Armor Protection Analysis Tool
War Thunder Effective Armor Calculator
Calculate effective armor thickness from angles, armor types, spaced protection, ERA, and composite armor. Learn optimal angling techniques and protection mechanics.
🛡️ Armor Calculator
Calculate how armor angles and types affect protection. See effective thickness and ricochet chances.
10mm Actual thickness 300mm
0° (Flat) 45° (Angled) 85° (Extreme)
Standard armor steel - baseline effectiveness
Protection Result
Moderate
Actual Thickness: 100mm
Effective Thickness: 115mm
Multiplier: 1.15x
Total Protection: 115mm
Ricochet Chance
5%
Armor Type Info
RHA (Rolled Homogeneous)
Standard armor steel - baseline effectiveness
Common on:
Most WWII/Cold War tanks
Effectiveness: 100%
Protection Breakdown
Base Armor: 115mm
Quick Reference
Optimal Angle
25-35° for most tanks
Ricochet Zone
60°+ auto-ricochet
Danger Zone
45°+ exposes sides
🔬 Armor Mechanics Explained
📐 Angle Mechanics
- • Effective thickness = Actual thickness ÷ cos(angle)
- • 30° angle = 15% more effective thickness
- • 45° angle = 41% more effective thickness
- • 60° angle = 100% more effective thickness (doubles)
- • 70°+ angles cause automatic ricochets on most shells
🛡️ Armor Types
- • RHA (Rolled Homogeneous): Standard reference at 1.0x
- • Cast armor: 0.9x effectiveness (10% weaker)
- • Structural steel: 0.45x effectiveness (very weak)
- • Composite: 1.2x base + special HEAT resistance
- • ERA: Defeats HEAT/ATGM but single-use protection
📦 Spaced Armor
- • Multiple plates reduce shell effectiveness
- • First plate must be penetrated, reducing shell power
- • Gap allows shell to tumble/fragment
- • Track armor adds 15-30mm equivalent protection
- • Side skirts defeat HEAT premature detonation
🎯 Weak Spots
- • Lower Front Plate (LFP): Usually 30-50% thinner
- • Turret ring: Thin armor between hull and turret
- • Driver/MG ports: Flat spots on angled armor
- • Cupolas: Commander hatches with thin armor
- • Side/rear: 50-70% thinner than front armor
💡 Angling Tips & Techniques
🎓 Basic Angling
- • Angle hull 25-35° from enemy for optimal protection
- • Keep turret pointed at enemy while hull is angled
- • Don't over-angle - sides become easier to penetrate
- • Pre-angle before peeking corners
- • Use terrain to hide lower plate while angled
⚔️ Advanced Techniques
- • Sidescraping: Angle 60-70° with side armor facing corner
- • Reverse angling: Back up while angled (protects engine)
- • Wiggle: Constantly adjust angle to make aiming difficult
- • Baiting shots: Angle, take hit, return fire during reload
- • Compound angles: Use terrain slope + hull angle together
🔧 Tank-Specific
- • Tiger I/II: Angle 25-30° (avoid over-angling weak sides)
- • Panther: Already angled UFP, keep hull straight
- • T-34: Already angled, wiggle turret for bounce chance
- • IS-2/3: Can angle 35-40° with strong side armor
- • Sherman: Angle UFP but LFP still vulnerable
⚠️ Common Mistakes
- • Over-angling and exposing thin side armor
- • Angling pre-angled tanks (Panther, T-34)
- • Staying angled while enemy flanks you
- • Angling against HEAT-FS (angles don't help)
- • Forgetting to angle after firing (most vulnerable)
🚜 Armor Examples by Vehicle
🐅 Tiger I Front
UFP: 100mm @ 10°
LFP: 100mm @ 25°
Turret: 100mm @ 0°
Side: 80mm
⭐ T-34-85
UFP: 45mm @ 60°
LFP: 45mm @ 45°
Turret: 90mm @ 0°
Side: 45mm
🦅 Sherman M4A3
UFP: 63mm @ 47°
LFP: 51mm @ 53°
Turret: 76mm @ 0°
Side: 38mm
🐆 Panther D
UFP: 80mm @ 55°
LFP: 60mm @ 55°
Turret: 100mm @ 10°
Side: 40mm
⚒️ IS-2
UFP: 120mm @ 30°
LFP: 100mm @ 30°
Turret: 160mm @ 0°
Side: 90mm
👑 King Tiger
UFP: 150mm @ 50°
LFP: 100mm @ 55°
Turret: 185mm @ 10°
Side: 80mm
🇺🇸 M1 Abrams
UFP: 35mm @ 82°
LFP: 35mm @ 0°
Turret: 40mm @ 35°
Side: 70mm
🇷🇺 T-72B
UFP: 60mm @ 68°
LFP: 80mm @ 0°
Turret: 200mm @ 30°
Side: 80mm
📊 Angle Effectiveness Chart
| Angle | 100mm Becomes | Multiplier | Status | Recommendation |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 0° | 100mm | 1.00x | Flat | Never expose |
| 20° | 106mm | 1.06x | Slight | Minimal benefit |
| 30° | 115mm | 1.15x | Good | Optimal range |
| 45° | 141mm | 1.41x | Strong | Watch sides |
| 60° | 200mm | 2.00x | Extreme | Sides exposed |
| 70° | 292mm | 2.92x | Ricochet | Sidescraping |
❓ Frequently Asked Questions
💡 Key Takeaways
1️⃣
Angle Smartly
25-35° is the sweet spot for most tanks. Provides 15-25% more protection without exposing weak side armor.
2️⃣
Don't Over-Angle
Past 40-45°, your side armor becomes an easier target than your angled front. Know your tank's side thickness.
3️⃣
Armor Type Matters
Cast armor is 10% weaker than RHA. Structural steel is 55% weaker. Check armor type in Protection Analysis.
4️⃣
Use Spaced Armor
Tracks, side skirts, and spaced plates add significant protection vs HEAT. Position to maximize this advantage.
🔗 Related Tools
🎯
Penetration Calculator
Calculate if shells can penetrate your effective armor at various angles and distances.
💥
Shell Damage Estimator
Estimate damage when your armor is penetrated. Calculate crew casualties and module damage.
⚔️
Gun Comparison
Compare gun penetration values against your effective armor thickness.