Armor piercing

Armor piercing, or AP, bullets are specifically designed with a single purpose: to penetrate armor.
AP bullets usually have a sharp point, and are coated in copper. They are generally tipped with a solid metal, such as copper or steel, and have cores filled with tungsten carbide, hardened steel or even depleted uranium. In Fallout, AP bullets have the effect of lowering the target's Damage Resistance (DR), while decreasing the overall damage that weapon does.
Fallout 3 doesn't have AP bullets, but has three armor penetrating weapons. These are the player created Unarmed deathclaw gauntlet, the unique ranged microwave emitter, and the unique melee Man Opener. They are not the strongest weapons in the game, but they have the unique property of ignoring target armor, which make them as effective against an adversary in power armor as they would be against an unarmored raider.
Fallout: New Vegas features the return of rounds with varying degrees of armor penetrating abilities. Rounds specifically designed for this purpose reduce a target's Damage Threshold (DT) by 15 at the expense of a slight reduction overall damage and the difficulty in finding AP rounds; however, other types of specialized ammunition have some armor piercing abilities despite not being specifically engineered to do so (.357 Magnum JFP, .44 Magnum semi-wadcutters and 9mm +P rounds are examples). With the version 1.02 patch, all energy weapon ammunition gain innate armor-piercing capabilities, with over charge and max charge cells offering better AP characteristics. As of patch 1.5, standard 5mm rounds reduce DT by 10 and AP 5mm rounds reduce it by 25.
==Inconsistency over effectiveness==
* Due to a bug in Fallout, AP bullets are identical to JHP or FMJ variants.
* In Fallout 2, due to a mistake in their design, AP bullets are vastly inferior to JHP or FMJ variants. This is best observed while fighting the assault rifle-toting guards in Vault 15. Both rifles are initially loaded with 5mm JHP, and deal about 22 points of damage in a mid-ranged burst against combat armor. However, the guards only carry 5mm AP to reload with. Subsequent bursts from the same distance often fail to deal any damage at all.
* Even against targets with high Damage Resistance, the resistance reduction does not make up for the reduced damage. In addition, AP bullets do nothing to reduce the Damage Threshold of the target's armor, making the armor piercing aspect less powerful than intended.
* This inconsistency is not the case with AP rockets or HN AP Needler cartridges, which are both substantially better than their "normal" counterparts.
* Due to a bug in Fallout 3, armor piercing effects don't work. This is not limited to player-usable weapons but also extends to non-player characters and creatures with armor piercing capabilities such as deathclaws. This bug was introduced in one of the patches; the unpatched version does not have this bug.
==Ammunition types==
===Fallout===
Ammunition	Shots/clip	Weight	AC Modifier	DR Modifier	Damage Multiplier	Used in 	Value	V:W 	Prototype ID
10mm AP 	24 	1 	0% 	-25% 	1/2 	10mm pistol10mm SMG 	100 	100:1	30
14mm AP 	30 	1 	0% 	-50% 	1/2 	14mm Pistol 	150 	150:1	33
5mm AP 	50 	1 	0% 	-35% 	1/2 	Assault rifleMinigun	120 	120:1	36
Rocket AP 	1 	3 	-15% 	-50% 	1/1 	Rocket launcher 	400 	133:1	37
===Fallout 2===
Ammunition 	Shots/clip	Weight	AC Modifier	DR Modifier	Damage Multiplier	Used in 	Value	V:W 	Prototype ID
10mm AP 	24 	1 	0% 	-25% 	1/2 	10mm pistol10mm SMGH&K P90c 	100 	100:1	30
14mm AP 	30 	1 	0% 	-50% 	1/2 	14mm Pistol 	150 	150:1	33
5mm AP 	50 	1 	0% 	-35% 	1/2 	Assault rifleAssault rifle (exp. mag.)MinigunAvenger minigunXL70E3	120 	120:1	36
Rocket AP 	1 	3 	-15% 	-50% 	1/1 	Rocket launcher 	400 	133:1	37
HN AP Needler cartridge	10 	1 	-10% 	0% 	2/1 	Needler pistol 	300 	300:1	362
===Fallout Tactics===
Ammunition 	Shots/clip	Weight	Penetration	Damage Multiplier	Used in 	Value 	V:W
.44 Magnum AP	20 	1 	+80% 	-40% 	Desert Eagle .4444 M29 revolver 	$??rp 	$?:1?rp:1
9mm AP 	10 	4 	+50% 	-25% 	9mm HSI Mauser9mm M9FS BerettaBrowning HiPowerCalico Liberty 1009mm Calico M-950FN P90cMP5 H&KMP38P220 Sig SauerScorpioSten gunUZIWalther MPLZip gun	$??rp 	$?:1?rp:1
Rocket AP 	1 	3 	+50% 	-25% 	Rocket launcher 	$1200?rp	$400:1?rp:1
Rocket Sabot 	1 	5 	+31% 	-11% 	Rocket launcher 	$1600?rp	$320:1?rp:1
===Fallout: New Vegas===
"Armor piercing" rounds are reintroduced in Fallout: New Vegas. The armor piercing capabilities are different in New Vegas as some rounds are actually labeled as armor piercing while others have the ability to negate Damage Threshold, which gives a target a certain amount of protection, depending on their what type of enemy they are or how strong their armor is. The types of ammunition listed below negate the Damage Threshold effect for both energy weapons and standard guns.
