Armored played a more important role compared with the tanks because of their mobility, coupled with significant firepower. Control over the railroads during the Civil War often became the deciding factor. At the same time The Red Army has devoted much time and attention to their armor. Already in November 1917, the Bolsheviks formed the interim armored council, whose task was to control for the 2nd All-Russian Conference on armored vehicles. The conference was organized to discuss issues related to the creation of armored forces of the Soviet state. In 1918, the functions of these organizations took the Revolutionary Military Council (RVS), which has taken practical steps to create a tank units. The first armored units were formed in May 1920. The composition of each team consisted of three tanks 'Mark V' of British manufacturing, six trucks and three motorcycles.

As had been built from scrap materials or captured tanks, other types of armored units were reorganized into three main groups according to the size of tanks. The tanks 'Mark V' were the group tanks type B (large), the tanks 'Whippet' – a group of tanks of type C (average) and the tanks 'Renault FT' – a group of tanks, M-type (small). Such an organization was more concerned with the problem of supply and relieved of command armored units than some ideas on the tactical role of different types of tanks. It should be noted that the division of armored forces into groups according to the size and characteristics of tanks in the Soviet Union became a characteristic feature in the period between the First and Second World Wars and during World War II and was directly related to the operational use of tanks.