Rangefinder

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Revision as of 19:14, 26 September 2023 by DnaGonite (talk | contribs) (List of vehicles with rangefinders: Updated)

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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 4 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 38 cm Sturmmörser
Panther F
Panther II
Tiger II (10.5 cm Kw.K)
ASU-85 FV4202 ST-A3
Type 61
Magach 1
Magach 2
V M47
M48A1
M60
M103
▃Magach 3 (ERA)
T54E1
Leopard I
M48A2 C
mKPz M47 G
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
Magach 3
Magach 3 (ERA)
Magach 5
Magach 6
Magach 6A
VI M60A1 (AOS)
M60A1 RISE (P)
Leopard A1A1
M48A2 G A2
Object 279
Object 435
T-64A (1971)
Chieftain Mk 3
Chieftain Mk 5
AMX-30 ACRA Magach 6B
Magach 6R
Magach Hydra
VII FlaRakPz 1
PT-16/T14 mod.
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
V Marder 1A3
Marder A1-
Wiesel 1A4
PT-76-57 STB-2
Type 74 (C)
Type 69
Type 69-IIa
ZTS63
ZTZ59A
OF-40 Ikv 91
Strv 103-0
Strv 103A
VIDAR
VI 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 A1A1 (L/44)
M48 Super
◊T-72M1
TAM
TAM 2IP
VT1-2
2S25
BMD-4
BMP-3
Object 685
T-55AM-1
T-55AMD-1
T-62M-1
T-64B
T-72A
Chieftain Marksman
Chieftain Mk 10
Khalid
Olifant Mk.1A
Olifant Mk.2
Rooikat 105
Rooikat Mk.1D
Rooikat MTTD
▄Sho't Kal Dalet
VFM5
Vickers Mk.3
Warrior
ZA-35
ZT3A2
Type 16 (FPS)
Type 16 (P)
Type 74 (E)
Type 74 (F)
Type 74 (G)
Type 87
Type 89
CM11
M41D
␗M60A3 TTS
Object 122MT "MC"
PGZ09
PTL02
PTZ89
T-69 II G
WMA301
ZTZ59D1
ZTZ88A
ZTZ88B
ZTZ96
Centauro I 105
Centauro I 105 R
▄Leopard 1A5
OF-40 (MTCA)
OF-40 Mk.2A
SIDAM 25
◔T-72M1
VBC (PT2)
VCC-80/60
VRCC
AMX-10RC
AMX-30 S DCA
AMX-30 Super
AMX-30B2
AMX-30B2 BRENUS
AMX-32
AMX-32 (105)
AMX-40
MARS 15
SK-105A2
VBCI-2 (MCT30)
CV 9030FIN
Ikv 91-105
ItPsV Leopard
Leopard 1A5NO2
Strf 9040B
Strv 103С
Strv 104
Strv 105
▄T-55M
▄T-72M1
Gal Batash
Machbet
Magach 6B Gal
Magach 6C
Magach 6M
Magach 7C
Merkava Mk.1B
Merkava Mk.2B
Merkava Mk.2D
Sho't Kal Dalet
Sho't Kal Gimel
VII AGS
CCVL
HSTV-L
IPM1
LAV-AD
M1 Abrams
M1 KVT
M1A1
␙M1A1
M1A1 AIM
M1A1 HC
M1A2 Abrams
M1A2 SEP
M3A3 Bradley
M60 AMBT
M1128
M1128 Wolfpack
▃Merkava Mk.3D
ADATS
FlaRakRad
Gepard 1A2
Leopard 2 (PzBtl 123)
Leopard 2 PL
Leopard 2 PSO
Leopard 2A4
Leopard 2A5
␙Leopard 2A5
Leopard 2A6
Leopard 2AV
Leopard 2K
Ozelot
PUMA
Radkampfwagen 90
TAM 2C
2S25M
2S38
BMP-2M
Khrizantema-S
T-72AV (TURMS-T)
T-72B
T-72B3
T-72B (1989)
T-72M2 Moderna
T-80B
T-80BVM
T-80U
␙T-80U
T-80UK
T-80UM2
Т-90А
ADATS (M113)
Bhishma TWMP
Black Night
Challenger 2
␙Challenger 2
Challenger 2 (2F)
Challenger 2 TES
Challenger 2E
Challenger DS
Challenger Mk.2
Challenger Mk.3
TTD
Vickers Mk.7
TKX
TKX (P)
Type 10
Type 16
Type 90
Type 90 (B)
Type 93
MBT-2000
PGZ04A
QN506
WZ1001(E) LCT
ZLT11
ZTZ96A
ZTZ96A (P)
ZTZ99-II
ZTZ99-III
ZTZ99A
Ariete
Ariete (P)
Ariete AMV
Ariete PSO
Centauro I 120
Dardo
Freccia
KF41
◔Leopard 2A4
OTOMATIC
SIDAM 25 (Mistral)
VCC-80/30
Leclerc
Leclerc AZUR
Leclerc S2
Leclerc SXXI
CT-CV 105HP
CV 90105
CV 90120
▄Leopard 2A4
▄Leopard 2A6
Lvkv 9040C
Strf 9040 BILL
Strf 9040C
Strv 121
Strv 122A
Strv 122B PLSS
T 80 U
Merkava Mk.3B
Merkava Mk.3C
Merkava Mk.4 LIC
Merkava Mk.4B
Merkava Mk.4M

Media

Videos

See also

Links to the articles on the War Thunder Wiki that you think will be useful for the reader, for example:

  • reference to the type of technology;
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External links

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