So, Tank Crew stuff. What exactly are we getting?

[AndyJWest]

We have a (tentative) list:

 

 

- T-34-76 STZ

- KV-1s

- M4A2

- SU-122

- SU-152

- ZIS-5 + 72K

- PzKpfw III Ausf.L

- PzKpfw IV Ausf.G

- PzKpfw V Ausf.D

- PzKpfw VI Ausf.H1

- Sd. Kfz. 184

- Sd. Kfz. 10 + Flak38

 

I must admit though that I had to resort to Wikipedia to figure out some of them. So before I make more of a fool of myself by getting it all wrong, can someone confirm exactly what is what? (Yes, I know what a T-34 is, and I promise I only looked up M4A2 to double check). We seem to have tanks, self-propelled guns and a couple of flak guns with the necessary towing equipment (half-track for the Wehrmacht, and a ZIS truck for the Soviets if I'm not mistaken)  but confirmation and a little more detail would probably be appreciated by those of us less familiar with the muddy side of WW2.

[InProgress]

wish there was also panzer 2 and t60

[Dakpilot]

Pretty sure the AA vehicles will be the self propelled mounted versions, Russian ZIS-5 will have 25mm,there were also half track variants of this truck

 

Cheers Dakpilot

[AndyJWest]

Pretty sure the AA vehicles will be the self propelled mounted versions, Russian ZIS-5 will have 25mm,there were also half track variants of this truck

 

Cheers Dakpilot

 

That would make a lot of sense, though according to Wikipedia (not an ideal source, I suspect) the ZIS halftracks weren't 5s. Then again, the Soviets seem rightly to have been more concerned with producing things than with worrying about version numbering. 

Edited November 17, 2017 by AndyJWest

[dburne]

Whilst I will support the development , I really have no interest in driving tanks. I am all about the planes.

[71st_AH_Hooves]

I am SUPER stoked about the tanks and the possibilites of a tank campaign! The two tanks we habe now have been amazing though slightly one sided. (That t34 tears through armor like ita cool). Cant wait to pre order this. And cant wait to learn more about the team making the tanks!

[[TWB]80hd]

Whilst I will support the development , I really have no interest in driving tanks. I am all about the planes.

 

Combined arms in multiplayer is a lot of fun though, if you're into that.

[Kurfurst]

T-34 STZ is a variation of the T-34, produced by the workers of the Stalingrad Tractor Factory (or 'Zhavod'). I believe it only differs from the T-34s produced by other factories that it had bolted on extra armor plates of 15mm thickness on the hull. Otherwise its the same as the others, with 76.2mm gun that was getting a bit obsolate by 1943 vs the new German tanks.

 

So, basically an uparmored T-34

[=RvE=Windmills]

There will be more complex damage modelling, so this should also make attacking them more interesting for planes.

 

Need more info though to see how exactly this will pan out, it's hard to say what level of complexity they are going for. If its going to be full interior modelling like WT or a bit more limited than that.

[-=PHX=-SuperEtendard]

T-34/76 STZ and Panzer III Ausf L are the playable tanks that we already have in the sim, same for the Panzer IV Ausf G and the KV-1 as AI (1941 and 1942 models covered in BoM and BoS).

Edited November 17, 2017 by -=PHX=-SuperEtendard

[LLv24_SukkaVR]

Tank interiors modeled?

[Mitthrawnuruodo]

Almost certainly. We already have basic interiors for two tanks.

[Herne]

I had no idea the tanks were so popular in BoX. I took one for a drive, but very quickly jumped straight back into a plane. I'll probably pre-order it anyway because right now I don't think I can throw enough cash at 1CGS, but generally speaking, I don't play a flight sim to drive tanks.

 

RoF 2.0 in the rift . . . . goosebumps !

 

ME262

P51

P38

 

all the rest ! Can't wait !

[WIS-Redcoat]

Have they confirmed if these tanks will have VR gameplay in mind?

[SYN_Vander]

Tanks are already quite good in IL2. In a coop with realistic objectives the action is spectaculair. It is great to see your teammates bomb or strafe an enemy tank That is trying to shoot you!

[Voidhunger]

The new tank sim is my long dream. With the 777/1C it will be top notch product I hope, but it had to have excellent armour penetration modeling (Graviteam sims/RTS is minimum what I will accept ) and also damage visuals. (hits, penetrations, richochets etc.)

