Autonomous IR battle Tank opponent @ RCTANKWARFARE?

[modler]

I know I post a lot of info here lately as I have been away from my models for a while and NOW I have a new Hobby room at my home so I am ready to make up for lost time so please excuse my excessive posting

After making a few short IR battle videos, I realised that commanding both Tanks in a battle is non productive as far as the outcome is concerned

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kpHK-JRb500

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1xqe_eiXddQ

I have had an idea for some time to come up with a "autonomous IR opponent "

I am surprised there is nothing like that available but I am sure there will be in the future. I will lead the way by developing one myself using off the shelf components.

1. Battle must be 2 way. You as a Tank commander, if skilled enough, can take out the opposing Tank with four hits BEFORE the opposing Tank can score 4 hits on your Tank, each hit will be registered on a 4 LED scoring display readily visible at all times.

2. The autonomous Tank maneuvers and fires its main gun in an attempt to take out any and all opponents in its range of operation territory. The opposing Tank will try to defeat you with 4 hits in either direction to signal the end of the battle.

This is a simple as I can imagine the simulation idea but it could be expanded of course.

I have a set of Tanks that would be a good place to start. They are 1/24 scale (mostly) and are not really scale to anything real but resemble a modern German main Battle Tank (Leopard).

This Tank box says it has an "Autonomous Single player challenge".

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Red Panzer next to a HL 1/24 Leopard. Looks similar to me.

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Well, that's not right, looks like a leopard body on a Tiger chassis with overlapping road wheels lol

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Lazer Force "Blue Leopard" with Autonomous mode or so says the box., Problem is it does not work properly.

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Lazer Force Red Vs Blue. The Red Baron would probably go for this one me thinks.

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to be continued

[modler]

...

[Herr Dr. Professor]

I didn't even know these existed. What seller(s) do you use most often for your 1/24 RC tanks? Maybe if you put up a few URLs a few on RCTW who aren't buried under boxes of 1/16 tanks might join you in your interesting scale world.

Hmm... autonomous and mysterious ghost P51, too.

[modler]

I didn't even know these existed. What seller(s) do you use most often for your 1/24 RC tanks? Maybe if you put up a few URLs a few on RCTW who aren't buried under boxes of 1/16 tanks might join you in your interesting scale world.

Hmm... autonomous and mysterious ghost P51, too.

There are a few on ebay, (Lazer Force). I am working on one now trying to figure out how to make it work properly in "Autonomous mode"

going in for a look see

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Here is a short video of the work in progress, you can hear the interesting sound effects of the Tank when it takes a hit
https://youtu.be/emi1LQ9fg3M

The purpose of this look see teardown, is to find out why the main gun infrared is disabled during "auto mode". I have added connectors so that the main board is removable. The Tracks, Transmission, Chassis are EXCELLENT and have a lot of potential for off road use. The Sprockets have a slip clutch on both track drive sprockets and is very robust and powerful for what it is.

5 channel control. Simple controls work very effectively in battle. My wife easily mastered the controller and is able to defeat me 50% of the time.

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As cool as this thing is, it could have been way better if it did these two thing during "auto mode"

1. In auto mode, Main gun IR active during auto mode.
2.Appossing Tank (you) during the simulation, Could score hits against the "auto mode Tank"

Sadly this is not what it does. I assumed that when I read about the function of this mode, that it was interactive but no, its not
what a let down! This could have been a fantastic Battle Tank simulation for one player "like a battle practice mode" had it down these two things. I am trying to make it do these two things is the purpose of this thread and to bring attention to this "Autonomous battle tank concept"

[Herr Dr. Professor]

Indeed, I can hear you chuckling in the end of the video. Is that sound supposed to be some unfortunate soul screaming? Yikes! Anyway, I can understand why the little blue and red tanks would be much more fun if they could return fire.

[modler]

Indeed, I can hear you chuckling in the end of the video. Is that sound supposed to be some unfortunate soul screaming? Yikes! Anyway, I can understand why the little blue and red tanks would be much more fun if they could return fire.

Yes Herr Doctor, You get that sound when the Tank is defeated. You get 4 lives then after the fourth HIT, you get the "agony of defeat" sound

These Tanks remind me of the game "Battleship" When you score enough hits on your opponents , The loser says "You sunk my Battleship"