The ZSU-37 (not to be confused with the ZSU-37-2) is a SPAAG built by the USSR that was based on the chassis of the SU-76M in late 1943–44 but never saw service due to its late introduction. The 37-millimeter gun can fire clips of either high-penetrating AP-T/HVAP-T anti-armor belts, or a very powerful HEFI-T* anti-aircraft belt. With this vehicle, the main issue is not downing planes in one shot but hitting planes in the first place.
| Pros | Cons |
| Very strong anti-aircraft belt, able to take down planes in one shot. | Low rate of fire, actually hitting planes will be a challenge. |
| Effective HVAP/T belt with 87mm of penetration at point-blank range. | Entire turret has almost no armor and is full of ammo, very low survivability. |
| Although the fire rate is low, the reloading rate is almost the same, making switching belts fast. | Somewhat sluggish in terms of mobility. |
Armament
The centerpiece of this vehicle is the deadly 61-K cannon. This cannon is excellent, capable of shooting off the wing of an AM-1 in a single shot and slicing through the side/frontal armor of enemy vehicles. The main drawback of this cannon is the rate of fire. With one cannon shooting at 160 rounds/min, you may find yourself struggling to land a hit on enemy aircraft.
Available Belts
| Belt | Belt Composition | Usage |
| Default | AP-T/HEFI-T* | The default belt. It can be used against enemy aircraft and ground vehicles. Just expect the shells to occasionally do no damage due to the variety of ammunition types in the belt. |
| UO-167 | HEFI-T* | Unlockable Anti-Air belt. Can vaporize fighters and shoot the tails off bombers easily. Although the HEFI-T is self-destructive, it will not matter due to your engagement range. (up to 1.5 kilometers.) Tier 1 modification |
| BR-167 | AP-T | Unlockable Anti-Tank belt. With 70mm of penetration, it is capable of penetrating light tanks, SPAA, and the sides of medium tanks. Tier 2 modification. |
| BR-167P | HVAP-T | Best Anti-Tank belt. Capable of penetrating 87mm of armor, it can frontally penetrate German Panzer IVs (unless they have add-on armor.) Can penetrate the turret cheeks of most medium tanks. Tier 4 modification. |
Armor and Survivability
Being an SPAA, this vehicle does not have good armor nor survivability. The engine and transmission are located to the right, with the driver in the middle and fuel tank to the left. Most APHE shots will not have enough HE filler to reach the turret, though. Your hull is great against the guns of other light vehicles/SPAA, but you will be destroyed by medium tanks and heavier vehicles. However, that is pretty much the only saving grace in terms of survivability. The remaining 4 crewmembers all sit in the open-topped turret surrounded by ammunition, so expect to be obliterated by a shot to the turret. If an enemy aircraft does not kill your crew, it will most likely ammo rack you.
Mobility
The mobility of the ZSU-37 is average. At 43 km/h, it can keep up with your medium tank teammates easily. With a power-to-weight ratio of 11.48 hp/ton spaded, acceleration and turning are your main issues. Although it can go fast, this vehicle takes a long time to get there. Due to the long hull, the ZSU-37 can feel sluggish when turning.
Usage in battles
The ZSU-37 is a very versatile SPAA for its rank. With its powerful anti-aircraft belts and deadly anti-tank belts, this vehicle can be used in multiple different ways. However, it is of course an SPAA at heart and should be used as a second or third spawn.
Method #1
The classic anti-aircraft playstyle. Use the mobility to get into a good position, and then open fire on unsuspecting planes. Be wary when multiple enemies are in the air, however. Due to your low fire rate, dealing with more than one plane is a challenge. One enemy aircraft can steal your attention, leading to an open to get rocketed/bombed/strafed which is a ticket back to the hanger in this vehicle.
Method #2
Rat time! If there are no enemy planes in the sky, feel free to try and flank the enemy team or support the front lines. When supporting, peek out from behind friendlies, track/barrel the enemy, and then retreat back behind your front-line friends. Just make sure to skedaddle out of there if artillery is called near you!
If you want to go full-on rat mode, you can shred the enemy team through their flank. With the BR-167P belt, nothing is impenetrable from the side! Target unaware enemies/enemies that are giving your team trouble. If necessary, retreat behind cover, then pop out and target weak spots as your enemies are reloading. In general, flanking is the high risk, high reward playstyle.
All in all, when played correctly, this ZSU can become a nightmare for the enemy team. You can either obliterate their planes, immobilize their frontline units or pick off targets from the flank. The reloading speed is also great, meaning switching between ground and air targets is a cinch.
