The Tank

"Why can't that thing be on our side?"

- Rochelle

"Run or shoot!?"

- Louis

The Tank is a Special Infected of gigantic proportions. The Infection has caused a huge amount of muscle growth, granting it superhuman strength. This monster is capable of throwing large items such as cars or blocks of concrete it rips out of the ground, and bashing through otherwise impenetrable walls. The Tank keeps a high profile, able to be heard by the Survivors from a great distance due to its loud growls and the thrashing it makes when running, and its distinct theme when attacking. The immense strength and sheer toughness of the Tank make it a terrible foe in combat, especially to inexperienced or uncoordinated Survivors.

Extent of Mutations
The Tank has been heavily mutated by a strain of the infection. It has developed immense, thick muscles that not only indicate its incredible strength and endurance, but make it nearly bulletproof, resulting in extreme fire-power being needed to take one down. However, this increase in muscular tissue makes it a large target and, like other Infected, is highly flammable. Its mind has also been heavily affected making it extremely bloodthirsty even for an Infected. It could also be said that the Tank is in a constant state of rage, hence its preferred form of attack of charging the survivors and pummeling them to death and the frustration meter in versus mode. Because of this rage the Tank will not hesitate to kill or throw objects out of it's path, even other infected, in order to get to the Survivors. It is not affected by minor distractions such as the flashing lights on pipe bombs, and does not appear to be attracted by things such as car alarms going off in gameplay. During the intro video of Left 4 Dead, however, a car alarm does alert a Tank. It is commonly thought that the Tank's lower jaw is missing, however close inspection reveals that the lower jaw is intact, behind the tongue and almost completely swallowed by the bulging head.

Because of its massively increased muscle growth in most of its body, excluding the legs (which remain virtually unchanged), the Tank cannot use its legs for fast movement without the support of its arms for knuckle-walking, similar to a gorilla. The Tank's legs can still support its own weight when landing or when pulling and hurling concrete, showing that the Tank's legs might have been changed, but not noticeably. It also has a large noticeable wound on its chest on both Left 4 Dead and Left 4 Dead 2 models.

Left 4 Dead 2
The Tank is now completely bald. Its wounds have also increased in size and they appear to have been bacterially infected. Its skin also seeming to be rougher and possessing more color than before. It should also be noted that while in Left 4 Dead the Tank's lower jaw can be seen, in Left 4 Dead 2 the Tank's lower jaw is now completely absorbed by its muscle and only the tongue flops out with the lower jaw gone.

The Tank's behavior has also been modified to devastating effect. Instead of focusing on one Survivor until they are dead the tank will attack whoever is closest and not kill an incapacitated Survivor if there are healthy ones nearby, which makes it extremely difficult on Expert as a Tank can easily wipe out an entire team within seconds. However, if the Tank cannot reach or find any other Survivors, it will pound the one on the ground.

Tactics

 * In some levels there will be small passageways. The Tank may get stuck in these passages, giving you time to kill it without it being able to retaliate. If Survivors are too close, however, it can still retaliate.
 * In Campaign mode on Left 4 Dead, Survivors should consider if it is a good idea to set the Tank on fire as it will give it a speed increase (unless Survivors are in an environment where the Tank will struggle to navigate). Consider the health of your teammates and yourself, your environment (if its open and no objects blocking the Tank's path), and whether you have the correct weapons to deal with the Tank. On a difficulty like Advanced or Expert, it can eliminate you with terrifying speed. However on Versus it is generally an excellent idea to set him on fire as it will deal damage instead of setting a timer, the constant damage resulting in a speed decrease. In Left 4 Dead 2, a burning Tank in Campaign mode will act like one from Left 4 Dead Versus; it will take damage over time and therefore be slowed down.
 * Listen carefully for the Tank, make sure you can distinguish him from Hunters (the sound of its growling). It is difficult to do so, but one can sometimes hear a Tank breathing and grunting before it attacks. You may want to turn subtitles on, so if there is a Tank on the map, but the music cue hasn't started yet, then the growls and roars will appear on the subtitles and you will have time to prepare for an attack. Sometimes part of his body is sticking out, like an arm, due to how big he is. If you can see it, you can get ready for the unavoidable fight. Occasionally the Tank will be in a part of the map that the survivors don't normally pass by, but the Tank will follow you, so don't think you've avoided the Tank, he will attack eventually. By the time the Tank is in your line of sight, it is often too late to plan an effective defense. On hearing the Tank, some players may want to simply try to hide until the meter builds and then while the computer is thrashing, run from the noises. If there are no obstacles, run backwards so that you can shoot on the run. A Survivor with sufficient health may outrun the Tank. Otherwise, go ahead and open up on it. Be aware that the nearest Survivor that shoots the Tank is the target. Running ahead of others may end up triggering a Tank and your teammates won't be ready for it.