Edited November 17, 2017 by Voidhunger

[Jade_Monkey]

Anyone played IronWolf in VR? It's a lot of fun!

It's a multi crew submarine game.

 

This will be even better!!!

Combined arms in multiplayer is a lot of fun though, if you're into that.

Not sure that will be the case here. Maps are smaller for planes and the grounds will be more detailed. That could be a total FPS killer for planes.

 

I feel like that would be a great question for tomorrow's Q&A with Jason.

[DB605]

I'm also super excited for tanks, been so long since there was any proper ww2 tank sim around. Looking forward to pre-purchase!

[56RAF_Roblex]

Tanks are already quite good in IL2. In a coop with realistic objectives the action is spectaculair. It is great to see your teammates bomb or strafe an enemy tank That is trying to shoot you!

 

But are we getting that?  He said we were getting a tank sim with its own maps, not tanks added to BoX, so you wont see your teammates in aircraft.  Perhaps there will be AA aircraft?

[SAG]

Anyone played IronWolf in VR? It's a lot of fun!

It's a multi crew submarine game.

 

This will be even better!!!

 

Not sure that will be the case here. Maps are smaller for planes and the grounds will be more detailed. That could be a total FPS killer for planes.

 

I feel like that would be a great question for tomorrow's Q&A with Jason.

 

sadly i dont think theyll make any VR specific gameplay. just the "visuals"

[SYN_Vander]

But are we getting that?  He said we were getting a tank sim with its own maps, not tanks added to BoX, so you wont see your teammates in aircraft.  Perhaps there will be AA aircraft?

 

Good point!

[Mitthrawnuruodo]

"Tank Crew will create a ground combat component that can be integrated into single-player content and multiplayer servers."

 

I believe this means tanks and aircraft will fight together. Besides, I believe SPAA vehicles would be pointless if there were no aircraft overhead. 

[LLv24_SukkaVR]

Almost certainly. We already have basic interiors for two tanks.

 

Well they are very basic. Only drivers compartment is modeled, gunner/commander not at all. I was thinking about RO2 kind of modeling which would be really cool but i will be completely fine with current level of modelling as well. Most important thing for me is realistic armor, damage modeling and weapons.

[=RvE=Windmills]

But are we getting that?  He said we were getting a tank sim with its own maps, not tanks added to BoX, so you wont see your teammates in aircraft.  Perhaps there will be AA aircraft?

 

The box art is marked with the 'Il-2 Great battles' star, meaning it will merge with the rest of the series as per the explanation in the news post. It's not a separate game.

Edited November 17, 2017 by Windmills

[Jade_Monkey]

sadly i dont think theyll make any VR specific gameplay. just the "visuals"

Right, i doubt they will include VR controller options. The game engine probably doesn't have any of those interactive features built.

 

Still, it's very immersive, even the current basic tanks are pretty nice in VR.

[migmadmarine]

I've been dying for a new version of Steel Fury Karkhov 1942 for years now, so I hope this will be similar to that sim was, just with more modern graphics and modeling. 

[Mitthrawnuruodo]

Agreed, Steel Fury in a modern engine will be fantastic. 

 

I hope that the developers do not ignore infantry. It is often forgotten that tanks did not merely fight other tanks. I fear that infantry targets might be excluded for reasons related to social or political nonsense.

 

We see this problem in War Thunder, where there are many support vehicles that lack targets because infantry are not present anywhere. 

[Voidhunger]

Agreed, Steel Fury in a modern engine will be fantastic. 

 

I hope that the developers do not ignore infantry. It is often forgotten that tanks did not merely fight other tanks. I fear that infantry targets might be excluded for reasons related to social or political nonsense.

 

We see this problem in War Thunder, where there are many support vehicles that lack targets because infantry are not present anywhere. 

 

Thats true infantry is a must.

[Uufflakke]

This would have been fun if it was included: crossing with the BMW R75 on the Russian steppe and shooting the crap out of the announced ZIS5 trucks.

In multiplayer one rides the cycle and the other shoots at everything that moves.

 

Or zigzagging through the snow covered hills of the Ardennes avoiding a collision with trees.

 

 

 

 

 

 

[JG4_Sputnik]

I'm hoping for a good SP campaign, not sure if I want to play this in MP except for a few tries maybe.

