It finally happened.  The Abrams is back in the game. 

GHPC has been updated to version 20210401!  As always, you can find the public demo here.  Patrons can find the demo using the usual link, which will be shared again in the Patreon post for the update.

Overview

The most prominent development in this update is the introduction of the M1IP Abrams tank.  This one's been in development for a while, and we're proud to introduce it the the GHPC alpha.  You can use it in missions if you're a Patreon supporter, or just experiment with it in the testing range if not. 

Several new missions are included to showcase the M1IP.  A few of these are near the new clusters of buildings on the Point Alpha map.  These are a work in progress and will be revised and expanded over time. 

Highlights

The M1IP is the first vehicle in the game to feature advanced composite armor arrays of the NERA variety.  This armor system, dubbed "special armor" by the Americans, protects the main frontal surfaces and the sides of the turret from most HEAT and APFSDS threats.  While this early form of special armor did not contain depleted uranium plates as reinforcement, as some later ones did, it still provided strong protection across the frontal arc.  There is also composite armor in the front sections of the side skirts - confusingly, this is also often referred to as "special armor", despite being constructed entirely differently.  The composite skirts are reasonably good at thwarting HEAT warheads from a near-frontal angle. 

A unique feature of the M1IP is the fact that most of the ammunition is sealed in the bustle racks behind armored doors, with blow-out panels in the roof.  The hull storage has top and bottom blow-off panels as well.  The idea is that an ammo fire will blast the panels off and vent harmlessly into the air, keeping the crew compartment from being compromised.  Real-world testing indicates that this concept is sound, though it does have its limits.  If the armored firewall or the ammo rack doors are perforated, or the doors are not sealed shut, a fire in the bustle or hull storage box will spill into the fighting compartment.  This effect is modeled in GHPC as well - you can even watch the ready rack door slide back and forth in X-ray mode!  

The M1IP also brings with it the most sophisticated fire control system (FCS) in the game so far.  This system includes a simple and intuitive lead compensation system: simply lase while holding the aim button, and your gunsight reticle will begin to update live to show the calculated lead offset.  To dump lead, just let go of the aim button for a moment, and the sight will return to fixed mode.  That's it!  This system somewhat emulates the controls in the real Abrams, where the gunner uses the palm switches to aim and dump lead. 

The FCS in the M1IP is comprehensive enough to perform shots on the move, against moving targets, and score a first-round hit at combat range - so long as the gunner achieves a steady track and has the correct distance in the FCS before firing.  This is best achieved with a consistent driving speed and direction, which you can accomplish by using the cruise control feature (numpad + / -). 

Finally, don't miss the new in-game map feature, available in the Point Alpha missions!  This is an early work in progress version, but it should help a bit with navigation for now while we develop more features for it. 

We hope you enjoy the GHPC demo!  If you like what you see and want to speed us along in development, consider supporting the project on Patreon.  We rely entirely on community contributions and support. 

Change Log

• Added M1IP Abrams to the game
• Added April Fools content
• Added multiple new missions
• Added mission briefing screen (WIP!)
• Added in-game map (default key M) (WIP!)
• Added several clusters of buildings to the Point Alpha map (WIP!)
• Added moving targets to proving ground
• Added link to gunnery guides in main menu
• Added basic cruise control feature (default keys numpad +/-) (WIP!)
• Added PLAYER tag to player shots in AAR
• Added AAR mode prompt at mission end
• Added switch prompt when losing a unit
• Added vehicle decoration randomization
• Added support for failure of punctured firewalls
• Added support for compartment blowout panels
• Added new 125mm ammo models
• Edited missions "MBT Duel" and "Head To Head"
• Lamp illumination status is now saved in AAR poses
• Changed mute key default to single quote ( ' )
• Made random decal selection on M60A3 more reasonable
• AI can now spot ATGM emplacements
• AI gunner scanning is now less robotic
• Human bodies are now less armored
• Increased scanning speed of M60A3 TTS to account for thermal optics
• Decreased long range lead accuracy of M60A3 TTS to account for FCS flaws
• Slightly increased aiming radius for all AI gunners
• Improved AI spotting of vehicles
• Improved texture quality on some vehicles
• Improved texture quality on some terrain
• Improved handling of ammo counts when ammo is destroyed
• Improved support for NERA in armor system
• Improved performance of overpressure damage effect
• Removed RPM from HUD
• Fixed a bug where AI gunners would see through solid objects or even the Earth itself
• Fixed a bug where AI gunners would stare at a target and never fire
• Fixed a bug where AI gunners would stop scanning for targets
• Fixed a bug where gunsight reticles could drift out of the gunsight
• Fixed a bug where superelevation would not update if aim was not adjusted
• Fixed a bug where certain gun breeches would stop all rounds regardless of power
• Fixed trees disappearing too soon on proving ground
• [redacted]

;)