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Page 1: Steel Armor Handbuch En

MANUAL

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©2011 UIG ENTERTAINMENT GMBH . Alle Rechte vorbehalten . Änderungen, Irrtümer und Druckfehler vorbehalten . © Graviteam, 2010. All rights reserved. © Noviy Disk, 2010. All rights reserved. ND Games is a part of Noviy Disk Company. www.ndgames.ru

Software, graphics, music, text, names, and manual are copyrighted. This software and manual must not be copied, reproduced, or translated, and must not be reproduced, in whole or in part, in any electronic medium or machine-readable form, without the prior written consent of UIG Entertainment GmbH. Most hardware and software brands in this manual are registered trademarks and must be treated as such.

Epilepsy warningSome people may experience loss of consciousness or epileptic seizures when exposed to certain light effects or fl ashes of light. Certain graphics and effects in computer games may trigger an epileptic seizure or loss of consciousness in these people. Previously unknown predispositions for epilepsy may also be stimulated. If you or someone in your family has epilepsy, please consult your doctor before playing this game. If you expe-rience symptoms such as dizziness, blurred vision, eye or muscle spasms, unconscious-ness, disorientation, or any sort of involuntary motions or cramps while playing this game, turn the device off IMMEDIATELY and consult a doctor before playing again.

Technical information/Hotlinesupport @uieg.de

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Game Manual . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 4LIST OF ACRONYMS . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 41 INSTALLATION . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 41 .2 Additional Software . . . . . . . . . . . . . 41 .3 Installation . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 51 .4 Activation . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 51 .5 Deinstallation . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 51 .6 Game Options . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 52 GAME DESCRIPTION . . . . . . . . . . . . . 63 EXTRAS . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 64 SUPPORT . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 8

CONTROLS . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 9

Operation Manual . . . . . . . . . . 14ABBREVATION LIST . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 141 OPERATIVE MODE . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 141 .2 Tactic Battles . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 171 .4 Statistics . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 20

Tactics Manual . . . . . . . . . . . . 22ABBREVIATION LIST . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 211 TACTICAL MODE . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 211 .1 Troops Deployment . . . . . . . . . . . . 211 .2 Order System . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 231 .3 Battle . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 261 .4 End of Tactic Phase . . . . . . . . . . . . 29

Tank Manual . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 33ABBREVIATION LIST . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 321 TANKS . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 321 .1 T-62 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 32Table 1 .1 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 33Table 1 .2 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 331 .3 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 351 .2 M60A1 Tank . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 36Table 1 .4 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 37Table 1 .5 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 37Table 1 .6 . M60A1 Armor . . . . . . . . . . . 382 TANK CONTROLS . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 392 .1 Basics . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 392 .2 Basics . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 39Table 2 .2 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 412 .3 Driver Seat . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 422 .4 Gunner seat . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 42Table 2 .3 Gunner’s Gear . . . . . . . . . . . 42Table 2 .4 Main Gunner Controls . . . . . . 432 .5 Commander Seat . . . . . . . . . . . . . 43Table 2 .5 Commander Gear . . . . . . . . 44Table 2 .6 Commander Controls . . . . . . 44

History Manual . . . . . . . . . . . . 45WAR HISTORY . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 45

CONTENT

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LIST OF ACRONYMS

Btry Artillery Battery UFHP Upper Front Hull PlateAI Artificial IntelligenceLMB Left Mouse Button

1 INSTALLATION

1.1 System Requirements

MINIMAL Recommended

Processor AMD Athlon ®2 4200+ Intel Pentium D 3GHZ

AMD Athlon 64 X2 6000+ Intel Core2Duo E8400 3 GHz

Memory 1 Gb 2 Gb

Video ATI Radeon HD 2900 256Mb nVidia GeForce 8800 256Vb

ATI Radeon HD 4870 512 Mb nVidia GeForce GTX 280 512 Mb

Sound DirectX 8 compatible DirectX 9 compatible

Operation System Windows Vista Windows Vista SP2 or Windows 7

NOTE!

-Your video card must support Pixel/Vertex Shader 3.0.

-You need Administrator rights to install the game.

1 .2 Additional Software For the best of performance, you have to install some additional software you find in ‘docs\support\redists’ folder in the game’s root folder . We also recommend that you make sure you have the latest video card drivers installed .

The latest updates download sites: Microsoft DirectX – http://www .microsoft .com/directx drivers nVidia– http://www .nvidia .co .uk/page/home .html ATI/AMD drivers - http://www .amd .com/uk/Pages/AMDHomePage .aspx

The necessary software will be installed automatically when you install the game!

Game manual

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1 .3 Installation Insert the Game DVD-ROM and wait for the Installer to start . If you have Autorun feature turned off, start setup .exe from the Game DVD-ROM and follow onscreen instructions .

Downloadable Version: download and activate the game and follow onscreen instructions .

1 .4 ActivationThe game is protected and must be activated online . Once the game is registered, DVD is not required . Your Serial Number is either written on your DVD or sent you by email (downloadable version) . You can activate the game 3 times and deactivate it 10 times; total number of installments is 13 . We recommend that you deactivate the game before changing your hardware or operating system; in this case you’ll have 1 extra activation .

In case you spent all your activations without breach of contract, please contact our Support .

1 .5 Deinstallation To uninstall the game, please open Control Panel and find Add\Remove programs . Choose Steel Armor: Blaze of War and click Remove . You also can remove the game through Start\Programs\Steel Armor: Blaze of War\Deinstall .

1 .6 Game Options

1.6.1 Antialiasing. 3D rendering method used in the game does not allow antialiasing . Please turn off forced antialiasing in the driver options (set Application Choice) . You can turn on ingame antia-liasing: choose 2 .6 (Smooth Graphics) and 2 .16 (Integrated Antialiasing) game options .

With 2 .6 option on, the visible edges look a bit smoother . 2 .16 option provides dynamic frame smoothing; it doesn’t work with extensive camera/object movements . With this option on, fast-moving objects look somewhat blurry . It is not recommended to use this option with slower video cards (such as GF8600 – GF6600) or low memory cards (up to 320Mb); in this case, smoothing will be turned off . Also, it will not work with option 2 .7 (Wider Dynamic Range) turned off or blocked or if the video card doesn’t support Pixel Shaders version 3 .0

Both smoothing types can be turned on simultaneously .

1.6.2 Screen Resolution. 2 .1 option allows to set screen resolution* (full screen mode only); with 2 .2 option you can set 3D buffer size . Current desktop’s resolution is highlighted with yellow . 6 .3 option turns on full screen mode* . 3D buffer size seriously affects the game performance: for GeForce 7600/6600 and Radeon 1800/1600 cards the buffer size should not exceed 1024-1280 points in width . With buffer size lesser than the screen, the graphics get blurry .

* Is not recommended

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2 GAME DESCRIPTION “Steel Armor: Blaze of War” is a realistic tank simulator with tactic elements .

The game is presented in two equally important parts:

- operational: the gamer choose the battlefield area, replenish and reinforce his/her army and repairs his/her vehicles;

- tactic: the gamer gets into actual battle, drives his/her tank and commands his/her units .

There is no ready mission in the game; the gamer creates his/her own game which drama-tically increases replayability .

The goal is to win a few battles in any of four operations taking command over tank units of either the Soviet or Iranian or Iraqi or Angolan Army .

Each of the operations dictates its own strategies:

1) Afghanistan: first of all, destroy enemy’s fire points and support your motor-rifle troops;

2) Iran – classic tank clashes with an outnumbering enemy;

3) Angola – full-fledge mobile warfare involving all type of corps .

Depending on operation, the gamer will have either Soviet T-62 tank or American battle tank M60A1 .

The gamer can drive his/her tank from driver’s seat and shoot from the gunner’s place as well as command his/her tank crew and the whole of the unit from the commander’s seat .

