Using The Rangefinder

[markl]

Hi,

Is there anything about using the range finder around? I am trying the demo and there seems to be no documentation with it. (Unless I missed it) I seem to be having problems using the rangefinder. I can't seem to hit anything from the commander or gunner stations. Getting the hang of everything else though.

If there is nothing around could someone post some screen shots as a quick tutorial on how to use the rangefinder to hit targets?

I really like the dust in this game. I used to do a lot of driving in the Australian outback deserts. It brings back memories and I can nearly taste it. Really nice. The graphics seem really good to me. I have a reasonably high end system and the load times are fairly long. I would hate to be trying this on a medium setup with an old graphics card.

Any help would be appreciated.

Cheers MarkL

[SuomiKp]

Check this out for how to use the sight's in T34

http://www.battlefront.com/discuss/ultimatebb.php?ubb=get_topic;f=46;t=000198

[ July 23, 2005, 10:56 PM: Message edited by: SuomiKp ]

[Officer Meatbeef]

Alright, first off: as you play the demo, messages should appear on the left side of the screen with instructions on how to accomplish the basics like this. However, if you've chosen the pre-set "Full" realism setting in-game, there's a chance those "console messages" may have been turned off; I've done all my realism setting in the outside-game Configuration program, so I can't say that for sure. If they're not on, you may want to turn them on by running Config and setting Effects->No Console to "No".

(Also, the readme in the main game directory provides a basic rundown of the keys 'n such)

Anywoo, if you have enabled them but still aren't clear on how the system operates, here's a rundown that should hopefully help you out.

So, from either the gunner position or commander's position in Dual mode:

1. Make sure you have the Fire Control System on (default key: s) or you probably won't even be able to get the main gun loaded, much less hit anything with it.

2. Use B & N to select which type of round you want to use. If you don't know which rounds are what, I'm not surprised; this is the one important thing in the demo that really can't be found anywhere in the Readme or the tutorial messages. Just in case you don't know this stuff already, here's a simple overview of round types:

BPS: Armour-Piercing Sabot. Use against other tanks.

OFS: High Explosive (for taking out infantry, soft targets like guns & thin-skinned vehicles like APCs)

BKS: HEAT (High Explosive Anti-Tank) Shaped Charge, also for use against other tanks, but much tougher to hit with due to its ballistics. Penetration won't be affected by range if you do score a hit though, unlike with BPS.

UR: Guided Missile. Used primarily for anti-air. No need for range-finding with this thing.

P: Coax MG. Used to kill infantry.

3. Load the selected round using the default key R.

NOTE: You can do this step BEFORE or AFTER rangefinding; hopefully you'll understand what I mean in a minute.

Alright, now to what you really wanted to know: Rangefinding

4. Place the center of your sight right on the target you want to find the range to by using either the arrow keys or holding the left mouse button and moving the mouse. No matter which optics you are looking through on the T72 (Pgup/PgDn to cycle through those), the center of your sight should be at the tip of the largest caret (^) on the sight.

Use Numpad + & -(or mousewheel) to zoom up and down on the main T72 sight (the one with the most scales, ranges and carets) and get a better view of your target, to help ensure accurate range finding. Note: If you're playing the "Dogfight" mission, you only have access to the T72's various fixed-zoom sights.

For a stationary target:

5a. Press Enter or the right mouse button, and the tank's range finder should immediately determine range to the current target and display it numerically at the bottom of the screen (by default, it will say 9980). If the target is extremely close (less than 300m), or past 9980m, the range finder will simply display 9980 as well. But here's the important thing to know:

Once you have found the range on a stationary target, you can simply fire!

As long as you and your target remain stationary, the Fire Control System will automatically adjust the gun's elevation to score a hit with the currently selected ammunition at the selected range, and if you desire you can even move the sight around to make slight adjustments to your aimpoint or whatever.

However, since each type of round has very different ballistics, you will probably only hit where you are aiming if you are actually using the type of round you have ranged for! That means the round type selected when you found the range, not necessarily the one loaded (ie. you could load a HE round, press B [selecting an BPS AT round], find the range, fire, and the shot would be adjusted for the AT type round, NOT the HE round). Simple enough really, but knowing it could save you some confusion later.

For a moving target:

5b. If your target is moving in a relatively straight line, or your target is stationary but you are moving steadily, you can help increase your odds of hitting by rangefinding once the same as you would for a stationary target, and then within the next 2 (possibly 5) seconds, ensuring the aim point is again on the target and rangefinding once more. Your fire control system will then automatically compensate not only for elevation but the movement of your target, leading it accordingly.

