Russian APHE shell

[Gunnerr]

I'm curious about one thing, always wanna ask since first game.

I noticed how the Russian frequently using APHE shell. Is this really the most shells they can produced during that time?

Correct me if Im wrong, I believed this shell designed to send fragments inside the tank but does little penetration?

[andrey12345 v2.0]

In 43, this is the main type of ammunition for tank and anti-tank guns. Actually like the Germans and Americans.

This type of ammunition is designed to penetrate armor as a solid armor-piercing, only contains a small chamber with an explosive and fuses of constant or variable delay.

[Flan]

The Russian tanks come with 2 types to pick from too, one with a red tracer and a slightly better one with a pretty blue tracer.

[Gunnerr]

It is really effective?
I never get tank vs tank combat yet but in the first game I really find it's frustrating to use.

Most of my engagement is shooting Panzer
at range 200m or less, if more they won't do anything.
I learnt the hard way, using the terrain of Taranovka to ambush and encircle the German tanks, destroying one by one.

But still, grouping 2 T-34s at less than 100 metre to kill one Pz IV consumes lot of time.

[Flan]

If it doesn't properly penertrate or the fuse fails which often happens it's not as effective but if it exploded inside the tank it will almost garuntee it will be destroyed.

[Flan]

Originally posted by Assault_Gunner:

But still, grouping 2 T-34s at less than 100 metre to kill one Pz IV consumes lot of time.

Should be an easy kill at that range, I've lost Tigers to them at that distance.

Could be that the 76mm tanks also have a APCR shell that they will use at closer range which does less damage but can go through more armor.
I have a nit pick with tanks using speical shells like HEAT and APCR just becuase they can not because they should (regular shell would work better).

https://steamcommunity.com/sharedfiles/filedetails/?id=1565976725
1 Regular shell they shot didn't even get through fully but managed to do far more damage than the barrage of APCR.

(not to say APCR and HEAT are bad, they're just better for special situations).

[andrey12345 v2.0]

Originally posted by Flannelette:

The Russian tanks come with 2 types to pick from too, one with a red tracer and a slightly better one with a pretty blue tracer.

In summer 1943 yes - A and B types, but early, only one type available.

[Flan]

Yeah I noticed if you switch the dates in the editor you get different ammo and weapons not just differnt units! Like you can have tungsten core machine gun bullets in the early war and the germans switch their AT rifles to AT grenade launchers after a certain date.

[Mhiester]

Originally posted by Assault_Gunner:

It is really effective?

APHE rounds are the best you're going to get aside from HEAT.

The behind armor effects of an APHE round are devastating, and the Pzgr.39 and BR-350 are both good enough at what they do.

Really, their only downside is their tendancy to shatter when hitting plates at oblique angles (problem with all solid AP projectiles, though less so with long rod penetrators, and even less with shaped charge jets).

Looks like this: https://imgur.com/a/KIub785

Even with that, the problem is mitigated with better ammo design.