US Army tankers are playing video games online to train for tank warfare during the coronavirus pandemic

• US Army tankers are playing video games online to stay sharp during the coronavirus pandemic, the Army said in a news release.
• Dozens of tankers with D Troop, 6th Squadron, 9th Cavalry Regiment, 3rd Armored Brigade Combat Team, 1st Cavalry Division have been playing "War Thunder," a free online game that allows players operate World War II- and Cold War-era tanks.
• "We are able use the game as a teaching tool for each crew member," Staff Sgt. Tommy Huynh, a 3rd platoon section leader, explained in the Army release.
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Dozens of US Army tankers have been playing tank warfare video games online to train for combat during the pandemic, the Army said this week.

Tankers with D Troop, 6th Squadron, 9th Cavalry Regiment, 3rd Armored Brigade Combat Team, 1st Cavalry Division are using the online game "War Thunder" to train, according to an Army news story first reported on by Task & Purpose.

Several different games were considered, but "War Thunder," a free cross-platform online game that simulates combat, won out.

The 3rd ABCT, which recently returned from South Korea, does not actually have any tanks to train in right now because they are waiting to get upgraded M1A2 Abrams tanks, but even if they had them, the coronavirus would likely keep the four-man crews from piling into them.

3rd ABCT spokesman Capt. Scott Kuhn, who wrote the Army news story, told Insider that the tank crews have training simulators like the Close Combat Tactical Trainer (CCTT) and Advanced Gunnery Training Systems (AGTS), but, like a real tank, these simulators require soldiers to be in close proximity to one another.

Social distancing demands in response to the continued spread of the coronavirus required leaders to take a look at alternative training options.

Seeing that all their soldiers had a PlayStation, an Xbox, or a PC that "War Thunder" could be downloaded on, troop leaders decided that was the best option in these unusual times.

"We are able use the game as a teaching tool for each crew member," Staff Sgt. Tommy Huynh, a 3rd platoon section leader, explained in the Army release.

"For example, drivers can train on maneuver formations and change formation drills. Of course online games have their limitations, but for young soldiers it helps them to just understand the basics of their job," he said.

One of the big limitations is that "War Thunder" only allows players to virtually operate tanks and other weapon systems from World War II and the Cold War, meaning that the game is not a perfect training platform for modern tanks.

While there are certain limitations, there are also some advantages, the main one being a new perspective.

"Being exposed to other viewpoints through the game is extremely helpful," Sgt. David Ose, a 1st Platoon section leader, said in the Army news story.

"If you are a driver and you're inside a tank for real, you don't get to see what it looks like from above. You don't always understand that bigger picture because you're just focused on the role of driving the tank," Kuhn told Insider.

"This kind of broadens that. It provides a training opportunity to teach younger soldiers how what they do impacts the bigger picture for the platoon or the company," he explained.

The training, while somewhat unconventional, remains structured. Sessions tend to include a briefing from the section or platoon leader. There are also required training manual readings.

Game play is treated like the real thing, as leaders issue commands and soldiers use proper call-for-fire procedures. And after the soldiers complete an online training session, there is an after action review to talk about how the soldiers can do better in the next exercise.