MBT's

[MarkSheppard]

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=s7h6JrNdfgY

1~ minute of Leopard 2s engaging like it's 1943.

[DRG]

There was one comment...........

... to see a German tank with a German cross painted on top fighting in the Ukraine is simply unbelievable.

Yep...it is. Going to say FAKE about this. That was something like WoT. The trees and earth just don't look real enough

Forbes used the same shot

https://www.forbes.com/sites/davidax...h=751bb0365931

I am just not convinced that is real

[DRG]

Further



aside from the colours just not looking real the turret detail see does not quite match up with reality




It's close but it just does not ring true for me. Looks more like WoT or War Thunder

[lukerduker123]

Hi, guy that has a modern computer that can run really, REALLY high-end video games here. There's quite a few ways to determine whether this is fake or not, but I'm going to run through just a few of them.

1) Shadows: It's the Year of Our Lord 2023 and computers still have a time and a half trying to render shadows. Sure they're good at rendering big shadows like, say, the silhouette of a tank, but the closer you zoom in the more lines you'll start to see. DRG, that image you posted shows some insanely good shadows. If this was a game like Warthunder at that close a zoom you'd start to see little jagged lines where the shadows are rendering at a lower quality

2) Smoke: Smoke simulation is fun, so much fun in fact that people will spend time and money to not have to deal with it! When smoke is rendered it tends to appears as a sort of texture that expands to fill out a screen. It'll clip through ground and phase out of reality and all sorts of excitingly boring stuff. In the footage shown it.. Doesn't do that. At 0:13 that smoke reacts extremely rapidly, something modern computers aren't really good at

3) Trees: Trees? Trees. Most modern video game trees look horrible up close. They tend to be little tree-like greebles stuck onto a solid object to make it look authentic from far away. The trees at the start of the video? Nope, those are real.

Here's a link showing off some of WarThunder's newest graphics back in 2002.

Additionally Here is a picture of War Thunder's Leopard 2A6 model.
The detail is excellent, but it's missing all of the 'clutter' on the tank in the video. Namely the twigs stuck in the small spaces and a few of the bolts on top of the turret -- things a game would have a real tough time replicating.

Sorry for the derailment here, just figured that with all this talk of modern graphics and AI it's important to recognize what's in a game and what isn't. As it stands? This looks nearly 100% authentic to me, unless someone took time and energy to create an incredibly detailed render of the Leopard 2A6 and design a pixar-quality video around it.

[Karagin]

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VbBX...&feature=share

FYI

[FASTBOAT TOUGH]

Well, it's been a while since I posted anything out here. So, I'll start with May for at least today. It'll serve as a reminder that there are other countries looking into or improving their own tanks.

ARGENTINA: They have by this time completed testing of the new improved TAM 2CA2 medium tank. I believe I submitted an improved version several years ago. This will be a major improvement with new digital systems to include a much enhanced FCS. A new power plant that gives it a faster game speed both on and off road.
ON MY LIST.
https://www.armyrecognition.com/defe...dium_tank.html

BRAZIL: It is of course noteworthy that they are looking at the Chinese VT-4 120mm. However, my attention is focused more on the upgrade package put into the LEOPARD 1A5BR which is possibly why they refused to send their tanks to the Ukraine that Germany tried to get based on my earlier reporting.
ON MY LIST
https://www.armyrecognition.com/defe...ttle_tank.html

CZECH REPUBLIC: The first sentence says it all for the time being. This will be a long process I feel outside of our timeline with more on that following for Germany next. But since this would represent a foreign sales tank, I feel at this moment that the standard German LEOPARD 2A7 might be an appropriate tank possibly with some minor tweaks be representative of a foreign sale LEOPARD 2A8.
https://www.armyrecognition.com/defe...h_germany.html

GERMANY: As I posted many months back, Germany ranks in the lower middling of European countries in tanks but also in LEOPARD tanks. Production is still ongoing with the LEOPARD 2A7V but the LEOPARD 2A8 will be a further improvement.

Germany has ordered 18 of these tanks with a further possible follow on order for 105 more. I have already outlined the LEOPARD 2A8. I expect these tanks to reach FOC by mid-summer/fall 2024 certainly not a "bulls' eye" on the dart board by any means (Probably early 2025 is BETTER but being a little optimistic is all.) .

If the additional order is picked up, KMW will start production of them in JUNE 2026 at a rate of 2 UNITS per month. So, my best guess from above is just that based on that additional order start date.
https://www.armyrecognition.com/defe..._105_more.html
https://www.armyrecognition.com/defe...nk_design.html
ON MY LIST

I see my time is up will try to get the others in later.

