Heroic Armored Company

Having played Hero Armored Company for about 10 hours now, already some things can be said about this tank sim. Let me begin with the most important thing: I like it! This game has the potential to become a great tank simulator.
Does it have problems? Yes. Does it need improvement? Absolutely! But that doesn't wipe out the fact that this is the most fun tank sim I've played since World Of Tanks (and I've played a LOT of WoT!!!) - and for me at some points it even superseeds it!
THE GAME
For now only part of the single player content is available with a Story Mode (with at this moment 8 missions) - an aspect I definately miss in WoT! Single Player Mission Mode and Multiplayer Mode will become available at a later stage. So far I have been grinding myself though the Story Mode.
The location is the fictious Republic ov EVIA, apparently bordering China. At your command is a modern line of Chinese tanks, starting with the ZTL-11 (which actually isn't a tank but an 8-wheeled IFV with a 105mm L7 tank gun - as comparative with the M1128 Stryker MGS), and working your way up to ZTQ-15 light tank, ZTZ-96 MBT and eventually the ZTZ-99 MBT. The missions in Story Mode are challenging, even on the easiest level. Each mission proves a tad more difficult, encountering ever better enemy tanks, up to the American M1A2 Abrams. As said, fortunately you also get better tanks along the way. Attack helo's and incoming artillery add to the mayhem wich makes a battlefield, but hey: you can put in some of your own. At your disposal are arty, helo support and even cruise missile strikes! Furthermore you have your own main gun to fight with, well equipped with APFSDS (sabot AT), HEAT and HE, as well as a 7.62mm coax MG, and on top of the TC's hatch a 12.7mm heavy MG.
THE TOPS
I very much like the fact that you can position yourself in most crew slots (where in WoT you have only outside and zoomed-in view). This reminds me of a fairly old tank sim called Spearhead (1998), which I occasionally still play. You have four slots: outside view, Tank Commander slot, Gunner slot and Top MG slot. The only one missing is the Driver slot.
Outside view is mainly used during movement from one point to another, having the best overall view. But I found myself mostly switching between the Tank Commander's and Gunner's slot, fighting the vehicle as it should be fought: the TC looking for targets, and the gunner disposing them. In TC slot you can also take the shot, but you have better zoom in Gunner's slot - then again you have a better overall view in TC slot. Like I said, as it should be. The Top MG is for taking out helicopters, but I found out it proves immensely easier to shoot those down with a single well-aimed HEAT or HE round from your main tube - hence the fact I rarely use the MG slot.
THE TIPS
1. Looking through your battle sights you have different view modes - normal day view, IR and thermal, just like you would in your everyday modern battle tank. However, the latter should enable you to see through the fog of war (i.e. smoke from burning vehicles, explosions and smoke launchers) - and guess what: it doesn't. If anything, using IR or thermal restricts your view rather than enhancing it. I found myself using IR, then thermal, then switching back to day view and grittingly having to wait for the darn tank to appear out of the smoke before being able to have a clear shot at it. So there would be a major improvement to be made by the developer!
2. I sometimes noticed my tank moving sideways when standing still, so that's a glitch to mend.
3. The Top MG and coax are for engaging dismounted infantry or soft vehicles (like trucks, jeeps and small recon vehicles), but so far I haven't encountered any of those in the game, which renders them pretty useless. It's pretty fun to shoot the coax at a T72 while your main tube is reloading, but it doesn't even scratch it. So it would be nice to add targets to the game that you can engage with your MGs. Perhaps they will be added in the final version - I sure do hope so, it would add to the realism. Really, please do!
4. I wonder if it wouldn't be better if the speed controls would be handled by, for instance, plus ( + ) and minus ( - ), instead of holding down the W key. Now your speed is either zero or max. With + and - you would be able to manage your speed - sometimes it simply is better to creep forward than to charge ahead at full speed.
5. I sure do hope that in the future we will also see tank lines from other countries! The M1A2 is already in the game (but at the wrong side, haha!), but I'm also thinking British Challenger 2, French Leclerc, German Leopard 2A7, Isreali Merkava IV, Korean K2 Black Panther, Japanese Type 10, Russian T80/90 and Armata, and so on.
6. For realism, I would add the Driver's slot.
7. In Story Mode, the missions have to be fought from tart to finish - no saves available. Perhaps it would be nice if at least one or two autosaves were implemented (quicksave would even be better!), because it can definately be an itsy-bitsy frustrating having to start the complete mission over again from scratch when you are destroyed by the very last enemy tank...
8. Sometimes the AI of friendly tanks is not just that. On two occasions I had my own tank flipped on the side by another tank of my platoon because apparently I was in its way, and on another the mission vehicle (a missile launcher which I was to protect during the drive to its deployment) was flipped over by an AA-gun vehicle engaging an incoming helicopter - making the mission impossible to execute. So that might need some work.
CONCLUSION
Hero Armored Company is a potent tank simulator, with realistic graphics and gameplay. Already it has given me hours of fun. With the improvements I recommended it can potentially be the game that pushes World Of Tanks from the leading position in the genre.
Like I said at the beginning: I like it!!!

