Hey Tankers!

Today, we look at Armored Battle Crew's fuel system and the highly anticipated flamethrower!


Flamethrowers in action!




Keep your eyes on the fuel meter!

All vehicles require fuel to operate (duh), and a vehicle's fuel reserves are stored in the fuel tank. Naturally, the vehicle will no longer be drive-able when its fuel tank is empty.

Note: Engines with higher performance are usually fuel guzzlers and drain your fuel reserves faster. So, choose your engine wisely!

Engines also consume fuel at different rates depending on the vehicle's state

• Idle (very low amount overtime)
  
• Pivot steer (low amount)
  
• Driving (medium to high depending on speed)

Due to the compact map design and relatively fast pace of ABC, the fuel consumption rate of engines have been set significantly higher when compared to their real life counterparts. This is done so you'll need to monitor your vehicle's fuel reserves.

In typical real-life scenarios, a vehicle's fuel reserve would last over a few hours of driving before needing to refuel. However, in ABC fuel consumption is balanced so that the tank will require refueling at least once, or twice during each mission (30min average playtime).



Fuel Storage

Fuel is a resource that can be stored in a Fuel Storage Module in the form of Fuel Cans. These cans are used to replenish the Fuel Tank or flamethrower.

The Fuel Storage Module and Fuel Tank can also be refilled/replenished using the following methods:

• Staying on Resupply Points scattered throughout the map
  
• Calling in Supply Drops via the Signal Module (Cost 50 Command Points)

The Flamethrower or flammenwerfer, was first seen and used in WW1 by the Germans during the attack on Verdun in 1915. The device was powered by a pressurized fuel tank and was carried on the back of soldiers.

Upon activation, the pressurized gas forces fuel out of a long rubber tube. The fuel is then ignited by an igniter situated on the steel nozzle, at the end of the rubber tube. This projected a jet of flame over a short distance onto a target's position.

The British Army experimented with larger and static flamethrower setups, with one of them requiring a long tunnel to store the fuel tanks. Eventually, smaller and more portable devices, for example the Hay Flame Gun would be used by the British Navy during the Zeebrugge Raid in 1918.


Small Flame Projector

There are 2 types of flamethrowers in ABC, Small and Large. The Small Flamethrower has a shorter range (15-20m), but can be mounted in the vehicle's gun port as a Light Weapon.


Large Flame Projector

The Large flamethrower on the other hand, has an extended range (30-40m). Giving it a larger area of effect in exchange for slower reloading speeds.

The flames shot from both flamethrowers travel in an arc, making them useful when engaging targets fully or partially behind cover. The flames are ineffective against enemy armor, but are devastating on exposed infantry.

Do note that the flamethrower uses Fuel as a resource, not your typical Light or Heavy ammo. So, be sure to have a Fuel Storage Module on board!


This is what Fire Range is for!



That’s all for now! Stay tuned for more insight in ABC and be sure to WISHLIST the game and be the first to set the battlefield on fire!

Also, join us on Discord to chat about the game and tanks!

If you like what you're reading/seeing, consider dropping us a like and comment!

Armored Battle Crew Team

Hey Tankers!

Today, we will go into detail about the difference between ammo types and how the armor works in Armored Battle Crew.


Try aiming at a flat surface!

Each weapon has the ability to fire a maximum of 4 types of Ammo. For example, the 57mm 6 Pounder 6 cwt cannons can fire Armor Piercing, High Explosive, Canister and Shrapnel rounds. The ammo type can be change during combat in the Weapons Panel, so be sure to use the right ammo for the right target!


You can view each available Ammo Type when customizing the weapon in the Garage.


AP Shells will deal damage to any target in its path but as their name suggests, are best used against armored targets. However, they take into account of armor sloping and can be completely stopped if the armor is thick enough.


HE Shells will explode on impact against any surface (eg. fence, wall). This explosion causes splash damage with it's effective damage dropping drastically over distance. HE Shells have a low armor penetration value which means armor thickness can greatly reduce the damage caused. The HE Shells rely on chemical energy for its destructive power, which allows it to keep its penetration and damage effectiveness over distance. This makes it useful for engaging both armored and infantry targets at distance.


