Effective positioning is absolutely critical to success as a tanker. All the aiming skill in the world will not save you if you consistently overextend or take poor engagements.
The first aspect of this is to know the terrain. Understanding terrain gives you an idea of what to expect- areas with lots of low ridges or small hills are perfect ambush territory for Magriders, whereas areas with long sightlines and minimal cover will make fighting vanguards at medium ranges or prowlers at long-range difficult. Know what areas you can access with your tank, and which areas are strictly Magrider territory. This is something that can only come with time in the game, and as you invest in your chassis more areas will become accessible.
When driving, always be asking yourself the following questions:
- Where are the nearest allies located?
- What routes will enemy vehicles likely take?
- Is there any enemy armor in the area? Are they engaged? Are infantry present in force?
- If you were setting an ambush, where would you hide?
- Are enemies aware of your presence?
- If forced to disengage, where do you fall back to?
- Which faction has air superiority? Where can you hide if aircraft attack?
Constantly running through this will help you set yourself up for advantageous fights. Tank duels are usually determined by whoever lands the first hit, so it is critical that you always be looking around for potential threats.
The last aspect of positioning is to remain mobile. While it’s fine to hide in preparation for an ambush when fighting you should never be stationary for more than a few shots. Stationary tanks are easily flanked and killed or C4 bombed.
When you engage a target, ask yourself the following questions:
- How am I starting the engagement in relation to the position of the target?
- Will I be able to have follow up shots to finish off my target after the initial volley?
- What are possible escape routes after starting/ending the engagement?
When you attack a target, you want to have an advantageous position. Sometimes you’ll be able to get behind them, but often you’ll have to be content with merely landing the opening hits uncontested.
When you land those opening hits, understand how your opponent will react. Smart drivers will attempt to disengage and reset rather than pick a disadvantaged fight, so it’s critical that you land the follow-up salvo to set your opponent on fire or outright kill them.
Likewise, be ready to move regardless of the outcome. If you kill your target, any other enemies nearby will hear your gunfire and move on your position. If your enemy escapes, you need to reposition to either chase them down or disengage entirely.