Editing Tank classification (section)

===World War II===

{{main|Tanks in World War II}}

In World War 2, Light, Medium, and Heavy tank applications to different roles were incorporated into doctrine.  In the US, [[light tank]]s were expected to be used ahead of the main force, [[medium tank]]s to accompany the main thrust of attack, and by-their-nature slower [[heavy tank]]s being brought up to deal with any more significant opposition.  In practice, US heavy tanks saw limited use due to the capacity limits of most dockyard equipment, preventing their delivery to the theatres of operation.  This left a role-based classification, the [[tank destroyer]], to evolve from the need to move artillery pieces and set ambushes for axis tanks. A variety of [[super-heavy tank]]s were also designed during World War II, although none ever saw combat or construction due to their impracticality.

The British retained some light tanks from the interbellum period, but otherwise moved to a new role based classification scheme.
<!-- if anyone knows SIZE based classifications for the other armies, please include them -->

Other countries started to move to a more role-based approach, for example, by categorizing tanks into cruiser tanks, breakthrough tanks, and fast tanks. The tanks themselves are still often referred to by light, medium and heavy weights based on the actual weight or the equivalent role (for example, a cruiser tank may be light weight but is used in a similar role to a medium).  This continued until multi-role vehicles became available.