Tankette - Te-Ke - Japan - Armored Warfare WW2 - A&A RTS

AXIS and ALLIES RTS | Tankette Regiment

Tankette Regiment > Tankette Matchups | In Conclusion
The Tankette Regiment is NOT RECOMMENDED for use in online multiplayer

^{Te-Ke "Tankette"}

The Tankette sacrifices firepower and armor to maximize speed and mobility, which in most cases results in a regiment that is too vulnerable to be successful in online play. While the tankette can hold it's own versus infantry and halftracks, it will be outclassed by any other armored unit. Tankettes are very vulnerable to any of the special op bombs, and will likely be killed by a single, well placed/timed bomb.

^{Tankette - Battle of Okinawa}

_{From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia}

A WWI hold over, the "tankette" was dated by the beginning of WW2. It often was used as an armored machine gun in support of infantry, and performed well against the disorganized forces of China; who's armored vehicles often consisted of trucks with metal plates welded on them. In some cases it also featured a 37mm cannon, which was grossly underpowered for any sort of tank combat. Very poorly armored it was reported that heavy infantry weapons such as the USA .50 caliber could penetrate it at ranges of up to 600 yards. _More

Private First Class N. E. Carling stands beside the American M4 Sherman medium tank "Killer" on which is mounted a knocked-out Japanese Type 94 tankette / light tank.

^{Destroyed Tankette}

Tankette Regiment

All Tankette regiments consist of:
[1] Command Tank
[4] Tankette Units

As can be seen below, the Tankette Units can matchup ok versus halftrack units, and get "pwnd" by any other armored unit. You will need an advantage in numbers to have any chance versus AT Mech.

AXIS and ALLIES RTS | More about the Tankette Regiment

Tankette Unit vs Mechanized Units

_British M3-A1 Halftrack ^{Mk1 MG} 250/275 3 14/18 ^{range = 14}	_German SPW-251 Halftrack ^MG42 250/250 3 14/18 ^{range = 14}	_Japanese Te Ke Tankette ^{37mm Gun} 250/250 3 40/40 ^{range = 18}	_Russian M3-A1 Halftrack ^{SG43 MG} 250/275 3 14/14 ^{range = 14}	_{United States} M3-A1 Halftrack ^{M1919 MG} 250/275 3 14/18 ^{range = 14}

Tankette Unit vs Armor Units

_British Crocodile Flame Tank ^Flamethrower 400/440 7 30/30 ^{range = 6}	_German King Tiger Heavy Tank ^{88mm Gun} 600/600 10 90/100 ^{range = 22}	_Japanese Te Ke Tankette ^{37mm Gun} 250/250 3 40/40 ^{range = 18}	_Russian IS-2 Heavy Tank ^{122mm Gun} 550/605 9 80/90 ^{range = 20}	_{United States} M3A1 Stuart Light Tank ^{37mm Gun} 300/330 4 50/60 ^{range = 18}

Large Quantities Required
If you want to ignore our advice and make Tankettes anyway, it's going to take alot of them. No sense making them if your not going to make 20, so that means Mechanized Production and 5 Mech HQ's is a must.

For upgrades, about the best you have for Tankettes is Foraging, Diesel Engines, and Plentiful Ammunition; probably in that order.

Best used in a surprise attack base rush, or versus noobs, newbs, or nubs.

Bomb Warning
Due to an extremely low defense value of 3, the Tankette unit will be destroyed by a single special op bomb unless it is entrenched or has achieved the first level of regiment experience.

For this reason, it is recommended to only deploy tankettes when your opponent(s) have NO special op bombs, and even in those circumstances it's a questionable decision.

Tankette vs Mech Tankette vs Armor Large Quantities Required Bomb Warning < >

_{Tankette Regiment}

In Conclusion

Too Expensive and Vulnerable
Even with Mechanized Production, the tankette regiment is too weak and vulnerable to justify their cost. Considering that the USA can deploy 18 AT-Mech for about $300 more than the cost of 18 Tankettes, it's not hard too see theres a huge mismatch in the making.

While tankettes can be successful versus infantry, once again their cost is too high to get out sufficient numbers of them against an equally skilled player. For example, why build 10 Tankettes, when you could deploy 18 mortars?

As we mentioned before, Tankettes will likely be killed by a single, well placed/timed bomb, so yet another reason not to deploy them.

Not to say a talented player can't use and "pwn" with Tankettes, but if they do it's usually just to rub salt in your wounds, so they can laugh about it afterward...

Beware of Forest, Jungle, and City Terrain
Although the Tankette is extremely mobile, it still receives the same penalty as all armored units in Forest, Jungle, and City Terrain; so when possible, only engage enemies while in open terrain.

Japan is Missing Important Upgrades
Unfortunately for Japan, they are missing most of the best vehicle based upgrades. If you insist on deploying Tankettes, make sure to get the Mechanized Production upgrade and only deploy them from Mechanized HQ's (they can be deployed from Armor HQ's but Mechanized Production has no effect on Armor HQ's)

For the full story on upgrades see our Guide to Upgrading Your Tanks | Armor

Tankette Regiment - That concludes the basics of the Tankette regiment in Axis and Allies RTS. Like our story? Please Digg it! Have a correction, addition, question, or other? You can contribute to our A&A wiki, post in the official forum thread..