How to kill tanks with an AT rifle, a manual.

How to be successful using the AT rifle against tanks.

Tips for strategy as well as all known softspots shown for the PIV, PIII, T-34 and T-70.

If this guide is of help to you, please rate and favorite it, this will make it easier for other players to find.

Strategy

Strategy:

You are a hunter, a sniper and an assassin carrying few rounds, make them count. Every shot you take can be traced back to your position, tankers see a momentary position indicator showing where a shot came from, wait until you have a shot with a high probability of damage or a kill before letting loose. You also have a highly visible muzzle flash, wait until he's not looking in your direction when targeting him head on. I'll often make single sporadic probing shots looking for weakness and to make a tanker move if he isn't in a position I can get a kill from, once he takes a solid hit or two, he'll often move and usually to your advantage.

You can easily make the enemy's tanker's life frustrating, you can kill him from hiding and from long distance. 200-300m kills are common.

PIII from the front with the PTRS
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PIII from the rear with the PTRS
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PIV from the front with PTRS
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T-34 from the side with the Pzb

If you are stuck and can't find decent shots, harassing the tanker and taking out high value soft targets like enemy AT, MG or snipers is worthwhile. If you do your job right, you alone can counter an enemy tank and keep him close to his spawn, afraid and away from the action, freeing up your tank to wreak havoc. Unless the enemy's AT has also read this guide....

The Rifles

There are two Anti Tank rilfes in game, the Soviet PTRS-1941 and the German PZB 784(R).

The PZB is a copy of the captured PTRS and currently in game is the exact same rilfe. Same model, same textures on it, it is identical.


You'd think it wouldn't matter which rifle you choose then right? Well, there is a difference in the rounds that they shoot. The PZB shoots a round that is harder than that used in the PTRS. Which is helpful against the softer armor used on the T-34, but if you use it against the harder armor used in the PIV, it's more likely to shatter. Conversely, using the PTRS and it's softer round against Allied tanks is less effective than the PZB. The short answer is, using the same side's rifle against their own tanks is less effective than using the opposing. So, unless I'm stuck, I use the PTRS against Axis tanks and the PZB against Allied.

There is a bug that allows the PZB to shoot straight through the front plate on the PIV, which is helpful to know on maps where PZB's are available at ammo crates.

At spawn, you get five clips of five rounds each, when you exhaust those, and then rearm at an ammo box, you only get three. I usually rearm after every tank kill, even if it only takes a clip, that way I can stay topped off.

There is no leveling with the rifles.

Originally the PZB available to Axis Heroes fired tungsten core rounds, this is no longer the case. Now, once you become an Axis Hero, you have your choice of either rifle. Allied Heroes only get the PTRS, but they do get the greenish Hero skin which is an improvement in concealment.

Damage

Damage:

Tanks have a cumulative health, and specific armor plates also have their own health. Hitting a vulnerable area in the same spot continues to weaken it until you get catastrophic penetration and a kill. If the tank has been taking a beating and it's cumulative health is low, sometimes you can hit it almost anywhere and it will blow. Hitting in the same spot where your tanker just landed a round will also lead to a penetrating shot where it normally wouldn't. Damaging the treads or transmission will not lead to a kill, once damaged, it can't be damaged any further, but it will cripple them and make for an easier kill. In general, the targets inside of all the tanks you are trying to punch holes in and hit, are the engine/fuel, the ammo stores and personnel under the turret. Think of it as an egg in the middle of the tank you are tying to crack. Most tanks share a similar layout to this:



The drive wheel on all tanks will take transmission damage, and hitting the tread itself from the front or back can damage or destroy it. There isn't any visual feedback that you are doing damage, but you are.

Just how do you know if you are doing any damage?

A "thunk" and sparks indicate a shell shattering and in almost all cases except transmission and tread, it is doing no damage. "ThunkThunk" is a ricocheted shell hitting the tank twice. A loud "CLANG" and a flash indicates serious damage and one or two of those will leave a tank smoking and moving slowly near death. A "boink" on the front lower glacis of Panzers indicates penetration and your round may or may not touch off a fatal explosion.

