Tank Destroyers
Tank Destroyers are vehicles designed specifically to destroy enemy tanks. They have more powerful weapons than most other vehicles of their tier and are able to penetrate most targets they encounter. They can vary widely in style with large ranges in speed and armor but generally this class will have the best firepower, aside from artillery, in a given tier.
Most Tank destroyers lack a turret and must re-position themselves to aim at a target outside the limited traverse of their gun. However, this design usually gives a tank destroyer more effective use of concealment due to a lower profile. Notable exceptions to both those assumptions can be found in the German, British and American lines which have turrets. While the concealment, gun handling and sometimes protection provided by a turreted tank destroyer is usually inferior to that of a same-tiered tank destroyer, rotating turrets do not break the concealment, and turreted TDs are able to fight around corners better.
Tank destroyers are excellent ambush vehicles. Their increased concealment abilities allow them to gain the upper hand in battle by using the element of surprise to acquire a first shot advantage. However, the lack of a turret or in the case of turreted tank destroyers, a slow turret traverse, means that an enemy can quickly gain an upper hand by using flanking maneuvers, leaving the tank destroyer helpless to defend themselves. Thus, the tank destroyer is generally not effective in close quarters combat unless protected and supported by mediums or heavies or in narrow confines where the lack of a turret or slow turret traverse is less of an issue.
If it cannot find a position for an effective ambush, a tank destroyer can provide excellent fire support by hanging behind the front lines and engaging targets of opportunity. Alternatively, tank destroyers provide effective area denial in enclosed areas, such as city streets, especially in the case of those with strong frontal armor and powerful cannon. More heavily armored tank destroyers such as the T95 and the AT 2 can function as assault leaders, becoming a moving wall and absorbing hits their more thinly armored brethren cannot take. However, they tend to be hindered in this role due to their relatively lower hit points compared to same-tier heavy tanks and a general lack of a rotating turret. Alternatively, fast TDs such as the M18 Hellcat and the E-25 can become effective skirmishers and flankers due to their speed, ambushing distracted enemies in aggressive sniping positions before retreating.
Artillery presents a significant problem for tank destroyers, as they are easier for artillery to damage due to their lack of turrets and open tops, making their entire topside a weak-spot, and they absolutely must rely on existing cover or relocate if spotted.
Tank destroyers appear as red or green inverted triangles on the mini-map and over target marker.
