Advice on situational awarness as a T-72 tank commander?

[Dakota7]

Does anyone have advice, tips, tricks on how to function as a T-72 tank commander when buttoned up?

I apologize if this has been asked and answered before, I did try a forum search first but most deal with tank gunnery.

I've been playing SB for a bit over a year now mostly as a TC or gunner for NATO tanks (Abrams, Leo, etc..), no problems there (was an Abrams crewman IRL).

 

Recently I'm trying to learn Soviet tanks, mostly T-72. After some practice I understand the gunnery part, but now trying to work as a T-72 tank commander damn is it difficult to maintain situational awareness and stay in formation when buttoned up (which I assume is how they fought and what I want to learn).

 

I tried a custom Platoon Recon mission but those didn't go well. So I made a simple scripted scenario with a Soviet tank company that starts in column then deploys into line of battle, I've played several times as a wingman TC but still get lost and fall out of formation while buttoned up.

 

The vision blocks only give a small forward field of view, for the periscope I use the "," key for azimuth stabilization but still bounces around too much on the move to make sense of anything.
Is there something I'm missing?  
Any advice? Thanks.

[DarkAngel]

When you die you know there are enemy around.

[Lumituisku]

8 hours ago, Dakota7 said:

Does anyone have advice, tips, tricks on how to function as a T-72 tank commander when buttoned up?

I apologize if this has been asked and answered before, I did try a forum search first but most deal with tank gunnery.

I've been playing SB for a bit over a year now mostly as a TC or gunner for NATO tanks (Abrams, Leo, etc..), no problems there (was an Abrams crewman IRL).

 

Recently I'm trying to learn Soviet tanks, mostly T-72. After some practice I understand the gunnery part, but now trying to work as a T-72 tank commander damn is it difficult to maintain situational awareness and stay in formation when buttoned up (which I assume is how they fought and what I want to learn).

 

I tried a custom Platoon Recon mission but those didn't go well. So I made a simple scripted scenario with a Soviet tank company that starts in column then deploys into line of battle, I've played several times as a wingman TC but still get lost and fall out of formation while buttoned up.

 

The vision blocks only give a small forward field of view, for the periscope I use the "," key for azimuth stabilization but still bounces around too much on the move to make sense of anything.
Is there something I'm missing?  
Any advice? Thanks.

There's currently bug that prevents periscope to be elevated over 0 degrees. Or to put it in other words. It is not known for sure how much it can elevate. That takes Peri out of action when moving. On real life crews can use their body mass to semi stabilize it too. Though it still would be very difficult to actually spot stationary objects.  The other method is vision block. Those are quite big and you can see quite Large area from each. However unlike real life on Steelbeast you cannot rotate cupola to scan around while observing from vision blocks. So .. that is goner too. 

 

Only thing remaining is to be unbuttoned. 

[Mirzayev]

#1 recommendation: use the map. This helps you understand where your adjacent units are, and where the enemy is location in relation to you. This applies to every vehicle and unit in Steel Beasts. 

[Dakota7]

Ok thanks, damn that's disappointing!

[Madmatt]

It probably goes without saying, although here I am saying it anyway, but with the addition of the T-72B3 with the Sosna-U thermal imager and TC's access to his own TKN-3 periscope; the ability to fight and command this vehicle while buttoned from the commanders seat is much better than in the older models of T-72. Definitely worth a try!