Which 1/16 tanks, boards and receivers can fight each other on the field, and which ones only look like they can. Start with Tamiya, the standard everyone else is measured against, then work out from there.
Compiled October 2026 · Community-sourced; verify before you buy
Fully compatible
Gives and takes hits from a Tamiya, and also plays by Tamiya rules: light, medium and heavy classes, reload delays and progressive damage. Tamiya, Clark, IBU, ElMod, ASP and Open Panzer TCB.
Hits only
Trades hits with Tamiya-protocol tanks, but has no classes or damage model, so it fights with an unfair edge. Heng Long TK6/TK7 and converted Taigen/Torro.
Quick answer
Compatibility matrix
Anything on the Tamiya protocol can trade hits. Only the rows marked fully compatible play the whole Tamiya game.
System
Protocol out of box
Hits w/ Tamiya
Classes & damage
BB + IR
To join Tamiya games
Tamiya 53447 + MFU
Tamiya
Yes
Yes
IR only
Ready
Clark TK series
Tamiya (default) or HL
Yes
Yes
Airsoft OK
Ready
IBU2 / IBU3
Tamiya
Yes
Yes
Unconfirmed
Ready
ElMod Fusion / FusionX
Tamiya
Yes
Yes
Unconfirmed
Ready
Open Panzer TCB
All known
Yes
Yes
Yes
Ready
Heng Long TK6.x / TK7.x
Tamiya (hits only)
Yes
No
Yes
Board swap
Heng Long RX18 (older)
HL proprietary
No
No
Yes
DBU/MAKO mod or board swap
Taigen / Torro
Taigen proprietary
No
No
Either/or
Torro converter, MAKO or board swap
Tongde TD 2.0 / 3.0
Tongde, sold as cross-brand
Reported
No
Yes
Board swap for full rules
Hooben (stock)
Proprietary
No
No
Unconfirmed
Board swap
Mato / Haya
Varies by board
If Clark or HL 6+
If Clark
Some models
Check the board
Coolbank
No IR fitted
No
No
Neither
Board swap
Beier
No battle support reported
No
No
Unconfirmed
Not a battle board
No systems match that filter.
Field terms
Glossary
Term
Meaning
Apple / mushroom
The dome-shaped IR receiver, usually on the commander's hatch. Tamiya calls theirs the GFS unit; Heng Long's is the "mushroom."
Emitter
The IR LED in or under the gun barrel that fires a coded pulse when the main gun fires.
TBU
Tamiya Battle Unit, the 53447 kit and its hatch-mounted receiver.
DMD / MFU
Tamiya's drive unit (T-01 to T-12) and Multi-Function Unit for sound and lights. The Battle System plugs into the MFU.
Board
A tank's main control electronics: Heng Long TK7.0, Clark TK60, IBU2 and so on.
BB / airsoft
6 mm pellet gun option. Some brands offer BB or IR, not both.
Tamiya
The standard
Item 53447 · 1/16 Tank LED Battle System
The reference system. It needs a tank with a Tamiya Multi-Function Unit, and two or more equipped tanks to play. Even Full Option kits ship without it, so budget for it separately. The box holds the GFS receiver, an IR LED emitter, a mounting plate with cables and instructions.
How a fight plays out
Class switch sets light, medium or heavy, which controls hits survivable and reload time.
Range up to 30 m. Inside 5 m any angle counts; beyond 5 m only square-on hits to front, sides or rear count. Angled shots deflect.
On a hit: blast sound, hull shake, GFS flash, slower engine, and a short pause before you can fire.
Knocked out: explosion, two lurches, controls lock for about 15 seconds, then restart with brief invulnerability.
Tamiya electronics that accept the Battle System
Unit
Role
Found in
DMD T-01 / T-03
Early drive units (T-01 1998, 2 ch; T-03, 4 ch)
Early Tiger I (56010)
DMD T-05
Drive unit
M4 Sherman (56014)
DMD T-07
Drive unit, expanded features
Leopard 2A6 (56020)
DMD T-08
Drive unit
KV-1 (56028), KV-2 (56030), Super Sherman (56032)
DMD T-12
Current unit
Leopard 2A7V (56047)
MF-01 / 02 / 06
Multi-Function Units; the Battle System plugs in here
Panther, Sherman, KV-1
Tamiya's 1/35 Battle System tanks (Sherman 48212, Type 10 48215, Panther G) have IR built in and are a separate scale.
Clark Model
Fully compatible
TK series boards · US distribution through dakrctank.com
The budget route to full Tamiya compatibility. Clark boards fire Tamiya code by default and can also speak Heng Long. They replace the stock electronics in Heng Long, Taigen, Torro or Tamiya tanks.
Board
Radio input
Notes
TK22 / TK22A
4-ch PWM or 10-ch S.BUS
Tamiya and HL IR formats; 7.2–12 V; 60 × 50 × 20 mm
TK24
—
Same IR modes as TK22
TK40 / TK50
4-ch PWM or 10-ch S.BUS
Mid-range boards
TK60 / TK80
8+ channels
Higher-end boards for full-channel radios
Set IR mode with the Sony-style programming remote: press 0, and the LED flash count selects 1 Tamiya, 2 Heng Long, 3 Repair.
Receives Tamiya and HL hits at once, but emits only one format at a time.
