| tank | |
|---|---|
 a tank | |
|
height |
7 ft. |
|
weight |
800 lbs. |
|
weapons |
arms |
The Tank is a Special Infected of huge proportions
Unless the team works together to take it down, the Tank can wipe out an entire team either single-handedly or with the assistance of other Special Infected.
The Tank is an exclusively male Special Infected who has experienced the most extensive physical mutations of any other class of Special Infected. The most obvious trait is its extreme hypertrophy, or abnormally increased muscle mass. It can be assumed its bones have become stronger too otherwise the Tank's skeleton would have collapsed under the weight of its own body. Despite its enormous bulk, the Tank is incredibly fast and agile, able to keep up with even a healthy Survivor. This abnormal muscular growth is most obvious in its arms and upper body and less pronounced around the Tank's waist, hips, and legs. Though the Tank's legs are capable of supporting its static weight (such as when the Tank mounts a rock throwing attack), the Tank's disproportionate anatomy forces it to knuckle-walk like a gorilla, resulting in the Tank's wrists becoming swollen. The Tank's body is covered with numerous scars and lesions from previous fights, with an especially large open sore on its left pectoral. The Tank's jaw at first glance seems to be missing, but upon closer inspection it is shown to be enveloped within its thick neck muscles.
The Tank has also suffered either heavy brain damage or a rabies-like cerebral infection, resulting in the Tank being in a constant state of unbridled rage, even more so than most other Infected, and its response is to attack any human survivor on sight. Once the Tank has fixed a target, nothing short of death can stop him; bullets and explosives will not make him flinch, fire only slows him down ,, and the sound of pipe bombs and car alarms won't distract him. The Tank will even smash down doors, knock away obstacles, and plow through entire crowds of Infected just to bare down on an unlucky Survivor it has chosen as a target.
Tanks fixate on a single Survivor at a time, pursuing this person until he or she is dead whereupon they switch the focus of their attacks to a second victim. Whilst unfortunate for the victim, it provides an excellent opportunity for team mates to counter attack. Tanks in the first volume also only spawn singly and at fairly predictable times and locations, often betraying their presence by uttering distinctive growls and arm flapping movements from behind their places of partial concealment. Once in attack mode, their growls increase in intensity and frequency and the ground begins to shake with their foot treads. Since Tanks lack fine motor agility, a skilled Survivor can dodge around structures and through windows to evade direct attack, open the distance and fight back. Since Tanks are slow at climbing, scampering up a ladder or jumping off a structure are excellent evasive tactics. A Tank is especially dangerous when the Survivors are ambushed by one in a tight chokepoint .