PACMAN has made way for the PlayStation at an Army base.

Their 1980s tank simulator has been replaced by up-to-date equipment.

Soldiers can blast enemy vehicles with 30mm cannon fire before using expensive real life versions.

"It's absolutely outstanding," said Colour Sgt Paddy Whitworth, speaking at Lulworth gunnery school. "We have now got 2007 technology.

"The old graphics were from the 1980s. We will probably have to prize the young soldiers out of it - it's like an expensive PlayStation."

Cpt Alex Logie said: "What we had before were like BBC micro computers. This is right up there with the most modern technology."

The Daily Echo watched as soldiers fought a mock battle, complete with helicopters, trucks and tanks.

The special effects did not look amazing but all the soldiers were very impressed with the way troops could train with it.

It's not like using a PC - troops sit a replica of the turret and have to load and aim as they would in the real thing. You don't just click a mouse. Cannon rounds have to be lifted up and loaded in.

It replicates the muzzle flash and recoil of the gun, and the sound effects were recorded from the real thing at Lulworth.

But other factors are not so easy to replicate, like the temperature inside an armoured vehicle - troops said they had been in temperatures from minus 19 Celsius to 50 Celsius.

The simulator has two "worlds" measuring 40km by 40km - one is a desert modelled on one in Nevada and the other is modelled on Salisbury Plain.

It can also handle thermal imaging for night fighting and let up to four tanks drive at once, so they can practice tactics.

The turrets are used to train troops for the Warrior light tank. Brigadier Robbie Scott-Bowden said Warriors were the "workhorses of the operations in Iraq and Afghanistan".

Canadian Company CAE has made 36 of them in a £13 million contract and they have been reaching nine army bases this autumn. Lulworth hosted the official handover on Tuesday.