Birch SPG by Kestrel

User friendliness:

The tank is easy to use... as long as you read the 24 page manual that comes with the tank. I purposefully went in blind at first and oh boy did I not know what I was doing. I did figure out most features after a few minutes of messing around but didn't entirely know what they did. After reading the manual I could control everything pretty easily. Everything is labeled properly and I'm not missing any readouts or information, the one thing that I didn't quite understand how to control entirely is the drone, I was able to use it but it always took a minute or so to get it to designate a target. Overall it's very nice after getting past initial learning curve and easy to use as long as you read the manual.
8.5/10

Performance:

Sho't kal by koekoekjonguh 

User friendliness: 

 The tank is extremely easy to use and the engine turns on immediately when it spawn so you just have to press W and you're off. The screens and buttons are all straight in front of you and easy to understand but I was missing dials for engine RPM and temperature. Gun sensitivity might be a little high at max zoom so it takes a few tries to get on target but nothing too major. The Steering is intuitive, however it does feel a bit unstable when turning at high speeds. 

8/10 

Performance: 

It is fast it reaches about 163km/h which is very good for a tracked creation. The engine uses about 1.940L/s at max throttle, that in combination with the ~2100L fuel tank gives the Sho't kal a respectable range of 49km at full throttle. The turning was decent but definitely felt like it locked up a bit at higher speeds which prevents the tank from tipping but can also make it rather difficult to avoid obstacles. One thing I noticed though was that the battery was constantly going down and I wasn't able to get it to charge the battery. 

 5/10 

Effectiveness: 

 The tank is armed with a reasonably accurate battle cannon and a roof mounted mg to deal with any infantry trying to sneak up. Because of the tank being very fast it's quite easy to get into a different position and climbing steep hills and mountains is no problem either. The frontal armor is also resistant against battle cannon HE shells because of how far back the driver and gunner sit. Battle cannon AP rounds do penetrate into the main compartment. The side armor is nothing special but not bad either. One thing the tank doesn't have a lot of is chaff to counter ATGM's which isn't the best but understandable since it's a replica. As mentioned before it can take a few attempts to get the gun on target at longer ranges because of the high sensitivity which allows the enemy to shoot first and maybe disable the tank. 

6.5/10 

Design: 

The tank is a replica of the Israeli Sho't kal and that is definitely what it looks like some minor details were lost but that is entirely understandable when the smallest block is 25cm in every direction. Some paint blocks are used to break up the big monotone panels and they do a pretty good job at it but a bit more subtle colour differences might have been nice. Other than that I don't have much to say here.

8.5/10

Overall: 7

Hazel SPG by Kestrel

User Friendliness: 

The Hazel is decently user friendly with a very useful mouse aim mode which is decently accurate. The controls are easy to understand and we were driving and shooting in no time however, the sticky throttle used for accelerating isn't the best we were both kind of struggling to do precise Movements. The lack of throttle readout didn't help either. The option to raise the seat is a nice addition for non-combat situations because of the vastly improved visibility. Aiorynd was also shooting accidentally a lot because of his keybinds and suggested that a cannon arm button would be nice to avoid that from happening. 
8/10 

Performance:

 The Hazel is quite speedy when it's needed and also has a decent range at about 15km at top speed (68km/h) and 35km at cruise speed (50km/h). At this speed getting to places quickly should be no problem. The turning in low gear feels pretty nice but turning when going faster using the high gear mode has a pretty high chance of spinning you out and it takes a few seconds to recover from that. 

 7.5/10 

Effectiveness: 

We found out rather quickly that getting hit isn't an option because you die instantly and the tank will throw itself through the sky and land about 500m from its original position. The camo used is quite effective at concealing the vehicle at least for visual detection, spotting it from further out when not looking at it directly from the front or top was possible but very hard if you weren't aware it was there already. Visibility is good when inside the tank and even better when using the seat raise. Gun depression and elevation is very good and can easily shoot over hills while hiding most of the tank behind it. The sticky throttle causes some issues with precise movement. The good acceleration and speed also allows it to change position quickly when spotted and it can use its automatic chaff launchers to decoy radar missiles. 

7.5/10 

Design:

 The Hazel's design looks very 1950s and pulls it off decently well. The shape is nice and the colours and camo look decent, they aren't too saturated and blend with terrain well. However it is missing a lot of detail like identification insignias, decorational equipment which would really help the looks. 

5/10 

overall: 7/10

asu strv by Shimozukachi

User Friendliness: 

The asu strv is relatively user friendly to use, the tankette controls nicely and does what you want it to do. There are very few readouts in the vehicle and having a few basic ones like engine rps and temperature would be nice. It took a few minutes to figure out the hull aim but worked fine after that, it was a little too sensitive/shocky at times but nothing major. The button that launches chaff is unlabeled and set to toggle which is not ideal in tense situations or for new users. 

