T-72M1 (Germany) - Revision history

U44629479: Edits

2024-04-16T17:45:20Z

Edits

U38088265: /* Main armament */

2024-04-16T17:31:41Z

‎Main armament

U31315058: /* Pros and cons */

2023-06-26T23:13:53Z

‎Pros and cons

U9202753: Specs-Card ArtImage Added. New sights link added.

2023-05-25T20:03:35Z

Specs-Card ArtImage Added. New sights link added.

U38088265: Edits

2023-05-06T19:47:43Z

Edits

Show changes

U4656018: Adding most descriptions to T-72M1; history context pending

2023-05-05T16:00:41Z

Adding most descriptions to T-72M1; history context pending

U44629479: Edits

2023-05-05T12:38:03Z

Edits

U67979795: /* General info */

2023-04-05T07:41:55Z

‎General info

U67979795: /* Main armament */ shell count statistics added

2023-04-05T07:40:14Z

‎Main armament: shell count statistics added

U67979795: /* Survivability and armour */ added armour values

2023-04-05T07:33:08Z

‎Survivability and armour: added armour values

@@ Line 60: / Line 60: @@
 {{main|2A46 (125 mm)}}
-The T-72M1 shares the same gun as the T-72A, and this version of the 2A46M was equipped with heat sleeves. Due to export limitations from the Soviet Army, the only ammunition options for the T-72M1 are those used by the T-72A. The overall firepower of the T-72M1 is quite sufficient at its tier, thanks to its large-calibre 125 mm gun (NATO tanks have yet to upgrade their MBTs to 120 mm guns). The penetration is more than enough to handle most enemies it may face. However, it is important to be cautious of the rather slow turret traverse speed and the fixed 7.1 second reload time - plan your shots very carefully since exposed T-72s are rather fragile to incoming shells that aim for their weak spots.
+The T-72M1 shares the same gun as the T-72A, and this version of the 2A46 was equipped with heat sleeves. Due to export limitations from the Soviet Army, the only ammunition options for the T-72M1 are those used by the T-72A. The overall firepower of the T-72M1 is quite sufficient at its tier, thanks to its large-calibre 125 mm gun (NATO tanks have yet to upgrade their MBTs to 120 mm guns). The penetration is more than enough to handle most enemies it may face. However, it is important to be cautious of the rather slow turret traverse speed and the fixed 7.1 second reload time - plan your shots very carefully since exposed T-72s are rather fragile to incoming shells that aim for their weak spots.
 {| class="wikitable" style="text-align:center" width="100%"
@@ Line 128: / Line 128: @@
 The T-72 series is widely known for being an economical yet effective option for large-scale tank assaults. The T-72M1 in NVA service is no exception, sharing many characteristics with its Soviet counterparts. Its armour and firepower are superior to most enemies it might encounter, but there are some persistent flaws in this tank series that players should be aware of.
-The T-72M1 is mostly identical to the T-72A Mod. 1983 in Soviet service, featuring the smoke launchers and extra layer of applique armour on the upper front plate (UFP) that provides additional protection against most tanks at its tier. The installation of the later 2A46M 125 mm gun also ensures that it can take on enemy targets at its tier with ease, as most tanks at its tier would be one-shot by its devastating ammunition. Players who are familiar with the Soviet tech tree will quickly become accustomed to the T-72M1's similar performance to the T-72A. Those who are using it as an alternative to Bundeswehr MBTs, however, will need to adjust their tactics to maximize its effectiveness against potential enemies. While the T-72M1 lacks the high top speed of tanks like the Leopard series (barely reaching 59 km/h, similar to PLAGF tanks), it has the firepower to obliterate enemies from a distance thanks to its laser rangefinder (LRF) and larger calibre gun. The high muzzle velocity of its APFSDS shell ensures that it lands on designated targets accurately, while its HE-FS shell can sometimes result in surprise kills on enemy MBTs with overpressure damage, not to mention light vehicles with minimal protection. Players should note, however, that the T-72M1's slow turret traverse speed and fixed magnification gunsight can make sniping a challenge. In the event of a more aggressive approach, the T-72M1's protection and firepower make it capable of breaking through defensive lines composed of lower-tier tanks. Players should take cover as soon as possible after a large-scale counterattack, however, as the tank is not capable of rapid shots on enemies. Delaying counterattacks and waiting for support is the best strategy.
+The T-72M1 is mostly identical to the T-72A Mod. 1983 in Soviet service, featuring the smoke launchers and extra layer of applique armour on the upper front plate (UFP) that provides additional protection against most tanks at its tier. The installation of the later 2A46 125 mm gun also ensures that it can take on enemy targets at its tier with ease, as most tanks at its tier would be one-shot by its devastating ammunition. Players who are familiar with the Soviet tech tree will quickly become accustomed to the T-72M1's similar performance to the T-72A. Those who are using it as an alternative to Bundeswehr MBTs, however, will need to adjust their tactics to maximize its effectiveness against potential enemies. While the T-72M1 lacks the high top speed of tanks like the Leopard series (barely reaching 59 km/h, similar to PLAGF tanks), it has the firepower to obliterate enemies from a distance thanks to its laser rangefinder (LRF) and larger calibre gun. The high muzzle velocity of its APFSDS shell ensures that it lands on designated targets accurately, while its HE-FS shell can sometimes result in surprise kills on enemy MBTs with overpressure damage, not to mention light vehicles with minimal protection. Players should note, however, that the T-72M1's slow turret traverse speed and fixed magnification gunsight can make sniping a challenge. In the event of a more aggressive approach, the T-72M1's protection and firepower make it capable of breaking through defensive lines composed of lower-tier tanks. Players should take cover as soon as possible after a large-scale counterattack, however, as the tank is not capable of rapid shots on enemies. Delaying counterattacks and waiting for support is the best strategy.
 A common issue that haunts the T-72 series is the gun traverse speed, as previously mentioned. Chances are that enemies will take to the flanks to hit the tank's sides instead, which will result in the most devastating blow it could suffer - the cramped AZ-172 autoloader is completely exposed to enemy shells, and a precise hit on it could trigger a "jack-in-the-box" effect, sending the turret flying hundreds of metres away from the hull. Therefore, players should never show the sides to enemies and should plan their assaults carefully. Directing the tank straight towards the enemies is the best way to increase the odds of survival. The well-known driver visor and LFP weakspot are still vulnerabilities of the T-72M1, but shells will often encounter areas well-protected with the applique armour. Players should avoid giving enemies the opportunity to take aim at these spots.

