Ammo Types

All ammo types in Iron Nest explained — AP, HE, HCHE, smoke, star, phosgene, tear gas, pyro shells, and powder charges. Damage, blast radius, and best use strategies

Shell Types

40m

Max Blast Radius

1-6

Powder Charges

On This Page:Introduction·Ammo Type Quick Reference·Shell Roster·Core Mechanics·Advantages·Challenges·FAQ·Quick Tips·Articles·Explore More

Introduction

Ammo types in Iron Nest span 30 unlockable shell varieties across nine major categories, from AP bunker-busters and HE general-purpose rounds to phosgene gas and illumination flares. Each shell has unique blast radius, penetration values, powder charge compatibility, and moral implications that affect story outcomes through the newspaper consequence system. Selecting the right ammunition for each target type is the difference between a clean kill and wasted ordnance during critical fire missions. Understanding powder charges, their effect on range bands, and the cost-benefit trade-offs of premium versus standard shells is equally critical for both mission efficiency and challenge mode scoring performance optimization.

Ammo Type Quick Reference

Shell	Abbreviation	Tier	Blast Radius	Best Target	Cost
S High-Explosive	HE	Most versatile	15m	Soft targets, infantry	Standard
A Armor-Piercing	AP	Essential for bunkers	5m	Hardened structures	Standard
A High-Capacity HE	HCHE	Cluster killer	30m	Grouped enemies	Premium
B Illumination	STAR	Recon essential	20m (no dmg)	Night observation	Low
C Smoke	SMK	Screening tool	40m (no dmg)	Sightline denial	Low
B Phosgene Gas	PGAS	Area denial	25m	Entrenched infantry	High
C Tear Gas	TGAS	Non-lethal	15m	Crowd dispersal	Low
A Incendiary	PYRO	Structure burner	15m	Wooden fortifications	Standard
C Training Round	EMPT	Practice only	None	Calibration	Free

Shell Roster

HE — High-Explosive

General-purpose workhorse — most versatile shell in the turret

Best TargetInfantry, soft targets, corrections, general-purpose engagements This shell type is essential for operators who want to maximize their combat effectiveness across diverse

Blast Radius15m blast radius — enough to clear a fortified position without overkill. The high-explosive burst creates a lethal zone sufficient to neutralize infantry squads and destroy light fortifications while minimizing collateral damage to nearby friendly positions.

StrategyDefault choice for 70% of engagements. Switch to specialty shells only when the target demands it — AP for bunkers, HCHE for clustered formations, or smoke for screening. HE is the most cost-efficient shell per confirmed kill.

AP — Armor-Piercing

Bunker-busting penetrator — irreplaceable against hardened targets

Best TargetBunkers, armored vehicles, reinforced concrete structures This shell type is essential for operators who want to maximize their combat effectiveness across diverse mission types and tactical scenarios in

Blast Radius5m concentrated penetration — requires a direct hit on hardened structures. The narrow blast radius means misses deal zero splash damage, making precision aim with traverse and elevation handwheels absolutely mandatory.

StrategyNever waste AP on soft targets where HE would suffice. Reserve armor-piercing rounds exclusively for structures that shrug off high-explosive impacts — bunkers, reinforced concrete, and armored vehicle hulls.

HCHE — High-Capacity HE

Cluster-killer — maximum blast for grouped enemy formations

Best TargetClustered formations, grouped infantry, overpressure kills This shell type is essential for operators who want to maximize their combat effectiveness across diverse mission types and tactical scenarios in the

Blast Radius30m blast radius — the widest destructive radius of any lethal shell in the turret arsenal. The massive overpressure wave devastates anything within range, making it unmatched for area denial.

CostPremium requisition cost means HCHE must be used strategically, not as a default HE replacement. Reserve for missions with high-value clustered targets where the blast radius eliminates multiple enemies per shot.

Smoke — Screening

Area-denial smoke screen — blocks line of sight for 15 seconds per charge

Coverage Area20m radius smoke cloud This shell type is essential for operators who want to maximize their combat effectiveness across diverse

Best UseScreen infantry advances, blind enemy observers, and cover turret repositioning. Smoke shells create 15 seconds of visual obscuration that prevents enemy spotters from calling accurate fire on your position.

