ZTZ88B - Revision history

U4656018: /* Description */ further revision to override during proofreading

2024-05-29T21:54:08Z

‎Description: further revision to override during proofreading

U4656018: /* Pros and cons */ Revised playstyle post-update with the removal of commander override

2024-05-29T21:53:06Z

‎Pros and cons: Revised playstyle post-update with the removal of commander override

U38088265: /* Main armament */

2023-11-25T10:10:55Z

‎Main armament

U41531792: /* Main armament */

2023-11-24T02:12:21Z

‎Main armament

U4656018: /* Usage in battles */ Adding usage in battle

2023-09-23T08:32:34Z

‎Usage in battles: Adding usage in battle

U38088265: /* Main armament */ Updated

2023-08-08T21:36:39Z

‎Main armament: Updated

U38088265: Added data

2023-08-05T17:48:47Z

Added data

U44629479: /* Media */ Added skins

2023-07-15T21:38:21Z

‎Media: Added skins

U44629479: Added TankManufacturer template

2023-07-01T05:41:10Z

Added TankManufacturer template

U44629479: Edits

2023-06-22T08:20:58Z

Edits

@@ Line 13: / Line 13: @@
 The '''{{Specs|name}}''' (Chinese: ZTZ88B式主战坦克; industry code WZ122E) belongs to the WZ122 family of MBTs and is the first mass-produced variant of the ZTZ80/88 series. The WZ122 series traces back to the [[Object 122MT "MC"|Object 122]], which emerged after Chinese engineers embarked on a campaign to develop new armoured vehicles for the PLAGF in the late 1960s to early 1970s. Although the program was canceled after direction changes, one of its prototypes, WZ1225, made it to PLAGF evaluation and was later designated as the PLAGF's new 2nd generation MBT, retaining its industry code WZ122. The tank was first manufactured as the ZTZ80-I for evaluation, and with a need for new MBTs and the 3rd generation MBT (Project 784; later renamed WZ123 and ZTZ99) still being in development, the a fusion of the hull of the ZTZ85 and the turret of the ZTZ80-I later joined the PLAGF as the ZTZ88B and was first shown during 50th National Day Parade.
-Introduced in [[Update "La Royale"]], the design shares many similarities with its successor, [[ZTZ88A]], with a longer 105 mm cannon. For players who struggled with the rather slow turret traverse speed and top speed of the previous ZTZ59/69 series, the ZTZ88B now enjoys a better gun laying system and is equipped with commander override for the gun, as well as experimental applique armour for extra protection against both kinetic and chemical shells. Alongside a new 730 hp engine for better mobility in both directions, the ZTZ88B makes a good training vehicle for later PLAGF MBTs.
+Introduced in [[Update "La Royale"]], the design shares many similarities with its successor, [[ZTZ88A]], with a longer 105 mm cannon. For players who struggled with the rather slow turret traverse speed and top speed of the previous ZTZ59/69 series, the ZTZ88B now enjoys a better gun laying system , as well as experimental applique armour for extra protection against both kinetic and chemical shells. Alongside a new 730 hp engine for better mobility in both directions, the ZTZ88B makes a good training vehicle for later PLAGF MBTs.
 == General info ==

