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 incredibly durable
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. Murphy's HP buffs and Williams' damage reduction stack together.
- 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 he anchors 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 his HP buffs maximise her survivability.
- Back Row Centre — benefits from coverage by both front-row tanks. Your secondary DPS (Stetmann) goes here, where he is the most protected back-row slot.
- Back Row Right — directly behind the right front-row tank. Your support (Marshall) goes here behind Williams, whose damage reduction keeps Marshall alive so his critical buffs stay active for the full fight.
Front Row: Murphy (Main Tank)
Murphy is in the front row because his kit is built around absorbing damage and buffing the squad while doing so. His active skill boosts the entire team's HP and attack — and he needs to stay alive long enough for these buffs to matter. The front row takes hits first, and Murphy's high base HP and defensive stats mean he survives the initial burst that would kill a DPS hero. His HP buffs also apply to Williams next to him, making both front-row heroes harder to kill.
Why not in the back row? Murphy deals very little damage. Putting him in the back row wastes a damage slot. His value is in taking hits and buffing — both of which are maximised in the front row.
Front Row: Williams (Defensive Anchor)
Williams provides team-wide damage reduction — a percentage-based buff that scales with the enemy's damage output. The stronger the enemy hits, the more value Williams provides. He is 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. His 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 boosts raw HP while Williams reduces the damage that HP has to absorb. 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. She must be in the back row because she is relatively fragile compared to Murphy and Williams. If Kimberly is in the front row, she dies before dealing meaningful damage, and your squad loses its primary win condition.
Why not in the front row? She would die too quickly. Her stats are optimised for damage, not survivability. The entire squad's strategy revolves around keeping Kimberly alive long enough to wipe the enemy with her AoE.
Back Row: Stetmann (Secondary DPS)
Stetmann deals AoE energy damage from the back row. His damage type (energy) complements Kimberly's physical-leaning AoE, meaning enemies cannot simply stack one type of defence to counter your squad. He is in the back row because, like Kimberly, he is a damage dealer who needs protection.
Why not in the front row? Same reason as Kimberly — his 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 his value comes from his buffs, not from taking hits.
Why not in the front row? Marshall is not tanky enough to survive front-row damage, and his critical rate buffs work regardless of his position. Putting him in the front row would sacrifice his survivability for no benefit — he 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)
She is your damage dealer. Everything revolves around her output.
- Max her level first (capped by your HQ level)
- Upgrade her skills first — Tactics skills are the priority
- She gets the first gold gear piece (her Gun)
- Star upgrades: push toward 3 stars minimum, 4 stars is the goal (unlocks Super Sensory passive)
2. Murphy (Second Priority)
He keeps everyone alive. Without Murphy, your back row gets destroyed.
- Level him second
- Upgrade his defensive skills
- He gets the second gold gear piece (his Radar)
- Push toward 3-4 stars
3. Marshall (Third Priority)
His 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 his buff/support skills
- He gets a Gun after Kimberly has hers
4. Stetmann (Fourth Priority)
Secondary DPS. Strong AoE damage but lower priority than Kimberly.
- Level after Marshall
- Upgrade his damage skills
- Gets a Gun after Marshall
5. Williams (Fifth Priority)
Williams is the last to invest in because he is already effective at lower investment. His damage reduction is percentage-based and works well even without maxed stats.
- Level last
- Focus on his 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 significantly 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 truly effective. This is your minimum target for all squad members
- 4 Stars — unlocks the Super Sensory 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' team damage reduction applies to garrison defence
- Shield up if you are significantly 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