Leopard AS1
Leopard AS1: Medium Tank
Statistics
Main gun: 105mm L7A1
Ammunition Stowage: 13 ready/46 stowed
Default Ammunition "A": 8/30 CMC105 APFSDS-T, 4/16 M456A2 HEAT-T, 1/0 M393A1 HEP-T, 1/0 M416 WP-T
Coaxial machine gun: 7.62mm MG3
Ammunition Stowage: 1000ready/4500 stowed
Default Ammunition: 1000/4500 7.62mm NATO
Grenade Dischargers: 76mm Grenade dischargers
Ammunition Stowage: 2 ready/6 stowed
Default Ammunition: 2/6 Smoke
Armour protection:
Frontal Turret Armour: 209-273mm KE, 252-332mm vs HEAT. Vulnerable GPS area.
Frontal Hull Armour: Thin Steel armour
(no information within SB documentation)
Combat Weight: 43.5 tonnes
Engine Power: 819hp Daimler Benz MB838 diesel
Height 2.39m to turret roof
Top Speed: 62kph
General
The Leopard AS1 is an older and relatively light western MBT, that served with the Australian Army from 1977 when it replaced Centurion, until 2006. The turret has been redesigned and provides more protection than the original versions, but the armour is barely adequate against light auto cannon using modern ammunition. The GPS sight hood is particularly vulnerable to penetration.
The L7 rifled gun is very accurate, and with modern ammunition remains a credible threat even against main battle tanks. The fire control system is based on a ballistic computer and laser range finder, but is not a modern integrated system. The commanders' Peri can be used for rapid range estimation of exposed targets even without a functional Laser Range Finder.
The Leopard 1 stores most of it's ammunition in the hull, and is very vulnerable during the transfer of rounds from the secondary storage into the ready racks, as the turret must be rotated to the flank and the vehicle cannot observe or fight. The smaller ammunition allows higher rates of fire than the 120mm armed tanks, and the brass cases afford some protection to the ammunition which the combustible cased 120/125mm rounds lack. Within SB this allows a loaded round to be replaced without being expended first, allowing more suitable ammunition selection when facing multiple target types.
As mentioned earlier, the Australian Army selected the M1A1(HA) as its Leopard replacement in 2006.
Crew Positions
Tank Commander's Position F7
In Steel Beasts the tank commander's (TC) position on the Leopard AS1 is fully crew-able but partially modeled. Currently the user has no interior 3D view, the user's head pans from external view to the vision blocks. Also available are the sight optics, for the GPSE and the PANO. The TC's position is accessed by pressing F7.
From this position the user can raise and lower their perspective (and exposure level) by holding the Q key (to go up) and the Z key (to go down). The TC can also button or unbutton (close and open the TC's hatch) by pressing the B key (toggle). While unbuttoned, the TC may also wish to use binoculars to get a closer view on a distant area by pressing the N key (toggle).
The TC also has smoke grenades at his disposal. The TC can fire smoke salvos by pressing TAB, once all loaded grenades are expended the grenade launches will need to be reloaded.
- The usefulness of the smoke grenade launches should not be underestimated, and it is one of the most useful tools at the disposal of the TC. Smoke grenade launchers are a vital tool for the security of the vehicle and should be used for a variety or reasons. These include, but are not limited to: attempting to break contact with the enemy, protection against non thermal sight equipped threats, and protecting the vehicle from enemy attempts to range you with an laser range finder. At the same time, care should be taken on when smoke is deployed since you are basically announcing your location to anyone else who might be unaware of it.
Commander's Panoramic Sight (PANO)
The commander's panoramic sight (periscope) is mounted in a fully traversable sight hood.
The TC can access the PANO sight by pressing F3.
Once the user is at the PANO gun sight, the initial sight mode is "PANO exchange on", with the PANO aligned with the gun. The reticule can be seen in the center of the yellow rangefinder box in the sight center. Before the commander can use the PANO independently he must turn set PANO exchange to off using the Up Arrow (Num Pad 8) or Joystick Hat Up. He can now traverse the sight using either the mouse, or joystick. When the fire control system and turret drives are functional the commander can align the gun and the PANO by using the Joystick Button #3 to activate the commander's override and slew the turret. In "PANO exchange off" mode this merely pans the turret, but with "PANO exchange on" reselected Down Arrow (Num Pad 2) or Joystick Hat Down the sight and the gun tube are aligned and the commander overriding the gunner's controls can steer the gun in both elevation and azimuth.
