[Glossary](/glossary.md)/[Gunnery](/glossary/category/gunnery.md)

# Gun depression

How far below horizontal a gun can point, which decides whether a vehicle can shoot over a crest without exposing its hull.

Also known as depression, gun dep.

Depression is measured in degrees below level. Ten degrees is generous, five is restrictive, and the difference decides which [ridge lines](/glossary/ridge-line.md) a vehicle can use.

It is what makes [hull down](/glossary/hull-down.md) positions possible. A vehicle with strong depression parks behind a rise, drops its gun over the top and presents only a [turret](/glossary/turret.md), while a vehicle with poor depression has to crest the ridge and show its hull to take the same shot.

Depression usually varies around the turret: many vehicles lose several degrees when the gun points over the rear or across the [tracks](/glossary/tracks.md), which is why a good position accounts for which way the hull is facing.

## Related terms

[Hull downSitting behind a rise so only the turret is exposed, using gun depression to shoot over it while the hull stays protected.](/glossary/hull-down.md)[Gun elevationHow far above horizontal a gun can point, which matters for shooting uphill and at vehicles on higher ground.](/glossary/gun-elevation.md)[TurretThe rotating housing for the gun, whose armor and traverse speed decide how a vehicle fights from cover.](/glossary/turret.md)[Ridge lineThe crest of a hill, which conceals everything behind it and can be fought over only by vehicles with the depression to shoot across it.](/glossary/ridge-line.md)

[Every World of Tanks term](/glossary.md)

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