7/10 

Performance: 

The vehicle's speed is decent at 55km/h and it has a decent range of around 18km at top speed and 21km at a more modest 0.9 throttle, anything below that did not have enough power to accelerate enough to engage the automatic gearbox. The turning is very very nice, it takes only a few seconds to do a complete 360 and I wasn't able to make it spin out or flip over at max speed. 

7.5/10 

Effectiveness:

 The asu strv, being a light tank, does not handle damage well. Getting hit by anything more powerful than a machine gun usually ends with a dead operator and/or a burning engine. The maneuverability and size make it easy to get to other positions or run away from enemies who might struggle to evade the trees. Launching a missile at the asu strv will take at least a few attempts because of the chaff mounted on the roof of the vehicle. It isn't much but it is enough for at least a few encounters. The hull aiming works decently when you're used to the sensitivity and quirks it does have. The asu strv has the ability to drive and aim at the same time which can be useful in some situations. Something that is severely lacking is the amount of ammo, there are only 20 rounds of heavy autocannon ammo which is a very low number even for an ambush oriented tank. And even though every part of the tank can be repaired there is also almost no equipment on board, just 1 welder and 1 extinguisher which will run out quite quickly. 

5/10 

Design: 

The design is noticeably based of the strv-103 and the asu-57 and has combined these completely different tanks with different roles into a single tankette. The paint scheme is incredibly basic, it is just 1 colour for both the in and outside of the vehicle. The only thing painted a different colour are the decorational exhaust and the engine. Overall it looks fine, there is enough functional hardware on the outside to make it at least a little bit interesting to look at. Some edges in the interior could use some more work to blend a bit more and a separate interior colour would be nice. 5.5/10 

Overall 6.25

r lau by Shimozuckachi

User Friendliness: 

The R-Lau is a very simple vehicle to use, with only a few switches and the seat controls, anyone could use it after 5 minutes. The situational awareness from the inside of the vehicle is not good, giving the driver a 1x1 window and a few screens to look from, however the vehicle is intended to be used from 3rd person camera. The vehicle spawns with a full forward trim, which makes the engine not start if the axis is not reset back closer to 0. This is somewhat confusing, but most likely accidental, as the vehicle behaves much more reasonably with trim reset. The missile firing is weird, behaving like a toggle, despite it being labeled as push, having to press the fire button to fire, press it again to unset it, and then again to fire again. Asymmetrical ladder placement is also odd, only allowing boarding from the starboard side of the vehicle. Cooling must be engaged manually with a flip switch, which means the engine can overheat if it is ever forgotten. 

6.5/10

Performance:

The vehicle has a very good top speed of 95Kph, allowing for quickly traversing the battlefield. With a fuel tank of 5240L, it has a range of 55Km. The vehicle turns really quickly at high speeds, with a tight turning circle, which can cause the vehicle to flip in even slightly uneven terrain. Neutral steering is available with the W/S axis set to zero. The controls are very simple, with the a few issues, notably the engine struggling to start at higher clutch settings, and the quick reset of the axis making the stopping and starting very sudden, and difficult to control. Reasonable terrain can be traversed, with inclines around 45 deg causing slow, but consistent climb. The only issue when it comes to terrain would be the size of the vehicle, making it difficult to traverse bridges and tunnels without collisions.

7/10

Effectiveness: 

The main and only armament of the R-Lau is the 34 1x1 missiles with 1.5km range, limited mostly by the aggressive pull-up, guided with the default small radar guidance. They track reasonably well and despite their crazy maneuvers, they are capable of hitting moving targets within that range, so long as they are not decoyed with chaff. The turret follows the X view of the driver, allowing for quick and accurate aiming, the elevation can however, only be controlled with the use of the auto targeting mode, lack of manual control can be limiting. As for survivability, hits to the side skirts are negligible, but hitting the front or back can disable the controls or the engine. Hitting the main turret is almost sure to cause a magazine detonation of all the missiles, making it very vulnerable to enemy fire or any caliber. Some survivability measures are also in place, with a lot of chaff on the top and a radar warner, as well as a radar decoy, This makes the R-Lau a reasonably effective weapon system against targets without chaff. 