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 Although ZTZ88B still appears to be a T-54/Type 59 derivative from its oval shape turret and hull design, but when players hear the similar engine sound to a T-72 and the gun has heat sleeves, as well as seeing the composite applique armor on the front, ZTZ88B will become the tank that will hit them hard.
-One of the most distinctive differences is the main cannon - instead of 100 mm cannon, Chinese upgraded their fleet of medium tanks/MBTs with 105 mm L7 equivalents since 1980s; ZTZ88B is no exception. Thanks to the advances of technology in 1980s (albeit lagging behind mainstreams), the turret traverse speed and penetration of types of ammunitions is vastly improved than earlier PLAGF tanks; the shells on ZTZ88B is identical to its tech-tree predecessor ZTZ59D1 though, but now it has better reaction time than the latter while still enjoys most of the FCS features minus the TVD channel, so players will have to rely on their naked eyes to seek for enemy targets, 8x is suitable for engages at around 800m, but fixed magnification also means lesser flexibility at close-quarter brawling or long-range sniping.  The other distinctive feature is the engine, there can be occasions that enemy players hear a very unpleasing engine sound from the V-46 used on T-72 or 12V150ZLC/D on ZTZ96(A), but when they see the source of sound, they will be surprised by the source - 12V150ZLC diesel engine on ZTZ88 series. Thanks to upgrades to the production of diesel engines, the engine which was based on V-54 now has similar horsepower of the early series T-72 at 730 hp, a vast improvement from any T-54/62 series and now pushes the tank faster. Sometimes, when the tank was hit by enemies on the UFP or having gunner knocked-out, one thing would be no effective damage on UFP thanks to the composite applique armor or the tank could still fire back thanks to the commander override; underestimating enemies is fatal after all.
+One of the most distinctive differences is the main cannon - instead of 100 mm cannon, Chinese upgraded their fleet of medium tanks/MBTs with 105 mm L7 equivalents since 1980s; ZTZ88B is no exception. Thanks to the advances of technology in 1980s (albeit lagging behind mainstreams), the turret traverse speed and penetration of types of ammunitions is vastly improved than earlier PLAGF tanks; the shells on ZTZ88B is identical to its tech-tree predecessor ZTZ59D1 though, but now it has better reaction time than the latter while still enjoys most of the FCS features minus the TVD channel, so players will have to rely on their naked eyes to seek for enemy targets, 8x is suitable for engages at around 800m, but fixed magnification also means lesser flexibility at close-quarter brawling or long-range sniping.  The other distinctive feature is the engine, there can be occasions that enemy players hear a very unpleasing engine sound from the V-46 used on T-72 or 12V150ZLC/D on ZTZ96(A), but when they see the source of sound, they will be surprised by the source - 12V150ZLC diesel engine on ZTZ88 series. Thanks to upgrades to the production of diesel engines, the engine which was based on V-54 now has similar horsepower of the early series T-72 at 730 hp, a vast improvement from any T-54/62 series and now pushes the tank faster.
 While having improvements onboard, there are still some flaws in terms of protection and flexibility; the design of ZTZ88B still retains the iconic, casted oval turret with similar protection of Type 59, it might be enough for full-caliber kinetic shells from lower tier, but APFSDS or HEATFS is more than enough to penetrate and disable the turret at once, possibly knocking out crews at the turret. This is also the first Chinese tank to have reduced side armor to 60 mm, autocannons even with only full-caliber shells can very likely penetrate the sides with ease during a sudden strike. And in case for a retreat for whatever reason, due to the transmission limits, the fastest it can go in reverse is only at 9 km/h, so plan ahead for where you should appear; not over-extending is a good way to increase overall survivability while still contribute to the team by stalling enemy team or even push them back.
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 * Improved gun handling and reload rate to previous tanks
 * Vastly improved mobility to T-54/55 series
 * Composite applique armour on UFP for extra protection