Positioning

Positioning:

For almost all soft spots, THE ANGLE IS EVERYTHING. Being close is helpful, but once you're past @ 50m, distance is immaterial. You can easily kill tanks with one or just a handful of shots at 200-300m if the angle is right. Try to be at EXACTLY 90 degrees to your target for shots to the side. That means you should plan where you want to be laterally on the map and also vertically. Being high and at 90 degrees to sloped armor on a turret gives you a much better chance on penetrating it. Too high and you'll have a hard time penetrating vertical side armor. The angle is critical, I often find that I can penetrate in one spot and not in another just a half meter over. Once you know the soft spots where you should be able to penetrate, take probing shots and reposition until you do.

For ALL tanks, they are vulnerable from below, if you can catch a tank rolling over an obstacle and it's belly is exposed, hit it. It will take damage.

Leading

Leading:

Because of the disabled client side hit detection, moving targets are a challenge. I double my normal lead and manage OK, especially on tanks since they're big. Hitting running infantry is a crap shoot, but it's always fun to blow someone in half.

T-34

T-34

Basic Strategy: Flank it if you can, it's the weakest on the side. This is my first choice on open maps like Arad2 or Barashka. You can get one shot kills just over the upper tread, in the center is the easiest. Unless it's already damaged, it usually takes a clip or two to kill. Even if you can't get in an ideal position, the tank will often turn presenting you with good opportunities. From the front, penetrate the turret ring and kill the commander/crew. Kill him twice or three times emptying the tank and it will explode. You won't get credit for a vehicle kill (Why not?), but the tank will die. Driver's hatch is vulnerable when the tank is on the move.


From front: Turret ring, especially the sides. You can often kill the commander on the right. You can penetrate the dirver's hatch if the tank is on the move. Gunsight is low probability, but you can sometimes get a kill.


Side positions as marked. Under the center of the turret and the engine are the best targets. You MUST be at 90 degrees to the side. Blue is often a one shot kill, red will take a clip or two.



From elevation: Rear vents. Back of the Turret from an elevated position because of the sloped armor.

Red will kill the tank at any distance, in a clip or more maybe, but will easily kill it.
Green is track/transmission damage only.

T-70

T-70

Basic Strategy: Flank it if you can, it's the weakest on the the side and close to impossible from the front. This is my first choice on open maps like Arad2 or Barashka. You can get one shot kills just over the upper tread, in the center is the easiest. You can also let them drive by and kill them from the rear as well. It pays to be stealthy. Very vulnerable from elevation if you can find a high enough spot. Unless it's already damaged, it usually takes a clip or two to kill. From the front, you're essentially out of luck, there is one very small spot that sometimes works, but basically, save your ammo and try the above ideas.

From Front: Top seams where the turret and mantlet meet, only at very specific angles, @ 25 degrees.

Side positions as marked. Under the center of the turret and the engine are the best targets. It is best to be at 90 degrees to the side, although you can often damage the engine with angled shots.

From elevation: Top of turret, top deck and rear vent

The rear of the turret and outside portions of the turret ring. Rear vent.

Red will kill the tank at any distance, it will take generally a clip or more, but will easily kill it.
Green is track/transmission damage only.

Panzer IV

PIV

Basic Strategy: I love this tank, it's vulnerable from every angle. It's an easy enough kill from the front that you don't need to flank unless you want to. If you have a tanker who knows how to sit hull down or behind an obstacle, you will have to move to find opportunities. On open maps, hiding and letting the wave of Axis tanks roll on past and killing them from the rear is always good fun. The guys who choose to roll up close to buildings on Comissars and Pavlovs are easy to kill shooting down through the hatches.

From front: Front seam of turret where the triangular plate meets the deck. This is medium probability, but worth checking if other opportunities aren't available. This is much more likely to work if the tank is already damaged. Lower glacis from almost any angle or elevation. At an angle, aim across the interior of the tank for the opposite side. Easy kill. Straight on is harder, but the two extreme sides seem easiest.
The seam under MG and Driver's window, shoot at an angle, but not from elevation. You must be shooting flat and being close also helps. It's a small gap.

