Cover

Cover is protecting your tank from enemy fire using terrain, buildings, or even dead tanks.

Positioning your tank out in the open, with no cover, is certain death for your tank, exposing you to fire from all directions. If you are at the edge of the map, with cover between your tank and the interior of the map, you are likely to not take fire.

Retreating into cover allows camo to reset, allowing your tank to become invisible to enemy tanks after several seconds.