Original: https://forum.warthunder.com/index.php?/topic/395110-complete-guide-to-picking-ammo-belts-updated-dec-2021/

#WTGuide2

Note #1: The listing is based on where the gun came from, not where it's located in the tech tree (for example the Lewis machine gun is found on the S.81 Italian bomber in the Italian tech tree but is of US origin and design so on this guide it's located under the US section).

Note #2: This list is mostly applicable for picking belts for enemy aircraft engagements. For guns capable of ground attacking non-soft targets (medium tanks, heavy tanks, light pillboxes etc) I included the appropriate belts for them too.

Note #3: This guide is not opinionated. The belts that were chosen in this list represent the maximum damage you can get out of the guns they are referred to. Some players would rather use tracers on the type 99 mk II Japanese 20mm for example as personal preference (I did that for a very long time too, thinking tracers were the best for Japanese 20mms but I was wrong), but Universal has the most damage output.

Note #4: This list also includes Stealth ammunition belts for specific guns because they're as good as the other best ammo belts but are better, in the sense of making surprise attacks on enemy planes because usually players only react to being shot at when they see tracers flying past them, and only react to stealth ammo when they're hit. If you are able to lead stealth ammo, that's great; it's another option for you rather than only Universal on MG 17s for example.