Re: Lack of Tank Defensive Capabilities
I think the best defense for now would be a better offense. Making tank cannons and MGs more powerful and accurate will prevent infantry from being able to get as many good hits on them as they currently can. Also APS in BF4 was busted, as it was basically a magic shield that could defeat an entire barrage of jet cannon shells from a strafing run. Maybe if they made APS accurate, IE having a limited number of charges per use that could be depleted if there is too much oncoming fire.
I had fun with ERA in BF3; knowing how to position your vehicle made tank vs. tank fights very interesting. Of course a LAV could also wreck multiple MBTs at the same time, so the balance in that game was far from perfect.