Ricochet
Shell Ricochet
When a shell deflects off armor instead of penetrating — typically at impact angles over 70° from the perpendicular.
What it means
A ricochet happens when a shell strikes armor at too steep an angle and bounces off without delivering damage. The 'ricochet angle' depends on shell type and target armor — and once a ricochet occurs, the shell does zero damage even if it later hits a vulnerable area. Understanding ricochet angles is the foundation of armor angling.
How it's calculated
Modifiers
Overmatch overrides ricochet — if shell caliber is ≥3× armor thickness, ricochet is impossible regardless of angle. A 152mm shell will never ricochet off a 50mm plate, even at 89°.
Example
Why it matters
Ricochet is the defensive multiplier. Tanks with mediocre armor thickness become impenetrable when angled, while tanks with thick-but-flat armor get penetrated easily. This is why the IS-3, Maus, and AMX 50B excel — their angled hulls force constant ricochet angles on enemies.
Common pitfall
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Related terms
- Armor angling — Tilting your armor to multiply its effective thickness against enemy shells.
- Overmatch — When shell caliber is ≥3× armor thickness, ricochets become impossible and angle modifiers are reduced.
- Normalization — How much a shell's impact angle is 'corrected' toward perpendicular when striking sloped armor — making penetration easier than pure geometry suggests.
- Penetration — How many millimeters of armor your shell can punch through at point-blank range.