Description
The most heavily armoured and armed of the machines, the Tank towers over houses and players alike, shaking the very ground with each step. Do not engage it without a strategy, plan your encounter in advance, and always be ready to run when the rockets start flying.
The Tank is most often heard before it is seen, emitting loud thumps with each step and oftentimes, random sounds.
Weakspots
The "head" (above the weapon array) can be targeted for heavy damage but this will not bring the Tank down. The sensor on the head farthest right (player view), usually red when engaged, can be destroyed.
"Cylinders" located on the back of the machine above the feet are critical spots that will end in the Tank's destruction provided a high powered rifle was used and required multiple hits.
Damaging the hinge located near the model number can cripple the Tank. A High voltage sign beneath the top left hinge is also a critical hit point.
The Tank also has a fuel tank on its back as well as a battery pack above the fuel tank. Use flares and fireworks to distract the Tank and leave these points exposed.
If the player only has small arms weapons, it can be advised to shoot the Tank's guns to take them out, so the Tank no longer has ranged weapons.
Abilities
Like the Harvester, the Tank is capable of creating a shockwave. A Tank's shock attack can be easily predicted by the machine emitting a dull whirring sound before raising itself slightly higher and releasing a large shockwave that can knock a player off of their feet. Military and FNIX Tanks are known to spawn Tick pods as well, swarming your position with 3-6 at a time. Lastly, Tanks spawn with 2 different guns mounted under the main body. The loadout varies from Tank to Tank:
The Autocannon is an automatic weapon that will shoot the player up to extreme ranges, but due to accuracy issues, it's deadliest up close. It's ammo belts are an immediate giveaway when it comes to recognizing this weapon. Apocalypse class Tanks armed with the Autocannon can set players on fire when hit by one of the bullets.
The Missile Pod is a barrage weapon with a long reload, but can instantly take out a player if they don't have proper cover. It can be recognized through its cube-shaped appearance. Prototypes will mainly let the rockets fly as soon as they see you.
The mortar fires a single, more powerful projectile in a high arc, having normal cover will not help against this weapon. It looks similar to the autocannon but doesn't have ammo belts and has a larger bore size. Military and FINX tanks will usually try to nail you with the weapon, and before shooting the tank will emit a low, deep wail.
The Linear Accelerator (aka the Railgun) is the deadliest weapon you can face, it deals 90 damage and has a reload rate of 3 seconds, as long as you are moving it will miss (maybe) and the only linear accelerator tank on the map can be found at -2924.718 -3224.890
The Tank also has the ability to charge at the player. This was added in the August update. It can perform this move anytime, but is commonly used when both weapons are shot off the Tank. Also, if Seekers spot the player and alert a nearby Tank, it will charge towards that area and begin to search for you.
Story
Diary Extract 3 - The Tank
We almost lost half the group today. It was so stupid too, so pointless. We should have heard that…thing approaching sooner, but we were too busy rummaging through the shelves of a garage to realize that we weren’t hearing the sound of thunder. It wasn’t until the items on the shelves started to shake that we realized something was very wrong.
That thing was like a Tank but on legs, massive. Beyond massive. It towered over all the houses, every step of its two heavy legs shook us to the core. Thankfully it was slow, but every aspect of it from its size to the gigantic weapons hanging underneath it screamed danger. Death. Run.
So needless to say, we ran for our lives the moment we saw it. We were severely unprepared to face whatever that monstrosity was; we barely made it out alive. The robot started shooting at us with some kind of automatic machine gun, hitting the ground, nearby cars and even a few of us. Thankfully mostly flesh-wounds. When the bullets stopped, I foolishly thought we might have made it. Then a weird whizzing noise filled our ears, getting closer and closer. We weren’t prepared for the rockets. The explosion sent us tumbling to the ground, ears ringing from the impact. It took us way too long to get back on our feet, but helping each other we were able to hide long enough for it to stop pursuing us. I pray we never see one again.
Strategy
Tanks are large and slow but heavily armoured and heavily armed. The easiest way to deal with a Tank is with a Rocket Launcher but as this is not an early game weapon. A good second choice is using flares or fireworks and fuel tanks.
Heavier hitting bullets will help when targeting the weak spots or finishing off an already damaged Tank. Slug rounds and armour-piercing rifle ammunition are especially potent.
A more unconventional strategy involves the use of an EMP effect combined with a Mine. Mines do extreme amounts of damage and can one-shot even FNIX-class Tanks. However, if the tank is active when the player deploys the mine, it can detonate too early and the player can get caught in its blast. EMP rounds fired from a Granatgevär are advised so keep the Tank inactive for long enough for the player to escape. A difficult strategy to pull off, but very rewarding if done right, costing only 1 Mine and 1 EMP round per killed Tank.
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