Preface:

The main battle tank has been a fixture of the modern army since the 1950's. Since then, it has evolved considerably, with ever tougher armor, larger guns, and more advanced drive systems. Man-portable or airborne anti-tank weapons have resulted in countermeasures to these systems.

With such a new weapon, new doctrine is needed to exploit it. And thus, a multitude of doctrines have been employed, with varying success.

Here is an overview of every frontline main battle tank in service with all nations in the current C&C Roleplay. They will be compared by their raw statistics, doctrine which they are intended, and the validity of said doctrine. Statistics will be published when relevant.

List:

Auruna, Federal Republic of:

The FR of Auruna is a quiet communist republic in Siberia. While neutral, they seek to defend this neutrality with firepower, and tanks are no exception. Their doctrine is shaped by experience in the secessionist war from the USSR in 1948.

Aurunan forces employ deep battle doctrine, due to the Soviet influence.

T-61 Omsk

T-70A3 Sterlennau

Awwam, Caliphate of:

The Caliphate of Awwam is an Islamic caliphate who sees itself as the successor to the Ottoman Empire. Through conflict, they have recaptured the majority of former Ottoman lands in Arabia and the Levant by 1949.

Fighting across vast deserts, they have learned the value of strategic mobility across vast distances on the sea of sand. Trained by the Paternians, they have adopted full-spectrum doctrine.

MTAV Mk. 8/1 Jabal

MO-15 Mohmar

Berus, Federal Republic of:

The Federal Republic of Berus is a federal republic built on the principles of national socialism. Through conquest, they have managed to seize Western Europe by 1942.

Seeing the power of a few well-positioned, well-equipped, and well-supplied units, Berusian doctrine follows the "Blitzkrieg" principle of employing dense mechanized formations in order to commit short, fast, and powerful strikes, employing speed to surprise and encircle the opposition.

M-77 Python

MBT-100A Wittman

Argentina, People's Republic of:

The People's Republic of Argentina is a Marxist-Leninist state in Argentina. Achieving power in a coup, they have ruled the nation since 1932.

As Argentina is a nation of rugged terrain and broken ground, infantry tactics and mobility through these areas with little preparation take precedence.

EGA-6 Condor

EGA-8 Condor II

India, Republic of:

The Republic of India is a republic situated on the Indian Subcontinent. A proud democracy and rapidly industrializing nation, they achieved independence from Britain in 1947 through nonviolent protest led by Mahatma Gandhi. Despite a penchant for nonviolence, they have had various conflicts with neighbors, and have amassed a massive military.

Indian forces employ deep battle doctrine, due to Soviet training. However, this is mixed with elements of full-spectrum doctrine due to Paternian influence.

Arjun MBT Mk III

MBT-150A2 Crusader

India Contract Tank

Lanzarrian Federation:

The Lanzarrian Federation is a communist state situated in Eastern Europe, established in 1949 following its secessionist war from the USSR. Their doctrine is shaped by the experiences in that war, as with many subsequent conflicts.

Lanzarrian forces employ deep battle doctrine, due to Soviet-style training.

T-MBT-210 Kodiak

Malay States, Union of:

The Malay States is a confederation of various Malay nation-states in modern-day Malaysia and Indonesia. A relatively peaceful state, they have a fairly substantial military force.

Malay forces officially employ deep battle doctrine due to heavy Soviet influence. However, the broken terrain and large island spaces mean that tanks are often employed in supporting or defensive actions.

MBT-1A

Paternian Republic:

The Paternian Republic is a federal republic of various states, namely the United States and Mexico built on moderate socialist principles. With opposition ceasing in 1947, the Paternian Republic rebuilt itself and became a world power. It would participate in many overseas and internal conflicts throughout this time. Its doctrine is shaped by these experiences.

Fighting every kind of foe in every clime, the Paternian Army has extensive experience dealing with a multitude of opponents. Doctrine stresses flexibility on all levels, adaptiveness to new threats, and combined arms operations in what is known as full-spectrum.

