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Light Tanks

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The Pz.Kpfw. 35 (t), an example of a German light tank.

Light tanks are small, agile tanks which often take the roles of flankers or scouts. They are represented by a solid green or red diamond on the mini-map and over their respective target marker.

Characteristics

Most light tanks sacrifice armor protection for speed and maneuverability. This makes light tanks the fastest class of vehicles in the game, but also the most fragile (second only to artillery). They lack the armor necessary to protect them from most guns in the game and are especially vulnerable to ramming. Light tanks usually feature smaller, rapid fire guns and typically fall just short of medium tanks with regards to firepower (though this disparity becomes smaller in the higher tiers). In return for their lack of firepower and protection, light tanks get superb view ranges and also benefit from great camo values which stay the same regardless of whether the tank is stationary or moving (a feature unique to light tanks). Light tanks prior to update 9.18 received special matchmaking where they were treated as being a tier higher than they actually were, but now receive normal matchmaking.

Role

Because of their physical frailty and their strong spotting and concealment abilities, light tanks are usually best played as scouts. Light tanks are well equipped to spot enemy targets in order for their more heavily armed teammates to safely take shots at them, all while staying safe from enemy fire themselves. Light tanks become especially dangerous later in the game when the map is less populated. With more room to move around, light tanks are capable of aggressively spotting or flanking unsuspecting targets and escaping just as quickly. Light tanks can easily circle tank destroyers and slow moving heavy tanks when caught without support. Light tanks are also adept at hunting down enemy artillery batteries and are incredibly difficult for artillery to kill due to their small size and incredible speed.

Variety and Examples

As with all classes in the game, while most light tanks share similar characteristics there are those which deviate from these norms. This is most true at the lower tiers, where most of the early historical light tanks are. Many of these older light tanks were designed as more general-purpose vehicles, and thus many of their in-game representations are more well-rounded than the dedicated scout lights of the middle to upper tiers. Tanks such as the Valentine and T-80 reflect this more general-purpose performance, whereas others such as the AMX 40 buck the trend completely and behave like pocket heavy tanks. BEFORE UPDATE 9.18 Light tank development stops at tier VIII, with no light tank currently in the game above this tier. IN UPDATE 9.18 light tanks were extended to tier X

USSR

    I
    MS-1

    MS-1

    II
    BT-2

    BT-2

    II
    T-45

    T-45

    II
    T-26

    T-26

    II
    T-60

    T-60

    II
    Tetrarch

    Tetrarch

    III
    BT-SV

    BT-SV

    III
    LTP

    LTP

    III
    M3 Light

    M3 Light

    III
    BT-7 artillery

    BT-7 artillery

    III
    T-116

    T-116

    III
    BT-5

    BT-5

    III
    T-127

    T-127

    III
    T-46

    T-46

    III
    T-70

    T-70

    IV
    BT-7

    BT-7

    IV
    T-80

    T-80

    IV
    Valentine II

    Valentine II

    V
    A-20

    A-20

    V
    T-50

    T-50

    VI
    MT-25

    MT-25

    VI
    T-50-2

    T-50-2

    VII
    LTG

    LTG

    VIII
    LTTB

    LTTB

    VIII
    LT-432

    LT-432

    IX
    T-54 ltwt.

    T-54 ltwt.

    X
    T-100 LT

    T-100 LT

USA

    I
    T1 Cunningham

    T1 Cunningham

    II
    M2 Light Tank

    M2 Light Tank

    II
    T1E6

    T1E6

    II
    T2 Light Tank

    T2 Light Tank

    II
    T7 Combat Car

    T7 Combat Car

    III
    M22 Locust

    M22 Locust

    III
    M3 Stuart

    M3 Stuart

    III
    MTLS-1G14

    MTLS-1G14

    IV
    M5 Stuart

    M5 Stuart

    V
    M24 Chaffee

    M24 Chaffee

    V
    M7

    M7

    VI
    M24E2 Super Chaffee

    M24E2 Super Chaffee

    VI
    T21

    T21

    VI
    T37

    T37

    VII
    T71 CMCD

    T71 CMCD

    VII
    T71 DA

    T71 DA

    VIII
    T92

    T92

    VIII
    M41 Walker Bulldog

    M41 Walker Bulldog

    IX
    T49

    T49

    X
    XM551 Sheridan

    XM551 Sheridan

China

    II
    Vickers Mk. E Type B

    Vickers Mk. E Type B

    III
    Type 2597 Chi-Ha

    Type 2597 Chi-Ha

    IV
    M5A1 Stuart

    M5A1 Stuart

    VI
    59-16

    59-16

    VI
    Type 64

    Type 64

    VII
    Type 62

    Type 62

    VII
    WZ-131

    WZ-131

    VIII
    WZ-132

    WZ-132

    VIII
    M41D

    M41D

    IX
    WZ-132A

    WZ-132A

    X
    WZ-132-1

    WZ-132-1

UK

    I
    Cruiser Mk. I

    Cruiser Mk. I

    II
    M2

    M2

    II
    Cruiser Mk. II

    Cruiser Mk. II

    II
    Light Mk. VIC

    Light Mk. VIC

    III
    Valentine

    Valentine

    III
    Stuart I-IV

    Stuart I-IV

    III
    Cruiser Mk. III

    Cruiser Mk. III

    IV
    Cruiser Mk. IV

    Cruiser Mk. IV

    V
    Covenanter

    Covenanter

    VI
    A46

    A46

    VI
    Crusader

    Crusader

    VII
    GSR 3301 Setter

    GSR 3301 Setter

    VIII
    FV1066 Senlac

    FV1066 Senlac

    VIII
    LHMTV

    LHMTV

    IX
    GSOR3301 AVR FS

    GSOR3301 AVR FS

    X
    Manticore

    Manticore

Germany

    I
    Leichttraktor

    Leichttraktor

    II
    Pz.Kpfw. II Ausf. D

    Pz.Kpfw. II Ausf. D

    II
    MKA

    MKA

    II
    Pz.Kpfw. 35 R

    Pz.Kpfw. 35 R

    II
    Pz.Kpfw. 38H 735 (f)

