Is the Vanguard good?

When the game enters the T2 period in middle game,
I feel that I should always build T2 tanks leveler rather than Vanguard.
I want to figure out how to use Vanguard except the Helios dropping.

The major problem of Vanguard is its speed and short range.
In middle game, Vanguard is unable to reach the enemy T2 tanks.
The Vanguard is usually destroyed before it can get close and return fire.

For increasing HP and absorbing damage, the Inferno gets more superiority.
http://pa-db.com/compare?u1=tank_heavy_armor&u2=tank_armor
Inferno is more cheaper, higher HP per metal, and higher DPS per metal.

Levelers one shot infernos, which makes them just as papery in T2 fights as Ants or Slammers. You should phase your armies from t1 comp (Ants/Spinners/Infernos) into T2 comp (Levelers/Storms/Vanguards/Shellers)over time. The staying power is worth it.

http://pa-db.com/compare?u1=tank_laser_adv&u2=tank_armor
The Inferno has 1000HP, and the damage of Leveler is 300.
I think the leveler can't one shoot inferno, it requires 4 shoots.
The Vanguard has 5000HP which need 17 shoots.
But the cost of vanguard is 6.66 times of inferno.
If you build 6 inferno, they can take 24 shoots.

Leveller has two projectiles per fire, so double damage -> 600 DPS.

Thanks.

Inferno: 4 shoot => 2 times fire
6 Inferno: => 12 times fire
Vanguard: 17 shoot => 9 times fire
12 > 9
I still feel that the inferno is more worth than the vanguard.

6 infernos?
Still to expensive, try 12 dox.

BUT Infernos get crushed like hell by... Vanguards! (One-Shot!)

Using dox to let enemy overkill is a nice idea!
And you get an interesting point
the Vanguard may be designed with other purpose rather than just taking fire.

Now I am thinking the weapon mechanism of Vanguard.
Its range is slightly longer than inferno, and it can one shoot inferno.
The Vanguard is indeed the hard counter of inferno.
Is there the other usage?

Yeah the vanguard has large aoe damage. It's the ultimate counter to dox swarms invading a base as it kills them 10+ at a time.

Indeed, the vanguard is good at killing all kinds of T1 swarms, including dox swarms which I consider a counter to levellers ...

I originally thought as you, but I don't think so now.
Since the range of vanguard is too short in middle and late game,
I find out the vanguards are very difficult to output the damage before they get destroyed.

In this situation, I may keep T1 tank in my T2 tanks.
Or just do the same thing, keeping Dox in T2 tanks.
I believe both are better than mixing vanguard.

Vanguards are a nice commander sniping unit too since they do great damage and die slow.

Not really, almost every T2 unit is very dangerous to commander, including leveler, slammer, sniper, vanguard.
The reason is the commander too weak in middle and late game.

Vanguards are great to use in transports, dropping them directly in enemy bases who likely don't have the fire-power to quickly destroy them.

As it removes the problem of their slow speed when dropped within range from the get go.