Tanks Battlefield 1 Guide
Last update: 31 October 2016
In this chapter you will find advice related to controlling the tank. It was divided based on tank types because each machine requires learning different habits and rules.
General advice
Repair
In Battlefield 1, as the tank driver you can repair your machine on your own. In order to do it, you must hold the button that will appear in the bottom right corner of the screen. It takes 5 seconds and it restores 20 damage points. However, if during the repair the enemy will hit your vehicle, the operation will be canceled. In addition to that, you can't control the tank during that time.
If you respawn in a tank as a mechanic, you will be equipped with a key. You can use it to fix the tank if you aren't inside it. It is faster than repairing as the driver and it isn't canceled when the vehicle is hit. Use it whenever the tank is immobilized. The enemy might leave it when he sees that you left it.
Save bullets
Both heavy and light tanks are equipped with cannon and with a grape-shot. The cannon is more effective when it comes to destroying enemy vehicles and the grape-shot is good against the infantry. Remember to save the cannon bullets because an enemy tank can suddenly appear and when that happens, the ammunition will be much needed.
Switch your position as the passenger
The shooters in tanks can have very good results. Changing the position is the key aspect for them. The position can be changed while riding. On PC it can be done by using the keys F1-F6, on PS4 it is done with the "X" button and on XONE with the "A" button. Change your position while riding so that you are able to kill as many enemies as possible. Sometimes you should also look back because an assault class soldier can run towards the vehicle with dynamite at any time.
Heavy tank
Stay frontally towards the battlefield
The greatest disadvantage of the heavy tank is the lack of ability to move the barrel around the tank. It can be done to a very limited degree. Because of that, you must constantly keep that in mind and be positioned frontally towards the battlefield. If you retreat, do it on reverse gear, even if you don't see the terrain in front of you well.
Don't drive too close to the battlefield because this will limit your sight. An assault class soldier can easily run towards you with dynamite and you won't be able to shoot him. However, driving towards the center of the fights will be very effective if you have at least two shooters.
Shooters
You can easily use the heavy tank if you don't have shooters. However, if you drive with shooters, you are much more effective. If you have three shooters, one on each side, you can drive into the center of the fights, for example to the transmitter. In rush mode such tactic is most effective because the enemies concentrate on the tank and frequently even though the tank is destroyed, the transmitter is detonated and the team gains from it.
Mark V
Never ride alone
In this tank the driver doesn't have access to cannon - only to machine guns that are effective against the infantry. Because of that, the first rule of using Mark V is to enter it only with other players. They will have access to 57 mm cannons on the sides with which they can attack enemy tanks. If you drive alone, you're almost helpless.
Use both heavy machine guns
As the driver you have access to one machine gun at the front and one at the back of the vehicle. Remember to frequently check what's happening behind since there is no slot for a shooter there.
If you're alone, switch your places
From the first point you learned not to drive this tank alone, but sometimes you will be forced to do it anyway. In that case, when you must fight an enemy tank, position yourself frontally towards him so that both cannons can hit him. During the fight switch your positions and shoot him once with one cannon and once with the second one. It's not a perfect tactic, but it's the only effective one in such situation.
Light tank
Play aggressively
Despite the fact that the light tank has same weapons as the heavy tank, the tactics you should use are completely different. You must move around much more because the armor is thinner and you can be immobilized before you do anything. Utilize the greatest advantage of this machine - its mobility. Drive aggressively into place where there are many enemies, kill a few of them and immediately return to safe location where you can fix your vehicle.
Ride around heavy tanks
If you face a heavy tank on short distance, you can win with him by using a specific tactic. Simply drive very closely and position yourself at enemies' back or side, so that he won't be able to hit you. Drive around him until you destroy him.