RC Tanks Australia Forum

One of the more recent additions to the RCTA range of products for the IR battlefield is Panzerfaust. This board operates as a stand alone IR solider/gun emplacement or can operate in Automatic Bergepanzer/Repair mode as found on our flagship MAKO units. However, this post will only look at the usual mode of operation for Panzerfaust - that of an offensive battle unit.

Panzerfaust can be powered by any battery source between 6 and 12 volts. Supply leads connect to the board via the terminal block. The positive wire should connect to the innermost terminal and the negative to the outermost. The IR port conforms to the MAKO/Heng Long standard of a 5 pin JST connection with an additional 2-pin connector for indicating LEDS. Constructing a simple adapter will allow use of any of the battle units made by other brands. Panzerfaust is also a sound unit and it is best to connect a 4 or 8 ohm Visaton speakers to the unit rather than the standard Heng Long/Taigen type. The onboard sound module is removable to allow for users to program on their own sound sets. Panzerfaust features three different Machine gun sounds, separate Panzerfaust and Panzerschrek firing sounds, machine gun hit sound and two different IR hit sounds, plus a battle ambience sound once the unit is destroyed.

When in operation Panzerfaust fires three types of IR signal at 'quasi' random intervals
1. Machine Gun IR - this is a RCTA specific protocol detected by other RCTA units
2. Panzerfaust shot (Standard IR shot) - (affects Tamiya, RCTA, Heng Long and Taigen tanks)
3. Panzershreck shot (2 shot kill code) - affects different types of tank differently.

Panzerfaust is destroyed after losing 4 units of 'health'. If hit by offensive IR damage is as follows:
Machine Gun IR - 1 unit lost
Standard Shot - 2 units lost
2 shot kill - 4 units lost (immediate death)
Once Panzerfaust is destroyed indicator LEDS will flash and a battle ambience loop will start playing. To restart Panzerfaust needs to be physically powered off and then on again.

Finally for 2014 all RCTA battle units will be able to be set with a Battle Unit Tactical Identification Number (BUTIN). This number will allow for RCTA units to determine who shot who on the battlefield and assign 'confirmed kills' to the responsible units.

The videos below show the basic connections, operation and BUTIN assignment process for the Panzerfaust.

I've been a bad boy, I've had a couple of these since January and still not posted a review

So it's only a quick review.

First up I got 2 to use at our MAD club meetings (one each side) didn't bother with the receiver side just the emitter and sounds. Powered it from 7.2v and using cheap HL speakers. Even though with this setup the sound was good even with all the noise from the tanks on the battlefield.

Sounds are good as shipped, or if you have the programmer can change them to something else.

IR side work well, took out plenty of tanks including my own, only downside we noticed was either the machine gun or supershot had the effect of sending the clark equipped tanks into a repair mode.

Overall I would highly recommend the Panzerfaust. Whether it is for a club or just by yourself as target practice in the garden ect it all works great.

Ian.

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HL/Asiatam Metal Tiger 1
HL/Asiatam Metal KV-1 (1941)
WSM T-34
SU100
HE Abrams
HL Leopard 2A6
HL Jagdpanther

Thanks for the info Tankbear. Nice to know about the Clark issue but don't you think that having a response to two separate IR signals is downside of the Clark programmers rather than Pfaust?

Given that the 'supershot' is the standard Tamiya 2 shot kill code it seems odd that Clark boards would respond this way.

I can always change the RCTA machine gun code in future but I cannot change the existing Tamiya 2 shot code

All the more reason to fit MAKO4Tamiya boards into you CLark equipped tanks

Anyhows I will bear this in mind for the next Panzerfaust release. I will be planning a new more functional design which will have the IR emitter and receivers on the board making for a much simpler and tidier setup

Cheers
KG

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rctanksaustralia.com

Hi Kevin, I don't think you should change the code. Like you say it is more an issue with the Clark boards than any other system (SLU, ElMod, IBU2, Tamiya, Mako) which worked fine with the PF. Plus apart from the inconvenience of the Clark tank sitting disabled there for 15 seconds it actually gives the uses an advantage of a live back!

Maybe a disclaimer statement explaining that due to other manufactured boards use of IR code out of RCTA control, Clark boards occasionally receive a repair code instead of a hit.

Regarding your next version with the IR bits built on the board, I liked the current version because I could hide it under a bridge or other building or an used turret. So if your next version is just as small that be great. If when your at your development stage and want to send me some sketch details of size layout I can give some advice based on how we use it at our club.

Ian.

_________________
HL/Asiatam Metal Tiger 1
HL/Asiatam Metal KV-1 (1941)
WSM T-34
SU100
HE Abrams
HL Leopard 2A6
HL Jagdpanther

Will do TB. I don't think the extras will increase the size too much

Cheers

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rctanksaustralia.com