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ZTZ59D1

2023-10-25T12:14:12Z

U121964050:

{{About
| about = Chinese medium tank '''{{PAGENAME}}'''
| usage = other versions
| link = ZTZ59 (Family)
}}
{{Specs-Card
|code=cn_type_59d
|images={{Specs-Card-Image|GarageImage_{{PAGENAME}}.jpg|ArtImage_{{PAGENAME}}.png}}
}}

== Description ==

The '''{{Specs|name}}''' (Chinese: ZTZ59D1式中型坦克; industry code WZ120C) is the proof-of-concept of what would later become the ZTZ59D in PLAGF service. Although PLAGF has already upgraded some of their fleet of Type 59s with now-domestic 105 mm cannons, there were still plans to further upgrade its protection against enemies and its FCS at a more economic price, including FY-1/2 ERA for different types of threats and new digitalized FCS. The modified tanks, now under the designation of WZ120C passed for certifications in April 1995 with the technologies used on ZTZ59D aside from the main cannon. These tanks have been part of the PLAGF armored corps until they are eventually replaced by wheeled assault guns or ZTQ15 with overall superior performance.

It was introduced in [[Update 1.91 "Night Vision"]] alongside with the Chinese tech-tree, the ZTZ59D1 is a comprehensive upgrade of the venerable [[Type 59]]. It includes a large number of modern features on a old chassis, rather like an AK-47 decked out with modern furniture and accessories. The most noticeable difference at a first glance are the ERA arrays on the hull and turret cheeks. The original 100 mm Type 59 cannon has been replaced with a licensed copy of the ubiquitous Royal Ordnance 105 mm L7 cannon, and the installation of thermal sights and a laser rangefinder give the tank impressive firepower. Unfortunately it still suffers from many of the Type 59's weaknesses, namely subpar mobility and gun handling. While it is not very suited to the high-speed combat common at its rank, a skilled and careful tanker can still enjoy it as a formidable sniper.

The ZTZ59D1 is succeeded by the [[ZTZ96]], a significantly more modern design with better firepower, mobility, and protection.

== General info ==
=== Survivability and armour ===
{{Specs-Tank-Armour}}


'''Armour type:'''

* Rolled homogeneous armour (Hull, Turret roof)
* Cast homogeneous armour (Turret, Gun mantlet)

{| class="wikitable"
|-
! Armour !! Front (Slope angle) !! Sides !! Rear !! Roof
|-
| Hull || 100 mm (60°) ''Front glacis'' 100 mm (54°) ''Lower glacis'' || 80 mm || 45 mm (16°) ''Upper'' 30 mm (72°) ''Lower'' || 30 mm ''Front'' 20 mm ''Back''
|-
| Turret || 160 mm (14-39°) ''Turret front'' 200 mm (4-78°) ''Gun mantlet'' || 115 mm (45-50°) ''Upper'' 155 mm (10-30°) ''Lower'' || 65 mm (9-35°) || 30 mm
|-
|}

'''Notes:'''

* Suspension wheels and tracks are 20 mm thick

The base armour of the ZTZ59D1 is exactly the same as the [[Type 59]]. The hull and turret armour are quite thick, but the original T-54 armour was designed to counter WWII-era German cannons, and at the ZTZ's rank it will not hold up against sabot or HEAT rounds. It is capable of stopping all autocannon fire from the front and resisting most autocannon fire from the sides, which is helpful. The ERA arrays on the turret use ERA comparable to the Soviet Kontakt-1 and have good protection against chemical rounds; unfortunately they do not have very good coverage, and the area around the gun mantlet is heavily exposed.

The ERA arrays on the upper glacis have an interesting setup: two layers of ERA separated by an air gap. While the hull coverage is spotty due to the tow cable attachment points, the ERA setup boasts 120 mm of kinetic protection. This is not quite enough against the common 105 mm DM23 APFSDS considering that the ZTZ59D1 lacks composite armour to back the ERA up, but it will stop all 105 mm APDS rounds. Certain APFSDS rounds with especially poor angled penetration like the [[T-55A]]'s 3BM25 and the [[T95E1]]'s T320 will fail to penetrate even at point-blank range. Even the [[T-62]]'s sizeable 115 mm APFSDS rounds can be stopped. The US 105 mm M735 and 152 mm XM578E1 will occasionally be blocked given some distance and angling. The hull ERA's chemical protection is not as strong as the turret ERA due to the less drastic sloping from the front profile and 120 mm HEAT-FS as fired by the [[Leopard A1A1 (L/44)]] will be able to penetrate.