The symbology on the PANO sight is relatively complex as it combines a non-laser range-finder and the GPS symbology. Various switches and displays are currently displayed in the PANO screen to allow control and provide feedback of the various options.
The PANO uses the two L-shaped brackets to define the target's dimensions in meters, with both height and width variable (e.g. a typical T-72 is 2.3m tall and 6.95m in length [hull]). Shift Num Pad 9 and Shift Num Pad 3 controls the height of the box and Alt Num Pad 9 and Alt Num Pad 3 controls the width. The range is then determined by placing the target inside the adjusted box and zooming the continous-zoom PANO sight using the Num Pad 9 and Num Pad 3 keys until the target fills the sight.
The commander can fire the gun using this manually derived range in override mode Joystick Button #3 or Left Mouse Button, and ensuring the mode is set to "KH P". If the current mode is "KH HZF", the range will be derived from the Laser Range Finder and the GPS, which is available to the commander should he wish to use it via the PANO sight. Unlike the Leopard 2 fire control system the commander can use dynamic lead if the stabilization system is operational by pressing the P key.
The Leopard 1 commander can also fire the main gun if in Override mode, using the GPS and laser, with the full access to dynamic lead. Using the Num Pad * he must place the FCS into "KH HZF" mode to enable lasing from the TC's position. In the "KH HZF" mode the range only depends on the value returned by the laser rangefinder or input into the battlesight, and the PANO sight can be used to provide a deeply zoomed or wide angle view as desired... It should be remembered to reset the range to a suitable value before reverting to the "KH P" mode of engagement however.
Gunner's Primary Sight Extension (GPSE)
The commander has a second sight option - an optical extension of the Gunner's Primary Sight (GPS). The TC can confirm gunner is looking at and can override the gunner onto another target or even choose to engage the target himself. Press F2 to access this mode.
Once in the GPSE view, the view will essentially be identical to the GPS view (which is explained in the gunner's section). The important thing to remember is that the TC can override the gunner by pressing the Joystick Button #3. While looking through the GPSE in the override mode, the TC can move the turret and engage targets if necessary. By releasing the override button, you are giving control back to the gunner. As in the PANO mode, the commander does have dynamic lead, you can opt to use the sight in "KH HZF" using the laser or battlesight ranges as the gunner does, or can use the "KH P" mode and the stored range from the PANO sight. Switch between the ranging modes using the Num Pad * key.
TC's vision block view
On some occasions the TC may need to quickly look around the vehicle without having to spin the turret and without having to expose himself to hostile fire. Although the PERI allows this, the Leopard AS1 retains conventional vision blocks as well. The vision block view allows the TC to remain safely inside the vehicle and quickly scan around for close threats. It is most useful when enemy infantry are in the immediate area. Access the TC's vision block view by pressing F1 and moving to a low position using the "z" key. You can also immediately drop into the vision blocks mode by closing the hatches from the unbuttoned view. "b"
Future updates will include a full 3d interior, when "F1" will access the commander's virtual crew position, and "F4" will utilise the vision blocks.
Once in the vision block view, the mouse or joystick can be used to quickly and seamlessly pan the TC's view from vision block to vision block, allowing him to scan around the vehicle. While the vision block view completely protects the TC from hostile fire, it does have an extremely limited field of view and offers no magnification.
Key listing for LeoAS1 TC's position
General Commands:
TAB: Pop smoke. Launches smoke grenades to deploy a smoke screen in the direction that the turret is facing. Useful for breaking up enemy LRF or completely obscuring your vehicle against a non thermal sight equipped threat.
P: Apply Dynamic Lead.
Joystick Button #3: Override gunner. Press and hold.
Q: Raise position in hatch. Moves the TC's view and exposure level up in the hatch.
Z: Lower position in hatch. Moves the TC's view and exposure level down in the hatch.
B: Button hatches. Moves the TC's view down and closes the hatch. This is useful for protection from artillery and small-arms. A second press unbutton's the hatch, to a covered-protected position, with a third press opening the hatches completely.
