Tank fighting is difficult, and is more about tactics and SA then about mastering the vehicle controls (after all this is no F4 avionics suite). And death comes quickly, unexpected and mostly from an unknown origin. That'S how it should be. The TC should be able to form situational awareness of what the situation around is like, he should maintain force cohesion and spot, identify and prioritize targets he then usually hands over to the gunner for killing them. A tank sim should reflect this separation in duties, and give the interface and possibilities to have it like this, else it does not simulate the real thing too well.
I play SBP mostly as a TC, and it is very rare that I take over the gunning part of the job (nevertheless I regularly do fire practicing on the gunnery range not to lose routine in aiming the gun quickly). If I have time left to feel bored as a TC, next thing happening usually is me getting killed.
Different to Lieste, I am no Beta-Tester but only a reviewer of SBP - and still I share the man's opinion!
If you are serious in getting a simulation experience of reality, no way you can pass SBP. Do not think of it in terms of 125 bucks. Think of it in terms of 2.3 games that you buy and leave behind after some weeks or months, while SBP you will play for years. Seen that way it is much cheaper then most games published these days. The military customers need to pay 16.000 bucks per 10-seat classroom licence.
Alternatively you could enlist in the Australian army. Their tank crews got free copies of SBP for home training from their defence ministry.
