Rangefinder

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Revision as of 21:09, 16 December 2021 by DnaGonite (talk | contribs) (List of vehicles with rangefinders)

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Description

The rangefinder is a device used to determine the range to a target. The key to use the rangefinder can be bound in Controls > Ground Vehicles > Miscellaneous.

Depending on the tank and era, several methods and equipment can be used: visual estimation, optical rangefinders, or laser rangefinders. When using the rangefinder in-game, a small bar will fill up (located up and to the right of your reticle in binocular or sniper view) and on completion the estimated range will be displayed (located up and to left of the binocular and sniper view). If what you have attempted to range is beyond the maximum distance of you rangefinder, then the result will simply be displayed as ">[maximum range]".

Rangefinding methods

Visual Estimation

Visual estimation is the most basic form of rangefinding. In its simplest form, it involves a person estimating the distance to a target without the help of any extra tools. However this is commonly assisted by the use of some reference material, like stadia lines, which give the user an idea of roughly how large or small certain common objects will be at a given distance. In-game, this applies to tanks without any other form of ranging equipment researched, has a maximum range of 800-1,200 m depending on crew skill, and takes roughly six seconds. It is both the slowest and least accurate type of ranging. This inaccuracy is especially problematic for vehicles that use low velocity shells like HE, HEAT, HEATFS, and HESH where the drop of the shell is severe enough that small differences between the displayed range and actual range will result in a missed shot when aiming at targets that are further away. The degree of inaccuracy for visual rangefinding is directly related to your gunner's rangefinding crew skill. At base level any range estimation beyond 400 m can be off by ±50 m, more than enough to cause a miss for many vehicles that already struggle to engage at long distances

Optical rangefinder

An image of the tank rangefinder modification
While coming in a few different forms, such as the stereoscopic and the coincidence rangefinder, optical rangefinders can be found on many tanks. With a few exception they begin to appear on post-WW2 vehicles but are quickly replaced by laser rangefinders in later, more modern, vehicles. Despite definite advantages in accuracy, especially over long distances, the optical rangefinder never reaches the level of universal adoption of its successor and is relatively short-lived with regards to tanks. In-game, optical rangefinders are a clear improvement. The optical rangefinder has an increased maximum range and decreased maximum error over tanks without ranging equipment, with their maximum distance topping out at 2 km, and substantially faster at only around three seconds.

Laser rangefinder

An image of the laser rangefinder modification icon
Laser rangefinders are the most common form of rangefinding equipment on modern tanks. It is often part of a larger Fire Control System, a computerized system that allow a tank to automatically adjust the gun to compensate for (depending on the particular system) distance, weather, target movement, and/or projectile type.

In-game, the laser rangefinder is the best available, being the fastest, most accurate, and having the furthest maximum range at 5 km. It takes roughly 1 second to get the range making it possible to use quickly, even mid-fight. In addition to this, most vehicles with laser rangefinders do have some form of fire control system modelled, allowing the vehicle to automatically adjust the zero of the gun to the range measured, making rapid and accurate long range shots much easier to hit consistently.

List of vehicles with rangefinders

Optical rangefinder

Rank USA flag.png
USA
Germany flag.png
Germany
USSR flag.png
USSR
Britain flag.png
Britain
Japan flag.png
Japan
China flag.png
China
Italy flag.png
Italy
France flag.png
France
Sweden flag.png
Sweden
Israel flag.png
Israel
II YaG-10 (29-K)
III 8,8 cm Flak 37 Sfl.
VFW
IV Panther F
Panther II
ASU-85 FV4202 ST-A3
Type 61
V M47
M48A1
M60
M103
▃Magach 3 (ERA)
T54E1
Leopard I
M48A2 C
mKPz M47 G
Tiger II (10.5 cm Kw.K)
Object 268
SU-122-54
Conqueror ▅M47 ␗M48A1 M47 (105/55)
M60A1 "D.C.Ariete"
AMX-30
AMX-30 (1972)
AMX-50 Foch
AMX-50 Surbaissé
AMX-50 Surblindé
VI M60A1 (AOS)
M60A1 RISE (P)
Leopard A1A1
M48A2 G A2
PT-16/T14 mod.
Object 279
T-64A (1971)
Chieftain Mk 3
Chieftain Mk 5
AMX-30 ACRA
VII FlaRakPz 1 Roland 1

