How Active Protection System (APS) works
APS is your defense against incoming shells. It automatically shoots down missiles, rockets, and rounds in mid-air before they can ruin your day.
Your APS detects flying threats and fires a defensive charge to neutralize them. The step-by-step interception logic is:
- Detection: The threat enters the protection radius (R).
- Angle Match: The threat must fall within the horizontal (Hz) and vertical (Vt) limits.
- Reaction Window: The shell's flight time inside R must exceed the system's reaction time (t_react).
- Interception:
- Chemical: Intercepted completely (deals 0 damage).
- Kinetic: Degraded based on caliber and degradation factor (D).
1. How Interception Works
Whenever someone shoots at you, the system goes through a few quick steps to see if it can save you:
- Reaction Time: The system needs a split second to lock onto a shell. If a round is flying incredibly fast and hits you before this time passes, the system won't react in time.
- Protection Range: The threat has to pass through your protection radius. If it's off-target or passing too far away, the system ignores it to save charges.
- Aiming Angles: The emitter has to physically rotate and tilt towards the incoming projectile. If the shell comes from a blind spot, you're getting hit.
APS preview
Lower reaction times let the system lock onto fast or close-range projectiles much faster.
This defines your defensive sphere. Larger values cover a wider zone around your vehicle.
2. Chemical vs. Kinetic Rounds
APS reacts differently depending on what kind of payload is heading your way:
These are completely blown up in mid-air before they reach you. They detonate at a safe distance and deal exactly 0 damage to your vehicle.
You can't blow up a flying solid rod of metal. Instead, the system disrupts the shell, shedding a chunk of its speed and armor penetration.
3. Aiming & Blind Spots
APS modules have to physically swivel and tilt. If a shell flies in from outside the system's horizontal or vertical limits, it simply won't turn far enough to intercept it, leaving that angle completely unprotected.