Never said tanks are invincible - there are lots of ways to take them out. The question is will they be facing people who know how to take them out.
The Mexican Army is not trained to take on armored forces - they are basically an anti-insurgency force, not a force trained to take on tanks. Now could they have been trained to do this - yes, at least the initial forces that were sent into the US. However I am betting that by 2001 the replacement conscripts that make up most of their forces didnt get much in the way of training before they got sent into the US.
The typical guy on the street is not trained in how to take out tanks or armored vehicles either. And marauders in general in the US are probably not all full of deserters and ex-veterans - and remember this is the mid 90's - meaning that not everyone had access to the internet like today and could just type in "how to take out a tank" on google
as for artillery and mortars - very few tanks have ever been taken out of action by artillery and mortar barrages unless you are talking about massed barrages by dozens of guns and even then you are lucky to do much in the way of damage - now I am not saying a tank is invulnerable to cannon or mortar indirect fire - they make all kinds of nasty guided weapons for the artillery
but by 2001 those are all gone - or so few in number that the chances of running into a unit that has any is very small - and certainly not something a marauder or barely supplied Mexican unit is going to have
I sure as hell wouldnt want to be driving around in an older tank in 1997-98 in the Twilight War - not against the modern weapons of that era
but by 2001 any tank is definitely something to be feared because most of those weapons are gone which makes taking one out a lot harder - and yes there are lots of ways to take out tanks that experienced veterans know about even if they dont have guided weapons or missiles or other nasty items to use - but give the tank infantry support and a lot of those ways are going to be pretty hard to put into effect - i.e. its one thing to get up close and personal and blow the treads off the tank or put explosives under it if its unsupported - its another when you try that against the tank with infantry support along for the ride
and you would have to be the artillery Davey Crockett to nail a moving tank with a single artillery piece or mortar on its roof with unguided shells - especially since said tank as part of a MilGov force would probably have its own artillery support doing its best to nail said enemy artillery
as for laser guided rounds - yes those would be quite effective - and also very very rare per the equipment lists in ever version of the original game by 2001 - so even with a civilian laser designator you need the rounds to make it useful - which are as rare as hens teeth
go thru the modules and see how many foes have such weapons outside of possibly the armies in Iran and maybe Division Cuba in Texas - certainly not the Mexican Army - if they did the Soviets would have lost a hell of a lot more equipment taking Brownsville because with the backing that force had they would have had the rounds if they were around - but they werent
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