Chi-Nu II

This page is about the premium Japanese medium tank Chi-Nu II. For the regular version, see Chi-Nu.

Chi-Nu II

Chi-Nu II

Japan

III Rank

Battle rating:

AB	RB	SB
4.3	4.3	4.3

Class:

PREMIUM

Medium tank

Purchase:1 600

Description

The Chi-Nu II was one of two planned improvements to the Type 3 Chi-Nu. The primary goal was to up-arm the Chi-Nu with a Type 5 (75 mm) found on the Type 4 Chi-To and Type 5 Chi-Ri. The first plan was to simply mount a Chi-To turret on top of the Chi-Nu hull, which was tested at the Japanese firing range at Irago, with tests found satisfactory. The second plan was to fit the Type 5 cannon inside of a regular Chi-Nu turret, which is represented by this version.

It was introduced with the initial Japanese Ground Forces tree in Update 1.65 "Way of the Samurai", but was released once all the rank III Japanese tanks were available to the public in the Closed Beta Test. The Chi-Nu II is a combination between two vehicles, the Type 3 Chi-Nu and the Type 4 Chi-To. It has the armour of the former, but the gun of the latter. Thus, while presenting itself as a more vulnerable body with only around 50 mm of armour, it has slightly better mobility than the Chi-To, a smaller profile, yet carries the same gun. Like the Chi-To, the Chi-Nu II should be played in a sniper-like format from a distance rather than up-close to the enemy and fighting them in close-quarters.

General info

Survivability and armour

Armourfront / side / back

Hull50 / 25 / 20

Turret50 / 25 / 25

Crew5 people

Visibility88 %

Armour type:

• Rolled homogeneous armour

Armour	Front	Sides	Rear	Roof
Hull	50 mm (15°) Front plate 12 mm (76°) Front glacis 50 mm (20°) Joint plate 8.5 mm (65°) Lower glacis	20 mm (15-30°) Top 25 mm Bottom	20 mm (0-20°) Top 8.5 mm (63°) Bottom	12 mm
Turret	50 mm (16°) Turret front 50 mm (10°) Gun mantlet	25 mm (9-10°)	25 mm	12 mm
Cupola	50 mm	50 mm	50 mm	12 mm

Notes:

• Suspension wheels are 15 mm thick while tracks are 20 mm thick.

Mobility

Speedforward / back

AB44 / 9 km/h

RB and SB39 / 8 km/h

Number of gears8 forward

2 back

Weight19.8 t

Engine power

AB458 hp

RB and SB240 hp

Power-to-weight ratio

AB23.1 hp/t

RB and SB12.1 hp/t

Game Mode	Max Speed (km/h)		Weight (tons)	Engine power (horsepower)		Power-to-weight ratio (hp/ton)
	Forward	Reverse		Stock	Upgraded	Stock	Upgraded
Arcade	44	9	19.8	372	458	18.79	23.13
Realistic	39	8		212	240	10.71	12.12

Modifications and economy

Repair cost

AB734

RB904

SB1 206

Crew training10 000

Experts165 000

Aces470

Research Aces710 000

Reward for battleAB / RB / SB

2 × 80 / 120 / 140 %

2 × 148 / 148 / 148 %

Modifications

Mobility	Protection	Firepower
Tracks Suspension Brake System Filters Transmission Engine	Improved Parts Improved FPE Crew Replenishment	Horizontal Drive Adjustment of Fire 75mm_type4_APHE_ammo_pack Elevation Mechanism Artillery Support

Armaments

Main armament

75 mm Type II Model II cannon

Ammunition48 rounds

Reloadbasic crew → aces

8.4 → 6.5 s

Vertical guidance-10° / 15°

75 mm Type II Model II					Turret rotation speed (°/s)					Reloading rate (seconds)
Mode	Capacity	Vertical	Horizontal	Stabilizer	Stock	Upgraded	Full	Expert	Aced	Stock	Full	Expert	Aced
Arcade	48	-10°/+15°	±180°	N/A	15.7	21.7	26.4	29.2	31.1	8.45	7.48	6.89	6.50
Realistic					9.8	11.5	14.0	15.5	16.5

