Difference between revisions of "T-62 545 (China)"

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{{Specs-Card|code=cn_t_62}}
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{{About
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| about = Chinese medium tank '''{{PAGENAME}}'''
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| usage = other versions
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| link = T-62 (Family)
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}}
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{{Specs-Card
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|code=cn_t_62
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|images={{Specs-Card-Image|GarageImage_{{PAGENAME}}.jpg}}
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}}
  
 
== Description ==
 
== 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.'' -->
 
<!-- ''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.'' -->
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<!-- [[File:GarageImage_{{PAGENAME}}.jpg|420px|thumb|left]]
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After the worsening of the Sino-Soviet relationship and further escalation of the threat of nuclear strikes, the armed conflict between two countries finally broke out on Damansky/Zhenbao Island on the Ussuri River. On March 15th, 1969, T-62 №545 crossed the frozen Ussuri River to assault the island, but it was disabled by Chinese artillery and mines, forcing the crews to abandon the vehicle alongside their commander. After artillery wars to gain control of the vehicle, the Soviets sank the tank with artillery fire. A month later, the PLAGF recovered the tank with the help of PLAN divers, and it was sent to Beijing for further evaluations.
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{{break}} -->
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The '''{{Specs|name}}''' is a gift rank {{Specs|rank}} Chinese medium tank {{Battle-rating}}. It was introduced in [[Update 1.91 "Night Vision"]].
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Introduced in [[Update 1.91 "Night Vision"]] as part of a [[wt:en/news/6353-development-new-war-thunder-nation-china-en|premiums pack]] in the Gaijin store, the T-62 №545 is identical in performance to the Soviet [[T-62]]. It differs from its Soviet counterpart by the "545" numbering on the turret sides, access to Chinese camouflages, and a lack of spare track link attachment points on its upper and lower glacis. Of course, these details have little relevance in battle, and as a T-62 it features a powerful 115 mm smoothbore cannon that performs far better than the [[Type 69]]'s domestic cannon, with some technologies reverse-engineered and used for revising the flawed Type 69.
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 +
The T-62 №545 was removed from the store in [[wt:en/news/6694-shop-may-sale-in-war-thunder-en|May 2020]]. It has since been made available for purchase in-game ({{GE}}) for specific mini-events like the [[wt:en/news/7042-special-lunar-new-year-and-valentine-s-day-en|2021 "Lunar New Year"]] and [[wt:en/news/7534-special-lunar-new-year-en|2022 "Lunar New Year"]] events.
  
 
== General info ==
 
== General info ==
 
=== Survivability and armour ===
 
=== Survivability and armour ===
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''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.''
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{{Specs-Tank-Armour}}
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<!-- ''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.'' -->
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The armour protection of the T-62 is very similar to that of the T-54. Unfortunately, the T-62 tends to face more powerful guns at its BR, so its armour is not nearly as effective for its BR as the T-54's is. The well-rounded turret and sloped hull can ricochet poorly aimed rounds when angled, but should not be relied upon to protect the T-62. It is frontally immune to contemporary autocannons.
 +
 
 +
Like most Soviet-designed and built tanks, the T-62 has a very compact layout, meaning that a single penetrating hit is will most likely cripple or outright destroy the tank. Of particular note of concern is the front hull ammunition rack inside the fuel tank situated next to the driver. This rack is the ready rack of the T-62 and cannot be emptied by reducing the number of rounds carried. A penetrating hit there is likely to result in an ammunition cook-off that will instantly destroy the tank.
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 +
'''Armour type:'''
 +
 
 +
* Rolled homogeneous armour (hull, cupola)
 +
* Cast homogeneous armour (turret)
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 +
{| class="wikitable"
 +
|-
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! Armour !! Front (Slope angle) !! Sides !! Rear !! Roof
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|-
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| Hull || 100 mm (59°) + 30 mm (59°) <br> ''Upper glacis + add-on RHA'' <br> 100 mm (50-51°) ''Lower glacis'' || 80 mm (0°) ''Middle to upper side'' <br> 80 mm (20-61°) ''Turret ring extension'' <br> 20 mm (0-36°) ''Lower hull side'' <br> 8 mm (0°) ''Side Skirts'' || 45 mm (0-2°) ''Upper plate'' <br> 20 mm (cylindrical) ''Lower glacis'' || 100 mm (40°) ''Frontal glacis'' <br> 30 mm (87°) ''Hull roof incl. engine deck''
 +
|-
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| Turret || 240-214 mm (14-60°) + 85-65 (7-33°) <br> ''Turret cheeks + add-on RHA'' <br> 40-50 mm (0-63°) ''Mantlet'' <br> 40 mm ''Rear Mantlet Plate''
 +
|165-140 mm (16-57°) ''Turret side'' || 65 mm (3-26°) ''Turret rear'' || 60 mm (74-78°) ''Forehead Armour'' <br> 30 mm (78-85°) ''Turret roof'' <br> 60 mm (29-67°) <br> ''Rear turret roof (incl. ejection port)''
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|-
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| Cupola || colspan="2" style="text-align:center" | 40 mm (spherical) ''Base'' <br> 40 mm ''Commander optics'' || 40 mm (spherical) || 40 mm (0-15°) ''Centre'' <br> 40 mm (spherical) ''Outer ring''
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|-
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|}
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'''Notes:'''
 +
 
 +
* Suspension wheels and tracks are 20 mm thick, while torsion bars are 10 mm thick.
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* Belly armour is 20 mm thick.
 +
* Mudguards and storage boxes are 4 mm thick.
  
