Second Look – Tank Squad Has Depth, But Lacks Weight

After spending more time with Tank Squad, I’ve come away with a deeper appreciation for what it’s trying to do — and also a clearer view of where it falls short. It has depth, no doubt about that. But the feel, the rhythm, the weight — that’s where it’s missing something.

Tank Squad walks a line between simulation and arcade. It borrows the faster handling and pace of War Thunder Sim Mode, overlays some of the immersive mechanics of Tank Crew (IL-2), and maybe nods toward the depth of Graviteam Tactics. The result is a hybrid that’s at times compelling, but often lacking a soul.

The systems are there: logistics, repairs, salvage, AI squad control. But the pacing doesn’t let them breathe. Tanks are too mobile, and they lack a sense of weight — of trying to move 50 tonnes through the mud. Very War Thunder-esque. Engagements start quickly, and the player is thrown more or less straight into action before they’ve even had a moment to get their bearings.

Turn the markers off and spotting becomes difficult — which is great, in theory. That’s realism. But with tanks moving quickly and contact happening almost immediately, you rarely get the lay of the land before you’re under fire. You’re reacting before you’ve had a chance to observe.

Compare that to something like spotting field guns — they don’t move. You can’t see them easily, but you learn to watch for muzzle flashes or smoke. That’s exactly the kind of gameplay I want: slow, observational, earned. But Tank Squad often denies that opportunity because the battles start so fast, and the vehicles move at such a pace that it feels like you’re always catching up — never hunting.

It’s not that the systems are shallow — they’re not. It’s that the pacing doesn’t support them. A tank game lives or dies by: time, tension, weight, silence, decision. Right now, Tank Squad is rushing toward something, but I’m not sure it knows what.

A mission editor would absolutely save the day here. Because the systems are in the game — they just need space. With a mission editor, you could build that space in. You could give the game breathability. Give it pacing. Give it the kind of structure where observation, distance, and timing actually matter. It’s hard to explain, but right now, the framework is screaming for that kind of control.

One last note — during a recent Steam stream, I asked the devs what WWII tank sims they played and enjoyed. Their answers were War Thunder Sim Mode, IL-2’s Tank Crew, and Graviteam Tactics.

Surprisingly, Panzer Elite and T-34 vs Tiger weren’t mentioned — but I suppose that makes me the old dinosaur in the room. Still, those games, for all their age, understood something modern titles often miss: the silence before contact, the feel of 45 tons crawling over open terrain, and the tension that only builds when you have to find the enemy — not just react to icons.

It’s something I’d love to see Tank Squad grow toward. And I really hope it does.

Final Thoughts & Score

This second look comes from someone who still plays Panzer Elite and T-34 vs Tiger — not for nostalgia, but because they captured something that’s still missing in most modern titles: silence before contact, the weight of 45 tons, the tension of not knowing what’s over the next rise.

Right now, I’d score Tank Squad a 7/10 — not because it’s bad, but because it has the bones of something great, and it’s not there yet. The systems are deeper than most modern titles dare to be — but they need time, space, and structure to shine.

If you’re coming from War Thunder or World of Tanks, you’re going to lap this up. There’s action, speed, and just enough complexity to keep it from being shallow.

But for those of us who’ve lived through TVT and Panzer Elite, the game still lacks that deliberate pace — that mix of time, tension, weight, silence, and decision. And that’s exactly what a true WWII tank sim needs.

That’s why the developers need our support now more than ever. The foundation is there. The tools are (hopefully) coming. With enough players behind them — offering feedback, showing patience, and believing in what it could be — this game has a real chance of becoming something special.

— Murkz








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