Sound sets are fixed at purchase. Order the tank type you need.
Settings change on the fly from the remote, which helps on battle day.
Plan for an apple, apple base or TBU mount, a 5 mm IR LED and the programming remote. Not fully plug and play.
IBU (Italian Battle Unit)
Fully compatible
Replacement boards developed by Italian hobbyists
Widely rated the best-value aftermarket board. It also reads Heng Long hits and adds a recovery-vehicle repair feature.
Board
Install
Sound
IBU2
Plug and play: unplug the HL RX18, plug in the IBU2
Programmable; easier with a PC
IBU2 Pro
Plug and play
Better sound than IBU2
IBU3
Slightly larger board
Fully programmable; needs a PC to set up
Needs a Tamiya-protocol apple plus an IR LED. Compared with Clark: more realistic driving and sound, while Clark wins on changing settings in the field.
Heng Long
Hits only
The entry point · TK7.0 on current RTR tanks
TK6.0 and later boards use the Tamiya protocol for hits. Older RX18-era boards used Heng Long's own protocol. Current tanks disable after the fifth hit, support up to 20 tanks at once, and do both IR and BB.
Generation
Protocol
Battles with
RX18 and earlier
HL proprietary
Other RX18-era HL only
TK6.0 / 6.01 / 6.1S
Tamiya, hits only
HL 6.x/7.x, Tamiya, Clark, IBU, ElMod, TCB
TK7.0 / 7.1
Tamiya, hits only
Same as 6.x
Limits against a Tamiya
No classes, firing delays or progressive damage, so a Heng Long has an edge over a Tamiya.
The stock mushroom is less sensitive than the Tamiya apple and struggles in direct sun, which matters on an Arizona field.
Upgrade path
Swap the receiver for a LegoDEI apple (HL version for HL boards only; it burns out on Tamiya-protocol boards).
For full Tamiya rules, replace the board with Clark, IBU, ElMod or TCB.
Taigen, Torro & Imex
Own protocol
Taigen is the factory · Torro imports to Europe · Imex sells under the Taigen name
Taigen IR battles only other Taigen and Torro tanks out of the box. Tanks come as BB or IR, not both. Torro tanks advertised as "BB and IR" are usually rebadged Heng Longs and follow Heng Long rules.
Fix
What it does
Notes
Torro IR converter TOROP-01006
Translates Taigen IR into Tamiya protocol
Hits only. Reuse the Taigen apple and LED; no emitter in the kit
MAKO / MAKO2020
Adapter for Taigen boards to fight on the Tamiya standard
Separate MAKO TK6.0 version for Heng Long 6.x
Board swap
Full Tamiya compatibility
Clark, IBU or ElMod replaces the Taigen MFU
Hooben
Swap the board
Also sold as Twin Horse
Stock Hooben IR isn't compatible with other brands, and may not match across its own range. Some Hooben vehicles have shipped with Clark boards, which are fully compatible, so check before buying. Most IR players buy the kit without electronics and fit Clark, IBU or ElMod. Servo elevation and recoil on kits like the T-55 suit aftermarket boards.
Rounding out the field
Other makers & boards
Aftermarket control boards
Product
Origin
IR behavior
Notes
ElMod Fusion ECO / PRO
Germany
Full rules
Adapters for Tamiya BU, HL/Taigen battle option, or ElMod Battle Set; programmable sound
ElMod FusionX
Germany
Full rules
Successor to Fusion PRO; S.BUS 16 ch, Bluetooth setup
Open Panzer TCB
Open source
All protocols
DIY-friendly; plug adapters for the Tamiya apple and IR LED
ASP / ASP2
RC Tanks Australia
Full rules
Also sells MAKO converters
Kim's RTCU
Independent
Tamiya protocol
Listed among Tamiya-protocol boards
Canshuo CS 6.1
Haya system
Tamiya hits
Battle Interface port: emitter on 2 pins, receiver on 3
Beier
Germany
None reported
High-end sound board, Europe-focused
Tank makers
Brand
IR behavior
Notes
Tongde
TD 2.0/3.0 boards, own IR sold as cross-brand; 5 hits disables
Cold War and modern subjects: M60A1/A3, IDF M60, Centurion Mk 5, M2A2 Bradley, M109A2, M113, Matilda. IR + BB
Haya (UK)
Varies by vehicle
Chieftain Mk3 uses an HL-style board; Centurion Mk3 uses a Clark. BB + IR, gun flash and smoke
Coolbank
No IR, no BB
Crusader Mk III, M8 HMC Scott and others. Good as support or scenery vehicles
Mato
Varies; some carry Clark boards
Metal 1/16 tanks in IR or airsoft versions; check the board
LegoDEI
Receiver upgrade
US-made receivers, emitters and test gear
The receiver is the weakest link in most setups. LegoDEI makes separate versions for Tamiya-protocol boards and Heng Long boards, so order the one that matches your electronics.
Product
Works with
Details
Tamiya Clark IR Receiver Apple
Tamiya, Clark, IBU, ElMod, Open Panzer
Over 200 ft range in ideal conditions; hit LEDs visible in sun
Reception shades: Circle gives 360° reception. Cross blocks long-range diagonal hits, mimicking the Tamiya square-on rule. Tank Destroyer blocks the front, for turretless vehicles.
