Having served on tanks for nearly 5 years, I can honestly say that the tank commander has the ability to fire from his position as well as move the turret from the open hatch, your gun is not nearly as accurate from this view, as well the commander had a better battlefield view hatches up and I am pleased with how that is portrayed. now I am sure some of you will argue ww2 tanks could not be controlled form the commanders position, in most tanks probably not, but the tank commander did play a vital role in walking the gunner onto target, ie gunner traverse right, 2 o clock 1.5kms tiger in open, gunner gets onto position and then fires, as we can not have more then one person in the tank I believe imo this is portrayed rather accurately.
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There is a reason, as you know having served in a tank, that commands are given, and repeated, between crew members. The tank commander has control over the entire tank via verbal command, the only thing physical he controls is the top MG. The TC does not fire the gun, the gunner does. The TC does not drive, the driver does. The TC does not load the gun, the loader does. Etc, etc. However, unless given the "at will "or "as needed" command, each member of the tank is locked in to receiving his orders and then acting on those orders from the TC.
I think HTC has it about right under the current standards. I think if they wanted to add in a bit of "realism", or fog of war, they'd have the TC come up through the hatch in any one of 5 compass positions in relation to the turret. 0°, 22°/-°22, and °45/-°45. They could also add in a delay in switching between positions representing the delay in TC movement, voice commands, etc. As it is, the "insta-action" is a bit off the mark and the situational awareness is rather giving while in a tank.