@@ Line 58: / Line 58: @@
 {{Specs-Tank-Weapon|1}}
 <!-- ''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.'' -->
-{{main|2A46M (125 mm)}}
+{{main|2A46 (125 mm)}}
 The T-72M1 shares the same gun as the T-72A, and this version of the 2A46M was equipped with heat sleeves. Due to export limitations from the Soviet Army, the only ammunition options for the T-72M1 are those used by the T-72A. The overall firepower of the T-72M1 is quite sufficient at its tier, thanks to its large-calibre 125 mm gun (NATO tanks have yet to upgrade their MBTs to 120 mm guns). The penetration is more than enough to handle most enemies it may face. However, it is important to be cautious of the rather slow turret traverse speed and the fixed 7.1 second reload time - plan your shots very carefully since exposed T-72s are rather fragile to incoming shells that aim for their weak spots.
@@ Line 64: / Line 64: @@
 {| class="wikitable" style="text-align:center" width="100%"
 |-
-! colspan="5" | [[2A46M (125 mm)|125 mm 2A46M]] || colspan="5" | Turret rotation speed (°/s) || Reloading rate (seconds)
+! colspan="5" | [[2A46 (125 mm)|125 mm 2A46]] || colspan="5" | Turret rotation speed (°/s) || Reloading rate (seconds)
 |-
 ! Mode !! Capacity !! Vertical !! Horizontal !! Stabilizer
@@ Line 79: / Line 79: @@
 ==== Ammunition ====
-{{:2A46M (125 mm)/Ammunition|3BK12M, 3OF26, 3BM9, 3BM15, 3BM22}}
+{{:2A46 (125 mm)/Ammunition|3BK12M, 3OF26, 3BM9, 3BM15, 3BM22}}
 ==== [[Ammo racks]] ====

@@ Line 153: / Line 153: @@
 * Fixed 8x optical channel with less flexibility to variable magnification optics
 * Lacks commander override for the gun
 == History ==
@@ Line 166: / Line 167: @@
 ;Sights
 * [https://live.warthunder.com/post/675135/en/ RideR2's Realistic and semi-realistic gunsight reticles for German vehicles.]
 * [https://live.warthunder.com/post/1043715/en/ Caff_Gunner's (Germany) Historical and semi-historical gun reticles.]

