IRON NEST Best Shells Guide — Every Shell Type Ranked by Mission (2026)
The best shells in IRON NEST: Heavy Turret Simulator — every shell type explained (HE, AP, chemical, star, leaflet and more), ranked by mission, and the loadout recommendations for campaign and gold medals.
IRON NEST Best Shells Guide — Every Shell Type Ranked by Mission (2026)
IRON NEST arms you with 30 ammo types and abilities — but you don't need all of them, and bringing the wrong shell wastes requisition and shots. This guide breaks down every shell family, ranks them by mission, and gives you loadout recommendations from the tutorial to the gold-medal grind.
Here's what you'll learn:
- Every shell family, explained (HE, AP, chemical, illumination, propaganda + more)
- The best shells for each mission type
- What to bring for gold-medal runs (requisition-aware loadouts)
- Which exotic shells to skip
Official resources: Steam store page · IGN game page · Official site
The Shell Families, Explained
IRON NEST's 30 ammo types fall into a few families (see our shell types guide for the full catalogue):
| Family | Purpose | Best for |
|---|---|---|
| HE (high explosive) | General damage vs infantry/soft targets | Everywhere — the daily driver |
| AP (armor-piercing) | Bunker/solid-structure busting | Bunker missions, hardened targets |
| Smoke | Cover friendly movements | Withdrawal/escort missions |
| Illumination (star/starburst) | Light up night/obscured sectors | Night missions, spotting |
| Chemical (choking/mustard/irritant) | Area denial, "the war crime drawer" | Specific story missions only |
| Leaflet/pamphlet | Propaganda (non-lethal pressure) | Morale missions, pacification |
| Special (thermite, cluster, atomic) | Extreme area destruction | Late-game/score runs |
Choking gas, mustard gas and the rest exist in the game — and using them has story consequences (the moral-choice system tracks it). They're powerful, but "it never happened if there are no witnesses" cuts both ways. See our endings guide before you go full war-crime loadout.
The Best Shells, Ranked by Mission
Early Campaign (Missions 1–5): HE + AP is all you need
- HE for every infantry/soft target — most of the early game is personnel and light positions.
- AP for the bunkers that start appearing around Liberation.
- Skip everything else: requisition is tight, and the tutorial missions punish wasted spends (Gold caps spend at 30).
Mid Campaign (Missions 6–9): add Smoke and Illumination
- Smoke becomes critical for Siege of Cartagena and The Gorge — friendly units advance while you cover them, and smoke is how you do it without killing allies (Gold: 0 allies killed).
- Star shells (illumination) shine in obscured/night sectors — spot before you shoot.
Late Campaign (Missions 10–15): the specialist drawer opens
- Thermite and cluster for saturation on large target groups (High Tide, Phantom Battery).
- AP + high charges for the deep blind-fire missions where one precise shot beats three guesses.
- Chemical/leaflet shells are only worth it if you're deliberately playing the moral-choices path.
Gold-Medal Loadouts (Requisition-Aware)
Gold medals cap your requisition spend — so the loadout matters as much as the aim:
| Mission | Loadout | Why |
|---|---|---|
| Liberation (≤30 req) | HE x2, powder | Bare minimum; spend nothing on extras |
| Counter-Battery (≤30 req) | HE x2, one recon | Recon pays for itself on hidden batteries |
| Siege of Cartagena (≤50 req) | HE + smoke | Smoke protects allies, HE clears pockets |
| Rock of Gibraltar (≤10 req!) | 1 shell, minimal powder | The ultimate economy mission — make every shot count |
| Fire on Call (0 req!) | Whatever you bought before | Zero-spend gold: reload discipline is everything |
| High Tide | HE + star | Illumination + area saturation for the kill-streak tasks |
Missions like Gibraltar (≤10 req) and Fire on Call (0 req) force you to win with what you have. Buy before the mission, spend nothing during it, and treat every shell like a gold-medal run depends on it — because it does.
The "Best Shell" Bottom Line
- Best all-rounder: HE — it carries 80% of the campaign.
- Best bunker-buster: AP.
- Best for gold runs: the cheapest loadout that fits the mission's requisition cap.
- Best to avoid: chemical/leaflet shells unless you're playing the moral storyline on purpose — they cost requisition, weigh on the narrative, and don't help gold thresholds.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the best shell in IRON NEST?
HE (high explosive) is the best all-rounder — it carries most of the campaign. AP for bunkers, smoke for protecting allies, star shells for night/obscured sectors.
How many shells are in IRON NEST?
30 ammo types and abilities (per the official store page), from HE/AP through chemical, illumination, propaganda and special shells.
What shell do I use for bunkers in IRON NEST?
AP (armor-piercing). It's purpose-built for hardened targets and appears around the Liberation missions.
Are chemical shells worth using in IRON NEST?
Powerful but story-weighted — using them feeds the moral-choice system and affects endings. Worth it only if you're deliberately playing that path.
What shells should I bring to each mission?
Early game: HE + AP. Mid: add smoke and star shells. Late: thermite/cluster for saturation. Always respect the mission's gold-medal requisition cap.
Related Guides
- IRON NEST Achievements & Medals Guide — 33 Steam Achievements + Every Gold Medal
- IRON NEST Beginner's Guide — How to Play, Controls & First Missions (2026)
- IRON NEST Controller Support — Full Controller & Keybinding Guide (2026)
- IRON NEST Co-op & Multiplayer — Is It Multiplayer? Mods Explained
- IRON NEST Dead Reckoning — Mission 9 Walkthrough & Tear Shell Strategy
- IRON NEST Demo Guide — Is It Free, What's Included & How to Play