Rolling Thunder From Down Under: The Centurion Tank Takes Shape!

G'day everyone,

What an incredible time we had at last Saturday's Nickel Steel MIKE Force session with our Patrons, Milsim, and streamer friends! It was a blast putting the new Dong Giang terrain through its paces - the Central Highlands makes for such a unique combat experience. Rob and I had an eagle-eye view to the action, flying front-seat/back-seat in the highly-anticipated OV-10A Bronco as a FAC element, "NAIL 33" coordinating support for the teams on the ground. It was so satisfying to drop a couple WP rockets on a Target Reference Point, then see our F-4s and Cobras come screaming in to rain ordinance right on the target. We had a fantastic turnout, including some friends from BroNation who brought some serious training and discipline to their Spike team and aviation elements. A few folks were streaming as well; I’ll link their channels below for you to check out. Man, it's good to be back in action! Huge thanks to Digby, who jumped in after the Reforger Kolgujev reveal event to lead our forces to a hard-fought victory!

The squad from Bro Nation poses together next to a big CH-47 warbird

Rob and my view from the sky

Another OV-10A Glamour shot in action

Mike Force w/ SOG Devs | HOBO 2

Kolguyev Playtest with the REFORGER Regiment, then Prairie Fire Mike Force with the Vets and Devs - Twitch - Dong Giang MIKE Force starts around 1:30:00

[Arma 3 S.O.G. Prairie Fire] MIKE Force Dong Giang.

Reminder to keep an eye on the Beta Discord - I'm announcing these events (which I hope to run semi-regularly - monthly?) in our Patron area of Discord. Patrons are invited!

THE CENTURION

Speaking of highly-requested assets, one vehicle has been at the top of the list for a long time: the Centurion Mk 5/1 Tank. We are so pumped to see this unique and iconic vehicle coming to life, as it will provide some much-needed heavy armor and unique capabilities for the ANZAC forces in our DLC. The Australian variant of this tank was a true beast, defined by its powerful armament and specific in-country modifications. Its main weapon was the formidable 20-pounder (84mm) cannon, supported by a .50 cal ranging machine gun and a .30 cal coaxial machine gun, giving it a versatile toolset for engaging everything from infantry to enemy armor.

The Centurion Mk 5/1, a formidable presence on the battlefield. (2023 image)

Down to the Last Bolt

The team has been locked in on achieving a museum-quality level of detail, with a development process defined by a cycle of deep-dive research, meticulous modeling, and intricate animation. A key piece of historical detective work was confirming the exact types of 20-pounder shells used, with research revealing that Australian crews did, in fact, use powerful APDS (Armor-Piercing Discarding Sabot) rounds in Vietnam. Another fascinating detail uncovered was the unique external mounting of the AN/PRC-25 radio on a .30 cal ammo rack - a specific Australian modification we are proud to include.

This historical work feeds directly into the modeling process, where every dial, pedal, and switch is painstakingly recreated. With the core model built, the focus has shifted to bringing it all to life. The animation work is now well underway, with the driver’s controls, hatches, gun recoil, and shell ejection sequences being prototyped and implemented.

An obsessive level of detail goes into every instrument and panel inside the tank's interior.

Vehicle interiors are a proud staple of Prairie Fire - the Centurion is no exception!

The team - and a Veteran Tanker!

This incredible progress is all thanks to a fantastic collaborative effort:

• LeroyCake (who lead the incredible OV-10A development) is the primary artist, responsible for the phenomenal, highly-detailed 3D modeling of the tank’s interior and exterior.

• Apollo is the technical wizard breathing life into the model, handling all the complex animation, configuration, and implementation into the game engine.

• Noah (Barden) is our historical anchor, leading the research effort to provide the critical data, blueprints, and period-accurate photos that ensure authenticity.

• Rob (Eggbeast) provides crucial management and feedback, and has been our liaison with "Bill," a former Chieftain tank driver whose firsthand accounts have been invaluable for confirming the feel and function of the controls.

It's just so cool to see this machine and more coming together for future Nickel Steel updates. The next steps will involve finalizing the animations and beginning the deep-dive into texturing to give the Centurion its coat of paint. Thank you once again for making this level of detail possible!

Thanks for checking out the progress! Excited to check back in once we've got more to share. Have an awesome week, y'all!

Airborne,
~Sam