@@ Line 6: / Line 6: @@
 {{Specs-Card
 |code=germ_kpz_t72m1
-|images={{Specs-Card-Image|GarageImage_{{PAGENAME}}.jpg}}
+|images={{Specs-Card-Image|GarageImage_{{PAGENAME}}.jpg|ArtImage_{{PAGENAME}}.png}}
 }}
@@ Line 164: / Line 164: @@
 * [https://live.warthunder.com/feed/camouflages/?vehicle=germ_kpz_t72m1 Skins and camouflages for the {{PAGENAME}} from live.warthunder.com.]
 == See also ==

@@ Line 11: / Line 11: @@
 == Description ==
 <!-- ''In the description, the first part should be about the history of the creation and combat usage of the vehicle, as well as its key features. In the second part, tell the reader about the ground vehicle in the game. Insert a screenshot of the vehicle, so that if the novice player does not remember the vehicle by name, he will immediately understand what kind of vehicle the article is talking about.'' -->
-The '''{{Specs|name}}''' is a rank {{Specs|rank}} German medium tank {{Battle-rating}}. It was introduced in [[Update "Sky Guardians"]].
+The '''{{Specs|name}}''' was the last Warsaw Pact tanks delivered to East Germany as their new spearhead during the 1980s in case for the Cold War turned into a full-scale world war. The variants in NVA were rather complicated but all of these T-72s were either from Soviet Union (T-72 and T-72A) or from Warsaw Pact countries with licensed production variants (T-72M and T-72M1); the current model in-game represents the export/licensed T-72M1 with mostly identical performance to Soviet's T-72A Mod. 1983 (upgraded T-72A with additional plates on UFP which is a researchable upgrade to the [[T-72A]] in-game) after domestic upgrades in East Germany. These tanks didn't see an outbreak of war and were then transferred to Heer for evaluation or for sale.
 == General info ==
@@ Line 17: / Line 19: @@
 {{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.'' -->
-The T-72M1 is basically a near identical copy of the T-72A found in the Soviet tech tree, therefore the armour layout is also almost identical. Some differences are the additional applique armour placed on the front glacis. While not substantially thick, the sloping effect on top of the composite front glacis might be enough to prevent some shells from fully penetrating.
+The T-72M1 is basically a near identical copy of the T-72A found in the Soviet tech tree, therefore the armour layout is also almost identical. Some differences are the additional applique armour placed on the front glacis which was part of the mid-1980s upgrade. While not substantially thick, the sloping effect on top of the composite front glacis might be enough to prevent some shells from fully penetrating, especially those from lower tier; they will have extremely hard time going through the armor.
 The hull and turret of the T-72M1 are strong enough to somewhat reliably bounce some shells and eat, although it still possesses the same weak spots that most other soviet tanks have (lower front plate, drivers optics, etc.).
@@ Line 44: / Line 46: @@
 {{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.'' -->
-''Write about the mobility of the ground vehicle. Estimate the specific power and manoeuvrability, as well as the maximum speed forwards and backwards.''
+Due to the late introduction of T-72M1 in NVA service and being the A/M variants, T-72M1 were still powered by the well-known V-46-6 V12 turbocharged diesel engine for these series of T-72s. At up to 780 hp when upgraded with around 19 hp/t power-to-weight ratio, it is nowhere close to the fastest tank in-game, but this still gives considerably more maneuverability over [[M60 (Disambiguation)|M60 family]] or [[Chieftain (Family)|Chieftains]]; another note is the infamous 7F1R gear configuration planetary transmission for post-T-64 tanks where the rather high gear ratio gives T-72 its distinctively slow reverse speed, a lethal flaw that most Soviet/Warsaw-Pact or certain PLAGF tanks share.
 {{tankMobility|abMinHp=1,209|rbMinHp=690}}
@@ Line 58: / Line 60: @@
 {{main|2A46M (125 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.''
+T-72M1 shares the same gun as T-72A and this version of 2A46M was equipped with heat sleeves; due to the export limitations from Soviet Army, ammunitions for T-72A are also the only options for T-72M1 as well. The overall firepower is very sufficient at its tier thanks to its large-caliber at 125 mm (NATO tanks yet to upgrade their MBTs to 120 mm guns) and the penetration is more than enough to handle most enemies it might face at its tier. Do beware of the rather slow turret traverse speed and its fixed 7.1 second reload time- plan your shots very carefully since exposed T-72s are rather fragile to oncoming shells going for the weakspot.
 {| class="wikitable" style="text-align:center" width="100%"
@@ Line 101: / Line 103: @@
 {{main|NSVT (12.7 mm)|PKT (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.''
+Like its Soviet/Warsaw-Pact counterparts, T-72M1 in NVA service also equipped with NSVT and PKT as its machine guns onboard; the NSVT is good for handling light vehicles or oncoming aircrafts that were within its vertical traverse limits, while PKT is only good for taking out exposed crews of enemy vehicles from lower tier.
 {| class="wikitable" style="text-align:center" width="50%"
@@ Line 124: / Line 126: @@
 == 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).'' -->
-''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).''
+The T-72 series are known to be an economical yet sufficient options for large-scale tank assaults; the T-72M1 in NVA service also shared these points with its Soviet counterparts where its protection and fire will shine over most enemies it might face, while players should also beware of some long-lasting flaws for this series of tanks.
 === 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".'' -->
+<!-- ''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:'''
-'''Pros:'''
+* Better protection and small profile against enemy tanks
+*
 '''Cons:'''
+*

