Lost military tech brought back to life in a tank sim. Even the Bundeswehr archives had nothing to say about it

by

You might be familiar with war simulators such as Arma 3, Squad, or Warno; however, Gunner, HEAT, PC! (GHPC) takes tank simulation to an unprecedented level of realism, developed by Radian Simulations. This game is all about intricate tank combat. Although it’s been in Early Access since the year 2022, the developers continue to roll out updates regularly, and today they unveiled something truly remarkable.

GHPC’s hunt for the lost thermal pointer

In a simplified and engaging rephrase:

GHPC masterfully captures the essence of contemporary tank combat with accurate ballistics, physics-based maneuverability, and intricate damage modeling that allows rounds to penetrate, bounce off, or miss completely based on impact angles and armor thickness. To enhance immersion, it features realistic optics, thermal imaging, exceptional audio design, and intelligent AI crews. Each vehicle is meticulously designed to mirror its real-life counterpart in appearance, movement, and combat performance, which sets GHPC apart from other war simulations.

Version 20250630 offers an exciting upgrade: the Marder A1+ IFV now serves as the standard in-game Marder, boasting a unique thermal pointer sight (WOE) – a feature scarcely found and originally utilized by West German troops. Replicating it required considerable effort.

The WOE system was scarcely documented and almost lost to memory, rarely mentioned in historical records. The development team at GHPC were determined not to take the easy route, so they delved into the intricacies of how this seldom-used device functioned. The original blueprints are difficult to obtain, technical guides scarce, and modern Marders typically lack this feature.

To successfully replicate it, the team managed to locate Cold War-era manuals, vintage technical diagrams, and even spoke with veterans who had operated the system. Despite their memories being somewhat inconsistent, they were eventually able to gather enough reliable information to authentically reproduce the WOE within the game, featuring its distinctive flashing red dot display, low resolution, and peculiar scanning pattern. It’s likely the most accurate portrayal of this once-forgotten technology in any video game yet.

There’s no denying that the developers have done an outstanding job with this creation. In essence, GHPC now serves as a fascinating military history museum where one can freely delve into the intricacies of the displayed vehicles.

Read More

2025-07-01 21:02