The gamer will be assigned a variety of tasks:

- scout and attack enemy positions;

- defend gamer’s own positions;

- occupy and defend settlements;

- support infantry;

- ambush the enemy, and break out of encirclements .

The gamer can complete his/her tasks either commanding a single tank (tank platoon) or commanding more units in the Tactical Map Mode .

Each battle brings the gamer and his/her troops experience points and (probably) awards . After a battle, Statistics Mode turns on, and the gamer can check his/her results, see de-tailed report of his/her tank’s and units’ shooting performance and the list of sustained hits .

3 EXTRAS

3.1 Addons and Patches Patches, addons and MODs are installed via an inbuilt utility activated from the Main Menu, or by the update .cmd file in the root folder . The utility interface is shown at Ill 6 .1 .

Ill 6 .1 . - Addon and Patch Utility Interface: A) List of installed updates and patches (author, version, status)

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B) Maximize Priority Button C) Minimize Priority Button D) Addon Turn On Button E) Addon Turn Off Button F) Install New Patch or Addon Button G) Turn Off All Addons Button H) Delete Addon Button I) Save and Continue Button J) Don’t Save and Exit Button

Update priorities sort from top down . The main game is of the lowest priority . You can use several different updates changing the same resources .

In case the game can’t work correctly after an update installation, please turn the update off . Each of the updates has its own folder, and its resources never mix with the core game resources, as well as with other updates’ resources .

Updates are installed into “data\mtc80\<update name>” folder in the root game folder . The user must have the rights to change the folder .

Please Remember: when you install an update, turn it on/off, or change their order, all profiles’ saved battles are deleted!

! “data\mtc80\dev_updates” in the root folder is for developer’s updates and patches only! Please do not install your updates into this folder!

NOTE! System updates (created by the game developers) cannot be turned on/off, only removed .

NOTE! Before removing an update, please turn it off and start the Update Utility .

3.2 Saving a game In Operative Mode, your progress is saved automatically in the “users\profiles\<profile>\<operation name> .opsave” folder after each phase . The “ .opsave_” file saves the start position of the gamer’s current turn .

In Tactical Mode, you can save the game while positioning your troops (as well as in the actual battle) . To save during a tactical battle, exit to the Game Menu and press Save and Exit button . The game will be saved in the “users\profiles folder . In Fast Battle or Operation modes, you can save once for a profile . A diskette icon appears on the Fast Battle button or in the Operations table . To continue your operation (or your fast battle), click the diskette icon . To remove a saved game, right-click the diskette icon .

Please notice that any saved game is deleted when:

- a new operation starts;

- you right-click the diskette icon in the Main Menu;

- Fast Battle starts;

- you save again;

- the battle is over (Statistics Mode is turned on) .

The save file takes up to 500Mb of HD free space so please make sure you have at least 1Gb free before you start the game .

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4 SUPPORT Developer’s site http://graviteam .com http://graviteam .com/forum/index .php?board=4 .0

Forum/Support Discussion http://forum .sukhoi .ru/forumdisplay .php?f=180

Thank you for purchasing our game!

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Nr Name Key 1 Key 2

General 1 Controls F1

2 Statistics Panel F2

3 Order Panel F3

4 Deployment Panel F3

5 Unit List F4

6 Show Key Points F5

7 Show Markers F6

8 Show Hits In Real Time F8

9 Minimap F9

10 Map F10

11 Time Speed x 2 F11

12 Time Speed x 4 Ctrl+F11

13 Screenshot F12

14 Find Selected Unit Ctrl+F

15 Game Menu ESC

16 Pause/Continue Enter

17 Tactic Info & Directions /

18 Exit Alt+F4

19 Select Unit LMB

20 Order RMB

21 Show/Hide Interface Ctrl+Back

22 Turn On Binoculars Tab

Deployment 23 Finish Deployment Enter

24 Move Units M

25 Rotate Units R

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26 Dismount L

27 Occupy Vehicles E

28 Dig A Trench/Defend T

Orders To Subordinates 28 Quick Orders Menu Space

29 Attack Mode B

30 Movement Mode M

31 Defense Mode N

32 March Mode K

33 Stop X

34 Set Sector V

35 Set Aim Priority T

36 Shell An Area G

37 Dismount L

38 Occupy Vehicles E

39 Fire Allowed Y

40 Backfire Only U

41 Tanks In The First/Last Line F

42 Move Along The Road R

43 Stealthy Movement H

44 Fast Move J

45 Line Of Sight/Fire ~

46 Scope Ctrl+~

47 Armor-Piercing Capability [

48 Protection ]

49 Camera Lock Q

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Formations 50 Line/Echelon Ctrl+L

51 Column Ctrl+C

52 Without Formation Ctrl+N

53 Dispersed Formation Ctrl+P

54 Normal Formation Ctrl+O

55 Close Order Formation Ctrl+I

56 1 Line Formation Shift+I

57 2 Line Formation Shift+O

58 3 Line Formation Shift+P

Select Unit 59 Select Platoon # (1-8) Alt+<N>

60 Select Unit # (1-8) Shift+<N>

61 Select Artillery Only ,

62 Select Infantry Only .

63 Select APCs Only ?

64 Select Tanks And SPGs Only ;

Groups 65 Select Group #N <figure N>

66 Give The Group #N Ctrl+<figure N>

Camera Controls 67 Up Num7/Home PageUp

68 Down Num9/End PageDown

69 Left Num1/A Arrow left

70 Right Num3/D Arrow right

71 Forward Num8/W Arrow up

72 Back Num2/S Arrow down

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73 Turn Left Num4

74 Turn Right Num6

75 Look Up RCtrl+Num8

76 Look Down RCtrl+Num2

77 Height Mouse Wheel

78 Camera Initial Position Num5

79 Camera “To The Ground” RCtrl+Num5

80 Camera Movement Mode Z LMB + RMB

81 Cameras Rotation Mode C SMM

Operative Phase 82 Hide Platoon Icons SPACE

83 Next Turn Phase Enter

84 Unit Statistics F1

85 Briefing F2

86 Back to Menu Esc

87 Select Platoon LMB

88 Order platoon to attack or move RMB

89 Order platoon to retreat MMB

90 Zoom In Num+

91 Zoom Out Num

92 Move the map right Num4

93 Move the map left Num6

94 Move the map down Num8

95 Move the map up Num2

96 Center the map Num5

97 Zoom Control Mouse Wheel

98 Map Movement Mode Z

99 Unit Menu SPACE

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Operation Editor 100 Next Frame Page Down

101 Previous Frame Page Up

102 First Frame Home

103 Record Ctrl+S

104 Read Ctrl+L

105 Show Sides F1

106 Show Units F2

107 Show Markers F3

108 Show Square Numbers F4

109 Show Tactic Points F5

110 Remove Tactic Point Delete

111 Add Tactic Point Insert

112 Panel #N <N>

113 Zoom In Num+

114 Zoom Out Num

115 Left Num4

116 Right Num6

117 Up Num8

118 Down Num2

119 Center the Map Num5

120 Zoom Control Mouse Wheel

121 Map Movement Mode Z

122 Show Numbers Mode Tab

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ABBREVATION LIST

Btry Artillery Battery UFHP Upper Front Hull PlateAI Artificial IntelligenceLMB Left Mouse ButtonLFHP Lower Front Hull PlateOS Operation SystemIB Infantry BattalionIB Infantry BrigadeRMB Right Mouse Button AT Gun Anti Tank Gun MMB Middle Mouse Button AD Armor Division

1 OPERATIVE MODE Every operation consists of several turns . A turn consists of the following phases: player’s turn, AI’s turn, battle, results . Turn starts with a briefing (Ill 1 .1) and operation schemes .

