This article is considered accurate for the current version (1.58) of the game.
“
The Rampart is a powerful field cannon capable of dealing devastating damage to all but the heaviest of armoured vehicles while providing its crew with comprehensive ballistic shielding.
„
— In-game description
The Balfour Rampart 68mm (also known as a HV68) is a WardenHeavy Field Cannon. It is equipped with a high-velocity 68mm main cannon. Its most distinctive feature is the long barrel with a cone-like muzzle at the end of it.
The Balfour Rampart 68mm houses a crew of two soldiers:
Driver (Left Side)
Controls the movement of the vehicle - requires a soldier in the Gunner seat in order to move
Gunner (Right Side)
Controls the reloading, and firing of the chassis-mounted high-velocity 68mm main cannon
Required to move the vehicle
NOTE: Despite not having an actual Passenger seat, it is possible for a soldier to stand on the Spade (the long metal piece on the back of the vehicle) and move with the crew.
Unlike enclosed vehicles, Field Weapons cannot switch seats, requiring the crew to exit the vehicle in order to change seats.
Armament
The Balfour Rampart 68mm is equipped with one main armament:
The Balfour Rampart 68mm's strength lies in its ability to attack strong vehicles, with the fast reload time allows it to out-damage various tanks. The best way to utilize this push gun is to have someone spot with binoculars every so often to look for targets. If they spot an enemy tank, they should call out to the crew and advance towards it.
Once the tank is near, it's important to keep the range of the weapon in mind, as it outranges most tanks by 5 meters. This allows them to hit the enemy without fear of retaliation. Shooting at max range can easily scare off most tanks as the damage of the cannon is pretty high. If unable to destroy the target, the crew could retreat, depending on given situation is too dangerous for the push gun.
Due to 68mm being an AP round, it has a higher chance of penetrating armor, and can disable subsystems easier compared to 75mm rounds. Targeting enemy vehicle's subsystems is highly recommended.
Chassis
All push guns, by their nature, are one of the most vulnerable vehicles in the game in terms of crew protection. They are exposed to the enemy, making them susceptible to all enemy fire. Due to push guns requiring both crew members to move them, the death of a single crew member could result in the push gun being lost. Due to this, it is recommended to only lock the gun when it looks like enemy infantry are going to overwhelm you and can steal it. This tactic is vital if a push gun is decrewed, as it allows a friendly soldier to quickly man it and drive it back to safety.
Visibility Mechanics
Push guns have a visibility mechanic, which allows it to operate differently compared to regular vehicles. Similar to infantry, they are affected by vision, meaning their movements cannot be seen unless it is within your line of sight. Due to this, they can hide behind structures, or even bushes (depends on how big the bush is). It's also affected by the time of day, with nighttime making it possible for push guns to become invisible to the enemy if you're far enough from them. Keep in mind that if the enemy decides to illuminate your position, this will expose it until the flare dies out. The push gun's position will be exposed anyway if the crew decides to fire its main armament.
Trivia
Prior to Update 1.50 ('Inferno'), the Balfour Rampart 68mm used to be called the Balfour Rampart 40mm and fired 40mm shells with a significantly higher HV bonus (with less damage than a 75mm round).
It was later changed to fire 68mm shells, along with its HV bonus drastically reduced.
