Why attempt to immobilise a side-on target when it's easy to take it out with a shot to ammo/engine? But if you have HE loaded- perhaps on a combined map, remember to press 'x' (default) when you spot enemy armour before firing the HE off (into tracks or whatever) because if you don't you will start reloading the selected shell (HE again) straight away and it's irreversable. Generally, as previously said, you want AP loaded at all times- certainly for tank maps. I accept that maybe theres nothing in this at all - but it has worked for me in the past for whatever reason. It only seems to work with a damaged tanks though.
Under these conditions I have occasionally switched to HE and this has managed to finish him off 1st or 2nd try. Maybe he was out of position and you got a penetration- indicated by smoke - with your 1st shot, but now he is well angled/hidden and you cant seem to damage him further- your shells bounce off harmlessly. T/d 0.60 Final plate resistance is 60. The plate is 45mm RHA, hardness BHN 400 - high hardness plate. Sometimes you get ongoing stalemate exchanges between heavy tanks- say IS2 and Tiger- when both are well positioned. Panzer IV impacting T-34, left side, between road-wheels 2 and 3, actual angle of impact 43 degrees (plate is vertical, tank moving at an angle across the Panzer's front).