Name 	DMG 	DT 	CND 	SPRD 	used in 	Craftable	Empty Casing	Weight if playing in Hardcore mode
12 gauge, coin shot 	x 1.3 	- 2 	x 1 	x 1 	Hunting shotgun, Dinner Bell, sawed-off shotgun, Big Boomer, riot shotgun 	Yes 	None 	0.075
12 gauge, Magnum 	x 1.3 	- 2 	x 1.15	x 1 	Hunting shotgun, Dinner Bell, sawed-off shotgun, Big Boomer, riot shotgun 	Yes 	25% chance 	0.075
12 gauge, 4/0 buck Magnum 	x 1.3 	- 2 	x 1.15	x 1 	Hunting shotgun, Dinner Bell, sawed-off shotgun, Big Boomer, riot shotgun 	Yes 	25% chance 	0.075
12 gauge, flechette 	x 0.9 	- 6 	x 1 	x 1 	Hunting shotgun, Dinner Bell, sawed-off shotgun, Big Boomer, riot shotgun 	No 	40% chance 	0.075
20 gauge, Magnum 	x 1.3 	- 2 	x 1.15	x 1 	Caravan shotgun, sturdy caravan shotgun , single shotgun, lever-action shotgun 	Yes 	35% chance 	0.065
20 gauge, 3/0 buck Magnum 	x 1.3 	- 2 	x 1.15	x 1 	Caravan shotgun, sturdy caravan shotgun , single shotgun, lever-action shotgun 	Yes 	35% chance 	0.065
.44 Magnum, SWC (hand load) 	x 1.2 	- 6 	x 1 	x 1 	.44 Magnum, Mysterious Magnum, trail carbine, FIDO 	Yes 	20% chance 	0.043
.45 Auto, +P 	x 1.1 	- 2 	x 1.2 	x 1 	.45 Auto submachine gun , .45 Auto pistol , A Light Shining in Darkness 	Yes 	- 	0.065
.45 super (hand load) 	x 1.3 	- 4 	x 2.5 	x 1 	.45 Auto submachine gun , .45 Auto pistol , A Light Shining in Darkness 	Yes 	- 	0.065
5.56mm, armor piercing 	x 0.95	- 15	x 1 	x 1 	Varmint rifle, Ratslayer, service rifle, 5.56mm pistol , That Gun, light machine gun, Bozar Marksman carbine, All-American 	No 	35% Chance 	0.026
.308, armor piercing 	x 0.95	- 15	x 1 	x 1 	Automatic rifle , hunting rifle, Paciencia sniper rifle, Gobi Campaign scout rifle, Christine's CoS silencer rifle , Battle rifle , This Machine 	No 	40% Chance 	0.055
.357 Magnum, JFP (hand load) 	x 1.25	- 3 	x 1 	x 0.8	Cowboy repeater, La Longue Carabine, .357 Magnum revolver, Lucky, police pistol , K9000 cyberdog gun 	Yes 	15% Chance 	0.04
45-70 Gov't, SWC 	x 1.2 	- 6 	x 3 	x 1 	Brush gun, Medicine Stick hunting revolver, Hunting revolver (GRA) , Ranger Sequoia 	Yes 	20% Chance 	0.065
.50 MG, armor piercing 	x 0.95	- 15	x 1 	x 1 	Anti-materiel rifle, Anti-materiel rifle (GRA) 	No 	25% Chance 	0.25
5mm round 	x 1 	- 10	x 1 	x 1 	Assault carbine, Assault carbine (GRA) , minigun, CZ57 Avenger 	Yes 	20% Chance 	0.017
5mm, armor piercing 	x 0.95	- 25	x 1 	x 1 	Assault carbine, minigun, CZ57 Avenger 	No 	20% Chance 	0.017
5mm surplus 	x 1.15	- 10	x 3 	x 1.2	Assault carbine, minigun, CZ57 Avenger 	Yes 	20% Chance 	0.017
