Complete Last War Tank Squad Guide

The complete five-UR Tank squad

Frontline · DefenceMurphyPhysical protection and front-row survival

Frontline · DefenceWilliamsBroad Defence and sustained protection

Back row · Main carryKimberlyPrimary energy burst and first offensive priority

Back row · Second carryStetmannCritical energy pressure and additional tactics damage

Back row · SupportMarshallTeam Attack buff and carry protection

Do not treat the diagram as an unbreakable left-to-right law. Front and back roles are fixed; horizontal lanes are a matchup decision. If one defender repeatedly collapses first, swap Murphy and Williams or move the most valuable attacker behind the stronger surviving lane, then repeat the same fight.

Why the formation works

Tank squad progression by account stage

Stage 1: accessible early formation

This is a practical early formation, not the permanent competitive endpoint. Murphy provides the UR defensive anchor. Violet is an accessible monster-resistant defender. Kimberly is the carry, Mason adds strong monster damage, and Monica supplies useful world-map economy and PvE support.

• Give universal UR shards to the planned UR core, not to temporary heroes.
• Use natural SSR shards to develop Mason, Violet and Monica.
• Keep Mason for bosses and monster content even after he leaves the main PvP formation.

Stage 2: establish the permanent structure

Williams completes the permanent two-defender structure. Marshall adds team support. Mason remains a useful bridge until Stetmann is unlocked and developed enough to outperform him in the mode being played.

Stage 3: complete five-UR Tank formation

Five matching Tank heroes activate the full 20% lineup bonus to HP, Attack and Defence. The official lineup guidance confirms bonuses of 5% for three matching heroes, 15% for four and 20% for five. Do not replace a heavily developed bridge hero merely because a new UR hero has been unlocked at zero stars: develop the replacement to a functional breakpoint, compare reports, then switch.

Star and shard roadmap

There is no honest universal shard order that ignores the state of the account. Use the following decision sequence:

1. Secure Kimberly’s carry breakpoint. Four stars is the first major target for most Tank accounts; five stars becomes the long-term carry finish.
2. Stop immediate frontline collapse. Raise Murphy or Williams to the next meaningful star breakpoint when a defender dies before the back row can work.
3. Complete rather than scatter. Finish one four-star project before creating several heroes at partial progress.
4. Bring Stetmann online. A functional Stetmann replaces Mason for developed competitive Tank play; Mason remains valuable against monsters.
5. Raise Marshall for team value. His importance grows with the attackers he buffs, but his personal damage is not the measure.

Skill upgrade priorities

Do not raise every visible skill equally. Finish a useful tactics breakpoint on the main carry, then the defensive or support skill that enables the next tactics cycle. Confirm every live skill description because seasonal promotions and balance updates can change milestone value.

Gear: equip the job, not the colour

• Kimberly: strongest Gun and Data Chip. She normally receives the first major offensive promotions.
• Stetmann: the second offensive set after Kimberly’s meaningful breakpoint is secure.
• Murphy and Williams: Armour and Radar. Use the battle report’s physical-versus-energy damage evidence to decide which defensive piece moves first.
• Marshall: enough survival to keep his buff cycling. Do not take the main carry’s best offensive pieces to improve his personal bar.

Red Mythic promotion is not simply “five dots and then done.” Each gear slot can progress through its own Mythic tiers when the required blueprints are available. Promote the item attached to the squad’s actual bottleneck.

Exclusive Weapon order

Exclusive Weapons should be treated as formation projects, not collectibles. Availability is tied to server and season progression, so use the live weapon screen as the final authority.

1. Kimberly: normally the first Tank weapon because she is the primary carry. Target formation-changing milestones rather than spreading levels.
2. Frontline weapon milestone: choose Murphy or Williams when survival time is preventing another carry cycle.
3. Stetmann: develop as the second-carry weapon once Kimberly and essential frontline survival are established.
4. Marshall: prioritise the milestones that improve team support or uptime, not his personal damage.

Open the Exclusive Weapon Planner →

How Tank performs by mode

Tank counters and hybrid substitutions

The official counter chain is Tank → Missile → Aircraft → Tank. A five-Tank formation is therefore naturally comfortable into Missile and vulnerable into Aircraft. Do not abandon a developed Tank squad for five unfinished Aircraft heroes. A controlled four-plus-one substitution can be tested, but it gives up the 20% five-type bonus for the 15% four-type bonus. The incoming hero must add more than the lost stats and Tank-specific synergy.

Read the report before changing the squad

Common Tank-building mistakes

• Putting Kimberly, Stetmann or Marshall in the front row because their displayed power is high.
• Replacing a developed SSR bridge with an unfinished UR hero immediately.
• Spreading universal shards across every unlocked UR hero.
• Giving equal gear to all five instead of equipping roles.
• Judging Marshall by personal damage or Murphy by attack output.
• Using the PvP five for bosses without testing Mason.
• Ignoring the Aircraft counter and blaming every defeat on raw power.
• Changing formation, gear and heroes simultaneously, making the next report impossible to interpret.

Frequently asked questions

Should Mason replace Stetmann?

For developed PvP, Stetmann is normally the permanent second attacker. For monsters and bosses, Mason’s specialist PvE value deserves a direct same-condition test. Keep both presets if each wins a different job.

Should Violet or Scarlett replace Williams?

They are accessible frontline bridges and gain seasonal UR promotion paths. Williams remains part of the standard complete UR Tank formation, but a heavily promoted and better-developed alternative can outperform an unfinished Williams temporarily. Compare survival and formation results rather than rarity alone.

Which Tank hero should reach five stars first?

Kimberly is the usual first long-term five-star target because she is the main carry. An account whose frontline dies before she casts may need to finish a Murphy or Williams breakpoint first.

Where should Kimberly stand?

Always in the back row. Horizontally, place her behind the lane that keeps her alive longest in the specific matchup. There is no substitute for watching the replay and checking the first death.

Use the Academy tools

• Hero Upgrade Priority Planner — compare stars, skills, weapon levels and all four gear slots.
• Exclusive Weapon Planner — calculate weapon materials and target milestones.
• Squad Builder — test roles, positioning, lineup bonuses and counter relationships.
• Complete Hero Directory — open the full Murphy, Williams, Kimberly, Stetmann, Marshall and bridge-hero dossiers.
• Battle Report Analysis — learn how to prove which upgrade the squad actually needs.

References and evidence

1. Official Last War Support — How to Build the Best Squad (front/back roles, counter chain, lineup bonuses, concentrated main-squad development and four-star priority; updated 30 March 2026).
2. Game Zone Academy — Formations & Positioning (role placement and lane testing).
3. Game Zone Academy — Hero Roles, Skills & Investment (role-based skill and resource decisions).
4. Game Zone Academy — Battle Report Analysis (English report evidence, hero damage, damage taken, drone, technology, units and Wall of Honor).
5. Last War Wiki — Kimberly, Murphy and Williams (community skill and role cross-checks).

Evidence reviewed 26 July 2026. Live hero screens, Exclusive Weapon descriptions, seasonal promotion rules and balance changes override historical values. GzOn battle reports are used to validate formation behaviour; account-specific recommendations must still be tested against the player’s own opponents.