ZSU-23-4

T-64A (1971)

Object 435

T-64B

T-64A (1971)

Object 435

T-64B

USSR

VI Rank

Battle rating:

AB	RB	SB
9.3	9.3	9.3

Class:

Medium tank

Research:190 000

Purchase:520 000

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Description

The T-64A (1971) is a Rank VI Soviet medium tank with a battle rating of 9.3 (AB/RB/SB). It was introduced in Update 1.71 "New E.R.A". The T-64A should primarily be played defensively, utilising terrain for cover and pushing carefully. It has good firepower, but mediocre armour, average mobility and a near non-existent reverse speed.. The T-64A can be played as a sniper with one of the highest velocity rounds in game at 1800 m/s. Brawling should be avoided, as many of the vehicles it will face will easily penetrate it's hull armour. Most vehicles it will face have better mobility, so it's important to be aware of flankers.

The T-64A presents a design that is reminiscent of some Soviet tanks seen in the contemporary period. The tank's overall color scheme presents a default camouflage of the same dull green seen on nearly all other prior Soviet tanks.

Compared to all other Soviet medium tanks prior, the T-64A's suspension system uses multiple small wheels and rollers rather than the huge wheels. While this allowed better flotation, it does leave more of the side hull vulnerable to attack straight at without worry of hitting the tracks or suspension. This is at least partial reasoning for the prominent 'flaps' seen on each side of the vehicle - these help protect the sides against HEAT ammunition, causing a harmless explosion before the rounds reach the actual side armour.

Two long tubes extend from the back of the T-64A. One is on the turret, which is the container housing the snorkeling gear for the tank in deep wading procedures. The other on the turret is the familiar log that comes nearly standard with Soviet/Russian vehicle, used for removing the vehicle of it gets stuck in mud or other nasty terrain attributes.

General info

Survivability and armour

Armour type:

• Spaced armour (Hull front, Turret front)
• Cast homogeneous armour
• Rolled homogeneous armour (Turret)

Armour	Front (Slope angle)	Sides	Rear	Roof
Hull	80* mm (68°) Front glacis 80 mm (61°) Lower glacis	85 mm Front 70 mm Rear <br. 20 mm (33°) Bottom	20 mm (8-55°) Top 45 mm Center 20 mm (18-58°) Bottom	30 mm Front 20 mm Engine deck
Turret	50-330 mm (0-80°)	65-180* mm (2-49°)	65 mm (2-72°)	40-140 mm
Armour	Sides	Roof
Cupola	100 mm	40 mm
Composite armour*	Front	Sides	Rear	Roof
Hull	320 mm Kinetic 450 mm Chemical	N/A	N/A	N/A
Turret	400 mm Kinetic 450 mm Chemical	400 mm Kinetic 450 mm Chemical	N/A	N/A

Notes:

• Suspension wheels are 20 mm thick, torsion bars are 10 mm thick, and tracks are 30 mm thick.
• The side flaps on the hull side gives spaced protection against HEAT rounds, allowing one to angle the hull slightly while protecting the vulnerable side hull.
• Belly armour is 20 mm thick.
• A 5 mm RHA plate separates the engine from the crew compartment
• A log providing 100 mm thickness in wood.
• The snorkel tube on the turret rear provide 4 mm of structural steel.
• Hull roof armour at front and turret base is rated to be 30 mm effective against HE
• Hull spaced armour configuration is 80 mm RHA + 105 mm Textolite + 20 mm RHA.
• Turret spaced armour configuration is 150-180 mm CHA + 150 mm HHRA + 32 mm RHA.

The T-64A has composite armour over most of its upper front glacis and turret, although it has some obvious weak points - it has no LFP composite armour, the driver's port is not reinforced and there are some small sections of the turret that are easily penetrable. Unfortunately, though, many vehicles the T-64A will encounter have ammunition that can easily overmatch the UFP composite and often will simply punch straight through - it's best to avoid exposing the hull at all. HEAT ammunition is finicky as T-64A was built around protection specifications against shaped charges, the composite armour is 450 mm effective when against HEAT warheads and there are side flaps on the side hull to prevent even the chance of hitting the T-64A weaker side armour on the first try, although these side flaps are one-time use only so prolonged combat may have sheared these off already. Try to avoid aiming for the turret as it is the most protected area of the tank with a good portion covered by composite, leading to the need of massive amount of penetration to consider the turret a viable target, like the HOT missiles.

In a situation where the T-64A decides to hull-down and present as little of the front plate as possible, the best option is to attempt to disable the vehicle's gun - the mantlet is destroyed easily and combined with the sub-par reverse speed, this may provide enough time to push forward or around the vehicle and get a clear shot on the hull. Where possible, try to land the shot centre-mass below the turret which often causes an ammunition detonation.

