sevoblast

Yes, Blitz, I am fully aware of the RCACN rules, having been to Danville many times, and our Jax club sponsored a meet or two.
Here, as long as the apple takes a hit from 20m from all quadrants, it is OK. IFA vehicles must take a hit from 270 degrees, figured 45 degrees off centre line from the front on each side on a horizontal plane with the main gun tube. We are also setting all tanks for "light" except the KT and Pershing, which are set for "medium". The only heavy is JT, and JT can not fight on a team of 4. He can have only 2 assistants, but even then he is pretty much omnipotent. Don't use him often.
We are also working an a filter system for some of the tanks for side hits and rear hits. This will be a physical filter on the Tam or Impact Battle Systems. For instance, a Kt was to all intents and purposes IFA also, and generally from the sides pretty hard to penitrate unless the other side was at point blank range, or a JS2. A Sherman, even the Firefly, would generally scratch the paint and mayhap break the headlight lens, annoying the tank commander no end, but asides from that, no damage. Problem is, a filter can not take in to account a final drive or sprocket hit, so where to we go and what do we do? Then you got the problem of a P3 knocking out a Pershing or JT or KT. Not gonna happen with them, and even difficult for the P3 to take out a Sherman at any range beyond knife fighting range unless he had the latest 5.0cm squeezer. Bottom line, we do what we can with what we got.
Still and all, the Impact and Tamiya Battle Systems are pretty much state of the art, especially considering they are plug and play at a somewhat reasonable price. I am sure as time passes there will be improvements. Problem is said improvements have to be compatable with existing systems and product already in tanker's hands. To do otherwise is not good market sense. And in my opinion all systems should be made Tamiya compatable if humanly possible. Tamiya is the big guns when it comes to IR tank combat, especially outside the USA. Here, the only HL or Wasan are converted to full function Tamiya, and all use the Tam or Impact Battle System.
On the apple, my extensive experience and tests have shown there is no physical advantage beyond cosmetic. Our rules are the bottom fin must be 3mm above the cupola top surface. or MG ring top surface. Now, a few years ago we did have one lad with a scratch built unit with an absolutely flat roof. Seems his apple lost a fin or three in the mounting process. That made a huge difference, and he was told to raise the apple 3mm above the flat surface and install the missing fins, or he could not run it with our club. We also found out after the fact that at a meet it seems some tanks from another team were registered as "heavy", and then for the actual combat sequence were reset to medium. So there you are, fighting and mentally figuring 9 second reply count, and he pops you in 5. Hmmmm. That don't fly here. If you is heavy or medium or light, that is how you fiight, period.
It is good to see the rapid expansion of our hobby. I can remember just a few years ago when the two main supplier's entire stock range would fit vertically in a shoe box with lots of room for expansion. How times have changed! It is grand. Only problem is, with all the new tanks, and the vco watching the purse strings, it is difficult to get everything I want. Make that impossible to get everything I want. Good thing she is a tanker also. Still and all, I am most pleased to see the rapid expansion of both tanks and parts for same.