Post-penetration survivability is not ideal. There is an ammo rack behind the fuel tank next to the driver, but unlike the comparable [[T-55AM-1]], it is not "wet" and can be easily detonated by penetrating hits. Loose ammunition is stowed in various corners of the crew compartment. It is a good idea to minimize the number of rounds carried.

Sometimes, if you are lucky, you will survive a penetrating shot that knocked out your gunner / driver, and your fate depends on whether if you can fight back / retreat before the enemy loads the second shell. If your crew cannot replace the dead gunner / driver on time, a split second late and you will certainly get destroyed by the next shell. Therefore it is recommended to max out the "Agility" skill on every crew, it might save your life one day.

=== Mobility ===
{{Specs-Tank-Mobility}}


{{tankMobility|abMinHp= 806|rbMinHp= 460}}

Speed is definitely not a strength for the {{PAGENAME}}. The original [[Type 59]] was not a speedster to begin with and the upgrades on this tank add an extra ton of weight without any increase in engine power. It is also incapable of turning in place and has a poor reverse speed of only -7 km/h.

=== Modifications and economy ===
{{Specs-Economy}}

== Armaments ==
{{Specs-Tank-Armaments}}
=== Main armament ===
{{Specs-Tank-Weapon|1}}

{{main|Type 83 (105 mm)}}

The Type 83 cannon is a Chinese produced version of the tried-and-true Royal Ordnance L7 gun used by numerous contemporary tanks. Unfortunately, since it's mounted in the cramped confines of the Type 59 chassis, the reload speed is about 2 seconds slower than average. The ZTZ59D1 also does not have an upgraded turret drive and the turret rotation speed of at most 10 degrees per second is exceptionally bad for the battle rating. It at least has a two-plane stabilizer, which is a step up from the Type 59's vertical stabilizer.

The -4° gun depression might look too poor, but due to the low height of the vehicle it is actually enough for quite some not-so-hilly terrains. On gentle hills the ZTZ59D1 can peek over safely, exposing only the turret for hull down, for example in certain spots on Jungle and Frozen Pass. However, this gun depression is still not great in very hilly maps like Karelia, forcing the player to ditch the hull down tactic.

{| class="wikitable" style="text-align:center" width="100%"
|-
! colspan="5" | [[Type 83 (105 mm)|105 mm Type 83]] || colspan="5" | Turret rotation speed (°/s) || colspan="4" | Reloading rate (seconds)
|-
! Mode !! Capacity !! Vertical !! Horizontal !! Stabilizer
! Stock !! Upgraded !! Full !! Expert !! Aced
! Stock !! Full !! Expert !! Aced
|-
! ''Arcade''
| rowspan="2" | 37 || rowspan="2" | -4°/+18° || rowspan="2" | ±180° || rowspan="2" | {{Annotation|Vertical|up to 40 km/h}} || 9.5 || 13.2 || 16.0 || 17.7 || 18.8 || rowspan="2" | 9.75 || rowspan="2" | 8.63 || rowspan="2" | 7.95 || rowspan="2" | 7.50
|-
! ''Realistic''
| 5.9 || 7.0 || 8.5 || 9.4 || 10.0
|-
|}

==== Ammunition ====
The ZTZ59D1's ammunition consists of the typical set for 105 mm guns. The stock Type 83-HEAT is a HEATFS round with 400 mm of penetration at any distance that struggles against enemies with ERA or composite armour but is adequate against steel or spaced armor. It is a slight improvement over the Type 1973 HEAT-FS used by the previous [[Type 69]] but still functions much the same. Use it as an interim round until APFSDS is unlocked. It is a good idea to still bring a few HEATFS afterwards since it can trigger overpressure damage against light tanks and SPAAs on occasion and has better ballistics than the HESH round.

The Type-83 HESH round causes a wide but shallow cone of damage and practically ignores slopes, but only works against thinner plates of conventional armour and has poor ballistics. It may be helpful once in a while to finish off targets that only have a slight portion of their tank exposed, such as splashing the turret roof of an enemy hiding behind cover, but for the most part it should be ignored.

