If someone was to make a new tank simulator what would your top 5 most wanted features be?

How important would, say, 1:1 system management be? Would you want it to have all the buttons that a real tank has? Would you like it to be able to connect to ArmA for infantry and DCS for air support? Destructible environments a big wish? Big or small maps?

Looking forward to hear!

“Keep away from those who try to belittle your ambitions. Small people always do that, but the really great make you believe that you too can become great.” - Mark Twain

Simple, intuitive driving/gunnery controls like in BF but with realistic distances, weapons, systems and tactics as long as the emphasis is still on fun. And a decent set of singleplayer battlesets.

I'd settle for nothing less than totally realistic weapons system and system modes with supporting procedures such as MRS updates and maybe boresighting modeled extremely accurately. Also, contrast, gain, focus, etc. for thermal and daysight optics would be nice as well. Realistic ballistics are a must, scratch that, given, a long with extremely realistic damage for modules such as GPS, TIS, LRF, ammo rack etc. An ability to connect to DCS would be nice, and DCS CA would probably be the engine for such a sim, giving it built in air support. Destructible environments... well, for a CA-attached sim, ask the developers of that. For an indie sim, such as America's Armor, hell to the yeah! This includes aesthetic damage on the tanks, correct? The maps... Black Sea is big enough, indie game's maps would probably have to be gigantic for me to be remotely impressed . Also, forgot to metion, 3d interiors are a must, loading animations would be nice. Also, if the tank in real life is equipped with datalink,( BOWMAN, Challenger 2; IVIS, M1A2, A2 SEP )it would be excellent if that were modelled as well.

The game could also have scalable realism, such that a newcomer could gradually get acquainted. Also, a full set of hopefully interactive training tutorials for each system would be nice. Fully interactive MISSIONS for tactics such as hull down positions and different types of attacks would also be nice.

Total realism is fine and all, but how do you effectively play a DCS: A-10C - style Abrams with 4 crew stations?

What do you mean? Each crew member in his own station with his own controls, systems etc over lan/interwebs

In single player, crew positions then taken over by ai. Just as good old M1 tank platoon.

I would like to see a digital version of the old Avalon Hill Tank game. Although being a board game , it gave the feel of rolling through the French countryside under enemy fire . The Tank and B-17 games were set up the same. your Sherman or B-17 bomber was the center of the game and everything u shot at or did was cause and effect.

What about going back to the 80s? NATO vs. Warsaw Pact?

Fully moddable armor ratings - so you don't have to live with whatever fairytale the game ships with.

Personally I'd just love for the freaking M1A2 to be represented.............