Operation

Enemy’s movements

Allies’ movements

Ill . 1 .1 . - Briefing

During your turn (Ill .1 .2), you can move your platoons, attack the enemy, and replace units and/or vehicles (special units will automatically run repair, reinforcement and refueling tasks .) You can also view the unit, platoon, and operation statistics .

Operation manual

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III . 1 .2 . – Operative Phase

To move to the next phase, press [ENTER] .

A turn lasts for approx . 4 real time hours (depending on operation settings .)

The battlefield is divided into 1x1 km cells (1 unit) . You can move over to any cell with the exception of the shaded cells lining the perimeter . A cell can belong to any of the sides or be neutral . Red cells belong to allied troops, blue ones are taken by the enemy . Shaded cells are distributed by the scenario .

Some cells are marked by flags . Such cells are called “key points” and give victory points to their owners . Player’s goal is to capture and keep as many of key points as possible . Table 1 .1 shows point importance/victory point rate .

Table 1.1

Victory point rate

Cell Type Not Marked Small Medium Large

Victory Point 1 2 4 8

Victory Point (encircled)

1/3 2/3 4/3 8/3

If a marked cell is encircled, it brings 3 times less victory points . The side getting more victory points is victorious . A key point brings victory points multiplied by 5 (once) . Shaded cells are taken by fresh and reserve units . Such units cannot attack or join tactical battles .

Around a platoon Visibility Radius is shown (the distance the platoon can detect an enemy at .) Enemy platoons that are not visible for the allied troops are not shown (you can turn this kind of visibility on with a special setting .) Visible units’ data (type and statistics) are shown

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after the first battle . Some unit types (such as scout platoons) get visible only when they reach a neighboring cell .

To terminate an operation, go to General Statistics ([F1] in Platoon and Units List) and press End Operation button .

1.1 MovementsPlayer can move and change his/her platoons . Left click a platoon . Cells you can move it to will be shown in green (Ill . 1 .2 .) You can move a platoon once in a turn . “Dispersed” platoons and reserve forces are not moveable .

Under a platoon’s icon the commander’s name is shown . Red and green: player’s platoons; blue: enemy platoons; yellow: allied troops under IA control . Green platoons are platoons you can use in a tactic phase . Commander’s name’s background shows platoon’s condition in red: brighter is the color, more losses the platoon suffers .

Platoon mobility defines the distance a platoon can move to: infantry can walk one cell or so while motorized and tank units move times faster . Movements are restricted by:

1) enemy in neighboring cells (you can move one cell only);

2) landscape (woods and rivers slow you down, a road let you move a bit farther);

3) an “active” unit in the cell blocks the cell completely .

NOTE! If a unit is not connected to a perimeter cell, it got encircled and is not available for reinforcement, refueling or repairs .

Platoons that were dispersed at a tactic phase move by themselves randomly . In case it moves to a free cell under allied forces control, it become active and can fight again . There is a slight chance a dispersed platoon gets active in a neutral cell and a very low probability it gets back to active in a free enemy cell . Right click a platoon (playing your turn) to open its statistics window . Platoon type icons are shown in Table 1 .2 .

A hatched circle shows a platoon that stays in the same cell for several turns . It means, you can get them entrenched at the tactic phase . A small circle shows encircled platoons .

Table 1.2 Platoon Types

Icon Description

T-62 or T-55 tank platoons M-60 tank platoon

AT platoon Recoilless guns battery

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FSV Ratel 90 support platoon Olifant Mk IA tank platoon

BTR-60 motor-rifle platoon BMP-1 motor-rifle platoon

Paratrooper platoon Infantry platoon

Artillery batteryBMP M113 Motor infantry platoon

Battery ATGM Scout unit (foot)

Grenade launcher platoon Mortar battery

Reinforcement march platoon . Reinforces platoons at 1 cell distance . Automatically disbands the moment all of the personnel are used up .

Ammunition and fuel depot . Supplies platoons at 1 cell distance . Not moveable .

Mobile repair shop (MRS) . Repairs vehicles and weapons at 2 cell distance .

Supply trucks . Supply neighbo-ring cell platoons with fuel and ammunition .

Unknown platoon type . By default, enemy platoon types are hidden till the first battle starts .

1 .2 Tactic BattlesTo start a battle, attack an enemy platoon based in an adjacent cell . Left click your platoon then right click the enemy platoon you want to attack . A flame icon will appear and an arrow pointing at the attack direction . You can start a battle in tactic phase: left click a battle icon . To avoid a battle, right click the icon . Your platoon, if possible, will retreat to an adjacent

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(horizontally) cell under your control . The enemy will take the attacked cell without struggle (Ill . 1 .3 .)

If your platoon have attacked or moved in the current turn, it can’t dig trenches (to entrench a platoon, it must stay put for 2 full turns .) If a platoon gets into a battle right after a move-ment, it gets a bit exhausted .

If an attacking platoon is attacked by an enemy platoon, its moral decreases . A platoon under attack cannot move .

In tactic battle phase, you choose a battle to start [LMB] . All active platoons from the cells adjacent to the battle cell (if those are not perimeter cells) can get into the battle .

A platoon that hasn’t attacked or moved can dig foxholes in tactic phase . After 2 full turns without movement, it can dig trenches .

Try to meet an enemy attack in a defensive stance . Keep troops together; be careful not to put support units such as artillery or mortar batteries under fire without a good defense .

Tactic Battle . Left click to start the fight .

Platoon on defensive

Enemy Key Point

Ill . 1 .3 . – Tactic phase . A platoon that is attacked by tanks or attacks enemy units, who probably have tanks, receives (if possible) a special ammunition load of subcaliber or armor-piercing projectiles .

1 .3 Platoon personnel and condition . In the first phase of a turn Player can change his/her platoons personnel and check their condition . Change to Statistics mode: press [F1] or right click on the platoon you want to view (Ill . 1 .4 .)

Reserve forces are available at the first turn .

You can use the vehicles in the battle .

Reserve platoon . You can use it in a few turns .

III . 1 .4 - Platoon Condition

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On the right you see your Platoon Panel . On the left is Reserve Units List . Select a platoon to see its units . To exchange units, first left click a unit on the right and then choose a unit to put in its place from the left . After that, click any of the selected units to exchange . The same operation can be executed by the corresponding menu button . Please remember that a unit can be exchanged only once in a turn!

You can exchange reserve units:

in every platoon at the first turn of operation;

in later turns, in reserve platoons only .

Question mark next to a unit icon marks units and vehicles that never participate in the real-life operation but could in theory . You can forbid such units selection through a menu setting .

Star marks historic units you cannot replace till they are destroyed (usually it means loss of platoon/company commanders .)

Units must belong to the same type: commander can be exchanged for another commander, guns for guns or machineguns, tanks for tanks .

NOTE! Some platoons can share personnel and vehicles reserves . Men from a destroyed unit move to their platoon active units .

1.3.1 Personnel reinforcement and vehicle repairs. Vehicles are repaired by repair platoons

marked at the operative phase map by . Repair platoon includes a few repair teams; each team can repair a vehicle or a single heavy weapon per turn (4-8 man-hours .) Teams auto-matically repair vehicles and guns up to 2 cells away . For an encircled platoon, the distance is 1 cell only .

NOTE! You can’t use vehicles and guns in a battle if they are being repaired .

March platoons marked with serve as reinforcements . A march platoon includes several rookie units . Platoons in the adjacent cells are reinforced automatically . A used up march platoon is disbanded . You can set repair and reinforce priorities: left click a unit’s icon in the list . An exclamation mark will appear and the unit will be reinforced before the others . Left click again to remove the priority .

Supply trucks and transport aircrafts bring ammunition and fuel from permanent depots .

Platoons in the adjacent cells are resupplied automatically .

Personnel of march platoons (as well as of repair and supply teams) can fight but they are equipped with light weapons only and are almost useless in the combat . If a march unit or repair team is destroyed, your reinforcement and repair possibilities decrease .