M5A3 UPS Victoria

M28A1 Basilisk TUSK II

Scandinavian Union:

The Scandinavian Union is a confederation between Denmark, Finland, Norway, and Sweden, to develop a unified economy in light of the changing political situation on the continent. While staunchly neutral, they seek to enforce this neutrality with firepower.

Initially, the Scandinavian Union adopted deep battle doctrine, evidenced by the M97E. However, in the 2000's, the Scandinavian Union has moved toward Paternian-style full-spectrum doctrine, with a shift to the M103 Jaguar.

M97E

M103A Jaguar

Soviet Federation:

The Soviet Federation is a Marxist-Leninist state that succeeded the USSR in 1950. A powerful nation surrounded by hostile nations, they have waged numerous wars with them over the decades. The experiences in these conflicts shape Soviet doctrine.

Given the massive manpower and industrial advantage the Soviet Federation held over all of its opponents, it sought to dis-organize and disrupt opponents throughout the battlefield in what became know as deep battle. Soviet doctrine emphasizes a high degree of strategic and operational flexibility, while limiting tactical flexibility to the point where tactical units are mere executors of orders, albeit specific and detailed.

T-15C

Syllix Alliance:

The Syllix Alliance? I can't even bullsh-t this because literally no culture in the world would fit. Like, I can't even fit this nation anywhere on the map. I simply cannot make reason with it. Well, they exist, they've been shot at, they shot back, and learned a lot from it.

Syllixian forces employ a mix of deep-battle and full-spectrum doctrine.

SPT-06A2 M2 Megumin Mk II

Vehicle Overview:

The easiest way to compare main battle tanks is by their characteristics.

Mobility:

Of all tanks available, the EGA-6 Condor and EGA-8 Condor II have the greatest tactical, operational, and strategic mobility, being relatively light, fast, and maneuverable. While other machines require additional kits to engage in deep fording operations, the Condor and Condor II are the only main battle tanks which are fully amphibious.

Awwami tanks are uniquely designed to be suitable for strategic and tactical mobility due to the logistical nightmare of desert operations. However, they are not amphibious and have no deep fording ability, a feature seen as unnecessary given the fact that they were designed for desert warfare.

Machines designed to function along doctrine demanding speed such as the MBT-1A, SPT-06A2 Megumin, T-MBT-210 Kodiak, T-61 Omsk, T-70M3 Sterlennau, M97E, M-77 Python, and Arjun MBT Mk II feature a high degree of tactical and strategic mobility.

The worst offenders in these categories are the MBT-100A Wittman, the M5A3 Victoria, and M28A1 Basilisk TUSK. These tanks, while having decent tactical mobility, are excessively heavy and consume far more resources than comparable machines.

Firepower:

Firepower can be divided into two categories: primary and secondary firepower. Primary firepower is the main gun and in some cases, missile systems that can be fitted. Secondary firepower is the machine guns or automatic cannon systems fitted.

Primary:

In terms of anti-armor performance, almost all vehicles are roughly equal in this aspect. Most nations emphasize first-shot power while sacrificing rate of fire and ammunition load. This is best exemplified by the employment of 130mm+ cannon on virtually all machines.

Paternian doctrine is unique that it was one of the few to reject larger-caliber cannon. Employing electrothermal chemical primers which improve burn rate and efficiency in addition to improved ammunition types, they can develop a 120mm cannon of comparable anti-armor performance to larger guns at the expense of inferior infantry support capabilities. This is partially compensated for with a much higher rate of fire than any of the heavier guns, enabling more targets to be engaged within a set time period.

Argentine, Syllixian, and Malay tanks have the weakest primary weapons available. While they are the same caliber as the Paternian cannon, they employ traditional chemical primers, thus having less-efficient burning powder, limiting the power of the cannon.

All nations possess some form of ability to fire anti-tank missiles from the vehicle. This is mainly accomplished through gun-fired missiles, although some machines such as the M5A3 Victoria possess external launchers.

Secondary:

In this regard, many nations emphasize additional anti-materiel capability over anti-personnel capability. Such a capability is so emphasized with the Berusian forces that they have included a remotely-operated pop-up automatic cannon inside the turret. The EGA-8 Condor features a cupola with a 20mm automatic cannon, for anti-aircraft purposes.