The Type-83 APDS is, despite its name, an APFSDS round with identical performance to the common 105 mm DM23 used by the [[Leopard A1A1]] for example. The flat penetration is nothing special but the angled penetration is good, which can be helpful for side-shots or penetrating certain tanks with composite armor. It is easy to aim due to its high muzzle velocity, has consistent post-penetration damage, and should be the round of choice once unlocked. Exercise some caution when fighting Soviet MBTs from the [[T-72A]] onwards because the APFSDS does not have enough angled penetration to casually penetrate the hull armor of a spaded T-72A. In a frontal engagement it is best to aim for the driver's viewport or lower glacis, which are weak spots on all Soviet T-64/72/80 series tanks. Other opponents worth noting are the British [[Chieftain Mk 10]] and [[Challenger Mk.2]]/[[Challenger Mk.3|Mk.3]] with strong turrets but weak hulls.

{{:Type 83 (105 mm)/Ammunition|Type-83 HEAT, Type-83 HESH, Type-83 APDS}}

==== [[Ammo racks]] ====
[[File:Ammoracks_{{PAGENAME}}.png|right|thumb|x250px|[[Ammo racks]] of the {{PAGENAME}}]]

{| class="wikitable" style="text-align:center"
|-
! Full ammo
! 1st rack empty
! 2nd rack empty
! 3rd rack empty
! 4th rack empty
! 5th rack empty
! 6th rack empty
! 7th* rack empty
! Visual discrepancy
|-
| '''37''' || 36 ''(+1)'' || 31 ''(+6)'' || 30 ''(+7)'' || 26 ''(+11)'' || 23 ''(+14)'' || 21 ''(+16)'' || 1 ''(+36)'' || No
|-
|}

Notes:

* The 7th rack serves as first-stage ammo stowage.
* It is recommended to carry at most 31 ''(+6)'' rounds as to empty the turret's ammo racks.

=== Machine guns ===
{{Specs-Tank-Weapon|2}}
{{Specs-Tank-Weapon|3}}

{{main|Type 54 (12.7 mm)|SGMT (7.62 mm)}}

The ZTZ59D1 features two MGs: one roof-mounted 12.7 mm heavy MG, and a 7.62 mm coaxial MG. The 12.7 mm MG, with its maximum penetration of around 30 mm, can do quite well against lightly armoured vehicles such as the [[R3 T20 FA-HS|R3 T20]] / [[R3 T106 FA|T106]] and the [[AUBL/74]]. It can also damage or even destroy the opponent's gun barrel or track with around 5 seconds of continuous fire. Against low-flying aircraft it can easily get you some critical hits with the correct lead. However its magazine empties very quickly and it does not carry enough ammo for prolonged MG fire comparing to the infamous M2HB.

The 7.62 mm, on the other hand, can only damage fully exposed crew which are not commonly seen at this BR, or clear up light obstacles. Its low penetration greatly limits its usage in battles.

{| class="wikitable" style="text-align:center" width="50%"
|-
! colspan="5" | [[Type 54 (12.7 mm)|12.7 mm Type 54]]
|-
! Mount !! Capacity (Belt) !! Fire rate !! Vertical !! Horizontal
|-
| Pintle || 250 (50) || 600 || -4°/+82° || ±180°
|-
|}
{| class="wikitable" style="text-align:center" width="50%"
|-
! colspan="5" | [[SGMT (7.62 mm)|7.62 mm SGMT]]
|-
! Mount !! Capacity (Belt) !! Fire rate !! Vertical !! Horizontal
|-
| Coaxial || 3,500 (250) || 600 || - || -
|-
|}

== Usage in battles ==


The ZTZ59D1 might have a lot of modern features, but there is really no disguising the fact that it is a Type 59 at heart. The Type 59 at 8.0 already struggled with its poor gun handling and the ZTZ59D1's upgraded two-plane stabilizer is not much of a consolation considering that it will almost entirely face enemies with two-plane stabilizers and superior mobility. The ZTZ59D1 is best used as a support tank or sniper to take advantage of its good firepower, low profile, and decent protection while minimizing the effects of its poor gun handling and mobility. Ideally one can stay behind the front lines, moving up when prudent, and allow other teammates to push forwards. Enemies that appear or reveal themselves can then be dispatched at a safe distance. However one must be on the lookout for flanking enemies, as the gun handling is not adequate for responding quickly to unexpected threats. For this reason close range brawling should also be avoided. The mobility is also quite poor for its rank and it pays to be vigilant when moving up to sniping positions - enemies may be already present.

