What exactly is the point of the German BR 1 anti-tank rifles? Are they just for show, or are you supposed to make the enemy laugh? You can keep firing until you run out of ammo, yet the tank doesn’t even get a scratch—it’s pretty pointless and somewhat unrealistic.
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Yep.
Though you should try using the Boys ATR, if you think the German AT rifles are bad.
Actually, no.
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Aim on the side armor and the rear (engine). Try to get close.
Learn the weak spots of each tank and try to hit the ammo. Instant blow up in 90% of all cases.
If you cant reach the ammo: Try to kill the crew (if you know where they sit) or destroy the tracks at least.
Axis players easily can destroy or disable BT-7, T26, T28 and T60 tanks.
The BT-7 and the T26 can be destroyed even when aiming at the front.
For allied players: The early Pz.III and Pz.IV has very thin armor. The russian AT rifles will also destroy them (more easily). There you can even aim at the front and have succes.
It is very realistic. In 1939 - 1941 those tanks were the main force on the battlefield. AT-rifles of all nations were somewhat efficient until late '41.
- The russian PTRS (semi auto) and PTRD (40mm pen at 5m, 30mm pen at 100m),
- The japanese Type 97 (semi auto, 45mm pen at 5m, 37mm pen at 100m) and
- The german Solothurn S18-100 (semi auto, event weapon, 55mm pen at 5m, 45mm pen at 100m) …
…are no joke!
Even the german PzB-38 and PzB-39 with 35mm pen at 5m (and 30mm pen at 100m) are still okay for early tanks.
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I would have just said “skill issue” so thanks for the lengthy writeup, haha.
I have pretty decent luck with the 39, I even have the tankgewehr on my lead-off AT gunner for flavor and have gotten some few kills with that. They’re just a more nuanced weapon than a rocket or expack or tnt, and depending on your vantage point, plan on taking multiple shots, and moving and hiding between them. Worst case you distract the tank and pull it’s attention towards you and take out a tanker or 2 along the way, making it less efficient and maybe making time and space for your team to cap (or move through open ground), best case you get 
!
It is 100% skill issue for sure, but maybe my writeup will fix that.
I use the Tankgewehr too only for the same reason: Flavor! 
Level 1 anti-tank rifles are meant to kill crew members and ignite the engine, not just be for show.
The only thing that makes that ATR useful is reworking its firing sequence and increase its fire rate.
I already suggested its rates of fire getting buff and its animation reworked
ATR are fun, disabling tanks and forcing the crew out to be slaughtered or just finish off the tanks with the good old TNT, explosive pack or molotov, ATR’s killingness depends of its RoF or sometimes shoot the ammo rack
I agree. Why should I, as a German, constantly run after tanks etc because explosives are much more effective than anti-tank rifles. Why should I learn a skill when Russia already has a bazooka in BR2. It doesn’t fit chronologically for me. Regardless, if I get an enemy in BR2 against me at BR3 and I only have an anti-tank rifle 
ridiculous
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