@@ Line 19: / Line 19: @@
 The T-72M1 is basically a near identical copy of the T-72A found in the Soviet tech tree, therefore the armour layout is also almost identical. Some differences are the additional applique armour placed on the front glacis. While not substantially thick, the sloping effect on top of the composite front glacis might be enough to prevent some shells from fully penetrating.
-The hull and turret of the T-72M1 are strong enough to somewhat reliably bounce some shells and eat, although it still possesses the same "weak spots" that most other soviet tanks have (weak lower front plate, drivers optics etc.)
+The hull and turret of the T-72M1 are strong enough to somewhat reliably bounce some shells and eat, although it still possesses the same weak spots that most other soviet tanks have (lower front plate, drivers optics, etc.).
 '''Armour type:'''
-* Cast homogenous armor (turret)
+* Cast homogeneous armor (turret)
-* Rolled homogenous armor (hull)<!-- The types of armour present on the vehicle and their general locations -->
+* Rolled homogeneous armor (hull)
 {| class="wikitable"
@@ Line 48: / Line 46: @@
 ''Write about the mobility of the ground vehicle. Estimate the specific power and manoeuvrability, as well as the maximum speed forwards and backwards.''
-{{tankMobility|abMinHp=1,209|rbMinHp=690|AoAweight=}}
+{{tankMobility|abMinHp=1,209|rbMinHp=690}}
 === Modifications and economy ===

@@ Line 32: / Line 32: @@
 ! Armour !! Front (Slope angle) !! Sides !! Rear !! Roof
 |-
-| Hull || 60+16 mm || 80 mm ''Top'' <br>20 mm ''Bottom'' || 40 mm || 20 mm
+| Hull || 210+16 mm || 80 mm ''Top'' <br>20 mm ''Bottom'' || 40 mm || 20 mm
 |-
 | Turret || 200-280 mm Turret front <br>150-400 mm Gun mantlet || 130-240 mm || 60-100 mm || 45 mm