 * If you happened to run out of ammunition on your primary weapon, but have a melee weapon, don't be afraid to use it. It takes 20 hits to kill a Tank with a melee weapon, but be cautious since walking up to the Tank and attacking it very at a close range is dangerous, especially on higher difficulties. It is best to try this when a Tank is focused on a single Survivor, as the Tank's AI usually causes it to attack one Survivor at a time until he/she is incapacitated.
 * The Tank can find you even in the dark, so hiding with the flashlight off is futile.
 * If you are lucky enough to be near a thick tree, you can lead the Tank a merry dance by keeping the trunk in between yourself and it. The Tank can't go over trees and it can't rip it up either. In fact, any static physics object can allow you to avoid the Tank.
 * The Tank can knock down the beginning safe room door. However if one were to crouch behind the door, it will cause the Tank to clip into the door and become stuck under the window, rendering it immobile. This is exceptionally helpful on harder difficulties.
 * The Tank climbs obstacles much slower than he can run; exploiting this fact will provide you with more uninterrupted firing time.
 * If you are incapacitated, do not shy from using pistols on the Tank since every bit counts.
 * If you're in an area where falling is possible, such as the Rooftop Finale, make absolutely sure that you are between something solid and the Tank, so that its attack won't launch you on an incredible 30 story journey to your death. However, if desperate, and the Tank's current target, run off the edge (don't jump) and it should follow you off the edge (The Tank keeps its target even if they are incapacitated). Once the Tank falls, have your teammates help you to your feet and keep on going.
 * Sometimes, a Tank will forget that there's a bottomless pit between you and it, and will run straight into it. This is most exploitable in the elevator shaft right before the Rooftop Finale. Standing on the other side when a Tank spawns may cause it to drop down into the hole.
 * You need at least 40% health to run at the same speed as a (non-burning) Tank, though less is required on maps with obstacles that can be used to block the Tank's path. (Note: 40% is the minimum health at which you run full speed, not the minimum "green health" amount of 50%, a widespread misconception.)
 * If a melee attack is used, the Tank will chase whoever hit it; this is extremely useful when a Survivor is incapacitated and is being pounded on, enabling a healthy Survivor to lead the Tank in circles while someone else gets the Survivor back up and into the fight. However, the incapacitated Survivor must not shoot the Tank after it has been hit or else it will turn right around and keep on punching them.
 * Avoid bunching up together such as in a closet or corner and trying to unload onto the Tank while it assaults you. Not only does it make you an easy target if there is a prop around such as a log or forklift to instantly incapacitate everyone, but the Tank's punch now hits multiple Survivors at once, and hiding in a closet can entomb you inside of it. Stay apart but within range of your teammates if any Special Infected tries to pick them off.
 * If there is a Minigun nearby, you can use it to force the AI Tank to switch targets. The AI Tank always goes for the person mounted on the Minigun.
 * Try to get the Tank to go in through a window, vent or any other small area, it will give you a few more seconds to kill it.
 * If you and your teammates are equipped with Auto Shotguns you should be able to kill the Tank before it causes damage to anyone. (Auto shotgun damage ~3000 damage per magazine; see Tank health statistics.) In addition, a propane tank can drop a Tank's health a fair amount, and stumble it, allowing you to quickly finish it off with shotguns as it is stumbling.
 * After the crane panic event in the second stage of Dead Air, try lighting the Tank on fire, and making it fall between the buildings. This will cause the Tank to lose a significant amount of time for an attack, and often it will burn out before climbing back up. If no one else damages the Tank, then you would earn an easy "Man vs Tank" achievement.
 * If you are close to the safe room at the end of a level, run in to it. The Tank can't get in and you can shoot at it through the door. Keep your distance from the door, though. It can still punch you if you are too close. Do not try this at the start of a level as it can easily break the safe room door down, trapping you.
 * In Left 4 Dead 2, it is possible to cover a Tank in bile without alerting it, and although its music will play, it will not attack the Survivors as the Common Infected attempt to tear it apart. This can be extremely useful on Expert when your team is hurting. Do not depend on the Common Infected completely, though; shoot at the Tank as well, but make sure you don't kill too many Common Infected in the process.
 * Be wary when using bile bombs and molotovs on the Tank at the same time. Common Infected running through the flames to chase the Tank will light on fire and be rendered useless.
 * If you hear a Tank nearby, kill all idle Common Infected you can see to prevent the risk of being hit or blocked by Common Infected when dealing with the Tank.
 * Regardless of difficulty, AI Tanks will occasionally do a victory taunt (Roaring, punching the air, beat its chest or slam its fists on the ground when on fire) when it successfully incapacitate or kill a Survivor. Use the opportunity to unload your ammo on it while it is stationary. This is fairly common in Left 4 Dead but slightly less common in Left 4 Dead 2 as it usually chases the nearest Survivor immediately.
 * In Left 4 Dead, Tank will usually pound on an incapacitated Survivor, making him a stationary target and easier to deal with as long as the Survivor is not killed. He does not do this in Left 4 Dead 2 but it is still possible to force it to pound on an incapacitated Survivor, as long as you are willing to risk sacrificing a teammate. By standing close to the incapacitated Survivor (usually works better when he/she is between you and the Tank), the Tank will try to punch you but since it is close to the incapacitated Survivor, it will be pounding the Survivor instead. With a melee weapon (especially a chainsaw), you can kill the Tank before it can kill your teammate. This tactic is much riskier to do in Expert as it can kill your teammate after two or three attacks.

