Let’s take a look at what’s new in Steel Aces this week.

As development progresses and interest in the game continues to grow, we’ve heard the call from supporters for more insight. With that in mind, we’ll be aiming to share weekly updates, featuring behind-the-scenes details on our progress, new features, and design decisions.

To kick things off, we’re excited to introduce a major new feature: multi-turret tank support, which adds a new layer of tactical depth and historical authenticity to the battlefield.

Independent Turret Control

In this first implementation, our team has enabled independent aiming and firing for all cannon-equipped turrets on three iconic designs:

• the American M3 Lee medium tank
• the Soviet SMK heavy tank prototype
• the Soviet T-35 heavy tank

Turrets fitted with machine guns, such as the twin 7.62 mm MGs on the T-35, have been modelled but are currently static, non-functional placeholders. Since infantry units are not present in the game, these weapons have no practical effect on armoured combat.

By contrast, all cannon turrets, including the SMK’s 45 mm secondary and the T-35’s secondary guns, are now fully operational and integrated into the new turret control system.

M3 Lee – “General Lee”

The M3 Lee served as America’s stopgap medium tank in 1941 and 1942, equipped with a 75 mm hull-mounted gun and a 37 mm turret-mounted cannon.

Our completed 3D model showcases both weapons in action. The 75 mm gun fires high-explosive and anti-armour rounds with proper recoil and ballistic behaviour, while the 37 mm turret has its own targeting system. Both weapons can now track and engage targets independently, giving players a first real taste of multi-axis gunnery.

SMK Heavy Tank Prototype

The Soviet SMK (1939) was an ambitious triple-turret design that combined a central 76.2 mm turret with two flanking 45 mm cannon turrets.

In our current work-in-progress renders, the SMK’s main gun is fully functional. The secondary turret is also live-wired into our firing system and capable of delivering coordinated support fire alongside the main gun.

T-35 Heavy Tank

The T-35 stands as the largest and most iconic interwar Soviet multi-turreted heavy tank, serving with the Red Army between 1938 and 1940. Its formidable layout pairs a 76.2 mm main cannon with two 45 mm secondary turrets, an engineering marvel of its time.

In our work-in-progress model, all cannon turrets are fully functional. The primary 76.2 mm gun features realistic recoil and shell trajectory, while each 45 mm turret contributes synchronized secondary fire. For historical accuracy, we’ve also included the twin 7.62 mm machine-gun turrets as static, non-animated placeholders.

What’s Next in Steel Aces?

We’ll be back next week to explore upcoming Soviet WWII tanks, exploring their development history, 3D modelling progress, and in-game battlefield roles.

Thanks for following along, and stay tuned for more behind-the-scenes updates.

The Steel Aces Team