Detailed Soviet Weapons Guide

This guide will help you understand the soviet guns featured in this game, with its historical and in-game qualities

Machineguns

PV-1 (Pulemet Vozdushny 1 or Airborne Machinegun 1)


This is basically a PM 1910 (Russian and, after the October Revolution in 1917, Soviet version of the Maxim Gun) adapted for use on Aircraft. It behaves just like the Vickers E, from the Hawker Fury and Hawker Nimrod. They composed the standard armament of the Polikarpov I-15 fighters, which were very common during the Spanish Civil War and the Battles of the Khalkhin Gol, but saw only limited use in WWII. In-game, they can be very powerful when using the tracer belt, with a good rate of fire and accuracy.

Caliber: 7.62x54mm
RoF: 750 rpm
Muzzle Velocity: 740 m/s
Ammo belts:
- Default (T/Ball/Ball/AP-I/AI)
- Universal (T/AP-I/AI/API-T)
- Tracers (API-T)
- Stealth (AP-I/AP-I/AP-I/IAI)


ShKas (Shpitalny-Komaritski Aviatsionny Skorostrelny, Shpitalny-Komaritski Rapid Fire Machine Gun for Aircraft)


This gun was made to replace the old PV-1. It has an amazing RoF, 1800 rpm for the common ShKas and 3000 rpm (!) for the Ultra-ShKas (this variant never saw extensive use due to reliability problems and is not featured in the game). It was used widely as the armament on many planes, like the Polikarpov I-16 Ishak, Polikarpov I-153 Shaika, Mikoyan-Gurevich MiG-3, Tupolev SB, Petlyakov Pe-2 Peshka, Ilyushin IL-2 Sturmovik and many others. It was used both as offensive and deffensive armament. It served as basis for the the ShVAK cannon. In the game, this is a very powerful machinegun, due to the amazing RoF and when using tracer rounds it can be very dangerous to most planes it faces, but the player needs to be careful when firing, because they jam very quickly and consume a LOT of ammo.

Caliber: 7.62x54mm
RoF: 1800 rpm, 1625 rpm when synchronized (firing through the propeller blades)
Muzzle Velocity: 775 m/s
Ammo belts:
- Default (T/Ball/Ball/AP-I/AI)
- Universal (T/AP-I/AI/API-T)
- Tracers (API-T)
- Stealth (AP-I/AP-I/AP-I/IAI)

Berezin UB (Universalni Berezina, Berezin's Universal)


I know what you're thinking, this is one freaking ugly gun, but make no mistake, it is very powerful. It was introduced in 1939, to supplement the ShKas, but firing a heavier caliber, the 12.7x108mm round. It was used both as offensive and defensive armament in many aircraft used by the Red Army Air Forces, like the Yakovlev Yak-1, Yakovlev Yak-3, Lavochkin-Gorbunov-Goudkov LaGG-3, Ilyushin IL-2 Sturmovik and many others. In the game, this is a good machinegun, with good RoF, damage and accuracy. Its damage seems to be lower then of the Browning AN/M2 .50 cals used on american planes, although in real life it packs a harder punch then its american counterpart.

Caliber: 12.7x108mm
RoF: 1050 rpm, 850 rpm synchronized
Muzzle Velocity: 814 m/s
Ammo belts:
- Default (T/AP/AP/IAI)
- Universal (AP-I/API-T/IAI/IAI)
- Air Targets (API-T/AP-I/AP-I/IAI)
- Ground Targets (AP-I(c)/ AP-I/AP-I/API-T/IAI)
- Tracers (API-T)
- Stealth (AP-I/AP-I/IAI)

Cannons

ShVAK (Shpitalnyi-Vladimirov Aviatsionnyi Krupnokalibernyi, Shpitalny-Vladimirov Large-Calibre for Aircraft)


Another ugly gun, but this one also sounds scary. It was originally introduced as a 12.7mm machinegun, but due to problems, it was modified to use 20mm shells. This cannon was used both offensively and deffensively on many planes, like the Yak-1, Petlyakov Pe-3, Polikarpov I-16 Ishak, LaGG-3, Lavochkin La-5, Yermolayev Yer-2. This cannon was highly effective against german planes in the Great Patriotic War (thats how the soviets/russians call the Eastern Front). In the game, it is a very powerful cannon, very dangerous to any plane and it sounds terrifying (as of 1.43, released about 3 months after this guide was written, the ShVAK and the B-20 no longer have the terrifying laser-like sound they had)! It is very effective against both light ground targets (armored cars, light tanks, trucks) and planes when using the ground targets belt.