 
=== Mobility ===
 
=== Mobility ===
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''Write about the mobility of the ground vehicle. Estimate the specific power and manoeuvrability, as well as the maximum speed forward and backwards.''
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{{Specs-Tank-Mobility}}
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<!-- ''Write about the mobility of the ground vehicle. Estimate the specific power and manoeuvrability, as well as the maximum speed forwards and backwards.'' -->
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{{tankMobility|abMinHp= 899|rbMinHp= 513}}
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The {{Specs|name}}'s mobility is somewhat similar to that of the T-54 medium tank, although the heavier weight makes it a little bit more sluggish. It can reach a respectable 50 km/h forward, and the maximum reverse speed is -8 km/h. Because the {{Specs|name}} is longer than the T-54 and does not have neutral steering, its turning performance is noticeably worse, especially on rough terrain. Overall, however, the T-62 is a respectably nimble vehicle at getting around and reacting to battlefield situations accordingly.
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=== Modifications and economy ===
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{{Specs-Economy}}
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As a premium vehicle, all of the vehicle's modifications are available upon acquiring the vehicle.
  
 
== Armaments ==
 
== Armaments ==
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{{Specs-Tank-Armaments}}
 
=== Main armament ===
 
=== Main armament ===
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''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. Advise about how to use them and how to fill the ammunition storage.''
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{{Specs-Tank-Weapon|1}}
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<!-- ''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.'' -->
  
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=== Additional armament ===
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{| class="wikitable" style="text-align:center" width="100%"
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''Some tanks are armed with several guns in one or more turrets. Evaluate the additional weaponry and give advice on its use. Describe the ammunition available for additional weaponry. Give advice on about how to use them and how to fill the ammunition storage. If there is no additional weaponry remove this subsection.''
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|-
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! colspan="5" | [[U-5TS (115 mm)|115 mm U-5TS]] || colspan="5" | Turret rotation speed (°/s) || colspan="4" | Reloading rate (seconds)
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|-
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! Mode !! Capacity !! Vertical !! Horizontal !! Stabilizer
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! Stock !! Upgraded !! Full !! Expert !! Aced
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! Stock !! Full !! Expert !! Aced
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|-
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! ''Arcade''
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| rowspan="2" | 40 || rowspan="2" | -6°/+16° || rowspan="2" | ±180° || rowspan="2" | Two-plane || 15.2 || 21.1 || 25.6 || 28.3 || 30.1 || rowspan="2" | 10.40 || rowspan="2" | 9.20 || rowspan="2" | 8.48 || rowspan="2" | 8.00
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|-
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! ''Realistic''
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| 9.5 || 11.2 || 13.6 || 15.0 || 16.0
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|-
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|}
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The 115 mm 2A20 smooth-bore gun is a potent gun capable of firing APFSDS, HEATFS, and HE ammunition. It is stabilised, allowing for accurate firing on the move. The turret traverse is also significantly improved over that of the Type 59 (minor improvement over the Type 69), and the turret also provides more gun depression, allowing for some use of hull-down tactics. The gun has limited depression when the gun passes over the hull fuel tanks (at roughly 45 degrees to each side). Due to the large size of the 115 mm ammunition and cramped space of the T-62, the reload is much slower than that of comparable NATO tanks (~10–12 s depending on crew skill level and training). This is about one second slower than the already sluggish Type 59/69, and thus it is important to aim for crew members, important modules, and ammo racks during combat. If a target survives a hit without being crippled, it is quite easy for them to retaliate against the T-62, which can neither take a hit nor quickly retreat into cover.
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==== Ammunition ====
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While the APFSDS ammunition is not as lethal as the APHE ammunition used on previous Soviet medium tanks and requires some degree of careful aim, it is still capable of destroying tanks in one shot, especially with a frontal penetration.
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* There are two types of APFSDS ammunition: 3BM3 and 3BM4. The stock 3BM4 round has a pure steel kinetic rod while the unlockable 3BM3 dart is a steel rod with a tungsten slug inside the penetrator. The latter has substantially more vertical penetration and somewhat better post-penetration lethality, but its performance against highly sloped armour is significantly worse. Both rounds have outstanding muzzle velocities of over 1,600 m/s, allowing long-range shots to be made without much lead.
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* The 3BK4 fin-stabilised HEAT round has more penetration than either APFSDS round and retains its penetration at long ranges, but has a much slower muzzle velocity that makes aiming at long ranges significantly more difficult. It is more effective than APFSDS against lightly-armoured targets since it can reliably knock them out with overpressure. However, as the T-62 lacks a Laser Rangefinder compared to vehicles such as the [[Type 69-IIa]], landing an accurate shot may be harder compared to using APFSDS at longer ranges of engagement.
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* The 3OF11 fin-stabilised HE round is rather unremarkable and is only really useful against soft targets.
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{{:U-5TS (115 mm)/Ammunition|3BM4, 3BM3, 3BK4, 3OF11}}
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==== [[Ammo racks]] ====
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[[File:Ammoracks_T-62.png|right|thumb|x250px|[[Ammo racks]] of the {{PAGENAME}}]]
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<!-- '''Last updated: 2.13.0.180''' -->
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{| class="wikitable" style="text-align:center"
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|-
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! Full<br>ammo
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! 1st<br>rack empty
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! 2nd<br>rack empty
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! 3rd<br>rack empty
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! 4th<br>rack empty
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! Visual<br>discrepancy
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|-
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| '''40''' || 39&nbsp;''(+1)'' || 19&nbsp;''(+21)'' || 17&nbsp;''(+23)'' || 1&nbsp;''(+39)'' || No
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|-
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|}
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'''Notes''':
 +
 
 +
* Shells are modeled individually and disappear after having been shot or loaded.
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* Rack 4 is a first stage ammo rack. It totals 16 shells and gets filled first when loading up the tank.
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** This rack is also emptied early: the rack depletion order at full capacity is: 4 - 1 - 2 - 3.
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** Simply not firing when the gun is loaded will move ammo from racks 1-3 into rack 4. Firing will interrupt the restocking of the ready racks.
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* If you pack 17&nbsp;''(+23)'' shells, it will fill only the frontal wet stowage ready rack.
  
