Choose ammunition for the target

Plan the shot through the vehicle

Before firing, identify what lies behind the point you can penetrate. A hit through empty space can leave the opponent fully capable of killing you. A hit through the gunner or breech can stop the immediate reply; a shot crossing several crew positions can finish the engagement.

The same aiming point changes with aspect. A side shot across a fighting compartment is different from a frontal shot that first passes through a transmission. Use Protection Analysis with your actual round, target variant, range and angle to check uncertain paths. Treat it as preparation, not a promise that every live hit will repeat the result.

APHE rewards a useful penetration

When an explosive-filled round can penetrate and its fuze functions inside the occupied compartment, it can do much more than a narrow hit through one component. Aim to put that effect where the crew is, rather than automatically firing at the geometric center of the silhouette.

The 75 mm M4 Sherman's M61 and the 75 mm AMX-13's solid APCBC illustrate why the label is not enough. M61 contains explosive filler; the AMX-13's solid round does not. A penetration that spreads explosive damage through the M4's target is not a damage pattern you should expect from the AMX-13. With the latter, line up crew and critical components behind the armor you can defeat.

Thin targets create a different problem: a round may pass through without the fuze functioning as expected. Also check the ammunition card rather than assuming every APCBC round contains explosive filler. The label alone does not establish its damage mechanism.

Solid shot needs a deliberate damage path

With solid AP, APDS or APFSDS, place the shot through something that changes the fight. If the target is already aiming at you, disabling the gun is often worth more than removing the driver. If its turret is facing away and you have a clear crossing through the crew, use that opportunity.

After a penetration, read the hit camera and the target's behavior. Do not put the next shot into the same empty or already destroyed area out of habit. A damaged tank may still have a loaded gun, and a second exposure must account for its teammates.

Use APCR for the plate it can defeat

APCR can solve a particular flat armor problem, but its high flat-plate figure does not make it a universal replacement for your main round. Strong angles and limited damage paths can make the shot disappointing even when the ammunition looked superior in the hangar.

Carry it when you can identify the target area it is for. If reaching that area requires a longer exposure than changing position, the special round has not solved the tactical problem.

HEAT needs a clean path and a suitable target

HEAT and HEAT-FS should be judged against the actual armor arrangement. Screens, reactive armor and composite protection can make a nominal penetration figure misleading. Intervening obstacles can also spoil the shot before it reaches the tank. A visible target through clutter is not automatically a clear firing path.

When your alternative is a kinetic round, consider the obstacle and expected damage path before switching. Changing the selected ammunition does not instantly transform the round already chambered. Do not expose the tank while discovering that the gun is still loaded for the previous target.

Carry HE for a job, not a guarantee

HE can be useful against exposed crew and suitable thin protection. Against a closed vehicle, the result depends on the shell's explosive effect and where it hits; a small HE round is not a universal answer to light armor.

Keep a few specialist rounds only when you know when to use them. Your main ammunition should remain the round most likely to produce a useful first hit against the enemies you expect. If none offers a reliable penetration, disable the barrel or accessible breech, break contact or change the angle rather than feeding rounds into the same strong plate.