War Thunder Plane Best Ammo

2 min read 05-01-2025

Choosing the right ammunition in War Thunder can significantly impact your success in battle. The optimal choice depends heavily on your aircraft, its role, and the targets you frequently encounter. This guide will help you navigate the complexities of ammo selection and make informed decisions to maximize your effectiveness.

Understanding Ammo Types

War Thunder offers a variety of ammunition types, each with its strengths and weaknesses. Understanding these differences is crucial for selecting the best loadout for your plane.

HE (High Explosive)

Pros: Effective against lightly armored targets like fighters and bombers. Causes significant damage through blast radius.
Cons: Ineffective against heavily armored targets like tanks. Can be unreliable against agile targets due to the need for proximity detonation.

HEI (High Explosive Incendiary)

Pros: Combines the explosive power of HE with an incendiary effect, often leading to faster destruction of targets and increased damage against wooden aircraft structures.
Cons: Still less effective against heavily armored targets.

AP (Armour Piercing)

Pros: Designed to penetrate armor. Highly effective against heavily armored ground targets and some heavily armored aircraft.
Cons: Generally lower explosive yield compared to HE rounds. Can struggle against heavily sloped armor.

APHE (Armour Piercing High Explosive)

Pros: Offers a balance between armor penetration and explosive power. A good all-around choice for many situations.
Cons: May not be as effective as dedicated AP rounds against extremely heavy armor.

APHEI (Armour Piercing High Explosive Incendiary)

Pros: Combines armor penetration with explosive and incendiary effects, maximizing damage potential.
Cons: Performance can vary significantly depending on the specific implementation within the game.

HEFT (High Explosive Fragmentation Tracer)

Pros: Provides visual feedback with the tracer, helpful for aiming and tracking shots. Often offers a better balance of explosive power and fragmentation compared to simple HE.
Cons: Still susceptible to armor.

Factors to Consider When Choosing Ammo

Several factors should influence your ammo selection:

Aircraft Role: A ground-attack aircraft will likely prioritize AP or APHE rounds, while a fighter might favor HEI or HEFT for better damage against other aircraft.
Target Type: Facing heavily armored tanks? AP is your best bet. Engaging lightly armored fighters? HE or HEI might be more effective.
Game Mode: The game mode can influence your ammo choices. In Arcade Battles, you might focus on maximizing damage output with HEI, while Realistic and Simulator Battles might require a more balanced approach.
Aircraft Performance: If your aircraft has poor maneuverability, you may want to prioritize ammo types with a larger blast radius to compensate for less precise aiming.

Conclusion

There's no single "best" ammo type in War Thunder. The ideal choice depends on the specific circumstances of each battle. By understanding the strengths and weaknesses of each ammo type and considering the factors outlined above, you can optimize your loadouts for maximum effectiveness and achieve greater success in the skies. Experimentation and adaptation are key to mastering ammunition selection in War Thunder.