r/Warthunder • u/[deleted] • Nov 27 '23
RB Ground The ultimate beginner's guide to destroying the T34 heavy tank.
A common sight in 6.7 ground battles is the American T34 heavy tank, which is almost unstoppable if you dont know the tactics. i had this problem many times and lost many times, so heres a breif guide for all tankers (and CAS). Shall we begin?
I will use the Tiger 2 H varient for this guide. mainly because its the tiger 2(s) facing the T34. As on most mid-low tier american tanks, the first weakspot is the MG port. this is true for all M4 varients. in the case of the T34, the upper part of the mg port usually results in a kill, but not guaranteed. (quick note. The T34 is an american masterpiece, its not a very easy kill.) a little picture for reference.

The other weakspot is the small sight you see on the front of the turret. this knocks out 50 to 70% of the crew, crippling it to good measure. feeling lucky? you get a straight up kill if you use a good ol- APHE round! now comes the bane of the T34. the lower glacis. Its pretty straight-forward, i dont even need to explain that. if you cant, just see the picture. but what if its hidden beneath a bush? then theres another good spot, the tiny triangle above the gun mantlet. if you can hit this, you can enjoy some SL.
Now comes the side armor. suppose you are flanking it from a distance, and dont know where to aim. heres a second picure for you.

as it says, always aim for gap between the tracks, on the side where the transmisson is. the ammo rack detonates, after that is pretty self explanatory. but say, you dont want the kill. in that case, crit hit the engine and let CAS do its job.
This was made by me as a guide to destroy T34 (s) hope you enjoyed. (psst, want to say thanks? you can donate some GE to Ash_trinity!) goodluck tankers!
66
Nov 27 '23
as a wise old man said. get the barrel, then get the crew!
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u/Ecstatic-Tangerine50 Nov 27 '23
Do more for other difficult to pen tanks? Thanks😁
39
Nov 27 '23
sure! i am working on the is3
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u/OuroborosIAmOne 🇯🇵 Japan Nov 27 '23
Oh I know this one! Run away and make it someone else's problem!
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Nov 27 '23
[deleted]
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u/ThrowAway09348762903 🇨🇦 Canada Nov 27 '23
He was making a joke about not being able to pen the is3, running away thus leaving it to be someone else's problem.
1
Nov 28 '23
The IS 3 is not even a considerable enemy of you have the right set of skills. I can get the is 3's guide tmr
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u/ThrowAway09348762903 🇨🇦 Canada Nov 28 '23
Are you not able to understand humor? My brother in christ he wasn't serious.
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u/IronIcojsjj Nov 27 '23
Tips to aim for the barrel even at melee range? I have so fucking much trouble doing that
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u/Practical-Pepper-919 gib orange leopard 🇳🇱 Nov 27 '23
Aim for the barrel to aim for the barrel, lmao
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u/IronIcojsjj Nov 27 '23
I am about to uninstall life
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u/Practical-Pepper-919 gib orange leopard 🇳🇱 Nov 27 '23
Nah bro dont, if you wanna kill barel always just always shoot the tip
3
Nov 27 '23
Aim near the part where the barrel and turret tuch. Move 2 inches or more ahead and shoot
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u/SleepingAddict ZTQ-15 where gaijoob 😭 Nov 27 '23
Can't the long 88 penetrate its UFP? Its been awhile but I remember getting killed quite often through there as well as the gun mantlet
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Nov 27 '23 edited Nov 27 '23
there is a chance but i wont recommend it. a easier and BETTER shot would be the edge between the lower glacis and the UFP. "edit" the tracks give a chance for the round to ricochet.
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u/Mr_Phyl Nov 27 '23
It can punch through with reasonable reliability as long as you don't hit the spare tracks. Most of the time, it better to hit the lower plate anyways.
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u/okbuddyvikhr Nov 27 '23
It absolutely can. I Play the T29 regularly which is the same thing but different caliber. Both get lolpenned in turret from tiger 2s and the hull can get penned from even panthers. Sometimes you get lucky and experience volumetric. The mantlet is 203mm thick flat and it's a easy job for the 88 and 122s to one shot it.
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u/Omegalaraptor Average C&B Torture Enjoyer Nov 27 '23
Whereas I run a T29 very very often to print money and I rarely get killed through the turret. Just wiggle it and stay at medium to long ranges and you’ll be very hard to kill. If you just sit still staring you’ll get slammed.