Caliber: 20x99mm
RoF: 800 rpm
HE filling: 6g
Muzzle Velocity: 750 m/s
Ammo Belts:
- Default (FI-T/AP-I)
- Universal (FI-T/HEF/HEF-I/HEF/API-T)
- Ground Targets (HEF-I/HEF-/HEF-I/API-T)
- Tracers (API-T/HEF/FI-T/HEF)
- Armored Targets (API-T/AP-I/AP-I/FI-T)
- Stealth (AP-I/HEF/HEF/FI)


Berezin B-20

I didnt add any photos of this cannon because it looks just like the ShVAK (im lying, i just couldnt find any). Well, the Berezin B-20 do look the same as the ShVAK. In fact, the B-20 is nothing but a lighter version of the ShVAK (the ShVAK weighs 39.92 kg and the B-20 weighs 25 kg). The B-20 was used in offensive and deffensive mounts on planes like the Yak-3P, Tupolev Tu-2, Yak-9P and a few others. It sounds just as terrifying as the ShVAK (as of 1.43, released about 3 months after this guide was written, the ShVAK and the B-20 no longer have the terrifying laser-like sound they had). I wont show you the stats because they are all exactly the same as the ShVAK.


VYa-23 (Volkov-Yartsev 23)


This cannon was devised as a tank buster, with a heavy 23mm round with good armor piercing capability, but in combat, it wasnt so effective against the german tanks. It was used as the main armament in the IL-2 Sturmovik. In the game, if you aim in the rear of light and medium tanks, you can pierce them and destroy them, but you wont be doing anything to heavy tanks, and this gun is very effective against planes too! The FI-T rounds have a really small explosive charge, but it does a pretty reliable damage against planes, and the AP-Is are great for hitting planes and ground vehicles. I recommend you to stick with the Armored Targets belt.

Caliber: 23x152mm
RoF: 650 rpm
Muzzle Velocity: 905 m/s
Ammo belts:
- Default (FI-T/AP-I)
- Universal (FI-T/FI-T/AP-I)
- Armored Targets (AP-I/AP-I/AP-I/FI-T)


NS-23 (Nudelman-Suranov 23)

NS-23 vs VYa-23 = Berezin B-20 vs ShVAK. The NS-23 is a lighter version of the VYa-23 (VYa-23 = 68 kg/ NS-23 = 37 kg). They both have the same performance and stats, except for the muzzle velocity and lenght of the shell and the NS-23 has one different ammo belt.

Caliber: 23x115mm
Muzzle Velocity: 690 m/s.
Ammo Belts:
- Default (AP-I/FI-T/AP-I/FI-T)
- Armored Targets (FI-T/AP-I/AP-I/AP-I)
- Air Targets (FI-T/FI-T/FI-T/AP-I)
- Stealth (AP-I)


NR-23 (Nudelman-Rikhter 23)

A replacement for the NS-23, this gun performs just like its predecessor, except for the RoF. It was used in the Lavochkin jet fighters and as tail gun for the Tupolev Tu-95 heavy bomber (not in the game) and the infamous IL-28 (DONT SIT BEHIND AN IL-28!!!).

This video will tell you why you shouldnt sit behind an Il-28. Credits to Dkart96

RoF: 850 rpm


NS-37 (Nudelman-Suranov 37)

This is the cannon used in the infamous Yakovlev Yak-9t. In real life, this gun was not used in great numbers because of reliability problems, powerful recoil and low RoF (in the game it appears to have a pretty high RoF). It was used mostly for ground attack (it armed some variants of the Sturmovik and the Yak-9T was used mostly for attacking tanks and ships in the Black Sea). In the game, it is loved by its users and hated by the targets, because of its high RoF, accuracy and damage, often tearing apart anything it hits. For me it sounds like the AKMs in Counter Strike. Its AP rounds can pierce through medium tanks sometimes and even light pillboxes and are also very effective agaisnt planes.