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 {{main|88B-105T (105 mm)}}
-The ZTZ88B retains the same calibre gun as the previous ZTZ59D1, although it is designated as the 88B-105T. Despite the different name, the ballistic performance of both guns is identical. The main differences lie in the turret traverse speed and reload rate: while the ZTZ59 series suffers from a slow, hand-cranked turret, and the ZTZ69 improves upon this to some extent, the ZTZ88B introduces a hydraulic drive for the turret, significantly increasing its rotation speed to at 20°/s. While this improvement is welcomed, it still lags behind most NATO tanks of its tier. The reload rate is below 10 seconds, which is not as quick as NATO tanks with spacious turrets. Nevertheless, the ammunition available is still sufficient to take down most encountered enemies. However, caution should be exercised when facing later Soviet MBTs equipped with autoloaders and composite armour. It is advisable to plan ahead and position the turret in anticipation of enemies since the ZTZ88B lacks the reaction time for sudden attacks.
+The ZTZ88B retains the same calibre gun as the previous ZTZ59D1, although it is designated as the 88B-105T. Despite the different name, the ballistic performance of both guns is identical. The main differences lie in the turret traverse speed and reload rate: while the ZTZ59 series suffers from a slow, hand-cranked turret, and the ZTZ69 improves upon this to some extent, the ZTZ88B introduces a hydraulic drive for the turret, significantly increasing its rotation speed to 20°/s. While this improvement is welcomed, it still lags behind most NATO tanks of its tier. The reload rate is below 10 seconds, which is not as quick as NATO tanks with spacious turrets. Nevertheless, the ammunition available is still sufficient to take down most encountered enemies. However, caution should be exercised when facing later Soviet MBTs equipped with autoloaders and composite armour. It is advisable to plan ahead and position the turret in anticipation of enemies since the ZTZ88B lacks the reaction time for sudden attacks.
 {| class="wikitable" style="text-align:center" width="100%"

@@ Line 68: / Line 68: @@
 {{main|88B-105T (105 mm)}}
-The ZTZ88B retains the same calibre gun as the previous ZTZ59D1, although it is designated as the 88B-105T. Despite the different name, the ballistic performance of both guns is identical. The main differences lie in the turret traverse speed and reload rate: while the ZTZ59 series suffers from a slow, hand-cranked turret, and the ZTZ69 improves upon this to some extent, the ZTZ88B introduces a hydraulic drive for the turret, significantly increasing its rotation speed to at least 12°/s. While this improvement is welcomed, it still lags behind most NATO tanks of its tier. The reload rate is below 10 seconds, which is not as quick as NATO tanks with spacious turrets. Nevertheless, the ammunition available is still sufficient to take down most encountered enemies. However, caution should be exercised when facing later Soviet MBTs equipped with autoloaders and composite armour. It is advisable to plan ahead and position the turret in anticipation of enemies since the ZTZ88B lacks the reaction time for sudden attacks.
+The ZTZ88B retains the same calibre gun as the previous ZTZ59D1, although it is designated as the 88B-105T. Despite the different name, the ballistic performance of both guns is identical. The main differences lie in the turret traverse speed and reload rate: while the ZTZ59 series suffers from a slow, hand-cranked turret, and the ZTZ69 improves upon this to some extent, the ZTZ88B introduces a hydraulic drive for the turret, significantly increasing its rotation speed to at 20°/s. While this improvement is welcomed, it still lags behind most NATO tanks of its tier. The reload rate is below 10 seconds, which is not as quick as NATO tanks with spacious turrets. Nevertheless, the ammunition available is still sufficient to take down most encountered enemies. However, caution should be exercised when facing later Soviet MBTs equipped with autoloaders and composite armour. It is advisable to plan ahead and position the turret in anticipation of enemies since the ZTZ88B lacks the reaction time for sudden attacks.
 {| class="wikitable" style="text-align:center" width="100%"

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 == 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).''
+Although ZTZ88B still appears to be a T-54/Type 59 derivative from its oval shape turret and hull design, but when players hear the similar engine sound to a T-72 and the gun has heat sleeves, as well as seeing the composite applique armor on the front, ZTZ88B will become the tank that will hit them hard.
 === Pros and cons ===
@@ Line 146: / Line 152: @@
 * Commander override leaves the opportunity for a revenge shot on enemies
 * Vastly improved mobility to T-54/55 series
-* Composite applique armour for extra protection
+* Composite applique armour on UFP for extra protection
 * Accurate licensed L7 gun
@@ Line 165: / Line 171: @@
 ;Skins
 * [https://live.warthunder.com/feed/camouflages/?vehicle=cn_ztz_88b Skins and camouflages for the {{PAGENAME}} from live.warthunder.com.]
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 * ''reference to the series of the vehicles;''
 * ''links to approximate analogues of other nations and research trees.'' -->
 * [[Object 122MT "MC"]] - The nominal ancestor of WZ122 series MBT
 * [[ZTZ88A]] (WZ122G) - ZTZ88 with longer ZPL94 cannon

