What benefits did the tank provide

If we're talking about WWI, the tank was a huge advantage to have on the battlefield. It's armor is hard to penetrate, however it was slow and cumbersome. For advancing, soldiers can follow behind the tank as the tank would protect them from gun fire, although motors and other such artillery could easily make quick work of the tank. If you were opposing a tank without heavy explosives you and your fellow soldiers were essentially as good as dead