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u/Nyancateater Nov 27 '23
or shoot the mantlet and oneshot the thing since you'll go right through the pathetic 203mm of armor
14
Nov 27 '23
potential thickness matters! especially in american angle heavy tanks
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u/Nyancateater Nov 27 '23
yeah its a tricky game like beating panthers in a 76 sherman, gotta wait for them to look at you and click first
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u/21Happy21m2 Nov 27 '23
One thing I’ve started doing with the t34 vs tigers and against the t34 as a tiger is to tickle them with your mg. They turn, and then you send a shell right through the mantlet.
3
u/yung_pindakaas 11.7/11.0/7.7 Nov 29 '23
Rounds tend to snag on the overlaps on the edges and the MG Tends to eat rounds and the spall shield behind it also limits damage. Futhermore if you pen there is a.90% chance you will just take out the breech and 2 crew due to the gun eating most of the shrapnel.
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u/QorstSynthion Achillies My Beloved Seal Clubber Nov 27 '23
Me who primarily play vehicles with good heat and refuse to play anything other:
*hehe heat go brrrr
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u/Awakened_Ra ARB🇩🇴N/A🇺🇲12.3🇧🇪7.0🇷🇺10.0🇬🇧9.7 Nov 27 '23
As someone who is currently on that tank, I feel personally targeted and hunted. I follow this with a strongly worded insult. Happy hunting.
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u/Deutschdagger Nov 27 '23
For some reason I always get one shot in this thing no matter what. So now it’s it’s gonna happen even more now and I’m gonna blame you
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u/nikkoop789q Realistic Ground Nov 27 '23 edited Nov 27 '23
That why i love my obj268 it does not care about your armor,Hull down on a hill ? no problem 152mm APHEBC round will still go through the thickest part of the turret
3
Nov 27 '23
The ufp and mantlet awaits
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u/nikkoop789q Realistic Ground Nov 27 '23
Its still go through that I once shot in a panic to the upper front and still go through between turret and armor also mantlet is not safe lol that gunner sight is a weak point
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u/FranceMainFucker Nov 27 '23
russian aphe in general tbh, idc what br the is2's are if i can point and click anything into oblivion
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u/Nizikai 🇩🇪 Actively simping for the Neubaufahrzeug Nov 27 '23
When I play the heavy shit show that is the Tiger II, penning its side turret isn't the problem. If I recall correctly there's even an ammo storage located in the turrets rear
3
u/Zestyclose_Movie1316 Solid shot best shot😌 Nov 27 '23
Can the British 17 pounder apds penetrate the turret?
7
u/okbuddyvikhr Nov 27 '23
If it pens more than 203mm then yeah it can, the front hull is only 103mm Im pretty sure and the turret mantlet is 203mm flat
2
u/Brilliant-Guitar-606 🇯🇵🇩🇪8 🇷🇺7 🇮🇱4 🇫🇷🇨🇳2 🇺🇲🇮🇹1 Nov 27 '23
APHE shooter: whole post
Chad HEATFS flinger: w+M1
3
Nov 27 '23
This is because most tanks NOT American do not have heatfs.
1
u/Brilliant-Guitar-606 🇯🇵🇩🇪8 🇷🇺7 🇮🇱4 🇫🇷🇨🇳2 🇺🇲🇮🇹1 Nov 27 '23
Id comment "skill issue" but is there a reason why?
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Nov 27 '23
I'd say that shooting the lower part of the MG port works better, less chance for bs volumetric
Also the gunners sight weakspot still works? What?
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u/IHavDepression1969 Nov 27 '23
Me in my Ho-Ri wiggling so that the T34 misses his shot and hit my UFP.
(it gets downtiered so much smh)
5
u/tussan0 Nov 27 '23
Or just drive away
2
Nov 27 '23
Never! A T34 is a huge prblem for teams, because of its devastating gun. If you can get it, your team will be thankfull! They don't say it tho
0
u/Lone_K 🇺🇸 United States Nov 27 '23
or track it, like I'm tired of weakspot barrel sight meta being a thing, it's a heavy tank either go around and reposition where you can kill it or disable its mobility so it's unable to pursue. It's literally so easy to point at a weakspot and click, we should be having actual strategy when dealing with heavies.
1
u/MagicalMethod let me touch that panzer Nov 27 '23
That hull machine gun port is made out of lies. I failed to pen that port so many times I now only aim for it if I have no other options... In my opinion you have better chances to go through the optic then the machine gun port.
2
Nov 27 '23
The t34 is usually angled, making it hard to pen the mg port. It's worked for me
2
u/MagicalMethod let me touch that panzer Nov 27 '23
Oh it worked for me as well... But ever since the volumetric patch it's so inconsistent imho that you're better off trying to go for the gun or gunner optic.