DurationAlways fire smoke before moving units or repositioning the turret. The 15-second window buys enough invisibility to relocate without drawing counter-battery fire. Timing smoke deployment is critical for survival.

Star Shell — Illumination

Overhead flare — reveals enemy positions and lifts fog of war

Illumination Duration30 seconds per charge This shell type is essential for operators who want to maximize their combat effectiveness across diverse mission types and tactical scenarios in the field.

Radius40m circle of revealed terrain illuminated for the full 30-second duration. Star shells reveal enemy positions, remove fog of war in the illuminated area, and allow spotters to confirm target coordinates.

Best TimingFire at the start of night engagements and prioritize enemy approach vectors. Illumination is most effective when deployed before the enemy moves into range, giving your spotters time to plot coordinates.

Phosgene — Chemical

Lethal chemical agent — persistent area-denial with moral consequences

Persistence45 seconds per charge This shell type is essential for operators who want to maximize their combat effectiveness across diverse mission types and tactical scenarios in the field.

Moral CostStory consequences and newspaper backlash if used on civilian-proximate targets. Every phosgene deployment generates headlines that shift your reputation, potentially locking you out of humanitarian endings.

WarningLast-resort weapon — effective for area denial but carries heavy narrative penalties. Consider tear gas as a non-lethal alternative that provides similar tactical effects without the moral consequences.

Tear Gas — Riot Control

Non-lethal chemical — forces enemy evacuation without kills

Clearing Time20 seconds per charge This shell type is essential for operators who want to maximize their combat effectiveness across diverse mission types and tactical scenarios in the field.

AdvantageNo story penalties unlike phosgene. Tear gas forces surrender checks on fortified positions, enabling you to clear enemy strongpoints without generating newspaper headlines about chemical weapons use.

TipUse on fortified positions to force evacuation before sending HE. The 20-second clearing time gives enemies a chance to flee, then follow up with high-explosive to destroy the now-empty structure.

Incendiary — Burning

Sustained fire damage — destroys wooden structures and foliage

Burn Duration25 seconds per charge This shell type is essential for operators who want to maximize their combat effectiveness across diverse mission types and tactical scenarios in the field.

Spread8m fire radius that spreads to adjacent flammable surfaces, creating chain reactions in wooden structure clusters. The incendiary shell excels at destroying fortifications made of combustible materials.

StrategyDevastating against wooden fortifications — chain the fire into adjacent structures for maximum area destruction. Incendiary shells are most effective when targeting clustered wooden buildings.

Shrapnel — Anti-Personnel

Airburst fragmentation — devastates exposed infantry formations

Fragmentation Radius25m at optimal altitude This shell type is essential for operators who want to maximize their combat effectiveness across diverse mission types and tactical scenarios in the

Fuse SettingAdjustable airburst height allows operators to set the fuse for maximum fragmentation coverage at any altitude, adapting to target disposition and terrain features.

PrecisionSet fuse to match target distance precisely — too high wastes the burst above the enemy, too low detonates on the ground with reduced fragmentation radius. Practice fuse timing to maximize kill efficiency.

Core Mechanics

Iron Nest ammunition operates on a tiered system where each shell type serves a distinct tactical purpose. The 6-step firing loop requires selecting the correct shell at step 4 — the shell selector dial switches between chambers. High Explosive (HE, S-tier) delivers maximum blast radius for area suppression and bunker busting. Armor Piercing (AP, A-tier) concentrates force on hardened targets with minimal splash damage. High-Capacity HE (HCHE, A-tier) balances blast radius with payload weight for sustained bombardment. Smoke (SMK, C-tier) creates visual screens for repositioning. Star shells (STAR, B-tier) illuminate sectors for night operations. Phosgene Gas (PGAS, B-tier) and Tear Gas (TGAS, C-tier) are chemical shells that trigger the moral-choice system and newspaper consequences. Incendiary (PYRO, A-tier) sets structures ablaze with persistent fire damage. Empty/Training rounds (EMPT, C-tier) are for zero-risk practice. Each shell has a specific cost in resources, blast radius, and best target profile that determines when deployment is tactically optimal.

