ahhhh the cone shaped deflector that virtually eliminates the 45 degree defense. I know it well.
My observations and comments on this surround the "game aspect", 45 degree and slope defense are tactics that one must learn and is part of acquiring "skill" for IR tank battling. Both of them can be used in the most unprototypical ways though and look comical. So the drive to remove them is there from an aesthetics point of view, but the removal of both of these will also remove one of the skill aspects required in the IR tank game.
Supposed we remove both the slope and 45 degree defense, will the resulting game become less challenging to the point of it being boring??????? I don't know , I am just asking the question. So on one hand I would love to see these defenses removed to improve the way the battling looks, and on the other hand I wonder if it is the right thing to do to diminish the skill required to play the game
If I had my way, 45 and frontal (meanly front up, back lower in aspect) would be included as you mention for skill purposes, but would be in the hull, not the turret. That would take more skill in driving as well as being more realistic.
Of course that would be nearly impossible to pull off in any setting past a personal collection. So the apple is the best system for battle as we have it.