Hello all,
Since the year began , there has been so much invested in making fine war machines of the sky, However, the ones on the ground seems to have been overshadowed, (at least in my humble opinion). Namely Speaking, CFS3 vehicles like Tanks. I keep forgetting though,I have just two questions on the subject;
1. Has anyone remembered the home keys which aims the tank turret and fires a projectile in an arc?
2. Has anyone successfully used a tank in CFS3 (King Tiger, Panther, whatever) and correctly aimed and fired its main gun in an angle to hit other moving vehicles in CFS3? How do you use trajectory to get a ground kill in the game? Its a major difference of turning your entire ship to get a shot off isn't it?
If I'm mistaken, are tanks just for show in the sim? Or are they still relevant compared to all the good looking aircraft coming out?
Good Morning,
As Nigel has already pointed out there are several driveable tanks and vehicles in ETO including the Sherman by Bill Sponge. There are also a number of missions you can "fly" using these vehicles including the "Battle of the Bulge".
We fully agree with you that the tanks and vehicles add an element of immersion to the game when included in mission building. Tactical fighter and bomber Pilots (low level) flying in the ETO were constantly viewing land engagements and battles taking place below them in the towns and fields. Also sorties to engage ground targets far outnumbered aerial intercepts later in the war.
ETO made major improvements to the stock tanks and vehicles in CFS3, and provides a huge list of additional items and effects for the mission builder to choose from.
Mission builders for the most part have not "discovered" most of them yet but will as they gain experience. The inclusion of ancillary ground based components in missions gives the player/pilot a greater feeling of immersion as he flys above the theatre either by day or night. Burning towns, vehicles, battlefield smoke and explosions, flares, realistic artillery barrages and tank batles bring the war to life for the player.
Here are a few of the major improvements to the tanks, vehicle and ground war in ETO:
1. The Stock Tiger and Panther have new guns that are more realistic. One shell from a tiger will now destroy a Sherman, it will take two hits from a Panther. the Sherman cannot knock out a Tiger with one shell but can take down a Panther if the shell hits the right spot. The Tiger gun now has a greater range than the Sherman and will kill the US tanks before they can hit the Tiger unless larger numbers are employed and placed in historical attack formations to use their superior numbers. The tanks and artie will now aggressively engage each other.
2. All ground based artillery and tanks now have muzzle blasts with accurate looking smoke as they fire.
3. The tank and artillery shells have new explode effects and leave a crater and lingering smoke when they land on open ground. The crater is based on shell size.
4. ETO provides a variety of new explosion and shell effects to bring a more varied look to the battlefield and add realism.
5. An assortment of new German and Allied artillery. There is now a German 88 (non flak) and several new 105mm guns.
6. Battlefield illumination- ETO provides new artillery that will fire star shells and air burst flares that explode 200 ft above ground.
7. Air burst artillery - There is a new air burst artie that fires a shell that explodes above the ground raining fragments down on troops and light vehicles. The air explosion is new and very different. the artie will kill any troops in the blast radius and will burn light unarmored vehicles. The smoke from the air explosion will drift and linger in the air.
8. WP artie - White phosphorus artillery that fires a WP shell that explodes with white hot fragments and smoke tendrils and leaves a hot fire and smoke on the ground.
9. Smoke artillery - Smoke artie is provided to screen attacks, and mark targets for tactical fighters.
10. Color smoke markers - There are a number of different smoke grenades available in ETO to mark friendly troops as well as ID targets for fighters.
11. All artillery now have muzzle blasts with smoke and the shells leave a crater and lingering smoke.
12. All of the stock vehicles now have new explode effects that include multiple delayed explosions that simulate the "cook off" of fuel and ammunition as the tank burns.
13. All stock vehicles and buildings now have improved explode effects and the facilities now burn with long lasting smoke and fire.
13. ETO includes an entire set of new facilities to enhance the battlefield that include, burning houses and towns, large Dunkirk smoke columns that can be seen from many miles away, assorted destroyed/burning vehicles, battlefield explosions, battlefield smoke, path finder marker flares land and ocean, large fire storms with towering smoke and fires that will illuminate the bottom of your aircraft.
I could go on but I wanted you to know that we have barely touched what is possible in ETO mission building with regard to "ground war" immersion. There is so much in ETO that has never even been touched with regard to the ground war in Europe.
Thanks for bringing up the subject of the ground war in CFS3, a whole lot more immersion awaits us in mission building.
Best Regards,
O-1
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