AP use confusion

[Imp]

Originally Posted by jp10

Not to argue against the many fine points made here, but in the decade after WW1, during the 'Infantry Tank verses Cruiser Tank' debates, the AP function of the gun was more for an anti-material role (especially bunkers) than shooting other tanks. Some designs had a small bursting charge to explode if the round failed to penetrate.
My point being, with these early small bore or infantry support role tanks, maybe the AP function should be considered for short range shots at fortifications and light vehicles, not tank battles.
I don't suppose the ability to 'turn off' selected weapon systems on a unit could be tweaked to allow an ammo type to be not used, allowing a player to select a particular ammo for whatever reasons they foresee?

In the rare cases like this one it would make no diffrence HE would be used against bunkers to.
Selecting ammo has been covered before & is unrealistic the game does a very good job using the right round most of the time. Modern tanks with hunter killer capabilities are realisticly probably the only tanks that can do that consistently.
There are rare occasions when it uses a a sabot or heat round to destroy a target it could possibly have used an AP round on.
If that tank has a low loadout of sabot or HEAT rounds you do need to take that into account when playing if your AP is not up to the job. Restrict range use oppfire filter or make sure if placed in an opfire position it will only fire at one target so the shots improve in accuracy.

The tank discussed here has no real AT capability whatsoever, it would probably need to get lucky just to knock a track off. Using to supprt the infantry & let them assault even just with grenades could work better.
If possible arty strike then several squads, tanks tend to need to be suppressed for a grenade to work & if hit hard enough might even bail out.
Think this works with Japan most countries this era it wont the infantry will suffer a high ratio of tank panic.