Gravtank Idea

[Captain Seafort]

A few lights and dials for the driver will achieve that. Anything more complicated is someone else's job.

[Deepcrush]

That or when the engine stops working period... all the above are good ways to know. Really when it comes to battle and when dealing with a MBT. You aren't going to spend much time seeing if your RPMs are just right or if you've balanced the tires. As long as the hull is intact, the weapons firing and engine keeping you moving you're happy.

The key to battle is this. Every extra function, in anything, is an extra chance for that something to fail. Training, equipping and placing an extra technician for every MBT on the field means risking an expensive asset in the field. A good example, at least for me, is the motto of the USMC. "Every Marine a rifleman" I think that applies here because while every Marine may be able to shoot someone. Not all of them are going to be snipers and demo experts and master tank technicians all at once. Training someone to fire a rifle or cannon correctly can be done in a few weeks. Training someone to fix a tank takes a lot longer.

[Coalition]

Shouldn't this tank need auxillary wheels or tracks in case the anti-grav unit breaks down or can't keep floating? In this way, it will retain mobility even while damaged and it might decrease the strain on the anti-gravity unit by letting the wheels/tracks support the tank, while the anti-gravity unit does the propulsion part. they could even be used as crue anchors to secure the tank in place in case of firing projectiles, thus reducing recoil.

Design the grav systems for 200% capacity. That way you can lose a few of them, and still have movement capacity. The main reactor might not be able to power all of them, but as grav modules fail (due to wear & tear or enemy action) the reactor channels power to the ones that work. A simple display on the driver's area tells her which ones are still working.

As for heating a tea kettle, soldiers are creative. They'll find a hot spot on the tank's surface, and place their tea kettle on top.