Advantages

The ammunition system in Iron Nest offers remarkable tactical versatility, with nine distinct shell types covering every operational scenario from bunker destruction to crowd control. HE shells (S-tier) provide the largest blast radius for area suppression, while AP shells (A-tier) penetrate hardened targets with minimal collateral damage — the dual availability means operators can always match shell to situation. The chemical shell variants add a strategic layer beyond pure combat: phosgene gas and tear gas can suppress areas without physical destruction, useful for story missions where minimizing structural damage affects newspaper outcomes. Incendiary shells create persistent fire zones that deny areas to enemy movement. The tiered system makes progression intuitive — early missions only require HE and AP, while advanced challenges introduce the full arsenal. Each shell type has clear best-use scenarios documented in the ballistic tables, removing guesswork from shell selection.

Challenges

The primary weakness of the ammunition system is its resource management complexity — operators must track shell counts, powder charges, and cost per shot across nine shell types, each with different replenishment rates. Chemical shells carry the additional burden of the moral-choice system: firing phosgene or tear gas triggers newspaper consequences that can close off story paths and alter faction reputation. The tier system, while clear, can create a false hierarchy where operators default to S-tier HE shells for every situation, missing the tactical advantages of specialized rounds. Low-tier shells like smoke and training rounds feel underpowered relative to their resource cost, making them feel like wastes of ammunition rather than tactical tools with specific niches. The AP shell's narrow blast radius punishes operators who select it for area targets, and the star shell's illumination-only effect has no combat application in standard missions.

Frequently Asked Questions

Which shell should I use most often?+

HE shells are ranked S-tier because they deliver the largest blast radius of any shell type, making them effective against the widest range of target types — bunkers, vehicles, personnel, and structures all fall within HE's damage envelope. While AP shells excel against hardened targets and HCHE provides sustained bombardment capability, neither matches HE's versatility across the full spectrum of combat scenarios in Iron Nest.

What happens if I use the wrong ammo type?+

Chemical shells — phosgene gas and tear gas — are both classified as lower-tier shells (B and C respectively) because their blast radius is zero and they deal no direct structural damage. However, they activate the moral-choice system and can influence story outcomes through the newspaper consequence mechanic, making them strategically important for operators pursuing specific faction storylines despite their lower combat ranking.

Do chemical shells have gameplay consequences?+

Select the shell whose blast radius and damage profile best match your target type. HE for area suppression and bunkers, AP for hardened point targets, HCHE for sustained bombardment, smoke for visual screening, and chemical shells only when the mission context or story path specifically requires non-lethal or chemical options. Always check your firing card before selecting.

Quick Tips

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Always match your shell type to the target: HE for area targets and bunkers, AP for hardened point targets, HCHE for sustained bombardment, and smoke only when you need visual screening for repositioning. Loading the wrong shell wastes ammunition and reduces your ammo efficiency score in challenge modes. This practice becomes increasingly important during extended sessions where fatigue and repetition can lead to complacency and costly mistakes.

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Chemical shells (phosgene and tear gas) trigger the moral-choice system and generate newspaper consequences. Use them only when the mission specifically requires chemical effects or when you are intentionally pursuing a specific faction story path. Casual use of chemical shells can lock you out of humanitarian endings. This practice becomes increasingly important during extended sessions where fatigue and repetition can lead to complacency and costly mistakes.

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Training rounds (EMPT) cost nothing and deal no damage, making them ideal for practicing the complete loading and firing sequence without wasting combat resources. Use empty shells to rehearse the 6-step loop until it feels automatic before switching to live ammunition for actual missions. This practice becomes increasingly important during extended sessions where fatigue and repetition can lead to complacency and costly mistakes.

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Tier List

Iron Nest tier lists ranking shells, abilities, unlocks, and challenge modes. Detailed S/A/B/C rankings with cost-benefit analysis and progression priority

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Master the Iron Nest ballistic calculator — elevation angles, powder charge calculations, range bands, common errors, and manual fallback when the calculator jams

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Guides

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