 
=== Machine guns ===
 
=== Machine guns ===
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''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.''
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{{Specs-Tank-Weapon|2}}
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<!-- ''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.'' -->
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{| class="wikitable" style="text-align:center" width="50%"
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|-
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! colspan="5" | [[PKT (7.62 mm)|7.62 mm PKT]]
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|-
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! Mount !! Capacity (Belt) !! Fire rate !! Vertical !! Horizontal
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|-
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| Coaxial || 2,500 (250) || 700 || - || -
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|-
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|}
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 +
The small calibre of the PKT machine gun makes it largely ineffective against all armoured vehicles except vehicles with an open compartment. It still can be used to ping targets as a rangefinding help or to mow down minor obstacles blocking your line of sight.
  
 
== Usage in battles ==
 
== Usage in battles ==
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''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).''
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<!-- ''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).'' -->
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The T-62 is similar to Chinese MBTs such as the [[Type 59]] or the [[ZTZ59D1]]. As usual with Chinese MBTs, only the turret has armour to speak of. Do not let this put you off as the T-62's 115 mm U-5TS is a formidable cannon, capable of dealing with practically any tank it faces. This comes at the cost of a somewhat slower reload time of 12.0s (9.2s if maxed crew), which is below average for its BR. All in all, the T-62 will give Chinese tankers a general idea of how to play upcoming MBTs, as the playstyle doesn't change much. Outside of its slow reload it has excellent reactive mobility and armor while not nonexistent will generally not stop enemy shells - something that is more exemplified the higher up the tree you go.
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At its current Battle Rating of 8.7, the T-62 No.545 finds itself in a very solid spot. While supporting vehicles such as the [[WMA301]] and its tech tree contemporary the [[PTL02]] are now 9.0, it now has an abundance of other vehicles around its BR bracket that support it very nicely. On the ground front, you have the [[CM25]] with its TOW-2Bs that offers a way to deal with hull-down, often very hard to smoke out campers with top attack ATGMs as a good support vehicle, as well as the [[Type 69-IIa]] at 8.3 that has a laser rangefinder alongside a solid selection of APDS, HEATFS and APHE ammunition on a stabilized platform. The [[T-69 II G]] is also a contemporary at 8.7 that has the WMA301's gun; However, its reload and armor leave much to be desired and will often relegate it to a more secondary role. The [[PTZ89]] offers a tech tree [[Object 120]] style vehicle with a stabilizer and 5 second ready rack (and a 12.7mm MG for self defense!), and the [[PGZ09]] with its radar and [[WZ305]] with its proximity fuse shells shut down enemy aircraft handily. The squadron vehicle [[Object 122MT "MC"]] is also an 8.7 MBT that greatly augments your lineup, with 4 externally mounted ATGMs for longer range enemies or as a finishing tool alongside essentially the same APFSDS (3BM3, 3BM4) rounds in the form of the 120-I and 120-II shells respectively in terms of performance, as well as a HEATFS round. It may also be a better option over the T-62 No.545 in uptiers as it is just as mobile while having a laser rangefinder (which the T-62 lacks) alongside similar shells with 4 extra ATGMs.
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For aircraft and helicopters you gain access to a wide variety of planes, a much needed overhaul from the MiG-9s and F-84s of the 7.X brackets. You can bring either the [[J-2]] (Identical to the [[MiG-15bis]] in the USSR tree) or the [[F-86F-30 (China)]], the former having either 2x100kg bombs or unguided rockets while the latter has the option of 2x1000lb bombs (which drop in pairs) or 12 HVARs. TheJ-2 has the advantage of harder hitting cannons, while the Sabre handles better in the roll axis and has better CAS options alongside much more 12.7mm MG ammo to spray at enemies. For helicopters you gain access to the [[Z-11WA]], which has access to HJ-8A ATGMs even when stock (2 of the 4 missiles are available stock). While not the most hard hitting ATGM of its tier nor the longest ranged with only 1.96kg TNT equivalent alongside a 3km flight range ([[SS.11]]s on the [[H-34 (France)]], [[SA 313B Alouette II (Germany)]] and [[HKP2]] have 3.5km and the [[Mi-4AV]] has a 4km firing range), but as the helicopter is equipped with thermal vision you can spot and target enemies very effectively.
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It is best to find visual cover as soon as possible if an enemy plane was spotted as the tank does not have a roof mounted machine gun to protect itself from aircraft. It also lacks a laser rangefinder, which Type 69 users may have grown fond of, but the high velocity of the T-62's APFSDS makes it generally unnecessary at normal combat distances. Sniping helicopters may be more difficult due to the lack of said laser rangefinder, however.
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=== General Playstyle ===