Ammunition

Penetration statistics
Ammunition	Type of warhead	Penetration @ 0° Angle of Attack (mm)
		10 m	100 m	500 m	1,000 m	1,500 m	2,000 m
Type 1 APHE	APHE	149	146	133	118	105	93
Type 4 Kou	APHE	151	148	137	124	112	101
Type 90 HE	HE	17	17	15	14	12	11

Shell details
Ammunition	Type of warhead	Velocity (m/s)	Projectile mass (kg)	Fuse delay (m)	Fuse sensitivity (mm)	Explosive mass (TNT equivalent) (g)	Ricochet
							0%	50%	100%
Type 1 APHE	APHE	865	6.56	1.3	15	84.8	47°	60°	65°
Type 4 Kou	APHE	865	6.75	1.2	14	80.64	47°	60°	65°
Type 90 HE	HE	830	6.17	0.2	0.1	490	79°	80°	81°

Ammo racks

Ammo racks of the Chi-Nu II

Full ammo	1st rack empty	2nd rack empty	3rd rack empty	Visual discrepancy
48	17 (+31)	13 (+35)	1 (+47)	No

Note:

• Turret empty: 17 (+31) shells.

Machine guns

7.7 mm Type 97 machine gun (coaxial)

Ammunition3 000 rounds

Belt capacity20 rounds

Reloadbasic crew → aces

3.9 → 3.0 s

Fire rate499 shots/min

7.7 mm Type 97 machine gun

Ammunition1 000 rounds

Belt capacity20 rounds

Reloadbasic crew → aces

3.9 → 3.0 s

Fire rate499 shots/min

7.7 mm Type 97
Mount	Capacity (Belt)	Fire rate	Vertical	Horizontal
Pintle	1,000 (20)	498	-10°/+70°	±60°
Hull	3,000 (20)	498	-7°/+10°	±19°

Usage in battles

The Chi-Nu II is one of the best bargains you can get for the price, it has a high penetrating Type 5 cannon at a lower BR of the regular tanks carrying it (Chi-To, Chi-Ri II) in a tight package of the Chi-Nu, this comes with a somewhat weaker engine (compared to the heavier Chi-To & Chi-Ri) but the pro's outweigh the con's.

One may consider the Chi-Nu II a glass cannon, and a great one at that, the armour isn't much to write home about, but it isn't paper thin either. It's a very well-rounded medium tank in playstyle and can be compared and played like a Pz.IV F2, it can destroy anything, but anything can destroy it. But unlike the Pz.IV, reload speeds are longer in exchange for a faster turret rotation.

Against the medium tanks, its simply getting the first shot off first as the 75 mm Type 5 cannon on the Chi-Nu could penetrate most through the front hull armour, with some levels of difficulty on the turret. Of course, for maximizing the Chi-Nu's own survival, attack from the sides and make sure the enemy is unaware of the Chi-Nu's presence.

The Chi-Nu II can face heavy tanks, but it will most likely be the 76 mm KV-1 series, which the 75 mm can easily punch through the front armour. The Chi-Nu II can still meet the British Churchill VII, which is impervious to the high-penetrating 75 mm from the front, so beware if caught in a frontal engagement.

Pros and cons

Pros:

• Powerful 75 mm cannon with good penetration and very low shell drop-off
• Decent gun depression enables it to snipe from ridges
• Good handling
• Above average mobility
• Narrow chassis allows access through areas inaccessible by wider tanks

Cons:

• Packed crew due to narrow chassis leads to poor survivability against all shells
• Poor armour all around, can be easily penetrated by any tank even in full downtiers
• Sluggish turret traverse
• Reload rate quite slow

