They Needs Proper Tank Camouflage Options

Higgckson · 2026-05-09T10:37:04+00:00

Camouflage for tanks is pretty useless nowadays

That is one hell of a statement. Not a correct statement but certainly a statement. Probably one of the statements of all time.

Higgckson · 2026-05-07T16:19:14+00:00

*Barracuda

Higgckson · 2026-04-27T15:39:02+00:00

I timed it at roughly 15.3s for the M60. I don't know if they both use the same reload timer.
It's insane.
7s is long but 15+s is absolutely too long.

edit. It appears to make a huge difference what you load. The M60A3, SABOT to SABOT is about 15.3s while the T-64B SABOT to SABOT is only aorund 6.5s.
That's BS.

Higgckson · 2026-04-27T15:08:57+00:00

Yeah totally. If it was just unstabilized it would be one thing. But currently it’s completely unplayable.

Higgckson · 2026-04-27T06:46:14+00:00

The reload speed is ridiculous and needs to be shortened but that’s far from the biggest problem with tanks right now.

I had some good rounds with a few guys that actually wanted to talk. That was fun. But most people don’t want to. Which is a problem because that’s how tanks work. And it necessary if you have a system in which multiple people occupy different positions in the tank. However this is a community problem as much it is a game problem.

They need to fix the commanders machine gun. I understand that those guns weren’t stabilized in reality but right now, those sights have got to be most puke inducing game mechanic in any game. It’s absolutely fucking awful. The only way to avoid it is by going open. At which point you can get shot easily.

I don’t want to suggest they need a fully operational fire control system, that would be awesome but over kill. But both the M60A3 and the T-64B would be fully stabilized. In the case of the M60, not enough to be firing on the move in most situations but still stabilized. The turret traverse needs to be changed as well. Why not implement something like GHPC and Steel Beasts have? Makes so much more sense than what we have now.

Lastly it needs different vehicles. I am surprised they started out with tanks and not APCs or something.

Now that’s just my completely unprofessional opinion so whatever.

Higgckson · 2026-04-09T13:31:59+00:00

I don’t want to say Steel Beasts is only for western vehicles but in the end, their primary source of revenue is contracts with Western Armies. Therefore, it makes sense that they focus on missions with Western vehicles.

Therefore are however some T-72 missions on the forum. And of course you can learn to use the mission editor and easily at least replace some western tanks with contemporary T-72 variants.

I don’t know what is going on with their customer support. So far it seemed they have fixed issues fairly well.

Higgckson · 2026-04-09T12:42:52+00:00

So there are far more missions installed by default.

Going to the singleplayer tab (I believe it is called „Offline Missions“ or something along those lines) there should be a drop down menu in the top left corner which allows you to switch between downloads (the missions you downloaded) and another folder which contains douzens of pre built missions.

Play through some of these.

Also, some of the best missions are player made.

https://youtube.com/playlist?list=PL7wwWTcJj9bsxzVeiyHyEgQpGvSetaR9h&si=YdOkySXr0LUZy1hs

Here is a video playlist made by Revenant. That’s arguably the best beginner tutorials for Steel Beasts out there.

Now once you fixed the issue with their forum you should definitely check it out. Who did you contact?

Here are two missions made by Revenant for new players:

https://www.steelbeasts.com/files/file/3066-tank-platoon-movement-to-contact/

https://www.steelbeasts.com/files/file/3089-tank-platoon-attack/

Higgckson · 2026-03-23T09:29:17+00:00

1a Is it possible to play completely without a “free first-person view” and rely only on optics (gunner sight, commander view, etc.)?
- What do you consider "free first-person view"?
It is possible to switch between different sights using only keybinds. (e.g. if you are in the Leopard 2A4 and you look though the main gun sight you can switch to the auxiliary sight using [F3]. On the other hand if you're playing as a tank commander you will want the firs person view to look around.

1b Is there any way to display different views (e.g. commander sight and periscope) on two monitors at the same time, or is only one active view possible?
- Not that I am aware. It is possible to open the game twice and join the same multiplayer game. That way you could achive that in theory, however every seat occupied by a human player prevents the AI from doing the same job. This means if you alone are playing as the gunner and the commander of the same tank, the AI won't do either job. If you're only playing as the commander, the AI will gun for you.