Caliber: 37x198mm
Muzzle Velocity: 900 m/s with HEI-T
RoF:240-260 rpm
HE filling: 35g
Ammo Belts:
- Default (AP-T/HEFI-T*)
- Armored Targets (AP-T)
- Air Targets (HEFI-T*)

* = Self-Destroying


N-37 (Nudelman 37)

Same as the NS-37, this cannon is a modernized version of the NS-37, but with a higher RoF, lower muzzle velocity and shorter cartridge. It was used in the MiG-15 jet during the Korean War, which made this plane a great bomber killer, shooting down lots of Boeing B-29 Superfortresses very easily. The lower muzzle velocity makes it harder to hit jets, but the rate of fire makes up for it, and carefully aimed shots can be very rewarding.

Caliber: 37x155mm
Muzzle Velocity: 690 m/s with HEFI-T*
RoF: 400 rpm
Ammo Belts:
- Default (HEFI-T*/HEFI-T*/API-T)
- Air Targets (HEFI-T*/HEFI*/HEFI*)
- Armored Targets (AP/AP/API-T)


NS-45 (Nudelman-Suranov 45)

Ive seen many idiots trying to strafe tanks with this and saying this cannon sucks because it cant pierce tanks, but they think the caliber is the only thing that matters on a gun. This cannon only fires HE rounds, which are extremely powerful and can tear any plane apart (really, any plane) with only 1 shot! On real life, it was never adopted for service, because it had serious reliability problems and when firing it compromised the stability of the plane, the structure and kept shaking the pilot back and forth.

Caliber: 45x185mm
Muzzle Velocity: 780 m/s
RoF: 280 rpm
HE filling: 300g
Ammo Belts:
- Default (HEFI-T)

End

I would like to thank you for reading this guide, I really hope it helped you understand the weapons used by Red Army Air Forces. Please rate this guide and leave comments with suggestions, because im thinking of making even more guides.

[Analconda]

No, from my experience, tracers on the UB are not good

[Giorgio il Carabiniere]

is it good if i ues tracers on the Berezin UB

[Giorgio il Carabiniere]

On the ns-37 I'm using defeault because i have both bullets in one belt

[unknown]

Excellent article , has long wanted to learn about these machine guns.

[| BusteR |]

here is a better guide: click, click, click, big fire and explosion even with the smallest of guns

[Schwengelbengel]

soviet weapons guide in WT: aim roughly at enemy, click fire, look at explosion, feel like a skilled player.

[Aubreykun]

Some suggestions:
Details of each bullet/shell type for each gun. Such as: the amount of HE filling, AP power (through how many mm of wood, metal, etc. at distances), and other qualities that aren't intuitive (such as russian IAI bullets being an incendiary that ignites on impact - causing explosion if it hits a fuel leak, whereas russian AI bullets only cause a flash to help aiming.)

A guide for other nations' weapons. USA & British are probably the easier ones for info, then Germans and Italians, and the Japanese are probably the biggest hurdle to get accurate info on.

Bomb/Rocket info. Different nations (and possibly different aircraft based on era) have different amounts of Explosive in their bombs, so this information would be good to have compiled.

[Aubreykun]

Yes, this is good. The Soviet guns currently in-game are fairly uniform, without there being a lot of variation among specific guns within the calibers (Most 20mms are ShVAK, most 12.7mms are Berezin, etc.)

I don't know if there's any functional differences, but I do know that at least 2 of the guns on the list, the Berezin UB and the B-20, came in 3 versions: one version each for the wings, nose (synchronized), and turret. I don't know if there is any differences between them, but the pics of the UB all look substantially different: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Berezin_UB

It's helpful to have all this info in one place.

(Suggestions in next post.)

[Misfit]

commie scum !

[ADarkTeddyBear]

DA SOVIETS ARD OP AZZY