[Jason_Williams]

But are we getting that?  He said we were getting a tank sim with its own maps, not tanks added to BoX, so you wont see your teammates in aircraft.  Perhaps there will be AA aircraft?

Wrong.

 

Jason

[SCG_ItsDrifter]

Mr jason, i dont know if i missed it or something, but will the tank crew stuff be an expension of BOX, or will it be its own game? Thanks!

[LukeFF]

Mr jason, i dont know if i missed it or something, but will the tank crew stuff be an expension of BOX, or will it be its own game? Thanks!

 

It's explained in the announcement.

[56RAF_Roblex]

Wrong.

 

Jason

 

Thanks.  The bit about Tank Crew having its own detailed maps made me wonder if the tanks would only operate in that map and that it was too detailed for aircraft ie it would have unusable frame rates.   I suppose what you meant was that the Bodenplatte map is specially made to look good from a tank but you can still fly in that map as well (or did you mean that the tanks will work in Kuban etc as well but the terrain wont look quite so impressive from the tank?)

Edited November 17, 2017 by 56RAF_Roblex

[InProgress]

Tanks are good idea i have few friends that will buy it, they don't like to fly but tanks is what they like. They are opening for new customers which is always good hope it will be bestseller and they will make more. Imagine pacific with japanese and american tanks :D

[Jason_Williams]

Thanks.  The bit about Tank Crew having its own detailed maps made me wonder if the tanks would only operate in that map and that it was too detailed for aircraft ie it would have unusable frame rates.   I suppose what you meant was that the Bodenplatte map is specially made to look good from a tank but you can still fly in that map as well (or did you mean that the tanks will work in Kuban etc as well but the terrain wont look quite so impressive from the tank?)

 

When we say detailed we don't mean like WT or WOT maps with super destructible everything. We're talking about adding a more detailed terrain mesh and maybe destructible trees and other small elements that make it a bit more detailed, but not crushing detail. Don't over-think these things.

 

Tanks on other maps will look like it does now which is still good enough for open range tank maneuvers and battles.The complaints we have about tanks on our current maps is that they are simply too big for tanks to have a lot of fun. You can argue about that all day, but if we make a cool map designed for tankers to battle it can only add to the fun. There will also be a few airfields on this map as well.

 

Jason 

[II/JG17_HerrMurf]

wish there was also panzer 2 and t60

 

I have a strange affinity for the Pz II Luchs. It'd be great for some of those capture the flag events while the big boys beat the crap out of each other.

[Mesha44]

But are we getting that?  He said we were getting a tank sim with its own maps, not tanks added to BoX, so you wont see your teammates in aircraft.  Perhaps there will be AA aircraft?

The box art for the Tank Crew game show it as an IL-2 Great Battles game, so I think Jason implied they all work together.  I suppose someone should ask him in TS tomorrow.

[coconut]

@Jason, I've got a few questions about tanks:

 

Will the tank project divert resources from the air simulation branch? Are there developments made for the tank project that will benefit the air simulation branch?

 

Will the tanks playable by humans also be available to AIs? I'm asking because at the moment, I am under the impression that the damage model of human-controllable tanks is more detailed than the AI ones.

 

Will the AI tanks' behaviour be more realistic? Right now they can see you through hills and lob shots at you. That's a bit annoying, especially when driving the German tanks. It means instant death from unknown origin.

 

In SP, will it be possible to give orders to other tanks in your platoon, similarly to how it works for planes?

 

Will it be possible to fire smoke shells on the battlefield, to mask the movements of your platoon?

 

Will the multicrew aspect of the game be expanded beyond the current two roles (driver + commander/gunner)?

 

In MP, will some of the planned Air Marshall features be adapted and available in tanks, allowing a ground commander to direct their team?

 

Will there be a mission editor, will it be the same as the one for the air simulation?

 

Have you considered putting in the basics for a first-person shooter and let a third party try to make something with it? I have a feeling that adding a FPS component could be a high-reward endeavour, and also high risk because of all the existing competition. Outsourcing it could help keep the risks low, and the pool of amateur devs capable of doing something good with it is rather big, which gives decent chances of getting something out of it.

The box art for the Tank Crew game show it as an IL-2 Great Battles game, so I think Jason implied they all work together.  I suppose someone should ask him in TS tomorrow.

 

He's already answered in this very thread that combined operations will be possible, see #36

Edited November 17, 2017 by coconut

[SYN_Vander]

Excellent!