Gallian Heavy Tank image - European Chronicles mod for C&C: Generals Zero Hour

It is uncertain what the main purpose of the Heavy Tanks design was, but it is not difficult to imagine that it was influenced by the Lupus Regnum, the Imperial tank that attacked the Great Vasel Bridge during the Gallian Campaign. Though the Lupus Regnum suffered from various limitations, it was nearly invincible with its armor extended over the radiator, which provided added defense in exchange for some loss in cooling efficiency, and the 122mm turret offered terrifying firepower. Gallian tanks were always designed for defensive purposes, as they would never be invading another country, so their designers were willing to sacrifice some functional mobility because they knew the tanks' operators would always have the advantage of knowing the terrain. The sum of all these factors is the Heavy Tank. Though its large body does not lend itself well to mass production, the Heavy Tank can be outfitted with all of the parts that its Light and Medium cousins can. Once it is out on the field, very few things can challenge the Heavy Tank advance.

A good tank needs to be both a powerful weapon as well as a sturdy shield. Fortunately, these two things are not mutually exclusive when it comes to tank design. There are, however, other features and attributes that must be compromised, such as mobility and production cost.