Regards,
Pat

[FASTBOAT TOUGH]

May Part 2...

GREECE: They appear to be starting an upgrade program for their LEOPARD 2A4 tanks. The article shows the first example of this tank. This will warrant further investigation.
https://www.armyrecognition.com/defe...ar_ng-mbt.html

NETHERLANDS: It didn't take them long to realize that they made a mistake by getting rid of their tanks. They have been renting the most modern version of the LEOPARD 2A6 since about 2018. I stumbled upon a series of articles that pointed out that the agreement allows the Dutch to use those tanks as needed for national defense. And the unit they are assigned to also regularly holds exercises in the Netherlands.

I intend to submit them whenever the next patch occurs once I identify the right version of the 2A6. I expect when the government makes its decision, they'll pick the LEOPARD 2A7V Export version. They are talking in the sense of forming Battalions of them. Amazing how a war in the "neighborhood" motivates Governments.
ON MY LIST.
https://www.armyrecognition.com/defe..._its_army.html

ROMANIA: Could be the second operator of the M1A2 Export in Europe. NOTHING has been approved by their government and there doesn't even exist an MOU to start the contract process. We've built the tank already and though I'll be tracking this, I see this as "doubtful" before games end. More likely 2026/2027.
https://www.armyrecognition.com/defe...ion_euros.html

UKRAINE: Well when you have a huge war chest to buy military equipment it allows you to build your own weapons in this case as pictured that would mean the OPLOT-M. There is another follow-on article in late June or early this month concerning the same.
https://www.armyrecognition.com/defe...lot_tanks.html

M1A1 Export: I built this version in the Thread and was not submitted in my last patch. However, it was discussed between Don and me during "our" process, so we have it for both Poland and the Ukraine when they get them or anyone else for that matter.

Before people get all "jacked up" about the next issue, I want to be perfectly clear that they will not get those tanks probably until the late fall as DOD has not changed the timeline for delivery.

As it stands, we've started training about the 2nd week of July as we observe our holidays wherever our troops are serving (And because of the above delivery dates, there's no rush.) We are using our own M1A1 SA (Only one in service with the USA.) AND Crews as part our mission to support our allies.

Training is set to last 10 weeks with completion by mid-September. I'm sure we'll keep them in them until they get theirs unless our unit is scheduled to be elsewhere when the training ends. I'm sure we'll know when the training is finished.
https://www.armyrecognition.com/defe...many_soon.html


I believe along with others that it was already posted that the Ukrainians started training in Denmark on the LEOPARD 1A5 DK in the beginning of May.

THIS ALL ON MY LIST

So that's it for May.

Regards,
Pat

[zovs66]

https://defence-blog.com/russian-for...ded-tanks/?amp

[FASTBOAT TOUGH]

And to the last, let's not forget about the T-80BVM which is also seeing increased production as posted.

The next I feel couldn't wait because quite frankly we've been waiting on what improvements the Ukrainians would make to the Western tanks they've received.

Well, where it concerns the 47 or so LEOPARD 2A4 tanks the Ukraine operates the answer is they have ERA Kontakt-1. You should based on the picture see quite clearly where it is mounted on the hull.

What you might not notice is that it's also mounted fully on the turret side as well. I bring your attention to the forward 2 block sets of ERA Kontakt-1 and look straight up onto the turret side and you will notice to blocks there in the gap on the camo netting. Also, you can see the same on the aft end of the turret as well.
The way the camo netting is draped over the turret, convinces me it's completely covering the turret side fully.
https://www.armyrecognition.com/ukra...nian_army.html

Tomorrow is Mi-7 in 4-DX! I'm not standing by to just watch the movie as much as waiting to be launched instead. The 4-DX is something to be experienced with the right movie.

Regards,
Pat

[DRG]

Originally Posted by FASTBOAT TOUGH

............ the 47 or so LEOPARD 2A4 tanks the Ukraine operates the answer is they have ERA Kontakt-1. You should based on the picture see quite clearly where it is mounted on the hull.

What you might not notice is that it's also mounted fully on the turret side as well. I bring your attention to the forward 2 block sets of ERA Kontakt-1 and look straight up onto the turret side and you will notice to blocks there in the gap on the camo netting. Also, you can see the same on the aft end of the turret as well.
The way the camo netting is draped over the turret, convinces me it's completely covering the turret side fully.

Which is what I anticipated would happen and why it was applied in the Ukrainian OOB