N: Multipurpose zoom (toggle). When the TC is unbuttoned, this will bring toggle the binocular view. When the TC is inside the turret this key will make the TC lean forward, essentially zooming in on that spot in the turret. In PERI mode this switches between high and low magnification.
ARROW LEFT / ARROW RIGHT: When in the TC's eye view F1, pressing these keys will cause the TC to face to the left or right of the main gun (turret).
ARROW UP: Multipurpose. When in the TC's eye view F1, pressing this key will cause the TC to face in the direction of the gun (turret). When in the TC's PANO sight, disengage PANO exchange mode. Allows the PANO sight to be turned independantly.
ARROW DOWN: Multipurpose. When in the TC's eye view F1, pressing this key will cause the TC to face to the rear of the turret. When in the TC's PANO sight engages the PANO exchange mode. Fixes the PANO sight line. As the turret is rotated by the gunner, or by the commander overriding the turret, the PANO locks to the sightline, and the reticule is superimposed.
NUMPAD *: Switches the commander's fire control system between "KH P" and "KH HZF" modes, where the ranges are taken from the PANO or the GPS functions respectively.
Alt NUMPAD 7 Alt NUMPAD 1: Adjusts the height of the rangefinder box. Alt NUMPAD 4 Alt NUMPAD 6: Adjusts the width of the rangefinder box. Shift NUMPAD 9 Shift NUMPAD 3: Zooms the PANO sight. When a target of the correct size is bracketed by the rangefinder box the range is displayed on the right. This range is used by the "KH P" sight mode. This is available even if the laser rangefinder is damaged.
Driver related commands:
SHIFT + BACKSPACE: Shut down / start up engine (toggle). Orders the driver to shut off or start up the engine. If the TC is a platoon leader then it orders the platoon to execute a "short count" and simultaneously shut down or start up their engines.
W: Driver, move out. Instructs the driver to move forward (press again for increased speed.
S: Driver, stop. Instructs the driver to stop.
X: Driver, backup. Instructs the driver to reverse.
A: Driver, go left. Instructs the driver to go left (hold the key).
D: Driver, go right. Instructs the driver to go right (hold the key).
Gunner related commands:
BACKSPACE: Battle sight range (BSGT). This key represent the "BSGT" button on the commander's control panel which, when pressed, puts 1200m into the ballistic computer and dumps all lead calculations. This button should be used when the TC wants to gives a battle sight engagement, basically a tank becomes visible at 1200m or less. With battle sight in place, the gunner need not lase the target, he only needs to point and fire.
SPACE BAR: Multipurpose. Orders the gunner to fire at a target he is looking at when not overriding the gunner. If the TC is overriding the turret, the this will fire the main gun.
H: Hold fire. Orders the gunner to hold fire. If the TC is a platoon leader then it will also order the platoon to hold fire.
F: Fire at will. Orders the gunner to fire at will. If the TC is a platoon leader then it will also order the platoon to fire at will.
E: Engage. Orders the gunner to engage, and instructs the driver to take up a battle position. If the TC is a platoon leader then it orders the platoon to engage and take up a battle position in the direction of the user's view.
,: Manual mode. Orders to gunner to put the turret in manual mode.
.: Emergency mode. Orders the gunner to put the fire control system in emergency mode.
/: Normal mode. Orders the gunner to put the fire control system in normal mode (default). This is the only mode in which the Leopard 2A4 commander can override.
M: Coax / Main gun (toggle). Orders the gunner to toggle between the main gun and coax to engage targets.
SHIFT + ARROW LEFT: Gunner, scan left. Orders the gunner to put move the turret approximately 45 degrees to the left and scan for targets.
SHIFT + ARROW RIGHT: Gunner, scan right. Orders the gunner to put move the turret approximately 45 degrees to the right and scan for targets.
SHIFT + ARROW UP: Gunner, scan front. Orders the gunner to put the gun over the front and scan for targets.
Loader related commands:
INSERT: Fire, fire sabot. Orders the loader to start loading sabot after the next round is fired. Holding SHIFT and pressing this key will instruct the loader to reload this round type from the semi ready rack.
DELETE: Fire, fire HEAT. Orders the loader to start loading HEAT after the next round is fired. Holding SHIFT and pressing this key will instruct the loader to reload this round type from the semi ready rack.
