IRON NEST: Heavy Turret Simulator officially includes destructive, penetrating, obscuring, illuminating, chemical, and propaganda ammunition. Choose the round that produces the mission’s requested effect on the mapped target. Do not rank shells by blast size alone, and do not copy exact radii or requisition costs from the Demo.
2950790, Windows public 1.0, checked 2026-08-08.Destructive rounds: HE and AP
High-explosive fragmentation is the ordinary choice for exposed surface targets and groups when the objective wants destructive effect. Armor-piercing is intended for protected or underground targets and can also be the more controlled option when a broad blast is undesirable. The current shell description and target key should decide; “vehicle” or “building” alone may not reveal whether the important part is exposed or protected.
Community guides also use an HCHE/high-capacity HE label for a wider destructive effect. Because exact availability, radius, and naming can change between Demo and public 1.0, read the shell cylinder/requisition description before treating HCHE as the right answer. Never infer a safe distance from the acronym.
Tactical rounds: smoke and star
Smoke is a battlefield-control tool. It may force or protect movement depending on the scenario, so the target is an area and effect rather than simply an enemy icon. Read the order for friendly restrictions and the map key for the units involved.
The star/illumination shell reveals an area during night operations and can confirm a target that triangulation only estimated. It is often an information purchase: spend one round to replace uncertain geometry with a visible map state, then build the destructive solution. Do not use an illumination impact as proof that every target inside the apparent graphic has identical visibility.
Chemical and influence rounds
The developer FAQ names phosgene and tear gas. These are mission-specific chemical effects, not generic “stronger HE.” Their safe and successful use depends on the objective, affected area, duration, and friendly positions shown in the current public build.
Propaganda leaflet shells are designed to influence the battlefield beyond physical destruction. The success condition may be political or morale-related rather than a destroyed icon. Wait for the mission response before firing another round, and preserve the teleprinter wording in any report.
Experimental shells are hinted at officially, but an unnamed teaser is not an item entry. Publish a name only after the public game or developer documentation identifies it.
Five checks before loading
- Confirm the current target, not an obsolete marker from the previous dispatch.
- Read the target classification and requested effect.
- Inspect friendlies and the shell’s displayed effect area.
- Verify the selected shell label at requisition and loading.
- Calculate elevation for the actual shell, range, and powder count.
This order prevents a correct impact with the wrong effect. It also keeps the firing card synchronized with the gun.
What the map can tell you
Use the map’s icon key to distinguish surface, protected, friendly, and reference objects. Use the iris/effect visualization for a relative view of the selected shell’s area. When precision matters, compare that area with the closest friendly marker and choose a narrower effect or different approach if the objective allows.
After impact, classify success in two stages: did the shell land at the intended point, and did it produce the requested mission response? A miss is a ballistics problem; a centered shot with no progress is more likely shell choice, target identity, or objective state.
Loading errors and safe recovery
Keep shell and charge count visible on the firing card. If the wrong shell remains in the cylinder but has not been loaded, use the current cycling mechanism. If it is committed to the breech, inspect the live hint clipboard for a supported unload or reset. Older community guides warn that loads may be irreversible, so do not promise an unload control that the public build may not provide.
If the actual shell still fits the objective, return to the calculator and make a new solution for it. If it does not, use the game’s supported restart path rather than firing into friendlies or corrupting a choice state.
Shell questions
Which shell is “best”?
There is no universal best shell. HE, AP, smoke, star, chemical, and leaflet rounds answer different target and mission requirements.
Does the game have exactly 30 ammunition types?
No official statement supports that wording. The Steam Store combines ammunition and abilities in a count of more than 30 unlockables.
Can I use Demo shell values in version 1.0?
No. The Demo is AppID 4300500 with separate builds and historic patches. Use its screenshots only as clearly labeled historical/community evidence.
Where should exact blast radius be checked?
Use the public 1.0 map’s shell-effect visualization and repeatable impact tests. Record version, shell, target, and map scale before publishing a number.