Survivors
The number of Tanks depends on the server preferences, the game difficulty and the "mood" of the Director. It is fairly uncommon that there is more than one Tank per chapter except on Expert in Left 4 Dead in which it is almost a certainty that the Director will spawn two on most levels (however, in Left 4 Dead 2 it is again uncommon for there to be more than 1 Tank per level on Expert). In all finales at least three Tanks are spawned, two during the initial rescue and one when the Rescue vehicle is waiting. The only exception to this being Swamp Fever which features two Tanks after the second Infected wave. Regardless of campaign, unlimited Tanks (one or two at a time) will spawn when the Survivors are making their way to the rescue vehicle. The Tank is heralded by a brief ceasefire in finales, where the hordes will stop rushing (unless a Survivor has been covered in Boomer bile), allowing players to catch their breath. In other chapters there are generally fewer Common Infected around, almost making things eerily quiet, a calm before the storm. It's possible that this is because the other Infected have fled, as the Tank seems to eviscerate anything standing between it and its target without hesitation, although the Tank does not attack the Infected intentionally. Another possibility could involve the fact that the common Infected have no real sense of self preservation, so fleeing from a Tank wouldn't be their instinct. Instead the lack of common Infected in this situation could simply be to balance the gameplay so that it's not too overwhelming.



Notes about the Rock Throw

 * The Tank cannot move while throwing a rock, giving Survivors an opportunity to melee it.
 * Each rock thrown will deal 24 damage to a survivor if it hits.
 * You'll know when it is going to throw by the absence of the ground pounding noise.
 * Anyone can shoot the concrete out of the air, rendering it harmless. This method, however, is not always fail safe, as it takes more than a couple of bullets from an Assault Rifle to destroy the rock, and a shell from the shotgun at close range. The Hunting Rifle, if equipped, is perfect for sniping those rocks out of the air.
 * An alternate choice is if you have a molotov is to throw it towards the Tank as it is throwing a slab. The molotov should hit the slab and break it with the molotov continuing on its original path (which if landing in front of the tank is a plus). The other side to the rock throw is that once it is thrown, you only have a brief window of opportunity to shoot it or dodge it, depending on your distance from the Tank.
 * If the Tank is controlled by the AI, it cannot predict where a Survivor will run. Zigzagging will cause The Tank to throw the rock far from your current location. This does not apply on Expert difficulty, as the Tank possesses an increased aim and has an easier time predicting where you'll be when the rock reaches you. However, by moving in one direction when it is picking up the rock and then changing direction immediately after it has released it, it will most likely miss. This is because once it's been thrown it cannot change course. Note that this will not work if the Tank is very close.
 * Non-static geometry, such as crates, will not block its shots.
 * You may be unable to dodge a rock if you are limping (i.e., when your health bar is below 40).
 * The Tank can throw rocks regardless of where it is standing.