HOME: Fire, fire (ammo type 3). Orders the loader to start loading ammo type 3 (if there is any) after the next round is fired. Holding SHIFT and pressing this key will instruct the loader to reload this round type from the semi ready rack.
END: Fire, fire (ammo type 4). Orders the loader to start loading ammo type 4 (if there is any) after the next round is fired. Holding SHIFT and pressing this key will instruct the loader to reload this round type from the semi ready rack.
SHIFT + PAGE DOWN: Reload all. Orders the tank crew to reload all weapons systems.
Pressing the ammunition type key twice will unload the current round type and reload with the selected type. This takes longer than firing the round and reloading, but doesn't prematurely give away the location of an unobserved tank, and avoids wastage of ammunition by firing ineffective types at inappropriate targets.
Note: You should be turret down before reloading the ready rack as the turret must be turned to the 5 o'clock position to access the stored rounds.
Work In Progress - much of this text relates to the later Leopard 2 and 1A5DK, work to correct this to AS1 is ongoing.
Gunner's Position F6
In Steel Beasts the gunner's position on the Leo1A5DK is fully crew-able. The gunner's position is accessed by pressing F6.
Gunner's Primary Sight (GPS)
This gunner's primary sight (GPS) is the primary sight the gunner utilizes to engage and destroy targets. The GPS view is accessed by pressing F2.
Gunner's Primary Sight
The daylight view of the GPS sight is the only available sight mode for the AS1.
There are two zoom levels in the daylight sight.
Sight Symbology
In the sight, you will see a set of nearly identical symbols in the bottom of the sight a lamp in the top centre and a reticle in the center of the sight: these are referred to as the gun sight symbology.
The GPS aiming reticle is located in the center of the primary sight day view and is used for aiming at the target. The the center of the reticle is a circle (or a cross with an empty center in the thermal view) indicating the dispersion of the laser range finder's beam. If possible, that center circle should be covered completely by the target silhouette to avoid multiple range returns.
The set of numbers in the lower part of the sight is the range, in meters, that is currently entered in the fire control system (FCS). This range is either entered manually by the user (through the use of the computer control panel (CCP)), entered by the "E1000" button, or entered automatically when the laser range finder (LRF) is used, the latter being the most common and is referred to as "lasing".
The range reading is preceded by an F or a zero, indicating the arming status of the gun, and followed by a letter indicating the ammunition that the loader has put into the gun (see below). The F will appear when a number of conditions are met (most notably the loader's arming button must be pressed to "Fire") and signifies that the gun is ready to fire.
If, when the gunner lased the target, the laser passed through an obstruction (or went beyond the target and caught a piece of it) you may receive returns from multiple distances. The multiple range lamp in the top of the sight is lit as a warning that you may have an inaccurate range to the target. The Leopard AS1 always uses the last return on the LRF to minimize possibilities of an erroneous multiple return you should lase center of mass of close targets, but lase near the base of smaller targets or from other well defined features at the target range (e.g. a building or embankment). Wheeled vehicles can be a problem at longer ranges as there is more gap for the beam to spill underneath the target. The sight should be returned to centre of mass before applying dynamic lead and firing if offset lasing is performed.
When the gun is ready to fire , the first character in the range group is an "F", and when the gun is not ready an "O" is displayed. The final character displays the round type loaded, with "" corresponding to ammo_type 1 (sabot), "" for ammo_type 2 (HEAT), "" for empty or for ammo_type 3 and 4 (HESH or White Phosphorus). "d" is reserved for the coaxial mg.
Engaging Targets
Engaging targets with the GPS can be a complicated affair. Obviously the first thing you need to do to engage a target is to acquire it. The best way to do this is by using the GPS in the wide angle mode.
Lasing
Once a target is acquired, the gunner should switch to 12x magnification by pressing N and place the center of the reticle on the target and lase by pressing CTRL or Joystick Button 2. The reticle will jump if the current range or ammunition nature differs from that previously used, and the gunner must relay the gun after updating the FCS. Lasing the target only obtains range in the Leopard AS1, lead (pronounced "leed") is only calculated when requested by the gunner (which needs only to be done if the target is moving, irrespective of the Leopard's own movement status.