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Transport planes can move over the whole of the battlefield (neutral and allied cells inclu-ded) but only once; after that, a permanent depot appears at their landing point .

Note! There will be no repairs/supplies if a repair/supply platoon is set for reserve (at the map perimeter .)

1 .4 Statistics Platoon statistics data are presented by two figures divided by “-” symbol . The first figure is the sum and the second is the last tactic battle data . Statistics present: personnel, weapon and vehicle losses, enemy personnel destroyed, vehicles and weapons captured, awards . The current condition is also shown . Ammunition column shows relative resupply cost (% of one ammunition load .)

Operation statistics: the second column presents platoon condition (active/destroyed); the third shows each side’s victory points . The next column shows losses and damages you caused the enemy .

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ABBREVIATION LIST

Btry Artillery Battery UFHP Upper Front Hull PlateAI Artificial IntelligenceLMB Left Mouse ButtonLFHP Lower Front Hull PlateOS Operation SystemIB Infantry BattalionIB Infantry BrigadeRMB Right Mouse Button AT Gun Anti Tank Gun MMB Middle Mouse Button AD Armor Division

1 TACTICAL MODE

1.1 Troops Deployment

Upon Tactical Phase loading, the Troops Deployment Mode automatically turns on . Blue: enemy areas; red: allied troops (you can’t deploy here); white: square unavailable . Deployment Mode interface is shown at Ill . 1 .1 . Squares available for deployment are divided into 32х32 m cells; each can contain one unit or a vehicle .

Each of the cells is marked by two frames (inner one and outer one) . Outer frame shows the cell’s availability . Dotted line: you can’t dig trenches here; solid line: trench digging allowed . Outer frame shows how good is the cell for deployment:

green very good

yellow good but you can’t put artillery here

orange Infantry preferred

red Infantry only (e .g ., the cell contains a building)

TACTICS manual

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Inner frame shows camoufl age level . No frame: the units in the cell are fully visible . Camoufl age level by inner frame color:

green excellent; very good for laying an ambush

yellow good for hiding infantry units and machineguns

orange, red poor

Ill . 1 .1 . - Deployment Mode Interface

Select units to be moved . Select a mode in the Deployment Panel, new position and direction (RMB) . The center of the selected group will be moved to the new point and the units will keep their relative positions (whenever possible) .

If a unit cannot be moved, it will keep its position . You can order infantry to leave their vehicles (Deployment Panel buttons .) Hold RMB and draw a line to turn the troops in a new direction .

Select Unit + [SHIFT]: the unit will follow the mouse cursor . Let [SHIFT] go to drop the unit .

Platoon units can be placed into gamer’s squares if those are not taken by an allied AI . The square must neighbor the platoon’s square . To fi nd and show a unit, right click its icon in the right of the Select Unit Panel .

Turn on automatic trench digging: select units and press [T] (Trench Digging at the Deployment Panel) . The Defense icon will appear beside the units . Press again to turn off Defense Mode . Red Defense icon: trench digging is not allowed (you can’t dig in this cell; cell occupied by a building; the unit’s platoon has been moving in an operative phase and hasn’t got time to build a defense line .) In this case, in the end of the Deployment phase, the units will take the nearest defense points: buildings or some old trenches .

Ill . 1 .1 . - Deployment Mode Interface

Enemy key pointQuick unit selection

panel

Enemy square

Enemy unit

Ally unit (in trenches)

Allies Square Gamer’s key point

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Always check the right direction so that the troops housed in trenches and buildings could fire effectively . In the first place, this concerns tugged guns, machineguns and SPGs .

Entrench guns so that they had an open arc of fire (no hills, embankments, thickets before them) . In the Defense Mode, small trees and bushes are removed from heavy weapon arcs of fire .

If a platoon doesn’t move or attack for a few operative turns, it can dig enhanced trenches . SPGs, mortars and cannons will be dug deeper and get harder to hit from the flanks, and infantry will dig trenches instead of foxholes . Some soldiers will be placed into foxholes closer to guns, machineguns and SPGs .

1.2 Order System All orders can be divided into three groups: (Ill . 1 .2):

1) Movement orders: in the middle of the Order Panel . Here you can set the destination point and direction .

Attack Attack enemy positions . Infantry and vehicles will move according to the situation: charge, retreat, outflank

Move Troops take a strictly laid route

March Troops move in columns as fast as possible and take defensive stance at the destination point

Defense Units won’t keep formation and will take cover wherever possible: in trenches, buildings, thickets, shell holes . To set fire direction, hold RMB and draw a line . Without direction, the men will take the nearest possible cover .

Movement orders are the only way to make selected units move . The orders are issued with the Mode And Modifier Panel down left . Movement modes:

Formation Line, column, no formation

Density Density and number of the lines

Movement type Take a road; stealthily; fast; tanks first

Fire orders: set fire priorities and limitations

2) The upper part of the panel contains Quick Orders . From here, you can cancel previous orders or give simple commands (such as mount/dismount or turn) .

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Ill . 1 .2 . - Extended Order Panel

Move in the set direction [M] Fire over a sector [G]

Attack a position [B] Target Priorities [T]

March in columns [K] Defense [N]

Cancel an order [X] Set fire arc or turn [V]

Take positions in a vehicle or on a vehicle [E]

Dismount [L]

Formation Tanks first [F]

Move stealthily [H]

Density Take a road [R]

Move fast [J]

Number of lines Fire forbidden [Ctrl+U]

Fire allowed [Ctrl+Y]

Modifiers can be set for any of the order types and will prevail till the end of the tactic phase .

“Take a road” modifier: units will move by a road only: it is faster; soldiers tire less; the chance vehicles get stuck is very small . From the other hand, the chance to get ambushed is higher .

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Modifier “tanks first”: tanks take place in front of a column or infantry line . This is good for attacking enemy’s infantry defenses .

“Move stealthily” modifier: units move as stealthily as possible taking low places and bushes, crawling and without much fire .

“Move fast” modifier: soldiers move as fast as possible without much fire . If it’s dark, vehicles turn on the lights .

Formation modifiers: soldiers will move either in line (angle) or in column or without formation . Units will take their positions and will try to keep them as much as the terrain and enemy actions allow . The line formations are very vulnerable for enemy fire .

Line moves in the direction set by a movement order . E .g ., 45 degrees anticlockwise means the line will move in this angle . Fire order sets fire direction for the selected units (press and hold [RMB]) . To cancel fire, right click the button . Artillery will use HE and shrapnel shells . Shrapnel will blow up with a delay .

Press SPACE to turn on Quick Order Panel . Here you can use ready orders: march, move fast, charge etc .

Use the following modifiers together: :

Order Movement Tanks first Take a road

Move stealthily

Formation Density Number of lines

March and take defensive stance

March No Yes No Column Average 3

Deployment Movement No Yes No Column High 2-3

Attack Attack Yes No No Line Average 1

Recon Movement Yes No Yes Line Low 2

Assault Attack Yes No No Average/High

2-3

Movement Movement Yes No/Yes No Column 2

Search Mode Movement Yes/No No No Low 1

Defense Defense - - - - - -

Advance Attack No No Yes Line Average 2

3) Fire orders

Priorities [T]: sets priorities for selected units . It is more of a recommendation than an order . If an aim cannot be hit or is out of the visibility or fire range, soldiers won’t shoot . To cancel priority, right click the button .

Fire arc [V]: set fire arc and distance . Any aim more than 100 m out of the sector will not be fired at . This command is good for ambushes (the units will not fire till the very last

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moment) . Press the button to cancel . When you set an arc, vehicles and guns move in the set direction (along the center axis of the arc) . With arcs under 15 degrees, the order can be used as a “turn” command (the arc will be highlighted with red) and arc will not be set . To cancel an arc, right click the button . Ill 1 .3: Tactic Map Interface .

