There is a great chance of battle victory when the selected vehicle has quality characteristics and performs its duties. Therefore, this article on Best Types of Tank Review will enlighten you on the best type of tank. You can check also for Tanks, Types of tanks, Functions of tanks, and List of powerful tanks.
Vehicle Types
There are five types of vehicle as regards to tanks.
Light tanks: This vehicle has inadequate armoring and firepower but it is maneuverable with compact dimensions. It also has good concealment and view range.
Medium tanks: Medium tanks are relatively maneuverable with substantial firepower and armoring. Plus, it comes with a good view range and versatile units.
Heavy tanks: Vehicles like this have decent armor and powerful gun that can withstand and inflict immense damage. Although, they have the drawback of low maneuverability.
Tank destroyers: A weakly armored vehicle that has a long-range gun. As a result, they have the characteristics of good concealment and can fire for effect from ambush.
Self-Propelled guns: Firing at long distances can inflict damage to many vehicles at once. Though they are slow and poorly armored assault guns but they contain High-explosive shells. Armor-Piercing and High-Explosive Anti-Tank Shells are very effective against slow and well-armored vehicles.
Battle Lines
Characterized by specific tactics, the map should be split up into three lines in any battle.
The first line will collide with the adversary so heavily armored vehicles are stationed here to push avenues of attack. Maneuverable light tanks are also stationed to sight the adversary. On the second line, the vehicles serve as support and cover for assault vehicles. Sniper vehicles and artillery is positioned on the third line to destroy enemies from ambush and at a long distance.
Functions of various vehicles
The characteristics of a vehicle determines its function on the battle lines.
Light Tanks
They have incredible view range and concealment but has the flaw of weak armor. Light tanks mainly spot the adversary and disclose the adversary’s position to their allies. When in close combat with slow, weakly armored adversaries, they fire and immobilize the adversary vehicles.
Medium Tanks
The characteristics of a vehicle of this type determines its role in battle. Fire support and cover is provided by MTs with medium armor, a good gun and high maneuverability. They inflict damage to vehicles in the view range. Such medium tanks are often able to hit first due to good maneuverability and concealment.
Versatile MTs with a good frontal or turret armor serve as support to the first line. It can also be done by MTs defined by low maneuverability and good armor. At mid-to-close range, Support tanks spot the opponent and immobilize their vehicles.
Heavy Tanks
Heavy tanks are stationed in close range as they effectively block the damage caused by the adversary. This is due to their reliable armor and a powerful gun. They push the avenues of attack and hold the adversary’s vehicle on the first line. These characteristics aid in repelling a great part of the damage inflicted by the adversary.
A mediocre gun with a great firepower is the qualities of a heavy tank with magazine loading system. Therefore, they are capable of supporting allies and still pushing avenues of attack as a result of these factors.
Tank Destroyers
Support to allied vehicles is furnished by tank destroyers with medium armoring. Snipers are TDs with high concealment, an accurate gun, and mediocre armor. Their roles is to spot and hit the adversary from any distance at cover. Providing support while holding the adversaries and blocking damage is done by tank destroyers with magazine loading system.
Self-Propelled Guns
These vehicles are good support vehicles as they fire at distant foes with a high trajectory. It has powerful gun, weak armor and low mobility. They can utilize different shell types and tend to be multi-role vehicles. SPGs damage a group of vehicles with standard high-explosive shells or fire at vehicles with moderate armor protection with alternative high-explosive shells. Furthermore, adversaries internal module can be destroyed by it and also cause injury to crew members.
For your vehicle to accomplish its role more effectively, you must plan your tactics to take advantage of your strong points. Train your crew, apply consumables, and add additional equipment on your vehicle. This will gain you superiority in battle and boost your battle performance. Some skills, consumables and additional equipment tend to correspond to a particular vehicle type.
List Of The 10 Most Powerful Tanks In Use Today
The world is filled with numerous tanks that needs to be regularly upgraded to stay up-to-date. Western countries like Russia, China, South Korea and Japan have the leading modern main battle tank designs. Additionally, others have produced tanks that didn’t make this list as they are considered inferior to the other Western tanks.
These tanks are regularly retrofitted with updated technology and upgraded to fourth generation standards. Below is a list of the 10 most powerful tanks in use today.
T-14 Armata- Russia
At the moment, this tends to be potentially the best tank in the world. Has a weight of around 55 tons, great mobility, and also features a recent upgraded main cannon. 2A82-1M 125 mm (4.92 in) smoothbore cannon is the main armament. A 12.7×108mm Kord machine gun with 300 rounds 7.62×54 Pecheneg PKP or a PKTM with 1,000 rounds makes up the secondary armament.
