Why didn't my 85mm penetrate that Panther? Learn why..

[Widewing]

This may be useful to our tankers.

A WWII gun and armor penetration ballistics calculator... Lots to play with here....

http://www.wwiiequipment.com/pencalc/

[Lusche]

Neat tool, but totally different results than those happening in AH. According to it the Panther is pretty much immune to frontal hits to the hull by most projectiles... AH 'reality' is far from it.

[715]

What I don't understand about the chart is how does it take into account what the "hull" is made of in the front, side, rear etc.  Does it just assume a single slope angle and armor thickness for all of the "hull"?

For example how does "hull" differentiate between the glacis (which cannot be penetrated by a T34/85 at any range in AH) and the lower hull below the glacis (which the 85 can penetrate at short range in AH if you can manage to target it)?

[Lusche]

What I don't understand about the chart is how does it take into account what the "hull" is made of in the front, side, rear etc.  Does it just assume a single slope angle and armor thickness for all of the "hull"?

Usually in analyses like this it's always assumed to be targeting the weakest spot available for any given range/location combination.

[715]

Perhaps, but then you'd think the resulting plot wouldn't be such a continuous/smooth function.

[Lusche]

(Image removed from quote.)

Well, the Panther seems to be invulnerable from the front at any range.


In AH, one single hit at 1000yards with 85mm AP can cause this:




At same distance, but a slightly worse angle, the M4(76)w needs 2 lower glacis hits for...

[SmokinLoon]

So much is dependent on the range (kenetic energy), the angle of impact, and the composition of the projectile.

I hear players screaming that their X tank was taken out by Y tank.  I always pipe up and ask the range and in most cases we're talking about that "sweet spot" range when the angle of impact is prime and the kinetic energy is still enough to defeat the armor in question.  Case in point: try a Panzer IV H fire at a Panther at 400-600 yards away, squared up, and see if a frontal hit will destroy it.  In my testing most of the rounds ricochet up and away thanks to the slope of the armor.  Back off to 800 to 1200 and we're talking different results, the Panther will be sent back to the hanger.  It isnt until about 1600 yards that the Panther becomes resistant to frontal hits by the Panzer IV H on down (Pzr IV H is at the top of the "mid" list, followed by the M4/76, M18, T34/85, Pzr IV F/2, M4/75, T34/76, etc).  At 1600+ yards, the Panther only needs to fear the Tiger, Panther, Firefly, and King Tiger.  Don't get me wrong, if the angles are right then the 1600-2000 yards kill shot can still be had, but then we're adding in some funky angles, etc.      

[Widewing]

What I don't understand about the chart is how does it take into account what the "hull" is made of in the front, side, rear etc.  Does it just assume a single slope angle and armor thickness for all of the "hull"?

For example how does "hull" differentiate between the glacis (which cannot be penetrated by a T34/85 at any range in AH) and the lower hull below the glacis (which the 85 can penetrate at short range in AH if you can manage to target it)?

Did you click on the Advanced Options to see what is considered in the calculation?. If not, do so.