Selected Unit [LMB] - Select [RMB] - order Order Panel [LMB] - Select [RMB] - cancel

[LMB] - Select [RMB] - cancel

Ill . 1 .3 . - Tactic Phase Interface

Current orders visualization: command ranges, current commands and targets . Blue lines show movement directions, orange lines show the current target . By default, the feature is turned off . To see fi re effi ciency, turn on dynamic damage highlights [F8] .

By default, you start the game with Short Order Panel where you can set simple orders without using modifi ers . By default, the troops charge in line (angle), tanks in front of them . Troops move fast in columns by the roads . Defense stance is taken without formation .

Hold [SHIFT] while choosing destination point to set a succession of orders .

1.3 Battle The main goal is to occupy and hold maximum of territory (squares) . Changing from tactic phase back to operative, the game counts each side’s squares . In case the central square where the tactic battle started was taken by the attacking side, the platoon which started the battle moves there automatically . If the player’s squares are taken by the enemy, the platoons get “dispersed”: they won’t be able to take part in the battle or be controlled for a certain time (see Operative Mode for details .)

Ill . 1 .3 . - Tactic Phase Interface

Active UnitsLMB - ChooseRMB - Cancel Unit Orders

LMB - ChooseRMB - Cancel

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In forced retreat, all squares will be taken by the advancing enemy . To see who’s in control of a given square, do the following:

Advantage Any square is controlled by the side whose troops got superseding overall effectiveness inside the square . Overall effectiveness is defined by the number of soldiers, condition of the vehicles, morale and the unit type .

Key points Every key point inside a square increases corresponding side’s ove-rall effectiveness . Automatic keys (small flag) increase effectiveness up to 1 .2-2 times, historic points (marked by a big flag) increase effectiveness 2-8 times . It means, the side in control of the points can defend the square with minimum force .

To take a point, place either a platoon/company commander or vehicle or gun next to it . Remember that in this case, infantry and motorized infantry are far more effective than vehicles .

Advice:

1) Set simple and attainable operation goal .

2) Lay out simple clean-cut schemes .

3) Try to move your forces to the right place at the right time .

4) Push enemy into an untenable position .

5) Hit at the very time your enemy cannot strike back .

6) Seize the initiative .

7) Use your forces as effectively as possible .

Ambush the enemy and make your infantry units defend your artillery . Put scouts ahead to intercept the enemy .

Platoon/company commanders fighting side by side with their men prevent panic and increase defense . Place them a step behind the defense to let them cover their units’ field of action . A commander let you advance even if the enemy furnishes a great resistance .

A Commander has two features: Commander Radius and Commander Level . Radius shows the distance his commands work; Level defines effectiveness of his orders . The units inside the Radius never panic, even under a heavy fire, and they never surrender or leave their positions, even if the enemy gets closer or their weapons got broken .

If a Commander got wounded, his Radius and Level decrease . To see Radius and level, use the [ \ ] key .

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Commander Level by color:

Green the highest level: the troops (almost) never panic and fight in the best possible way

Yellow middle level: the troops may cease fire and panic under heavy fire

Red, black low level: the troops are prone to panic and surrender under heavy fire

Artillery spotters correct fire while shelling enemy positions, suppressing enemy firing points, dispersing advancing enemy forces or setting a smoke screen .

Use flares to spot the enemy in the night .

To set target priorities, hold [T] and draw a frame around the targets . The targets will be marked by crosses .

1.3.1 Penetration Diagrams. The diagrams show the distance the gunshot can penetrate enemy vehicle at, or the distance an enemy weapon’s shot can penetrate your vehicle at . The diagram is turned on by the Unit Panel buttons . If you’ve set a target, the diagram automatically shows the target or its weapon .

Horizontal lines show defense levels (mm) for different parts and from different directions . Broken lines show penetration levels for all ammunition used by a selected weapon . Crossing points are marked by vertical lines; at the point where such line crosses a horizontal line, the weapon’s maximum penetration distance is shown .

The penetration figures suppose 30 degree deflection from the normal . The data are not the same as used in the game and are for reference only . The diagrams show approximate figures without taking into account the armor quality . The distance may vary in different conditions .

1.3.2 Tactic Map and Search. In the upper left you can see a Minimap [F9] . Press [F10] to see it in detail; [Num+] and [Num-] keys zoom the Map in and out . Key Points: red are controlled by the Player; blue are under enemy control; white points don’t belong to anybody . Visible enemy units are marked by blue dots, player’s units are marked with red .

Minimap also shows elevation contours, roads, buildings, forests, bushes, bodies of water etc . In case Show Units Mode is on [F6] and fire arcs are set, they will be shown in blue .

1.3.3 Tactic markings. Map and Interface unit symbols (Table 1 .1) .

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Table 1.1 Map and Interface unit symbols

Tank SPG (on APC) Assault Gun

Scout Platoon APC (grenadier unit) Mortar

Machinegun Infantry Unit Gun

Flamethrower Commanding Unit AT SPG

AT Gun AT rifle AT Gun (on APC)

Artillery spotter Air spotter

1.4 End of Tactic Phase Tactic Phase is at end if:

1) One of the sides retreats .

2) Both sides agree to cease fire .

3) Tactic Phase lasts over 60 min (or 30/120 min depending on settings .)

Retreat order ends Tactic Phase in 30 seconds; the whole of the area is captured by the enemy . If your units couldn’t retreat to the nearest squares, they got out of control for a period of time .

To request cease of fire press

and wait for the enemy to agree . If the enemy already requested cease of fire, the button turns green . Upon the agreement, the sides keep their respective squares . AI offers cease of fire if its troops’ effectiveness is less than 25% of what it had in the beginning of the battle, or if it doesn’t intend an offensive . In the last case, it may offer to cease fire in the very beginning of Tactic Phase . Cease Fire Request is shown in Events Panel (above Order Panel) .

At the end of Tactic Phase the captured areas are shown:

Blue enemy controlled

Red player (ally) controlled

White neutral

Turn on Show Control Points option [F5] to see the captured area . Vehicles abandoned in the enemy territory are lost; vehicles left at the allied forces’ territory get back to battle . Vehicles abandoned in neutral squares get back to battle with 0 .5 probability .

1 .4 .1 Post Battle Statistics . The Player can check his/her (as well as enemy’s) units’ after-

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battle condition by switching to Statistics Mode . In the bottom right of the table you can see condition of every crew or unit . Losses and units destroyed by the unit are shown in pop-up windows .

Platoons are marked with fl ags; units are marked with icons . Figures show personnel number (active/lost) . Destroyed units and crews are shown in red . In the far right column you see heavy weapons’ condition .

To see selected unit, press [Ctrl+F] or click it in the table .

If a unit is equipped with heavy vehicles, shell and bullet hit vectors (as well as distance, projectile type, normal to surface, and damage) are shown .

Projectile types:

blue shrapnel

dark blue HE

yellow subcaliber

green cumulative

red armor-piercing

white incendiary

If a hit pierced armor, the vector’s color will be brighter .

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ABBREVIATION LIST Btry Artillery Battery UFHP Upper Front Hull PlateAI Artificial IntelligenceLMB Left Mouse ButtonLFHP Lower Front Hull PlateOS Operation SystemIB Infantry BattalionIB Infantry BrigadeRMB Right Mouse Button AT Gun Anti Tank Gun MMB Middle Mouse Button AD Armor Division

1 TANKS

1.1 T-62 T-62 is a soviet medium tank . It was created in 1960 as a major modification of T-55 model . The tank retains the same “classic” look: engine is placed in the back of the vehicle, and weapons and controls in the front (Ill .1 .1) .

Ill .1 .1 – T-62 mod 1972 .

