Tech refresh 2025: M1 Tank Platoon

This is a tech refresh article describing any changes since the original article 'M1 Tank Platoon: Getting the DOSBox hull down' was published. Since the original article the version of DOSBox Staging has changed from v0.80.1 to v0.82.0.

The only change is an updated DOSBox Staging configuration shown below, the rest of the advice in the previous article remains valid.

DOSBox Staging configuration

These are the settings which differ from the DOSBox Staging defaults.

[sdl]
host_rate           = vrr
presentation_mode   = vfr

[dosbox]
# For unpatched vanilla version
# mcb_fault_strategy = allow

[cpu]
# For unpatched vanilla version
# core      = normal
# cputype   = 386_prefetch
core                 = simple
cycleup              = 100
cycledown            = 100

[voodoo]
voodoo                    = false

[mixer]
reverb     = medium
chorus     = normal

[midi]
mididevice      = mt32

[mt32]
model       = mt32_new
romdir      = "D:\Midi\Versioned"

[joystick]
# joysticktype                = disabled
joysticktype                = 4axis
timed                       = true
swap34                      = false
deadzone                    = 0

[autoexec]

# v449.01
# imgmount a "D:\Games\Dos\M1 Tank Platoon\fdd\disk1.img" "D:\Games\Dos\M1 Tank Platoon\fdd\disk2.img" "D:\Games\Dos\M1 Tank Platoon\fdd\disk3.img" -t floppy -ro
# mount c "D:\Games\Dos\M1 Tank Platoon\hdd"

# v449.02
# imgmount a "D:\Games\Dos\M1 Tank Platoon\fdd2\disk1.img" -t floppy -ro
mount c "D:\Games\Dos\M1 Tank Platoon\hdd2"

c:
# call tank.bat
cd tank
call m1tpmenu.bat

The sdl settings are appropriate for a variable refresh rate monitor. They can be left as default or omitted for standard monitors.

The dosbox and cpu sections have settings for running an unpatched vanilla version of the game, if required (disabled).

The cycles are omitted as the default setting of 3000 is suitable.

The voodoo emulation is disabled as it isn't required.

The mixer settings are a personal preference to enhance the music and audio.

Midi settings use the mt32 new model as shown in the 'List of MT-32-compatible computer games' on the VOGONS wiki. 

Joystick settings will be dependant on your particular HOTAS setup and may require adjustment. 4axis is used as I have a joystick, throttle and rudder pedals connected and this prevents the wrong device from being detected in-game. The game is playable without a joystick and this may be preferable, in which case the joystick can be disabled.

The autoexec section has mount and imgmount commands for v449.01 (disabled) and v449.02 (enabled). The imgmount commands are disabled once the game is installed from floppy image. The batch file, tank.bat is created when the games is installed (disabled). This config uses my own startup menu m1tpmenu.bat (enabled).

Good hunting!