A nice feature of the ZTZ59D1 is its access to thermal vision for the gunner. While not of high resolution, it helps with spotting targets significantly in both day and night battles and aids its sniping capabilities. However it is not the only tank with thermal vision at its rank, so this is not an absolute advantage. Situational awareness is very important on the ZTZ59D1 to compensate for its poor gun handling and reload. The ZTZ59D1 retains the zoom settings of the original Type 59's optics and it has a 3.5x zoom setting with a 21 degree field of view, so tunnel vision is less of an issue at close to medium range compared to other tanks. Make good use of the laser rangefinder at long distances, missed shots are a major hassle on the ZTZ59D1 because of its slow reload.

The ZTZ59D1 has better protection than the average 8.3 MBT, but it is by no means immune or even consistently resistant to enemy fire. Poorly aimed 105 mm HEAT-FS can be resisted by the hull and turret ERA and very poorly aimed 105 mm APDS or weak APFSDS can be resisted by the hull ERA. The turret is vulnerable to any kind of kinetic round, though turret penetrations are less likely to knock out the tank in one hit. Count yourself lucky if you survive a hit from any tank cannon and treat it as a second chance.

Helicopters are a major threat to the ZTZ59D1. ATGMs will typically go right through its ERA and even helicopters with unguided rockets, which typically need to fly closer to the battlefield, are difficult to destroy given the ZTZ59D1's bad gun handling. Stay out of sight if possible and take advantage of the smoke grenades if caught in the open. Lightly armoured helicopters can be harassed with the heavy machine gun at closer distances.

=== Pros and cons ===


'''Pros:'''

* Powerful 105 mm gun with a solid APFSDS round is a major step up from the [[Type 69]]'s cannon
* Equipped with ERA on the turret and upper glacis, resistant to chemical munitions
* Hull ERA setup offers some kinetic protection
* Has a two-plane stabilizer
* Access to smoke grenades, thermal sights, and laser rangefinder
* Top mounted DShK heavy machine gun is helpful against light targets and aircraft
* Low profile

'''Cons:'''

* Mobility is slightly worse than the original [[Type 59]], quite inadequate at its match-making position
* Turret traverse and base armour are the same as the Type 59, gun handling is painful in close quarters and APFSDS will go straight through much of the tank
* ERA coverage is sparse, significant gaps around the gun and on the upper glacis
* Turret ERA will get destroyed in large patches, not piece by piece, upon getting hit by chemical rounds
* Not particularly mobile; reverse speed in particular is quite slow
* Poor gun depression greatly limits its capacity in hilly terrain
* Slow reload compared to Western MBTs
* No wet ammo storage

== History ==


The [[Type 59]] tank was the primary tank of the People's Liberation Army in the Cold War era. While reliable, easy to manufacture, and available in large numbers, the design began to show its age as time went on. Improved derivatives like the [[Type 69]] were not used extensively by the PLA. In the 1980s the large inventory of old Type 59s was in need of modernization, but defrosting relations with the Western world around that time allowed the purchase, use, and study of foreign technology, greatly aiding in the improvement of existing vehicles and development of future models. The first Type 59 model to benefit from these upgrades was the Type-59-II, which boasted a 105mm rifled gun based on the ubiquitous Royal Ordnance L7 and improved vision systems. The '''Type 59D1''' variant was a further development, adding on modern computerized fire-control systems, passive night vision devices, an improved gun with thermal sleeve, and explosive reactive armour. Other variants of note include the similar Type 59D, which has a longer gun and support for gun-launched ATGMs, the Type 59G, an export overhaul featuring a welded turret and 125mm gun similar to the modern [[ZTZ96|Type 96]], and the Jaguar, a joint Sino-American project with a heavily modified turret, hull, and powertrain.

Later Type 59 variants are still present in the inventory of the PLA at present, though they have been replaced over time by the [[ZTZ99|Type 99]] and [[ZTZ96|Type 96]] tanks. While outdated, they are still useful for reserve or training purposes.

The designation/acronym "ZTZ" is used at times by the Chinese military for its main battle tanks. In Mandarin, the first Z stands for "armoured vehicle" or "armour", the T stands for "tank", and second Z stands for "main battle". This term is generally used to describe modern Chinese MBTs, but for the most part it can be interchanged freely with "Type".

== Media ==


;Skins

* [https://live.warthunder.com/feed/camouflages/?vehicle=cn_type_59d Skins and camouflages for the {{PAGENAME}} from live.warthunder.com.]