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While this tank does excel in Realistic Battles because it can make use of its lower silhouette and very accurate gun (long-range encounters are much easier because there is very little shell drop), the T-62 performs rather well in Arcade.
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==== <u>Arcade Battles</u> ====
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The T-62 performs rather well in Arcade, due to a very good gun and a mobile platform. Its armour does help you survive from time to time, especially when you are hidden behind bushes or buildings, and the enemies have to go off of your red silhouette to aim (ricochets are plenty in this scenario, because of the circular turret), however, you shouldn't rely on the armour. The biggest downside of playing Arcade is the fact that you have to face Soviet vehicles, which have the most armour around tier you will be fighting and can be annoying to fight.
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In Arcade, it's advised to go to sniping positions at the beginning of the match, and later move closer to the objectives to aid your team with clean-up or with a counter-push to secure objectives. Now, due to the small sizes of maps in Arcade, it sometimes works to drive straight into the open and try to hit an enemy exiting their spawn (something that is easy to do with the stabilizer and is a great way to get the "First Blow!" award). If not possible, then it's advised to go to one side of the map and occupy a sniping position (e.g. the hills on the Middle East, South spawn; or the rocks overlooking the sands of El Alamein, either spawn; or rocks around Alaska, either spawn; etc.).
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 +
If more than half of your team is sniping, as often happens on disliked maps such as the Middle East, step up to the plate and go for the objectives. For details on city combat read-on.
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The T-62 can fight in close quarters in Arcade very well. However, caution needs to be taken, because the reload is sub-par, and it generally doesn't allow you to push further than the objectives, because you get overrun with enemies just spawning in. So, if you find yourself in close quarters, decide if your team can cover you from the sides: if they look like they can, then focus forwards - take a strategic position where you overlook a passage to the objective and wait for enemies to pass through and shoot them; if your team can't cover you from the sides, then be very careful about your actions - it's best to find some cover in-front of your tank, and look around your sides, because when enemies don't encounter enemies, they will push up and show you their sides.
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''However'', this doesn't mean that you should always rely on your team, or you should always stick to a single location. Arcade allows you to move around and to succeed, you must move around, because it is difficult for opponents to know where exactly you can shoot them from if you constantly change your angles. So you should find a piece of cover, snipe a couple of tanks, then move forwards or sideways across the map to another position and surprise other enemies.
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Try to keep an eye on the minimap and have a general idea where large groups of enemies are - you don't want to run into 3 leopards in a city by accident. Keeping general enemy locations in mind will help you with your advancement plans - you shouldn't rush around the map only ''hoping'' that you won't get shot.
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==== <u>Realistic & Simulator Battles</u> ====
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The T-62's low silhouette can surprise enemies, by allowing it to hide behind a small bush, hill, wall or vehicle and hold an ambush position overlooking an open area around an objective (e.g. around the city in Alaska, or in the forests on European Province). The low silhouette and the amazing gun should be used together to ambush enemies at any range, knocking them out with a single shot and then changing positions so that any call-outs on the enemy team are dated by the time they are relayed to each other.
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Long-range encounters are somewhat common in Realistic Battles, and they do favor the T-62 unless in a rather hilly environment, where the gun depression may not be enough. It is recommended to get into a sniping position at the start of the match, but after 3-5 shots attempt to push up closer to the objective(s). It is best to utilize the T-62's long range advantages as much as possible, but frequent switching of your locations can confuse enemies and create better firing angles for you, giving you an artificial advantage. If you see a teammate pushing in the same direction you are, you may choose to follow them, but stay some distance behind if you decide to do so. Chances are if there is an enemy ambush, they are going to fire at your teammate (who they see first) first, and you will in turn be able to disable or destroy the ambushers.
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 +
There are less close quarters encounters in Realistic Battles, however many objectives are placed inside towns or cities. In those cases, when playing the T-62 it's important to surprise the enemy, so it's advised to go on a big flank. If you know where the enemies are approximately, you may get away with simply rushing them, because they won't expect it, however, this poses a big risk and should only be done in dire situations. If you do find yourself in a stand-off with another tank, you can try baiting a shot by showing them your front plate while angling it (but not showing the side), by using a corner of a building as cover. You can also abandon the encounter, retreat, find an ambush and wait, although a smart enemy will be cautious, some might fall into your trap.
  
