Noob Question: understanding artilliary types

[Symphonic5]

I’m having a tough time understanding the difference between HE, AP, and HEAT rounds, and the advantage of each. Can someone help me?

 

[clubby]

HE = High Explosive. Good for use against soft targets, not as good against armor.
AP = Armor Piercing. Reverse of above.
(H) = HEAT. High Explosive Anti-tank warhead. Good against armor, not terrible against soft targets. HEAT may be used against soft targets in ASL with some limitations (i.e., they must be receiving wall/building/rubble/pillbox TEM).

 

[Symphonic5]

So if I have a gun with its caliber underlined, it can only fire AP, and is not as effective against infantry?

 

[clubby]

Correct. If you refer to C8.31, you'll see that the HE equivalency of AP <37mm is 1FP and >=37 is 2FP. So if a 75 Gun with AP only secures a hit versus Infantry, it's a 2FP attack.

 

[Symphonic5]

This explains a lot. Thank you!

 

[Philippe D.]

Also note that some guns/AVF MAs with underlined caliber have some depletable HE (i.e., you get to try for HE, but if you roll above the HE# you don't have any and run out permanently - like it normally is for APCR/APDS and HEAT). Normally this is indicated with HE# on the back of the counter.

 

[klasmalmstrom]

Also note that some guns/AVF MAs with underlined caliber have some depletable HE (i.e., you get to try for HE, but if you roll above the HE# you don't have any and run out permanently - like it normally is for APCR/APDS and HEAT). Normally this is indicated with HE# on the back of the counter.

Normally such calibers are only underlined if there is a Date-dependency regarding the depletable HE. E.g., the U.S. 57mm AT Gun.

If it is just "normal" depletable HE (e.g., Marder I) the caliber is not usually underlined.

 

[jrv]

Also note that some guns/AVF MAs with underlined caliber have some depletable HE (i.e., you get to try for HE, but if you roll above the HE# you don't have any and run out permanently - like it normally is for APCR/APDS and HEAT). Normally this is indicated with HE# on the back of the counter.

If a gun has an underscored caliber, it doesn't have HE, and will typically have AP (or sometimes APCR) only. An overscore indicates that the vehicle does not have any AP ammunition. Typically these will have HE only, but sometimes they have depletable ammunition such as HEAT. All per C2.21. A gun with both an underscore and an overscore has unlimited Smoke only. This occurs only on a couple of British tanks. A vehicle with neither an underscore nor an overscore typically has unlimited HE and AP, but sometimes there is a depletion number for one or the other on the counter. The JgdPz V has depletable HE, while the Pz IVA has depletable AP.

JR

 

[Vinnie]

Before you write off the AP only guns it can be good to note thatbtge 2pndr, 40L AP only British gun is only one column less than be 40mm gun firing HE. Sometimes hsvingbno HE found is not a disaster

 

[Robin Reeve]

C2.21 implicitly explains that HE is usually better vs. unarmored targets and AP against armored ones :

In the absence of a declaration to the contrary, it is otherwise always assumed to be firing HE vs unarmored targets or AP vs armored targets, provided that ammunition type is available, is not Special Ammunition (i.e., has no Depletion #; 8.8), and is allowed on the applicable Target Type of the To Hit Table.

 

[Brian W]

Before you write off the AP only guns it can be good to note thatbtge 2pndr, 40L AP only British gun is only one column less than be 40mm gun firing HE. Sometimes hsvingbno HE found is not a disaster

Yeah, but when you get one of those 88s or 128s with limited HE and then you lose HE you go from a 16 or a 24 to a 2 Waahh.

Edit: I wish they had added more nuance to this rule. A 128mm AP shell hitting a pillbox should cause a release of energy that is more effective in damaging humans than a half dozen 37mm AP rounds. And, as with HEAT, the terrain is important, too. Against soldiers in foxholes, many 37mm rounds would probably be more effective, but against enemy in a building/pillbox, one 128mm AP shell is probably more effective.

 

[Symphonic5]

What is APCR/APDS? Just when I thought I had it down. To the index!

 

[A_T_Great]

The 128 would only be more effective if it penetrated the wall of the bunker. Since they don't have rules for firing at bunkers to kill them like a tank, The 128 is only as Effective as a smaller caliber.

 

[Robin Reeve]

What is APCR/APDS? Just when I thought I had it down. To the index!

See footnotes 18 and 19 of chapter C.