—This is not a conversation about GSB—
Why Gun Sights in War Thunder Should Be from the Gunner’s Sight, Not the Cannon Barrel
1. Realism and Immersion
In real-world tanks, gunners operate the weapon through an optical gunsight, not by looking directly down the barrel. The gunner’s sight is typically mounted separately from the cannon and includes stabilized optics, rangefinders, and thermal vision in modern tanks.
- Parallax and Offset Challenges: Since the gunner’s sight is offset from the gun barrel, aiming requires compensating for parallax, especially at close and uneven ranges. This adds realism by forcing players to consider how sights are physically aligned.
- Target Identification Like Real Crews: Tank crews use their sights to spot, identify, and engage targets. Implementing gunner’s sight mechanics would require more realistic positioning and target tracking, enhancing the immersion.
2. Increased Skill and Challenge
Point-and-click aiming—where the reticle directly aligns with the cannon’s bore—removes much of the tactical and mechanical complexity of real tank combat. This system simplifies engagements into shallow, repetitive encounters.
- Skill-Based Targeting: Using the gunner’s sight would demand greater accuracy due to offset corrections, especially when firing at targets behind cover, on uneven terrain, or at long distances.
- Manual Adjustments: Players would need to adjust their aim dynamically based on target movement, terrain elevation, and range. This adds depth, making combat more engaging and rewarding.
3. Enhanced Gameplay Experience
Shifting the aiming system from the cannon barrel to the gunner’s sight would make combat more immersive and less predictable.
- More Engaging Battles: Players would have to learn how different tanks’ optics and sight placements work, adding variety to gameplay. This would reduce the current “click-to-kill” meta, where spotting and aiming are simplified to laser-like precision.
- Rewarding Learning Curve: Mastering specific tanks’ sight alignments and learning to adjust for aiming offsets would create a more satisfying learning curve. Players would feel accomplished when they land difficult shots after skillful adjustments.
4. Real-World Tank Combat Mechanics
In modern armored warfare, gunners operate entirely through their optics, not by visually aligning their cannon. (Some tanks have Sights (cameras) in the cannon but not a lot)
5. Avoiding Boring, Low-Skill Gameplay
When War Thunder’s aiming mechanics rely on a simple “center-screen” cannon barrel view, combat becomes repetitive:
- Point-and-Click Simplicity: Current mechanics reduce combat to “see target, click target,” which offers little tactical depth.
- No Consideration of Tank Design: Differences in sight placement, turret shape, and optics systems become irrelevant. This flattens the game’s complexity and diminishes replayability.
By making the gunner’s sight the primary aiming method, War Thunder could increase tactical variety while rewarding players for learning tank-specific optics and shot placement.
Conclusion
Switching to a gunner’s sight-based aiming system in War Thunder would increase realism, deepen the tactical challenge, and raise the skill ceiling. It would transform combat from a point-and-click shooter into a nuanced, immersive tank warfare experience that rewards thoughtful engagement, precise targeting, and real-world-inspired tactics. This change could make battles more satisfying, engaging, and immersive for players seeking a more authentic armored combat experience.
