The Tank, Cruiser, Mk VI, called Crusader, was used in large numbers in the Western Desert Campaign.
The contemporary Covenanter was unreliable and was retained in the UK for training use.
The Cavalier, Centaur and Cromwell tanks were the planned successors to the Covenanter and Crusader.
Intended to be in production by 1942, the project was delayed and the Crusader was up-gunned as an interim measure with the Mk.
III 6-pounder gun; the Cavalier was a development of Crusader.
Centaur and Cromwell tanks were an alternative design using the Cavalier engine and the new Rolls-Royce Meteor respectively - the three vehicles were all similar in appearance.
Orders for the Cavalier were cutback while the similarity between Centaur and Cromwell meant some Centaurs were finished as Cromwells.
Cavalier was used for training while Centaur and Cromwell went into action at the Invasion of Normandy.
 The Comet entered service in North West Europe in 1945 but neither Cromwell nor Comet were in sufficient numbers to replace American tanks n the British Army.

During the war, the development of much more powerful engines and better suspension enabled cruiser tanks to increase in size, armour, and firepower while retaining their speed and mobility.
 With "cruiser" tanks now nearly-equal in armour to the heavier, slower infantry tanks, the concept of cruiser vs. infantry tank became obsolete.
The Centurion tank was designed to satisfy the "Heavy Cruiser" criterion, by combining the mobility of a cruiser tank and armour of an Infantry tank in one chassis, which evolved into the "Universal tank" concept.
The Centurion transcended its cruiser tank origins and became the first modern British main battle tank.
The Tank, Cruiser, Mk VI, called Crusader, was used in large numbers in the Western Desert Campaign. The contemporary Covenanter was unreliable and was retained in the UK for training use. The Cavalier, Centaur and Cromwell tanks were the planned successors to the Covenanter and Crusader. Intended to be in production by 1942, the project was delayed and the Crusader was up-gunned as an interim measure with the Mk.III 6-pounder gun; the Cavalier was a development of Crusader. Centaur and Cromwell tanks were an alternative design using the Cavalier engine and the new Rolls-Royce Meteor respectively - the three vehicles were all similar in appearance. Orders for the Cavalier were cutback while the similarity between Centaur and Cromwell meant some Centaurs were finished as Cromwells. Cavalier was used for training while Centaur and Cromwell went into action at the Invasion of Normandy.  The Comet entered service in North West Europe in 1945 but neither Cromwell nor Comet were in sufficient numbers to replace American tanks n the British Army.
During the war, the development of much more powerful engines and better suspension enabled cruiser tanks to increase in size, armour, and firepower while retaining their speed and mobility.  With "cruiser" tanks now nearly-equal in armour to the heavier, slower infantry tanks, the concept of cruiser vs. infantry tank became obsolete. The Centurion tank was designed to satisfy the "Heavy Cruiser" criterion, by combining the mobility of a cruiser tank and armour of an Infantry tank in one chassis, which evolved into the "Universal tank" concept. The Centurion transcended its cruiser tank origins and became the first modern British main battle tank.
Cruiser tank