Canister Shells functions like a giant shotgun, releasing a volley of bullets from the muzzle of the gun in a forward arc. It has short range but absolutely devastating against exposed infantry.


Shrapnel Shells function similarly to the Canister Shell, but detonate at a fixed distance before the target. On detonation, the round releases a volley of bullets in a forward arc. It is not as powerful as the Canister shell but is useful when engaging infantry at long-range.



Firing Canister against enemy infantry!



Now you're clear about the types of Shells we have in Armored Battle Crew, lets find out how the different types of rounds interact with Armored targets.


Learn how the armor works so that you won’t go ballistic when your shots keep bouncing off enemy armor.

When an AP Shell hits an enemy vehicle, the game will calculate the contact point and Impact Angle to figure out the effective thickness at the collision point. If there is enough Penetration Value, the shell will punch through the armor and do damage.

All AP Shells have a Penetration Value that will drop over distance traveled and when striking armor.

The angle at which a shell strikes the armor. The ideal impact angle is at 0 degree (also called the normal) and is perpendicular to the armor. The real Impact Angle is then calculated based off the deviation from the normal.

All tanks are armored with metal plates of different thickness. Generally speaking, a tank's armor is thickest at the front and gets progressively thinner as you go toward the rear, with the top and bottom being the most thinly armored.

That said, the real thickness of a piece of armor is based on the Impact Angle of a shell. A shell that strikes at an angle away from the normal will decrease it's Penetration Value, making the armor harder to penetrate.


The effective armor thickness is calculated by dividing the real armor thickness with the cosine of the impact angle. #Math

• At 0 degree, Effective Armour Thickness is at 100%.
  
• At 30 degree, Effective Armour Thickness is at 115%.
  
• At 45 degree, Effective Armour Thickness is at 141%.
  
• At 60 degree, Effective Armour Thickness is at 200%.

As the Impact Angle increases, so does the Effective Armour Thickness. So, it's advised to target the side or rear of enemy armor and avoid firing at a highly sloped surface.

Last but not least, this mechanic applies to enemy shells as well. Angle your armor to maximize its effective thickness and watch incoming rounds bounce off like they're nothing!

As mentioned, HE Shells explode on contact, so keep a lookout for potential obstacles such as trees, fences, sandbags or walls to avoid friendly fire damage.

Do note that anything within the splash radius will get damaged and the best way to negate splash damage is to create distance and make sure there is armor between the point of impact.



That’s all for now. Stay tuned for more insights and be sure to WISHLIST the game and don't go AWOL when the enlistment begins!

As always, join us on Discord to chat about the game and tanks!

And drop a like and comment below to let us know what you are thinking!

Armored Battle Crew Team

Hey Tankers!

Today, we want to give you an overview of the Whippet tank.

The Whippet, was designed with better mobility to exploit gaps left by the slower Mark series tanks. It is manned by 3 crew members, made up of a driver, a commander and a gunner.



The Whippet sports a pair of 45 horsepower Tylor petrol engines. It can reach a top speed of 13 km/h, a good 5 km/h more than Mark V.

The engine and fuel tank is located at the front of the fighting compartment, with the crew needing to exit the tank to access the fuel tank via the engine deck.



Armed with only 4 gun ports (Front, Left, Right and Rear), the Whippet lacks the firepower of Heavy Weapons, which makes enemy tanks harder to deal with.

So, take advantage of you superior mobility and out maneuver your enemies!



Despite being classified as a medium tank, the armor installed on the Whippet is comparable to Mark V. The armor, measured in at 14mm, is well sloped at the front. The tank tracks also serve as extra armor, covering a good part of the relatively flat side armor.

The frontal mounted engine and fuel tank provide additional protection, but the tall profile of the rear fighting compartment makes it hard to conceal the tank.



Due to the cramped fighting compartment, the two storage modules can only be installed on the tank's exterior and access through a rear door. This makes it risky to restock ammo under fire.