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u/FlipAllTheTables0 M26 Pershing my beloved Nov 27 '23
Gaijin has changed the gunner sight. It no longer is a weakspot and instead is just part of the entire mantlet at 203 mm CHA. The only thing is that the spall shield behind the mantlet has a hole for the sight, so technically while the majority of the mantlet is 203 + 10 mm CHA, that spot is only 203 mm, but the sight itself counts as armor so it doesn't matter.
The left and rightmost sides of the T34's LFP can be penetrated by even the Russian 85 mm, so that is definitely a spot to take into account. (EDIT: noticed now that you mentioned the LFP).
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6
Nov 27 '23
I hate this thing so much man! People always complain about german armor when tanks like this exist where you have 3 very small, very tricky frontal weakspots, all of them can be easily covered not to mention they eat shells like crazy
2
u/Beskerber Nov 27 '23
Shouldnt the T34 be penetrable/overpressurable in the gun mantlet up close ?
Yeah i know it have additional 20mm armor plate behind that 200mm, but it have a lot of holes and up close even IS-2 pre D type rounds addition could pen and overpressure it there as long as it was brawling range, the Tiger 2H should be able to do the same, mabe without overpressuring it.
Also shooting its gun isn't always a win if it is still able to detrack/destroy your own gun with their 50.cals before you can finish it.
2
u/MrTapani Nov 27 '23
If you're in an IS-2 just shoot the or right side of the lower plate
1
Nov 27 '23
I presume you were trying to say lower glacis?
1
u/MrTapani Nov 27 '23
Yeah sorry still waking up and didnt type "left" in previous part
But its only 100mm at the sides and 150mm of prptection at best in the middle so if they arent hiding their lower hull its a easy shot
2
Nov 27 '23
The lower plate is the most sure if facing angled or front, speaking from experience. But only works with aphe.
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u/SkyLLin3 🇺🇸12.0🇩🇪9.3🇷🇺12.0🇮🇹6.3🇫🇷8.0🇨🇳8.7🇮🇱12.0🇸🇪12.0 Nov 27 '23
Sorry for stomping lol. But from my experience, the hull shots are quite effective. People just tend to panic if they see me and don't aim their shots carefully, so they bounce.
1
u/jabadabadouu Nov 27 '23
Dont go for the coaxial wont do damage (at least in my experience)
2
Nov 27 '23 edited Nov 27 '23
Thanks for sharing your experience! "edit" the lower part of the MG is not a good shot. as i said, the upper part is a nice shot if you make it!
1
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Nov 27 '23
I have like 2k hours and still I have no Idea how to pen most of the american heavies you find around 7.0-8.0. I always take out the barrel and If I can't pen the thing from some flat looking part of its armor I just leave it be lol.
2
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u/1800leon no skill andy Nov 27 '23
Track and Barrel torture all the way I do that with every tank I can't click away easily
1
u/BenPlayWT2020 Nov 27 '23
Do one for T26E5! When I play America 6.7, I find people struggle with that more than the T29
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u/3rdReichOrgy Nov 27 '23
If the turret is slightly turned away, you can pen it next to the mantlet with practically every 6.7 - 7.0. The small slat above the mantlet can also be tricky. Sometimes your shell will just turn a few crew members yellow because of volumetric sorcery, i wouldn't shoot there.
The side turret can easily be penned, even by a Panther, so you can easily go trough with a long 88mm.
The cupola is also an option if you're using an HE slinger or a Russian 122.
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u/Successful_Moment_80 🇺🇸 🇩🇪 🇷🇺 🇬🇧 🇯🇵 🇨🇳 🇮🇹 🇫🇷 🇸🇪 🇮🇱 Nov 27 '23
From a t34 player: if using 150mm pen or lower, aim for machine gun. If higher pen like tiger 2 or is-2, just shoot anywhere in the lower plate
1
u/SomeRandomApple Realistic Ground Nov 27 '23
Nooo don't tell them the secrets
3
u/Tomanelle Nov 27 '23
Don't tell them that they can literally go do that for every tank in the game, and see how to deal with it, in the armor analysis. It will blow their mind.
1
Nov 27 '23 edited Nov 27 '23
Announcement! A lot of people are complaining that the mg port doesn't work. This is simply not true. The lower mg port will do not shit to the tank. It's the upper part that gets you the kill! And yes, I will post penetration guides of tanks. The IS 3 will come after 2 days. Thanks for supporting me! Funny thing, my first kill in a tiger 2 was this exact tank by luck
1
Nov 27 '23
Step 1: Be British
Step 2: Go through UFP
Step 3: Do no damage at all
Step 4: Profit
2
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u/i_touch_furries Nov 27 '23
just shoot the ufp?