 
=== Pros and cons ===
 
=== Pros and cons ===
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''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".''
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<!-- ''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:'''
−
*
+
 
 +
* Excellent APFSDS and HEATFS rounds can cleave through almost any opponent at its battle rating
 +
* Two-plane stabilizer makes it easy to fire on the move and land the first shot
 +
* Slightly improved turret armour, gun depression, and traverse compared to earlier Chinese/Soviet medium tanks
 +
* Has night vision systems
 +
* Good overall mobility
 +
* Respectable frontal armour
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* Easy to aim APFSDS even without a laser rangefinder
  
 
'''Cons:'''
 
'''Cons:'''
−
*
+
 
 +
* Slow reload
 +
* No heavy machine gun for use against soft targets or aircraft
 +
* Gun depression while improved, is not good, however, better depression than the Type 59 and T-54/55
 +
* No laser rangefinder compared to contemporaries
  
 
== History ==
 
== History ==
−
''Describe the history of the creation and combat usage of the vehicle in more detail than in the introduction. If the historical reference turns out to be too long, take it to a separate article, taking a link to the article about the vehicle and adding a block "/History" (example: <nowiki>https://wiki.warthunder.com/(Vehicle-name)/History</nowiki>) and add a link to it here using the <code>main</code> template. Be sure to reference text and sources by using <code><nowiki><ref></ref></nowiki></code>, as well as adding them at the end of the article with <code><nowiki><references /></nowiki></code>. This section may also include the vehicle's dev blog entry (if applicable) and the in-game encyclopedia description (under <code><nowiki>=== In-game description ===</nowiki></code>, also if applicable).''
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<!-- ''Describe the history of the creation and combat usage of the vehicle in more detail than in the introduction. If the historical reference turns out to be too long, take it to a separate article, taking a link to the article about the vehicle and adding a block "/History" (example: <nowiki>https://wiki.warthunder.com/(Vehicle-name)/History</nowiki>) and add a link to it here using the <code>main</code> template. Be sure to reference text and sources by using <code><nowiki><ref></ref></nowiki></code>, as well as adding them at the end of the article with <code><nowiki><references /></nowiki></code>. This section may also include the vehicle's dev blog entry (if applicable) and the in-game encyclopedia description (under <code><nowiki>=== In-game description ===</nowiki></code>, also if applicable).'' -->
 +
{{main|T-62#History|l1=History of the T-62}}
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;Battle of Zhenbao/Damansky Island
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After an initial period of cooperation between the Soviet Union and the fledgeling People's Republic of China, the Sino-Soviet split of 1956 soured relations between the two countries, resulting in the former allies becoming regional rivals. In 1969, the tensions came to a head as the PRC and USSR clashed over the disputed Zhenbao/Damansky Island for seven months. On March 2, 1969, the Soviet Army used a large number of advanced tanks and armoured vehicles in the Zhenbao/Damansky Island incident. Despite the PLA's warning, the Soviets repeatedly attempted to seize the Zhenbao/Damansky Island by force. At 11:07 on March 15, when four Soviet [[T-62]] tanks formed a column to guide two armoured vehicles into the river branch on the west side of Zhenbao/Damansky Island, they were suddenly attacked by the ambush unit led by Yu Hongdong, the commander of the island garrison and reconnaissance platoon. In the panic, the Soviet force's leading T-62, No.545, drove into a hidden anti tank mine field set by the Chinese army earlier, and the right track was immediately blown up. The crew of the tank were killed by Chinese ambush detachment when abandoning the tank. The other three T-62 of the Soviet Army turned around and fled back along the same road. The T-62 whose track was broken by the anti tank mine was then left abandoned on the Chinese side of the ice-covered river.
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The paralyzed T-62 then attracted attention of both China and the Soviet Union, which led to a battle to capture that tank. Apart from the political reasons, what was more important is that the T-62 adopted a large number of advanced technologies that were on the world's advanced level at that time. It would be a significant teacher for China to learn lessons on the development of new tanks. The Soviet side was afraid that this T-62 would fall into the Chinese hands and have the advanced technologies of it mastered by China. Firstly, this T-62 took the lead in using large calibre smoothbore cannon, which created the precedent of using smoothbore technology in tank gun in the 1960s; secondly, this type of tank was equipped with an advanced two-plane gun stabiliser, which had high firing accuracy on the move; thirdly, the T-62 was equipped with a powerful engine which had a unique design of cartridge tank; also, the T-62 integrated different protection methods against multiple threats, such as advanced collective overpressure device, smoke screening device, automatic fire extinguisher and other new technologies, which greatly improved its battlefield survivability. In addition, it is worth mentioning that the T-62 was also equipped with the TPN1–41–11 infrared night vision sight for the gunner, and TKN-2/3 day/night sight for the commander, with a night vision distance of around 800 m, giving it strong night combat capability, whereas the Chinese produced Type 59 tank at the time only had a driver's infrared night vision device, so the commander and gunner could not effectively observe and fire at night. It was precisely because the T-62 tank contained so many technical secrets that it was understandable for China and the Soviet Union to fight for this paralyzed tank.
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However, the Soviet attempt in re-taking the No.545 T-62 was unsuccessful, and the tank was later sunken into the river as the ice surface it was on was blown to pieces by Soviet and Chinese artillery fires. Eventually the T-62 No.545 was salvaged by the Chinese and was studied thoroughly, with its technologies being reverse-engineered and applied on domestic Chinese tanks such as the [[Type 69]]. Though captured by the Chinese, the T-62 never formally entered service in the PLA. The tank still exists today and is currently on display in the Military Museum of the Chinese People's Revolution.
  
 
== Media ==
 
== Media ==
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* [https://live.warthunder.com/feed/camouflages/?vehicle=cn_t_62 Skins and camouflages for the {{PAGENAME}} from live.warthunder.com.]
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* Skins and camouflages for the [[T-62]] can be used for the {{PAGENAME}}.
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;Videos
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{{Youtube-gallery|987nKHVUW1Y|'''T-62 No 545 - Patience, Then Puuuuuuuuush''' - ''Napalmratte''}}
  
 
== See also ==
 
== See also ==
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''Links to the articles on the War Thunder Wiki that you think will be useful for the reader, for example:''
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* ''reference to the series of the vehicles;''
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* [[T-62 (Family)]]
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;Other vehicles of similar configuration and role
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* [[T-54/55 (Family)]]
  
 
== External links ==
 
== External links ==
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* ''other literature.''
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* [[wikipedia:T-62|[Wikipedia] T-62]]
  
 
{{China medium tanks}}
 
{{China medium tanks}}
 
{{China premium ground vehicles}}
 
{{China premium ground vehicles}}

Latest revision as of 09:16, 3 November 2023

Rank VI | Premium | Golden Eagles
Chinese A-5C Pack
This page is about the Chinese medium tank T-62 545 (China). For other versions, see T-62 (Family).
Т-62 №545
cn_t_62.png
GarageImage T-62 545 (China).jpg
Т-62 №545
China flag.png China
VI Rank
Battle rating:
AB RB SB
8.7 8.7 8.7
Class:
PREMIUM
Purchase:Bundle or Gift
Show in game

Description

After the worsening of the Sino-Soviet relationship and further escalation of the threat of nuclear strikes, the armed conflict between two countries finally broke out on Damansky/Zhenbao Island on the Ussuri River. On March 15th, 1969, T-62 №545 crossed the frozen Ussuri River to assault the island, but it was disabled by Chinese artillery and mines, forcing the crews to abandon the vehicle alongside their commander. After artillery wars to gain control of the vehicle, the Soviets sank the tank with artillery fire. A month later, the PLAGF recovered the tank with the help of PLAN divers, and it was sent to Beijing for further evaluations.

Introduced in Update 1.91 "Night Vision" as part of a premiums pack in the Gaijin store, the T-62 №545 is identical in performance to the Soviet T-62. It differs from its Soviet counterpart by the "545" numbering on the turret sides, access to Chinese camouflages, and a lack of spare track link attachment points on its upper and lower glacis. Of course, these details have little relevance in battle, and as a T-62 it features a powerful 115 mm smoothbore cannon that performs far better than the Type 69's domestic cannon, with some technologies reverse-engineered and used for revising the flawed Type 69.

