There are two ways to shell the enemy from a distance in WARDOGS: from the SPH-2 artillery tank, or from the L81 Mortar, which is built at a forward operating base. Since Season 1 the tank is one of the most expensive things in the game, while the mortar is within your reach much sooner. In this guide you will find how to unlock the SPH-2, what crew and ammo it needs, how to prepare a firing position, how aiming through map coordinates works, how active reloading works and how to work with artillery as well as how to defend against it.
The SPH-2 artillery tank in a nutshell
The developers at BULKHEAD promise in the game description that you can man an artillery tank and bury the enemy in fire. Here are the basic figures. Status as of 15 September 2026, Season 1.
| Parameter | SPH-2 |
|---|---|
| Type | artillery tank (self-propelled howitzer) |
| Unlock | Career tree, level 90 |
| Unlock price | $500,000 (one-off) |
| Crew | 3: driver, gunner, machine gunner |
| Armament | L52 cannon (155mm HE shells), M249 machine gun |
Season 1 moved the unlock from level 55 to 90 and raised its price from $400,000 to $500,000. The developers justified it by saying the most expensive things should be a grind for the most persistent 5% of players. For comparison: a typical player should reach roughly level 20 after 20 to 25 hours of play. The SPH-2 is therefore a long-term goal, while the mortar is within reach from Support 8. Besides the one-off unlock you also pay the price for every unit, just like with other vehicles. How unlocking works is described in the article Vehicles in WARDOGS.
Before you invest in the unlock, try the tank at the firing range. Vehicles are free there.
Crew and ammo
The SPH-2 has three seats: the driver brings the tank to position, the gunner operates the L52 cannon and the third crew member the M249 machine gun. When you play in a squad, lock the tank with the L key for its members only, so the seats are not taken by someone you cannot coordinate with. How to set up a squad is in the guide Playing with friends and squads.
Be careful with ammo:
- The SPH-2 fires 155mm HE shells. The main battle tank uses different ammo. When you ask a teammate with supplies for shells, say clearly that you want 155mm.
- You buy ammo and supplies right inside the vehicle with the B key.
- Season 1 increased the space that 155mm ammo takes in your loadout, meaning the gear you buy for every life.
Preparing a firing position
Before you fire your first shell, set up your position:
- Find level ground. The tilt of the tank affects where the shell lands.
- Stop and switch the engine off. You will hear what is going on around you better and you will save fuel for the trip back.
- Turn on stabilization. You see its status at the bottom of the screen. Without stabilization your aim drifts after every shot and you have to set it up again.
How to aim across the map
The SPH-2 has no conventional sight that would let you see the target. You aim by distance and direction, which you work out from the map:
- On the map, find the coordinates of your tank and of the target (the X and Y axes). The grid scale will help you.
- Calculate the distance from the difference in coordinates. If the target lies diagonally, use the Pythagorean theorem: the distance is the square root of the sum of the squares of both differences.
- On the HUD, set the values (mils) that match the calculated distance and direction.
- Ping the target on the map, level the barrel and fire.
An example calculation: when the coordinates of the tank and the target differ by 600 m on one axis and by 800 m on the other, the target is 1,000 m away in a straight line (600² + 800² = 1,000²). Players also make the math easier with unofficial calculators.
Active reloading
Reloading the cannon does not have to be just waiting. Right after the shot press R and the game will show you a sequence of direction keys. When you enter the whole sequence in the right order, you load the next shell significantly faster.
L81 Mortar
The mortar is a structure, not a vehicle. You build it at a FOB (the forward operating base that players build on the map) with the Large Hammer from supplies you carry or that are in the FOB. Status as of 15 September 2026, Season 1:
- The Large Hammer unlocks in the Support tree at level 8 for $75,000, one unit costs $2,400.
- A FOB costs $7,500 at the vendor.
- Built weapons including the mortar are reloaded at a FOB from Ammo Supplies.
Both the mortar and artillery destroy player-built structures, so they come in handy against an enemy FOB too. How to build and supply a FOB is in the guide Building and the FOB.
Spotting and working with the team
An artillery crew stands far from the fighting, so eyes on the ground come in handy. This is where spotting, meaning marking enemies, helps. A teammate with binoculars or a monocular looks at an enemy and marks them for the whole faction. They get XP and money for the mark and a further bonus when someone else kills the marked enemy. Binoculars cost only $75, so a spotter is a cheap role.
Use squad voice chat to coordinate between the spotter and the artillery crew. Only squad members can hear it, the enemy cannot. Local (proximity) chat, on the other hand, is heard by opponents from both other teams, so do not call out target coordinates into it.
How to defend against enemy artillery
The artillery tank is an armored vehicle, so anti-tank weapons work against it:
- RPG-7, the basic anti-tank launcher from the Support tree (level 5),
- MAAWS, a reusable anti-tank launcher (Support 20, $125,000 unlock),
- C4 charges and anti-tank mines,
- drones from the Stingray structure, which target armored vehicles.
When you find enemy artillery, mark it with spotting so the whole team knows about it. Destroying an enemy vehicle earns you XP toward the Support tree and money, the most in the Control Zone (the 2 × 2 km combat zone) and in the Hot Zone (the smaller moving subzone with a double payout). A detailed approach against tanks is in the guide How to destroy a tank, a helicopter and a FOB.
FAQ
Since Season 1 the SPH-2 unlocks in the Career tree at level 90 for a one-off $500,000. After that you pay the price for every unit you buy.
155mm HE shells. Do not confuse them with main battle tank ammo, especially when you are asking a teammate for shells.
You read the coordinates of the tank and the target off the map, calculate the distance (diagonally with the Pythagorean theorem), set the values on the HUD, ping the target, level the barrel and fire. Before that, park on level ground and turn on stabilization.
After the shot you press R and enter the sequence of direction keys the game shows. When you hit the whole sequence, you reload significantly faster.
You need a FOB, supplies and the Large Hammer, which unlocks in the Support tree at level 8. You refill its ammo from the Ammo Supplies in the FOB.