Despite its small size, the heavy cast hull and side skirts served to make the tank look far bigger. Armed with the 2 pounder gun and a coaxial BESA, the Matilda was undergunned against the German Panzers although being well armoured fared reasonably well. In France in 1940, German 37mm anti tank rounds would bounce off the armour. As a result, the Germens were forced to press their 88m flak guns into an anti tank role to counter the Matildas.