The T-62 №545 was removed from the store in May 2020. It has since been made available for purchase in-game (Ge icon.png) for specific mini-events like the 2021 "Lunar New Year" and 2022 "Lunar New Year" events.

General info

Survivability and armour

ESS
Creation of a smoke screen in the direction of movement of the vehicle
Armourfront / side / back
Hull100 / 80 / 45
Turret214 / 165 / 65
Crew4 people
Visibility75 %

The armour protection of the T-62 is very similar to that of the T-54. Unfortunately, the T-62 tends to face more powerful guns at its BR, so its armour is not nearly as effective for its BR as the T-54's is. The well-rounded turret and sloped hull can ricochet poorly aimed rounds when angled, but should not be relied upon to protect the T-62. It is frontally immune to contemporary autocannons.

Like most Soviet-designed and built tanks, the T-62 has a very compact layout, meaning that a single penetrating hit is will most likely cripple or outright destroy the tank. Of particular note of concern is the front hull ammunition rack inside the fuel tank situated next to the driver. This rack is the ready rack of the T-62 and cannot be emptied by reducing the number of rounds carried. A penetrating hit there is likely to result in an ammunition cook-off that will instantly destroy the tank.

Armour type:

  • Rolled homogeneous armour (hull, cupola)
  • Cast homogeneous armour (turret)
Armour Front (Slope angle) Sides Rear Roof
Hull 100 mm (59°) + 30 mm (59°)
Upper glacis + add-on RHA
100 mm (50-51°) Lower glacis 		80 mm (0°) Middle to upper side
80 mm (20-61°) Turret ring extension
20 mm (0-36°) Lower hull side
8 mm (0°) Side Skirts 		45 mm (0-2°) Upper plate
20 mm (cylindrical) Lower glacis 		100 mm (40°) Frontal glacis
30 mm (87°) Hull roof incl. engine deck
Turret 240-214 mm (14-60°) + 85-65 (7-33°)
Turret cheeks + add-on RHA
40-50 mm (0-63°) Mantlet
40 mm Rear Mantlet Plate 		165-140 mm (16-57°) Turret side 65 mm (3-26°) Turret rear 60 mm (74-78°) Forehead Armour
30 mm (78-85°) Turret roof
60 mm (29-67°)
Rear turret roof (incl. ejection port)
Cupola 40 mm (spherical) Base
40 mm Commander optics 		40 mm (spherical) 40 mm (0-15°) Centre
40 mm (spherical) Outer ring

Notes:

  • Suspension wheels and tracks are 20 mm thick, while torsion bars are 10 mm thick.
  • Belly armour is 20 mm thick.
  • Mudguards and storage boxes are 4 mm thick.

Mobility

Speedforward / back
AB56 / 9 km/h
RB and SB51 / 8 km/h
Number of gears5 forward
1 back
Weight37.0 t
Engine power
AB1 107 hp
RB and SB580 hp
Power-to-weight ratio
AB29.9 hp/t
RB and SB15.7 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 56 9 37 899 1,107 24.3 29.92
Realistic 51 8 513 580 13.86 15.68

The Т-62 №545's mobility is somewhat similar to that of the T-54 medium tank, although the heavier weight makes it a little bit more sluggish. It can reach a respectable 50 km/h forward, and the maximum reverse speed is -8 km/h. Because the Т-62 №545 is longer than the T-54 and does not have neutral steering, its turning performance is noticeably worse, especially on rough terrain. Overall, however, the T-62 is a respectably nimble vehicle at getting around and reacting to battlefield situations accordingly.

Modifications and economy

Repair cost
AB3 039 Sl icon.png
RB3 312 Sl icon.png
SB4 358 Sl icon.png
Crew training10 000 Sl icon.png
Experts730 000 Sl icon.png
Aces2 000 Ge icon.png
Research Aces1 780 000 Rp icon.png
Reward for battleAB / RB / SB
Talisman.png 2 × 140 / 200 / 240 % Sl icon.png
Talisman.png 2 × 214 / 214 / 214 % Rp icon.png
Modifications
Mobility Protection Firepower
Mods new tank traks.png
Tracks
Mods new tank suspension.png
Suspension
Mods new tank break.png
Brake System
Mods new tank filter.png
Filters
Mods new tank transmission.png
Transmission
Mods new tank engine.png
Engine
Mods tank tool kit.png
Improved Parts
Mods extinguisher.png
Improved FPE
Mods tank reinforcement cn.png
Crew Replenishment
Mods engine smoke screen system.png
ESS
Mods new tank horizontal aiming.png
Horizontal Drive
Mods tank cannon.png
Adjustment of Fire
Mods tank ammo.png
115mm_APDS_FS_ammo_pack
Mods new tank vertical aiming.png
Elevation Mechanism
Mods art support.png
Artillery Support
Mods tank ammo.png
115mm_HEAT_FS_ammo_pack

As a premium vehicle, all of the vehicle's modifications are available upon acquiring the vehicle.

Armaments

Main armament

115 mm U-5TS cannon
Two-plane stabilizer
Reduces the swing of the gun in two planes while moving
Ammunition40 rounds
First-order16 rounds
Reloadbasic crew → aces
10.4 → 8.0 s
Vertical guidance-6° / 16°
115 mm U-5TS Turret rotation speed (°/s) Reloading rate (seconds)
Mode Capacity Vertical Horizontal Stabilizer Stock Upgraded Full Expert Aced Stock Full Expert Aced
Arcade 40 -6°/+16° ±180° Two-plane 15.2 21.1 25.6 28.3 30.1 10.40 9.20 8.48 8.00
Realistic 9.5 11.2 13.6 15.0 16.0

The 115 mm 2A20 smooth-bore gun is a potent gun capable of firing APFSDS, HEATFS, and HE ammunition. It is stabilised, allowing for accurate firing on the move. The turret traverse is also significantly improved over that of the Type 59 (minor improvement over the Type 69), and the turret also provides more gun depression, allowing for some use of hull-down tactics. The gun has limited depression when the gun passes over the hull fuel tanks (at roughly 45 degrees to each side). Due to the large size of the 115 mm ammunition and cramped space of the T-62, the reload is much slower than that of comparable NATO tanks (~10–12 s depending on crew skill level and training). This is about one second slower than the already sluggish Type 59/69, and thus it is important to aim for crew members, important modules, and ammo racks during combat. If a target survives a hit without being crippled, it is quite easy for them to retaliate against the T-62, which can neither take a hit nor quickly retreat into cover.

