Tanks

Tanks are an element in Steamlands, as well as a boss in Nitrome Must Die. Tanks appear in every level of Steamlands, used by the player as well as by the enemy.

Steamlands
In Steamlands, Tanks consist of treads and a few blocks, which can be built on to create bigger Tanks. In each level of Steamlands, the player will start out with a Tank built for the level. In the level, the player will have to destroy a number of enemy Tanks, which will try to destroy the player. Blocks and other objects will fly off the enemy's Tank if a structure holding them is destroyed. All content which flies off the enemy's tank can be added to the player's. Blocks and guns are commonly found on the ground of the level.

Guns, Boosters, Man Blocks, as well as different types of armor can be added to the player's tank. Guns attached to the player's Tank can only be used if they are in the power range of the Tank. If they are not, they cease to function. The Engineer powers the entire Tank, makes the Treads move and the guns function. Boosters can be used to increase the power field of the tank.

The Tank on its own has only one weapon: to chuck coal at its enemies. Doing so will halt the movement of the Tank and cut off steam to all weapons. The coal does small amounts of damage, and is only useful if the player has no weapons and has halted the enemy Tank. The Engineer can also repair blocks and guns on the tanks, but this will also cut off steam to all guns and stop the tank from moving.

The less damage is dealt to the Tank the more money the player will get at the end of the level and the more medals. The Engine Room cannot be stolen from a tank, along wit the Treads.

Steamlands Tank (Boss)
The Steamlands Tank is the ninth boss of Nitrome Must Die. The Steamlands Tank is constructed like a usual Tank in Steamlands, and is unique in that it has three phases each having a separate health bar and vulnerable spot.

Phase 1
In Phase 1, the Tank is shaped like a rectangle, having a long length and short width. On the left side of the Tank are three Determinators. The outsides and some of the insides of the tank are built out of Iron Blocks, the Booster being in the middle of the tank, being beside Steel Blocks. The player has to shoot the Steel Blocks to damage them, and by doing so somehow damaging the Determinators, destroying all three of them when the two Steel Blocks are destroyed. Now, the player can shoot and destroy the Booster. After destroying it, the blocks will fly up, and come back down, forming the Phase 2 Tank.

Phase 2
This Tank from the front is rectangular, having a high length and a short width. On the front of the tank is four Determinators, in pairs of two. The Booster is placed at the top of the Tank, covered only by a Hail-Stone cannon and two Steel Blocks, which are underneath another Hail-Stone cannon. To destroy this tank, the player has to shoot the lowest down Hail-Stone cannon and destroy it. After that, the player should hit the button so that the highest flip platforms consisting of multiple flip platforms is up.

Now, the player has to wait for the Barrel weapon, or a weapon that acts similar to it, to appear, as a weapon that acts like the Barrel is the only weapon that can damage Tank easily (the Mini Gun can also hit the booster, but this is very difficult. The player can also destroy the second Hail-Stone, as well as the Steel Blocks on it, to open up more room to the Booster, although this is completely optional. Once the player obtains the Barrel, or a weapon that acts like it, they should stand close to the edge of the flipping platforms and fire the weapon, standing in a place so that the weapon will hit the Booster during its stationary periods at the right side of the room. After destroying the Booster, the blocks will once again fly up, then come back down, creating the Third Phase Tank.

Phase 3
The third and last phase. The Tank has a Matryoshka placed on the middle blocks towering up, flanked by two Hail-Stone cannons on each side. Three Determinators are placed on the front, underneath a Iron Block, which is underneath the front Hail-Stone cannon. The Booster this time is placed on the back of the Tank, no blocks needed to be destroyed to reveal it as it is already exposed on the back. The Booster is also behind the Engine Room, which is also required to be destroyed. The Matryoshka, introduced in this phase, fires Cluster Bombs that deal rather a lot of damage to the player, as well as break into smaller bombs. The Matryoshka also aims at the player before firing, and can damage them while being at the very top stone non-flip platform.

To damage it, the player has to go to the top of the level (where they stood to fire Barrels, or a similar weapon) and jump off the top. The top flipping platforms have be active, so the player can get over the Tank. Once behind, the player can use any weapon to damage the Booster. Behind the landing area is a hole which leads back to the elevator. Although optional, the player should destroy the Matryoshka by standing one one of the red flip platforms and firing in its direction, using a bullet firing gun like the Pistol, Machine Gun, or Mini Gun. Destroying it makes the level considerably easier. Unlike the previous levels where the Booster completely destroys the Tank, the Booster explodes when the Tank reaches half health, and also unlike the previous levels, it does not cause all the blocks to fly up into the air and come down. The player gains access to the Engine Room block after ridding the level of the Booster, and acts exactly like the booster in occupation and health and size. Destroying it destroys the entire Tank.

Trivia

 * All guns function the same in the last phase even though the Booster is destroyed. It is possible that the Booster did not have to be part of the tank, and was placed there by the Engineer so that if it were destroyed itwould not cause the blocks to fly up again.
 * The barrels of the Hail-Stones and the Matryoshka stay upright instead of tilting from side to side when firing, as they do in Steamlands.