Using the Pzb, you can also easily penetrate the vertical front plate, but ONLY using the Pzb which you can often pick up at ammo dumps on maps like Bridges and Arad2.


Side positions as marked. Under the center of the turret and the engine are the best targets. You MUST be at 90 degrees to the side. Side hatches and rear side of turret from elevation.

Rear of the turret and bustle. Lower section of rear end is my first choice, from an angle takes less shots than straight on.

From elevation: Front seam of turret where the triangular plate meets the deck. This is medium probability, but worth checking if other opportunities aren't available. This is much more likely to work if the tank is already damaged. Top front deck and top of turret, especially the hatches from steep angles, shooting down from the top of E building when the tank is sitting next to C in Pavlovs for example. Rear deck and vents from most elevations.

Red will kill the tank at any distance, in a clip or more maybe, but will easily kill it.
Blue will kill it in 1-3 shots at any distance.
Green is track/transmission damage only.

Panzer III

PIII

Basic Strategy: The PIII is actually tough enough from the front that I wait and kill them from the side or rear which is very easy. They're only on open maps like Arad2 and Barashka at this point, so it's the best strategy. They can be killed from the front, it just takes a decent number of rounds because of the steeply angled armor unless you are close or lucky.

From front: Lower glacis from almost any angle. At an angle, aim across the interior of the tank for the opposite side. It's at a steeper angle than the P4 and takes more shots to penetrate.

Rear as marked, from almost any angle or elevation. Lower rear plate is like paper, the easiest kill out there, rarely more than 1-3 shots. From an angle is slightly eaiser from than straight on.

Side positions as marked. Under the center of the turret and the engine are the best targets. You MUST be at 90 degrees to the side. Easy kills, blue spot is one shot. Side hatches and rear side of turret from elevation.

From elevation: Top front deck and top of turret, especially the hatches from steep angles, shooting down from the bridge on Barashka for example. Rear deck and vents from most elevations.

Red will kill the tank at any distance, in a clip or more maybe, but will easily kill it.
Blue will kill it in 1-3 shots at any distance.
Green is track/transmission damage only.

Notes and thanks

All these spots have been confirmed by me and others as repeatable in game. I plan on updating the images as new spots are found, so feel free to post if you find any and I'll edit them in.

If this guide has been helpful, please rate and favorite it, so it will stay near the top of the rankings, making it easier for others to find.

A huge thanks to nymets1104 whose map TankGunnery made this all possible. Check it out here: http://steamcommunity.com/sharedfiles/filedetails/?id=418443321

LOAD IT UP AND PRACTICE!

Great videos:

General Sir Anthony CHM
http://forums.tripwireinteractive.co...d.php?t=104014
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=voigVFdXwKc

Desert Ace
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Fv6bIanFJlo

Thanks also to Temesin for sharing.

[LugNut]

Yes, just loaded the game back up for giggles.

[[AK] GaroK]

Is author still active?

[eyecarrot19]

mark driver's hatch of t-34
it can be penetrated while tank is on the move

[LugNut]

Noted, and fixed.

[Germanic Beast]

Just remember, Soviet not Russian.

[Kawaii Sturmtruppen]

Wish the scrub devs added more tanks.

[Kangaroo]

Great guide for AT Gunners new & veteran alike, well done LugNut, this ought to be mandatory reading for new players as should many of the terrific helpful & practical guides like this & others. Even at level 99 there is still much to learn & gain from good guides like this. Thanks LugNut for taking the time & putting in the effort to make this excellent AT guide.

[Luiz_Alex007]

Huh, I have been using the Russian AT rifle all along, just so I could level it up. Did not notice any difference between the rifles, will do some testing. If this is right, I might have been making my life harder for a while.

[Hunter]

I'd like to see some kind of testing on where to shoot on the transport vehicles to destroy them quicker

[LugNut]

The weak spots on the tanks are pretty much the same, so use those as your first choice if you can hit them. Although you can also penetrate elsewhere obviously due to the more destructive power of the round. As a rule of thumb, if you are trying to kill a tank by hitting it in a heavily armored place, like the turret, hit it in the same spot each time since the armor does take damage.