Tank Squad Guide (Season 3)
Tanks in Season 3: The Scarlett Era
Season 3 brings the biggest Tank shake-up since Mason's UR promotion. Scarlett upgrades from SSR to UR, giving Tank squads a powerful new defensive hero. Marshall receives his Exclusive Weapon, boosting the entire squad's support capability. Combined with Curse Resistance gating PvE content and Spice Wars demanding strong PvP squads, Tank players have a lot to process.
Tanks are back in a strong position. Scarlett's UR promotion gives you a genuine roster decision — she is a viable alternative to Stetmann and potentially even fits alongside Mason. Marshall's Exclusive Weapon elevates your support ceiling. And the Spice Wars format rewards durable squads that can hold garrisons. Tanks are no longer just PvE specialists — they are Spice Wars defenders.
What Changed from Season 2
Scarlett UR Promotion
Scarlett upgrades from SSR to UR in Season 3. This is the headline change for Tank squads:
- Massive stat increase — UR stats are dramatically better than SSR across the board
- Stronger defensive skills — her defensive kit now scales to UR-tier effectiveness
- Viable formation slot — she can replace Stetmann or fit alongside Mason depending on your needs
- If you collected shards in Seasons 1 and 2, promote her immediately — this is free power
- She becomes a strong defensive anchor alongside Murphy, giving you two serious tanks
Marshall's Exclusive Weapon
Marshall receives his Exclusive Weapon in Season 3:
- Enhanced team-wide attack buff — amplifies his already-strong 16.5% team attack boost
- Cooldown reduction synergy — his 30% skill cooldown reduction becomes even more impactful with weapon scaling
- Push to Level 20 immediately — this weapon benefits your entire squad, making it one of the highest-value Exclusive Weapons available
- Marshall was already the best UR support hero — now he is the undisputed top support with weapon access
Curse Resistance Affects PvE
CR gates all Season 3 PvE content. For Tank squads, this means:
- Your rally leader's CR determines whether your squad can damage Mummy Warlords and sandworms
- Tank rally leaders remain preferred for PvE — Murphy's survivability keeps rallies alive through tough content
- See the Curse Resistance Guide for full CR mechanics
Desert Protectors Change Troop Economics
Troop losses now convert into Desert Protectors — elite troops that are 10x stronger but consumed in battle:
- Combat is no longer purely a loss — defeated troops generate Protectors
- Tank squads fighting PvE content naturally generate Protectors for Spice Wars defence
- Garrison defence with Desert Protectors is where Tanks truly shine
The Squad: Updated Season 3 Formation
Primary Formation (Scarlett Replaces Stetmann)
Scarlett's UR promotion makes her a strong alternative to Williams in the front row. Williams' percentage-based damage reduction is still excellent, especially against heavy-hitting opponents. But Scarlett's UR stats provide better raw tankiness and she contributes more offensively. If you have been collecting Scarlett shards since Season 1, she is ready to slot in. If your Williams is heavily invested and Scarlett is underbuilt, keep Williams until Scarlett catches up.
Alternative: Double Tank Wall (Garrison Defence)
For Spice Wars garrison defence, consider a tankier formation:
- Front: Murphy and Scarlett (maximum durability)
- Back: Kimberly, Williams, Marshall
- This formation maximises defence at the Alliance Center where holding is everything
- Trade Mason's DPS for Williams' damage reduction when survival matters more than kills
Hero Investment Order (Season 3)
1. Marshall — Exclusive Weapon (New Priority)
Marshall's Exclusive Weapon is the single biggest upgrade available to Tank squads in Season 3:
- Push Exclusive Weapon to Level 20 immediately, then Level 30
- His weapon amplifies buffs that benefit the entire squad — high multiplier value
- Combined with his existing Tactics cards, the weapon creates a massive force multiplication effect
2. Kimberly (Unchanged Priority)
Still your carry. Rocket Shadow should already be at Level 20-30:
- Continue starring up if not at 4+ stars
- Maintain her as the squad's primary damage source
- Her AoE is critical for Spice Wars building attacks
3. Scarlett (New — If Promoting)
If you are integrating Scarlett into your formation:
- Promote to UR immediately with collected shards
- Invest in her defensive skills first
- Radar for survivability, then Armor
- She does not need heavy offensive investment — her job is to survive
4. Murphy (Maintenance)
Murphy should already be heavily invested from Seasons 1-2:
- Mitigation Master Exclusive Weapon should be at Level 20+
- Continue with any remaining skill upgrades
- He remains your best rally leader for CR-gated PvE content
5. Mason / Williams (Maintenance)
Both should be functional from previous seasons:
- Continue maintenance-level upgrades
- Mason remains the PvE specialist
- Williams remains the garrison defence anchor
Skills Upgrade Priority (Season 3)
Playing Tanks in Season 3
Spice Wars Defence
Tanks are the best Spice Wars garrison defenders:
- Station your Tank squad at the Alliance Center — Murphy with Mitigation Master and Desert Protectors makes the Center nearly impenetrable
- Scarlett's UR durability adds a second wall that attackers must break through
- Marshall's weapon buffs apply to garrison combat — your entire defensive force hits harder
- If your alliance needs Alliance Center defenders, volunteer your Tank squad first
Spice Wars Offence
Tanks can contribute on offence by targeting secondary buildings:
- Kimberly's AoE energy damage is effective against building garrisons
- Your durability means you survive counter-attacks that would destroy more fragile squads
- Target secondary buildings that are defended by Missile squads — you have the type advantage
CR-Gated PvE
Tanks remain the preferred rally leaders for Curse Resistance-gated content:
- Murphy's survivability protects the entire rally
- Mason's PvE bonuses amplify damage against season monsters
- Your highest-CR Tank player should be the designated rally leader for Mummy Warlords
- See the Curse Resistance Guide for the rally leader rule
Desert Protector Generation
Regular PvE combat generates Desert Protectors from troop losses:
- Fight Mummy Warlords and sandworms between Spice Wars rounds
- Troop losses are no longer pure cost — they produce 10x stronger Protectors
- Top off your Protector's Field before Wednesday and Saturday Spice Wars
- Tank squads are ideal for this cycle — you survive long enough to deal damage while losing enough troops to generate Protectors
Exclusive Weapons Inventory (Season 3)
By Season 3, Tank squads have access to multiple Exclusive Weapons:
All three weapons should be at Level 20+. Marshall's weapon is the new priority to push to Level 30.
Related Guides
- Season 3 Overview — full Season 3 introduction
- Curse Resistance Guide — CR mechanics and the rally leader rule
- Spice Wars Strategy Guide — faction warfare and defence priorities
- Season 3 Hero Guide — updated tier list with Scarlett UR
- Season 3 Gear Guide — gearing Scarlett and star promotion priorities
- Season 1 Tank Guide — Tank formation evolution reference