War Thunder: Coastal Boats Guide (G-5)

The G-5 is a Reserve Rank I Soviet Motor Torpedo Boat sitting at Battle Rating 1.0. It was introduced during Update 1.79 “Project X” when the Soviet fleet was brought into the game.

It is equipped with:

• a 12.7mm DSHk machine gun, with 2000 rounds of ammunition
• two 533mm 53-38 torpedos

The hull and superstructure are made of 4mm thick steel, with a displacement of 16.3 tonnes.

The G-5 has a crew of 6 and a max forward speed of 132km/h (Arcade) / 94km/h (Realistic), with a max reverse speed of 61km/h (Arcade) / 44km/h (Realistic).

Its small size, very fast speed and excellent manoeuvrability combine to create an excellent early-game aggressor.

As stated in the Overview section, the G-5 is equipped with just one weapon, the 12.7mm DSHk machine gun. At this BR however, like you, most of the other ships you will be facing have little to no armour with a low crew count so as long as you can get your shots on target it will be easy for you to sink them.

The gun is located centrally with 360 degrees of rotation, allowing you to shoot in any direction, except directly forwards. This is due to the design of the boat having a large antenna directly in front of the gunner, so this must be taken into account when engaging enemies.
The DSHk has access to three belts:

• Universal, consisting of API, API-T & IAI
• HE, consisting of three IAI & one API-T
• APIT, consisting of API-T, AP-I, IAI & another AP-I

Torpedoes

The G-5 is also equipped with two 533mm 53-38 torpedoes, armed with 300kg warheads. These torpedoes face directly forward and are launched out of the back of the boat. They travel for 4 kilometres at 82km/h, or 10 at 56km/h with the torpedo mode modification installed, which allows for some long range snipes against slow moving destroyers. They travel one metre below the surface of the water and take 50 metres to arm so this should be taken into account when using them.

Survivability, like in every other early game boat, is low. You only have a crew of 6 and are equipped with practically no armour (save for 5mm of armoured glass in the bridge, which is not useful at all).

You have a crew of six. All your sailors are located in the middle section of the boat, in and below the superstructure. This can mean that it can be a disadvantage against an opponent that knows where to shoot (as you can be taken out very quickly), or it can be an advantage against those who don’t know where to hit you (as their inaccuracy can buy you more time to retaliate).

As I will go into in the modules section, the front of the boat houses the engines, and these can be used to soak up enemy fire if approaching someone head-on. Be wary, though; remember that you cannot fire directly forwards so angling your boat is necessary to return fire.

Both of your engines, and your pumps, are located at the front of the boat. This means that shots here won’t damage your crew but you will lose engine power and the ability to pump water out of the ship. If you are already travelling at speed, you can use your momentum to keep moving forward to cover to give you time to fix your engines.

All the action takes place in the midship of your boat. Here you will find your bridge, gunner, ammunition, the radio, your torpedo launchers, and your fuel tanks. A well placed shot or volley into this section of your boat by even small calibre weaponry can spell doom for you. Aim to keep this section hidden by other parts of your boat, or use your excellent speed to keep moving and become harder to hit.

The rear is mostly empty because of your torpedoes. You will find them here, alongside your driveshafts for your two propellers and your twin steering gear system.

The G-5, being very quick and nimble, is perfect for the early-game capture point rushes. Use your speed and small size to your advantage to take and secure capture points for your team, while using your 12.7mm to rid yourself of other MTB or airbourne threats.

Once points have been taken, you can use your torpedoes to decent effect on enemy destroyers. It is best to use islands or other debris as cover, and wait for the destroyers to come close to you before darting out and launching your torpedoes at them. It is also possible to run and gun, using your small size and speed to dodge heavy artillery fire. Remember to be careful by not getting too close, though, as secondary (and thus faster firing) armaments will make short work of your unarmoured boat.

When facing planes, it is best to sail directly away from them, making quick turns left and right. Use your DSHk to take them down once they have committed in a straight dive towards you. As with all boats, if you see a plane drop bombs and turn away it is always a good idea to immediately go hard to port or starboard so as to attempt to dodge the plane’s bomb leading. Remember to stay aware of your surroundings whilst focusing on attacking a plane as getting beached at speed will leave you like a sitting duck.

Here are the pros and cons of the G-5:

• Lots of ammo for your main gun
• Two torpedoes, both facing forwards
• Small profile
• One of if not the fastest boat in the game
• Long range torpedoes with the torpedo mode modification

• Essentially unarmoured
• Only a single gun
• Cannot fire directly forwards due to design of the boat
• Small, tightly packed crew
• Gunner is exposed

To conclude, the G-5 is an excellent starting boat in the right hands and can be a fun, decent start to the Soviet coastal line. Key takeaways from this guide are to remember you are quite weak, but are very nimble so use this quirk to your advantage.

Good luck, and see you on the seas, captain!