Ammunition

While the APFSDS ammunition is not as lethal as the APHE ammunition used on previous Soviet medium tanks and requires some degree of careful aim, it is still capable of destroying tanks in one shot, especially with a frontal penetration.

  • There are two types of APFSDS ammunition: 3BM3 and 3BM4. The stock 3BM4 round has a pure steel kinetic rod while the unlockable 3BM3 dart is a steel rod with a tungsten slug inside the penetrator. The latter has substantially more vertical penetration and somewhat better post-penetration lethality, but its performance against highly sloped armour is significantly worse. Both rounds have outstanding muzzle velocities of over 1,600 m/s, allowing long-range shots to be made without much lead.
  • The 3BK4 fin-stabilised HEAT round has more penetration than either APFSDS round and retains its penetration at long ranges, but has a much slower muzzle velocity that makes aiming at long ranges significantly more difficult. It is more effective than APFSDS against lightly-armoured targets since it can reliably knock them out with overpressure. However, as the T-62 lacks a Laser Rangefinder compared to vehicles such as the Type 69-IIa, landing an accurate shot may be harder compared to using APFSDS at longer ranges of engagement.
  • The 3OF11 fin-stabilised HE round is rather unremarkable and is only really useful against soft targets.

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
3BM4 APFSDS 285 279 263 243 222 202
3BM3 APFSDS 350 347 322 300 283 270
3BK4 HEATFS 440 440 440 440 440 440
3OF11 HE 31 31 31 31 31 31
Shell details
Ammunition Type of
warhead 		Velocity
(m/s) 		Projectile
mass (kg) 		Fuse delay
(m) 		Fuse sensitivity
(mm) 		Explosive mass
(TNT equivalent) (kg) 		Ricochet
0% 50% 100%
3BM4 APFSDS 1,615 4 - - - 72° 76° 78°
3BM3 APFSDS 1,615 4 - - - 76° 77° 80°
3BK4 HEATFS 950 12.97 0.05 0.1 1.85 65° 72° 77°
3OF11 HE 905 14.86 0.3 0.1 2.64 79° 80° 81°

Ammo racks

Ammo racks of the T-62 545 (China)
Full
ammo 		1st
rack empty 		2nd
rack empty 		3rd
rack empty 		4th
rack empty 		Visual
discrepancy
40 39 (+1) 19 (+21) 17 (+23) 1 (+39) No

Notes:

  • Shells are modeled individually and disappear after having been shot or loaded.
  • Rack 4 is a first stage ammo rack. It totals 16 shells and gets filled first when loading up the tank.
    • This rack is also emptied early: the rack depletion order at full capacity is: 4 - 1 - 2 - 3.
    • Simply not firing when the gun is loaded will move ammo from racks 1-3 into rack 4. Firing will interrupt the restocking of the ready racks.
  • If you pack 17 (+23) shells, it will fill only the frontal wet stowage ready rack.

Machine guns

7.62 mm PKT machine gun (coaxial)
Ammunition2 500 rounds
Belt capacity250 rounds
Reloadbasic crew → aces
10.4 → 8.0 s
Fire rate700 shots/min
7.62 mm PKT
Mount Capacity (Belt) Fire rate Vertical Horizontal
Coaxial 2,500 (250) 700 - -

The small calibre of the PKT machine gun makes it largely ineffective against all armoured vehicles except vehicles with an open compartment. It still can be used to ping targets as a rangefinding help or to mow down minor obstacles blocking your line of sight.

Usage in battles

The T-62 is similar to Chinese MBTs such as the Type 59 or the ZTZ59D1. As usual with Chinese MBTs, only the turret has armour to speak of. Do not let this put you off as the T-62's 115 mm U-5TS is a formidable cannon, capable of dealing with practically any tank it faces. This comes at the cost of a somewhat slower reload time of 12.0s (9.2s if maxed crew), which is below average for its BR. All in all, the T-62 will give Chinese tankers a general idea of how to play upcoming MBTs, as the playstyle doesn't change much. Outside of its slow reload it has excellent reactive mobility and armor while not nonexistent will generally not stop enemy shells - something that is more exemplified the higher up the tree you go.

At its current Battle Rating of 8.7, the T-62 No.545 finds itself in a very solid spot. While supporting vehicles such as the WMA301 and its tech tree contemporary the PTL02 are now 9.0, it now has an abundance of other vehicles around its BR bracket that support it very nicely. On the ground front, you have the CM25 with its TOW-2Bs that offers a way to deal with hull-down, often very hard to smoke out campers with top attack ATGMs as a good support vehicle, as well as the Type 69-IIa at 8.3 that has a laser rangefinder alongside a solid selection of APDS, HEATFS and APHE ammunition on a stabilized platform. The T-69 II G is also a contemporary at 8.7 that has the WMA301's gun; However, its reload and armor leave much to be desired and will often relegate it to a more secondary role. The PTZ89 offers a tech tree Object 120 style vehicle with a stabilizer and 5 second ready rack (and a 12.7mm MG for self defense!), and the PGZ09 with its radar and WZ305 with its proximity fuse shells shut down enemy aircraft handily. The squadron vehicle Object 122MT "MC" is also an 8.7 MBT that greatly augments your lineup, with 4 externally mounted ATGMs for longer range enemies or as a finishing tool alongside essentially the same APFSDS (3BM3, 3BM4) rounds in the form of the 120-I and 120-II shells respectively in terms of performance, as well as a HEATFS round. It may also be a better option over the T-62 No.545 in uptiers as it is just as mobile while having a laser rangefinder (which the T-62 lacks) alongside similar shells with 4 extra ATGMs.