6/10 

Design: 

The R-Lau has a very futuristic but simple design, with a uni-color gray camo, and a bit of red detailing breaking up the otherwise monotone look. The turret leaves a lot to be desired in terms of looks, being a literal box with missiles inside without any color variations and making the vehicle very high profile. The hull does look ok, with some red detailing and interesting shapes saving its looks, but still leaving plenty space for improvement. The very flimsy turret mount makes it look fragile, not strong enough to take the mass of that turret and rotate it at any speed. Looks are serviceable, but definitely not amazing. 5/10 

Overall: 6.125

WZ Centurion by Dio

User Friendliness: 

The WZ Centurion is a cramped tank, with a very cluttered interior and no instructions on how to use the often seemingly complicated systems the tank is equipped with. Situational awareness of the tank suffers greatly whenever the hatches are closed, being confined to only cameras displaying to small screens, at most 2x3 sized, however some features are present to improve it, like lifting the seats out of the hatch to give direct view to the outside. The visibility on the cameras is often very limited, with a large portion of the field of view obstructed by the hull, or for the gunners camera, the left side is obstructed by the gun. Controls are confusing at times, for instance having to toggle a safety button on to allow firing for the top AC turret. The vehicle is very rich in equipment, allowing for extended repairs and combat use of equipment like med kits, however, no empty equipment racks are present. There is a few unlabeled buttons, and a few that are completely disconnected from anything, which can again confuse the crew. 

5/10 

Performance: 

The vehicles engine appears to have issues with the ECU, with the engine not providing max power until it has been restarted, however, it seems to still not output the maximum power after that. With that in mind, the vehicle has a top speed of 20Kph, with a fuel tank of 12000L, the Centurion achieves a range of 83Km. The Centurion turns slowly, with a rather large turning circle at top speed, which tightens as the speed falls, allowing for precise movements at high speeds, and tight turns while slow. A huge issue with the vehicle is the lack of electric power generation. The vehicle comes equipped with a few small generators, which have been connected after the drive clutch and reduction gearboxes. This means only a small amount of power is generated, and only while driving, leading to the vehicle discharging itself completely within 30 minutes if stationary. 

4/10 

Effectiveness:

 The Centurion is armed with a wide array of weapons, ranging from machine guns to the main battle cannon. However, all of those weapons are cumbersome to use and not stabilized, with awkward controls and little to no indications as to where the rounds land, leading to poor accuracy both while stationary and on the move. The main gun can only be aimed by a screen, half of which is blocked by the main gun itself. The screen also features a simple aiming reticle and information section on the top. It is equipped with an autoloader, which reaches 27 rounds, half of which cannot be reached, with the remaining ammunition in the floor of the turret. This gives the tank a total of 37 shots. The tertiary weapons include a coaxial and commanders MG, which are rather ineffective, and a top light AC and an ATGM launcher with 3 missiles, which do better against most targets. The light AC and main gun feature radar auto aiming modes, which simply point at the target, scoring hits only at short ranges on stationary targets. The vehicle can withstand several hits from battle cannon rounds before seizing to function, and features a radar warning system and chaff, giving it decent survivability, both for the crew and the vehicle. All of this combined with poor situational awareness, especially at range, makes this slow tank only useful in close quarters combat, and only with a trained crew that can work together. 

5/10

 Design:

 The vehicle looks good, if a bit cluttered, with a lot of detailing work put into it. A very detailed bi-color paint camouflages it well in the sawyer islands, with a lot of it being painted on paintable signs. The add-on detachable armor and ERA blocks do add character to the vehicle, and detaching them shows the paint underneath. The turret is very cluttered with small caliber guns, ATGM missiles, chaff launchers and ERA armor, leading to a tight feel of the turret. Several lights are present, all functional, including headlights, blinkers, and standing lights, adding onto the already present detail. Overall, not a perfect, but very good looking tank. 

8/10

Overall: 5.5/10

LT/V1 "Cheetah" Light Tankette by (TTH)TraumaArrestedYou XD

 User Friendliness:

The vehicle is very simple to use, with only a few flip switches and WASD and arrow controls, making it somewhat intuitive. However, the lack of forward visibility through the window forces the driver to look down, giving very poor visibility (except for female characters). Additionally, the screen on the left hand side has no manual zoom, meaning you cannot spot a medium sized tank further than maybe 200m. This does get somewhat offset by the radar, detecting and highlighting targets for you, but it also masks the target and range with the small circle, making it impossible to tell what you're looking at. The screen is very cluttered, only leaving small portions of it to show the actual image, with many data outputs labeled in a confusing way (like NEWS for a heading indication), or straight up not working (ammo counter). All of the above mentioned things contribute to an overall cramped feel of the vehicle, and very poor situational awareness. 

