Tanks (Tiberium)

Tanks are armored vehicles with treads, that often make up the backbone of offensive taskforces. Historically, Tanks first appeared during the Great World War I, earning their name from the water tanks they were disguised as. Generally, tanks have one or more cannon(s) which did good damage to structures, vehicles, other tanks, but had difficulty accurately hitting smaller infantry, and therefore dealt less damage via shrapnel. However, as even light tanks weigh several tons, these machines can easily crush infantry by running them over. Also, several tanks substitute other weapons, such as flamethrowers or lasers, for the cannons.

Against their armor plating, small-arms fire is generally ineffective; however rockets and missiles do greater damage. Also, few tanks have any anti-air defense, and those that due are often still incapable of adequately defending themselves against air attacks. As vehicles, tanks are susceptible to EMP interference as well.

Early on, tanks were generally classified by weight, lighter tanks being faster and cheaper, but weaker. Unless in superior numbers (which, considering their greater efficiency, was achievable), light tanks could not defeat medium tanks. Medium tanks could not defeat easily heavy tanks, and heavy tanks could not easily defeat Super Heavy tanks such as the Mammoth Tank. Modern warfare use the term Main Battle Tank (MBT) to refer to tanks used primarily used by one side.

The USSR and GDI were known for their wide use of tank technology.

Great World War II
During the Great World War II, both the Allies and Soviets utilized tanks, however, with greatly different design philosophies. The Allies chose cheaper, faster M60 Patton light tanks later upgunned M2 Bradley IFVs and M1 Abrams medium tanks, while the Soviets chose larger Soviet heavy tanks, and the unrivaled Mammoth tanks. However, the Soviet designs were slower and more costly, and some historians believe their over reliance on brute force was a flaw that helped the Allies win.

Both sides also had a specialized 'tank', both of which lacked the armor of true tanks. The allies had the Chronotank, a missile carrier which could chronoshift across the battlefield, while the Soviets fielded Tesla Tanks, which were a lower-yield version of the Soviet Tesla coil on wheels. The Soviets also commenced work on nuclear-powered super tanks. These virtually unstoppable vehicles were completely computer-controlled, had big oversized tank guns, heavy armor, heavy Vulcan guns and a nuclear engine, but when the designer of the tanks defected, he altered the programming, causing them to go berserk. The Allies destroyed the prototype Super Tanks. The Soviets also developed the MAD tank, which was based on a mammoth chasis, replacing the cannons with a crude Harmonic resonance weapon, which would destroy the tank, and any vehicles or structures in the blast radius, but would be harmless to infantry.

First Tiberium War
In a strategic twist, GDI chose to follow design philosophies from both sides of GWWII. GDI retained the classic M1 Abrams medium tanks, however, as much of the research was lost, experienced a significant delay in the production of Mammoth tanks, which required significant redesigns for the conflict and only appeared towards the end but was useful. The tanks of GDI required alot of anti infantry support that involves MLRS, APCs and Humvees. Nod, choosing efficiency and speed, used M2 Bradley Fighting Vehicles. Unable to compete with GDI in terms of strength, Nod chose to build highly specialized tanks to supplement their numerous Bradleys. The "Ezekiel's Wheel" Stealth Tank had an onboard stealth generator, allowing it to be almost invisible to the human eye, except when firing it's missiles. The "Devil's Tongue" Flame Tank was a specially designed tank fitted with flamethrowers, which caused tremendous damage to structures and infantry. The Brotherhood also built their Second version of the Light Tank, for use by the Special Forces group, the Black Hand.

Second Tiberium War
During the twenty first century, GDI chose to phase out their existing tank arsenals in favor of Disrupter tanks and Mechanized walkers, such as the Titan and Mammoth Mk. II. To note, a few abandoned Mammoth Tanks ended up in the possession of the Forgotten, a few belong to GDI during the testing of the new walkers and during the assault on Cairo, however, the antiquated systems of these tanks meant that they were no longer as dominant as they once were. The Disrupter tank is a powerful tank armed with a sonic cannon. Nod continued tank advancement, incorporating more advanced technology on their stealth tanks. Nod burrowing technology also resulted in the advancement of two new tank types; The "Devil's Tongue" had been upgraded to burrow underground, while the Tick Tank could bury itself to serve as a stationary anti-tank turret.

Third Tiberium War
After the Second Tiberium War and Firestorm Crisis, GDI chose to scrap their mechanized walkers, which was criticized by many who viewed it as a financially motivated decision. With the only walker still in service the Juggernaut, GDI returned to classic tank designs, returning to the medium tank design for the Predator Tank, the Shatterer hovertank, the Anti Air Tank Slingshot and bringing back their classic Mammoth Tanks in the form of the Mammoth 27. Both tanks could be upgraded with Railguns to increase their lethality. The Steel Talons still use walkers.

Nod's Tank arsenal in the Third Tiberium war also brought back older designs. Due to problems with the burrowing technology, Tick Tanks were replaced by a new, faster Scorpion Tank; which could be upgraded with dozer blades to increase armor and allow the tank to crush Land Mines and heavy infantry, and laser capacitors based on the Obelisk of Light, increasing their firepower. The newest incarnation of the Nod Stealth tank was faster and more heavily armed than before, and the update to the Devil's Tongue allowed for heavier armor at the cost of burrowing ability. Also, both specialized tanks along with Beam Cannons and Attack Bikes could be "donor" vehicles to an Avatar Warmech. While the tanks would be destroyed and crews would be killed, the Avatar would benefit from stealth generators and a flamethrower.

The Scrin, though obviously not basing their technology on terran tank development (They could hover), had two vehicles that resembled human tanks. The first, the Seeker was a Scrin scout vehicle, capable stealth detecting and engaging both air and ground targets. The second Devourer Tank was capable of absorbing tiberium to add range and power to it's energy cannon. However, despite being from a race with incredibly advanced technology, Scrin tanks are on the same roughly level playing field as human tanks.

The Scrin lack powerful tanks but made up for pure anti armor units like the Planetary Assault Carrier and the Annihilator Tripod.