AFV Operation

This manual is intended to give players, both new and experienced, an overview on the purpose, operation and employment of Armoured Fighting Vehicles in the context of a combined arms coalition platoon.

W.I.P.

Classes of AFVs

APC: The Armoured Personnel Carriers main purpose is to transport infantry squads protected from shrapnel and small arms over rough terrain from point A to point B. This purpose led to distinct design choices setting them apart from their heavier cousins, the IFV. Their armor and armament are usually light, with just enough armor to protect against medium-caliber rounds and a heavy machine gun for self defence.

IFV: The Infantry Fighting Vehicle is taking the idea of the APC one step further. Its purpose is not only to transport an infantry squad, but to also directly support it in combat. To that end, a typical IFV is protected against heavy machine guns and equipped with an autocannon in a caliber between 20-30mm to engage enemy targets from infantry to other IFVs. Most IFVs are additionally equipped with an Anti-Tank-Guided-Missile, giving them the capacity to combat enemy tanks.

Tank: Tanks are the heaviest armored and armed ground vehicles available. Their resilience and killing power on the battlefield make them especially valuable. They feature thick armor, with the front being able to resist other tank rounds and the sides protected against autocannon fire. The gun is in a caliber between 100-120mm and able to shoot, next to tank rounds, high explosive rounds directly at exposed enemies, buildings and fortifications.

SPAAG: Self-Propelled-Anti-Air-Guns are sometimes pressed into a ground fire role. They feature autocannons with a very high rate of fire that usually shoot high explosive rounds. They are very effective against infantry and light vehicles.

SPG: While similarly unintended for direct combat, most self-propelled artillery guns are able to use their main armament in a direct fire role to great effect.

Crew Roles

Driver: The driver positions the vehicle according to the directions of the commander. He needs to maintain terrain awareness at all times to be able to position the vehicle in cover at a moment’s notice and to find the most suitable spots for the vehicle to emerge from cover. By default, he should attempt to keep the frontal armor of the vehicle in the direction of the enemy.

Gunner: Second in command, he operates the vehicle’s main weapon system. He needs to be familiar with the armament he is utilizing and enemy vehicles he is facing in order to combat them optimally. He is usually equipped with long-ranged optics, enabling him to ID targets at greater distances than the commander. At the discretion of the commander, he may direct the driver to maneuver the vehicle in order to achieve a suitable firing position.

Commander: The commanders task is to direct the driver and gunner in order to achieve optimal performance of the vehicle on the battlefield. He is equipped with the vehicle’s radio and wide-angled optics in order to facilitate situational awareness. He is often riding turned out for maximal situational awareness. On tanks, he is usually equipped with an HMG for AA duties, but which works equally well against ground targets.

Loader: Only found in the M1 Abrams tank, the loader speeds up the reload time of the main gun and serves as an extra pair of eyes as well. He can operate a MMG when turned out.

Weaponry

Coaxial machine gun: The coax is installed parallel to the main weapon. The very same type of weapon utilized by three man MMG teams, on the AFV, it is basically your sidearm. Thanks to its vast ammunition reserves, you can afford to employ it liberally for suppressive fires.

Heavy machine gun: Usually employed on APCs, it is able to penetrate other APCs and to provide long ranged suppressive fire. It will also rip through all village- or city buildings, making it effective in clearing enemy structures without actually entering them.

Autocannon: This weapon is used to equip IFVs with an IFV killing capability and is very effective against Infantry. A double feed system enables it to switch between armor piercing rounds and high explosive rounds almost instantly. High explosive rounds are very effective in clearing out structures or fortifications, or destroying them altogether. Armor piercing rounds, as a rule of thumb, will penetrate other IFVs from the side, but modern IFVs might be fully protected against them from the front.

Low Pressure Gun: Exclusive to the Russian BMP-1, -3 and BMD variants, this gun fires HEAT and HE rockets up to medium distance. The BMP-3 variant fires an ATGM in place of the HEAT round.

ATGM: The Anti-Tank-Guided Missile is the IFVs premier tank killer option. It is usually employed from an external launcher attached to the turret, with western vehicles generally possessing two ready-to-fire missiles and Russian ones a single one. Variants are employed by infantry teams or from light transport vehicles like the HMMWV, helicopters and dedicated ATGM carriers designed to fire ATGMs over cover. There are two variants: Lock-on missiles need to acquire their target, then automatically track it once fired and the more widespread manually guided missile, either by laser or wire, requires the gunner to keep the target in his crosshairs as the missile will automatically follow the gunners aim.