As long as it continues on the same vector and speed (and doesn't get substantially farther or nearer to you in the process), you can simply place the aim point on the target, fire, and you will score a hit. Again, this ranging will be performed for the currently selected (not necessarily the current loaded) ammo type. So if you wanted/needed to, you could actually load the appropriate round after rangefinding; of course, against a moving target, in the time it takes you to load that round you could very well need to re-range again anyway.

And the final step:

6. Fire the round by pressing Space (or Q if you've ranged for your coax MG), watch your carefully ranged shot slice into your enemy like a hot poker through a cool penguin, and cheer with nefarious glee.

Did I make all that sound too complicated? Hope not. Anyway, hopefully this should give you all you need to know to hit whatever you please using the automatic rangefinding ability of the T72. No screenshots I'm afraid, but if you still need some clarification just say so and I'll be glad to grab a few. Enjoy delivering 125mms of carefully-ranged destruction to all who stand before you!

And if you thought all that was tricky, you should see my preferred style of gunnery: classic, computer-unassisted range finding with manual sighting adjustment and target lead! The choice of REAL men! Well, real men whose computerized rangefinder is either knocked out, non-existent (T34), and/or who simply wish to be cut to ribbons while they fiddle with sighting adjustment and ranging scales. Still, loads of fun when you can always just reload, and immensely satisfying when you score that perfect first shot. Feel free to ask about it if you're crazy enough!

[Brian Smith]

Nice outline, Meatbeef!

[markl]

Thanks for the detailed response. I will give it another go now.

Cheers MarkL

[Bonxa]

Yeah, I like ranging in with the MG and then setting the range manually. It's almost impossible with the HEAT rounds at longer ranges though. But HEAT seems to be slightly better at brewing up targets so I like to use it to finish off opponents.

[Tyro]

Meatbeef, is there a better control method than arrow keys, I am all over the place with them,and when I use the mouse it is even worse/

[EGP]

What about the T-55 ?

I can't get any respone from the rangefinder no matter what I try. I have turned on the fire control system with the 'S' key and selected + loaded a round, but pressing right mouse button, or the 'R' key or the 'Enter' key does nothing.

Can anyone advice me on what I'm missing ?

Could it be that I don't have a selected target in a square box ?

Cheers,

Erling

[SuomiKp]

Originally posted by Tyro:

Meatbeef, is there a better control method than arrow keys, I am all over the place with them,and when I use the mouse it is even worse/

Joystick is the best , arrow keys are good until fps drops too low

If you dont have joystick you might try lower graphics settings for better fps

[Bonxa]

Often the range finder won't work for me either when the target is too near (<~300 meters) or far away. Bad weather seems to reduce the range of the range finder substantially. You'll have to switch to manual range finding then.

[Officer Meatbeef]

Originally posted by Tyro:

Meatbeef, is there a better control method than arrow keys, I am all over the place with them,and when I use the mouse it is even worse/

Hmmmm... I tend to use the mouse for tracking a moving target or getting the gun generally centered, then the arrow keys for fine-tuning. Suomi's totally beat me to the punch on this one though. I don't currently have my joystick around, but if you have one that could definitely be worth a shot.

And too low a frame rate will definitely make any kind of precision aiming very difficult. If that's the case, I'd highly recommend tweaking your graphics settings to try and smooth things out, and you should see a dramatic improvement in your ability to aim no matter what type of input you're using to do it.

Originally posted by EGP:

What about the T-55 ?

Hmmm, unfortunately I only have the demo and so I dunno if I can be too much help here. Perhaps the T55 is modelled to have an older, less-effective rangefinder? Also, I believe that in some missions in the real campaign your tank actually begins with damaged components, so perhaps the rangefinder on your T55 in that particular mission is simply broken. And a long shot: are you sure you're in a T55 and not a T34? The T34 has no automatic rangefinder at all, to the best of my knowledge. I actually have target boxes turned off, so I don't think that should be the problem.

Originally posted by Bonxa:

Often the range finder won't work for me either when the target is too near (<~300 meters) or far away.

Indeed, the rangefinder not "working" when the target is <~300 is by design. At that kind of ridiculously point-blank range, there's really no need for it; just point and shoot. The longer distance issues certainly seem to depend on weather conditions however... in the Firing Range demo mission, I can only range a maximum of 1450 meters; attempts to range any further simply give a 9980. Whereas in the Dogfight mission, where the environment does seem to be a little less hazy, I can range up to 1500m before the finder can't get a decent value.

[EGP]

Meatbeat:

Yes, it's a T-55 allright..

Weather is bad; it's raining. I actually managed to get a reading of 305m just once in repeated playings of the mission, so dunno if the weather is the culprit, or if it's supposed to be an intermittend fault in the rangefinder, or if it's simply a bug in the game. Guess I'll have to play a little further to try and find out..

Cheers,

Erling