My SG, which has been around for years, really has no need for tanks in the missions we run.
Our members build tanks just for variety. No one asks for a tank for a mish unless we really have a sub optimal team.
My first toon was a tank and it was a miserable experience. I have another that languishes but is ok to play occasionally. When I have friends that try the game I would never put them in a tank to start their trial membership.
My gripe with tanks , other than the the number of bad guys that stay attached, is damage. I much prefer to play a scrapper that is almost as tough as my tank but kills a lot faster.
Oh! for the fanboys...I really like reading all the content of the mishes, that is why I have 18 toons. Just to make sure I did not miss anything. Doing the same thing over and over really gets me involved in the whole experience. Especially the low levels. I think the bad people that farm are really missing out. We should stop them.