    Pz.Kpfw. 38H 735 (f)

    II
    Pz.Kpfw. 35 (t)

    Pz.Kpfw. 35 (t)

    II
    Pz.Kpfw. I

    Pz.Kpfw. I

    II
    Pz.Kpfw. II

    Pz.Kpfw. II

    III
    43 M. Toldi III

    43 M. Toldi III

    III
    Pz.Kpfw. M 15

    Pz.Kpfw. M 15

    III
    Pz.Kpfw. 38 (t)

    Pz.Kpfw. 38 (t)

    III
    Pz.Kpfw. III Ausf. E

    Pz.Kpfw. III Ausf. E

    III
    Pz.Kpfw. II Ausf. J

    Pz.Kpfw. II Ausf. J

    III
    Pz.Kpfw. I Ausf. C

    Pz.Kpfw. I Ausf. C

    III
    Pz.Kpfw. II Ausf. G

    Pz.Kpfw. II Ausf. G

    III
    Pz.Kpfw. T 15

    Pz.Kpfw. T 15

    IV
    Pz.Kpfw. 38 (t) n.A.

    Pz.Kpfw. 38 (t) n.A.

    IV
    Pz.Kpfw. II Luchs

    Pz.Kpfw. II Luchs

    V
    VK 16.02 Leopard

    VK 16.02 Leopard

    VI
    VK 28.01 mit 10,5 cm L/28

    VK 28.01 mit 10,5 cm L/28

    VI
    VK 28.01

    VK 28.01

    VII
    Aufklärungspanzer Panther

    Aufklärungspanzer Panther

    VII
    Spähpanzer SP I C

    Spähpanzer SP I C

    VIII
    leKpz M 41 90 mm

    leKpz M 41 90 mm

    VIII
    leKpz M 41 90 mm GF

    leKpz M 41 90 mm GF

    VIII
    HWK 12

    HWK 12

    VIII
    HWK 30

    HWK 30

    IX
    Spähpanzer Ru 251

    Spähpanzer Ru 251

    X
    Rheinmetall Panzerwagen

    Rheinmetall Panzerwagen

France

    I
    Renault FT

    Renault FT

    II
    D1

    D1

    II
    AM 39 Gendron-Somua

    AM 39 Gendron-Somua

    II
    AMR 35

    AMR 35

    II
    FCM 36

    FCM 36

    II
    Renault R35

    Renault R35

    II
    Hotchkiss H35

    Hotchkiss H35

    III
    AMX 38

    AMX 38

    IV
    AMX 40

    AMX 40

    V
    AMX ELC bis

    AMX ELC bis

    VI
    AMX 12 t

    AMX 12 t

    VI
    Panhard AMD 178B

    Panhard AMD 178B

    VII
    AMX 13 75

    AMX 13 75

    VII
    Hotchkiss EBR

    Hotchkiss EBR

    VII
    AMX 13 57

    AMX 13 57

    VII
    AMX 13 57 GF

    AMX 13 57 GF

    VIII
    Panhard EBR 75 (FL 10)

    Panhard EBR 75 (FL 10)

    VIII
    Panhard AML Lynx 6x6

    Panhard AML Lynx 6x6

    VIII
    Bat.-Châtillon 12 t

    Bat.-Châtillon 12 t

    VIII
    ELC EVEN 90

    ELC EVEN 90

    IX
    AMX 13 90

    AMX 13 90

    IX
    Panhard EBR 90

    Panhard EBR 90

    X
    Panhard EBR 105

    Panhard EBR 105

    X
    AMX 13 105

    AMX 13 105

Japan

    I
    Renault Otsu

    Renault Otsu

    II
    Type 95 Ha-Go

    Type 95 Ha-Go

    II
    Type 97 Te-Ke

    Type 97 Te-Ke

    III
    Type 97 Chi-Ha

    Type 97 Chi-Ha

    III
    Type 98 Ke-Ni

    Type 98 Ke-Ni

    IV
    Type 5 Ke-Ho

    Type 5 Ke-Ho

Czechoslovakia

    I
    Kolohousenka

    Kolohousenka

    II
    LT vz. 35

    LT vz. 35

    III
    LT vz. 38

    LT vz. 38

Sweden

    I
    Strv fm/21

    Strv fm/21

    II
    Strv m/38

    Strv m/38

    II
    L-60

    L-60

    III
    Strv m/40L

    Strv m/40L

    III
    Lago M38

    Lago M38

Italy

    I
    Fiat 3000

    Fiat 3000

    II
    L6/40

    L6/40

Poland

    I
    4TP

    4TP

    II
    TKS z n.k.m. 20 mm

    TKS z n.k.m. 20 mm

    II
    7TP

    7TP

    III
    10TP

    10TP

    IV
    14TP

    14TP

External Reviews and Opinions

Light tanks have the highest "skill cap" of any class, as they are fragile, possess relatively weak guns, and have enough mobility to get the driver into trouble. The following in-depth community guide reviews common mistakes and break downs effective tactics to help you understand how to play light tanks correctly.

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