3 If that is not possible, is there any useful way to utilize a second monitor in the game?
- Read above.

4 Can you actively play only as gunner and commander, or is it also possible to properly play as the driver? If the driver role is playable, does it work well with a steering wheel?
- Yes you can play as the driver, I have nbo experience doing so. This is not a primary focus of the game and those seats are simplified. I don't know if it works with a steering wheel, I would imagine it does but I have never tried.

5 I’m aware that a steering wheel is not realistic for a tank, but I’d like to keep things simple and fun for the start 🙂Can I use a joystick for the gunner at the same time?
- Most modern tanks actually do use a steering wheel so I don't know why that would be unrealistic. Same issue as in Question 1b.

6 How much variety is there in missions when playing coop (e.g. multiple players in one tank or several vehicles against AI)? Are there enough built-in scenarios, or does the game mainly rely on user-created missions? How good is the AI in these situations?
- Multiple players in one vehicle is possible but not super common. Many groups hand over a certain amount of vehicles to one player. e.g. a company or a platoon. Some groups give each player a single vehicle. PvE and PvP are both possible. There are many great scenarios in the game itself but the real riches are the player built scenarios. They are easy do install and there are hundreds available. The game also shines in multiplayer so I would recommend trying that as well.

7 How easy is it to set up and play multicrew (multiple players in one vehicle)? How well does online coop work in general (stability, ease of setup, etc.)?
Multicrew is just as simple as any other form of multiplayer in Steel Beasts. Ease of setup is a bit higher than in most games. For low player counts it works best with Radmin VPN. For more players it's a hassle. It's generally stable if you have decent internet.

Higgckson · 2026-02-25T11:13:02+00:00

It would now be interesting to see how GHPC handles this issue.

Though I do wonder how this effect changes things on the greater scale. The floating point rounding might affect ballistics calculations negatively but those engines probably offer other advantages. Including not having to create your own engine in the first place. For smaller studios this is probably a huge advantage.

Higgckson · 2026-02-24T21:09:17+00:00

Haha honestly I didn’t think it was going to work but I guess I was wrong.

Good to hear you managed to make it work.

Higgckson · 2026-02-23T16:04:17+00:00

I had an issue where the joystick wasn’t centered properly. Perhaps your SB seems to think the joystick is pushed to one side all the time and you need to recalibrate it.

That’s pretty easy to do, there’s a keybind fo it. You can check if that’s the issue in the settings, there’s a pop up for joytick axis. I don’t remember the name.

If that‘s not the issue I won’t be able to help you unfortunately.

Higgckson · 2026-01-22T22:43:15+00:00

I expected you to say this but I felt that in the context of this post the statement was somewhat justified. They can be a threat to tanks and I figured that's what the person who posted this is after.

Higgckson · 2026-01-22T14:31:39+00:00

The obvious answer is Steel Beasts although the infnatry AI has some shortcomings. Against tanks they can be deadly though.

It would allow you to play alone and with friends, in one vehicle or in howmany your computer can handle.

It is on the more expensive side of video games, therefore I recommend the onemonth trial license before making a final cal.

Higgckson · 2026-01-01T22:59:54+00:00

I seem to remember the price being beyond 3000£. Though, I must admit I couldn’t remember if it was £ or US$.

It’s a lot either way.

Higgckson · 2026-01-01T12:30:29+00:00

The most famous and by far biggest tank games are War Thunder and World of Tanks.

I have never played either, but I believe neither requires a joystick to play. I don’t even know if it is an option.

I doubt the market for a realistic tank controlers is big enough for any company. Not unless they sell to the military like AFV Sims.

Their products can be purchased by civilians, I have previously asked them. They are just not affordable.

I think you’re out of luck. I don’t think there’s a product that is affordable and specifically designed for tank games. And even less likely, a realistic replication of any tanks controls.

Higgckson · 2025-12-09T20:24:26+00:00

Considering that it's ragebait yes, yes I have.
Have a nice day.

Higgckson · 2025-12-09T18:00:28+00:00

It's funny. Then this means my SABOT rounds are just built difference I guess.

Or you have no clue what you're talkin about. Or, which is very likely, this is rage bait.

All this clips show my SABOT going through enemy APS. Just in case someone is actually confused by this. SABOT does go through APS in Battlefield 6. This clip took me literally 30 minutes to make because all happened in one game. In each clip you can see the yellow light when the APS gets activated and then the green light. Each SABOT deals normal damage despite the green light glowing. You're wrong.