Ill .1 .2 - Tank’s Systems

TANK manual

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A crew of four: driver, gunner, commander, and loader .

Tank boasts a 115 mm U-5TS L52 smoothbore gun (40 rounds) paired with 7 .62 mm PKT machinegun (2500 rounds; 250 round belts in 10 box magazines .) The gun is equipped with two-plane Meteor stabilizer (maximum turret/gun angle 16 deg/sec horizontally and 4 .5 deg/sec vertically) . Normal recoil length is 350-415 mm . Empty cases are ejected through an automatic hatch in the back of the turret .

The tank’s ammunition: UBM3 rounds with subcaliber 3BM3 (22/5 .5 kg); 3 UBK3 with cumulative 5BK4 (26/12 .97 kg); 3UOF1 with HE 3OF11 (28/14 .86/2/9 kg .) You can see the rounds at Ill . 1 .3; their characteristics are shown in Table 1 .1 . A 2 m high target can be hit with direct kinetic energy penetrator 3BM3 from 1870 m distance .

Ill .1 .3 – U-5TS rounds from left to right:3UBM3, 3UBK3, 3UOF1

Table 1.1 Rounds For U5-TS Gun

Projectile Type

Round Projectile Projectile Weight (kg)

Round Weight (kg)

Muzzle Velo-city (mps)

Kinetic Ener-gy Penetrator

3UBM3 3BM3 5,5 22 1615

Cumulative 3UBK3 3BK4 12,97 26 900

HE 3UOF1 3OF11 14,86 28 905

Table 1.2 Table 1 .2: 115 mm projectile penetration .

115 Mm Projectile Penetration For U5-TS Gun

Projectile/Distance (m) 1000 2000 3000

3BM3 300/130 270/100 240/90

3BK4 440/200

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Gunner’s place is equipped with the telescopic jointed sight TS2B-41 (Ill . 1 .4a .) The vision block offers changeable magnifi cation, moveable distance correction gauge, light fi lter, and gauge illumination . Optic characteristics of TS2B-41:

- magnifi cation: x3,5 andx7

- scope: 18° and 9

- diameter: 5,4 and 2,7 mm

- exit pupil stand-off: 25 mm

To fi ght effectively in low-light conditions, the tank is equipped with electro optical periscope sight TPN-1-41-11 with х5 .5 magnifi er and scope of 6° . The sight is used along with searchlight L-2G with infrared fi lter which gives night vision possibility up to 800 m .

The Tank Commander can survey the battlefi eld through periscope far-range gauge sight TKN-3 (Ill . 1 .4b) as well as use binoculars .

(a) (b)

“BP” for KE BM3 shots; “BK” for BKS BK4; “OF” for OFS OF11; “GT/T” for twin-barreled machine-gun PKT .

The gauge fi gures show distance in hundreds of meters: 2 for 200 m, 4 for 400 m etc .

Ill . 1 .4 – Gauges: (a) sight TSB2B-41; (b) Commander’s periscope TKN-3

Since 1972, 12 .7 mm DShKM machine gun is mounted in the top part of the turret . The machine gun is mounted inside the turret near the loader’s hatch . It is equipped with optic collimator sight K-10T . The ammunition load is 300 rounds (six 50-round belts in six boxes) . DShKM can shoot B-30 piercing bullets, B-32 piercing incendiary bullets, and piercing incendiary tracer BZT bullets . The machinegun is used to destroy enemy personnel and non-armored vehicles . B-32 bullet’s piercing ability is 14 mm at 500 m distance (normal), so the bullet can be used against light-armored vehicles .

The armor is the same for the whole of the turret . The maximum armor thickness (the front of the turret) is 211 mm with 17 degrees angle . For T-62 armor details, see Table 1 .3 .

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1.3. Table 1 .3 T-62 Armor

Detail Front, mm Side, mm Stern, mm Roof/bottom, mm

Turret 211/17° 160-104 65 30/86°

Upper Body 100/30° 80/90° 45/60° 15

Lower Body 100/55° 80/90° 45/17° 20

The tank is equipped with target designation gear (commander’s seat), directional gyroscope GPK-59, and R-123 radio .

The engine is V-55V 580 hp diesel, the 37 .5 ton tank can make up to 50 kmph . The engine gets max 2000 rpm (230 kilogrammeter torsion torque under 1200-1400 rpm .)

The fuel system consists of four internal tanks (675 l .) The consumption rate is 174 g/hp per hour . The chassis has five road wheels per side . T-62 tanks were equipped with T54/55 tracks with either silent blocks or metal hinges . The tracks used pin toothing .

The tracks’ were 580 mm in width; track pitch 137 mm . Metal track included 96 tracks while rubber block track consisted of 97 tracks .

The tank was used in Afghanistan by the Soviet forces (the 5th Guard Motor-Rifle Division; the 24th Guard Tank regiment) and was as well used by the Angolan Army (the 50th Cuban Tank Division) and the Iraqi forces (the 6th Armor Division and 10th Detached Armor Brigade .)

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1.2 M60A1 TankThe American M60A1 (mod . 1962) is a modification of the medium tank M48: the front part of the tank’s body was changed, and the armor became thicker . Up to the middle 80s, the tank was the most important in the whole of the NATO forces . The tank boasts the “classic” build: engine is placed in the rear, and all controls and fighting gear occupy front and middle parts of the vehicle respectively (Ill . 1 .5) .

Ill . 1 .5 – M60A1 Tank

For the tank’s design, see Ill . 1 .6 .

Ill . 1 .6 – M60A1 Layout

A crew of four: driver, gunner, commander (all in the right of the turret), and loader (left from the gun .)

The tank boasts 105 mm rifled gun M68 (an American modification of the English L7) with generous 63 round ammunition load; it is paired with 7 .62 mm M73 machinegun (5950 rounds .) The gun and turret rotation mechanisms are electrohydraulic with manual back-up .

The tank’s ammunition load (Ill . 1 .7) consists of: piercing-subcaliber M392 with detachable bottom plate; cumulative fin-stabilized M456; piercing-HE (plastic BB) M393A1 . There also are smoke white phosphorus shells M 416, and shrapnel M494 . They are used to destroy enemy targets and camouflage . For 105 mm shell characteristics, see Table 1 .4 .

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Ill . 1 .7 – M68 ammunition, from let to right: M392, M456, M393A1, M416, M494

Table 1.4 M68 Gun Projectiles

Type Projectile Shell Weight Weight, kg Initial velocity,

mps

Piercing-subcaliber

APDS-T M392 Shot

M392 5 .78 18,57 1478

Cumulative HEAT-T M456 Shell

M456 10 .15 21,74 1173

Piercing-HE HEP-T M393A1 Shell

M393A1 11 .23 21,16 732

Smoke WP-T M416 Shell

M416 11 .40 20,61 732

Shrapnel APERS-T M494 Shell

M494 14 .04 24,92 823

105 mm projectile piercing ability is shown in Table 1 .5 .

Table 1.5 M68 Gun Projectile Piercing Ability

Projectile/Distance, m 1000 2000 3000

M392 290/120 240/100 -

х456 400/160

The gunner seat is equipped with day-time x8 periscope M31 (Ill . 1 .8х); sometimes it can be replaced with IR х32 sight . The gun’s mask is equipped with xenon searchlight . The gunner can also use telescopic M105D sight (Ill . 1 .8 b-c) .

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(a) (b) (c)

(a)(b)(c) Ill .1 .8 – Scales: (a) Periscopic M31, (b-c) Telescopic M105D

The commander seat is equipped with optic monocular range-fi nder M17C (range 500-4400 m .)

Range-fi nder and some other gear data are analyzed by electric ballistic computer to set the total vertical gun correction .

The modifi ed turret has a commander’s cupola (360° turn) with 12 .7 mm M85 machine-gun (900 round ammunition load .)

