Directional spotting from tanks

[poesel]

I wanted to see how 'directional' the spotting of tanks is. Do tanks spot better or worse in different directions and how much?

But I got a bit distracted by a slightly surprising result.

Test 1: buttoned regular fanatic Tiger I (late) vs 144 fanatic FOs with hide and CA on a flat plain. 200x200m area. FOs evenly distributed, Tiger in the middle looking up.

Result: 100% spotted to the front, 50-65% to the sides and 20-35% to the back

Remark: I didn't hide the FOs in the first try but this led to nearly everyone getting spotted - even those in the back.

Test 2: unbuttoned Tiger, all else the same

Result: nearly 100% spotted after one minute to all sides

Test 3: as 2, but now shoot the TC (because the FOs only shoot with a target command I can't have him shot on turn one)

Result: Tiger spots 100%. When TC is shot all(!) contacts left/right/back are lost but most are regained within a minute (with buttoned tank)

Test 4: as 3 and unbutton the Tiger again. Radioman gets shot.

Result: Again all contacts left/right/back are lost but they never come back! The Tiger only spots to the front arc.

Test 5: as 4 and turn Tiger 90° to the right

Result: spotting arc moves with tank

Test 6: as 5 but turn only turret by another 90°

Result: 100% spotting arc moves with turret but there's still a 90° arc to the front of the hull but with limited range (~50m)

So CM simulates the positions of the soldiers in the tank - well done! With only gunner, loader and driver left it looks like the driver looks to the front, the gunner along the turret and the loader sees nothing.

Question to the tank grogs: is that realistic for a Tiger? What about other tanks or AFVs?

I would run more tests if someone could tell me what to expect.

Btw game wise I'll have to rethink my habit to go unbuttoned into battle.

[agusto]

Interesting, good test.

[Michael Emrys]

Btw game wise I'll have to rethink my habit to go unbuttoned into battle.

I made that decision about a month ago. I was losing just too many TCs and having the tank go through the rest of the game buttoned anyway and with reduce morale and efficiency. Not really worth the extra spotting ability that might or might not be gained with an exposed crew. And once potential threats have at least been thinned out, I can always unbutton late in the game where the consequences of losing a TC would not tip the balance so far for so long.

Michael