=Sarc=

This document serves as a lesson to engaging armor using AT4. Using AT4 is not as effective as a satchel charge but it can be much safer. This is the reason I personally prefer AT4. I will go over some tactics that will help you survive future encounters with a BTR. First, I will discuss where to hit vehicles. Then, I will explain when to engage the target. Last, I will walk through a long distance engagement. The following scenario is from the first training mission.

Ok, a teammate calls in an enemy BTR rolling in. Your first instinct should be finding a place to hide. It is difficult to spot targets while in a BTR but let’s make it harder for the gunner. Take a look at the picture below and see how I have used grass and low tree branches to conceal myself. Before engaging the BTR, you want to know where to hit it. The simple rule is hit it anywhere. During my tests, I found that it doesn’t matter where the vehicle is hit. If there are differences in damage, it’s minimal. Two AT4 hits from the distance in the picture below will not be enough to destroy the BTR. It is only sufficient to almost destroy the vehicle. This means that after the second hit, the vehicle will beep to warn the occupants that it is about to explode. If you want to get psychological, you can hit the vehicle from the back. The vehicle rocks less from the hit and the occupants might be less likely to determine the direction of the shot. Let’s line up the shot and engage.



From this distance, it’s not necessary to measure the distance. The AT4 round should fly straight until it hits the target. Now, I line up the tip of the sight with the BTR. I’m all ready to fire. The last item to check before firing is that the cannon is not facing in your direction. You don’t want the gunner to see the rocket trail.



Direct hit! Now, I’ll have to hit it one more time and it should disable the BTR. If the BTR was undamaged at the beginning of the engagement, the vehicle is probably beeping and the occupants will probably bail. Be on the lookout for exiting enemies and engage if necessary.



Let’s assume that the occupants could not bail in time. The vehicle should explode about 10-15 seconds later like in the picture below. Notice that the distance was about 80m. This is a short range engagement and does not require careful aim of the AT4. Just point and shoot. Be sure to send a report to your team that the threat has been eliminated.



Here’s the long distance target at 275m. This will require some elevation adjustment when firing. Even at this distance it is better to be prudent and remain concealed during the engagement. During my testing, I found that there’s very little elevation adjustment required until the target is over 150m away. A 150m engagement will require a slight adjustment. Just aim for the top of the vehicle. Let’s pull out the AT4 and take a look at the sight and adjust for 275m.



I’ve pretty much covered up the target with the AT4 sight. I’m aiming about half a BTR height above it. This is a risky engagement for a number of reasons. I might miss on the first shot and I will have one AT4 round left. I get one adjustment and even then one AT4 will not destroy the BTR. Second, the damage of the AT4 seems to diminish as distance increases. It is possible that a third AT4 round will have to finish off the BTR. Hopefully, teammates will be around in a real situation to help disable the vehicle. Anyway, I’m ready to fire and the cannon is facing the vehicle’s 12 O’clock. I’ll fire at it twice and see the effects.



At this point, the BTR has had two direct hits. I went to check the BTR’s status and found that it held at red with no warning beeps. This seems to be the effect of engaging at a long range. During testing, I found that at ranges over 150m BTR’s could survive two direct hits. Although, a red vehicle may panic the occupants and they may ditch the vehicle. So, be prepared for infantry engagement.



I’ll finish it off with a third AT4 shot. You can make out a billow of smoke to confirm the vehicle’s destruction. This was definitely a risky engagement. I would never have been able to disable the vehicle alone. I had to re-arm and finish off the vehicle. During the heat of battle, I may misjudge the sight adjustment and overshoot or fall short with the AT4 round. Using AT4 is easy up to 150m but the lack of distance markings like the M203 makes it difficult to engage targets further than that.



This skill has to be practiced and constantly used to ensure accurate hits. Always remember to stay concealed when engaging. It may give you the extra bit of time to fire a second shot. Engaging armor can also be done in pairs by simultaneously firing. Or, the partners can be on opposite sides and fire one at a time so the other can reload. I did not cover moving targets but it is only a matter of leading the target a bit. However, I do not recommend engaging a moving target unless you are close to it. The chance of error may not be an acceptable risk.

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JO Guides & Tutorials
Team Element - It's who you game with.

Opus

Another nice tutorial Sarc. Maybe you (or Apo) could do one for engaging heli's with AT/RPG rounds. Some people out there are deadly at shooting down airborne threats with these rockets.

=Sarc=

That is another reason I carry AT4. I don't engage helos often though. I am very particular about attacking enemy aircraft. I find it pretty much the same as shooting a vehicle except that it can go up and down. I typically wait for it to land then go for the easy hit. Perhaps, somebody else will have a good trick for successfully hitting a chopper.

eulogy

Hey Sarc, do you have any "anti-armor with satchel charge" tips? I have been interested in this, but I haven't had much luck, so far.

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eulogy

=Sarc=

No, I don't have any tips for satchel charges. I rarely use them so I have little experience. I do encourage others to write about it if they have ideas though. Maybe one of the others that are crazy about satchels have something to say.

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Team Element - It's who you game with.

jex

Funny you should say that - I was thinking about writing up this very subject. I've been using satchels extensively these past couple of months and really enjoy the role, as it seems other TG members are doing. B y the look of things we'll have a TG Satchel Task force ready to be deployed at a moments notice lol.

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Jex

jex

One other point about engaging armour. If you fire a rifle grenade at the APC, which ever is the 3rd to hit will instantly destroy the target. EG;

Sarc fires an AT4, then I fire a rifle grenade by which time sarc has reloaded and has fired his 2nd AT4. As soon as it hits the APC is destroyed. It doesn't matter what order you go, it's that 3rd shot that will instantly kill it. The advantage here is that the occupants don't get the opportunity to bail.

If you're going to use this tactic, I recommend AT4, RG, AT4. This is probably the quickest combination and if you can attack from two different points, more confusion to the enemy

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Jex

eulogy

Sweet...I cant wait for that article.

Great tip on the 40mm/AT4 combo.

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eulogy

TG_JBRanger

I'll try and write something up...I use them for everything. From making breakfast, to destroying stuff.....LOL!

Lil' Bird

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Joint Ops screenshots threads

bloodyomaha

to effectively use the satchels against armored vehicles, you have 2 choices

1. You can set the satchels at a choke point and use it like a land mine. From my experiences, one satchel anywhere near a vehicle is able to destroy it.

2. If you are able to sneak up to an APC without it noticing you, you can throw a satchel near it and then detonate it. Strangely, this also works in water, no matter how deep. On many occasions i have swam under an APC, throw a satchel (only to see it sink to the bottom), but still is able to destroy it.

Hopefully this is of some help concerning the use of satchels in anti-armor roles

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