The infantry tank was a concept developed by the
British in the years leading up to
World War II. They were generally more heavily
armoured compared to the lighter
cruiser tanks, which would allow them to operate in close concert with
infantry to help them break through heavily defended areas in the enemy lines. Once they had opened a gap, the cruisers were expected to exploit their higher speed and longer range to range far behind the front in order to cut lines of supply and communications. In more conventional terminology, the infantry tank was essentially a
heavy tank, while the cruisers were either
mediums,
lights, or even
armoured cars.
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