The Armata has a lessened crew of three and an active protection system. It serves as a small target as a result of the turret that is also small. The T-14 has a minimum service life of 2000 hours and is powered by a 1,500 hp diesel engine. The T-14 is a source of a challenge as others play to catch up.
M1A2C Abrams (SEPv3)- United States
The Abrams is not an exception to Western tanks that have been upgraded to fourth-generation standards. The earlier models are now archaic as they have been in production since 1979. Current variants like the 9 M1A2C Abrams (SEPv3) are considered when discussing the power of Abrams tanks. They have advanced features like the Israeli-made Trophy active protection system. Its main armament consists of the M256A1 120 mm smoothbore gun, that fires a variety of rounds.
Leopard 2A7+ – Germany
The Leopard and Abrams once started out as the same joint west German and American project during the days of cold war. However, the countries split up and independently developed their main battle tanks. Presently, the Leopard 2 is one of the most exported and produced Western tank after America’s Abrams. It stands as Germany’s most advanced and current variant and can fire programmable HE munitions.
Merkava IVm Windbreaker – Isreal
When it comes to tank design, the Israelis are leading as they have produced some very unique main battle tanks. The Merkava can also serve as an armor personnel carrier. It tends to be the most advanced variant of these tanks and have an active protection system. A system that has been bought and incorporated into their tanks by Americans.
Leclerc XLR – France
This tank also features a three-man crew just like the Russia’s recent T-14 Armata tank. Maintains the benefit of being light- being around 55 tonnes and it has been in production since 1991. Increased mobility and lessened risk of getting stuck in the mud is as a result of the lightweight. Its armament consists of a 120 mm modèle F1 smoothbore gun, 12.7 mm coaxial M2 heavy machine gun, and a roof-mounted 7.62 mm machine gun. The Leclerc XLR serves as France’s most upgraded variant, ensuring the tank’s relevance on the battlefield.
Challenger 2 CLEP- United Kingdom
This is a British third-generation tank that has now been upgraded to fourth-generation standard. Its main cannon is a rather odd characteristics of the Challenger 2. The Challenger 2 is armed with an L30A1 120 mm rifled gun. Despite, the use of smoothbore guns by most main battle tanks, the British decided to stick with rifled gun.
Armed with a L94A1 EX-34 7.62 mm chain gun, and a 7.62 mm L37A2 machine gun and carries 4,200 rounds of 7.62 mm ammunition. In addition, you can also mount a 40 mm automatic grenade launcher to the Challenger.
K2 Black Panther- South Korea
In the world today, they are some of the most costly main battle tanks with a price of over $8.5 million. Also one of the most recent of new tank designs having only gone into production in 2013. It is manufactured by Hyundai Rotem and is set to replace South Korea’s M48 Patton tanks. Having a weight of around 55 tonnes, but still travels at a top speed of 43 miles per hour.
The Black Panther has a CNO8 120 mm 55 caliber smoothbore gun with an autoloader system. This gives it the capability of firing up to 10 rounds per minute. Secondary armament consists of 12.7 mm K6 Machine Gun and a 7.62 mm coaxial machine gun.
Type 10- Japan
This fourth-generation main battle tank was manufactured to replace its aging Type 74 and Type 90 models. It is one of the rarest tanks on this list with only 104 tanks having been in production since 2012. This tank is armed with a totally new gun created by Japan Steel Works. Only the improved round designed particularly for this tank is fired.
Type 99A- China
This battle tank was produced by China and built to replace the obsolete Type 88. The Type 99 came into production in 2011 but it has been in production since 2001. It’s one of the numerous tanks with an amount of 4,000 tanks produced but still behind the Abrams. Its main armament is a 2- plane stabilized ZPT-98 125 mm smoothbore gun with a carousel-style autoloader. In addition with a QJC-88 12.7 mm machine gun and a coaxial 7.62 coaxial machine gun.
T-90MS- Russia
This is technically a post-Cold War tank as it first entered production in 1993. A third-generation Russian main battle tank that is a modernized version of the T-72. Russia has placed massive priority on tank production as they have produced numerous tanks even more than most countries. Main armament is the 2A46M 125 mm smoothbore tank gun, an NSV 12.7 mm remotely controlled anti-craft heavy machine gun.
You can check also for Tanks, Types of tanks, Functions of tanks, List of powerful tanks.