#13 IFV´s/APC´s
M235A "Hermes" by Dio.
User friendliness:
Getting into the Hermes is very easy--both driver and gunner hatch as well--, especially seeing the gunner hatch is marked and all hatch buttons are easy to locate. The driver's area is very cluttered but everything is somewhat clearly labelled, with a few mispellings here and there. All necessary displays such as speed, engine rotations, fuel, even a map, etc., can be found on the dashboard, and the driving monitor features gears, gear status, speed, and throttle along with having an infrared mode complete with a parking break and hostile lock indicator shown on-screen. Driving is an overall pleasant experience. The gunner seat is where it starts getting complicated. Fortunatly, everything is labelled well (minus a few mispellings) while doing as it should, and there is a rather large but informative manual. The whole scheme overall is complex and takes some training, but a helpful manual helps aid users.
7.5/10
Performance
The Hermes truly is the messenger of the Greek Stormworks Gods, reaching a top speed of 150 K/PH with impeccable handling on shallower terrain. The craft is also amphibious, although it only reaches an underwhelming speed of 36 K/PH and requires constant motion to stay afloat. The weapon systems work well, the only bad bit being that the percision aiming mode and the overall sensitivity of the gun makes aiming at medium FOVs difficult, which is where the LACs excell. The radar missiles also have a tendency to nose-dive into the ground and aren't very reliable against ground targets. However, the stabilizer works very well and is complete with a search radar array and a tracking array. The chaff system works, but the poor muzzle velocity and angle normally isn't enough to stop a radar-guided munition from doing damage the vehicle. The interior is completely sealed, keeping the fully-equipped crew safe from radiation and water. Despite these nice features, the chassis is very fragile. Overall very dampened by the kinks and shortcoming, but with those figured out, it would easily reach a score of '9'.
8/10
Design:
As with most of Dio's builds, the exterior looks amazing. Tools, paint weathering down to even the lights, markings, and other features really make the build. The Hermes has woodlands camo with an exterior, as I said before, filled with little features, all mounted on a subgrid to help protect the fragile chassis. The interior lacks the weathering but is just as detailed. The compact build gives an element of protection to riders and the mood lighting adds to the featured-filled insides. Not a mispainting or a random white patch in sight. Overall amazing! 9/10 Overall: 8.16/10 Feedback and Suggestions -Another great exterior! -Better display how to maintiain battery charge, as the current system is not very obvious. -Have a manual more readily available, prefereably on the day of release.
Overall: 8.16/10
Feedback and Suggestions
-Another great exterior!
-Better display how to maintiain battery charge, as the current system is not very obvious.
-Have a manual more readily available, prefereably on the day of release.
Type 60 ATM by Sparks
User friendliness:
Since Dio was a collaborator in the Type 60's development, a lot is shared with the Hermes. It is very easy to enter through all hatches (however, the yellow bars on the rear hatch make it difficult to reach the button to close the door). The driver's area is less cluttered than the Hermes but still could use some polishing. The driver viewport is at a very low zoom (less than that of player FOV) and lacks the HUD-mounted displays found in the Hermes, which have been replaced with the analogue instruments. The Type 60 feels very slow and heavy while driving but can change gears quickly. The gunners seat is not newbie-friendly and lacks an informative manual but includes important info on the gun screen..
6.5/10
Performance:
The heavy Type 60 can only reach a top speed of 19 M/S with more than enough range to make it anywhere, if you have the time of course. It turns slowly and while the gearing is quick, the steering controller takes a while to invert/revert controls. It is amphibious, but like the Hermes, it requires constant motion to stay afloat and is very slow underway. The armament is good for an IFV as there are six laser-guided missiles and a single fully-stablized light autocannon. The missiles and the guns work great with ballistic calculators and everything, but the turret suffers form slow traverse and elevation rates and the systems lack a full radar suite and only have basic radar aiming compared to the Hermes. It also shares the same chaff shortcomigns as the Hermes, such as an ineffective firing angle and poor velocity. The interior is sealed while the crew and eight fully-equipped passengers enjoy better survivability than their other counterparts and cross-country is easy, especially when the vehicle is too heavy and slow to get air time.