9mm round, +P 	x 1.1 	- 2 	x 1.2 	x 1 	9mm submachinegun, Vance's 9mm submachine gun, 9mm pistol, Maria 	No 	20% Chance 	0.029
Electron charge pack 	x 1 	- 2 	x 1 	x 1 	Gatling laser, Tesla cannon, Tesla-Beaton prototype, laser RCW, Elijah's jury-rigged Tesla cannon , Sprtel-Wood 9700 , Arc welder 	Yes 	35% Chance 	0.025
Electron charge pack, max charge 	x 1.5 	- 10	x 2.5 	x 1 	Gatling laser, Tesla cannon, Tesla-Beaton prototype, laser RCW, Elijah's jury-rigged Tesla cannon , Sprtel-Wood 9700 , Arc welder 	Yes 	5% Chance 	0.025
Electron charge pack, over charge	x 1.25	- 5 	x 1.5 	x 1 	Gatling laser, Tesla cannon, Tesla-Beaton prototype, laser RCW, Elijah's jury-rigged Tesla cannon , Sprtel-Wood 9700 , Arc welder 	Yes 	20% Chance 	0.025
Energy cell 	x 1 	- 2 	x 1 	x 1 	Laser pistol, Laser pistol (GRA) Pew Pew, plasma pistol, Plasma pistol (GRA) , Plasma Defender, Plasma Defender (GRA) , pulse gun, Compliance Regulator , Sonic emitter pistol 	Yes 	35% Chance 	0.078
Energy cell, max charge 	x 1.5 	- 10	x 2.5 	x 1 	Laser pistol, Laser pistol (GRA) Pew Pew, plasma pistol, Plasma pistol (GRA) , Plasma Defender, Plasma Defender (GRA), pulse gun, Compliance Regulator , Sonic emitter pistol 	Yes 	10% Chance 	0.078
Energy cell, over charge 	x 1.25	- 5 	x 1.5 	x 1 	Laser pistol, Laser pistol (GRA), Pew Pew, plasma pistol, Plasma pistol (GRA) , Plasma Defender, Plasma Defender (GRA) , pulse gun, Compliance Regulator , Sonic emitter pistol 	Yes 	25% Chance 	0.078
Microfusion cell 	x 1 	- 2 	x 1 	x 1 	Plasma caster, plasma rifle, Q-35 matter modulator, multiplas rifle, laser rifle, Gauss rifle, YCS/186, AER14 prototype, tri-beam laser rifle, Tri-beam laser rifle (GRA) , holorifle , LAER , Elijah's advanced LAER , The Smitty Special	Yes 	35% Chance 	0.1
Microfusion cell, max charge 	x 1.5 	- 10	x 2.5 	x 1 	Plasma caster, plasma rifle, Q-35 matter modulator, multiplas rifle, laser rifle, Gauss rifle, YCS/186, AER14 prototype, tri-beam laser rifle, Tri-beam laser rifle (GRA) , holorifle , LAER , Elijah's advanced LAER , The Smitty Special	Yes 	10% Chance 	0.1
Microfusion cell, over charge 	x 1.25	- 5 	x 1.5 	x 1 	Plasma caster, plasma rifle, Q-35 matter modulator, multiplas rifle, laser rifle, Gauss rifle, YCS/186, AER14 prototype, tri-beam laser rifle, Tri-beam laser rifle (GRA) , holorifle , LAER , Elijah's advanced LAER , The Smitty Special	Yes 	25% Chance 	0.1
Nails 	x 1 	- 5 	x 1 	x 1 	H&H Tools nail gun 	Yes 	0% Chance 	0.01
Category:Ammunition