ChrisWerb

That looks really awesome. Is it for use in addition to a joystick or instead of one and, if in addition to, does the joystick also have to be a Saitek? Disclaimer: I am frantically googling this. I just thought you might know offhand.

The best article I could find on the DARPA sight. http://www.thefirearmblog.com/blog/2015/04/29/beyond-trackingpoint-darpas-computational-weapon-optic/

DARPA is now looking to take the latest Tracking Point system (sans automatic triggering when on target) and add fused TI and II to it along with a daylight channel. I can't find a video of the prototype being tested yet, but this improved Tracking Point scope will give you some idea of the accuracy possible. Before someone says it, I'm not a "Future Weapons" Fan Boy. I have never served in the military, but I have spent a lot of time in the outdoors with rifles and shotguns for over three decades, so know enough about shooting to be impressed by this.

That requirement must have come from the US Marine Corps

Thank you guys. Yes, this helped a lot thank you GibsonM. When I get stuck into a game, I get stuck into it for literally years, so I don't think I'll need the full HOTAS and separate throttles set-up. I have expensive hobbies, but I would baulk at spending Warthog money, let alone the professional aluminum Leopard set ($1200 in 2006, if you could source one). I'm going to order the TM T1600M. If that doesn't work out or I need a lot more switchology (CV90 series IFVs) I might switch later.

This video gives a better idea of clarity (on an AR10 rifle).

Thank you ghostdog688. You're right on all counts as are other posters above. Here's a nice, if dated, PEO soldier video of the AN/PAS-13.

The search-fu is strong in you Gibsonm. I'd done a search on "joystick recommendations" and the most recent thread that came up was from 2013. As the Hardware recommendations thread appeared to be a sticky, I went there and there was nothing on joysticks, so I posted the thread.

Those phone mount TIs are impressive for what they are, but they aren't remotely close to weapon sight resolution. Thermal individual weapon sights definitely are in military service and have been for some years, although I suspect it will be some time until TI (or the more capable fused TI +IIR solution) is anything like universal issue. I already posted the British MoD's choice. Here are a few more. http://defense-update.com/20110216_tws.html https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/AN/PAS-13 http://www.popularmechanics.com/military/weapons/news/a18445/the-goal-is-faster-more-accurate-shooting-at-night/ http://www.baesystems.com/en/product/thermal-weapon-sights-tws http://www.baesystems.com/en/product/oasys-thermal-imaging-and-aiming http://www.atneu.com/thermal-scope-mars-hd-384-1-25x-5x http://www.safran-electronics-defense.com/land-defense/infantry/portable-optronics-infantry/weapon-sights-infantry

Hi. Any recommendations on a joystick to purchase? I haven't had one for about 20 years, but I'm thinking it might enhance the gaming experience with SB, particularly with regard to tracking targets and getting shots off quickly.

That explains it. Thank you Gibsonm.

I'm not sure this is even doable given that teamspeak is a separate system, but is there some way to lock someone whose vehicle has been killed out of chat for say the next ten minutes? A lot of the time watching videos that are otherwise realistiic/believable representations of warfare, the commander of a vehicle that has just blown up gives a detailed description of what blew him up and where it is located from beyond the grave This is fine in WoT, but it shouldn't happen in SB. Presumably it's disabled in the military training versions.

Thank you MDF - the one you posted here was awesome!

I just took the complete URL of the video an pasted it into the post on tank-net.com. However this method will only display one video per post.

Assuming the map isn't divided up into narrow valleys etc. it should work. Presumably the blue side would try to choose defensive positions to prevent successful employment of that strategy though. I posted a link to that same video on tank-net.com earlier today. it's got to be my all time favourite SB video. http://www.tank-net.com/forums/index.php?showtopic=42001#entry1265606

I thought one idea was to send two battalions of the regiment (each supported by a tank company) forward toward the enemy position whilst suppressing it with 120mm mortars and D-30s/2S1 whilst sending the third around one flank simultaneously to give the enemy a (hopefully) insurmountable tactical problem.

The scenario should be designed to make the BMP more lethal. Covert avenues of approach, deep forest to hide in, structures etc. you can hide behind for defilade gun and missile shots and close range ambushes etc. Lots of arty and Hinds to distract the enemy at critical moments. ICM and FASCAM to drop on them (assuming the red side has this - they certainly do now in real life)... If you want the scenario to be fair rather than historically realistic that is

Having procured vehicles for the government, I can't possibly comment on that.