Infected
Occasionally, players are able to take on the role of the Tank in Versus mode. When the Director has given them control of it, the Tank has a frustration meter that depletes quickly as long as the Tank cannot see the Survivors. The frustration meter will stop draining when survivors are in sight but will not refill until the Tank hits the survivors. This was employed to prevent players from camping away from the Survivors for long periods of times and using out-of-character strategies (i.e "sniping" the survivors by throwing rocks and not actually fighting them). Once the frustration meter is depleted, control of the Tank is given to another player if available. If the second player's frustration meter is depleted, the Tank becomes AI controlled. Also, when players are controlling the Tank, they can break down walls highlighted by yellow cracks. Though multitudes of Common Infected can break down the walls, as can other Special Infected, only Tanks can break through safe room doors. There was also an update for both the Xbox 360 and PC versions of the game where certain objects that can be punched/thrown (cars, dumpsters, etc.) are highlighted in red. Those items highlighted in red usually instantly incapacitate a Survivor on impact.


 * Avoid crouching through ventilation shafts and windows after Survivors. You will move incredibly slow whilst taking damage and crouching (from weapons such as the auto shotgun and assault rifle, especially), almost to a point where you will find it difficult to move at all. Although this problem has been addressed by Valve, it is never a good idea to move though an area where the Tank is forced to crouch or use the button to crouch while you are a Tank.
 * Your rock throw is usually much underestimated. With practice it can be devastating and deal a lot of damage to the group of Survivors quickly. As a rule of thumb, aim your reticule above, and perhaps ahead of, the target while throwing.
 * Even in close range, the rock throw can be effective because you can follow it up with a quick melee attack. However, if many of the Survivors are focused on you, then you may sustain a significant amount of damage during the relatively long process of throwing a rock.
 * If a Survivor is running away for distance, then you can slow them down with a well-aimed hit, especially if you cause them to start limping.
 * Although you cannot punch through walls, certain walls allow you to throw rocks through them if you're hugging them.
 * A Tank punch will deal 24 damage to a survivor and the Tank can punch every 2 seconds.
 * Even though the Tank has many health points, a strong Survivor team can take it out without taking damage themselves.
 * Avoid attacking in the open if at all possible, because in the open it is much easier for Survivors to evade both your melee attacks and rock throws.
 * It is possible to assist Hunters who have already pinned someone, but the effort required to aim isn't worth it. The reason is that the Tank's attack will kill the Hunter (or any other Special Infected, for that matter) instantly.
 * On the same note, if someone else on your team is playing as a Tank, work with them, but give them a wide berth, as they could easily kill you by mistake.
 * If a Survivor and is pinned by a Hunter, then try to protect your teammate as the Tank by running towards the other Survivors. You'll want to either punch them as they try to run past you to save their teammate, or have them back off so that they cannot save their teammate. It only takes a Hunter a few seconds to dish out some serious damage.
 * If a nearby incapacitated Survivor is attempting to save their teammate from a Special Infected, you can use your body as a shield to give your teammate extra time to deal more damage. but although this can help, it works better when the incapacitated Survivor and trapped Survivor are the only two remaining and it would probably be more productive to for you to go after other healthy Survivors.
 * Use alternative routes where possible to "sneak up" on or flank the Survivors.
 * If you incapacitate a Survivor, immediately re-target another, and prevent the Survivors from reviving the incapacitated.
 * If playing on a level where it's possible to punch Survivors off of the level, such as Chapters 4 and 5 of No Mercy, do everything you can to knock them over; once they fall, there's no helping them. To do this when using the Tank punch try to aim the reticule upwards, this will send Survivors flying.
 * Using punchable objects effectively can save you health and time, and can effectively distract Survivors as they try to avoid the objects.
 * Most of the time, you can hit such an object from any side of your body. Use this to save time walking around objects, because you can just walk up against it and punch the way you need it to go. Additionally, you can aim upwards to throw things in an arc or toward the ground to have more control of the direction you punch it in.
 * These objects can also be moved to make a temporary barrier to slow or stop the progress of the survivors.
 * You can also use the barriers to stop the survivors from progressing along the chapter. This is best done to block a safe room door. Another example is the sewers in the Parish, you can punch a car over the manhole at the end.
 * Punch Survivors in different directions to separate them.
 * If the Survivors are in an enclosed area, keep attacking one Survivor (usually the one with the lowest health) until they are incapacitated.
