Tank Squad Guide (Pre-Season 1)
Why Tanks Dominate Pre-Season
In the first ~70 days of a server, Tank squads are the strongest composition for several reasons:
- Tank UR heroes are the easiest to acquire and upgrade early
- Kimberly is the highest DPS hero in the early game
- Murphy and Williams provide massive damage reduction, keeping your squad alive
- The 20% mono-type bonus on a full 5-Tank squad makes them very hard to break
If you are on a pre-season server, build Tanks first. No exceptions. They are the strongest, most accessible composition available to you in the early game.
The Squad: Formation Layout
Here is the recommended Tank squad formation with roles explained:
- Murphy + Williams in the front row create an almost unkillable wall — and this is the pairing where both kits actually apply, because Murphy's reduction covers the front row and Williams' covers themselves.
- Kimberly in the back row shreds enemies with AoE damage while being protected by the front line.
- Stetmann adds a second source of AoE energy damage from the back row, punishing grouped enemies.
- Marshall's critical buffs amplify Kimberly's and Stetmann's damage — this is a multiplicative boost, not just additive.
- All 5 are Tank type = 20% HP, Attack, and Defence bonus from mono-type squad.
Why Each Hero Is In Their Position
Understanding why each hero is placed where they are helps you adapt when you need to swap in alternative heroes.
Understanding Left, Centre, and Right Positions
The front row has two slots (Left and Right) and the back row has three slots (Left, Centre, Right). While all heroes in the same row share the same front/back row mechanics, their horizontal position matters for how they interact with the heroes around them:
- Front Row Left & Right — the two tanks split incoming damage between them. Place your primary tank (Murphy) on the left, where they anchor the line. Your secondary tank (Williams) goes on the right to share the load.
- Back Row Left — directly behind the left front-row tank. This is where your main DPS goes (Kimberly), positioned behind Murphy so they absorb the opening burst. Be clear about why, though: their damage reduction covers the front row, so it protects them rather than them until their 4-star bonus extends it to the whole squad.
- Back Row Centre — benefits from coverage by both front-row tanks. Your secondary DPS (Stetmann) goes here, where they are the most protected back-row slot.
- Back Row Right — directly behind the right front-row tank. Your support (Marshall) goes here behind Williams, whose Defense buff keeps Marshall alive so their critical buffs stay active for the full fight.
Front Row: Murphy (Main Tank)
Murphy is in the front row because their kit only works there. Ironclad Barrier cuts your front row's Physical Damage taken, and Stand Firm cuts all damage taken for your entire front row — both are row-scoped, so a Murphy in the back row is buffing two heroes who are not being hit. The front row takes hits first, and their high base HP and defensive stats mean they survive the opening burst that would kill a DPS hero. Their reduction also covers Williams next to them, which is why the pair is so hard to break. It reaches the rest of the squad only at 4 stars.
Why not in the back row? Murphy deals very little damage. Putting them in the back row wastes a damage slot. Their value is in taking hits and buffing — both of which are maximised in the front row.
Front Row: Williams (Defensive Anchor)
Williams provides a front-row Defense buff (squad-wide from 3 stars) — a percentage-based buff that scales with the enemy's damage output. The stronger the enemy hits, the more value Williams provides. They are the most purely defensive hero in the game and needs to be in the front row to absorb damage alongside Murphy.
Why not in the back row? Williams has almost no offensive capability. Their entire kit is about reducing incoming damage and surviving. Back-row slots should go to heroes who deal damage or amplify it.
Why paired with Murphy? Together they create overlapping defensive layers — Murphy cuts the damage the front row takes while Williams holds their own line together. This combination is what makes Tank squads so durable.
Back Row: Kimberly (Main DPS)
Kimberly is the highest AoE damage dealer in the early game. They must be in the back row because they are relatively fragile compared to Murphy and Williams. If Kimberly is in the front row, they die before dealing meaningful damage, and your squad loses its primary win condition.
Why not in the front row? They would die too quickly. Their stats are optimised for damage, not survivability. The entire squad's strategy revolves around keeping Kimberly alive long enough to wipe the enemy with their AoE.
Back Row: Stetmann (Secondary DPS)
Stetmann deals AoE energy damage from the back row. Like Kimberly they deal energy damage, but the two spread it differently: their Barrage Strike fires eight smaller rockets at random targets while their Lightning Rush lands three much heavier hits, so they supply the burst against priority targets that their spread damage cannot. They are in the back row because, like Kimberly, they are a damage dealer who needs protection.
Why not in the front row? Same reason as Kimberly — their stats are offensive, not defensive. Putting a DPS hero in the front row is one of the most common squad-building mistakes.
Back Row: Marshall (Support)
Marshall provides critical rate buffs that multiply the damage output of everyone in the squad. This is particularly powerful because critical hits amplify Kimberly's already high AoE damage. Marshall is in the back row because their value comes from their buffs, not from taking hits.