;Videos
{{Youtube-gallery|B6ZsuPjSuNo|'''T-54/T-55 family''' discusses the {{PAGENAME}} at 6:24 - ''War Thunder Official Channel''}}

== See also ==
''Links to the articles on the War Thunder Wiki that you think will be useful for the reader, for example:''

* ''reference to the series of the vehicles;''
* ''links to approximate analogues of other nations and research trees.''

== External links ==
''Paste links to sources and external resources, such as:''

* ''topic on the official game forum;''
* ''other literature.''

{{China medium tanks}}

ZTZ99-III

2021-09-14T04:25:20Z

U121964050: /* History */

{{Specs-Card
|code=cn_ztz_99_w
|images={{Specs-Card-Image|GarageImage_{{PAGENAME}}.jpg}}
}}

== Description ==

The '''{{Specs|name}}''' is a rank {{Specs|rank}} Chinese medium tank {{Battle-rating}}. It was introduced in [[Update "Direct Hit"]].

An overhaul upgrade of the older [[ZTZ99-II]], ZTZ99-III (Stage 3) retained the same firepower, sufficient mobility and tough frontal armour while eliminating some of the design flaws in the previous design. It might not be the top-notch MBT to be utilized, but ZTZ99-III still provides a reliable top-tier lineup for the Chinese tech tree and a valuable upgrade for its older brother.

== General info ==
=== Survivability and armour ===
{{Specs-Tank-Armour}}

The major difference between the ZTZ99-II and III is the placement of ERA blocks up the front and side of the turret, where a wave board is presented on Stage III's UFP to deflect water waves in case for river crossing operations; the turret is also redesigned into a welded one, eliminating the bulged part of the turret and thus increasing the survivability of the turret crew. But unfortunately, some flaws still existed in Stage III.

Like the [[T-80U]], the ZTZ99-III continues to use both composite armour and advanced ERA with kinetic protection. Composite armour is present on the turret cheeks and on the upper glacis; it is unremarkable by itself, but the areas with full coverage of both composite armour and FY-4 ERA are even capable of resisting the [[Leopard 2A6]]'s DM53 APFSDS. Unfortunately, these areas are limited to the turret cheeks and lower portion of the upper glacis. Interestingly, the ERA is resistant to tandem-charge warheads, which allows it to withstand ATGMs that other ERA equipped vehicles can't.

There are plenty of weak spots on the hull. First, the lower glacis has no composite armour or ERA whatsoever and can be penetrated by practically anything, and it also is proportionally larger than on Soviet MBTs. Penetrating shots there have a large chance of detonating the ammo in the autoloader and destroying the tank. The upper glacis composite armour is modeled with a large cutout for the driver's optics, as on the Soviet T-64/72 series, and even the FY-4 ERA there is not enough to save it from powerful APFSDS. Some small portions of the upper glacis are not covered by ERA either.

The turret has its fair share of weak spots as well. The gun mantlet area has no composite armour and penetrating shots will usually take out the gun breech and possibly a crew member. There is a cutout in the ERA array on the left cheek to allow the driver to enter and exit the tank that reduces the protection there. Thanks for the redesign of the new turret, ZTZ99-III eliminated the bulged, cast part of the turret and thus increasing the survivability of the turret crew; it might still be penetrated by some shells but those are in rare cases.

The ZTZ99-III does not have any ERA on the hull sides and the base hull side armour of 50 mm is thinner than Soviet MBTs, so be careful of IFVs with autocannons. Successful hits to the side will usually total the tank, either detonating the ammo racks or knocking out the turret crew.

The ZTZ99-III's armour protection has enough gaps that it can be considered "trolly" as opposed to "well-protected", but the areas that are well-protected are very strong. It's best to stay at long range and utilize the ZTZ99-III's low profile in conjunction with cover to make it difficult for enemies to hit the weak spots. Putting some bushes near the driver's hatch or gun mantlet might help. Remember that ERA is destroyed upon absorbing fire and the composite armour alone does not have sufficient protection for a top-tier vehicle.

As a last note, the GL-7 laser dazzler is physically modeled on the left side of the turret roof as a laser rangefinder, but its countermeasuring capabilities are not implemented. The ZTZ99-III does not have the capability to spoof ATGMs like the [[T-90A]].

'''Armour type:''' 


{| class="wikitable"
|-
! Armour !! Front (Slope angle) !! Sides !! Rear !! Roof
|-
| Hull || ___ mm || ___ mm ''Top'' ___ mm ''Bottom'' || ___ mm || ___ - ___ mm
|-
| Turret || ___ - ___ mm ''Turret front'' ___ mm ''Gun mantlet'' || ___ - ___ mm || ___ - ___ mm || ___ - ___ mm
|-
| Cupola || ___ mm || ___ mm || ___ mm || ___ mm
|-
|}

'''Notes:''' 


=== Mobility ===
{{Specs-Tank-Mobility}}

The ZTZ99-III's mobility is still below average for a top tier vehicle. Although it has a sizeable 1200 horsepower NORINCO Shaanxi Diesel 12V150HB diesel engine, which is comparable to the [[T-80U]]'s 1250 hp gas turbine engine and among the most powerful Eastern Blog diesel engines. The tank itself also weighs more than 50 tons, which approaches the weight of the [[Leopard 2A4]] and [[M1 Abrams]]. Among contemporaries, the power-to-weight ratio is better than the [[Challenger 2]] and comparable to the [[Ariete PSO]] or [[T-72B3]]. Though it is quite fast in a straight line, it does need a considerably long time to pick up speed especially when stock or across rough terrain. It also does not have neutral steering due to the design of transmission, and the reverse speed of 5 km/h is truly abysmal. The ZTZ99 can get into battle reasonably quickly but does not excel at flanking and will struggle to retreat from sticky situations.

{{tankMobility}}

=== Modifications and economy ===
{{Specs-Economy}}

== Armaments ==
{{Specs-Tank-Armaments}}
=== Main armament ===
{{Specs-Tank-Weapon|1}}

{{main|ZPT98 (125 mm)}}

Same as his predecessor ZTZ99-II, the ZPT98 cannon is a 125 mm smoothbore cannon with an autoloader, much like the 2A46 cannon used by the T-72 or the Type 88C cannon used by the ZTZ96, but it is 50 calibres long instead of 48. The reload speed of 7.1 seconds is the slowest of any top-rank vehicle, so destroying or crippling enemies in one shot is important. The gun handling is the same as the ZTZ96 series, being slightly better than most Soviet MBTs barring the [[T-72B3]] but still lower than most Western MBTs.

{| class="wikitable" style="text-align:center" width="100%"
|-
! colspan="5" | [[ZPT98 (125 mm)|125 mm ZPT98]] || colspan="5" | Turret rotation speed (°/s) || colspan="4" | Reloading rate (seconds)
|-
! Mode !! Capacity !! Vertical !! Horizontal !! Stabilizer
! Stock !! Upgraded !! Full !! Expert !! Aced
! Stock !! Full !! Expert !! Aced
|-
! ''Arcade''
| rowspan="2" | 39 || rowspan="2" | -5°/+13° || rowspan="2" | ±180° || rowspan="2" | Two-plane || 28.6 || 39.5 || 48.0 || 53.1 || 56.5 || rowspan="2" | 7.10 || rowspan="2" | 7.10 || rowspan="2" | 7.10 || rowspan="2" | 7.10
|-
! ''Realistic''
| 17.9 || 21.0 || 25.5 || 28.2 || 30.0
|-
|}

==== Ammunition ====
Since the ZTZ99-III is an upgraded ZTZ99-II with some redesigned appearance but not in terms of firepower, both share the same ammunition.

The stock DTP-125 HEAT-FS round has the typical penetration of 480 mm shared by Western MBTs with 120 mm guns, but this is not enough to deal with tanks with composite armour, which are the norm at both ZTZ99's battle ratings. The post-penetration damage is also disappointing. Only use it as an interim shell before APFSDS is unlocked. With 2.19 kg of explosive mass, it is sometimes capable of knocking out light targets like SPAAs and light tanks with overpressure damage, so keep an eye out for those.

The stock DTB-125 HE shell is one of the strongest of any top-tier MBT. It can actually cause more damage to MBTs than the HEAT-FS round if fired at turret rings, hull roofs, and turret cupolas. Well-placed impacts have a good chance of transmitting the shockwave into the crew compartment and knocking the target out instantly, even against the toughest MBTs like the [[Leopard 2A6]]. It helps to keep a few HE rounds around even after APFSDS is unlocked as they excel at causing pressure damage to light targets.

The 125-I APFSDS round is a Tier 1 modification. Though it first appeared on the [[ZTZ96]], it is again an option for ZTZ99-III and eases the stock grind considerably. It has very similar flat penetration and superior angled penetration to the 3BM42 "Mango" round used by Soviet tanks and can penetrate most contemporary opponents through at least the lower front plate and gun breech.

Waiting at Tier 4 is the DTW-125 APFSDS round. It is lethal and very similar in performance to the Leclerc's OFL 120 F1, having high flat and angled penetration along with a quick muzzle velocity. The performance is not sufficient to break through the turret cheeks of heavily armoured MBTs like the [[M1A2 Abrams]], [[Leopard 2A5]]/[[Leopard 2A6|2A6]], and [[Challenger 2]], but other MBTs may be vulnerable. It will comfortably penetrate any tank's hull armour and the higher mass compared to the 125-I round produces somewhat more spalling.

{| class="wikitable sortable" style="text-align:center" width="100%"
! colspan="8" | Penetration statistics
|-
! rowspan="2" data-sort-type="text" | Ammunition
! rowspan="2" | Type of warhead
! colspan="6" | Penetration @ 0° Angle of Attack (mm)
|-
! 10 m !! 100 m !! 500 m !! 1,000 m !! 1,500 m !! 2,000 m
|-
| DTP-125 || HEATFS || 480 || 480 || 480 || 480 || 480 || 480
|-
| DTB-125 || HE || 45 || 45 || 45 || 45 || 45 || 45
|-
| 125-I || APFSDS || 466 || 464 || 458 || 450 || 442 || 434
|-
| DTW-125 || APFSDS || 552 || 550 || 542 || 532 || 521 || 511
|-
|}
{| class="wikitable sortable" style="text-align:center" width="100%"
! colspan="10" | Shell details
|-
! rowspan="2" data-sort-type="text" | Ammunition
! rowspan="2" | Type of warhead
! rowspan="2" | Velocity (m/s)
! rowspan="2" | Projectile Mass (kg)
! rowspan="2" | Fuse delay (m)
! rowspan="2" | Fuse sensitivity (mm)
! rowspan="2" | Explosive Mass (TNT equivalent) (g)
! colspan="3" | Ricochet
|-
! 0% !! 50% !! 100%
|-
| DTP-125 || HEATFS || 905 || 18 || 0.05 || 0.1 || 2,190 || 65° || 72° || 77°
|-
| DTB-125 || HE || 850 || 23 || 0 || 0.1 || 5,460 || 79° || 80° || 81°
|-
| 125-I || APFSDS || 1,730 || 4.02 || N/A || N/A || N/A || 78° || 80° || 81°
|-
| DTW-125 || APFSDS || 1,740 || 4.83 || N/A || N/A || N/A || 78° || 80° || 81°
|-
|}

==== [[Ammo racks]] ====


{| class="wikitable" style="text-align:center"
|-
!Full ammo
!Ammo part
!1st rack empty
!2nd rack empty
!3rd rack empty
!4th rack empty
!5th rack empty
!6th rack empty
!7th rack empty
!Visual discrepancy
|-
| '''39''' || ''Projectiles Propellants'' || 37 ''(+2)'' 39 ''(+0)'' || 34 ''(+5)'' 38 ''(+1)'' || 31 ''(+8)'' 37 ''(+2)'' || 27 ''(+12)'' 28 ''(+11)'' || 23 ''(+16)'' 26 ''(+13)'' || N/A 23 ''(+16)'' || 1 ''(+38)'' 1 ''(+38)'' || No
|-
|}

=== Machine guns ===
{{Specs-Tank-Weapon|2}}
{{Specs-Tank-Weapon|3}}

{{main|QJC88A (12.7 mm)|Type 86 (7.62 mm)}}

Same as the ZTZ99-II, Stage III has both a turret HMG and coaxial LMG; the HMG can be used in case of any potential low-flyers and helicopters which are too close to your proximity, it can do short work of them, this also applies to any poorly armoured light vehicles in higher tier as these ceramic core shots can shatter them with relative ease.

While the coaxial gun is only good for range-finding and disturbing enemies, it can also do short work of any exposed crew or sometimes even surprise kill on helicopters.

