| abstract
| - 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.
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![[RDF Data]](/fct/images/sw-rdf-blue.png)