@@ Line 71: / Line 71: @@
 |-
 ! ''Arcade''
-| rowspan="2" | 44 || rowspan="2" | -6°/+13° || rowspan="2" | ±180° || rowspan="2" | Two-plane || __._ || __._ || __._ || __._ || __._ || rowspan="2" | _.__ || rowspan="2" | _.__ || rowspan="2" | _.__ || rowspan="2" | _.__
+| rowspan="2" | 44 || rowspan="2" | -6°/+13° || rowspan="2" | ±180° || rowspan="2" | Two-plane || 19.0 || 26.4 || 32.0 || 35.4 || 37.6 || rowspan="2" | 7.10 || rowspan="2" | 7.10 || rowspan="2" | 7.10 || rowspan="2" | 7.10
 |-
 ! ''Realistic''
-| __._ || __._ || __._ || __._ || __._
+| 11.9 || 14.0 || 17.0 || 18.8 || 20.0
 |-
 |}
@@ Line 91: / Line 91: @@
 ! 3rd<br>rack empty
 ! 4th<br>rack empty
 ! Visual<br>discrepancy
 |-
-| '''44''' || __&nbsp;''(+__)'' || __&nbsp;''(+__)'' || __&nbsp;''(+__)'' || __&nbsp;''(+__)'' || __&nbsp;''(+__)'' || __&nbsp;''(+__)'' || __
+| '''44''' || 40&nbsp;''(+4)'' || 29&nbsp;''(+15)'' || 23&nbsp;''(+21)'' || 1&nbsp;''(+43)'' || No
 |-
 |}

@@ Line 17: / Line 17: @@
 {{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.'' -->
-''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.''
+The T-72M1 is basically a near identical copy of the T-72A found in the Soviet tech tree, therefore the armour layout is also almost identical. Some differences are the additional applique armour placed on the front glacis. While not substantially thick, the sloping effect on top of the composite front glacis might be enough to prevent some shells from fully penetrating.
-'''Armour type:''' <!-- The types of armour present on the vehicle and their general locations -->
+The hull and turret of the T-72M1 are strong enough to somewhat reliably bounce some shells and eat, although it still possesses the same "weak spots" that most other soviet tanks have (weak lower front plate, drivers optics etc.)
 <!-- Example: * Rolled homogeneous armour (Front, Side, Rear, Hull roof)
 * Cast homogeneous armour (Turret, Transmission area) -->
@@ Line 27: / Line 32: @@
 ! Armour !! Front (Slope angle) !! Sides !! Rear !! Roof
 |-
-| Hull || ___ mm || ___ mm ''Top'' <br> ___ mm ''Bottom'' || ___ mm || ___ - ___ mm
+| Hull || 60+16 mm || 80 mm ''Top'' <br>20 mm ''Bottom'' || 40 mm || 20 mm
 |-
-| Turret || ___ - ___ mm ''Turret front'' <br> ___ mm ''Gun mantlet'' || ___ - ___ mm || ___ - ___ mm || ___ - ___ mm
+| Turret || 200-280 mm Turret front <br>150-400 mm Gun mantlet || 130-240 mm || 60-100 mm || 45 mm
 |-
-| Cupola || ___ mm || ___ mm || ___ mm || ___ mm
+| Cupola || 100 mm || 100 mm || 100 mm || 45 mm
 |-
 |}
@@ Line 43: / Line 48: @@
 ''Write about the mobility of the ground vehicle. Estimate the specific power and manoeuvrability, as well as the maximum speed forwards and backwards.''
-{{tankMobility|abMinHp=1,209|rbMinHp=690}}
+{{tankMobility|abMinHp=1,209|rbMinHp=690|AoAweight=}}
 === Modifications and economy ===
@@ Line 130: / Line 135: @@
 '''Pros:'''
+*
 '''Cons:'''
+*
@@ Line 143: / Line 150: @@
 ;Skins
 * [https://live.warthunder.com/feed/camouflages/?vehicle=germ_kpz_t72m1 Skins and camouflages for the {{PAGENAME}} from live.warthunder.com.]
@@ Line 151: / Line 159: @@
 ;Related development
 * [[T-72 (Family)]]
@@ Line 158: / Line 167: @@
 * ''other literature.'' -->
 ''Paste links to sources and external resources, such as:''
 * ''topic on the official game forum;''
 * ''other literature.''
 {{Germany medium tanks}}