The GAU 8 30 mm cannon of the A 164 wipeout doesn't penetrate heavy armor at all.
I tried it against a T100 at close range, it will only damage the tracks.
I used a tracer script to make sure i was actually hitting the tank. I think this weapon needs to be beefed up drastically, so it can take out a tank in 1 or 2 bursts.
Attached is a screenshot showing the status of the tank after 200 direct hits from various angles. {F23464} {F23465}
After 460 rounds fired at 10 meters, the t100 finally blew up. So this gun needs to be beefed up a lot.
The GAU-8 Avenger in A-10 (what A-164 is "modernized") doesn't have a such impact as you wish for against modern MBT.
That 30mm, even firing a AP (DU) doesn't mean it just opens MBT like a tin can.
Here are the "official specs"
Accuracy: 80% of rounds fired at 4,000 feet (1,200 m) range hit within a 40 feet (12 m) diameter circle
Ammo:
PGU-14/B API Armor Piercing Incendiary (DU)
PGU-13/B HEI High explosive incendiary
Armor penetration:
69 mm at 500 meters
38 mm at 1,000 meters
The default combat-mix for the GAU-8 is 4:1. So 1 is a HEI and then next 4 are AP. So in one second it fires about a 45 AP and 15 HEI.
So if you want anywhere realistic usage, the cannon doesn't penetrate MBT front or side armors as they are too thick and modern top armors are way over 70mm as well. So only place is the rear armor what is just about 20-30mm typically. So engine block and rear armor are the places where to shoot and you get the MBT disabled for that place pretty easily.
http://www.steelbeasts.com/sbwiki/images/b/be/Leopardo2E_armour.jpg
http://www.steelbeasts.com/sbwiki/images/e/e3/Challenger2protection.jpg
http://www.steelbeasts.com/sbwiki/images/1/14/M1A2_SEP_frontLOS.jpg
http://www.steelbeasts.com/sbwiki/images/9/9f/T90armour.jpg
http://www.steelbeasts.com/sbwiki/images/2/27/T80armour.jpg
So cannon should lose a lot of its power against MBT like T-100 and force pilot to use missiles and bombs against those if not possible to attack behind.
The cannon is of course very effective to any APC, truck or other vehicles.
And just compare to BMP-1
http://www.steelbeasts.com/sbwiki/images/7/79/BMP1armour.jpg
Of course these are values from ahead but typical 30 degree attack angle doesn't change situation so much on modern MBT.
So lower the cannon effectiveness against MBT's in game and guide them to use missiles against them. Cannon only to "any other target" what is less armored than MBT.
i noticed that the cannon is also pretty ineffective against vehicles like the BTR-k and Marid. I honestly believe that the cannon in the game only fires HEI rounds as opposed to a standard combat mix. Which might also be a problem.
The gun doesn't break into a tank, it bashes their outsides to pieces. It whacks optics off, destroys hatches, ruins the tracks and wrecks the engine where it can get into it. Also, the top armour of most tanks is relatively thin. You have to hit the top of the engine deck or the turret roof, though...
That is, if BI did use realistic values for the top armour.
We're going to need to run more tests of direct assaults upon the top of the turret and the rear of the tank.
I consider your feedback with great attention. I'm gonna run more tests as soon as I can, but in my opinion, the GAU-8 should at least disable the engine compartment on MBTs.
As for IFVs, the BTR K also withstood an amazing number of rounds before being put out of action.
Thanks Fri13 for the attached files. We're getting closer to something here.
I agree with some of the posts above that the cannon won't be able to completely destroy a tank, but from certain angles it might at least partly disable it - so up voting