Lead
The FCS on the Leopard AS1 can calculate and induce lead when required. Lead is the term used to refer to putting a gun sight in front of a target which is moving perpendicular to your vantage point. When you lead a target, you essentially need to fire in front of target at the point in which the round and target will meet. When the gunner presses the dynamic lead button P (or middle mouse button or joystick button 3), the Leopard AS1 FCS will calculate a fixed lead value. The lead is only applied while the lead button is kept depressed. The ballistic computer calculates lead depending on the range entered into the computer from the lase and the horizontal rate of traverse of the turret. The reticle is displaced in the sight, and the gunner must place the reticle back onto the target before firing.
- The Leopard AS1 uses a single axis head mirror on the GPS. The symbology is displaced within the sight image and the gunner must relay the gun after lasing and calculating lead as required by the FCS to allow for range and tracking rates.
A "good track" is when you can assume a steady track on the target with the reticle remaining on target as you follow it for a second or so. A "bad track" is when your tracking rate is either too fast or too slow in relation to the targets actual movement; track the target too fast and the reticle slowly moves in front of the target, track the target too slow and the reticle will fall behind. If you calculate the lead and subsequently fire with a "bad track" then you are most likely going to shoot in front of or behind the target.
One of the most popular aiming errors in the Leopard AS1 is to correct the aim of a bad track immediately before applying lead, or to not update the lead if the target changes speed or direction. As the lead calculations are not dynamic the correction onto final lay can be abrupt and if the conditions have not changed from those assumed the shot should hit.
It is possible to engage close or slow moving targets with an estimated lead by using the reticule graduations, and this is often faster without sacrificing much accuracy, especially for sabot rounds. It is a necessity to practice this for degraded gunnery modes anyway, see below.
Indexing Ammo
If the TC orders a change of the main gun ammo type (ie. from sabot to HEAT), the loader identifies the new ammo type when the round is loaded by pushing the appropriate button on his control panel which tells the ballistic computer which trajectory data to calculate. This is referred to as "indexing" the round type.
Although indexing the round is not the gunner's task in the Leopard AS1, it is still necessary to pay attention to the commander's ammunition orders, and the loader's responses, as certain ammunition types are not effective against targets behind cover, and slower rounds require additional manual lead in a battle sight engagement.
Manually Inputting Range
There may be instances when the gunner must manually index a range into the computer control panel (CCP). This may be necessary if a target cannot be lased through a smoke screen and another tank in the platoon has a good range on it, or the gunner wants to make an estimate, or for a variety of other reasons. To manually input a range into the CCP, simply press the number keys of the range value you want to enter (on the row of number keys below the function keys).
- Notice that range is input in the Leopard AS1 in "dekameters", that is, the last digit of the range is always assumed to be a zero. To enter a range of 1820 meters, simply type "182" followed by "Enter"
As you punch in the numbers you will see the white colored numbers superimpose the sight image. When you have the range you want typed in, enter into the CCP by pressing ENTER. The range will now be indexed into the ballistic computer and the gun tube elevated or depressed as if you just lased a target at that range. If you also want lead to be calculated then simply apply the dynamic lead switch by pressing P.
Actually, in real life the primary sight's symbology will always read F999 if manual range is entered into the ballistic computer. The actual range would be shown on the computer control panel. Since this is currently not modeled in Steel Beasts, the simplification is to show the range like any other range in the primary sight's display.
Firing
Once a target is lased and, if the target is moving, a steady track with dynamic lead is held, the gun is ready to be fired. To fire the main gun press SPACEBAR or Joystick Button 1. The round will now be launched down range and the enemy will hopefully be rewarded with a quick and painless death.
Gunner's Auxiliary Sight (GAS)
The gunner's auxiliary sight (GAS) is the gunner's secondary means to engage targets when the GPS is disabled or when the fire control system has a fault. The GAS is also the sight that the gunner should reference when determining whether the gun tube is clear of a forward obstruction (like a berm or ridge line). Press F3 to access the GAS.
The GAS sight has a fixed 8x magnification and is always aligned with the gun.
Sight Symbology
The GAS sight is fairly simple to understand. On the left are two range scales for KE and HEAT rounds. The numbers on these scales represent the range to the target in hundreds of meters. Range to the target can be provided by other vehicles in the platoon, byt the commander estimating the range using the PANO sight, by comparison of the target size to the reticule intervals or by estimation. Range estimation is more important for HESH or HEAT ammunition than for KE rounds, as the increased time of flight requires more super elevation for an equivalent error in range. The reticule has marks to assist the gunner with lead estimation.