Laser rangefinder

Rank USA flag.png
USA
Germany flag.png
Germany
USSR flag.png
USSR
Britain flag.png
Britain
Japan flag.png
Japan
China flag.png
China
Italy flag.png
Italy
France flag.png
France
Sweden flag.png
Sweden
Israel flag.png
Israel
IV PT-76-57 Ikv 91
V Marder 1A3
Marder A1-
Wiesel 1A4
Vickers Mk.3 STB-2
Type 74 (C)
PTL02
Type 69
ZTZ59A
OF-40
SIDAM 25
Strv 103-0
Strv 103A
VI IPM1
M1 Abrams
M3A3 Bradley
M60A2
M60A3 TTS
M247
MBT-70
▃Merkava Mk.1
▃Merkava Mk.2B
XM8
XM1 (Chrysler)
XM1 (GM)
XM803
Begleitpanzer 57
C2A1
Class 3 (P)
JaPz.K A2
KPz-70
Leopard 1A5
Leopard 2A4
Leopard 2K
Leopard A1A1 (L/44)
M48 Super
Ozelot
Radkampfwagen 90
TAM
TAM 2IP
VT1-2
BMD-4
BMP-2M
BMP-3
Object 685
T-55AM-1
T-62M-1
T-64B
T-72A
T-72AV (TURMS-T)
T-72B
T-72B (1989)
T-80B
Challenger Mk.2
Challenger Mk.3
Chieftain Mk 10
Olifant Mk.1A
Olifant Mk.2
Rooikat 105
Rooikat Mk.1D
Rooikat MTTD
▄Sho't Kal Dalet
VFM5
Vickers Mk.7
Warrior
ZA-35
ZT3A2
Type 74 (E)
Type 74 (F)
Type 74 (G)
Type 87
Type 89
CM11
M41D
␗M60A3 TTS
PGZ09
PTZ89
T-69 II G
WMA301
ZTZ59D1
ZTZ96
ZTZ96A
Ariete (P)
Centauro I 105
Centauro I 105 R
Dardo
▄Leopard 1A5
OF-40 (MTCA)
OF-40 Mk.2A
VCC-80/60
AMX-10RC
AMX-30 S DCA
AMX-30 Super
AMX-30B2
AMX-30B2 BRENUS
AMX-32
AMX-40
MARS 15
SK-105A2
CV 90105
Ikv 91-105
Lvkv 9040C
Strf 9040 BILL
Strf 9040B
Strf 9040C
Strv 103С
Strv 104
Strv 121
Merkava Mk.2D
VII ADATS
HSTV-L
M1A1
M1A1 HC
M1A2 Abrams
M60 AMBT
M1128
▃Merkava Mk.3D
FlaRakRad
Leopard 2 PL
Leopard 2A5
Leopard 2A6
TAM 2C
2S25
2S25M
Khrizantema-S
T-72B3
T-80BVM
T-80U
Т-90А
ADATS (M113)
Challenger 2
Challenger 2 (2F)
Challenger 2 TES
TTD
Type 10
Type 16
Type 90
Type 90 (B)
Type 93
PGZ04A
ZLT11
ZTZ99-II
ZTZ99-III
Ariete
Ariete PSO
Centauro I 120
OTOMATIC
SIDAM 25 (Mistral)
VCC-80/30
Leclerc
Leclerc S2
Leclerc SXXI
CV 90120
Strv 122A
Strv 122B PLSS

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See also

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