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Tactics Tips for PTRD

BeserkWraithlor

Grizzled Veteran
Sep 3, 2006
461
0
Arizona
The Russian Anti-Tank Soldier class is the most underplayed class in Red Orchestra, because of how hard it is. The PTRD takes more skill to use than any other weapon in Red Orchestra, and its the most frustrating weapon to use for many. The good thing about PTRD is that you get more satisfaction killing with this more than anything else, and you can laugh at German tanks when you kill them with it!

1.Know your Tank!
Every tank is different, and you should download the datasheets, to see the tank's weak point. Doing so, you can kill a tank much faster. A shot to the front, and the middle circle in the side of tank will kill a Stug/Panzer 3 in 1 shot! For Tigers and Panthers, it will be very hard. Get up close to the tank's butt, and near the bottom, you see a circle, shoot it twice, and you are rewarded with a large explosion! Don't let the pretty armor plating on Panzer 4's fool you! The New plating Panzers have provide no protection against PTRD, so shoot the middle of the plates 2 times, and you get a kill. Other than Panzer 3 and Stug, NEVER EVER shoot a tank in the front.

2.Make your Shot Straight!
Angled tanks make PTRD useless, you might as well toss marshmellows at them instead. Be sure your shot is straight. You will have to move around alot.

3.Stealth is key!
There is no point in using the this class without cover or stealth. Hide in the bushes, take cover, hide in buildings, and watch out for that moving turret! Very Rarely, do commanders poke there heads out of tanks, so you are lucky. You have a crappy pistol, and its very hard hitting infantry with PTRD, so stay away from infantry if you can.

4.Use Carriers!
Use vehicles to get to places faster, but since the infamous clown car is replaced by a slower Clown Truck, you need support from other tanks, or get out when you see a tank staring at you. Tanks don't notice carriers, so you should slip past them.

5.Use Binocs!
You should use them to spot enemies, and tell your allies there location. You can see advancing targets, so that you can get away from them, then strike when you get the chance.

6.Be a Decoy!/Pest!
Tank drivers freak for some reason when they see infantry and they want to hose your down with there Machinegun! Don't let the yellow laser beams scare you, the machinegun is actually very inaccurate, and they can't hit a barn with it. I like to run around, and the tank turrets look for me, allowing my allied tanks to shoot the sitting duck. On an open field, like Arad, You can run around the fields, attracting attention from tanks, giving your friends the luxury of shooting them. A tank driver might use HE (high explosive) shells, which is an infantry's worst nightmare. Its basicly a long range greande. There is a high chance you will get hit, on an open field, or behind cover! Good thing is, he can only shoot once, and after he spends that round, your allies can steamroll him.

7.When an enemy tank is focused on other tanks, shoot him when his pants are down!
Angled Tanks are almost impossible to kill, and your allies may have a tough time, thats where you come in. Flank him, and he is too focused on the other tanks to notice you, then shoot his weak point!

8.Take a Panzerfaust
The PTRD is inferior to the mighty Panzerfaust, and theres nothing better than using your opponent's own weapons against him! I shoudn't tell you how to use a Faust, a 3 year old can use it effectively, it just takes no skill to use, so enjoy the fun! ;)

9.Find good camping spots!
Every map has a good point where you can sit back and get free shots, you should look around for some good areas where enemies don't care to look at.

10.Work as a team with other infantry
If theres another Anti Tank Soldier, let him join the fun! It takes 2 shots in rear to kill a tiger, and 2 shots in side to kill a Panzer! *hint hint* If theres a combat engineer, distract the tank so that he can plant the Satchel, hes much better than you in close range against tanks. He also has a PPSh, so you will have extra firepower and range with him around, so he can take out those annoying infantry that is sucide to face with Anti Tank soldiers!

11.Know when to reload
Don't just reload after you shoot, thats sucide. Unless you know your are safe, you shoudn't reload, especially if theres a tank looking around for you.

12.Grab Ammo
14 rounds for PTRD is not alot, you will lose ammo much faster than you think. Theres alot of places where you can get resupplied, go there if you can.

13.Don't expect to get a high score :(
Most of the time, the Russian AT Class is near the bottom of the scoreboard, while the German AT class is top of the scoreboard, but don't be sad, be glad that you are using a weapon others would never use, and how much skill you are putting in to use it, and be satisfied that you killed a tank with such a weapon. In my opinion, 1 PTRD kill is much more satisfying than 3 kills with Faust.

UPDATE:14.When not to use PTRD.
There are maps where you shoudn't pick PTRD, because either theres too little tanks, and you won't do your team good. Or because theres alot of PAnzerfausts, and everybody knows how powerful and easily used Fausts are. These maps are hedgehog, and Rakorice.
 
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It is not at all hard to use in some instances its even superior to the faust and takes little in the way of skill to use.

On Arad (any verison). It can easily kill panthers and tigers (the hardest of german tanks to knock out). I frequent this class on arad and usually end up with alot of points by the end of the map most of the time either 1st or 2nd on the soviet side except on arad realism because the match is often over before I leave the spawn.-No offense toward the map maker.

For shooting aim anywhere on the side or rear of the panther 2 to 3 shots cause an "explosive decompression". For the tiger I think its killable from the side but I dont know where so I go for the rear which takes no less than 2 shots to kill. Sadly this usually causes the driver to leave in frustration. The rest of the tanks can be easilly killed from the front if you aim above the drivers hatch right under the driver's peep hole 1-2 shots 3-4 if you miss or aim wrong.