I had read about this, but I had never actually seen it in the flesh. I thought you might find it interesting. It's at 2.10.

Yes, I have watched some great videos with T-72s and BMPs going fast toward NATO positions with Hinds in support - it looked just like the videos the Soviets used to release of Zapad 81 and the like. Scarey.

OK, thread up over at TN. http://www.tank-net.com/forums/index.php?showtopic=42001

Nils referenced me in a post above. I only knew him as Snake until recently, but I'm guessing we've been interacting in a low-key way for over 16 years over on tank-net.com and possibly longer on its predecessor. I am a plank owner and (dormant!) moderator over there. There have been a lot of changes to the TN community over the years and it has declined markedly over the last decade, which is very sad - participation is way down on its heyday and we now have a persistent google security page warning that must be cutting down our visitors even more. My own personal history with SB is that I was vaguely aware of it, but perceived it as a more technically accurate WoT - I recently took a closer look through a sheer frustration with the increasing unreality of WoT and uninstalled the latter after >16,000 games. I had tried to make WoT more real for myself - for example I never used any consumables other than ammunition. I had no idea of the depth of SB and, having played a variety of serious wargames in the past (Steel Panthers and Harpoon in particular), I was instantly hooked on the videos as Snake will know from my posting over on TN. I have ordered a new PC to play SB with the intention of being a serious participant. I wouldn't describe myself as a "neck beard", despite owning a web design company - I scuba dive, snorkel, kayak and used to hunt with rifles, air rifles and shotguns until recently. However, being a serious participant is what really appeals to me, partly because I was unable to join the Army for real. I am wary of being perceived as "walting" so never got into reenactment etc. SB offers a way into a community that has the potential to give me some of what I missed out on. I particularly like the idea of undertaking the various CSS, engineer, medical, artillery, air defence etc. roles in the game, but I was always a pretty good shot - particularly lead deflection - in WoT and the older Western and many somewhat later Soviet tanks really appeal to me from that perspective. I am completely perplexed that there is not more crossover from TN to SB. It amazes me that people with some serious real life tanking credentials have a staggering amount of games in WoT and persist with it despite recent realism "upgrades". WoT has some really great people working for it and has spawned some amazing informative videos by experts like Nick Moran, but it is what it is. When I have had the chance to get properly acquainted with SB first hand and have hopefully established a little credibility here I will happily be the SB "mole" over on tank-net. I would be very surprised if I couldn't tempt a few of them over to SB. I'll return there and post a few of my favourite videos now along with a disclaimer.

Wiki says 5/2DKs have an LRF, but I'm pretty sure the baseline Leo 1 didn't.

TI most definitely is man portable now and the small stuff tends to be uncooled. This has been in limited British Army service for a few years: www.qioptiq.com/download/Qioptiq_VIPIR-2_Dec10.pdf If we're going to have Cent 5/2 DK use Leo 1 FCS doesn't the latter have a coincidence/stereoscopic RF and the former an RMG? Are RMGs simulated in the game? Also, would a hand held lensatic compass work on a tank - the tank is a huge chunk of metal with a turret that moves about meaning its magnetic signature must change with respect to the compass?

Another aside, you can, in many circumstances, substitute LIDAR for RADAR. LIDAR may be more weather limited, but it can penetrate foliage surprisingly well and it is not DF'able in the way an EM emitter is. It could be cued by passive visual and TI sensors and networked offboard sensors - even a on the ground with an LRF/position locator at the end of an expendable cable. The thing is, if you CAN deploy a system that can rapidly ID and prioritise targets, is a tank even the best thing to put it on? Why not put the sensor on an extendable mast on something like a Unimog and/or on small, expendable GCVs and use it to cue relatively cheap inertially guided EFP warhead equipped munitions with STRIX-like IR sensors and laser profilers for additional verification on them (what you have on SMART submunitions now). Those missiles would impose very little weight penalty and could be mounted on virtually anything - eight of them would fit on a quad bike trailer. In a defensive context, containers of them could be widely dispersed and linked via fibreoptic cable to relatively expendable directional datalink nodes. An enemy tank company moves into the open - it may or may not detect one or two FOs that can leg it on quad bikes or similar positioned in defilade. With essentially nothing to retaliate against and with no emissions other than highly directional ones from widely dispersed expendable emitters, it finds itself being showered with copper slugs from EFP firing missiles detonating outside its APS hard-kill engagement envelope. I need to go and lie down now. My nurse is on the way with my medication...