SB compass vs realism

[Lumituisku]

I have wondered this for a long time.

How do crews of AFVs navigate and how do they know what direction they are looking at?

My friend Evilfox has many o times said to me that do not use compass directions to guide your driver, it's not realistic. Drivers do not have compass.

Well apparently commanders do not have either.



I finally got the answers while reading Wishlist post from other peoples on Steelbeast.com


First of all. As we all probably know. On steelbeast we can use a tank clock at the bottom right as a compass to navigate. (It certainly makes like lot easier, no doubt) but do real AFV crewmembers have compass at use in the vehicle.

Answer is No they Don't. It wont work on huge metal box. - Crews simply navigate by the terrain.



Here is a great source for those who are at their begin of a commander career on steelbeast.  
http://www.steelbeasts.com/sbwiki/index.php?title=Land_Navigation



Its all about navigation from the very basics. Enjoy!







From Gibson Orig

I get that its a "wish list" but why the ongoing request for a "compass"?
 
AFV crews don't have them, apart from in a pocket if they need to escape and evade (and they wont work inside a big metal box anyway). They certainly wont give you the accuracy to plot artillery missions with Mils accuracy.
 
You navigate using "map to ground " where North is the top of the map.
 
As it is the eSim guys have already given you a "compass" proxy in terms of the AFV outline in the bottom right hand corner so you know both where the AFV is pointing and courtesy of the white dot, the direction where you are looking.
 
Dismounts maybe.

Also to estimate exath azimuth and grip of a location. You can use a plastic tool.


From Ronin orig

The compass for dismounts is great, I just would want it LESS accurate. (only in 100mil steps as IRL) that way the FO team are again the only ones that can measure azimuth with 1mil accuracy.
 
Also for AFV's...who the f*** needs a compass?? What I would like is the virtual equivalent and that simple plastic tool I always had strapped to my map-board:





We call it a "Planzeiger"...here a pic of a civ. variant.
 
Put a straight line to a gridline, and you can read the mils on the line from you to your target...no stinking compass needed

From Gibson Orig

This may overlap with Grenny's response but our FO's (let alone non specialist arm arms guys who call for fire) don't use a compass.
 
Basic process:
 
1. Estimate the location (using the map).
2. Determine the grid bearing from Observer to Target, using a Protractor (see attached) to make it as precise as possible.
3. Transmit that bearing to the Fire Control Centre. They do the Grid to Magnetic conversion, etc.
4. Adjust as required using Binos / Sight.
 
Better process:
 
Use a dedicated vehicle sight to give you that information (like the FO vehicle).
 
Even better process:
 
Use dedicated FO vehicle
Then use a small computer (can't tell you the name) to work it all out and to send the data back to the gun line
 
None of those processes use a magnetic compass.
 
Even dismounted they don't use a compass.
 
Compasses for us are pretty much only used for navigation by foot.

[Renders]

What about gps?

[Lumituisku]

Hehe... not all the modern vehicles have it. It's still pretty much like thermal imager on Russian tanks. Said to be existing yet only small percentage actually uses it.

But sure if you want just use steelbeast with all map updates and compas enabled. However to me it takes away immersion.

And in real life even then only commander would see it. Not the other crewmen

[Cougar11]

I would like s more realistic option with this. It would allow you to be very immersive and realistic. However, the US had used GPS on their vehicles for at least the platoon leader and platoon Sergeant, since before 1996. IU did not update the map, but you knew your position. Almost all vehicle from 2000 on, have a blue force tracking system that updates a map screen by GPS.
It would be vice to simulate what each vehicle is capable, for that specific vehicle 1, 2, 3, 4 etc in the platoon, also out would be nice to allow you to pick add on systems, or take them away.

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