Ammo Penetration Tiers: Reading Armor Matchups

Penetration tier is the number that decides whether your gun damages a player or bounces off them. Two rounds with identical damage-per-shot can perform completely differently against armor, and the difference is almost always penetration. Learn to read the tier and the matchup stops being a guess.

What the tier number means

Each round carries a penetration level, and each armor plate stops rounds up to its own level. The framework:

• Ammo penetration below the armor level: most of the round’s energy goes into the plate. You chip durability while the target shrugs.
• Ammo penetration at or above the armor level: the round reaches the target, and the fight becomes a damage race.

Two verified anchors

Official data (values verified for Season 11, Oct 2026) gives two reference points that show how differently rounds specialize:

Round	Penetration	Verified traits	Best against
5.7x28 HT+	Level 4	1.2x base damage, 0.2x armor damage	Lightly armored targets; preserves the host gun’s condition
7.62x51 LS	Level 5	+40% muzzle velocity, +8% vertical recoil, deafens on headshot for 10s	Heavier armor at range, with recoil to manage

The 5.7x28 HT+ shows the pattern of a high-flesh-damage, low-armor-damage round: it kills lightly armored players quickly but barely scratches heavy plates. The 7.62x51 LS shows the opposite specialization — full rifle penetration, flatter travel, and a headshot effect that wins the follow-up fight, paid for with extra vertical kick. Treat these as anchors for reading every other round. The ladder order has held across seasons even when individual numbers moved, so learn the order and re-measure only the round you actually shoot.

Choosing a tier by target

1. What armor level is common on your map? Beginner-friendly maps skew lighter; high-difficulty maps skew heavier.
2. What is your engagement range? Velocity and drop matter more at distance; the ammo types guide covers the full penetration-damage-price triangle.
3. Can you afford the good round? A mid-tier gun with correct penetration beats a top gun with the wrong ammo — the kit budget page funds ammo first for exactly this reason.

The matchup runs both directions: your ammo against their armor tier, and their ammo against your helmet. Pick your map, read the threat, and buy the tier that answers it.