The reticule is of the 'disturbed' type, being moved in elevation with the range 'carets' on the range scales. Align the caret with the desired range on the appropriate scale using the Shift-Arrow UP and Shift-Arrow DOWN, then lay the reticule cross onto the target. If the target requires lead then offset the sight so that the reticule is centered on a point ahead of the target, and fire.
Engaging Targets
Engaging targets with the GAS is not an exact science, but can be quite accurate with a sufficient amount of exercise and precise range estimation. A good gunner will learn the dimensions of targets - width, length, height (both of hull, turret, and combined) and use the reticle markings in the sight to measure the size in mil. Some crews prepare a table with typical target silhouettes, their sizes in mils, and the resulting ranges, so you need not do basic math but simply look up the most appropriate case in the table.
- Example: A T-72 is 3.5m wide. At 1000m the width would appear to be exactly 3.5 mil. If the target is 2 mil wide, follow the range estimation formula: Real dimension divided by size in mil multiplied by 1000. In this case 3.5:2 = 1.75, or 1750m
Without precise range estimation you will probably waste several rounds before you get it right, which may be even worse if you cannot properly observe your fall of shot. To hit a moving target, use the following rules of thumb:
- Sabot ammo, slow movement: Aim for the forward edge of the target silhouette
- Sabot ammo, fast movement: Use the rear end of the first line in the reticule to line up with the center of the target silhouette
- HEAT ammo, slow movement: Use the rear end of the first line in the reticule to line up with the center of the target silhouette
- HEAT ammo, fast movement: Use the dot between the two horizonal lines in the reticule to line up with the center of the target silhouette
- HESH ammo and WP are significantly slower than HEAT and require proportionately more lead.
- HESH ammo, slow movement: Use the dot between the two horizontal lines to line up with the target.
- HESH ammo, fast movement: Use the far line in the reticule to aim at the front of the target.
The basic process behind using the GAS to engage a target is to select the proper range scale, estimate the range to the target, and apply it to the GAS sight, engage the target, make adjustments and reengage if necessary.
Selecting the Proper Reticle
Left side: use the left (open) scale for HESH, and the inner (tight) scale for KE. Right side: ude the right (open) scale for Coax, and the inner scale for HEAT.
Ranging
The first thing you need to do is estimate range to a target by using the reticule markings on the the GAS sight, or from any other source
Firing
Once the range is estimated to the target, adjust the GAS range so that the appropriate range numbers to the are even with the caret, based on ammunition type. Next, if the target is stationary, align the target with the GAS reticule cross. If the target is moving, use the dashed lines to the left and right of center to estimate lead depending on the target's speed.
For example, the target's range was estimated at 1500m HESH is loaded and the target is stationary. The sight's range is increased so that the caret is even with the "15" on the HESH scale, and the target is centered in the sight.
Once this is done, you are now ready to engage the target.
Reengage
In the event that you miss the target, you should simply adjust the sight in relation to where the round hit and walk it into the target. You should not waste valuable time estimating the range to the target again unless the target is rapidly moving towards or away from you.
Additional targets can be engaged by allowing extra super elevation according to the range scale if their range differs from the first target, although ideally you would adjust the GAS range and lay the reticule on the target.
Manual Range Input
There may be instances when the gunner must manually index a range into the Computer Control Panel (CCP), located to the right of the Gunner's Control Panel. This may be necessary if a target cannot be lased through a smoke screen and another tank in the platoon has a good range on it, or the gunner wants to make an estimate, or for a variety of other reasons including failure of the laser. To manually input a range into the CCP, the ballistic computer must be set to manual range mode and the rotary dial used to increase and decrease range. Since the 3D model of the interior is not yet available in Steel Beasts, simply type in the range as described above in the Primary Sight section.
The gunner can also enter the battle sight range into the ballistic computer, using the Gunner's Control Panel (GCP) between the Computer Control Panel and the GPS. Select the "E1000" button, which illuminates indicating the range has been passed to the ballistic computer. The GPS now indicates a range of "E000". In SB, battle sight can be activated using the Backspace key.