Armored_Fist_Player

The graphics in Gunner, Heat, PC look fantastic. I've been reviewing my tank sim collection and it looks like almost everything is designed to run in DOS or Windows 98. I have old computers around for the sole purpose of running those old games. I've only got one tank sim that's made for Windows XP. SB1 can run in XP but it wasn't made for it. So - excluding SBPro PE and WOT (not really a tank sim), there's practically nothing tank-related that runs well on Win7, Win10, or above. There are some exceptions. Based on that, everybody should give this a fair chance. There's hardly anything out there for us except the 20 year old tank sims. Maybe this will be good. It sure looks fantastic. Generating interest in GHPC would likely lead people to check out SBProPE, too.

Oh yeah, I definitely do remember your videos and posts! Good freakin’ job!!! That video is awesome! It looks great and I recall your settings weren’t even fully maxed out! I am “testing” out old computers (A discarded laptop and an old desktop) with T-72. It is taking me a while to get the hang of it. Some of those missions are incredibly difficult and I bet that turned off a lot of people. I’m playing it on the two different computers and comparing gameplay. One has very poor integrated graphics, the other has a fair 2008 era graphics card. It’s become apparent that very few computers back then could provide a playable frame rate. I perform great on the PC with the video card and can’t hit anything using the laptop with the integrated graphics. I just beat the “Commando” mission where you meet up with the recon squad, kill the jeep driving arms dealer in the village, and return to the start point. It took 1/2 a dozen times for me to remember you go straight East, dust the two T-55s when they crest the hills in the south, nail the Jeep and “arms dealer” drive slow back, destroy the 2 T-34s on the way back, and don’t flip the tank. Wow - I can’t get over the old PC sims. They’re all good. Steel Beasts, even iM1A2 for Windows 95 - that one is next In line for a revisit because I really didn’t play it enough. T-72 is a keeper, if nothing else, my brain is getting a workout trying to beat it, lol.

FYI Only - T-72 Balkans on Fire / Iron Warriors was a good 2005-era Win XP game. If you’ve never heard of it, or didn’t give it a chance you should give it a try. It ain’t World of Tanks, and it ain’t Steel Beasts. It’s somewhere in the middle, probably a bit closer to Steel Beasts. Some players put up a new YouTube channel on T-72 if anybody’s interested. (They added their own music for these videos - I prefer the original in-game music, but that’s just me).

Thanks, Marko for the warm welcome. I didn’t make this clear, but I’m still “playing” (more like fooling around with) the original SB from 1999/2000. Gents, I don’t even know what a VU is, lol! Virtual Unit, perhaps? I don’t own SB PE yet but have been following the players on YouTube and this forum and eventually intend to buy it. You guys are all at another level!! Obviously, Steel Beasts is the ultimate simulator for a personal computer. I’ve been away from computers as a hobby for a while and the last time I was up on things, Steel Beasts was about to be re-released with 3D graphics with one version being for the military and a lite version for serious enthusiasts. I recall one version was going to be “Pro” the other was PE (Personal Edition). There was also a debate about a security dongle. I'm getting back into computer games and just bought a 1994 Thrustmaster FCS from eBay to plug into my sound blaster PCI game port so I can play old DOS sims in DOSBox. I’m 11 missions away from beating all 47 Armored Fist 1994 missions. Yes, it’s an old silly arcade game, it’s a joke as a sim, but for reasons unknown, I love it. It was kind of a “sequel” to M1 Tank Platoon back in the day. Once I’m done with it SB is next!

Thanks! Reading a manual isn’t going down too well right now but watching videos....hmmm, maybe I can manage that.

That’s a good idea, thank you, sir! I’m having a tough time concentrating on manual reading right now. I am revisiting a lot of old tank programs, mainly the Armored Fist series. To be honest, I don’t think I have what it takes to play much of anything In SB past the gunnery range part and maybe driving. It’s a well-done sim, no doubt. I did a bit of the real planning when I was in the Army with a Mech Infantry (Bradley) unit. It wasn’t really fun. The hand-eye coordination aspect of gunnery, though...that’s another story, that IS fun!

I forgot everything! I need to sit down and reread the manual. Releasing palm switches, dumping the lead....I skimmed through it last night and realized I have to relearn everything. Hey, I do remember that gunnery range part of the sim rocked! There’s something satisfying about getting the reticle right on target with the joystick, nailing an enemy tank, and watching the turret fly!

Greetings! I cleaned and powered up my trusty desktop PC and got some old tank games running this week. It’s been a few years....I can’t win diddly. I installed Armored Fist, got 2/3 of the way through the campaigns, and am just stuck. I can’t beat the thing anymore. I tried a WOT knockoff game on my iPad and got killed repeatedly. Utter humiliation. So, I unpacked and reinstalled Steel Beasts and tried my skill at the gunnery range...hah! What skill? I think I hit 2 tanks with sabot rounds, all APCs that had HEAT used on Them had the rounds fall short...WTF? Bottom line - I can’t play anything! But...quitters never win, so I’ll be back! To answer the original question - M1 Tank Platoon and Armored Fist 1 were all I played before SB.

Mil Spec...hmmm. Cost unfortunately gets,in the way of that idea....it was a good idea, though. I am building a high end special purpose desktop, mainly to run the EnCase forensic program in a training environment. All things being equal, why not get an interesting case to house it? I'm inclined to go,with the corsair vengeance C70 as the Af2 is plastic and the Thermaltake is too expensive. Digital,storm assassin! Cool!

Cougar AF 2

For some reason, I can't add more than 1 photo to each post...whaddya think about this beauty?? The Thermaltake Level 10 GT Battle Edition!

Anybody see the Corsair C70 Vengeance PC Case? I'm building a new PC and was immediately drawn to it. How about the Cougar AF 2? Sure would be appropriate to play SB with!

Man, I loved the Dark Knight but this guy made such a fool out of himself I'm not going to enjoy re-watching it as much. He sounded like an upset woman who was intoxicated with emotion. How can you take acting THAT seriously? It's NOT serious! It's entertainment, it's play, it's just for fun. I could see chewing some A** if you were a heart surgeon and somebody kept bumping your elbow during surgery....OK, that's serious. But ACTING?!? What a little Bit**. I don't like that little turd anymore. If he threatened to kick my A**, I'd have to tell his little scrawny English butt to bring it on!!!

Oh Man, I spent $600.00 on a laptop and now SB Pro PE won't run on it! Ssnake! How could you do that to me?!? just kidding... Of course, I know there are no guarantees here. Will keep you posted. Thanks.

Thanks, Ssnake! I agree with your philosophy on graphics cards. This laptop will be purchased for a somewhat special purpose. The ATI RADEON Xpress 200M graphics appear to have Win9x/Me drivers which will give me the ability to run old DOS programs, Windows 98 programs (of which I have a large collection) as well as the newer sims like SB Pro PE on a new laptop. I like doing dual boots and such & setting up Win9x/Me & WinXP is no problem. As long as it'll run SB Pro PE, it'll work for my purposes! Thanks.

Hey Fellas, I did a search but couldn't find the ATI MOBILITY RADEON X200M graphics card discussed anywhere. Think it'll work for SB PRO PE? For example in a laptop such as this? http://www.walmart.com/catalog/product.do?product_id=5192501 I haven't been keeping up with the latest changes in graphics. Thanks. -- AF '94 Player