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 |-
 ! ''Arcade''
-| rowspan="2" | 45 || rowspan="2" | -4°/+18° || rowspan="2" | ±180° || rowspan="2" | Two-plane || 19.0 || 26.4 || 32.0 || 35.4 || 37.6 || rowspan="2" | 9.23 || rowspan="2" | 8.16 || rowspan="2" | 7.53 || rowspan="2" | 7.10
+| rowspan="2" | 45 || rowspan="2" | -4°/+18° || rowspan="2" | ±180° || rowspan="2" | Two-plane || 19.0 || 26.4 || 32.0 || 35.4 || 37.6 || rowspan="2" | 9.75 || rowspan="2" | 8.63 || rowspan="2" | 7.95 || rowspan="2" | 7.50
 |-
 ! ''Realistic''

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 The ZTZ88 series shares the same NORINCO 12V150ZLC engine with 730 hp output. Although it is not comparable to NATO counterparts, it is a vast improvement over Soviet tanks at its BR, giving the tank more flexibility on assaults as it can push the tank to up to 57 km/h while having faster acceleration. While the transmission has been upgraded to a planetary gear system, the gear ratio for reverse/first gear is not very satisfactory and only gives around 9 km/h reverse speed. In the event of a retreat, this limitation could pose a major problem, as enemy tanks will have no trouble pursuing the ZTZ88B.
-{{tankMobility}}
+{{tankMobility|abMinHp=1,131|rbMinHp=646}}
 === Modifications and economy ===
@@ Line 79: / Line 79: @@
 |-
 ! ''Arcade''
-| rowspan="2" | 45 || rowspan="2" | -4°/+18° || rowspan="2" | ±180° || rowspan="2" | Two-plane || __._ || __._ || __._ || __._ || __._ || rowspan="2" | _.__ || rowspan="2" | _.__ || rowspan="2" | _.__ || rowspan="2" | _.__
+| rowspan="2" | 45 || rowspan="2" | -4°/+18° || rowspan="2" | ±180° || rowspan="2" | Two-plane || 19.0 || 26.4 || 32.0 || 35.4 || 37.6 || rowspan="2" | 9.23 || rowspan="2" | 8.16 || rowspan="2" | 7.53 || rowspan="2" | 7.10
 |-
 ! ''Realistic''
-| __._ || __._ || __._ || __._ || __._
+| 11.9 || 14.0 || 17.0 || 18.8 || 20.0
 |-
 |}
@@ Line 140: / Line 140: @@
 === 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:'''

@@ Line 162: / Line 162: @@
 == Media ==
 <!-- ''Excellent additions to the article would be video guides, screenshots from the game, and photos.'' -->
-''Excellent additions to the article would be video guides, screenshots from the game, and photos.''
 == See also ==

← Older revision		Revision as of 05:41, 1 July 2023
Line 180:		Line 180:
	* ''other literature.''		* ''other literature.''

		+	{{TankManufacturer Norinco}}
	{{China medium tanks}}		{{China medium tanks}}

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 ! Armour !! Front (Slope angle) !! Sides !! Rear !! Roof
 |-
-| Hull || 100 + 20 mm (68°) ''Upper''
+| Hull || 100 + 20 mm (68°) ''Upper'' <br> 80 m (51°) ''Lower'' || 60 mm ''Top'' <br> 50 mm ''Bottom'' || 45 mm (4°) || 30 mm
 |-
 | Turret || 200 - 300 mm ''Turret front'' (Volumetric)<br> 70 - 400 mm ''Gun mantlet'' (Volumetric) || 100 - 200 mm (Volumetric) || 60 - 70 mm (Volumetric) || 30 mm
@@ Line 44: / Line 42: @@
 {| class="wikitable"
-!Composite Armor
+! Composite Armour !! Frontal Effective Protection
-!Frontal Effective Protection
+|-
 |-
 |}