7/10
Design:
A fantastic exterior, likely the work of Dio [note: no, nearly all from sparks (; ], is the seller of the Type 60, despite the box-like base design. The camo appears to be modern German woodland designing, and is weahtered, giving the vehicle a used feel. The interior is rather bland, however, but spacious. Overall pretty good.
8/10
Overall: 7.16/10
Feedback and Suggestions
-Pretty good exterior
-Switch out the scope sensitivity dampening
-Dio's heavy influence on the vehicle did kind of goof up my reviewing, as a lot was the same as the Hermes
Kangaroo IFV by MrMereScratch
User friendliness:
The Kangaroo IFV is an easily accessible vehicle with wide rear doors and a large hatch for the vehicle operator. As that singular word already describes, the vehicle only needs a single person to be operated. They sit in the front left, behind a wall of monitors and instrument panels. The big 2 by 3 monitor can be switched from the driver's camera to the gunner's sights and offers great visibility. The only issue with that part is its zoom function for the gunner sight. It doesn't zoom in far enough to make out far away targets due to the lack of quality in stormworks cameras. The rest of the monitor setup is very well made. Every instrument, button and switch is labeled and functions as it should
The IFV drives extremely well, with easy handling even at higher speeds and a great reaction time for the steering. It is a joy to drive through the plains and hills of Sawyer and Donk.
The bigger issue with this single crew setup is that the workload in stressful situations can be high and focusing on driving, aiming, shooting and more, while also not allowing multicrew use is a detrimental loss of efficiency. It makes up in the easy use of all its systems. There is also a great amount of equipment
8/10
Performance
With a top speed of around 127kph in 6th gear, the Kangaroo IFV is certainly a quick vehicle. A total of 1956 Liters of Diesel fuel it can achieve an amazing range of up to 450km. It handles great and drives well in any type of terrain, even at top speed.
For armament the turret is equipped with a heavy autocannon and an xml-edited machine gun. There are 20 rounds in a small ammo drum on the heavy autocannon, with 20 more on the rear of the turret with a total of 300 rounds of machinegun ammunition. Again mostly on the outside. The problem with ammunition stored outside he turret is that it can easily be stolen or detonated and is hard to access in an actual combat situation. It forces the crew to get the vehicle to safety, reload each weapon and then drive back, or risk getting caught off guard with an empty gun. The turret itself has some great elevation angles, but sadly lacks any kind of stabilization. The zoom is also very restricted and isn´t adequate for acquiring far away targets or scouting in general. In comparison to the pretty strong offensive armament the Kangaroos defensives are on par with what is expected from an IFV. It's a lightly armoured vehicle with good enough side protection and frontal armor only being able to stop actual low caliber rounds from handguns. It is not able to survive crashes due to the lack of extra subgrid layers in the front.
6.5/10
Design:
The Kangaroo IFV looks like a pretty normal wheeled armoured vehicle. Its exterior is rather clean and only has 3D decoration on the upper front plate, the turret roof and turret rear. The IFV got a two tone paintjob with a dark grey on the underside and a matt earth-green colour on the rest. It kind of blends into the environment, but leaves a rather bland look. The inside is very clean and also has a two tone paintjob. A similar dark grey and a light grey/ beige colour. It too lacks in some detailing and is rather monotone to look at with minimal weathering.
6/10
Overall: 6.83/10
Feedback and Suggestions
- Add more detailing for both the inside and outside, together with 3D decorations and paint
- make it multicrew operational but leave a single crew option If possible and if possible add a stabilizer
- Don't have your ammunition stored on the outside, store it safely on the inside to allow easier reloading and reduce the chance of it getting stolen/ blown up by enemy infantry
BMP1-U 'Shkval' by Mojn
User friendliness:
Entering the BMP is easy, and the driver is met with a very crammed but very simple driving compartment. Driving it is as easy as turning the only button there: an unlabeled key. All basic readouts are found on the large driving screen, which as at a very harsh-on-your-back angle. Driving the BMP is very easy, but gearing into reverse is nearly impossible, as the engine can't get past stall speeds while attempting to gear. The commmander's spot is also very simple with a crude radio and a large map. The gunner's position is also very simple as well. Everything is well-labeled and works as it should. Overall pretty good and likely someone from any skill level could use it, but it would be better if it could get to reverse gear.