However, Scandinavian and Paternian machines both employ rifle-caliber machine guns as coaxial weapons, retaining heavy machine guns for the tank commander.

However, Paternian tanks provide an additional machine gun for the loader. This brings up the number of weapons to three.

In regards to secondary armament, Paternian vehicles outmatch all others. While the secondary armament capabilities against material targets is not particularly good, such targets could be easily engaged with the main gun, and having a secondary armament which could engage material targets is thus redundant.

The role of secondary armament is to provide close-range defense against infantry targets, with secondary anti-materiel capability. While heavy machine guns and automatic cannons are excellent against infantry, they have significantly reduced ammunition capacity and thus can be more easily overwhelmed through the simple fact of running out of ammunition.

In addition, the automatic cannon cupolas were plagued with reliability issues in service in virtually all aspects of the weapon, making its utility in combat doubtful.

Protection:

Protection is simply the ability to prevent or minimize damage. In regards to protection, it is roughly equal. This can be divided into two forms: active protection and passive protection.

Active protection systems are systems which line-of sight anti-tank systems from either acquiring or destroying the vehicle. They attempt to disrupt guided projectiles through jamming and decoys, or through disrupting projectiles through destructive means. Passive protection systems are systems designed to minimize the effectiveness of anti-armor systems, almost exclusively through armor design and geometry.

Active:

Active protection systems are incorporated in virtually every tank, and are roughly equal in performance. Systems such as Arena, Shtora, Tiger, Trapshooter are effective at neutralizing anti-tank weapons, especially missiles and rockets. In general, machines developed around deep battle doctrine tend to have better active protection systems than those designed around full-spectrum doctrine.

All vehicles have the capability of producing smoke screens either through burning fuel or smoke dischargers. Scandinavian Union vehicles are notable in this regard, since Scandinavian Union smoke dischargers can dissipate smoke which not only obscures the vehicle visually, but across most spectrums.

Passive:

Passive protection is quite variable, and is dependent on the weapons employed against it.

In regards to protection against kinetic energy penetrators, the M5A3 Victoria, M28A1 Basilisk TUSK, MBT-100A Wittman, and the M103A Jaguar are king. The stellar overall armor protection is easily capable of absorbing direct-energy penetrators.

However, the MBT-1A, T-61 Omsk, and both Condor tanks are rather poorly protected in this regard. This is due to an emphasis on mobility over armor, and thinner armor was seen as a worthwhile compromise.

Most designs based on deep battle principles have less protection against such projectiles due to the fairly extensive use of HEAT projectiles. Thus, reduced capability against KE penetrators are seen as a worthwhile compromise.

In regards to protection against shaped-charge penetrators, the Condor series is easily one of the best protected. Other tanks tend to have reasonable degrees of protection against HEAT warheads thanks to the use of reactive armor and applique armor panels.

Machines designed for deep-battle doctrine typically have greater protection in this regard due to the greater prevalence of such systems.

Camouflage:

Camouflage is the act of concealing one's position. There are numerous ways a tank can be detected, and even more ways of countering such systems. They can be detected visually, thermally, or acoustically. The assumption is that the camouflage patterns on said vehicles are most suitable to the environment per the respective camouflage standards, are moving at full speed, are hull-up, and the observer is observing the side profile, unless specifically noted otherwise.

Visual:

The tanks which are best at visual concealment are those designed around deep battle, including deep battle. These machines are designed towards maintaining a low profile, and are very difficult to detect.

When placed in a hull-down position, the Condor I and II feature the best concealment due to the exemplary 15 degrees of gun depression. Combined with a low profile, the Condor series are easily the best at visual concealment.

Thermal:

All vehicles have some degree of thermal camouflage applied via paint, and are roughly equal in this regard. The engines of tanks designed for deep battle typically run cooler due to their lower power requirements, and thus a lower thermal signature.

While there is no definitive winner, the definitive losers in this competition are the Victoria, Megumin, MBT-1A, and Sterlennau. Its gas turbine engine produces an incredibly large heat signature, such that under certain conditions, it can be visually detected by a mirage-like heat haze characteristic of turbine engines. While the MBT-1A is certainly better than the other engines, it is generally worse than any competitor with an internal combustion engine.