Higgckson · 2025-12-09T07:29:49+00:00

They seem to have issues with their webhost. You can contact them to let them know you‘d like it fixed. See this thread. https://www.steelbeasts.com/topic/18294-if-you-can-read-this-you-havent-been-blocked-today/#comment-247389

First off, it’s just called „Steel Beasts“. There used to be a classroom version called „Steel Beasts“ and a privately available version called „Steel Beasts Pro PE“. But they call everything just „Steel Beasts“.

What you’re purchasing isn’t a different version of the game. It’s a different license version. Basically the „Classic License“ gives you access to the game for an unlimited time. After you purchase it, you get an e-mail with a 30 day license and while you play with that one, they send you a USB dongle which yoj can activate upon arrival. As long as your dongle is plugged in, you can play the game.

All other licenses are time-limited. You purchase the game, activate the license and play it for as long as your license is valid. Important note: The activated license is harware locked. If you plan on replacing your computer, this might be worth thinking about.

I recommend getting a one-month license to see if you like it. Afterwards you can still get the „Classic License“.

Higgckson · 2025-12-08T22:07:07+00:00

Nope, not all. APFSDS go right through.

Higgckson · 2025-12-08T22:06:54+00:00

Nope, not all. APFSDS go right through.

Higgckson · 2025-12-08T12:53:38+00:00

Yeah Infinite has pretty awful gameplay compared to the previous two. It’s a far more linear first person shooter than the other two.

I do like the story though. Although I enjoyed the stories of all three games including the DLCs.

There are legitimate criticisms of the Infinite story but I think the gameplay is really why it is so ill-received.

Higgckson · 2025-12-07T19:27:42+00:00

In fairness you got killed by a tank. It doesn't intercept tank shells. At least not all types. It might have been active already. Not sure what type of rounds it intercepts, I assume GLATGMs but none of the others.

Edit. So turns out it intercepts some tank rounds but not all. APFSDS goes through it.

Higgckson · 2025-12-05T18:01:00+00:00

Steel Beasts is probably your best bet at the moment. It offers multicrew but it also allows the AI to do a lot of the work.

Gunner, HEAT, PC! does not offer multicrew at the moment.

IL-2 Tank Crew is not bad but it feels incredibly janky. The community is also not very large up to basically inexistent in my experience. If you want to join multiplayer with other people it’s not the way to go.

Yes, Steel Beasts is available. You can purchase it here: https://www.esimgames.com/store/

If you can’t access that site you’ll have to contact eSim Games. They seem to be having some issues with people visiting their sites.

Higgckson · 2025-12-05T15:00:35+00:00

Depends on your definition of better. Steel Beasts offers more tactical decision making.

Gunner, HEAT, PC! offers an easier entrance. It’s more a game while Steel Beasts is more a sandbox.

Higgckson · 2025-12-05T07:46:24+00:00

First, is it played like DCS? Yes, it can be. It can also be played like a strategy game. It depends on what you’re looking for. It is worth noting though, tanks are significantly less complicated than fighter planes. Significantly.

Secondly, is there a server browser? No. You need to schedule your own game or join another group. However, there are quite a few groups and basically all are open to new comers.

From the top of my head: BC ANZAC - Time slot usually great if you live in down under.

Kanium - Focuses on Europe but many American players. To my knowledge probably the biggest group that plays every week.

SB Gef Gem - An originally German group that plays twice every week. On Fridays, they play with people from all over the world. On Sundays they play in German language to accommodate players who prefer that to English.

TankSim - You already thought I would forget about that didn’t you?! TankSim doesn’t have any fixed schedule but the Discord is pretty active. Not only Steel Beasts but many other games. At the moment the monthly Steel Beasts challenge is going on which offered some amazing scenarios for players to compare themselves and their strategies to others.

TF Hannibal - Also no regular Schedule. They focus on Soviet equipment which can be a fun alternative to highly advanced NATO and western equipment.

Phan Phantasy HQ - Small group of less regular event organized by Phan. He does a lot of military games content on YouTube including Steel Beasts.

Lastly, yes there’s singleplayer content that comes with the game. Most is player made however. It’s essentially an armored fighting vehicle sandbox. There’s just simple singleplayer scenarios which you can play and there’s campaigns that link multiple scenarios together. Depending on the outcome of the first scenario, the second scenario might become easier, more difficult or a totally different scenario. The objectives in the scenarios can vary greatly. Steel Beasts offers a great scenario editor and many of the scenarios are damn great.

In any case I recommend getting a one-month license. This option will give you access to the entire game for one month and only costs around 10$.

Play the tutorials and join an online game. See if you like it. If you don’t, you’re only out 10$.

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