7.5/10
Performance:
The BMP is very slow at 30 KM/H and fails to maintain its electric charge. However, it manuevers very well, minus the lacking reverse of course. The single HAC with scope sensitivity dampening hits hard and the laser-guided AGMs are accurate, although there are no countermeasures besides a one-use smokescreen that fails to cover the vehicle. The chassis is fragile with a pivot sticking out under the frame, potentially causing major problems while off-roading. The BMP seats six fully-armed soldiers divided into two compartments, each with three escape hatches. Unlike real-life BMPs, it is not amphibious.
6.5/10
The BMP sports brown camo with and an all-white interior. There are little-to-no extra details and just looks like a simple BMP. All on-board screens are way too close to the operators, but the interior is somewhat spacious but very bland, and you can almost walk through it from front and back. Pretty balanced overall.
Design:
6.5/10
Overall: 6.83/10
Feedback and Suggestions
-Maybe adjust monitor distances
-Liven up your interiors
-Add more starters to your engine
CV9040 BILL by Chungus
User friendliness:
Getting into the BILL is a bit interesting. The small hatch switch is under the shadow of the barrel, and the hatch has a bad tendency of being only a small percent open due to the colliding hitboxes of the hatch and the gun barrel. Reaching the commander hatch and entering is a lot easier, but finding that goofy switch again to close the hatch is a challenge in itself. Basic readouts and a large monitor are found in the driver's compartment. All displays are clearly labbeled and do as they should, however, the breaks start on, and the driver has no way of knowing this. One button under the readouts lowers a stand that raises the IFV for easy access under the chassis; a very nice feature! While the same goes for the gunner and commander positions, the weapon master arm is over at the commander's seat which, without any documentation of it, can be confusing as the gunner asks themselves "Why is the gun not shooting?" A full repair suite is included and everything can be easily repaired. Overall pretty decent but takes a bit to learn, would be better with documentation.
6.5/10
Performance:
The BILL easy very easy to drive and reaches a moderate top speed of 70 KM/H with high levels of controlability and great cross-country abilities. However, gearing is sluggish and the on-the-spot turning takes a while. The BILL carries a ballistics-calculated 40mm gun that can tear through targets and be supported by a coaxial machine gun, although it can't survive many hits itself, especially with its oversized ammo load. Aside from the ballistic calculator, IR sighting, and laser warning receiver (which requires you to guess what frequency the laser is on), there is not much else for technology. There are no countermeasures (which is a must-have in Stormworks PvP combat) and only a single handheld radio is found in the vehicle. The IFV can seat six people, although there is little protection and free space with a complete lack of equipment. Survivability in that compartment is low as well, but three different hatches--two on the top and one at the rear--allow for quick escapes under enemy fire. Overall very balanced with the good being leveled out with the bad.
6/10
Design:
The BILL sports accurate modern Swedish woodland camo complete with dirt weathering on the bottom with a wide, stocky body with a low profile. Lots of subgrids add to the design, creating more-so realistic shapes and other cool features. However, the inside is a mess, with unpainted and random-colored blocks everwhere. The colors used are inconsistant throughout the interior and the driver's compartment ends up plain green, seat and everything. Very cramped as well. Again very balanced, with the good leveling out with the bad.
6.5/10
Overall: 6.33/10
Feedback and Suggestions
-Put just a bit more care into the interior paint job
-Very nice on the exterior!
-Seems like a solid vehicle to drive into limited PvP combat, preferably with no enemy aircraft in the air.
tw5 by p2op
User Friendliness:
Getting into the tw is easy, and the driver compartment is very simple with two digital speedometers and basic instruments. A 1x3 monitor displays the terrain in front of the driver, but the FOV is more than that of a player and becomes a sickening panorama. It is tricky to drive, and it takes forever to gear into reverse. Both the gunner and driver can do both the turret and driving jobs, however, the system is weird and takes a bit of getting used to. The process is made easier by the informative gunsight screen. Overall would be better with tuning.
