The Art Of Tank Warfare - Chris Keeling

3. TANKS IN BATTLE
The armor tactics of World War II were developed
between the wars, primarily in Germany. These tactics
were innovative in concept, considering the armor
branch a weapon of decision and breakthrough. The
majority of other nations distributed slow and heavily
armored tanks among and in support of the “poor
bloody infantry.” The Germans concentrated their light,
fast tank forces together, in an effort to smash the enemy
at one decisive point. Combined with superior training
and excellent co-operation between the tanks and the
supporting air and artillery forces, this technique of
“Blitzkrieg” was soon proven to be sound. The German
tactics were tested in Spain during their Civil War, and
victory gave food for thought to the opposition there,
which included both American and Soviet volunteers.
As other nations recognized the advantages to these
tactics and slowly began their modernization programs,
the Germans swiftly invaded Poland, France, and the
Low Countries, then turned around and swept through
Yugoslavia and Greece, finally turning their sights on the
Soviet Union. By this time, every other modern nation
had begun a crash program to put these new tactics into
practice, and to provide new tanks that could implement
them.
This brings us to the five major roles of the tank in
modern conflict: offensive, defensive, against tanks,
against infantry, and in antitank warfare. Each of these
roles is described below, with an examination of some of
the tactics that have proven effective in that role. Keep
in mind, always, that although aggression in combat is
one of the keys to tank warfare success, as a commander
you must be decisive and flexible, and understand not
only how to fight, but also where and when to fight.
21
Tank Tips (Lt Col. Ernest D. Swinton, 1916)
Remember your orders.
Shoot quick.
Shoot low. A miss which throws dust in the
enemy’s eyes is better than one which whistles
in his ear.
Shoot cunning.
Shoot the enemy while they are rubbing their
eyes. Economise ammunition and don’t kill a
man three times.
Remember that trenches are curly and dugouts
deep – look round corners.
Watch the progress of the fight and your
neighbouring tanks.
Watch your infantry whom you are helping.
Remember the position of your own line.
Shell out the enemy’s machineguns and other
small guns and kill them first with your
6 pdrs.
You will not see them for they will be
cunningly hidden.
You must ferret out where they are, judging by
the following signs: Sound, Dust, Smoke.
A shadow in a parapet.
A hole in a wall, haystack, rubbish heap,
woodstack, pile of bricks.
They will be usually placed to fire slantways
across the front and to shoot along the wire.
One 6 pdr shell that hits the loophole of a
MG emplacement will do it in.
Use the 6 pdr with care; shoot to hit not to
make a noise.
Never have any gun, even when unloaded,
pointing at your own infantry, or a 6 pdr gun
pointed at another tank.
It is the unloaded gun that kills the
fool’s friends.
Never mind the heat.
Never mind the noise.
Never mind the dust.
Think of your pals in the infantry.
Thank God you are bulletproof and can help
the infantry, who are not.
Have your mask always handy.