[Kyt]

A simple question. What principals made for a good tank during WW2?

Why were some tanks outstanding and others mediocre or just plain usless? Leave aside tactics and crew proficiency - let's concentrate on the machine.

Was it armour, speed, calibre of weapon, engine etc, or a combination. Each element affected another. So having a lot of defensive armour affected speed, a heavy gun affected loading speeds and the amount of ammo that could be carried, etc

If you had to design your own tank what would you consider the most important features? Designs must within acceptable limits of what was available during the war.