Announcement

**Rubicon99** · Jun 21, 2023, 06:55 PM

Getting in some practice time with the M60A2 before this Saturday's San Diego battle day (June 24th 2023). This will be the second official club battle day for the M60A2. It was used prior at the June 2023 LA club battle and did ok. But San Diego is were it should really shine. Huge field, long range shots, sweeping maneuvers and terrain to camouflage your firing positions.

**Rubicon99** · Jun 24, 2023, 08:36 PM

Lots of shooting and driving at the June 2023 San Diego tank clubs battle day. It was almost entirely BIG tanks at this event. Shown here my M60A2 takes on a M60A3 and Abrams

M60A2 vs M60A3

M60A2 vs Abrams (top of photo tan Abrams hard to see)

**Panzermechaniker** · Jun 24, 2023, 10:04 PM

That Abrams is well camo'd for the field

**Rubicon99** · Jun 25, 2023, 12:17 AM

Originally posted by Panzermechaniker View Post

That Abrams is well camo'd for the field

Yes it was tough to see at distance.

**Rubicon99** · Jun 25, 2023, 04:11 PM

Here is another photo from the June 2023 event.

**ArmorBolt** · Jun 25, 2023, 05:39 PM

Originally posted by Panzermechaniker View Post

That Abrams is well camo'd for the field

Yours truly😀. Thanks all, I had a lot of fun!

**ArmorBolt** · Jun 25, 2023, 05:42 PM

**Panzermechaniker** · Jun 25, 2023, 05:48 PM

What are those red plants? Some WW2 German Panzerwaffe spaghetti red bands or splotches and that tank would be an invisible killer for combat on your field

**ArmorBolt** · Jun 25, 2023, 06:01 PM

Originally posted by Panzermechaniker View Post

What are those red plants? Some WW2 German Panzerwaffe spaghetti red bands or splotches and that tank would be an invisible killer for combat on your field

Not sure what they are called but those beautiful red plants/flowers are native to Southern CA coastal region. They are as bad as PanzerFaust, if you run over them and get those flowers stuck in your track/sprockets, you will detrack sooner or later. 😁

**ArmorBolt** · Jun 25, 2023, 09:56 PM

More pic..

**RichJohnson** · Jun 26, 2023, 08:19 AM

**SoCalBobS** · Jun 26, 2023, 09:20 AM

Originally posted by ArmorBolt View Post

Not sure what they are called but those beautiful red plants/flowers are native to Southern CA coastal region. They are as bad as PanzerFaust, if you run over them and get those flowers stuck in your track/sprockets, you will detrack sooner or later. 😁

Every single one of my tanks had that stuff stuck all through the tracks and wheels! And yes, they caused detracking.

**MrChef** · Jun 26, 2023, 09:37 AM

Originally posted by SoCalBobS View Post

Every single one of my tanks had that stuff stuck all through the tracks and wheels! And yes, they caused detracking.

Curious how your clubs handle de-tracking during a round? Is a tank that is de-tracked stuck in position till the round ends? Or is there a time penalty, or "time out" or pause in the round and then able to be fixed and finish the round? Or are you just able to fix the tank whenever and able continue the round?

**Panzermechaniker** · Jun 26, 2023, 09:57 AM

In our club's battles if you lose a track you have to leave the tank out there until the battle is over. You are a sitting duck but you can still go down firing some hits😈

**Rubicon99** · Jun 26, 2023, 10:39 AM

Originally posted by MrChef View Post

Curious how your clubs handle de-tracking during a round? Is a tank that is de-tracked stuck in position till the round ends? Or is there a time penalty, or "time out" or pause in the round and then able to be fixed and finish the round? Or are you just able to fix the tank whenever and able continue the round?

San Diego's battle field is huge and it tends to attract a more experienced player. So keep that in mind when reading below.

Typically the tank is stuck in their position and has to fight from that position if there are tanks within 20ft.

If there are no tanks close then the operator can approach the tank and attempt to put the track on. During this time the tank is still on and able to receive hits. If it needs to be turned off to safely put the track on it is then considered "knocked out".

**RichJohnson** · Jun 26, 2023, 11:08 AM

The theory behind our allowing this is if the battle is raging over there and not around you, the tank crew can get out and service their tank to get it back in the action.
When tanks get stuck, they battle where they are unless another tank comes up to help pull them off the obstacle if the battle is not raging around them.

**ArmorBolt** · Jun 26, 2023, 05:46 PM

San Diego RC tank battle field terrain is quite brutal. It is an excellent testbed area. If your tank can run around here, go thru the soft wet morning sand and dirt, go thru some hard sand, climb the obstacle course, run over some plants, get stuck in some bushes... for about couple of hours without de-tracking or any issue, you got yourself a good platform.

My Abrams did well for about an hour, and after that de-track.

**Rubicon99** · Jun 26, 2023, 06:26 PM

Originally posted by ArmorBolt View Post

San Diego RC tank battle field terrain is quite brutal. It is an excellent testbed area. If your tank can run around here, go thru the soft wet morning sand and dirt, go thru some hard sand, climb the obstacle course, run over some plants, get stuck in some bushes... for about couple of hours without de-tracking or any issue, you got yourself a good platform.

My Abrams did well for about an hour, and after that de-track.

Actually the San Diego field is pretty easy on tanks and the fine sandy silt is near perfect for driving tanks on. The red "ice plants" can be easily driven over as long a you do not turn abruptly while doing so. It comes down to technique and once you learn what can be done and can't the field becomes a wonderland of driving fun. My M60s just eat the field up and I had no de tracking the entire day. You will see it becomes easier and easier the more you drive there.

Your issues are easily solved and here is what I recommend as it has been proven to work exceptionally well. The main problem: HL metal tracks you are running. If you upgrade to Tamiya Leopard 2 or Tamiya Abrams tracks you will see a substantial increase in running reliability on all terrain types. Both these tracks work with HL Abrams sprockets. You will need to shorten the Leopard 2 tracks by two links which is easily done. I don't know if you have installed the drive shaft support bearing but if you haven't then do so. These are very helpful especially if combined with the following paragraphs recommendations.

Why Tamiya tracks? The reason is multi fold. First the Tamiya tracks are "dual pin" like the real tracks, not single pin like HL tracks. This means they are more flexible and forgiving. The second is that the Tamiya tracks have slightly taller guide teeth. These provided a bit more hold against the sprocket center retaining ring and this in turn helps them resist "over ridding" the retaining ring. Third the Tamiya tracks are lighter then all metal tracks (hybrid design of nylon pad, steel pins, steel end connectors and hard rubber pads) but just as if not stronger. Lastly the Tamiya tracks are solid and not hallowed out like the stock HL tracks. This means they do not have the "shoveling" effect that the HL do as the hallows fill with sand/dirt and carry it up and over the sprockets. Less sand/dirt flowing over the sprockets mean less opportunity for foreign matter to cause a de tracking event.

The Tamiya tracks very in price and I would recommend buying the Leopard 2 tracks as these are much cheap then the Tamiya Abrams tracks. A set of Tamiya Leopard 2 tracks should run about $100 which is comparable to other aftermarket non Tamiya tracks for the Abrams.