Catch ManyATrueNerd trying to survive in WW1 - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QABPSJa96nI&t=1s

Watch GrayStillPlays in this Short but Super Funny take on the game - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Ow3-wMB0dTY&t=236s

That's all we have on the Whippet for now, but be sure to WISHLIST the game and ride the Whippet when the battle begins! Stay good because Whippet Good!!!

As always, join us on Discord to chat about the game and tanks!
Or leave a like and comment below to let us know what is on your mind!

Armored Battle Crew Team

Hey Tankers!

Today, we'll break down the weapon control systems in the Armored Battle Crew!



Dakka Dakka! Take aim at your targets!



The first person aim gives you direct control of a selected weapon. You can enter and exit the aim mode by using the “Shift” Key when the weapon is manned. Once in aim mode, use the mouse to Aim and fire using a mouse click!

Additional shortcut keys:

• Right Mouse Button or “Z” to toggle zoom
  
• “F” to cycle through ammo selection if any
  
• “Q” or “E” for quick activation of crew abilities if any
  
• “T” for safety toggle (Safe/Fire)
  
• “G” for fire mode toggle (Burst/Auto)

Firers, watch your front!

Why take manual control when your crew can do it f or you?

• You will be able to target weak spots on enemies and deal damage more effectively. This is especially true for enemy tanks.
  
• Weapons will rotate faster, increasing your engagement speed.
  
• Weapons will be more accurate (unless you're not). This is useful for long range engagement and targeting weak spots.
  
• You will be able to shoot beyond the maximum range of the weapon.
  
• It’s FUN!!! (trust me, i'm a engineer video game designer)

Well, nothing is perfect!

• Lack of overall situation awareness because won’t be able to see what's happening around your vehicle. So, be sure to Shift in and out of the aim mode!
  
• You may miss too. I mean, you may.

Moving on, let's talk about how you control your weapon in non-aim mode.



You can bring up the Weapon Panel (located at the bottom of the screen) by selecting your weapon or the crew member manning it.




This bar displays basic stats such as health, repair, fire and ammo status.



A maximum of 4 ammo types is allocated to each weapon but only one ammo type can be selected at any moment.



Toggling between Auto or Burst mode affects the accuracy of weapon.



Burst Mode increases accuracy by telling your crew to regulate his/her firing by taking aim between firing bursts of rounds

Auto Mode on another hand commands your crew to dump all the rounds on the target. This mode is ammo intensive and significantly less accurate, but great for close range encounters against multiple targets.

Do note single shot weapon will only have the Auto firing mode.


This is pretty straightforward. Set weapon Safe to stop crew from engaging targets and Fire to engage target.




All targets can be classified into one of the following: Infantry, Soft, Hard or Air.



Infantry and Air are self-explanatory.
Soft refers to crew served weapons such as the AT gun and field artillery.
Hard refers to targets with armor plating such as the Tank.

Each weapon comes with a default targeting setup based on its strength and weakness, but you can customize this based on your needs.

For example, a machine gun would have Hard turned off by default because they are not effective against tanks.


This only appears If the Crew member manning the weapon has relevant abilities.

Click on the ability to activate them, but take note that they come with a cooldown duration, so use them wisely!





That’s all for now. Stay tuned for more insights and be sure to WISHLIST the game so you can be the first to join the battle!

Join us on Discord to chat about the game and tanks!

Feel free to drop a like and comment down below too!

Armored Battle Crew Team

Hey Tankers!

Today, we will take a look at some Mark V variants.


Mark V Male firing the 6 Pounder!

Although the Mark V is visually similar to it's predecessor, the Mark IV. It was, to a certain extent be considered a new design.

As previously mentioned in this post, the new engine and transmission were designed by Harry Ricardo and W.G. Wilson respectively. These upgrades increased efficiency and performance by providing 150 horse power and reducing the required crew from 4 to 1.

The rear cabin was also raised, providing the commander a better view of the battlefield.



