The TANK: "a tracked, armoured fighting vehicle designed for front-line combat which combines operational mobility and tactical offensive and defensive capabilities"; "an enclosed heavily armed and armored combat vehicle that moves on tracks"

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The tank made its first appearance in combat in the shakedown in Austria following the assassination of Archduke Francis Ferdinand. It was known simply as an 'armored car', and served a primary purpose of cover and a rallying point for police forces throughout Austria.

The Tank's big breakthrough however was with the Mark V British armored vehicle that was later replicated by Germany during the early months of World War 1. Slow, clunky, and poorly armed, the tank could do little more than traverse the battlefield and provide cover for flanking troops. It's armor however, was revolutionary. Not even the famous German .82 Howitzer could damage its outer shell.

We didn't see the tanks true potential and power however until World War II against the Germans in Europe. A.H's Panzerjager division was well equipped with vehicles that featured heavy armor in the front, and large powerful 80mm cannons. The use of the tank by the ***** was quite simply: Demoralize the enemy. Troops would create a line of scrimmage, then after securing a position would charge their tanks into enemy territory. The tactic was part of the German Blitzkrieg, however it came with a heavy consequence: There was a loss factor of about 40% of all tanks that engaged in the first assault.

The French and the Allies used their tanks in a different manner. Rather than arm them with large cannons that could destroy an entire building, they built smaller 45-60mm turrets that could use a variety of shells (anti-tank, anti-infantry, anti-air). Some of the tanks were even so versatile that rockets could be placed on them to fire blind into enemy territory.

In the Allied Invasion of Europe (Operation Overlord), the Canadian, British, and American forces siezed upon key cities such as Carentan in the inner regions of Northern France with the primary goal of linking up beachheads together. The reason was obvious: Tanks could not advance into France without a clear road. Infantry were required to secure areas of advancement before tanks could be used to control the area and lock it down. In other words, The Allied used the tanks as a secondary defensive line, and their primary role was to assist troops.

Not surprisingly, the Allies won the war and lost less tanks than anyone...including the Soviet Union who tried to use tanks in a similar way to the Germans.

The lesson here is simple: Tanks are not blitzkrieg devices or tools. They are infantry-support, and anti-vehicle. Using them without consideration for these roles...and just trying to one-man it around the battlefield....SHOULD BE...and will be....the easiest way to waste away a Tank.

That's my opinion on everyone's complaints about the tanks.