Why not in the front row? Marshall is not tanky enough to survive front-row damage, and their critical rate buffs work regardless of their position. Putting them in the front row would sacrifice their survivability for no benefit — they would die early, and your squad loses its damage multiplier.
Hero Investment Order
This is critical. Do not spread resources — invest in this exact order:
1. Kimberly (First Priority)
They are your damage dealer. Everything revolves around their output.
- Max their level first (capped by your HQ level)
- Upgrade their skills first — Tactics skills are the priority
- They get the first gold gear piece (their Gun)
- Star upgrades: push toward 3 stars minimum, 4 stars is the goal (unlocks Super Sensing passive)
2. Murphy (Second Priority)
They keep everyone alive. Without Murphy, your back row gets destroyed.
- Level them second
- Upgrade their defensive skills
- They get the second gold gear piece (their Radar)
- Push toward 3-4 stars
3. Marshall (Third Priority)
Their critical rate buffs amplify the entire squad's damage. The damage increase from Marshall's buffs is multiplicative — it makes everyone else hit harder.
- Level after Murphy
- Focus on their buff/support skills
- They get a Gun after Kimberly has theirs
4. Stetmann (Fourth Priority)
Secondary DPS. Strong AoE damage but lower priority than Kimberly.
- Level after Marshall
- Upgrade their damage skills
- Gets a Gun after Marshall
5. Williams (Fifth Priority)
Williams is the last to invest in because they are already effective at lower investment. Their damage reduction is percentage-based and works well even without maxed stats.
- Level last
- Focus on their defensive/team buff skills
- Gets defensive gear last
Gold Gear Craft Order
Each hero has 4 gear slots: Gun (attack), Chip (attack/crit), Armor (physical defence), Radar (energy defence). Here is the exact order to craft gold (legendary) gear across your Tank squad:
- Guns for DPS heroes first — damage wins fights
- Radar for tanks first — keeps them alive so the DPS can work
- Chips second — crit bonuses multiply damage
- Armor last — tanks already have natural durability, armour is the final polish
Gear Levelling
Once you have gold gear equipped:
- Get every piece on your main squad to Level 10 first (unlocks the first bonus attribute)
- Then push Kimberly's Gun to Level 40
- Then Murphy's Radar to Level 40
- Then level other pieces toward 40
Do not spread upgrade ore randomly. Focus on one piece at a time. The bonus attributes at levels 10, 20, 30, and 40 are significant power spikes.
Hero Skills Reference
Each hero has three skills: Auto Attack (basic attack, fires automatically), Tactics (tactical ability), and Passive (always-on bonuses).
Skills Upgrade Priority
For the Tank squad, upgrade hero skills in this order. Each hero has three skill types: Auto Attack (basic attack), Tactics (tactical ability), and Passive (always-on bonuses). Additionally, Tactics Cards boost stats and give the most bang for your investment.
Skill Upgrade Tips
- Tactics cards are the highest priority for every hero — they provide the strongest stat bonuses per level
- Get your main DPS (Kimberly) to Level 40 on Tactics and Active before pushing anyone else past Level 30
- Level 30 is the efficient breakpoint — pushing from 30 to 40 costs far more resources for smaller relative gains
- Do not spread skill books randomly. Focus one hero at a time
Star Upgrades
Hero stars are one of the biggest power jumps in the game. Each hero needs shards to star up (975 total for full 5-star upgrade).
Key Star Breakpoints
- 3 Stars — hero becomes effective. This is your minimum target for all squad members
- 4 Stars — unlocks the Super Sensing passive skill. This is the main goal and a massive power spike
- 5 Stars — full power. Long-term investment
Priority for Star Upgrades
- Kimberly to 4 stars first
- Murphy to 4 stars
- Marshall to 3-4 stars
- Stetmann to 3-4 stars
- Williams to 3-4 stars
Use Universal Legendary Shards on Kimberly and Murphy first.
Playing Tanks in Alliance Content
Rallies
Tank squads are ideal for rallies:
- Your squad's durability means it survives rally fights that would destroy other types
- Murphy and Williams' damage reduction benefits the entire rally
- Kimberly's AoE cleans up enemy squads efficiently
Defence
Tank squads make excellent garrison defenders. If your base is attacked:
- Your front row absorbs damage while back row deals it
- Williams' self damage reduction and their front-row Defence buff both apply in garrison defence
- Shield up if you are outpowered — do not waste troops
Alliance Wars / SvS
In alliance wars, Tank players are the front line:
- You soak damage so Aircraft and Missile players can deal theirs
- Lead rallies when your alliance needs a durable rally leader
- Garrison key alliance buildings
Related Guides
- Aircraft Squad Guide — your next squad to build after Tanks are established
- Missile Vehicle Squad Guide — the counter-pick specialists
- Hero Guide — hero investment priorities and star upgrades
- Gear Guide — gold gear craft order and upgrade path
- Alliance Squad Coordination — coordinating squad types across your alliance
- M5-A Railgun Promotion Guide — how to reach 4.5M CP and claim the M5-A during Light of Hope
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