Acoustic:

Almost all vehicles have a significant acoustic signature. This is due to the universal employment of two-stroke or four-stroke diesel engines. Obviously, the lower-powered engines of lighter deep-battle oriented tanks are somewhat quieter than larger machines, but not significantly so.

However, there are clear winners in this regard. The MBT-1A is easily one of the quietest tanks, with a relatively small gas turbine engine. The Victoria, Megumin, and Sterlennau follow closely behind, on account of the use of turbine engines.

Doctrinal Overview:

Doctrine is a simple expression of how the armed forces engage in combat on a strategic, tactical, and operational level. The doctrine of a nation is typically influenced by strategic, operational, and tactical experience,and thus varies. Here is the three principal doctrine employed by the various nations.

Deep Battle:

Deep Battle dictates that forces are to not only cause disruption and disorganization across the front line, but across the whole enemy lines in order to deliver a decisive strategic blow. The Soviet approach to this is to employ mass numbers to overwhelm enemy forces in mass flanking maneuvers. Tanks designed for this feature high tactical and strategic mobility, firepower, and frontal armor in exchange for ergonomics and range.

This doctrine is employed by most nations due to extensive Soviet influence in tactics.

Blitzkrieg

Blitzkrieg dictates that forces strike the opposing lines in a fast, short, and powerful strikes in order to encircle and destroy the opposition. The Berusian approach to this is to employ smaller numbers of well-equipped, well-trained units with high mobility, extensively supported by close air support and self-propelled artillery.

As of the time of writing, only Berus employs such tactics.

Full-Spectrum

Full-spectrum doctrine dictates that offensive, defensive, and occupational operations work synchronously as a cohesive system in order to seize, retain, and exploit an initiative. On a tactical level, junior commanders are given extremely broad decision-making powers; they are simply given objectives, and it is up to them to figure out how to achieve them. Like deep battle, effective combined arms tactics are to be employed.

This doctrine is employed by nations with extensive Paternian influence, and has gained wider acceptance.

Overview:

Most tanks in the C&C Roleplay are centered on Soviet deep battle doctrine, and perform comparably well in this regard. This is fortunate, as most nations employ deep battle doctrine.

Less employed is full-spectrum doctrine, centered on synchronized offensive, defensive, and occupational operations. Fewer nations employ this tactic, and not fully equipped to do so easily.

Given the prevalence of deep battle within the C&C Roleplay, it is undoubtedly the preferred doctrine. This is due to the rapid nature of conflicts where both sides employ this doctrine, thus providing a decisive conclusion to any conflict. In addition, it provides the force with numerical superiority a decisive advantage. Finally, deep battle is simpler to employ, especially if one side has numerical superiority.

However, factions have employed the alternate full-spectrum doctrine with great success, notably Paternia and Awwam.

While deep battle is certainly capable of quickly achieving decisive action, such tactics tend to fall apart against an opponent which actively avoids a decisive action or has a numerical advantage.

Full-spectrum doctrine is less capable of taking advantage of vast numerical superiority, but is far more suitable to opponents which are outnumbered.

In both doctrines, the use of tanks with a balance of firepower, armor, and mobility are seen as ideal. However, most nations which employ full-spectrum doctrine tend to emphasize armor protection over strategic mobility. The possession of good firepower and effective armor are paramount in both doctrine. While the employment of faster, less protected main battle tanks are not unknown, they have not seen wide distribution and are often replaced with machines with superior armor, even when relative to contemporary anti-tank weapons.

It is thus clear that across the C&C Roleplay, a tank along Soviet lines is ideal; a balance of firepower, armor, and mobility, to execute fast and decisive strikes. In this regard, you're spoiled for choice. In the hands of the novice, they can expect reasonable levels of success on the battlefield. In the hands of the expert, they become the irresistible force that annihilates the immovable object.

However, if you have extensive experience and are familiar with the intricacies of military tactics, operations, and strategy, then full-spectrum doctrine can allow even the smallest nation to challenge a superpower.

The choice, is truly yours to make. Only you know which doctrine and tank is best for you.