How to PVP with AMX-30 / AMX-40 and poorly armored MBT?

[haloff1 0]

Hello,

I am a new player and I started grinding the French MBT. I mostly PVE but I try to become better at PVP too. I have great difficulty winning matches with the AMX-30 and AMX-40. Obviously, the most important cause is my lack of skill by far. So, I would greatly appreciate help on how to play those tanks and more generally poorly armored MBT in PVP.

Compared to other MBTs (except Leopards), they can be penetrated easily through the hull. The turret can bounce shots though but not as good as Russian MBTs  for example. The DPM and alpha is good though. Still, against other MBT, in 1vs1 fight  I always find myself losing. I need to aim at the lowest part of hull while they can aim at the top part and maybe the turret. So, if they are in hull down position then there is nothing I can do.

In 5vs5, it's even worse. I am a prime target and it's harder to aim at weak spots when you are being shot by several tanks.

Thanks to the great auto cannon, I can absolutely destroy lightly armored vehicles. If I manage to see them. With their better camouflage and view range,  I am spotted way before and sniped by the enemy team.

Basically, if I try to flank then I am spotted and bombarded to dead before I can do anything.

If I follow the other MBTs, then I will have a lot of trouble doing damages to the enemy MBTs because of their superior armor while I am killed easily.

I don't really know what to do. Well, I guess I am a noob. How would you play those tanks?

[TeyKey1 119]

Ok so first off: If your tank has no armor threat it like that. There's no point in using an AMX30/40 as a brawler against tanks with way better armor and easier to hide weakspots. Therefore try to avoid brawling in it, do not get involved in close range combat or 1V1 situations against better armored targets.

21 hours ago, haloff1 said:

I need to aim at the lowest part of hull while they can aim at the top part and maybe the turret. So, if they are in hull down position then there is nothing I can do.

Yes hence why you want to avoid such situations as described above. Those vehicles are not "classic" MBTs after all. If the enemy is in a far better position than you are don't attack him (This would be exactly what the enemy wants). Instead back up and lure him out of his position so you or your Teammates can damage him.

21 hours ago, haloff1 said:

I am a prime target and it's harder to aim at weak spots when you are being shot by several tanks.

Try to find out why you are a prime target in such matches. In most cases it's due to bad positioning. If you're at the same spot as a friendly T72 you'll almost always be targeted first, as you do have way less armor. 

So in general I play such poorly armored MBTs more like light tanks and use light tank positions. As you already stated those tanks are great against lightly armored vehicles. So why not take advantage of this? Pick your targets. Try to ambush LTs AFVs or TDs by showing up at unexpected locations. Againts MBTs try to maintain a safe distance and try to attack them while they're busy with one of your teammates to minimize the chance of being hit.

21 hours ago, haloff1 said:

If I manage to see them. With their better camouflage and view range,  I am spotted way before and sniped by the enemy team.

This is where map knowledge comes into play. You need to know positions where they have a hard time spotting you while you can react quite fast and attack if possible by taking minimal damage.

21 hours ago, haloff1 said:

If I follow the other MBTs, then I will have a lot of trouble doing damages to the enemy MBTs because of their superior armor while I am killed easily.

Most MBTs are brawlers. You're not so as I already said don't follow them or at least keep a safe distance and shoot the targets spotted by them.

[haloff1 0]

Thank you very much!

It helped a lot. So basically play them like light tanks. As for that, map knowledge and good knowledge about vehicle camouflage and view range are necessary too.

It's too bad there are so few videos about Armored Warfare. I would have liked watching videos of more experienced players to learn good positioning and tactics.

[TeyKey1 119]

1 hour ago, haloff1 said:

It's too bad there are so few videos about Armored Warfare. I would have liked watching videos of more experienced players to learn good positioning and tactics.

I make videos of my gameplay for vehicle guides in german mainly in PVP and some GLOPS. Commentary is in german but if you're after decent gameplay it's certainly a good source: 

 

[Lenticulas 9]

On 6/17/2020 at 5:14 PM, haloff1 said:

With their better camouflage and view range,  I am spotted way before and sniped by the enemy team.

• Always sneak about through trees*, bushes, and behind hills
  --- If you knock trees over, the enemy can see the trees falling, even if they have not spotted you.
• always hide as much of your tank as possible behind rocks, machinery, dead tanks, and living teammates
• stand 1 tank-length behind a bush, rather than in, it when shooting
• Always let one of your team-mates go around a corner first
• Never go round a corner until your gun is loaded
• Never go anywhere on your own, you can't hold a flank on your own against 4 enemies
• Be ready to run!
•  

 

Edited June 19, 2020 by Lenticulas (see edit history)

[Katsumoto 11]

You know what the biggest issue with these tanks are?  It can be summed up in this one statement that you made:

On 6/17/2020 at 11:14 AM, haloff1 said:

Thanks to the great auto cannon...

 

In most other  tanks like the AMX you have cover and withdraw from the cover to fire the main gun.  With the AMX there is a mindset that comes into play because it has the auto cannon you feel that you can get away with certain things.

Instead of using it as a secondary weapon, you pull out to shoot and instead of withdrawing back into cover the AMX driver is hanging out in the open a bit longer to shoot other things with the auto cannon.  After a few times of doing this you will get to a point where you are in over your head and having to fight to get back to cover.  The armor isn't the best but getting hit is getting hit.

How you should use it is when you take your shot with the main gun if you need to dispose of something that might have say a 100 HP left, hang out a bit longer and get that gun off the field of battle, then withdraw to cover if needed or stop and evaluate your surroundings.  Trying to knock down things with 600 or 700 HP with the auto cannon means that you have to expose yourself for a longer period of time which means you're getting shot at whether you like it or not.