Hey Tankers!
Today, we will introduce you to a rather fascinating variant of Mark V.



The German, facing the onslaught of British tanks in 1917, started to increase the width of their trenches in bid to impede the movement of tanks. To aid in the crossing of such widened trenches, the rear tracks are lengthened. The extra sections were dubbed the Tadpole Tail extension due to the shape and hence the name, Mark V Tadpole.




The extra length allows Mark V Tadpole to cross widened trenches. But due to the increased weight, the tank has reduced speed. The additional track length also make the tank harder to steer, resulting in much slower rotation speed.



Additional fire support was provided to the accompanying infantry by installation of a mortar on top of a platform at the rear of the extended tracks. In the game, the mortar can be accessed by the tank crew via the rear hatch.

A wide range of weapons such as grenade launcher, small to large mortar are available. Do note that the rear gun port is removed and with the mortar being exposed, be sure that no enemy is sneaking behind your tank!



Due to the reduced mobility, you will have to make full use of the mortar to gain the upper hand in the battlefield. But be mindful as the medium to large sized mortars have long reload and eat ammo for breakfast.

Resupplying can be a tricky affair as the tank is slow so do plan way ahead. Additionally, do watch out when navigating tight spaces in urban area due to the extra length of the tank. You would not want to get stuck in heat of action!



That’s enough for the day. Stay tuned for more insight and be sure to WISHLIST the game so that you can be the first to try out the mighty mortar when the war starts!

Do join us on Discord to chat about the game and tanks!
Leave a comment or like if you love what you are seeing!

Armored Battle Crew Team

Hey Tankers!

Today, we will be instructing you on the Signal Module, Smoke and Star Shells.


Starry, starry night. Paint the sky with my star shells.



The Signal Module, when manned, provides 2 additional functionalities

• Extend the detection range on the minimap
  
• Access to Signal Support features via the Signal Module Panel

Mark V's Signal Module



There are 2 detection ranges on the minimap. The shorter Visual Range is active by default until the Signal Module is manned, which activates the longer Signal Range.


Default Visual Range indicated in green.


Extended Signal Range also indicated in green when the Signal Module is manned.

Essential information on enemies' location and attack formation will only appear on the minimap when enemies are in the Visual or Signal Range. So we recommend you keep the Signal Module manned as much as possible!



Signal Support as it name suggest supports your combat efforts. Each Signal Support type will come with 4 abilities with some of them even providing passive bonuses.

The type of Signal Support you bring into battle can be customised in the Garage.


Signal module panel with 4 abilities

Each support ability has an Activation Cost (Command Point), Active Duration and Cooldown Duration.


Choose the right Signal Support type for your mission!



As previously mentioned, you will need Command Points(CP) to activate the abilities in your Signal Support. CP is earned as time passes during a mission or by capturing command caches scattered across the map.



Below is the example of 4 basic Signal Supports types available in the game.


Call in Infantry support to capture and hold on to Victory Points!
Abilities:

• Small Supply Drop (Replenishes a small amount of Tank Health, Ammo, Medical and Fuel supplies)
  
• Smoke
  
• Heavy Rifleman Squad
  
• Mortar (High Explosive)

Unleash destruction with the backing of the Artillery Corps!
Abilities:

• Small Supply Drop (Replenishes a small amount of Tank Health, Ammo, Medical and Fuel supplies)
  
• Star Shell
  
• Artillery (Shrapnel)
  
• Artillery (High Explosive)

A Mix of Infantry and Artillery Support allowing you to hold back enemy advances.
Passive Bonus:

• Bonus to Tank Health
  
• Bonus to Capture and Resupply Speed

Abilities:

• Small Supply Drop (Replenishes a small amount of Tank Health, Ammo, Medical and Fuel supplies)
  
• Smoke Shell
  
• Anti-Tank Rifleman Squad
  
• Broken Arrow (Unleash a barrage of artillery near your tank)

Raid and wreck havoc in enemy strongholds and territory!
Passive Bonus:

• Your tank can help capture Victory Points
  
• Bonus Command Points when Command Caches are captured

Abilities:

• Small Supply Drop (Replenishes a small amount of Tank Health, Ammo, Medical and Fuel supplies)
  
• Star Shell
  
• Trench Raider Squad (Have a squad of assault troops follow your tank)
  
• Artillery (Yellow Gas)

You've read about them in the the Signal Support briefing and now we'll go in-depth on the them. 2 common traits of the Smoke and Star Shell abilities are that they require a low amount of CP to activate and a quick cooldown cycle. These allow them to be used more often to gain tactical advantage.

Smoke, when dispersed breaks line of sight between you and the enemy, making it useful when you're under heavy fire.

Enemy troops also actively avoid Smoke, making it an effective area denial tool.

You can generate smoke using the following methods:

• Smoke grenade launchers on vehicle if equipped
  
• Call in Smoke Shells via Signal Module (Depends on the Signal Support equipped)

The Star Shell is called in using the Signal Module and illuminates the battlefield after exploding in mid air. They then slowly descend and fade away after landing.

Star Shells has the following effects

• Reveal units on the minimap within the radius of the shell
  
• Causes infantry troops to go prone and stop attacking due to the blinding light.

All right! We hope you understand the importance of the Support Module and the Support Signal!

Be sure to WISHLIST the game now and be the first to unleash destruction on the enemy!

As always, drop us a like, comment and join us on Discord to chat about the game and tanks!

Armored Battle Crew Team

Hey Tankers,

Overlord Mighty Jingles has agreed to become a Crew Member in Armored Battle Crew on his birthday!



But yikes, we're having a headache from trying to figure out which Traits, Abilities and Tagline suits him best!

So, we've decided to leave this ever important task to our trusty Salt Miners!

Join the Poll over at our Discord.

And don't forget to wish him happy birthday over at his video too! Don't want to be sent to the gulag now do ya?!

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EhRbS9jYwhA


Howdy Folks! Have you wished me happy birthday?! Yes, great, back to salt mine now!

Armored Battle Crew Team

Hey Tankers!

Watch Draegast set himself and enemies on fire in his latest coverage of Armored Battle Crew!

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fgYxA4AAFME

Come join us on Discord to take part in the giveaway!

Armored Battle Crew Team

Hey Tankers!

The Rear Admiral Mighty Jingles, has made a introductory training video for Armored Battle Crew!

Be sure to watch it and give it a like OR risk being sent down to the salt mines for hard labor!

https://youtu.be/KSIQSlXrDm4

If you wish to chat about the game and tanks, join us on Discord !

Armored Battle Crew Team

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