Mobility

Game Mode	Max Speed (km/h)		Weight (tons)	Engine power (horsepower)		Power-to-weight ratio (hp/ton)
	Forward	Reverse		Stock	Upgraded	Stock	Upgraded
Arcade	68	5	38	1085	1,336	28.55	35.16
Realistic	61	5		619	700	16.29	18.42

Armaments

Main armament

125 mm 2A26
Capacity			Vertical guidance	Horizontal guidance	Stabilizer
37			-6°/+14°	±180°	Two-plane
Turret rotation speed (°/s)
Mode	Stock	Upgraded	Prior + Full crew	Prior + Expert qualif.	Prior + Ace qualif.
Arcade	19.00	_.__	_.__	_.__	_.__
Realistic	11.90	_.__	_.__	_.__	_.__
Reloading rate (seconds)
Stock	Prior + Full crew	Prior + Expert qualif.	Prior + Ace qualif.
7.10	7.10	7.10	7.10

Ammunition

Penetration statistics
Ammunition	Type of warhead	Penetration in mm @ 90°
		10m	100m	500m	1000m	1500m	2000m
3BM9	APFSDS	321	317	303	285	268	249
3BM15	APFSDS	440	430	420	410	405	400
3BM12	APFSDS	383	378	367	351	339	327
3BK12M	HEATFS	440	440	440	440	440	440
3OF19	HE	35	35	35	35	35	35
3OF26	HE	47	47	47	47	47	47

Shell details
Ammunition	Type of warhead	Velocity in m/s	Projectile Mass in kg	Fuse delay in m:	Fuse sensitivity in mm:	Explosive Mass in g (TNT equivalent):	Normalization At 30° from horizontal:	Ricochet:
								0%	50%	100%
3BM9	APFSDS	1,800	3.6	N/A	N/A	N/A	°	72°	73°	75°
3BM15	APFSDS	1,780	3.9	N/A	N/A	N/A	°	76°	77°	78°
3BM12	APFSDS	1,800	3.6	N/A	N/A	N/A	°	76°	77°	78°
3BK12M	HEATFS	905	19	0.0	0.1	2,790	+0°	65°	72°	75°
3OF19	HE	850	23	0.1	0.5	3,150	+0°	79°	80°	81°
3OF26	HE	850	23	0.1	0.5	5,780	+0°	79°	80°	81°

Ammo racks

Full ammo	Ammo Part	1st rack empty	2nd rack empty	3rd rack empty	4th rack empty	5th rack empty	6th rack empty	Visual discrepancy
37	Projectiles Propellants	XX (X+)	(+)	(+)	(+)	(+)	(+)	No

Take about 20 - 28 shells.

Machine guns

7.62 mm PKT
Coaxial mount
Capacity (Belt capacity)				Fire rate (shots/minute)	Vertical guidance	Horizontal guidance
2,000 (250)				700	N/A	N/A

Usage in the battles

It's key to keep the weaknesses of the T-64A in mind for the best performance of the vehicle. The 125mm gun is extremely powerful and will comfortably perform even against newer and better protected opponents, but in almost every other aspect the vehicle is lacking. Where possible, avoid exposing the hull at all - the easiest way to do so is to use a small deffolade or terrain deformity. Sit back, be patient and allow the enemy to expose their weak spots. Most vehicles are faster than the T-64A, so expect hostile tanks to find their way to objectives significantly faster than you will.

Finally, remember that your reverse speed is abysmal - whenever possible avoid situations that will force you to reverse - and if you do have to move back, where possible try to traverse the entire hull and move back with the full speed of your forwards gears.

When facing common enemy tanks:

• MBT-70/KPz-70 - When facing the MBT-70/Kpz-70, the best place to shoot is the left turret cheek as this will knock out commander and gunner.
• Chieftain Mk 10 - If hull down, shoot for cannon breach or gun barrel.

Pros and cons

Pros:

• Acceptable speed going forward.
• Turret cheeks are often surprisingly well protected.
• Vehicle is fitted with a surgically precise and devastatingly effective 125 mm gun. Well placed shots can do a lot of damage.
• Engine smoke generating system, covers friendly tanks behind the vehicle.
• Side flaps protect the tank from side attacks with chemical energy rounds (once a flap gets hit it will fall off).
• Decent reload; 7.1s no matter what because of the auto-loader system.
• Good HE shell, can be a little finnicky.
• Very low profile compared to its contemporaries, much harder to spot and hit.
• One of the fastest rounds in game (1800 m/s), easy to aim.
• Stock APFSDS shell with reasonable effectiveness.
• Tier 4 modification present the upgraded APFSDS shell with 440mm of penetration, will go through almost anything in game
• Can be very hard to destroy in hull-down positions.

Cons:

• Slow horizontal turret traverse.
• Any penetrating side shot is very likely to detonate ammunition.
• Abysmally slow reverse (-4 Kph).
• Weak lower glacis, can be penetrated by almost any round it encounters.
• Frontal penetration can easily disable 2 of the 3-man crew, leading to a crew knockout.
• Sub-par gun depression (-6°).
• No anti-air capability.
• Angling the tank causes the weak side armour to be exposed.
• Hull armour flaps are easily penetrated by kinetic munitions when angled.

Media

An excellent addition to the article will be video guides, as well as screenshots from the game and photos.

Read also

[Devblog] T-64A - The Pioneer of a New Era

Sources

Paste links to sources and external resources, such as:

• topic on the official game forum;
• other literature.