On most maps the pt class does pretty well and it takes little skill at all to use effectively.

pointers
1. On any tank except tiger and panther aim for front peephole thing 1-2 shot kill at any range.
2. For tiger aim for rear the metal disk thingy- 2 shot kill.
3 For panther aim for sides and rear 2-3 shot kill.
4. Make sure u are perpendicular to ur target if he moves then you move.
5. If in doubt shoot the rear.
6. Use klownKar to get behind tanks.
7. dont let schuzten fool u the panzer is still vulnerable from side.-2 shots if y aim right (where the shovel is under skirts)

The only concern is not getting caught under infantry or tank fire so being moblie after a kill or a few shots is a must which plays to the ptrd's favor since the tank (if manned with experienced crew ) will try to angle itself if shot so moving to get a shot is part of the job which eliminates the risk of the enemy knowning your exact position. Its a very easy class to use but patience (think of your self as a sniper) is needed since its not a run and gun weapon like the faust. The faust is relatively short range but the Ptrd is a long range weapon you can fire from long range (use binocs) and kill tanks safely from cover.

I shoudn't tell you how to use a Faust, a 3 year old can use it effectively, it just takes no skill to use,

Well it should not because historically it was known for being extremely easy to use and effective the only thing u had to do was make sure u were not to close to any walls, confined areas, or to the target aim and shoot tank destroyed.

The Ptrd was known for being ineffective as an antitank weapon as all antitank rifles were which was why russia was the only nation still using antitank rifles after the others abandoned thiers. The reason for this was because they lacked an alternative weapon unlike the British or Germans until of course the lend-lease bazooka.
 
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For shooting aim anywhere on the side or rear of the panther 2 to 3 shots cause an "explosive decompression". For the tiger I think its killable from the side but I dont know where so I go for the rear which takes no less than 2 shots to kill.

It is just sad and a travesty that the PTRD is still killing Tigers/Panthers in game. I have witnessed what Zhukov is talking about. If you shoot an undamaged Tiger I around the ass area (80mm of rear armor) at a perpendicular angle at close range the Tiger will blow up in TWO shots. So much for realism. Just plain sad:(
 
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Nothing fancy just a video
http://files.filefront.com/PTRDwmv/;6340784;;/fileinfo.html
A vid aimed at
1. showing you the PT-soldalt should shoot
2. shows how easy it is to kill Panthers Tigers and Panzer IV F2's
3. shows how little aiming or skill is needed to bring down these tanks.

I have no idea where the idea that the Ptrd was a weapon that requires skill came (probably because its not a quick weapon) from but the PTRD as is in game is so seriously overpowered that when I first picked it up to use I racked up half-decent score.

When I first used it I did not use data sheets or anything I learned where to shoot in a couple of shots on my favorite server I noticed that some shots hit and made sparks and no visable smoke so no damage-right? I moved the gun a bit I until smoke cameout for fine tuning I looked at how dark the smoke was when I shot. For the bigger tanks I knew that the PTrd would probably not penetrate the front and I did not want to expose myself to enemy fire so I tried the sides and rear and found success all it took was-common sense after a bit a found nearly all the weak spots. The only weak spot I dont know about as of now is the Tiger I's side weak spot because I never tried shooting at the side I find the rear more convient and safe.

Honestly the Ptrd is killing Panzer IVs with 1 shot from the front at extended ranges and it takes skill to use?!


All you have to do to rack up some kills is to:

1. Aim- this is not difficult at all take no skill in fact there's not even any gun wave or sway.
2. Fire at the target from a perpendicular angle
3. Repeat if nessesary

another tip

If the enemy pops out of his hatch shoot him!
 
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A lot of surprised victums I was even accused of cheating at one point.
If I had to guess 3 Tigers per match they tend to split off and go to areas by themselves a false sense of security?
I would get more Tigers but well............... bailers or tankers beat me to the punch.

I'm sorry if I come off as bitter or as a jerk I mean no disrepect to anyone but if this gun was made any easier then it might as well be a bazooka not saying the faust class is not without error.

I will post a better vid highlighting weak spots on tanks for anyone who is new and wants to be brought up to speed.



I would have loved to see this gun portrayed correctly in game but alas we live in an unperfect world.
 
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Well, there are only a few things I would add to that. First of all it IS possible to destroy a Pz 4 mk1 from the front with the PTRD in one shot. I have seen it done and have occasionally done it myself. This is not a random occurance either, there is a specific spot you have to hit that is right below the driver's slit at the corner where the sloped armor meets the flat armor (I think).

Secondly both the Panther and the Tiger can be killed from the side in two shots. All you have to do is aim at the soft armor right above where the fourth wheel (or second wheel on the inside of the two sets) is.

Oh, and don't forget the shovel on the left side of the Pz 4;)
 
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Satisfaction of the Kill

Satisfaction of the Kill

Mr. Zhukov, your video is superior!

I would have never believed the single shot kill until I saw it, when I use the PTRD I am usually so far away that picking a spot on the armor is not as important as making sure the tank itself is in my sight picture. My primary goal then becomes hitting them enough to get smoke, at which point they can no longer hide from me or my friends, or getting them to bail, at which point I didn't get a kill but still technically knocked out the tank. Getting any kill with the PTRD is very satisfying, sickly, infantry kills are my favorite! Good thread.

----Lowman
 
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I was really surprised by the Tiger portion of the video, because I've tried that experiment too, and I emptied about 20 rounds into the back of a tiger (using cheats to not require reloading between shots) before getting a kill.
I was not really able to determine what factor produces the "2 shot kill", as I got the angle and position dead on (although I found that even a slight deviation from the perpendicular makes a huge difference).
On the other hand, I was able to destroy the tiger faster (once in as few as 5 shots) by shooting at the ammo box (similar to your video of the panther).
 
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