6/10
Performance:
The tw is not very fast, and a weak engine alongside a slow transmission causes problems while gearing. The craft is amphibious, but it can barely float and struggles to stay upright, constantly drowning the engine. There is a single hard-hitting HAC mounted on top of the tw in an oversized and messy turret. Most of the interior is the engine bay, leaving the six passengers to sit on the top of the APC near the engine grill. The frame can not survive combat unfortunatley. Finally, there is the nice inclusion of a winch. Overall not recommended for combat.
5.5/10
Design:
The tw is green with no camo, and the frame is dominated by a large unpainted turret that reminds me of spaghetti. Linear tracks, ladders, and fluid ports make up the exterior design, while a bulges in the frame containing the radiators and exhaust is present. The interior is plain white with multi-colored engine components running through the majority of the interior, giving a rough, crammed, and not-so-cozy look. Would be a lot better with a conventional turret. Overall has potential for improvement.
5.5/10
Overall: 5.66/10
Feedback and Suggestions
-Try more conventional turret
s -Learn to make more compact engine bays to increase survivabilty and interior space
-I like the gunsight screen!
[Boom Box] by Bucket of Bolts
User Friendliness:
Getting to the top of the Boom Box is easy, and you have a driver hatch on top for what should be easy access to the driver's seat. However, the button to open it is on the dashboard, meaning you have to walk over to the back of the vehicle and open up the rear hatch. When you reach the front, you're met with a very driver area. Everything is everwhere and it really doesn't look good, but at least everything is labelled and does what it should. There is an infrared pop-up camera that really needs to be painted but comes in handy, alongside a rear-view cam mounted to the door. Finally, the gas is managed via a throttle lever, which forces the driver to stay in first person with the poor driver frontward visibilty. Moving onto the turret, the gunner is met with very sensitive gun elevation complete with inverted inputs making it hard to aim, great turret rotation, the lack of a crosshair on the gunsight, and no ammo counter. And still, a messy station. Not very good overall, but much better than it could be. Just needs tidying up using instrument panels and better layouts, alongside a few tweeks like a re-designed gunsight and gas manager.
4.5/10
Performance:
Although marketed as a cheap, state-of-the-art IFV, the Boom Box is more like an oversized race car with a gun on top, underperforming in combat but excelling in going fast on manageable terrain. It reaches a top speed of a whopping 180 K/PH and with its fantastic suspension, cruises over shallow terrain. This is where the good things end, however, as the frame begins to suffer in the role is was meant to fill. The gun hits hard, but as stated before, it's difficult to aim, especially with the radar aim working barely any of the time, and that the gun pivot is too weak for the weapon systems, causing further aiming issues on top of a faulty stabilizer being installed. For being as large as it is, it doesn't take hits well, and the turret ring and engine are easily damaged and disabled. The fact it carries four spare missiles doesn't help either, as they have nothing protecting them from anything and explode easily, normally detonating the ammunition in the process as well. It carries only six people in its massive rear hold but doesn't hold enough rifles or ammo for everyone and is especially lacking in first aid kits, having enough to sustain just one soldier in combat. Overall has a lot of shortfalls in the combat department.
5/10
Design:
The Boom Box sports an almost 40's-50's Swedish ground camo, coming in brown, reddish brown, and green. The front is very sloped with a boxy rear and side armor concealing the wheels. The turret looks like a pyramid with some of the top sliced off and is complete with chaff launchers, a radar detector, stabilizer equipment, an offset gunsight, spare ammo, and a single missile hardpoint. The side armor skirts are protected by a layer of railings, followed by the unfortunate placement of four seats and two spare missiles on the top of each skirt, far from any sort of protection. There are quite a few unpainted blocks lying around, especially around the turrets and hatches alongside a few mispaintings. The interior is very drab with no lights and has random equipment scattered everywhere, overall seeming less than enjoyable to ride in. Definitly not a challenge-winning design.
5/10
Overall: 4.83/10
Feedback and Suggestions:
-Use padded seats for better seating capacity
-Better hone your combat vehicles for, well, combat
-Clean up your interiors
