From the beta press release, still work in progress...

If it's under 20 mb's i can host it on my site for better quality.

http://www.gettacticaldammit.com/videos/On%20Defense.wmv

You'll notice the infantry AI seem just to be there for the "feeling" they really never do anything from what I've seen, but only beta here... unlike Steel Fury, where the infantry are actively engaged with the enemy and also under your "command".

Heres a tactical question... I know in SB Pro PE, the driver is always moving up for a shot then back... what was the WW2 armor tactic? stop where you are and engage the enemy, or move to a hull down position first? One of the things that does drive me crazy about WW2 BT's, is that you can't order the driver to do something while your on the gun... again unlike Steel Fury, which lets you order your AI driver to a hull down position by a key stroke, or even a key that tells the driver to stop moving for one shot, then continue... whats the tactic for this type of engagement back then?

Sounds more and more like SF is the game to buy.

and one more... Death and Destruction... This video is NOT exciting or action packed, just show casing the damage models and the environmental destruction.

http://www.vimeo.com/1931047

That is rather disturbing...so the AI in the game, both infantry and tank crew do not have any sort of "tactical decision making" programmed into them? And, the player's command and control functions in the game are rather primitive unlike the nice way it is down with SBPE. In SBPE, your AI crewman actually assist you in the running of the tank and here it is rather problematic.

Can you order the driver to take various positions from the commander's position?

As far as tactics are concerned Magnum, the WW2 tankers did pretty much what is done today in terms of finding hull down, postions, keeping spacing between one another in order to maximize firepower and defense. They always (like today) tried to keep the front facing the enemy due to the heavier armor thickness there. The Germans (at least on the eastern front) also tried to keep their distance from the Russians in order to maximize their firepower range and better optics. The Russians always had to get closer in order to better range the enemy and allow penetration of their shells into the German armor.

When watching your video of the attack on the town, you kept getting hammered from the left flank and I kept asking myself "why doesn't he order his driver to back up and get the hell out of there?" Why does his driver not position the tank to face the left flank threat?

This sim seems to need quite a bit of work yet...at least that is what I'm seeing so far.

now I could be mistaken, misreading the manual, or since this is all beta, maybe not implemented yet... but correct, in WW2 Battle Tanks, you control your one and only tank, you can not control or give orders to any other tank, infantry, or support... You can jump between the driver, gunner, and the TC... but you can not give orders to your other AI tank men, meaning as a gunner, you can not order your driver to back up, or take cover, or move up or whatever... you have to jump to each one of those positions and do it yourself.

WW2 Battle Tanks, thou not a action game, is not a hardcore simulation. (ie; the key command word print out for WW2 battle tanks is 1 full page, on the same token, Steel Fury's key command word print out is 4 full pages.) Yes, it does look to be a great game IMO (based on the preview version I played), the 2 campaigns, the multiplayer with either team (co-op) or TvT will make this one hell of a game, and it's included editor will be nice. It would be incredible to see 8 T-34's against 8 Tigers, all human controlled.

That said... Steel Fury, minus the lack of multiplayer seems to be the better game. You have other tanks and support, you issue orders via a map interface, you can play as the driver, gunner, TC, loader, or radio man in your tank. While gunning, you can order your driver to go strait, left, right, back, seek hull down, follow road etc etc, same as the TC, you can be in the TC position, move the turret towards the enemy and have your gunner engage. SF seems to have more war environment, infantry support following you and engaging, other tanks, air and artillery support.

So basically... if you want a damn good single player, full battle experience then SF is the one for you. (the harder of the two too learn and play... I rarely win in SF).

If you want some great tank on tank action, want to bring that tank to tank action online, then WW2 Battle Tanks is the one for you. Co-op and Force on force, great tank battle action. (Easier then SF, but not a action game, I almost always win, usually only losing after running out of ammo.)

Thats my 2 cents, playing both beta's... of course remember that my opinion is based on work in progress.

That said, I'm buying both.

WW2BT does look to have some cool explosions and damage.

Magnum

Thanks again for these videos They are really nice to see. One question, any winter scenery in either game?

Steel Fury and T34vTiger both look great. I'm going to get both of them as well.

S!
Edward

nope, SF occurs in the summer of 42, and WW2BT occurs in the spring/summer of 44 I believe.

Operation Bagration took place in June of 1944. It was actually started on the anniversary of Operation Barbarossa.

Operation Bagration

Magnum - I'm pretty sure WW2 Armour officers were taught much the same as they are now (with SB ProPE tactics) - different formations (box etc) bounding and all that, as well as jockeying - moving forward not from the present position, but reversing out of sight, shifting laterally and then emerging from a different spot.

I doubt any successful Armour officers sat in one place and slugged it out head to head.

smith

thanks for the nice vid and the preview info!

Do the range marks in the optics have any function? I couldn't tell from the video, but it appeared to be just point-and-shoot? Do you not set the gun's elevation based on range to target ... like, for example, using the GAS in SB?

actually, yes they do but I don't understand it... (read me I got said to read the manual, which I don't have), I find it easier and quicker, (thou tactically wrong), to estimate, then adjust. lol

Nice videos Magnum, thanks again for posting them.