Tank performance depended on initiative and support

A tank comparison based on specifications leaves out the force around each vehicle. In the hypothetical Sherman-Tiger encounter, the Tiger's ability to survive the encounter also depends on fuel and whether its position has been reported to supporting forces. Radio could turn an isolated engagement into a combined-arms response. John Bull recalls The Chieftain stressing the advantage of firing first and the disruptive effect of coming under fire. Being hit first could disrupt a crew's response even if its vehicle remained capable of fighting. Games can illustrate some of that loss of initiative, while their vehicle statistics remain an incomplete model of warfare.