Shell selection guide

Hi my fellow tanmkers! This is practical guide on shell selection. Which shell to pick for a target, how to handle angled armor, and when to swap ammo mid-fight.

Main shell types:

• AP/APHE (Armor-Piercing): Best vs flat, vertical armor. Accurate and fast but weaker against thick, angled, or layered armor (depends on the caliber, while smaller cannons’s AP won’t penetrate or deal any damage, high caliber guns can if not penetrate but can still deal external damage with APHE)

• HEAT (High-Explosive Anti-Tank): Penetrates thick and sloped armor reliably and doesn’t lose penetration with distance. Less effective vs reactive or spaced armor.

• HE (High-Explosive): Good vs exposed modules(open top vehicles for example), light tanks, and multiple targets being close to each other. Causes massive damage, and if enough explosive filler can one-shot or severly damage the enemy.

• APDS/APFSDS: Top choice at higher ranks for direct penetration at medium/long range. Accurate and reliable.

• HESH: Useful against thin or angled armor.

When to use (by rank and situation)

Low tiers (from 1 to 4):

• AP: Default choice at this tiers vs other light tanks. Aim for the flat or thin armor.

• HE: Use against open turrets, group of light targets, or if it’s the 114mm Finisher just aim anywhere...

• HEAT: Rarely needed but helpful againsts thicker or angled tanks.

Mid tiers (from 5 to 8):

• HEAT: Very effective vs heavier hulls and sloped armor (e.g., angled frontal plates). Doesn’t lose penetration over range, so good for “guaranteed” pens.

• AP: Use when you can hit flat spots, sides, or rear.

• APDS/APFSDS: Primary choice at higher tiers like 7-8, good penetration and reliable against angled and thick armor.

• HE: Use for destroying tanks when you can’t penetrate them with default AP or HEAT or to finish disabled targets.

High tiers (from 9 to 12):

• APFSDS: Primary long-range capable penetrator for heavy armor at this tiers.

• HEAT: Barely used type of shell at this tiers because of the composite, spaced armor and ERA armors, but can still be somewhat useful against light armored vehicles at Tiers like 9-10.

• HE: Same as all ranks, but rarely useful at high tiers due to APSs.

Practical tips & tricks

1. Angle matters! The higher the obliquity, the more AP will ricochet. HEAT is less sensitive to angle.

2. Distance matters! AP-type shells lose effectiveness at extreme range; HEAT keeps penetration; APFSDS excels at long ranges.

3. Aim for weak spots - sides, rear, turret ring, gun mantlet are often thinner.

4. Change ammo mid-fight - If your AP bounces, swap to HEAT or HE.

5. Use terrain - Shoot down onto sides or rear from hull-down positions to increase pen chance.

6. Teamwork: Mark heavy enemies so teammates can pressure while you flank.

Summary

• AP: Standard vs flat armor and known weak points.

• HEAT: Go-to vs thick or angled armor at low-mid tiers, and when you need reliable penetration at range.

• HE: Best against light armored tanks, also good for one-shot against all type of tanks if the HE has enough explosive filler.

• APDS/APFSDS: Best out of all choice, high penetration, good performance against angled armor and A-ERA at high ranks.