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M830A1HEAT-0

A 120mm M830A1 Armor-Piercing round in real-life

Armored Piercing Shells are Tank munitions designed to penetrate armor of other heavy vehicles.

Armor Piercing shells appears as vehicle specializations in Battlefield 3, Battlefield 4, and Battlefield V.

Battlefield 3[]

For the IFV Specialization, see APFSDS-T Shell

The AP Shell vehicle specialization appears in Battlefield 3 as the default Primary weapon for Main Battle Tanks, Tank Destroyers and AC-130 Gunships.

Like similar ammunition such as Rocket Pods and 25mm HE Shells, the AP Shell is an unguided munition which has the capability of damaging and destroying structures such as walls and levelling some buildings. The shell has an acceptable and predictable trajectory and shell velocity which allows the vehicle operator to engage both ground and aerial targets effectively at close to mid-range with ease. The AC-130's 100mm AP Shell has no drop, but a more powerful splash damage, almost rivaling or even mirroring the HE Shell.

The AP Shell carries a small amount of explosive, enabling it to generate light splash damage within a limited radius upon impact that can damage or kill nearby infantry, but its blast power and radius is not as powerful as the HE Shell. In game modes such as Hardcore where friendly-fire is enabled, operators of this weapon must take greater precaution as not accidentally team-kill, especially when operating in close-quarters situations such as through narrow corridors, tunnels, streets or alleyways.

The Auto Loader vehicle Specialization reduces the time taken to reload between shots. All shots of the shell are negated when impacting Reactive Armor.

To operate, the vehicle operator must select the primary weapon of the Main Battle Tank. The triangular (Russian Ground Forces) and circular (United States Marine Corp) HUD icon and text display on the bottom left-hand side of the screen will indicate when or whether the primary weapon and shell is equipped, ready to fire, or reloading. Once selected, the operator must aim and fire at the target with the primary fire button. Depending on the range and movement, the operator of the AP Shell must also compensate by either leading the target or adjusting cannon elevation. Striking armored targets directly at a 90 degree angle either at the front, side or rear can produce different results with varying damage. Striking most light-armored targets at a 90 degree angle at any side of the vehicle will usually result in the vehicle becoming disabled and on fire, especially when Reactive Armor is not present while impacts other than 90 degrees will often deal less damage. For action against Main Battle Tanks, 90 degree impacts at the front deals the weakest amount of damage and no disables regardless of angle and presence of Reactive Armor. 90 degree impacts against the side armor deals medium damage and a disable depending on presence of Reactive Armor. Direct impacts towards the rear of all MBT at a 90 degree angle deals the most damage. All MBTs can be dispatched with as little as 2 AP round to the rear with this method.

When focusing on a more anti-vehicle, anti-armor-orientated combat role, the operator may choose to equip Guided Shells for ease of engagement of vehicles at longer ranges out of the effectiveness or the AP Shell, with the specialization able to lock-on to laser-designated targets for a damage boost, or to combat against aerial threats more effectively. To compensate for the lack of infantry-orientated weapons, the vehicle operator can choose to employ a secondary gunner, or in more convenient (or desperate) situations, switch to the secondary gunner position themselves temporarily to dispatch hostile infantry before switching back to the driver seat or to employ the AP shell itself as a last resort. When targeting hostile vehicles head on, the presence of Reactive Armor, either equipped by the vehicle operator or the enemy vehicle can mean the difference between victory or defeat. The driver or secondary gunner can also, if equipped, choose to exit the vehicle quickly, select a dumb-fire rocket launcher (preferably an RPG-7V2 or similar), fire at the target then re-enter the vehicle as quickly as possible before the enemy armor completes their reload/attack phase. When executed correctly, this can deal an extra damage boost between primary weapon reload of the cannon, with the next or second shot of the AP shell usually resulting in target destruction.

For a more infantry-orientated role, the operator of the vehicle and shell can choose to equip an assortment of Coaxial weapons, enabling to dispatch pockets of infantry resistance with relative ease while the main cannon is reloading. The Canister Shell specialization can also be employed for similar situations however, it is effected by the primary reload of the AP Shell.

Damage statistics & effects[]

The following is a list of effects and damage to specific vehicle types from impacts by the AP Shell. Vehicles not listed are vehicles which are instantly destroyed upon shell impact at any angle. Such includes Jets of all types, Quad Bikes, Dirt Bikes, Scout and Attack Helicopters and RHIB Boats.

Damage resulting from impacts at an angle other than 90 degrees are not listed due to slight variations of damage at different angles of degrees of shell impact.

