Hell Let Loose is all about large-scale, 50v50 warfare, but the game doesn’t limit players to just being infantry. There are plenty of different vehicles available in the game, and good tank crews are essential to victory. Tanks are vital to supporting infantry and locking down important areas, but effectively utilizing them isn’t easy.
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It’s important to understand the roles tanks play, as well as the differences between them. Heavy tanks and light tanks are used in very different ways, for example. Matches in Hell Let Loose can be decided by which team has better tank crews, so for players wanting to join an armor squad, make sure to know which tanks are the best, and understand how they should be used in the game.
10 Panzer 2
- Class: Light Tank
- Fuel Cost: 100
In terms of pure firepower, the Panzer II is the weakest tank in the game, as its 20mm cannon is unable to do damage to anything more armored than a light tank, making it worse than even recon vehicles. It’s also poorly-armored, and fairly vulnerable overall.
That being said, the Panzer II is not useless, and has a niche, but still potentially useful role in the game, primarily as a highly mobile, rapid flanking vehicle able to decimate enemy infantry with its full automatic main gun and large ammo reserves. If engagements with heavier enemy tanks are avoided, the Panzer II can be put to good use.
9 Panzer 4
- Class: Medium Tank
- Fuel Cost: 200
Though not nearly as powerful as some other tanks in Hell Let Loose, the Panzer IV is a fairly reliable medium tank that is for the most part a well-rounded tank. The Panzer IV has decent mobility and top speed, and probably excels the most at area control and infantry suppression.
The weaker Bazooka cannot penetrate the front or side armor of the Panzer IV, making it much easier to effectively deny enemy infantry control of a particular area, or stop their advances entirely. Enemy heavy tanks will easily destroy the Panzer IV, however.
8 M4A3 75W Sherman
- Class: Medium Tank
- Fuel Cost: 200
Introduced in update 12, the medium Sherman tank is certainly an iconic vehicle, but functions fairly similarly to the Panzer IV. However, it does generally have a slight advantage in head-to-head duels against its German counterpart, and in an evenly-matched scenario is more likely to come out on top.
However, this Sherman suffers from an underwhelming turn speed and is more vulnerable to enemy anti-tank weapons (especially from the side), so crews must be particularly aware of their surroundings and positioning if they are to effectively take on enemy infantry.
7 T-34/76
- Class: Medium Tank
- Fuel Cost: 200
When manned by a capable crew the T-34 is able to consistently beat enemy medium tanks. This is because it is possible to angle the T-34’s armor to the side, making it much harder for the Panzer IV to land a penetrating shot, while the T-34 can hit almost anywhere and still do significant damage.
Though relatively slow and poorly-armored, the T-34 excels when its crew takes advantage of hilly terrain to pick off enemy vehicles (excluding heavy tanks). The T-34 is also extremely low cost, as it respawns for free after one has been destroyed.
6 M4A3E2 75mm “Jumbo” Sherman
- Class: Heavy Tank
- Fuel Cost: 500
The 75mm Jumbo Sherman is well-protected, and therefore especially excellent when placed in a good position as a relatively static anti-infantry and area control tank. Combined with an excellent turn speed, enemy anti-tank will have a much harder time of knocking out the 75 Jumbo, and it has a significant advantage over any medium tank.
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However, the main gun is much weaker than other heavy tanks. In a straight duel with a Tiger or Panther, the 75 Jumbo will lose every time, as it struggles to penetrate their frontal armor. Considering the fact that this tank is just 100 fuel cheaper than the far superior 76mm variant, in most cases it’s better to skip this Sherman variant and go for the upgraded option.
5 IS-1
- Class: Heavy Tank
- Fuel Cost: 600
Overall the IS-1 is probably the weakest of the true Heavy Tanks, but it is still a fairly formidable option if used correctly. The IS-1 is poorly-armored for a heavy tank – even a Panzer IV can penetrate the frontal armor in certain areas.
However, the IS-1 is able to penetrate anywhere on the Tiger’s frontal armor, essentially making it a glass cannon. When used carefully, the IS-1 can dominate tank engagements, but it can be tricky to defend against so many potential threats due to vulnerabilities in its armor.
4 M5A1 Stuart
- Class: Light Tank
- Fuel Cost: 150
It may seem odd that a light tank ranks so highly, but the M5A1 Stuart is a deadly weapon in the hands of the right crew. Crucially, unlike its German equivalent, the Panzer II, the Stuart is able to destroy Heavy Tanks if they are hit in the rear (around 3 shots).
This means that the Stuart is best for quick flanks, as it is easily capable of outmaneuvering less mobile opponents, and is able to harass or destroy enemy tanks giving friendly infantry a hard time.
3 Tiger I
- Class: Heavy Tank
- Fuel Cost: 600
There is no doubt that the Tiger is one of the most intimidating sights for infantry in Hell Let Loose, though it’s not quite the best tank in the game. The Tiger can only be damaged by Bazookas from the rear, making it very hard for enemy Anti-Tank infantry to destroy them, made even worse by its relatively quick turn speed.
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The Tiger is narrowly worse than the American 76mm Jumbo Sherman, but if the enemy tanks have been destroyed, the Tiger excels at supporting friendly offensives, as enemy infantry are often unable to mount an effective response.
2 M4A3E2 76mm “Jumbo” Sherman
- Class: Heavy Tank
- Fuel Cost: 600
The 76mm Jumbo Sherman scores this high primarily because it clearly outclasses the Tiger. Though not quite as protected from enemy Anti-Tank weapons, the 76 Jumbo has a noticeable faster reload speed than the Tiger, meaning that in any straightforward engagement, the Tiger will always lose.
Combined with its surprisingly rapid turn speed, the 76 Jumbo is also usually able to outmaneuver the Tiger, and quickly respond to Anti-Tank infantry. The 76 Jumbo plays a crucial role for the US team as it is the only American tank powerful enough to consistently take on German heavy tanks in direct duels.
1 Panther
- Class: Heavy Tank
- Fuel Cost: 600
Having been re-introduced in update 12, the Panther has been significantly upgraded, and it’s hard to dispute its status as the best tank in the game. The Panther has the same armor and firepower as the Tiger, but better top speed, and a much faster reload speed. It also reloads faster than the 76 Jumbo Sherman, meaning that in a head-to-head duel the Panther should beat any other tank in the game.
The only downsides to the Panther are that it has a slightly slower turn speed than the Tiger, and the turret armor is somewhat of a vulnerability. However, for the most part these aren’t major concerns. When kept in the open and at a safe distance, the Panther is better than any other tank in the game, and is very hard to destroy.
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