 * Be careful using the swing attack on Survivors in wide open, flat areas, as this merely gives them a chance to get away. Charge a Survivor you've whacked as soon as you whack him, and keep going in for another whack. It's a good idea to hit a Survivor towards something that will stop them from flying far away from you, so you can hit them again and again while they are down and trying to get up and shoot you.
 * Always aim to divide and conquer if you're in a building or in an area with many obstacles. Try to spread the Survivors out by hitting them behind large objects or knocking them out of windows. Separated Survivors allow for other Special Infected to attack and kill them.
 * If the Survivors can't see you, they can't shoot at you, meaning that you will take less damage during your rampage.
 * This helps Hunters to pounce on Survivors, or Smokers to grab Survivors, so they can't come to the group's aid or the group coming to kill the Infected that has them pinned or tied up, leaving you with one less Survivor to kill.
 * Do not attack an incapacitated Survivor if a Hunter or a Smoker already has them locked in a bind. Doing so will more than likely kill your teammate and free that Survivor.
 * Avoid being set on fire as best you can.
 * Take notice at who has a Molotov before you approach, and avoid these players until the fire they throw burns out.
 * If you hit a Survivor you see has a Molotov, be sure to incapacitate them if you can.
 * If you see somebody who is about to throw a Molotov, change direction immediately! If worst comes to worst, use the rock throw to hit Survivors.
 * Fire alone kills a Tank after 30 seconds.
 * If you are set on fire, charge the Survivors. You won't have much time to attack, so every second counts.
 * If there's water nearby (like in Boathouse Finale), dip in to put the fire out. This also works in The Sewer of No Mercy.
 * Go after any Survivors that are separated from the group, unless the others are extremely low on health. One gun on you is much better than three.
 * The March 11th update made it possible for the Tank to hit multiple Survivors at once. Previously, it was a viable defense when playing as the Survivors to group together in a small room or a corner. This was because the Tank could not hit more than one person at a time and would quickly be killed without doing much damage.
 * In the scenario that all of the Survivors bunch up and use auto shotguns, attempt to put as much distance as possible between you and them, keep them in your line of sight (or behind good cover if you are good at rock throwing), and pick them off with a volley of concrete blocks.
 * Unlike Campaign Mode, attacking an incapacitated Survivor will inflict only 24 damage per hit. Considering incapacitated Survivors have 300 health, it is much easier to simply incapacitate each Survivor one at a time. Choosing not to do so usually makes you a stationary target for everyone to gun you to death. You should really only attack an incapacitated Survivor if they are close to death or to force the other Survivors to come to you.
 * If your team has good communication in the above scenario, just as a Hunter to pounce on them while you distance the others. They will not be able to use a pistol while their down, they are being damaged, and their teams needs to deal with the Tank first.
 * If you get the indication that you are about to become a Tank, and are currently an un-spawned Special Infected, try to immediately spawn that Infected near the Survivors. This way your team will have an extra AI-controlled Special Infected to help during the attack. Note that in some cases if you spawn to far from Survivors, the Infected AI will idle and not attack.
 * At one time or another, when you are next to become the Tank, you might spawn right in front of the Survivors, letting them pick at your health. It is possible to have only half of your health by the time you gain control.
 * If this does happen, just charge at the Survivors and attack. Since the Survivors are already in a position to inflict massive damage, you could die as you try to run away.
 * Beware of Survivors with Bile Bombs. When you are struck with one, your vision becomes impaired, and Common Infected will attack and slow you down until you kill all of them or the bile effect expires.
 * Flying cars are your best weapon. They will incapacitate a Survivor instantly. This makes The Bridge easier
 * During almost every campaign finale, the Tank is summoned at the disposal of the Special Infected team at least twice. It can be noted that in most of the finales in Versus, the completion of the second Tank confrontation in order to allow the Rescue Vehicles to arrive. As a result, the Infected team can gradually weaken and crush the Survivors by forcing/instructing the Infected player nominated as Tank to camp making the finales outcome one-sided giving the Infected team the undeniable upper hand. However, this strategy is largely looked down upon by the majority of the online community.
 * The second Tank defeat requirement is more common in the Left 4 Dead 2 finales than the the original Left 4 Dead finales.
 * As unbalanced and unfair this issue/bug may be, a patch/update has not yet been released to resolve it.

Tank Tips And Tricks Gameplay
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Akf-v_7FFQ0&feature=channel_page http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=j0RWVqboVjI