Editing Tank classification (section)

=== World War II ===
Tank models were developed before and during World War II according to different philosophies, with different combinations of armour, mobility, and armament. Each major nation developed its own doctrine of tank use, and therefore different tank models to suit. New doctrines explored the role of the tank as a fast-striking unit.

Tank doctrine in the UK declared that one group of tanks would accompany infantry in a similar role to World War I, while another group of 'cruiser' tanks would then exploit a breakthrough, in a role similar to light cavalry. In the USSR, 1930s tank doctrine specified three groups of tanks: one 'breakthrough' tank in the infantry support role, one tactical breakthrough tank to clear the combat area, and a 'fast tank' for operational maneuver. In Germany, the ideas of [[Heinz Guderian]] established the need for unified tank formations, but with a mixture of armaments for differing roles.

In the United States, doctrine evolved so that the main purpose of the tank was to provide infantry support and exploitation of breakthroughs. The antitank role was given to [[tank destroyer]]s. There was no analog to the cruiser tank in pre-war US doctrine. There were those within the US Army which advocated a more modern force with tanks in the cavalry role, but their suggestions were not put into place by the time of the US's entry into World War II.

====Infantry tank====
[[File:MatildaII.jpg|thumb|A British [[Matilda II|Matilda tank]] displaying a captured Italian flag]]
{{Main|Infantry tank}}
The idea for this tank was developed during World War I by the British and French. The [[infantry]] tank was designed to work in concert with infantry in the assault, moving mostly at a walking pace, which allowed it to carry heavy armour to survive defensive fire. Its main purposes were to clear the battlefield of obstacles, suppress or destroy defenders, and protect the infantry on their advance into and through enemy lines by giving mobile [[overwatch (military tactic)|overwatch]] and cover. The British came back to the concept in the pre-Second World War era, and one of the best-known infantry tanks was the [[Matilda II]] of World War II.

====Cruiser tank====
[[File:Cromwell-latrun-2.jpg|thumb|[[Cromwell tank]].]]
{{Main|Cruiser tank}}
A cruiser tank, or cavalry tank, was designed to move fast and exploit penetrations of the enemy front. The idea originated in "[[Plan 1919]]", a British plan to break the trench deadlock of [[World War I]] in part via the use of high-speed tanks. This concept was later implemented in the "fast tanks" pioneered by [[J. Walter Christie]].

They were used by the United Kingdom during [[World War II]]. Cruiser tanks were designed to complement [[infantry tank]]s, exploiting gains made by the latter to attack and disrupt the enemy rear areas. In order to give them the required speed, cruiser designs sacrificed armour compared to the infantry tanks.

The Soviet fast tank (''bistrokhodniy tank'', or [[BT tank]]) classification also came out of the infantry/cavalry concept of armoured warfare and formed the basis for the British cruisers after 1936. The T-34 was a development of this line of tanks as well, though their armament, armour, and all-round capability places them firmly in the medium tank category.

==== Flame tank ====
[[File:Churchill Crocodile 01.jpg|thumb|right|[[Churchill Crocodile]] flame tank]]

{{Main|Flame tank}}
A flame tank is a tank equipped with a [[flamethrower]], most commonly used to supplement [[combined arms]] attacks against [[fortifications]], confined spaces, or other obstacles. The type only reached significant use in the [[Second World War]], during which the United States, [[Soviet Union]], [[Nazi Germany|Germany]], [[Italy]], Japan and the United Kingdom (including members of the [[Commonwealth of Nations|British Commonwealth]]) all produced flamethrower-equipped tanks.

A number of production methods were used. The flamethrowers used were either modified versions of existing infantry flame weapons (Flammpanzer I and II) or specially designed (Flammpanzer III). They were mounted externally (Flammpanzer II), replaced existing machine gun mounts, or replaced the tank's main armament (Flammpanzer III). Fuel for the flame weapon was either carried inside the tank, in armoured external storage, or in some cases in a special trailer behind the tank ([[Churchill Crocodile]]).

Flame tanks have been superseded by [[thermobaric weapons]] such as the Russian [[TOS-1]].