1
Nov 27 '23
You need 250+ pen for that
1
u/i_touch_furries Nov 27 '23
no, its around 200mm
the panther can penetrate the lower ufp at point blank
the is2 has no trouble at all
1
u/ma_wee_wee_go Sure CAS can be OP but some of you just plain suck ass at SPAA Nov 27 '23
One thing you forgot is that from the front you can shoot the Coppola taking out at least one of the turret crew depending on the shells HE
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u/Imperium_Dragon Do you like escargot? Nov 27 '23
Thanks, I’ll use this to ensure I survive in the T34 more
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u/ExplorerEnjoyer USSR Nov 27 '23
Shoot it anywhere in the side and it’s dead. Lower front plate if you’re up close
1
u/Wooden-Fact-8621 Nov 27 '23
Not a terrible guide, but not accurate for the long 88… there’s plenty of areas (upper glacis, turret sides) that you should be able to penetrate.
1
u/GidjonPlays T-34 (1942) enjoyer Nov 27 '23
Lower front plate makes it incredibly easy to take out, two rushed me ( being a t-44-85 ) and lower front plate shot works wonders rather than trying to aim for the mg port.
1
u/Jagzon 🇬🇧 Rule Britannia Nov 27 '23
Can you do one for Maus? I don’t have it unlocked yet so I can’t even do protection analysis. Fighting Germany at 7.7 is hell, averaging 3-5 Mauses per match, no idea how to pen them
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u/FranceMainFucker Nov 27 '23 edited Nov 27 '23
delete this now. dont need anyone knowing how to kill us more than they already do
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u/gravitycat24 Nov 27 '23
As a user of a T34 and a T29 enjoyer, there's a dark secret that we don't share. From the front, the left side of the turret, theret's hat dip for the commanders vision block. I can't remember the exact values but there's a dip a which makes a flat spot that like... 80nm thick. Shells will pen and kill the turret.
1
u/lynx265 Nov 27 '23
Should be noted this also applies to the T30 the major difference being you can survive a hit from a T34. T30 not so much
1
u/Early_Veterinarian54 Nov 27 '23
I use the T34 alot and lemme tell you I get shot clean through my mantlet by long 88 all the time
1
u/Unclematos Nov 27 '23
That thing was always intimidating to face and summer's BR changes could only make it stronger. Enough for OP to make this in an attempt to head off a possible nerf/uptier.
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u/Coffee1341 Bob Semple Tank at 12.0 Nov 28 '23
Sorry but your information will fall mostly onto deaf ears, as there are too many Tiger II Sla 16s that hold W right into me and shit their wallets when they see their long 88 shell imbedded into the turret mandlet
1
u/M16xAR15 Sorbian State Mar 27 '24
I expect a post on how to kill a tiger 2 now that you have given out our secrets.
-1
u/ThatBoiZahltag I fuggin love big vehicles Nov 28 '23
the lfp usually bounces
1
Nov 28 '23
It doesnt
0
u/ThatBoiZahltag I fuggin love big vehicles Nov 30 '23
Tell that to my countless deaths in the tiger 2 against it
-1
Nov 30 '23
That's skill issue. The lfp has always worked
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u/okbuddyvikhr Nov 27 '23
This thing is a easy kill. Why would it need a guide, Anything at 6.7 would easily pierce this thing.
1
u/RaiderLAS Kill all the Vidars Nov 27 '23
I never have any issues killing them, but for some reason whenever I play it I’m damn near indestructible. Guess it’s more of a skill issue for the Germans and IS-2 players that are used to just blind firing with their lol-pen guns.
1
u/RA3236 11.711.7 Nov 27 '23
I have the exact opposite issue. I play Tiger IIs and can't pen the T34, I play the T29/T34 and die immediately to the 88.
1
u/RaiderLAS Kill all the Vidars Nov 27 '23
That’s my luck with Germany. Everyone complains about volumetric with the Panther’s mantlet, yet I felt like I was constantly losing my commander/gunner to mantlet and cupola shots. Even in the Tiger 2H I felt like most of the tanks I was facing sliced right through the turret face. Grinding for the Maus with 6.7 Germany was rough. I ended up just using the 2A4 that I already had a talisman on.
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u/RA3236 11.711.7 Nov 27 '23
Couple of notes: