War Thunder Wiki - User contributions [en]

M41D

2021-12-15T21:09:59Z

U42879911: /* Main armament */ Filled in Shell Tables, Machine Gun Tables, and put in stock turret rotation and stock reload rate (I can add in the rest for that table once I unlock it if it's not done by then)

{{Specs-Card
|code=cn_m_41d
|images={{Specs-Card-Image|GarageImage_{{PAGENAME}}.jpg}}
}}

== Description ==

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

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

''Describe armour protection. Note the most well protected and key weak areas. Appreciate the layout of modules as well as the number and location of crew members. Is the level of armour protection sufficient, is the placement of modules helpful for survival in combat? If necessary use a visual template to indicate the most secure and weak zones of the armour.''

'''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}}

''Write about the mobility of the ground vehicle. Estimate the specific power and manoeuvrability, as well as the maximum speed forwards and backwards.''

{{tankMobility}}

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

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

{{main|M32K1 (76 mm)}}

''Give the reader information about the characteristics of the main gun. Assess its effectiveness in a battle based on the reloading speed, ballistics and the power of shells. Do not forget about the flexibility of the fire, that is how quickly the cannon can be aimed at the target, open fire on it and aim at another enemy. Add a link to the main article on the gun: <code><nowiki>{{main|Name of the weapon}}</nowiki></code>. Describe in general terms the ammunition available for the main gun. Give advice on how to use them and how to fill the ammunition storage.''

{| class="wikitable" style="text-align:center" width="100%"
|-
! colspan="5" | [[M32K1 (76 mm)|76 mm M32K1]] || 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" | 65 || rowspan="2" | -10°/+20° || rowspan="2" | ±180° || rowspan="2" | N/A || 34.3 || __._ || __._ || __._ || __._ || rowspan="2" | 7.6 || rowspan="2" | _.__ || rowspan="2" | _.__ || rowspan="2" | _.__
|-
! ''Realistic''
| 21.4 || __._ || __._ || __._ || __._
|-
|}

==== Ammunition ====
{| 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
|-
| M496 shell || HEATFS || 254 || 254 || 254 || 254 || 254 || 254
|-
| M352 shell || HE || 12 || 12 || 12 || 12 || 12 || 12
|-
| M464 || APFSDS || 280 || 276 || 265 || 251 || 236 || 222
|-
|}
{| 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%
|-
| M496 shell || HEATFS || 1082 || 3.2 || 0.05 || 0.1 || 653.69 || 65° || 72° || 77°
|-
| M352 shell || HE || 732 || 6.8 || 0 || 0.1 || 867.22 || 79° || 80° || 81°
|-
| M464 || APFSDS || 1480 || 1.63 || N/A || N/A || N/A || 78° || 80° || 81°
|-
|}
{| class="wikitable" style="text-align:center"
! colspan="7" | Smoke shell characteristics
|-
! Ammunition
! Velocity (m/s)
! Projectile Mass (kg)
! Screen radius (m)
! Screen deploy time (s)
! Screen hold time (s)
! Explosive Mass (TNT equivalent) (g)
|-
| M361 || 713 || 7.1 || 13 || 5 || 20 || 50
|-
|}

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


{| 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
! Visual discrepancy
|-
| '''65''' || __ ''(+__)'' || __ ''(+__)'' || __ ''(+__)'' || __ ''(+__)'' || __ ''(+__)'' || __ ''(+__)'' || __
|-
|}

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

{{main|M2HB (12.7 mm)|M1919A4 (7.62 mm)}}

''Offensive and anti-aircraft machine guns not only allow you to fight some aircraft but also are effective against lightly armoured vehicles. Evaluate machine guns and give recommendations on its use.''

{| class="wikitable" style="text-align:center" width="50%"
|-
! colspan="5" | [[M2HB (12.7 mm)|12.7 mm M2HB]]
|-
! Mount !! Capacity (Belt) !! Fire rate !! Vertical !! Horizontal
|-
| Pintle
| 2175 (200) || 577 || -10° / 70° || ±60°
|-
|}
{| class="wikitable" style="text-align:center" width="50%"
|-
! colspan="5" | [[M1919A4 (7.62 mm)|7.62 mm M1919A4]]
|-
! Mount !! Capacity (Belt) !! Fire rate !! Vertical !! Horizontal
|-
| Coaxial
| 4900 (250) || 500 || N/A || N/A
|-
|}

== Usage in battles ==

''Describe the tactics of playing in the vehicle, the features of using vehicles in the team and advice on tactics. Refrain from creating a "guide" - do not impose a single point of view but instead give the reader food for thought. Describe the most dangerous enemies and give recommendations on fighting them. If necessary, note the specifics of the game in different modes (AB, RB, SB).''

=== Pros and cons ===

''Summarise and briefly evaluate the vehicle in terms of its characteristics and combat effectiveness. Mark its pros and cons in a bulleted list. Try not to use more than 6 points for each of the characteristics. Avoid using categorical definitions such as "bad", "good" and the like - use substitutions with softer forms such as "inadequate" and "effective".''

'''Pros:'''

*

'''Cons:'''

*

== History ==

''Describe the history of the creation and combat usage of the vehicle in more detail than in the introduction. If the historical reference turns out to be too long, take it to a separate article, taking a link to the article about the vehicle and adding a block "/History" (example: <nowiki>https://wiki.warthunder.com/(Vehicle-name)/History</nowiki>) and add a link to it here using the <code>main</code> template. Be sure to reference text and sources by using <code><nowiki><ref></ref></nowiki></code>, as well as adding them at the end of the article with <code><nowiki><references /></nowiki></code>. This section may also include the vehicle's dev blog entry (if applicable) and the in-game encyclopedia description (under <code><nowiki>=== In-game description ===</nowiki></code>, also if applicable).''

== 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 light tanks}}

M-51 (W)

2021-12-15T19:53:09Z

U42879911: /* Ammunition */ Filled in Tables for Machine Guns, Shell Penetration, Shell Details, and Smoke Shell Characteristics

{{Specs-Card
|code=il_m_51_w
|images={{Specs-Card-Image|GarageImage_{{PAGENAME}}.jpg}}
}}

== Description ==

The '''{{Specs|name}}''' is a premium gift rank {{Specs|rank}} Israeli medium tank {{Battle-rating}}. It was introduced in [[Update "Winged Lions"]].

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

''Describe armour protection. Note the most well protected and key weak areas. Appreciate the layout of modules as well as the number and location of crew members. Is the level of armour protection sufficient, is the placement of modules helpful for survival in combat? If necessary use a visual template to indicate the most secure and weak zones of the armour.''

'''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}}

''Write about the mobility of the ground vehicle. Estimate the specific power and manoeuvrability, as well as the maximum speed forwards and backwards.''

{{tankMobility}}

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

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

{{main|M-51 (105 mm)}}

''Give the reader information about the characteristics of the main gun. Assess its effectiveness in a battle based on the reloading speed, ballistics and the power of shells. Do not forget about the flexibility of the fire, that is how quickly the cannon can be aimed at the target, open fire on it and aim at another enemy. Add a link to the main article on the gun: <code><nowiki>{{main|Name of the weapon}}</nowiki></code>. Describe in general terms the ammunition available for the main gun. Give advice on how to use them and how to fill the ammunition storage.''

{| class="wikitable" style="text-align:center" width="100%"
|-
! colspan="5" | [[M-51 (105 mm)|105 mm M-51]] || 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" | 56 || rowspan="2" | -8°/+20° || rowspan="2" | ±180° || rowspan="2" | N/A || __._ || __._ || __._ || __._ || __._ || rowspan="2" | _.__ || rowspan="2" | _.__ || rowspan="2" | _.__ || rowspan="2" | _.__
|-
! ''Realistic''
| __._ || __._ || __._ || __._ || __._
|-
|}

==== Ammunition ====
{| 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
|-
| OCC 105 F1 || HEAT || 400 || 400 || 400 || 400 || 400 || 400
|-
| OE 105 F1 Mle.60 || HE || 25 || 25 || 25 || 25 || 25 || 25
|-
|}
{| 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%
|-
| OCC 105 F1 || HEAT || 800 || 10.95 || 0.05 || 0.1 || 1,020 || 62° || 69° || 73°
|-
| OE 105 F1 Mle.60 || HE || 800 || 12.1 || 0 || 0.1 || 2,000 || 79° || 80° || 81°
|-
|}
{| class="wikitable" style="text-align:center"
! colspan="7" | Smoke shell characteristics
|-
! Ammunition
! Velocity (m/s)
! Projectile Mass (kg)
! Screen radius (m)
! Screen deploy time (s)
! Screen hold time (s)
! Explosive Mass (TNT equivalent) (g)
|-
| OFPH 105 F1 || 600 || 11.4 || 20 || 5 || 25 || 50
|-
|}

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


{| 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
! Visual discrepancy
|-
| '''56''' || __ ''(+__)'' || __ ''(+__)'' || __ ''(+__)'' || __ ''(+__)'' || __ ''(+__)'' || __ ''(+__)'' || __
|-
|}

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

{{main|M1919A4 (7.62 mm)}}

''Offensive and anti-aircraft machine guns not only allow you to fight some aircraft but also are effective against lightly armoured vehicles. Evaluate machine guns and give recommendations on its use.''

{| class="wikitable" style="text-align:center" width="50%"
|-
! colspan="5" | [[M1919A4 (7.62 mm)|7.62 mm M1919A4]]
|-
! Mount !! Capacity (Belt) !! Fire rate !! Vertical !! Horizontal
|-
| Coaxial
| 4750 (250) || 500 || N/A || N/A
|-
| Pintle
| 600 (200) || 500 || -8°/+70° || ±180°
|-
|}

== Usage in battles ==

''Describe the tactics of playing in the vehicle, the features of using vehicles in the team and advice on tactics. Refrain from creating a "guide" - do not impose a single point of view but instead give the reader food for thought. Describe the most dangerous enemies and give recommendations on fighting them. If necessary, note the specifics of the game in different modes (AB, RB, SB).''

=== Pros and cons ===

''Summarise and briefly evaluate the vehicle in terms of its characteristics and combat effectiveness. Mark its pros and cons in a bulleted list. Try not to use more than 6 points for each of the characteristics. Avoid using categorical definitions such as "bad", "good" and the like - use substitutions with softer forms such as "inadequate" and "effective".''

'''Pros:'''

*

'''Cons:'''

*

== History ==

''Describe the history of the creation and combat usage of the vehicle in more detail than in the introduction. If the historical reference turns out to be too long, take it to a separate article, taking a link to the article about the vehicle and adding a block "/History" (example: <nowiki>https://wiki.warthunder.com/(Vehicle-name)/History</nowiki>) and add a link to it here using the <code>main</code> template. Be sure to reference text and sources by using <code><nowiki><ref></ref></nowiki></code>, as well as adding them at the end of the article with <code><nowiki><references /></nowiki></code>. This section may also include the vehicle's dev blog entry (if applicable) and the in-game encyclopedia description (under <code><nowiki>=== In-game description ===</nowiki></code>, also if applicable).''

== 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.''

{{Israel medium tanks}}
{{Israel premium ground vehicles}}

ZTZ59A

2021-12-13T19:41:18Z

U42879911: /* Survivability and armour */

{{Specs-Card
|code=cn_ztz_59a
|images={{Specs-Card-Image|GarageImage_{{PAGENAME}}.jpg}}
}}

== Description ==

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

The ZTZ59A is based on the long-existing [[Type 59]] and upgraded with some technologies from [[Type 69]]. Although the Type 59 chassis is rather outdated compared to later MBTs, or indeed many of its contemporaries in War Thunder, the ZTZ59A has some improvements that extend its lease on life somewhat. A laser rangefinder allows it to stay away from the heated battlefield and strike enemies from further away, enhancing its survivability and offering a straight upgrade to the tech tree Type 59.

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


The ZTZ59A's armour layout is nearly identical to the Type 59, which itself had virtually the same armour layout as the [[T-54 (1951)]]. It is well protected against typical autocannons and most conventional full-calibre rounds, but falls short against HEAT, APDS, and APFSDS. The only real differences from the Type 59 are the side skirts, familiar to players who have used the [[ZTZ59D1]] or [[T-69 II G]]. They do almost nothing against kinetic projectiles but can be helpful against HEAT warheads with some angling, acting as spaced armour. This is particularly noticeable with weaker HEAT-FS rounds in the 73 mm - 90 mm size range.

'''Armour type:'''

* Rolled homogenous armor (Hull, Turret roof)
* Cast homogenous armor (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 + 3*+mm
(*Side Skirts)
| 45 mm (16°) ''Upper''
30 mm (72°) ''Lower''
| 30 mm ''Front''
20 mm ''Back''

5 mm ''Engine Grill''
|-
| 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
|-
| Cupola || 100 mm (34-66°) || 100 mm (27-66°) || 100 mm (25-66°) || 40 mm
|-
|}

'''Notes:'''

* Tracks and suspension wheels are 20 mm thick
* Spare track links on the upper glacis provide an addition 20mm of armor


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


The ZTZ59A has exactly the same mobility characteristics as the Type 59, with the same weight and engine power. It has decent forward mobility and the wide tracks allow it to perform well on rough terrain. The poor reverse speed and lack of neutral steering are major drawbacks, but the hull traverse is quite decent. It is easily beaten by light tanks and fast MBTs such as Leopards and OF-40s, so it is safe to assume that the ZTZ59A will not be the first to arrive on the battlefield.

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

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

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

{{main|Type 59 (100 mm)}}

{| class="wikitable" style="text-align:center" width="100%"
|-
! colspan="5" | [[Type 59 (100 mm)|100 mm Type 59]] || 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" | 34 || rowspan="2" | -4°/+17° || rowspan="2" | ±180° || rowspan="2" | {{Annotation|Vertical|up to 40 km/h}} || 9.5 || 13.2 || 16.0 || 17.7 || 18.8 || rowspan="2" | 11.18 || rowspan="2" | 9.89 || rowspan="2" | 9.12 || rowspan="2" | 8.60
|-
! ''Realistic''
| 5.9 || 7.0 || 8.5 || 9.4 || 10.0
|-
|}

==== Ammunition ====
{| 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
|-
| BR-412 || APHE || 218 || 212 || 190 || 164 || 143 || 124
|-
| BR-412D || APCBC || 239 || 236 || 220 || 202 || 186 || 170
|-
| Type 1959 APDS || APDS || 299 || 298 || 291 || 272 || 253 || 249
|-
| Type 1973 HEAT-FS || HEATFS || 390 || 390 || 390 || 390 || 390 || 390
|-
| OF-412 || HE || 19 || 19 || 19 || 19 || 19 || 19
|-
|}
{| 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%
|-
| BR-412 || APHE || 895 || 15.9 || 1.2 || 19 || 100.1 || 47° || 60° || 65°
|-
| BR-412D || APCBC || 887 || 15.9 || 1.2 || 19 || 93.94 || 48° || 63° || 71°
|-
| Type 1959 APDS || APDS || 1,432 || 3.18 || N/A || N/A || N/A || 75° || 78° || 80°
|-
| Type 1973 HEAT-FS || HEATFS || 1,000 || 10.05 || 0.05 || 0.1 || 1,180 || 65° || 72° || 77°
|-
| OF-412 || HE || 900 || 15.6 || 0 || 0.1 || 1,460 || 79° || 80° || 81°
|-
|}

The ZTZ59A's ammo selection is mostly identical to the Type 59. As usual, the BR-412D APCBC round is highly effective against lightly armoured targets such as light tanks and Leopard 1s, successful penetrations usually resulting in one-shot knockouts. It also works very well for flanking shots. The Type 1959 APDS round has the highest muzzle velocity and enough penetration to handle most targets. The Type 1973 HEAT-FS round has the best penetration and can counter just about any vehicle with steel armour, but has a sensitive fuse and can be stopped by ERA or composite armour.

The BR-412 APHE shell is worse than BR-412D in every practical way and should be disregarded because the ZTZ59A is a premium tank with all ammo types unlocked from the start. The OF-412 HE shell is technically the best option for triggering overpressure damage against light targets, but it has no utility against targets with half-decent armour and the HEAT-FS is more versatile. The ZTZ59A does not have access to the Type 59's BR-412B APHEBC round, but that round is again inferior to BR-412D in practical terms and its absence will not be missed.

==== [[Ammo racks]] ====
[[File:Ammoracks_T-54_(1951).png|right|thumb|x250px|[[Ammo racks]] of the T-54 (1951) (identical).]]

{| 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
! Visual discrepancy
|-
| '''34''' || 33 ''(+1)'' || 28 ''(+6)'' || 24 ''(+10)'' || 23 ''(+11)'' || 21 ''(+13)'' || 1 ''(+33)'' || No
|-
|}
'''Notes''':

* Shells are modeled individually and disappear after having been shot or loaded.
* Rack 6 is a first stage ammo rack. It totals 20 shells and gets filled first when loading up the tank.
* This rack is also emptied early: the rack depletion order at full capacity is: 6 - 1 - 2 - etc. until 5.
* Full reload speed will be realized as long as shells are available in the ready rack 6. If the ready rack is empty, a penalty to reload speed will occur.
* Simply not firing when the gun is loaded will move ammo from racks 1-5 into rack 6. Firing will interrupt the restocking of the ready rack.
* If you pack 28 ''(+6)'', it will keep the turret empty of ammo.
* If you pack 21 ''(+13)'' shells, it will keep most of the hull empty of ammo.

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

{{main|DShK (12.7 mm)|SGMT (7.62 mm)}}

{| class="wikitable" style="text-align:center" width="50%"
|-
! colspan="5" | [[DShK (12.7 mm)|12.7 mm DShK]]
|-
! Mount !! Capacity (Belt) !! Fire rate !! Vertical !! Horizontal
|-
| Pintle || 500 (50) || 600 || -5°/+60° || ±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 || 3,000 (250) || 600 || N/A || N/A
|-
|}

== Usage in battles ==


The ZTZ59A is essentially a [[Type 59]] with a laser rangefinder. Most of the tactics and advice for the Type 59 still apply, but it is more competent in long range combat and can work as a good sniper as a supplement to the [[Type 69]]. The laser rangefinder allows for precise long-range shots to be made with any ammunition type; Type 59 veterans may have relied heavily on the high-velocity APDS, but the ZTZ59A can comfortably sling APCBC and HEAT-FS rounds from across the map as well. The ZTZ59A can be argued to have superior armament to the Type 69, because its APDS has higher penetration than the Type 69's APFSDS under most circumstances and their HEAT-FS rounds are identical.

Bear in mind that the ZTZ59A does not have the Type 69's improved turret drive or engine, so it is less mobile and has a difficult time reacting to ambushes. These weakness can be mitigated if one maintains some separation from the front lines. In close range engagements, remember to utilize the hull traverse as well as the turret traverse to quickly adjust one's aim.

The ZTZ59A does not bring anything drastically new to the table, but as a direct improvement to the Type 59, it is a good addition to the already impressive Chinese 8.0 ground lineup. Partnering it with the Type 69 gives one access to two MBTs with laser rangefinder, and because the Type 69 is more suited for front line work, the ZTZ59A can be preferentially used for laid back sniping. The [[PTL02]] is of course the supreme sniper with its APFSDS, high mobility, and thermal sights, but the ZTZ59A is sturdy enough to participate in direct assaults as well without being melted by any incoming fire.

=== Pros and cons ===


'''Pros:'''

* Has a range of good ammo: explosive AP, piercing HEAT, and APDS
* 200mm frontal effective thickness is immune to SPAA or low tier tanks firing full-calibre kinetic shells
* Laser rangefinder allows it to engage distant targets easily
* Roof-mounted 12.7 mm HMG is deadly against light vehicles (eg. [[AML-90]], [[M551]]) and some low/slow aircraft

'''Cons:'''

* Slow turret traverse and elevation speed limits targeting rate. Fatal in surprise engagements
* Poor mobility overall, meaning low agility and responsiveness to changing situations
* Armour is still inadequate to stop common HEATFS or APFSDS (eg. [[Leopard 1 (Family)|Leopard 1]], [[T-55AM-1|T-55AM]], [[OF-40 (Family)|OF-40]])
* Limiting gun depression of -4° hinders its capacity in uneven battlefield
* Terrible reverse speed of -7 km/h prevents it from getting out of danger quickly

== History ==

The [[Type 59]] (ZTZ59, WZ120) has been the backbone of PLAGF for many decades. The chassis itself received many upgrades throughout its service and the ZTZ59A (alternatively called ZTZ59-I in the earlier naming system) is the first major upgrade over Type 59.

During the Sino-Vietnamese conflict in the late 1970s, PLAGF had found some problems with the original Type 59 and suggestions were handed to the 5th Ministry of Machine Building (第五机械工业部) for possible upgrades; meanwhile it was the era of economic reform and normalisation of relationships with Western countries. Although new tanks and refurbishment of older tanks with NATO L7 105 mm guns were planned, the mass of original Type 59s could still use some upgrades as well. In 1984, the ZTZ59A upgrade program passed state certifications: the upgrade included hydraulic steering, which provided the driver with better control and lighter force to move than the previous torsion bar steering; a Model 6610 IR searchlight mounted on the front of the chassis; FCS upgrades with Type 73 laser rangefinder from Type 69 mounted on the centre line of the tank by the mantlet, TSFCS with automatic ballistic solution; and side skirts. A new APFSDS was also developed for the gun, said to be on-par with Soviet 3BM25. Some parts of the tank were also revised from the suggestions of frontline troops, sub-systems were aimed to be more reliable and ergonomic. Some of the later ZTZ59A that had received such upgrades were also tested with different designs such as a two-plane stabiliser for the gun and welding extra fences onto the turret, while some received a smoke grenade launcher upgrade on the turret.

Although the gap between the mainstream 1980s MBTs and ZTZ59A was still huge, ZTZ59A also became the basis of more ergonomic sub-system designs of PLAGF tanks, as well as simplified maintenance; filling the gap while waiting for the newer ZTZ59-II with a brand new British FCS system and [[L7A3 (105 mm)|L7A3]] to replace them.

== 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}}
{{China premium ground vehicles}}

ZTZ59A

2021-12-13T19:33:09Z

U42879911: /* Survivability and armour */ Filled in the armor section that was left blank

{{Specs-Card
|code=cn_ztz_59a
|images={{Specs-Card-Image|GarageImage_{{PAGENAME}}.jpg}}
}}

== Description ==

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

The ZTZ59A is based on the long-existing [[Type 59]] and upgraded with some technologies from [[Type 69]]. Although the Type 59 chassis is rather outdated compared to later MBTs, or indeed many of its contemporaries in War Thunder, the ZTZ59A has some improvements that extend its lease on life somewhat. A laser rangefinder allows it to stay away from the heated battlefield and strike enemies from further away, enhancing its survivability and offering a straight upgrade to the tech tree Type 59.

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


The ZTZ59A's armour layout is nearly identical to the Type 59, which itself had virtually the same armour layout as the [[T-54 (1951)]]. It is well protected against typical autocannons and most conventional full-calibre rounds, but falls short against HEAT, APDS, and APFSDS. The only real differences from the Type 59 are the side skirts, familiar to players who have used the [[ZTZ59D1]] or [[T-69 II G]]. They do almost nothing against kinetic projectiles but can be helpful against HEAT warheads with some angling, acting as spaced armour. This is particularly noticeable with weaker HEAT-FS rounds in the 73 mm - 90 mm size range.

'''Armour type:'''

* Rolled homogenous armor (Hull, Turret roof)
* Cast homogenous armor (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 + 3+mm
(*Side Skirts)
| 45 mm (16°) ''Upper''
30 mm (72°) ''Lower''
| 30 mm ''Front''
20 mm ''Back''

5 mm ''Engine Grill''
|-
| 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
|-
| Cupola || 100 mm || 100 mm || 100 mm || 40 mm
|-
|}

'''Notes:'''

* Tracks and suspension wheels are 20 mm thick
* Spare track links on the upper glacis provide an addition 20mm of armor


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


The ZTZ59A has exactly the same mobility characteristics as the Type 59, with the same weight and engine power. It has decent forward mobility and the wide tracks allow it to perform well on rough terrain. The poor reverse speed and lack of neutral steering are major drawbacks, but the hull traverse is quite decent. It is easily beaten by light tanks and fast MBTs such as Leopards and OF-40s, so it is safe to assume that the ZTZ59A will not be the first to arrive on the battlefield.

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

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

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

{{main|Type 59 (100 mm)}}

{| class="wikitable" style="text-align:center" width="100%"
|-
! colspan="5" | [[Type 59 (100 mm)|100 mm Type 59]] || 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" | 34 || rowspan="2" | -4°/+17° || rowspan="2" | ±180° || rowspan="2" | {{Annotation|Vertical|up to 40 km/h}} || 9.5 || 13.2 || 16.0 || 17.7 || 18.8 || rowspan="2" | 11.18 || rowspan="2" | 9.89 || rowspan="2" | 9.12 || rowspan="2" | 8.60
|-
! ''Realistic''
| 5.9 || 7.0 || 8.5 || 9.4 || 10.0
|-
|}

==== Ammunition ====
{| 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
|-
| BR-412 || APHE || 218 || 212 || 190 || 164 || 143 || 124
|-
| BR-412D || APCBC || 239 || 236 || 220 || 202 || 186 || 170
|-
| Type 1959 APDS || APDS || 299 || 298 || 291 || 272 || 253 || 249
|-
| Type 1973 HEAT-FS || HEATFS || 390 || 390 || 390 || 390 || 390 || 390
|-
| OF-412 || HE || 19 || 19 || 19 || 19 || 19 || 19
|-
|}
{| 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%
|-
| BR-412 || APHE || 895 || 15.9 || 1.2 || 19 || 100.1 || 47° || 60° || 65°
|-
| BR-412D || APCBC || 887 || 15.9 || 1.2 || 19 || 93.94 || 48° || 63° || 71°
|-
| Type 1959 APDS || APDS || 1,432 || 3.18 || N/A || N/A || N/A || 75° || 78° || 80°
|-
| Type 1973 HEAT-FS || HEATFS || 1,000 || 10.05 || 0.05 || 0.1 || 1,180 || 65° || 72° || 77°
|-
| OF-412 || HE || 900 || 15.6 || 0 || 0.1 || 1,460 || 79° || 80° || 81°
|-
|}

The ZTZ59A's ammo selection is mostly identical to the Type 59. As usual, the BR-412D APCBC round is highly effective against lightly armoured targets such as light tanks and Leopard 1s, successful penetrations usually resulting in one-shot knockouts. It also works very well for flanking shots. The Type 1959 APDS round has the highest muzzle velocity and enough penetration to handle most targets. The Type 1973 HEAT-FS round has the best penetration and can counter just about any vehicle with steel armour, but has a sensitive fuse and can be stopped by ERA or composite armour.

The BR-412 APHE shell is worse than BR-412D in every practical way and should be disregarded because the ZTZ59A is a premium tank with all ammo types unlocked from the start. The OF-412 HE shell is technically the best option for triggering overpressure damage against light targets, but it has no utility against targets with half-decent armour and the HEAT-FS is more versatile. The ZTZ59A does not have access to the Type 59's BR-412B APHEBC round, but that round is again inferior to BR-412D in practical terms and its absence will not be missed.

==== [[Ammo racks]] ====
[[File:Ammoracks_T-54_(1951).png|right|thumb|x250px|[[Ammo racks]] of the T-54 (1951) (identical).]]

{| 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
! Visual discrepancy
|-
| '''34''' || 33 ''(+1)'' || 28 ''(+6)'' || 24 ''(+10)'' || 23 ''(+11)'' || 21 ''(+13)'' || 1 ''(+33)'' || No
|-
|}
'''Notes''':

* Shells are modeled individually and disappear after having been shot or loaded.
* Rack 6 is a first stage ammo rack. It totals 20 shells and gets filled first when loading up the tank.
* This rack is also emptied early: the rack depletion order at full capacity is: 6 - 1 - 2 - etc. until 5.
* Full reload speed will be realized as long as shells are available in the ready rack 6. If the ready rack is empty, a penalty to reload speed will occur.
* Simply not firing when the gun is loaded will move ammo from racks 1-5 into rack 6. Firing will interrupt the restocking of the ready rack.
* If you pack 28 ''(+6)'', it will keep the turret empty of ammo.
* If you pack 21 ''(+13)'' shells, it will keep most of the hull empty of ammo.

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

{{main|DShK (12.7 mm)|SGMT (7.62 mm)}}

{| class="wikitable" style="text-align:center" width="50%"
|-
! colspan="5" | [[DShK (12.7 mm)|12.7 mm DShK]]
|-
! Mount !! Capacity (Belt) !! Fire rate !! Vertical !! Horizontal
|-
| Pintle || 500 (50) || 600 || -5°/+60° || ±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 || 3,000 (250) || 600 || N/A || N/A
|-
|}

== Usage in battles ==


The ZTZ59A is essentially a [[Type 59]] with a laser rangefinder. Most of the tactics and advice for the Type 59 still apply, but it is more competent in long range combat and can work as a good sniper as a supplement to the [[Type 69]]. The laser rangefinder allows for precise long-range shots to be made with any ammunition type; Type 59 veterans may have relied heavily on the high-velocity APDS, but the ZTZ59A can comfortably sling APCBC and HEAT-FS rounds from across the map as well. The ZTZ59A can be argued to have superior armament to the Type 69, because its APDS has higher penetration than the Type 69's APFSDS under most circumstances and their HEAT-FS rounds are identical.

Bear in mind that the ZTZ59A does not have the Type 69's improved turret drive or engine, so it is less mobile and has a difficult time reacting to ambushes. These weakness can be mitigated if one maintains some separation from the front lines. In close range engagements, remember to utilize the hull traverse as well as the turret traverse to quickly adjust one's aim.

The ZTZ59A does not bring anything drastically new to the table, but as a direct improvement to the Type 59, it is a good addition to the already impressive Chinese 8.0 ground lineup. Partnering it with the Type 69 gives one access to two MBTs with laser rangefinder, and because the Type 69 is more suited for front line work, the ZTZ59A can be preferentially used for laid back sniping. The [[PTL02]] is of course the supreme sniper with its APFSDS, high mobility, and thermal sights, but the ZTZ59A is sturdy enough to participate in direct assaults as well without being melted by any incoming fire.

=== Pros and cons ===


'''Pros:'''

* Has a range of good ammo: explosive AP, piercing HEAT, and APDS
* 200mm frontal effective thickness is immune to SPAA or low tier tanks firing full-calibre kinetic shells
* Laser rangefinder allows it to engage distant targets easily
* Roof-mounted 12.7 mm HMG is deadly against light vehicles (eg. [[AML-90]], [[M551]]) and some low/slow aircraft

'''Cons:'''

* Slow turret traverse and elevation speed limits targeting rate. Fatal in surprise engagements
* Poor mobility overall, meaning low agility and responsiveness to changing situations
* Armour is still inadequate to stop common HEATFS or APFSDS (eg. [[Leopard 1 (Family)|Leopard 1]], [[T-55AM-1|T-55AM]], [[OF-40 (Family)|OF-40]])
* Limiting gun depression of -4° hinders its capacity in uneven battlefield
* Terrible reverse speed of -7 km/h prevents it from getting out of danger quickly

== History ==

The [[Type 59]] (ZTZ59, WZ120) has been the backbone of PLAGF for many decades. The chassis itself received many upgrades throughout its service and the ZTZ59A (alternatively called ZTZ59-I in the earlier naming system) is the first major upgrade over Type 59.

During the Sino-Vietnamese conflict in the late 1970s, PLAGF had found some problems with the original Type 59 and suggestions were handed to the 5th Ministry of Machine Building (第五机械工业部) for possible upgrades; meanwhile it was the era of economic reform and normalisation of relationships with Western countries. Although new tanks and refurbishment of older tanks with NATO L7 105 mm guns were planned, the mass of original Type 59s could still use some upgrades as well. In 1984, the ZTZ59A upgrade program passed state certifications: the upgrade included hydraulic steering, which provided the driver with better control and lighter force to move than the previous torsion bar steering; a Model 6610 IR searchlight mounted on the front of the chassis; FCS upgrades with Type 73 laser rangefinder from Type 69 mounted on the centre line of the tank by the mantlet, TSFCS with automatic ballistic solution; and side skirts. A new APFSDS was also developed for the gun, said to be on-par with Soviet 3BM25. Some parts of the tank were also revised from the suggestions of frontline troops, sub-systems were aimed to be more reliable and ergonomic. Some of the later ZTZ59A that had received such upgrades were also tested with different designs such as a two-plane stabiliser for the gun and welding extra fences onto the turret, while some received a smoke grenade launcher upgrade on the turret.

Although the gap between the mainstream 1980s MBTs and ZTZ59A was still huge, ZTZ59A also became the basis of more ergonomic sub-system designs of PLAGF tanks, as well as simplified maintenance; filling the gap while waiting for the newer ZTZ59-II with a brand new British FCS system and [[L7A3 (105 mm)|L7A3]] to replace them.

== 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}}
{{China premium ground vehicles}}

ZTZ59A

2021-12-13T17:05:04Z

U42879911: Fixed a Typo (ZTZ56A corrected to ZTZ59A)

{{Specs-Card
|code=cn_ztz_59a
|images={{Specs-Card-Image|GarageImage_{{PAGENAME}}.jpg}}
}}

== Description ==

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

The ZTZ59A is based on the long-existing [[Type 59]] and upgraded with some technologies from [[Type 69]]. Although the Type 59 chassis is rather outdated compared to later MBTs, or indeed many of its contemporaries in War Thunder, the ZTZ59A has some improvements that extend its lease on life somewhat. A laser rangefinder allows it to stay away from the heated battlefield and strike enemies from further away, enhancing its survivability and offering a straight upgrade to the tech tree Type 59.

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


The ZTZ59A's armour layout is nearly identical to the Type 59, which itself had virtually the same armour layout as the [[T-54 (1951)]]. It is well protected against typical autocannons and most conventional full-calibre rounds, but falls short against HEAT, APDS, and APFSDS. The only real differences from the Type 59 are the side skirts, familiar to players who have used the [[ZTZ59D1]] or [[T-69 II G]]. They do almost nothing against kinetic projectiles but can be helpful against HEAT warheads with some angling, acting as spaced armour. This is particularly noticeable with weaker HEAT-FS rounds in the 73 mm - 90 mm size range.

'''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 ZTZ59A has exactly the same mobility characteristics as the Type 59, with the same weight and engine power. It has decent forward mobility and the wide tracks allow it to perform well on rough terrain. The poor reverse speed and lack of neutral steering are major drawbacks, but the hull traverse is quite decent. It is easily beaten by light tanks and fast MBTs such as Leopards and OF-40s, so it is safe to assume that the ZTZ59A will not be the first to arrive on the battlefield.

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

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

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

{{main|Type 59 (100 mm)}}

{| class="wikitable" style="text-align:center" width="100%"
|-
! colspan="5" | [[Type 59 (100 mm)|100 mm Type 59]] || 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" | 34 || rowspan="2" | -4°/+17° || rowspan="2" | ±180° || rowspan="2" | {{Annotation|Vertical|up to 40 km/h}} || 9.5 || 13.2 || 16.0 || 17.7 || 18.8 || rowspan="2" | 11.18 || rowspan="2" | 9.89 || rowspan="2" | 9.12 || rowspan="2" | 8.60
|-
! ''Realistic''
| 5.9 || 7.0 || 8.5 || 9.4 || 10.0
|-
|}

==== Ammunition ====
{| 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
|-
| BR-412 || APHE || 218 || 212 || 190 || 164 || 143 || 124
|-
| BR-412D || APCBC || 239 || 236 || 220 || 202 || 186 || 170
|-
| Type 1959 APDS || APDS || 299 || 298 || 291 || 272 || 253 || 249
|-
| Type 1973 HEAT-FS || HEATFS || 390 || 390 || 390 || 390 || 390 || 390
|-
| OF-412 || HE || 19 || 19 || 19 || 19 || 19 || 19
|-
|}
{| 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%
|-
| BR-412 || APHE || 895 || 15.9 || 1.2 || 19 || 100.1 || 47° || 60° || 65°
|-
| BR-412D || APCBC || 887 || 15.9 || 1.2 || 19 || 93.94 || 48° || 63° || 71°
|-
| Type 1959 APDS || APDS || 1,432 || 3.18 || N/A || N/A || N/A || 75° || 78° || 80°
|-
| Type 1973 HEAT-FS || HEATFS || 1,000 || 10.05 || 0.05 || 0.1 || 1,180 || 65° || 72° || 77°
|-
| OF-412 || HE || 900 || 15.6 || 0 || 0.1 || 1,460 || 79° || 80° || 81°
|-
|}

The ZTZ59A's ammo selection is mostly identical to the Type 59. As usual, the BR-412D APCBC round is highly effective against lightly armoured targets such as light tanks and Leopard 1s, successful penetrations usually resulting in one-shot knockouts. It also works very well for flanking shots. The Type 1959 APDS round has the highest muzzle velocity and enough penetration to handle most targets. The Type 1973 HEAT-FS round has the best penetration and can counter just about any vehicle with steel armour, but has a sensitive fuse and can be stopped by ERA or composite armour.

The BR-412 APHE shell is worse than BR-412D in every practical way and should be disregarded because the ZTZ59A is a premium tank with all ammo types unlocked from the start. The OF-412 HE shell is technically the best option for triggering overpressure damage against light targets, but it has no utility against targets with half-decent armour and the HEAT-FS is more versatile. The ZTZ59A does not have access to the Type 59's BR-412B APHEBC round, but that round is again inferior to BR-412D in practical terms and its absence will not be missed.

==== [[Ammo racks]] ====
[[File:Ammoracks_T-54_(1951).png|right|thumb|x250px|[[Ammo racks]] of the T-54 (1951) (identical).]]

{| 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
! Visual discrepancy
|-
| '''34''' || 33 ''(+1)'' || 28 ''(+6)'' || 24 ''(+10)'' || 23 ''(+11)'' || 21 ''(+13)'' || 1 ''(+33)'' || No
|-
|}
'''Notes''':

* Shells are modeled individually and disappear after having been shot or loaded.
* Rack 6 is a first stage ammo rack. It totals 20 shells and gets filled first when loading up the tank.
* This rack is also emptied early: the rack depletion order at full capacity is: 6 - 1 - 2 - etc. until 5.
* Full reload speed will be realized as long as shells are available in the ready rack 6. If the ready rack is empty, a penalty to reload speed will occur.
* Simply not firing when the gun is loaded will move ammo from racks 1-5 into rack 6. Firing will interrupt the restocking of the ready rack.
* If you pack 28 ''(+6)'', it will keep the turret empty of ammo.
* If you pack 21 ''(+13)'' shells, it will keep most of the hull empty of ammo.

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

{{main|DShK (12.7 mm)|SGMT (7.62 mm)}}

{| class="wikitable" style="text-align:center" width="50%"
|-
! colspan="5" | [[DShK (12.7 mm)|12.7 mm DShK]]
|-
! Mount !! Capacity (Belt) !! Fire rate !! Vertical !! Horizontal
|-
| Pintle || 500 (50) || 600 || -5°/+60° || ±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 || 3,000 (250) || 600 || N/A || N/A
|-
|}

== Usage in battles ==


The ZTZ59A is essentially a [[Type 59]] with a laser rangefinder. Most of the tactics and advice for the Type 59 still apply, but it is more competent in long range combat and can work as a good sniper as a supplement to the [[Type 69]]. The laser rangefinder allows for precise long-range shots to be made with any ammunition type; Type 59 veterans may have relied heavily on the high-velocity APDS, but the ZTZ59A can comfortably sling APCBC and HEAT-FS rounds from across the map as well. The ZTZ59A can be argued to have superior armament to the Type 69, because its APDS has higher penetration than the Type 69's APFSDS under most circumstances and their HEAT-FS rounds are identical.

Bear in mind that the ZTZ59A does not have the Type 69's improved turret drive or engine, so it is less mobile and has a difficult time reacting to ambushes. These weakness can be mitigated if one maintains some separation from the front lines. In close range engagements, remember to utilize the hull traverse as well as the turret traverse to quickly adjust one's aim.

The ZTZ59A does not bring anything drastically new to the table, but as a direct improvement to the Type 59, it is a good addition to the already impressive Chinese 8.0 ground lineup. Partnering it with the Type 69 gives one access to two MBTs with laser rangefinder, and because the Type 69 is more suited for front line work, the ZTZ59A can be preferentially used for laid back sniping. The [[PTL02]] is of course the supreme sniper with its APFSDS, high mobility, and thermal sights, but the ZTZ59A is sturdy enough to participate in direct assaults as well without being melted by any incoming fire.

=== Pros and cons ===


'''Pros:'''

* Has a range of good ammo: explosive AP, piercing HEAT, and APDS
* 200mm frontal effective thickness is immune to SPAA or low tier tanks firing full-calibre kinetic shells
* Laser rangefinder allows it to engage distant targets easily
* Roof-mounted 12.7 mm HMG is deadly against light vehicles (eg. [[AML-90]], [[M551]]) and some low/slow aircraft

'''Cons:'''

* Slow turret traverse and elevation speed limits targeting rate. Fatal in surprise engagements
* Poor mobility overall, meaning low agility and responsiveness to changing situations
* Armour is still inadequate to stop common HEATFS or APFSDS (eg. [[Leopard 1 (Family)|Leopard 1]], [[T-55AM-1|T-55AM]], [[OF-40 (Family)|OF-40]])
* Limiting gun depression of -4° hinders its capacity in uneven battlefield
* Terrible reverse speed of -7 km/h prevents it from getting out of danger quickly

== History ==

The [[Type 59]] (ZTZ59, WZ120) has been the backbone of PLAGF for many decades. The chassis itself received many upgrades throughout its service and the ZTZ59A (alternatively called ZTZ59-I in the earlier naming system) is the first major upgrade over Type 59.

During the Sino-Vietnamese conflict in the late 1970s, PLAGF had found some problems with the original Type 59 and suggestions were handed to the 5th Ministry of Machine Building (第五机械工业部) for possible upgrades; meanwhile it was the era of economic reform and normalisation of relationships with Western countries. Although new tanks and refurbishment of older tanks with NATO L7 105 mm guns were planned, the mass of original Type 59s could still use some upgrades as well. In 1984, the ZTZ59A upgrade program passed state certifications: the upgrade included hydraulic steering, which provided the driver with better control and lighter force to move than the previous torsion bar steering; a Model 6610 IR searchlight mounted on the front of the chassis; FCS upgrades with Type 73 laser rangefinder from Type 69 mounted on the centre line of the tank by the mantlet, TSFCS with automatic ballistic solution; and side skirts. A new APFSDS was also developed for the gun, said to be on-par with Soviet 3BM25. Some parts of the tank were also revised from the suggestions of frontline troops, sub-systems were aimed to be more reliable and ergonomic. Some of the later ZTZ59A that had received such upgrades were also tested with different designs such as a two-plane stabiliser for the gun and welding extra fences onto the turret, while some received a smoke grenade launcher upgrade on the turret.

Although the gap between the mainstream 1980s MBTs and ZTZ59A was still huge, ZTZ59A also became the basis of more ergonomic sub-system designs of PLAGF tanks, as well as simplified maintenance; filling the gap while waiting for the newer ZTZ59-II with a brand new British FCS system and [[L7A3 (105 mm)|L7A3]] to replace them.

== 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:''

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{{China medium tanks}}
{{China premium ground vehicles}}