The fi re-prevention system is fully automated . The driver can use IR periscope assisted by lights placed in the frontal armor plate .

The tank’s armored protection is comparatively high: it has thick cast armor body and turret with high stagger rate . Table 1 .6 describes the tank’s armor:

Table 1.6. M60A1 Armor

Part Front, mm Side, mm Rear, mm Roof/bottom, mm

Turret 178/35° 76/35° 51/10° 24

Upper body 95/65° 74-36 30° 20

Lower body 140-85/55° 74-36 41/30° 19-13

With its Teledyne Continental AVDS-1790-2A/C diesel of 750 hp, the 49 .7 ton tank can move as fast as 48 kmph . Its cruising endurance (coated road) is about 500 km .

The chassis consist of silent block tracks with rubber-coated bearing area and tread; road wheels with a massive outer rubber tire; torsion cushioning system with hydraulic shock-absorbers .

Iran used the tank in the times of the Iran-Iraq 1980-1988 war (the 92nd Armor Division .)

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2 TANK CONTROLS

2.1 Basics 1) To mouse-press interface buttons, hold [Ctrl] . 2) [Esc]: Quit to the Menu . 3) [F10]: Map, [F9]: quit Map or bring up Minimap .

4) To control a device, right click its icon .

5) To turn a device on/off, click its icon or press the corresponding hotkey: [B], [N], or [M] .

6) To change mode or projectile type, right click its icon .

7) Left click to choose a subordinate or target .

8) Right click to carry an order .

9) To fi nish deployment and initial order phases, press [Enter] .

10) To cancel Pause, press [Pause] button or [Enter] (Map mode .)

11) Mouse wheel: use it to set range in various sights and gear . [Shift]: change range choice speed .

2.2 Basics

Ill . 2 .1: Interface Basics .

Ill . 2 .1 . - Interface Basics

Der Spieler kann jeden der vier Plätze besetzen: Fahrer, Richtschützen, Kommandant oder Ladeschützen . Die Plätze werden mit den Tasten von [F5] bis [F8] oder durch Anklicken des entsprechenden Knopfes [Strg+LMT] ausgewählt . Siehe auch das Platzmenü in III 2 .2 .

Ill . 2 .1: Interface Basics .

Minimap Tank Choice Panel

Driving Controls Projectile Type Tank or Platoon Loading

Sights Gears Seats Special FunctionsPositions

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The player can take any of four seats: driver, gunner, commander, or loader . The seats are chosen either by [F5-F8] keys or by pressing interface buttons [Ctrl+LMB] . See the seat panel at Ill . 2 .2 .

Ill . 2 .2 – The Crew Seat Panel

Inactive seats are grey; the current player’s seat is green . Incapacitated crew members are marked with red .

Every crew member can take two positions: inside or outside the tank (if the outside position is possible .) You can switch the positions pressing [O] . The player can overview the crew in two modes: first-person (main mode), and third-person [F3] . In the first-person view, the camera is mouse-controlled . To bring observation devices closer, use the [Tab] key .

The player also can view the battlefield with observation devices: binoculars [B] (commander seat, outside the tank); periscope and other sights ([V] .) Switch the sights with

[Z] and [C] keys . [Tab] allows you to increase sight’s magnification . Press [H] to turn on sight’s illumination, or [F] to turn on filter . Ill . 2 .3 shows the Sight Control Panel .

Ill . 2 .3 – Sight Control Panel

With Info Panel (Ill . 2 .4), you can receive and control information concerning the tank’s condition and the battle proceedings . Press [F3] to turn on outside camera to view the tank from the outside .

Press [I] to view the damages the tank sustains, and the crew’s condition . Press [9] to see key points in the battlefield . [0] switches enemy and allied troops’ marker mode: by detachments/units, or turns the markers off .

Position display shows the direction of the player’s view relative to the tank’s body .

Ill . 2 .4 – Info Panel

2 .2 .1 Controlling tank/tank platoon movements . You can do this from commander or gunner seats (a game assumption) either through a special panel (bottom left) or by hot keys (Table 2 .1 .) Movement orders allow you to change speed and direction as well as platoon formation density .

2 .2 .2 Choose and load a projectile . Is possible from commander or gunner seats (a game assumption) either through a special panel (bottom right) or by hot keys [1]-[3] (Table 2 .2 .) Press [R] to order the gunner to load the projectiles up to the time there is no more, or the order is cancelled . Right click the projectile icon to change the shell type (if the ammunition load allows that .)

The projectile chosen is lighted with green; the projectile being loaded with blue, the projectile loaded with red .

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Table 2.1 Correcting Tank/Platoon Movement

Interface Hot Key Action

Hold [A] or [D] Turn a tank/tank platoon . With the key pressed, the turn’s angle is shown with an arrow (in thousandths .) After the key is released, the turn is performed .

[W], [S] Speed and direction (forward/back) . Press the keys to change .

[Ctrl+S], [Ctrl+W] Distance between tanks (formation) . For platoons only .

[X] Stop tank/platoon .

[~] Switch tank/platoon mode .

Table 2.2 For choosing projectile type and loading (driver’s interface) see Ill . 2 .5 .

Interface Hot Key Action

[1] Armor-piercing or subcaliber projectile .

[2] Cumulative or smoke projectile .

[3] HE, piercing-HE, or shrapnel projectile .

Machine-gun ammunition counter .

[R] Load .

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2.3 Driver SeatFrom the driver seat, the player can drive the tank . Basics:

Movement controls

Ill . 2 .5 - Driver Seat Basic Interface

Movement controls: [WSAD]; [X] – stop the tank . [O] - switch to march position . Please remember press [B] to turn the engine on!

2.4 Gunner seatFrom the gunner seat, the player can fi re the main gun and use targeting gear .

Choose projectile with [1-3] keys; load with [R] .

[E] for a short stop; move again after the shot . [F] for fi lter; [H] for gauge ill .umination . Change the sight’s magnifi cation (when possible) with [Tab] . Press [G] to change the sight’s scale (when possible .)

The gunner’s gear is shown in Table 2 .3 .

Table 2.3 Gunner’s Gear

Interface Hot Key Action

[B] Azimuth meter shows the turret’s angle to the body (in degrees .)

[N] Ballistic meter shows the target distance calculated by the commander (with range-fi nder) or by the gunner himself .

Switch to Tactic Command mode

Minimap-Zoom

External camera mode engine and headlights

Driver seat devices: Tank’s condition and current data

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[M] Arc clinometer shows angle in thousands .

[N] Weapon stabilizer .

Set distance in range finder/sight with mouse wheel (if possible) . Move gun and turret with mouse; use arrows to quickly change the turret position or turn the gun . Left click to fire the main weapon; right click to fire a secondary weapon .

Table 2 .4 shows main gunner controls .

Table 2.4 Main Gunner Controls

Interface Hot Key Action

[E] Shortstop . After the shot, the movement will . be recommenced .

[T] The distance data from Commander . Turns on automatically if you choose a new target by [Ctrl+left click] .

[V] Lean to the sight .

[Tab] Change sight’s magnification .

2.5 Commander Seat From the Commander Seat, the player can control the tank’s crew, designate targets, set targets, fire secondary weapons, command the platoon .

Basic commander interface is shown at Ill . 2 .7 .

Ill . 2 .7 . - Basic Commander Interface

[5]: choose fire mode . By default, your gunner acts independently . You can switch to full or partial fire control mode . [6]: give the gunner the distance data (range finder mode); the mode is turned on automatically as soon as you designate a target . Set sistance with mouse wheel or [Home] and [End] keys . Press [T] to coordinate cupola and turret turns .

[I]: tank and crew condition report . [8]: block/unblock the hatches . [7]: repair a damaged track .

For commander gear, see Table 2 .5 .

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Table 2.5 Commander Gear

Interface Hot Key Action

[B] Binoculars .