It's sort of like Ace Combat, but on the ground. Basically:
-Simplified controls
-An emphasis on the action
-'Feeling' of being a tank commander, as opposed to a real one
In that case, it feels like an arcade game, versus a pure simulator like Arma or T72. With that said, it isn't bad for what it is, but obviously it's sort of an indie game. Early access. But with a larger campaign, greater selection of tanks, etc, this game as potential.
For those who were wondering what kind of tanks these were, all vehicles are Chinese. It's basically a game from the PLA perspective, which is kinda nifty since it's different than the American or Russian. Anybody that's played a ton of Battlefield 4, or Operation Flashpoint Dragon Rising, would feel at home.
tl;dr
-PLA Tank Commander: the game
-Ace Combat on the ground
-Indie game
-Not bad
8/10

A fun addition to tank games,a bit buggy and hard but waiting for an update

Wow this is a suprising one.
Sort of Armored Fist 3-ish but from Chinese perspective, single player focused with very good presentation and some waveoff background story. Again, this looks very nice and plays intuitively.
Honestly, plays better as a tank game/sim than Gunner Heat PC! in it's current state (but that's due to GHPC being EA)

Heroic Amored Company,
Features nice graphics, good sounds and pretty cool gameplay if you take your time to get used to it.
It's a game made by a Chinese game developer and it shows. Everything in this game is pro China and to be honest..
It's lots of fun to play around with Chinese military gear. Even if it's in an arcade fashion.
The story is very political, but that's okay, because it's about China and its border conflicts.
There's no question about who's right or wrong in this game; China is always right.
Just as with all the american oriented war games, where the yanks are always the top gun.
So, nothing new here.
What about freedom during a mission?
Hmm, well, the maps are rather huge. I mean, I just had to look for a way to cross a river and couldn't find it right away..(As daft as I can be sometimes) so, I just took a detour of some 10km. And since we're not paying the gas bill, that's pretty cool. Feels abit ArmA like.
On the other hand.. you do have some pretty tight, scripted events that can drive you to frustration, because you have to follow the order(s) by the letter.
But, okay, nothing world or game breaking. There's still enough player freedom to play and toy around with enemies and gear.
Bad things? I mean, WTF bad things:
Trees... I dunno man, but China must boost some very awkward trees because they are capable of rubber banding your multi ton vehicle like a ping pong ball from time to time.
That's rather sh*tty physics if you ask me, but I'm sure it's something a patch can fix.
So, is this game a must buy?
Only if you're okay with Asian game mechanics and story telling (Might take some getting used to) and if you're fine with playing a proud citizen of the People's Republic of China.
But, really, for €14,00 you get a pretty solid arcade armored warfare game.
There's (much) worse to get for a higher price.

Very good game but short...(more coming soon)
Need to be optimized but It's hard and fun to play.
I hope they will continu to work on.

Some issues , but impressed with the potential of this game. Controls are user friendly.
Good game, would recommend.