PTRD tactics

[Llama]

I've been playing around with the PTRD recently and trying to get to know the weapon and how to use it. I looked back at the mod forum for a few hints, but there didnt seem to be a thread dedicated to this, so i thought i'd start one here!
As i say i'm no expert in this field (or many for that matter!), so I'm asking people to post some of their tactics. I'd like shooting at tanks and infantry carrying vehicles (ie half track) to be covered if possible . Shooting at tracks, engines, ammo stores, through hatches and which are the best to go for. Also possibly ways to possition yourself so as to get the best chance of disabling it.

Llama

[PUTZ]

Aim for the face. Bam!

But there is a thread exploring tank mayhem on the MOD forums here.

[Llama]

True, but that is mostly based on tank-tank combat. I'd like to know a little more about disabling with the ptrd ie where should i shoot the tracks? on the track itself or the driving wheels of the track? Can the ptrd reach an ammo store and distroy the tank?...

[Bobdog]

I think most ammo stores are behind a bit too much armor for a PTRD shell to penetrate to. Your best shots are at the tracks and the engine from the back.

[Witzig]

And i guess we will have to test this with the Retail Game.

From historic Data, i can tell you that one should be able to penetrate Panzer IV Armor on the Sides and the Rear (also Turret from the Rear) at a 90° Angle, since the PTRD has 30mm Armor Penetration, PIV Armor is around 20-30mm at these Part iirc.

So general Tip would be to be 1) close and 2) shoot from the Rear Sides.

Lighter Vehicles might take damage from the Front depending upon Angle of Attack and Armor Thickness. More info here:

http://www.redorchestragame.com/index.php?categoryid=7

[[TW]Wilsonam]

You have two problems to handle when using lighter weapons (14.5mm PTRD and the 20mm TNSh on the T-60)...

First is finding armour thin enough to penetrate. Usually sides or rear - or the engine deck if you can get a shot at it.

Second is hitting something "useful" with a small round even if you do penetrate. But a few rounds into the engine will usually cause plenty of problems. Of course, unless the tank crew is terminally dense, they should be looking for YOU by the time you get the second or third round in

[Hyperion2010]

A technical question:

If I shoot the barrel of a tank with a PTRD or other AT rifle will the main gun cease to function? (in ROO since I know it will IRL)

[Innociv]

I remember the first time I used the PTRD in RO.

"ROFL!!! WTF HAPPENED?" i yell after seeing it say i killed 3 people from shooting a tank.

A teamate that was near me said "lol you hit the ammo sotrage probly"
"omfg this gun owns."
It's my favorite gun I got good at killing people with it.

I really have no idea where the ammo sotrages are exactly.. I aim around the turret.. the ammo is somewhere tehre. I hope their manual will show a top/down and side view to show where the key locations to shoot are.

And how will shooting hte barrel amke it cease to function?.. it just adds a hole.. might throw off the accuracy. Unles sit makes a huge inwards crater on the barrel making a bunch of metal poke out into the barrel. But.. the shells are made to penetrate armor, so i'd assuem they'd penetrate that and then exit the barrrel..

[FlashPanHunter]

PTRDs are all about positioning, once you can get relatively close at the sides you have a chance. Long distance shooting at the front or at angles will do nothing unless you get very lucky. The key is getting a little closer and getting clean 90 degree shots.

[Agenda_Suicide]

I hole in the barrel would mess with pressures in the gun. Also if you fired an HE round through a damaged barrel that would be very bad .

[Case]

FlashPanHunter's SO map, Arad, was my alltime favorite for PTRD play. If you can get yourself in the Penninsula Hills either along the center forest or around the few scattered buildings you can pop Panzer-IVs all day long as they rumble by you. Just don't make the mistake of hitting a Panther anywhere but in the rear as you'll only piss it off. Then you're likely to get MGed.

[Innociv]

Hm don't remember which that was :P I didn't get to play the combined arms enough like i did with 1.0-1.2
only PTRD maps i remember is the snow one with the big bridge that had an alternative rute witha cap point on this little island and that big urban map that no one wanted to play cause it lagged or something.. some game bug i think.. but was a great map.

I seemed to always get lucky with penetrating on the ptrd, i guess. It was my favorite gun.. I just hated when some newb got the class :O

[Mormegil]

Originally Posted by Innociv

I really have no idea where the ammo sotrages are exactly.. I aim around the turret.. the ammo is somewhere tehre. I hope their manual will show a top/down and side view to show where the key locations to shoot are.

http://www.redorchestra.clanservers....ead.php?t=2144


http://www.redorchestra.clanservers....ead.php?t=3896

[Innociv]

Er yeah i read one of those. Yay for the new one by ramm. Is taht all the tanks though? I guess the rest of the 14 vehicles aren't tanks . I thought where where more tanks out of that 14, though.
/edit that's just normal RO.

I normally aimed for where i thought the gunner was, really. Wanted to knock out who was firing that big gun.

[Witzig]

Well the Turret usually has the thickest Armor on a Tank, cause of that you'll probably will not be sucessful with killing the Gunner first. The best way to kill an enemy Tank is to go for Ammo Magazines or Fuel Tanks. Or to aim for the hull, this can result in a Catastrophic Crew Compartment Failure...

[Mormegil]

Originally Posted by Innociv

Er yeah i read one of those. Yay for the new one by ramm. Is taht all the tanks though? I guess the rest of the 14 vehicles aren't tanks . I thought where where more tanks out of that 14, though.
/edit that's just normal RO.

I normally aimed for where i thought the gunner was, really. Wanted to knock out who was firing that big gun.

Those are just from 3.3. So there are lots more vehicles, including new tanks (T-60, T34 M41 [sort of new], Tiger, Panzer III, Panzer IV Ausf F1).

[Mormegil]

Originally Posted by Witzig

Well the Turret usually has the thickest Armor on a Tank, cause of that you'll probably will not be sucessful with killing the Gunner first. The best way to kill an enemy Tank is to go for Ammo Magazines or Fuel Tanks. Or to aim for the hull, this can result in a Catastrophic Crew Compartment Failure...

Hmmm, I'd say half the gunner's body is below the turret in the main hull. So a flank shot might penetrate and hit a gunner/loader. Of course if you're hitting in that general area, you might also hit the ammo storage, and get a one shot kill, though I think the gunner was a bit further back in the turret, while the ammo boxes seem a bit forward (at least in German tanks).

[Innociv]

yeah i just learned that recently.. I figured it'd be weaker ;p.

I'ma still aim for there :O

[Lev_Astov]

I have posted this on the mod forums before, and I think people got a kick out of it. Have a look at this old Soviet PTRD manual, all you PTRD fans:
DESTROY FASCIST TANKS WITH THE ANTITANK RIFLE!
Many more wondrous things like this can be found on www.battlefield.ru

[The_Countess]

it says self reloading in the manual?
as in you relead it yourself? or more like the bolt action rifle?

if option 2 i guess we have the single shot PTRD ingame...
i'd love to see the bolt version aswell.
at the moment it can take hours to kill a tank with the PTRD, specialy if you also have to keep moving.