can stalk, spot and shoot enemies from a distance. 2nd protect and help your team (This is THE most important thing in the history of warthunder. HELP your team. Teamwork is what earns you victories, not greed. Because in most situations you tend to kill a lot but they respawn again and you didnt notice your team is already being decimated by the enemy team. what good is your kills if you lose? Then the flanking the enemy is the optional part because you can apply this whenever you want depending on the situation you're in. Do NOT go head to head with other enemy tanks. It's not a medium tank, it's a tank destroyer. Remember these and you'll be fine. Goodluck to the new players going for the hellcat. I hope this dummy guide helps you.

"If the hellcat was a chicken, I would proudly ride this glorious beast into battle."