Infantry is something else that is modeled in the sim. What ever you do you don't want to be caught in a built up area with enemy infantry around, as they will kill you with ease. If you can engage them from a distance then do so or call down artillery on them. Either way…don't get up close with them or you will lose the fight!

Another thing you have to be weary of is enemy artillery. Basically, if you keep moving it will make it harder for the enemy AI to bring down fire on your position. However, if you engage the enemy from one position and remain there the likelihood of being engaged by artillery is very high … and believe me … the enemy will use it if they have access to it!

On the other hand, if you have it use it. In the sim there are 4 types of artillary available to the user. There is the common High Explosive (HE), Improved Conventional Munitions (ICM), FASCAM (Family of Scatterable Mines) and of course no sim would be complete without smoke as well.

When you call in fire support there is a delay while the request is passed down the line. However, this delay is shortened considerably if that fire support is called in from a FISTV support vehicle.

Another pleasing aspect of this sim is the sound. Many have complained about the sterile sounds that come with the game but the sounds in the game are sampled from the real thing. None of your flashy Hollywood stuff in this game. What you get is what you get in the real tank my friends!

Listening to infantry engage tanks with their anti-tank weapons is particularly satisfying. The sound of the launchers is nice and meaty just like they are in Longbow II when the Tonguska's engaged you.

Everything from hearing the TC reloading the 50 cal down to the sound of the gunner being thrown back from the gun periscope as the tank is hit is modeled in the sim. The sounds in the game are probably the most pleasing we have ever heard in any tank sim. Certainly hearing the TC calling out targets to the gunner, hearing the loading calling "Sabot up" and the gunner calling "on the way" adds atmosphere to an already exciting sim.

Its absolutely awesome to watch the gunner engage targets with the coax and also have the TC engage targets with the 50cal and when the engagement is complete the TC will call out "TC complete". Of course the 50cal has a lovely deep throaty growl as it opens up and has a much lower rate of fire than the coax.

One final mention must be made of the support this sim has got from not only the person (note PERSON…as in a single chap), Al Delaney, that wrote the sim but also the technical director, Ssnake (no idea what it means???) that answer many of the questions posted to the Steel Beasts mail list.

These guys support this sim 100% and makes one feel quite happy to part with their hard earned money. Certainly, some of the larger games companies out there could learn a lot from Shrapnel Games.

All in all though, this is one hell of a sim that any self-styled tanker's games collection would not be complete with out. Even with the draw backs (no airpower etc) this sim IS the new king.