History

Development

The lackluster performance of Japanese tanks in World War II called for the development of newer medium tanks in the Imperial Japanese Army. The standard tank of the time was the Type 97 Chi-Ha, which has its chassis used in many expedient models to provide a bigger gun for the Japanese inventory such as the Chi-Ha Kai, Type 1 Chi-He, Type 2 Ho-I, and Type 3 Chi-Nu. Two new sophisticated tanks were also in development, the Type 4 Chi-To and the Type 5 Chi-Ri, both fielding the powerful Type 5 75 mm gun. However, these two tanks still needed time to iron out some design bugs, time that the Japanese did not have while being stared down by the Allied powers. To get the Type 5 gun out to their forces as fast as possible, designers sought a way to get the gun onto a vehicle as fast as possible. The solution laid on the Type 3 Chi-Nu, regarded as one of Japan's best tank since its production start date in 1943.

The Chi-To's prototype models had larger turrets that were different from the main production model. Instead of wasting these turrets, the Japanese decided to use them on the Chi-Nu body. In March 1945, a Chi-To prototype turret was attached onto Chi-Nu chassis #37. This upgraded Chi-Nu, along the line of the Chi-Ha's upgrade, was informally labeled the Chi-Nu Kai. The design was tested on the Irago Firing Grounds on March 19th and proved itself very satisfactory in combat roles. The final design was to equip the Chi-Nu with production model Chi-To turret to increase production levels and it was to help improve Japan's armoured forces to stand up against the Allies' might. This Chi-Nu with the production Chi-To turret was known as Chi-Nu II.

War's end

Like most of the Japanese late-war tanks developed and retained in the home island for the "final defense", the modified Chi-Nu and its counterparts never saw battle against Allied armour. Japan surrendered in September 1945, effectively ending World War II. A few Chi-Nu IIs were made before the end, but they are most likely sent to the scrap yard along with most of the other Japanese equipment with their demilitarization.

Media

Skins

• Skins and camouflages for the Chi-Nu II from live.warthunder.com.

Videos

The Shooting Range #177 - Metal Beasts section at 00:32 discusses the Chi-Nu II.

Best medium tanks discusses the Chi-Nu II at 2:33 - War Thunder Official Channel

See also

Related development

• Type 97 Chi-Ha (Family)
• Type 1 Chi-He (Family)
• Type 3 Chi-Nu
• Type 4 Chi-To (Family)

Other vehicles of similar configuration and role

• Pz.IV (Family) - (Late models)
• Turan III
• T-34 (Family) - (57 mm / 85 mm)
• Sherman M4 (76) (Family)
• Sherman Firefly
• Pvkv IV

External links

• [Devblog] Type 3 Chi-Nu II - Crouching Tiger
• [News] A new Japanese premium tank, the Chi-Nu II is now available for purchase

References

Mitsubishi Heavy Industries (三菱重工業株式会社)
Light Tanks
Type 95	Ha-Go · Ha-Go Commander
Medium Tanks
Type 89	I-Go Ko
Type 97	Chi-Ha · Chi-Ha Kai
Type 1	Chi-He · Chi-He (5th Regiment)
Type 3	Chi-Nu · Chi-Nu II
Type 4	Chi-To · Chi-To Late
Type 5	Chi-Ri II
SPGs
Chi-Ha Derived	Ho-Ro
Chi-He Derived	Ho-I
Chi-Ri Derived	Ho-Ri Prototype · Ho-Ri Production
Other	Na-To · Ro-Go Exp.
Captured	␗Chi-Ha · ␗Chi-Ha Kai
Note	Most tank designs would be contracted by the Army Technical Bureau to Mitsubishi
See also	Mitsubishi Heavy Industries Ltd. (Post-War)

Japan premium ground vehicles
Light tanks	Ha-Go Commander · Type 16 (FPS)
Medium tanks	Chi-Ha Short Gun · Chi-He (5th Regiment) · Ka-Chi · Chi-Nu II · Type 74 (G) · Type 90 (B) "Fuji"
Heavy tanks	Ro-Go · ▅Heavy Tank No.6
Tank destroyers	Ho-Ri Prototype · Type 75 MLRS