The Male variant of the Mark V is equipped with two 6 pounder, 6 cwt cannons in the left and right sponsoons. With another 4 machine guns mounted around the tank (Front, Left, Right, Rear).

In-game, the 6 pounders can be replaced with a full range of light and heavy weapons, making it quite versatile when it comes to offensive options. The biggest drawback of this variant is in the limited arc of fire on machine gun ports, making it hard to target enemies effectively.





The Female variant of the Mark V has 2 smaller turrets on each side of the sponsoons.

The small turret size limits this variant to only carrying Light Weapons, but provides a good arc of fire, allowing you to acquire and fire at enemy targets effectively.

There's also the option to mount up to 4 twin machine guns, making this tank variant devastating against enemy infantry and aircraft.

All in all, the female variant of the Mark V gives you better mobility (because of it's lighter load) better target acquisition (because of its superior arc of fire) but leaves you disadvantage against enemy tanks with Heavy Weapons.





The Composite variant is a mix of the Male and Female variants, sporting both Male and Female sponsoons on either side. This hybrid design was implemented to equip Female tank variants with anti-tank capabilities.

The version of the Composite Mark V we have in-game has Male sponsoon on the right side and the Female sponsoon on the left.





This concludes the introduction to three variants of Mark V, with more being revealed in the weeks to come! More variants of the Mark V or completely new tanks you may ask? Well.. Follow us, add us to Wishlist and stay tuned to find out!

PS: Don't forget to join us on Discord to chat about the game and tanks!

Armored Battle Crew Team

Hey Tankers!
Today, we want to give you a brief look over the modules in Mark V.

Mark V tank is equipped with 6 weapon modules. 2 main turrets on the side sponsons and 4 gun ports, each facing front, rear, left and right respectively.

The main turret can be armed with light and heavy weapon whereas gun port is restricted to only small light weapon.



The Light Weapons class consists of Machine Guns, Small Cannons and Small Flamethrowers. They are fast to reload and have relatively high damage per minute.



These are Light Weapon that are too big to be housed in a gunport and so, have to be be mounted on the 2 main turrets. They offer high burst damage but expend ammo quickly and are slow to reload!



Light Weapons as their name suggests need to be fed Light ammo. This generic ammo type can be obtained from the Light Ammo Storage bin.



The Heavy Weapons class consists of Auto Cannons, Medium to Large Cannon and Large Flamethrowers. They tend to be slow firing but deal massive damage per shot on target.



As per its name, Heavy Weapons requires Heavy ammo. This generic ammo type can be obtained from the Heavy Ammo Storage.

Be sure to use the right ammo for the right weapon!



4 Storage Modules are located near the rear of the tank. Each can be customised to store the following resources, Light Ammo, Heavy Ammo, Medical or Fuel.

Light and Heavy Ammo storage have been explained earlier, so we'll just talk about Medical and Fuel storage.

Medical storage provides medic kits for healing and revival of fallen crew.

Fuel storage allows you to top up your fuel tank and extend the range of operation.Fuel also doubles as ammo for flamethrower, and It's up to you to a combination that best fits your playstyle or the mission objectives.



One of the most significant upgrades of the Mark V over its predecessors. The underpowered 105 horsepower Daimler that generated a lot of smoke gave the position of the tank away was replaced by an engine designed by a young engineer, Harry Ricardo,

The new engine was able to produce 200 horsepower efficiently, but was dialed back to 150 horsepower to minimize strain on the transmission. Located at the front-center of the tank, the engine was easily accessible for emergency repair work within the tank in relative safety.

It was not all good though, The exposed engine generated a lot of noise and fumes during operation, making conditions in the tank unbearable for longer durations.



The fuel tank of the Mark V is located at a relatively safe place, tucked at the back away of the tank away from the crew. The armored fuel tank has a capacity of 420 liters and held enough fuel for 72 km (45 miles) of operation.

In-game thought, the fuel consumption has be artificially increased to better fit the gameplay pacing and intensity. Pay attention to the fuel gauge so as not to run out in the middle of battle!



