Tank Sims?

[JasonSix78]

Does anyone have suggestions on a good tank sim? Preferably WWII-era but modern is ok as well.

 

[MStele]

Unfortunately not much has come out any recent years, in fact the last one I can think of is Steel Beasts which came out around ~2000. If your looking for more a more strategic game, you can try out the Combat Mission series by Battlefront. I'm sorry to say I'm not aware of any tank simulations coming out soon but I wish I was.

 

[WildW]

There's Iron Warriors, based on T-72. Reviews don't appear good, but I imagine it's not a genre that reviews well by regular gamers. There's a demo around that was quite entertaining. The full game is also dirt cheap on Steam.

http://store.steampowered.com/app/1670/

 

[Lonyo]

Red Orchestra isn't a tank sim per-se, but it is a sim oriented FPS game which also has tanks, and there are a number of maps which are basically tank vs tank-only.
It's also WW2 based (eastern front mainly, but with mods for other areas).

http://store.steampowered.com/app/1200/
Plus again, dirt cheap ($5).

 

[BrunoPuntzJones]

Red Orchestra isn't a tank sim per-se, but it is a sim oriented FPS game which also has tanks, and there are a number of maps which are basically tank vs tank-only.
It's also WW2 based (eastern front mainly, but with mods for other areas).

http://store.steampowered.com/app/1200/
Plus again, dirt cheap ($5).

I'm thinking he's looking more along the lines of something like WWII online which makes you "drive" the tank rather than just pushing forward.

I dunno if WWII Online is even still around, but driving a tank was a lot of work

 

[ZzZGuy]

WWII Online (aka, Battleground Europe) would be your best bet. Basically a WWII FPS MMO. Also note that within a year it will be getting a graphics update.

It has the most realistic modeling and operation of WWII tanks (or any tanks for that matter) that I am aware of. For example, this is how damage works in the game http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BzpUVtVUBTI

You "can" operate a tank with one man as you can switch between the various positions in the tank, but you will be disadvantaged. Every position in the tank can be manned (the loader does nothing though), in each position you see what that crew member would see, every tank is true to the original. Also note you will NOT be lording over the battlefield in a unstoppable killing machine, tanks can be killed in may ways by many things and you are the number one target on the battlefield.

To enter a tank, you must spawn with it. Select a tank to spawn as, and request crew to allow for people to apply to enter your tank (which you accept or decline). You need rank to use more powerful weapons/tanks/aircraft/ships, but at level 5 you can use all tanks so it will not take too long to be able to use something like a tiger.

----

The alternative is ARMA II, a modern combat simulator. It is not as realistic, but is up to date. I am not as familiar with how damage models work, but things are unrealistically balanced such as T-90s not having reactive armor or Arena active missile defense systems (but they can shoot down choppers with a missile fired from the main gun).

 

[Maximilian]

RECOIL is the only one i found to be any fun, unfortunately for you its not WWII, not even close heh, and its pretty old.

 

[WelshBloke]

RECOIL is the only one i found to be any fun, unfortunately for you its not WWII, not even close heh, and its pretty old.

Hey don't worry I first thought of Battlezone. :$

http://www.flatbatteries.com/battlezone.html

 

[JasonSix78]

Thanks for the suggestions. I had ARMA II but it was so buggy I gave it to a buddy of mine. I would really like something that requires you to learn about the systems and interact with them. If anyone is familiar with Black Shark (Helo Sim) you'll know what I'm talking about. I realize WWII tanks didn't have really sophisticated systems of modern armor but they still require some learning to operate them properly.

 

[duragezic]

How the hell is WW2 Online still going?

I bought that game on release and they waived the monthly fee initially because it was buggy. Well nothing show stopping for me but overall a flawed game but fun at times. This was like 2001 or 2002. I remember Playnet took it over but I thought it was long gone.

 

[shortylickens]

Grognard games have not been popular since the DOS days.
Tank sims, chopper sims, and jet sims have also been on the out for a very long time.

 

[ZzZGuy]

Thanks for the suggestions. I had ARMA II but it was so buggy I gave it to a buddy of mine. I would really like something that requires you to learn about the systems and interact with them. If anyone is familiar with Black Shark (Helo Sim) you'll know what I'm talking about. I realize WWII tanks didn't have really sophisticated systems of modern armor but they still require some learning to operate them properly.

Well, here is how a tank operates in WWII online.

Driver: Each tank has a set of gears, the number depending on what the tank had in real life. You gear up if you want to go faster, while watching your RPM. Rough terrain will slow you down vs a road. Viewing slits on tanks vary, ranging from a hole in the front when a solid metal plate that can lower to protect the driver, to a reinforced glass viewing slit, to a parascope. Engines can overheat rendering your tank immobile. You can switch views to view the display panel (there is very little of a HUD). Most all tanks have weak points, requiring you to know these points and not face them towards enemy fire.

Gunner: All projectiles arc, making the manual range finder vitally important if you want to repeatably hit something. There is no number that pops up telling you the range, so it's trial and error until you can judge distances yourself. MG rounds arc differently then tank shells. There are several levels of zoom depending on the tank. Few tanks such as the stug require a slit to be open to aim leaving the gunner vulnerable to infantry fire. Most tanks allow the gunner to his pop his head out of the hatch. Each tank has a different rotation speed for the turret, sometimes making it faster to turn the whole tank (eg, Tiger).

Commander: Sometimes given a MG (Char, iirc), sometimes a viewing tower with reinforced glass allowing 360 view (eg, Panther III). Most tanks require the commander to open the hatch to look out leaving him vulnerable to enemy fire, but allowing for a good view of the battlefield (commanders also get binoculars).

Loader: Does nothing as loading is automatic.


That said, the game focuses more on realistic damage, weapons and vehicle handling. Teamwork and tactics are also required to excel, as not much can stop a well organized group of people operating properly crewed tanks with infantry and air support (you don't see this too often in the game). If you want the most realistic experience you'll have to join a squad of like minded people and use a tank like it's meant to be. Just keep in mind the dated graphics, often long times to enter/travel to combat with a possible swift demise once you get there, and monthly fees. If you want instant single player combat, this is not the game for you.

 

[CP5670]

Hey don't worry I first thought of Battlezone. :$

http://www.flatbatteries.com/battlezone.html

Recoil and Battlezone are both great, but they aren't exactly sims in any way. Battlezone's tanks all hover as well, although Battlezone 2 has tracked tanks.

 

[mmntech]

Hey don't worry I first thought of Battlezone. :$

http://www.flatbatteries.com/battlezone.html

lol. That's going way back. I think I have that on my PSP in the Atari Classics collection.

I think vehicle sims have pretty much died out as a genre on PC. Not many coming down the pipe AFAIK. I haven't even seen any racing sims come out lately.

 

[Borealis7]

Scorched Earth.

 

[BladeVenom]

There was a T-34 sim released a little over a year ago. I never tried it, and never saw it for sale anywhere.

 

[jlee]

First thing I thought of was Battlezone, too...I might actually have the CD around somewhere still.