4/10 

Performance: 

The vehicle is equipped with a 6 cylinder small modular engine, giving the vehicle the top speed of 22 (unlabeled but i checked, it's KPH) on the bottom left of the screen. This, combined with the very small fuel tank size of 76 liters, gives the vehicle a range of a little over 3km. This is absolutely abysmal, and completely useless outside of defense jobs, where you can either spawn or refuel directly next to, or on the defended point. The vehicle does ok in high terrain, mostly due to the slow speed. Additionally, the turning circle of the Cheetah is very large, making it very difficult to maneuver in tight spaces. The Cheetah will completely discharge it's batteries within 15 min, even if the engine is going full blast, because the generators are connected via a charger, massively slowing down the rate at which they can supply the power. All of this combined makes for a barely useable vehicle. 

2/10

 Effectiveness: 

 The Cheetah is meant to be an ambush vehicle, engaging ground targets with a light autocannon, armed with 200 incendiary rounds. This can work in correct conditions, but is rather ineffective, giving the target plenty of time to drive away, put out the fire, and reengage. The aiming system via the screen means the target is almost never seen by the driver, instead shooting on the green circle. In principle, this works, but also means identifying the target is not possible, and the radar can warn the target it is about to be engaged. The arrow keys controlling the gun are very sensitive, making it difficult to get the gun on target. The Cheetah comes equipped with a gun stabilizer, which helps with shooting on the move, but this has limited use, considering the low top speed. Additionally, the orange colored top of the vehicle makes it stand out from the terrain, making it easy to spot, working against the ambush role. 

3/10 

Looks:

 The high profile vehicle looks good, with a lot of decorational blocks, especially on the top of the vehicle. The paint job leaves a lot to be desired tho, with uni-color green hull, and orange gun and radar systems, with the only real change being the nice looking markings on the side. On the back of the vehicle, a hull extension colored in light gray, presumably made for crossing trenches, disrupts the look of the tankette, giving it something new. Not much to add there, it does an ok job at looking decent, but could definitely be improved a lot 

6/10

 Overall: 3.75/10

HZ-50 by Impulse

 User Friendliness:

 The vehicle is rather cumbersome to use. With no internal lights, moving around the inside almost always requires a flashlight, which is not provided, as the vehicle features no equipment. The vehicle driving requires constant attention to the engine, as it has a strong tendency to stall with any reasonable load. The inside view is limited to 3 cameras with fixed zoom, giving only forward visibility, and at short ranges. The gun is controlled with the arrow keys, however, the vehicle features no aiming system, meaning it can only be used in external view. No instruments are present, leaving the user in the dark as to the vehicles speed, fuel, ammunition count, or anything and everything else. The only instruction is "recommended trim over 0.5", suggesting the vehicle is meant to be driven by trim, which is actually the best way i found. The vehicle does however have very simple controls, with only a few buttons and axis, allowing anyone to use it. 

3/10 

Performance:

 The vehicle is powered by a modular engine, with 36 small cylinders, however, this does not supply enough power to move the vehicle at a reasonable speed. Top speed of the vehicle is very low, at 5kph on a flat plain, with 0.51 trim on WS axis. With a well sized fuel tank for a vehicle this size of 1800 liters, and the very low speed, the projected range is around 2.5km at top speed, and max range of 3.2km. This range makes the vehicle absolutely useless outside of defense work. The engine stalls with almost every turn, or with the clutch above 0.53, making the turn rate almost nonexistent. 

1/10 

Effectiveness:

 The artillery gun is the only weapon system available on the vehicle. It is controlled by the arrow keys, with no aiming system available, making hitting targets at any sort of range difficult. Only external views are useful for aiming this gun, as the seat features 0 indications regarding the gun, making it impossible to aim. Only 15 rounds of different types of artillery cannon ammunition are available. Ammunition type cannot be selected. The gun turn rate makes it impossible to aim at any distance, and is tuned more for short range engagements, which doesn't work well with the low speed of the HZ-50. The elevation of the gun is low, allowing only for around 13 degrees elevation before the gun gets stuck in the turret. Depression of the gun is severely limited by the hull below the gun, allowing for between 6 and 14 degrees depression, however, the gun dislocates when depressed too far. Finally, the turret is mounted on a robotic pivot, allowing only for aiming up to 90 degrees each way. 

1/10 

Looks: 

The HZ-50 has a very interesting, futuristic design, with several decorational blocks and paintable indicators on the outside of the vehicle. The paint job is a little bland in some areas, and there is a few jarring spots, like the turret mount, but overall gives it a good look, with cyberpunk vibes. The inside of the vehicle however leaves a lot to be desired. Dark, unlit insides give it a cramped feel, despite all the empty space. The visuals could use an improvement, but definitely not bad

 6/10 

Overall: 2.75/10