Vehicle Type Rear Sides Front
Main Battle Tank 74, Disabled 48 28
Infantry Fighting Vehicle 47, Disabled 44, Disabled 44, Disabled
Mobile Anti-Air 47, Disabled 44, Disabled 44, Disabled
Tank Destroyers 47 47 44
Light Jeeps 81, Disabled 81, Disabled 81, Disabled
MRAP Jeeps 44, Disabled 44, Disabled 44, Disabled
Transport Helicopter 91, Disabled 91, Disabled 91, Disabled
Mobile Artillery 64, Disabled 64, Disabled 64, Disabled
Rhino 50, Disabled 50, Disabled 50, Disabled

Gallery[]

Battlefield 4[]

"A 120mm shell dealing high damage to light, medium and heavy armor."

— In-game description

The 120mm AP Shell vehicle specialization appears in Battlefield 4 as the default primary weapon for Main Battle Tanks. By comparison, the AP shell is a well-balanced tank round.

Like all other tank shells, unguided rockets and rocket/missile launchers, it has the capability of damaging and destroying structures such as walls and levelling some buildings. The shell has an acceptable and predictable trajectory and shell velocity which allows the vehicle operator to engage both ground and aerial targets effectively at close to mid-range with ease. The AP shell deals moderate damage upon impact with heavy and light-armored targets, dealing roughly the same amount of damage as Sabot shell. After the recent Battlefield 4: Community Operations update, the AP Shell's direct-damage output now supersedes the HE Shell.

Unlike the Sabot Shell, the AP Shell carries a small amount of explosive, enabling it to generate light splash damage within a limited radius upon impact that can damage or kill nearby infantry, but its blast power and radius is not as powerful as the 120mm HE Shell. In game modes such as Hardcore where friendly-fire is enabled, operators of this weapon must take greater precaution as not accidentally team-kill, especially when operating in close-quarters situations such as through narrow corridors, tunnels, streets or alleyways.

The Auto Loader vehicle Specialization reduces the time taken to reload between shots. All shots of the shell are negated upon activation of Active Protection systems of the targeted vehicle, while Reactive Armor requires impacts to deal higher damage to count as critical, retain mobility.

To operate, the vehicle operator must select the primary weapon of the Main Battle Tank. The circular HUD icon and text display on the bottom left-hand side of the screen will indicate when or whether the primary weapon and shell is equipped, ready to fire, or reloading. Once selected, the operator must aim and fire at the target with the primary fire button. Depending on the range and movement, the operator of the AP Shell must also compensate by either leading the target or adjusting cannon elevation. Striking armored targets directly at a 90 degree angle either at the front, side or rear can produce different results with varying damage. Striking most light-armored targets at a 90 degree angle at any side of the vehicle usually produces a critical hit, especially when Reactive Armor is not present while impacts other than 90 degrees will often deal less damage. For action against Main Battle Tanks, 90 degree impacts at the front deals the weakest amount of damage and no critical hits regardless of angle and presence of Reactive Armor. 90 degree impacts against the side armor deals medium damage and critical hit depending on presence of Reactive Armor. Direct impacts towards the rear of all MBT at a 90 degree angle deals the most damage and will result in a Mobility Kill regardless of presence of Reactive Armor. All MBTs can be dispatched with as little as 2 AP round to the rear with this method.

When focusing on a more anti-vehicle, anti-armor-orientated combat role, the operator may choose to equip STAFF Shells or Guided Shells for ease of engagement of vehicles at longer ranges out of the effectiveness or the AP Shell, with the later specialization able to lock-on to laser-designated targets for a damage boost, or to combat against aerial threats more effectively. To compensate for the lack of infantry-orientated weapons, the vehicle operator can choose to employ a secondary gunner, or in more convenient (or desperate) situations, switch to the secondary gunner position themselves temporarily to dispatch hostile infantry before switching back to the driver seat or to employ the AP shell itself as a last resort. When targeting hostile vehicles head on, activate Active Protection systems (if equipped) at the right moment can mean the difference between victory or defeat. The driver or secondary gunner can also, if equipped, choose to exit the vehicle quickly, select a dumb-fire rocket launcher (preferably an RPG-7V2 or similar), fire at the target then re-enter the vehicle as quickly as possible before the enemy armor completes their reload/attack phase. When executed correctly, this can deal an extra damage boost between primary weapon reload of the cannon, with the next or second shot of the AP shell usually resulting in target destruction.

After the introduction of the Battlefield 4: Community operations update, a direct hit against Helicopters of all types will no longer result in instant target destruction however, will result in a Mobility Kill and critical disable of the target. A short burst of the driver's Coaxial Heavy Machine Gun or secondary gunner's machine gun will ensure target destruction.

For a more infantry-orientated role, the operator of the vehicle and shell can choose to equip an assortment of Coaxial weapons, enabling to dispatch pockets of infantry resistance with relative ease while the main cannon is reloading. The Canister Shell specialization can also be employed for similar situations however, it is effected by the primary reload of the AP Shell. The 120mm AP Shell's light splash damage, which is lacking on the Sabot Shell counterpart, also eases the difficulty of engaging hostile infantry head on with the AP Shell. All in all, the 120mm AP Shell is a well-balanced and versatile weapon, able to be utilised and adapt both quickly and well for almost any situation and thus, has proven itself to be a popular choice for many MBT operators over other available selection of tank shells.

