Ability to control tank formation in Air Battles

Ability to control tank formation in Air Battles

Introduction

I would like to suggest pilots to have possibility to control group of AI tanks via leading tank in the moment when they are landed on ground. This suggestion does not include possibility to shoot from tank, but affect the direction where tanks are going, the formation and the possibility to change speed of the tank group. The possibility to control group of tanks is limited by time.

First of all, I have borrowed all this beautiful images in this post are from this blog, they are not my property and they are loaded directly from that blog. I hope the guy will not mind I show them here.

Assumption

- pilot is landed on team airfield and his aircraft is not damaged

- pilot has exited his plane and switched to headquarters room.

Headquarters room

In the headquarters room he will see a map, where team tanks groups are present. Maybe AA vehicles too. He will select a group of tanks he want to give orders. After he clicks on the group of vehicles, the game starts in a leading tank. This is the first tank which is in a group, usually defined internally by his ID. 

Assumptions:

- the group of tanks which you try to select is not under control of different player

The leading tank

He starts in 3D person’s view (AB) or in the commanders view from top of the tank (RB,SB). The time to control the group is limited. He can give orders, redirect the group to go different way or stay in position and then he leaves back to his aircraft to continue flying.

Limitations

The pilot could not shoot from the tank because he only gives commands to tank battalion. However he could drive them if he would like to direct the group. He could change a way the tanks are going. The tank group has it's task which they should perform in time limit, which should be big enough not to hurry. The good thing is you could lead them to go through forest instead over a road. But you could to change direction of the group to go away from the main direction completely. You could do just small modifications of speed and directions.

Time limit:

- AB: 2 minutes

- RB: 3 minutes

- SB: 4 minutes

Basic list of orders:

Basic list of orders should be implemented first it is the minimum.

1) Follow me - the group of vehicles will follow you where you go

This animation is made by me.

2) Cover yourself. The tanks should hide themselves behind the building or rock to be found.

3) Cover yourself in forest shadows. The tanks should cover among the trees.

4) Change speed - go faster or slower

5) Maintain distance among the members of the tank group - and specify if they should be close together or spread apart.

Extended list of orders:

Later when the above would be implemented formations could be added. You would select a formation and the tanks should use it.

1) Platoon Formation

2) Line Formation - there should be possibility to set distance to the line formation
- distance 20m
- distance 50m
- distance 100m

- distance 200m

3) Column Formation - there should be possibility to set distance to the column formation
- distance 10m
- distance 20m
- distance 50m
- distance 100m
- distance 200m

4) Wedge Formation

5) Herringbore Formation - with a possibility to set diameter or distance between the tanks

5) Coil Formation - with a possibility to set distance between the pairs of tanks

6) Echelon formation (This image is from TaleWorlds.com)

7) Next formations which you can find

To inform team players about commands

Every group of tanks or ground vehicles should have it's own calling sign like "Group Charlie" or similar. So when you gave an order to group of the tanks, there could be some information printed in on the screen bottom right. Something like:

Ramirez_24 commanded Tank Group Charlie to Line Formation (100m)
Ramirez_24 commanded Tank Group Charlie to hide in shadows
Ramirez_24 commanded Tank Group Charlie to Column Formation (50m)
Ramirez_24 commanded Tank Group Charlie to go forward (45 hmh)

This should prevent other players to enter the same tank group to re-command it.

Also the group on the map could be highlighted after the command has been applied.

To leave the leading tank

To leave the leading tank just press J and you should go back to your airplane or main screen.

Another assumptions

To improve the playability the tanks must not go through buildings but around them.

The buildings should discrease effect of explosions.

The marks of the tanks should not be visible when the tanks are hidden behind buildings or behind the trees.

It would be great if tree textures of some old maps would be improved, fire of trees and houses added to the air battle maps, so here we could more enjoy the ground scenery effects!

Conclusion

The ability to control the movements of group of AI tanks would be more realistic. The tanks would not sit like ducks waiting till some bomber will destroy them, but would gain an ability to defend them-self when the leader/commander would tell them that they should hide and stay in the position or go via a forest.


Resources:

The Tactics PostAll you need to know when going into the battle

Basic Tank Platoon Tactics