{| class="wikitable" style="text-align:center" width="50%"
|-
! colspan="5" | [[QJC88A (12.7 mm)|12.7 mm QJC88A]]
|-
! Mount !! Capacity (Belt) !! Fire rate !! Vertical !! Horizontal
|-
| Pintle || 500 (150) || 700 || -5°/+60° || ±180°
|-
|}
{| class="wikitable" style="text-align:center" width="50%"
|-
! colspan="5" | [[Type 86 (7.62 mm)|7.62 mm Type 86]]
|-
! Mount !! Capacity (Belt) !! Fire rate !! Vertical !! Horizontal
|-
| Coaxial || 2,500 (250) || 700 || N/A || N/A
|-
|}

== Usage in battles ==

Since there wasn't any firepower improvements between ZTZ99 Stage II and Stage III, the playstyle of ZTZ99-III is very similar to its predecessor.

The ZTZ99's main weaknesses are poor mobility characteristics and inconsistent protection, so to mitigate these, it is best used as a sniper or midfielder. Carefully move up to positions that offer cover and a good view. Once in position, the ZTZ99's strengths can be put to good use. The laser warning system and high-quality thermal sights for the commander give the ZTZ99 a large degree of situational awareness, allowing enemies to be spotted and engaged quickly. Try to attack enemies from a distance and while they are in the open; in this situation they will have difficulty targeting the weak points of the ZTZ99 while the ZTZ99 typically only needs to shoot their hull when using the top DTW-125 APFSDS. Be aware of the slow reload, which is up to 50% slower than other top MBTs. If a target is still capable of returning fire after being hit (e.g. gunner, gun breech, turret drive are intact), it might be better to move to cover and wait for teammates to distract or attack them. Move up when the coast is clear but do not overextend, it is difficult to back out from a bad position due to the bad reverse speed and in the meantime enemies can fire plenty of shots at the ZTZ99.

Unlike top Soviet MBTs, the ZTZ99 does not have access to gun-launched ATGMs, making it more difficult to swat helicopters or low-flying aircraft from the sky. Stay within the coverage of friendly SPAA vehicles ([[ZPRK 2S6]] Tunguska, [[PGZ04A]], [[ADATS]], etc.) if possible, and if no support is available, use the smoke grenades and engine smoke system to hide.

=== Pros and cons ===


'''Pros:'''

* Sturdy frontal armour on turret cheeks and upper glacis, can withstand most APFSDS shells
* Gunner and commander thermals are very useful to spot targets
* Powerful 125 mm APFSDS, can frontally penetrate most MBTs' weak spots
* Silhouette is quite low, allowing it to conceal itself behind cover or vegetations
* Has laser warning receiver which can inform the player that they are being targeted

'''Cons:'''

* Weak spots in the armour: driver's port, lower glacis, and gun mantlet. Can be penetrated by lower-tier tanks
* Extremely slow reverse speed of -4 km/h won't get it out of danger quickly
* Thin side armour, can be penetrated by IFVs (eg. Type 89) and aircraft
* Frontal turret ERA are in large pieces, which will leave larger holes once destroyed
* Fixed gunner sight 8x zoom is limiting for ranged shooting

== History ==

After the commission of [[ZTZ99-II]] (or ZTZ99 Mod. 2003, 99一期改, erroneously known as 99G), Factory 617 kept on revising the design and eliminated some of its design flaws, such as replacing the bulged cast turret with a brand new welded turret, as well as re-positioning the existing applique armour of turret front and lengthening the side ones; the UFP was also redesigned to fit FY-4 in a more reasonable positioning. It was then finalized in 2009 and in the 60th Anniversary of the Establishment of PRC, the new ZTZ99-III (or ZTZ99 Mod. 2009, 99二期改, erroneously known as 99A1) showed up as the leading column of vehicle phalanx (numbered 01-01 to 01-18 from 334th Regiment, 112th Mechanized Infantry Brigade, 38th Army Corps), serving as the new spearhead of PLAGF elite armoured brigades.

Eventually, just a year later; a titular successor of ZTZ99-III - the completely redesigned ZTZ99A, passed state certification and in mid-2010s, it started to replace ZTZ99-III as the most advanced vehicle of PLAGF and served in elite armoured brigades in Northeastern China.

== Media ==

''Excellent additions to the article would be video guides, screenshots from the game, and photos.''

== See also ==

''Links to the articles on the War Thunder Wiki that you think will be useful for the reader, for example:''

* ''reference to the series of the vehicles;''
* ''links to approximate analogues of other nations and research trees.''

== External links ==

''Paste links to sources and external resources, such as:''

* ''topic on the official game forum;''
* ''other literature.''

{{China medium tanks}}