Damage Statistics and Effects[]

The following is a list of effects and damage to specific vehicle types from impacts by the 120mm AP Shell. Vehicles not listed are vehicles which are instantly destroyed upon shell impact at any angle. Such includes Jets of all Types, Quad Bikes, and PWCs

Damage resulting from impacts at an angle other than 90 degrees are not listed due to slight variations of damage at different angles of degrees of shell impact.

Damage results are gathered post-2015 Battlefield 4: Community Operations update and are subject to change without notice by game developers from time to time.

Vehicle Type Rear Sides Front
Main Battle Tank 52, Critical Hit Disable 32, Critical Hit 28
Infantry Fighting Vehicle 42, Critical Hit 43, Critical Hit 43, Critical Hit
Light Jeeps 55, Critical Hit 65, Critical Hit 65, Critical Hit
MRAP Jeeps 43, Critical Hit 41, Critical Hit 43, Critical Hit
Mobile Anti-Air 42, Critical Hit 41, Critical Hit 58, Critical Hit
M142 HIMARS 43 43 61, Critical Hit
Transport Helicopter 61, Critical Hit 61, Critical Hit 61, Critical Hit
Attack Boat 29 49, Critical Hit 29
RHIB Boat 43 43 43
Attack Helicopter 91, Critical Disable 91, Critical Disable 91, Critical Disable
Scout Helicopter 91, Critical Disable 91, Critical Disable 91, Critical Disable

Patch Notes[]

  • Originally, the AP, HE Shell and Sabot Shell were capable of destroying a Transport Helicopter in one direct hit. Following the release of Battlefield 4: Night Operations and the Summer patch in September 2015, the 120mm AP Shell can no longer instantly destroy Transport Helicopters due to balancing reasons.
  • Post-2015 Battlefield 4: Community Operations update, the 120mm AP Shell can now longer instantly destroy Helicopters of all types with a single shot. The damage output of the 120mm AP Shell is also slightly more powerful, and now excels the 120mm HE Shell in terms of direct damage output against armored vehicles (the HE Shell's damage has been purposely reduced).

Gallery[]

Video[]


Battlefield V[]

Armored Piercing Rounds refers to three vehicle specializations featured in Battlefield V. The AP Round is available for the Staghound T17E1, Churchill Gun Carrier, Panzer IV, and Panzer 38T. The APCR is available for the Valentine Mk VIII and Tiger I. The APC Round is available for the Churchill Mk VII. All three specializations equip the respective vehicles with Armor Piercing Rounds. This increases damage against other vehicles while also reducing blast damage.


Battlefield 2042[]

"Multi-Purpose Anti-Tank MPAT projectile. High velocity, Limited area effect."

— In-game description

The MPAT Shell is the default main weapon for both the M1A5 and the T28 in Battlefield 2042. Compared to the HE Shell and the STAFF Shell, the MPAT Shell does slightly more damage to armor and has a flatter trajectory versus the HE Shell, and is faster-firing than the STAFF Shell. The MPAT is better suited for targeting enemy armored vehicles, as well as helicopters that are caught off-guard. This comes at the tradeoff of needing to be more accurate when targeting infantry, as the MPAT shell has a significantly smaller blast radius on impact over the more common HE Shell. Drivers using this weapon may be just starting out using tanks, however, and their support options for players in the gunner and weapon pod seats will have to pull their weight to keep enemy infantry off the tank.

If players find themselves encountering a number of pesky vehicles, the TOW Missile for the weapon station and the 60mm Mortar Weapon Pod or the Rocket Weapon Pod compliment the vehicle well in dealing with vehicles, though anti-infantry roles would be up to the driver's coaxial machine gun and the weapon pod user. A more well-rounded role would likely be to swap the weapon station for a Minigun or a Heavy Machine Gun, or to swap the weapon pod for the Canister Weapon Pod to deal with infantry.

One major (and more obvious, given the weapon's description) advantage of using the MPAT Shell over the HE Shell, is that the MPAT allows for drivers to be able to do more damage to enemy vehicles. Using it destroy light transports like the LATV4 Recon is very effective, as it will take out a little over three quarters of the target's health in one hit—allowing the driver with their coaxial machine gun, or players in the weapon station/pod to clean up what remains. It will take drivers their full salvo of five shells to destroy enemy heavy armor when attacking their front side, less if the driver is able to attack the sides or rear of the vehicle. Given the prevalence of the Active Protection System for vehicles, drivers will likely need support from fellow Engineers in order to effectively destroy enemy armor.


Trivia[]

Battlefield 4[]

  • The load-out image of the 120mm AP Shell resembles the real-life North American 120mm M830A1 High Explosive Anti-Tank (HEAT) round commonly utilized aboard U.S Military M1A2 Abrams, self propelled guns and other compatible artillery pieces.
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