Shows the cupola position in relation to the turret position .

[M] Range finder or range-finding scale .

Set target with [Ctrl+LMB] . A set target will . be marked with a white dot; any target the gunner is shooting at is marked with a red dot . The gunner can define the distance by himself, or receive the data from the commander ([6] .)

Movement order: [Ctrl+RMB] at the area . If you give orders to the whole of the platoon, the destination point and target are set for all the tanks . Table 2 .6 shows the most important of the commander controls .

Table 2.6 Commander Controls

Interface Hot Key Action

[I] Tank and crew condition report .

[8] Block the hatches .

[7] Repair a damaged track .

Hold [T] Coordinate cupola and turret turn .

[6] Designate the distance to the gunner

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[5] Fire mode: automatic; order target and shell type; full commander’s control .

[O] March position .

In M60A1, you have to coordinate the cupola with the turret if you want to use the range finder or binoculars, or change to the March Mode . You cannot give azimuth data to you gunner using [T] key .

In T-62, Commander cannot control fire himself [5] . There is no range finder in the tank; to find the distance, use far-range periscope gauge .

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1 WAR HISTORY 1.1 Afghanistan 1979-1989. The 40th Army brought to Afghanistan three motor-rifle divisions including following tank corps: the 24th Guard Tank Regiment of the 5th Guard Motor-Rifle Division; 285th Tank Regiment of the 108th Motor-Rifle Division, and the 234th Tank Regiment of the 201st Motor-Rifle Division . Some motor-rifle regiments and brigades had T-62 tank battalions of their own .

Tanks had a hard time in Afghanistan: the land was very hard to navigate, and the missions were very much unusual . Tanks served as mobile fire points at block stations, as well as guarded marching columns: a few tanks equipped with mine ploughs served as a movement protection unit, and the rest of them moved along the column . If attacked, the tanks left the road and covered automobiles which drove away from the dangerous place as fast as they could .

T-62 tanks blocked and combed dangerous areas . They protected motor-rifle infantry and landing forces and destroyed the most important targets . In one of such operations tanks carried landing force and covered sappers while staying behind them . The tanks destroyed enemy with guns and machineguns, and after that troopers combed spaces between them . In a few days, the whole area was cleared and loads of weapons and ammunition were captured . No vehicle or personnel losses were sustained although the enemy shot dozens of grenades .

1.2 Iran 1980-1988 The Iraqi used T-62s in the Iran-Iraqi War (1980-1988) . The best-known battle took place at the Karkheh River south-east of Sousangerd .

At the end of 1980, Iraqi 6th Armor Division and 5th Infantry Division controlled Bostan area (north of the Karkheh River), south quarters of Sousangerd, and South-West Ahvaz suburbs . South of Ahvaz the 10th Armor Division was deployed . The 6th Armor Division included T-62 and T-55 tanks as well as BMP-1 vehicles with 90-100% manning levels .

The Iranian Regular Army assaulted Sousangerd .

The idea was to break Iraqi defense by several attacks from Sousangerd and north of Ahvaz, and then encircle and destroy three Iraqi brigades south of Sousangerd . The assault was to start on the left flank; and, with the enemy involved in this battle, it was planned to hit from the right and rear and encircle main enemy forces .

The right wing of the assault group was presented by the 16th Armor Division (Chieftain tanks and BTR M113; manning level 80% .) Left flank assault was carried by the 3rd Armor Brigade of the 92nd Armor Division (manning level 80%) with M60A1 tanks; some of the 77 Infantry Division and 2 battalions of the the 55th Detached Airborne Brigade . The assault was supported by 22nd Detached Artillery Group and a detached aircraft battalion .

history manual

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In the swampy lowlands in the south, it was extremely hard to build defense lines and roads . The army had to build bermed-up pockets of resistance and vehicle and personnel covers as well as steep and high antitank walls .

In the beginning of the assault Iran had 2:1 favorable differential in forces . Iran hoped to take enemy by surprise and in three days encircle and destroy Iraqi forces south of Sousangerd .

The assault started in the night of January 4 . The first hit took place north of Ahvaz in the south direction with later south-west turn . The plan worked: they overthrew one motorized infantry brigade of the Iraqi 5th Motorized Infantry Division and sent to flight a tank brigade of the 10th Armor Division . Nevertheless, late on January 6 (after the south-west turn was made) the 5th Motor-Rifle Infantry Division set a fierce defense, and Iranian forces had to stop .

Early on January 7 the Iraqi forces made a heavy counterstrike . They attacked the 16th Armor Brigade on the road from all directions: the 6th Armor Division hit from W and S, and the 10th Detached Armor Brigade of the Republic Guard hit from SE and E . Two vanguard Iranian armor brigades tried to form an East to West line but most of the tanks got stuck in the mud and couldn’t take a desired position or avoid fire .

Due to the low-visibility conditions (there were rain and fog), tanks opened fire at enemy vehicles from less than 1000 m distance . Such shots were critical for Iranian Chieftains as well as for Iraqi T-62s . Due to the bad weather and the rapid movements of the troops, the aviation was all but useless .

Late on January 8, the battle was almost over . The Iranian forces returned to their initial positions at Sousangerd but hold the new front south-west from Ahvaz . Iran lost 200 tanks of 300; 140 of the lost vehicles were Chieftains . 40-50 Chieftains were damaged, the rest of them either got stuck or ran out of fuel or broke and were abandoned by their crews .

The Iraqi lost 100 tanks of 350; 70 vehicles were damaged in the battle . They kept the battlefield and so were able to repair their tanks while the Iranians lost all their abandoned vehicles irretrievably .

1.3 Angola 1975—2002 In the second half of 1987 in Angola province of Cuando Cubango, a great battle between the Governmental Forces and National Union for the Total Independence of Angola (UNITA) took place . The Government was supported by Cuban volunteers, and UNITA was helped by RSA forces .

In July and August of 1987 Soviet advisers helped Angola to prepare a big operation against RSA-supported UNITA groups . Cuban units did not participate . Angolan brigades, with the Soviet advisers in their ranks, advanced in SE direction, to the Mavinga, UNITA’s advanced base in Cuando Cubango province .

RSA sent to the Cuito, Cuanavale and Lomba rivers large forces including Oliphant tanks, APCs (such as Ratel, Oland and Casspir), and long-range guns (155 mm G-5 mortars and

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MLRS Valkyrie .) Early in October, the Angolan assault on UNITA south-east bases failed . The RSA intervention tipped the scales, and Angola ‘s position become rather precarious . RSA and UNITA forces started an assault in hope to take the Government home-base in Cuito Cuanavale .

The UNITA and RSA forces threw the Government army back over the Lomba river (the Modular operation .) The most important part was played by RSA long-range artillery . It was the fi rst time the Oliphant tanks and Ratel-90 APCs joined a real battle .

The Government forces for some time kept the ground at the Chambinga river . In the beginning of 1988, RSA and UNITA forces got close to the town (the Hooper operation .) They all but destroyed the 25th Infantry Brigade . After that, Cuba sent to Angola their 50th Tank Division, an elite unit equipped with T-62 tanks . Also, they sent MiG-23 planes piloted by highly-experienced crews . The USSR provided Angola with new weapons, spare parts and ammunition . With all that, Angola could stop UNITA’s and RSA’s advance and keep bridgeheads at the left bank of the Cuanavale .

The RSA forces kept attacking the town . On March 23 of 1988, they carried one fi nal assault (the Parker operation .) Some of the Western diplomats tried to persuade the world that the town was doomed . But nothing, not even heavy armored vehicles, could break Cuito Cuanavale defenses .

At the same time, Cuban tank units equipped with Soviet T-54, T-55 and T-62 tanks made a dash behind the RSA army and got to the Angola-Namibia border .

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Notes

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