combat

Aim time

Gun Aim Time

In one sentence:

Seconds for the reticle to shrink from its bloomed (moving) state back to fully aimed (base dispersion).

What it means

Aim time is how long the gun takes to 'settle' after you move, turn, or rotate the turret. The reticle blooms (expands) during these actions, then progressively shrinks back toward its fully-aimed (base dispersion) size. A shorter aim time means you can fire accurately sooner after moving — critical for hit-and-run play.

How it's calculated

Time to fully aim = aim_time × ln(bloom_factor). For typical post-movement bloom (~3x), fully aiming takes ~aim_time × 1.1 seconds.

Typical values

Sniper TDs: 1.5–2.0s (precise). Mediums/heavies: 2.0–2.5s (standard). Lights: 2.3–2.8s (loose). Bad: 3.0s+ (derp guns, some heavies).

Example

A T110E5 (Tier 10 American heavy) has 2.3s aim time. After rotating its turret 45°, the reticle blooms ~3x, then needs ~2.5s to fully shrink. If you fire at 1.5s, your effective dispersion is ~1.5x base — significantly less accurate than waiting the full settle.

Why it matters

Aim time is the difference between an aggressive peek-out shot landing on a weak spot vs. missing and wasting your reload. Players who 'snap fire' lose ~30% of DPM to bad dispersion. Patience pays — the half-second waiting often beats the half-second of shooting.

Common pitfall

⚠ Firing the instant your reticle reaches its fully-aimed shape after moving. The reticle visual updates faster than the actual gun stabilizes — wait an extra ~0.5s for the cleanest shot.

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Related terms

Dispersion — How tightly your shells cluster around the aim point — measured as the radius of the aiming circle at 100 meters.
Rate of fire — How many shells your gun can fire per minute with current crew and equipment.
DPM — Theoretical damage output sustained over one minute of continuous fire.
Gun depression — How many degrees below horizontal your gun can aim — critical for hull-down play.

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