Another major upgrade of the Mark V over its predecessor is its steering. Compared to the older Mark I to Mark IV tanks, which required 4 crew members to drive and steer; The new epicyclic gearbox designed by Major W.G. Wilson, only required 1 crew member to fully operate the vehicle.

In-game, additional functionality such as a smoke grenade launcher can be accessed by the diver via the steering module.



Tanks were critical to trench warfare, and to that purpose, the Mark V is equipped with a pair of tracks (width 52cm / 20.5 inch) that ran around the whole hull of the tank. Tracks do break due to a multitude of factors, stranding the tank until being fixed.

In the game, tracks do not break. Instead, idlers and sprockets can be damaged. There are 4 in total and with each damaged part results in a drop in mobility. Once all 4 are broken, the tank will come to a complete stand still.



Phew, that was a long one, and we will leave it at that for today.

Stay tuned for more insights into our development process and be sure to WISHLIST the game and join us on Discord to chat about the game and tanks!

Armored Battle Crew Team

Hi Tankers!

Armored Battle Crew need reinforcements! We need to keep our (Wishlist) numbers healthy as part of our (launch) combat tactics!

Enlist today! Go to this link and tag Armored Battle Crew with the following tags! We've revised the tags based on community feedback and to better reflect the game's current content.

Tanks, World War 1, Military, Difficult, War, Driving, Strategy, Simulation, Indie, Management, Singleplayer, Action, Casual, 3D, Shooter, Destruction, Tactical, Historical, Realistic, Sandbox

We've included a reference sheet below just in-case you need it!

Oh, and join us on Discord, it's cool!



Best,
Armored Battle Crew Team

Hey Tankers!

Guess what?! A NEW Tank joins the fray! (Among other things)


The Medium Mark A Whippet is the lighter and faster cousin of the Mark V Tank. It brings terror to the battlefield with a small 3 man crew, light weapons and extra mobility! Can you tame the whippet?

Here's the full update list.

Think you can aim and shoot better than your crew? Take control and mow down the enemy.


Signal support has been re-balanced to serve more specific purposes. They can be called in from the signal module by using Command Points earned in battle.

• Infantry Rifle Corps
  Call in troops to secure Victory Points. Can be helpful to turn the tide in your favor!
  
  
• Royal Artillery Corps
  Call in powerful artillery strikes. Expensive and long cooldown but decisive when used at the right moment!
  
  
• Defense Tactics
  Bonuses to vehicle health, resupply speed and capturing speed. Useful when supporting friendly infantry!
  
  
• Infiltration Tactics
  Allows your vehicle to capture Victory Points, awards bonuses to captured Command Points and calls in Trench Raiders to follow your vehicle! Great for penetrating enemy territory!

We have added a new mission, Hamel’s Doorstep. Assist the infantry in their assault to dislodge German resistance in the village of Hamel.


The Godsal Experimental AT Rifle
A new light weapon designed to combat enemy tanks. Provides good armor penetration, fast reload but relatively low damage. Can be repurposed as a close-mid range sniper rifle when needed.


We have added the highly requested feature to toggle speed between x1 and x0.3. Useful when micromanaging your crew!

More enemy threats spotted! Can you adapt to and defeat them?


As always join us on Discord to contribute to the development of the game, and get you friends to Wishlist Armored Battle Crew if they haven't already!

Thanks a lot!
Armored Battle Crew Team

Hey Tankies!

It's the first #ScreenshotSaturday of #2019 and we've got victory in our sights!

First person sights that is! Jump into a weapon port, set your sights on an enemy and blast them away! Take matters into your own hands and stop blaming the crew!

It has been a much requested feature on our Discord and we did it! Swing by our Discord and your next request may become a feature!

Best,
The Armored Battle Crew

A lot of you have been asking for new tanks, so guess what? We're unwrapping on this Christmas!

Wishlist the game on Steam! (It helps with the algorithms) and join us on Discord and tell us what else you'd like to see!

Because sometimes, dreams do come true!

Have a Merry Christmas and a Happy New year