Span of control: Teams using voice chat software should strive to maximize that capability. 15 people acting on their own and talking on vent is too many and one guy trying to direct 15 individual tanks is unworkable. Most leaders can effectively manage 2-5 people which suggests forming 5 Platoons of 3 vehicles each. Optimally 4 maneuver tank platoon should be supported by one Arty PLT. This will limit chatter on vent significantly. Essentially only 5 people would need to do 80% of the talking. If you are not a PLT leader or the company commander you talk only by exception. From what I've seen so far 31st BN goes a great job keeping chatter to a minimum.
Avenues of approach: Most maps have three lanes or avenues of approach. The terrain just naturally dictates the routes you can take to the enemy base. Some are high speed, some are restrictive, some make no sense to use. For each battle we have to pick a route that is going to be our main effort. A few of the maps have dominating terrain features in conjunction with those avenues of approach that also have to be considered.
Once the "commander" decides which way to go, he should mass his combat power on that route. Tanks do not necessarily have to travel side by side, but the effects of those tanks need to be able to overwhelm forces on that route and hit like a fist. Think: travel dispersed but be able to strike as one. A corollary to massing the effects of combat power towards the decisive point is economizing everywhere else. On the secondary avenues of approach you can skimp and only allocate minimum essential combat power to get the job done.
If fighting a clan wars meeting engagement, think of two platoons of three tanks each stopping up secondary avenues of approach, so six tanks essentially start the battle on defense. If it is discovered that the OPFOR is running a primarily defensive set one PLT on defense could flex to offense. Or If you must attack, three platoons of three tanks each assault down our main effort line supported by 3 SPGs.
Designating members to platoons with a platoon leader(PL) would also help the distribution of fires. Our PLs would be responsive for hitting "T" whenever they target someone. Platoon members, who need to remember their PLs, would then know their primary target. This is not to say they should drop everything they are doing: leave good cover, not shot a target of opportunity that is at 5%. But if possible a whole platoon of three tanks can remove an enemy tank and its ability to damage us, very quickly.
How we travel to the objective on offense is defined my movement techniques and movement formation. Stabilized guns do not exist in game, shots taken on the move are generally ineffective at ranges over 100 meters. For this reason, I personally advise the use of a vertical stabilizer. To keep a rapid pace of advance there are two main movement techniques, traveling overwatch and bounding overwatch. Traveling overwatch would have platoons following each other in trail with a 100-200 m gap between the lead and second platoon. If three platoons are advancing, the third platoon doesnt need to keep such a large distance from the second platoon. When the lead platoon is engaged and caught in a kill zone, that platoon either assaults through a near ambush or stops to return long range fire while seeking nearby cover. The platoon immediately following may have the opportunity to return fire while remaining out of sight of the ambushing force. The trail platoon(s) could then maneuver to place flanking fire on the defenders as the lead platoon(s) have fixed the enemy in place.
Bounding overwatch takes advantage of stationary tanks having a longer spotting distance. The lead platoon would advance quickly to initial battle positions that offer good fields of fire and get set. The trail platoons then bound forward to the next such opportunity to find a position behind cover and or concealment. Once set the platoons start leapfrogging. In theory the platoon that is eventually caught in the open would be supported by accurate fire from the platoon(s) that are stationary.
I've included two sketches below to help you visualize avenues of approach. and although I've run outa time to describe movement formations maybe we should train the use of wedge, and echelon left/right. I am just not sure if that is too much or if it would be effective in game. it is not exactly one shot, one kill at tier 10.

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