GLA Scorpion assuming that the tanks are allowed their respective upgrades.

In my opinion, if it has the rocket, it's first. If it doesn't, it's dead last.

If upgrades are not allowed, then the Crusader has my vote.

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With DPS meaning Damage per second

Stats:
Scorpion: $600, 370 HP, 20 DPS. $1000 for 6.7 extra DPS early game.
Crusader: $900, 480 HP, 30 DPS. $2000 for 100 extra health mid game (INIs suggest 200 health).
Battlemaster: $800, 400 HP, 30 DPS. $2500 for 15 extra DPS late game.

Cost modified Stats:
1.5 x Scorpion: $900, 555 HP, 30 DPS. $1000 for 10 extra DPS early game.
1 x Crusader: $900, 480 HP, 30 DPS. $2000 for 100 extra health mid game (INIs suggest 200 health).
1.125 x Battlemaster: $900, 450 HP, 33.75 DPS. $2500 for 16.9 extra DPS late game.

The Crusader is the stronger tank, but the scorpion is more cost effective, and the Battlemaster is also fractionally more cost effective than the crusader. That is entirely without upgrades.

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Nice info, thanks!

My vote goes for the trusty scorpion then, especially since its the most cost effective before being upgraded. Even its upgrade is more cost effective!

One thing to consider though, is although they are more cost effective, being weaker individually has an impact, because during a battle, one dying gives you less firepower and also, they are more spread around so less get to concentrate their fire on an ememy at one time. For example, if you had a single (mammoth!) tank with exactly the same cost effectiveness as 50 scorpions, it would obviously win (assuming it doesn't fire single giant shots and it changes target the second its killed a tank, this is something else to think about). However, this doesn't have a big enough effect to make the crusader or battlemaster the best tank. (Another thing to consider is that a larger number of tanks are worse effected by the effects of splash damage).

There are more things to look at. For example the scorpion has a pretty high speed and can retreat into tunnels. Because of this it easily owns the other 2 mentioned tanks. However, crusaders can buy drones to detects stealth, heal or get improved damage, in reality this doesn't work that well as it sounds though. Battlemasters get a higher rate of fire when in horde bonus and another bonus when they're under the effect of propaganda. Both these effects can also be upgraded to create tanks with an amazing rate of fire. However, the battlemaster normal china has is neglected by good players because it's too slow and has too little firepower and health to be relied on. Tank general and nuke have battlemasters that are way better than scorpions though. A tank general can also buy the autoloader upgrade which combined with the other upgrades reduces every enemy tank force to dust in a few seconds.
Since i think the BM mentioned here is of normal china I choose the scorpion.

Wow good opinions so far

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Who have sean a iraq tank ????????????????????????????

they dont hasve a tanks !!!!

so the best tank for Red guard strategy is batllemaster.

wtih groups they are undistructable, fast...
and with Anger ability they are way better than all warmachines in the game.

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if it has all the upgrades then the battlemaster is the best tank by far, if it is with no upgrades then the scorpion.

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does the tank General battlemaster count?

it auto heals itself when idle, and can also be fitted with the auto loader.

in numbers and with a few gattling and ECM tanks interspaced it presents a lethal force,
put one emperor overloard w/speaker tower bonus and hoard bonus and your looking at a force that will come out on top against pretty much anything

Im surprised that none have voted for a crusader tank yet in the poll...sadly my money is on the battlemaster...

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Battlemaster. Specially the Tao's one.

Tao's Battlemaster is great. It's effectively a Bomb Truck.

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