For aircraft and helicopters you gain access to a wide variety of planes, a much needed overhaul from the MiG-9s and F-84s of the 7.X brackets. You can bring either the J-2 (Identical to the MiG-15bis in the USSR tree) or the F-86F-30 (China), the former having either 2x100kg bombs or unguided rockets while the latter has the option of 2x1000lb bombs (which drop in pairs) or 12 HVARs. TheJ-2 has the advantage of harder hitting cannons, while the Sabre handles better in the roll axis and has better CAS options alongside much more 12.7mm MG ammo to spray at enemies. For helicopters you gain access to the Z-11WA, which has access to HJ-8A ATGMs even when stock (2 of the 4 missiles are available stock). While not the most hard hitting ATGM of its tier nor the longest ranged with only 1.96kg TNT equivalent alongside a 3km flight range (SS.11s on the H-34 (France), SA 313B Alouette II (Germany) and HKP2 have 3.5km and the Mi-4AV has a 4km firing range), but as the helicopter is equipped with thermal vision you can spot and target enemies very effectively.

It is best to find visual cover as soon as possible if an enemy plane was spotted as the tank does not have a roof mounted machine gun to protect itself from aircraft. It also lacks a laser rangefinder, which Type 69 users may have grown fond of, but the high velocity of the T-62's APFSDS makes it generally unnecessary at normal combat distances. Sniping helicopters may be more difficult due to the lack of said laser rangefinder, however.

General Playstyle

While this tank does excel in Realistic Battles because it can make use of its lower silhouette and very accurate gun (long-range encounters are much easier because there is very little shell drop), the T-62 performs rather well in Arcade.

Arcade Battles

The T-62 performs rather well in Arcade, due to a very good gun and a mobile platform. Its armour does help you survive from time to time, especially when you are hidden behind bushes or buildings, and the enemies have to go off of your red silhouette to aim (ricochets are plenty in this scenario, because of the circular turret), however, you shouldn't rely on the armour. The biggest downside of playing Arcade is the fact that you have to face Soviet vehicles, which have the most armour around tier you will be fighting and can be annoying to fight.

In Arcade, it's advised to go to sniping positions at the beginning of the match, and later move closer to the objectives to aid your team with clean-up or with a counter-push to secure objectives. Now, due to the small sizes of maps in Arcade, it sometimes works to drive straight into the open and try to hit an enemy exiting their spawn (something that is easy to do with the stabilizer and is a great way to get the "First Blow!" award). If not possible, then it's advised to go to one side of the map and occupy a sniping position (e.g. the hills on the Middle East, South spawn; or the rocks overlooking the sands of El Alamein, either spawn; or rocks around Alaska, either spawn; etc.).

If more than half of your team is sniping, as often happens on disliked maps such as the Middle East, step up to the plate and go for the objectives. For details on city combat read-on.

The T-62 can fight in close quarters in Arcade very well. However, caution needs to be taken, because the reload is sub-par, and it generally doesn't allow you to push further than the objectives, because you get overrun with enemies just spawning in. So, if you find yourself in close quarters, decide if your team can cover you from the sides: if they look like they can, then focus forwards - take a strategic position where you overlook a passage to the objective and wait for enemies to pass through and shoot them; if your team can't cover you from the sides, then be very careful about your actions - it's best to find some cover in-front of your tank, and look around your sides, because when enemies don't encounter enemies, they will push up and show you their sides.

However, this doesn't mean that you should always rely on your team, or you should always stick to a single location. Arcade allows you to move around and to succeed, you must move around, because it is difficult for opponents to know where exactly you can shoot them from if you constantly change your angles. So you should find a piece of cover, snipe a couple of tanks, then move forwards or sideways across the map to another position and surprise other enemies.

Try to keep an eye on the minimap and have a general idea where large groups of enemies are - you don't want to run into 3 leopards in a city by accident. Keeping general enemy locations in mind will help you with your advancement plans - you shouldn't rush around the map only hoping that you won't get shot.

Realistic & Simulator Battles

The T-62's low silhouette can surprise enemies, by allowing it to hide behind a small bush, hill, wall or vehicle and hold an ambush position overlooking an open area around an objective (e.g. around the city in Alaska, or in the forests on European Province). The low silhouette and the amazing gun should be used together to ambush enemies at any range, knocking them out with a single shot and then changing positions so that any call-outs on the enemy team are dated by the time they are relayed to each other.

Long-range encounters are somewhat common in Realistic Battles, and they do favor the T-62 unless in a rather hilly environment, where the gun depression may not be enough. It is recommended to get into a sniping position at the start of the match, but after 3-5 shots attempt to push up closer to the objective(s). It is best to utilize the T-62's long range advantages as much as possible, but frequent switching of your locations can confuse enemies and create better firing angles for you, giving you an artificial advantage. If you see a teammate pushing in the same direction you are, you may choose to follow them, but stay some distance behind if you decide to do so. Chances are if there is an enemy ambush, they are going to fire at your teammate (who they see first) first, and you will in turn be able to disable or destroy the ambushers.

There are less close quarters encounters in Realistic Battles, however many objectives are placed inside towns or cities. In those cases, when playing the T-62 it's important to surprise the enemy, so it's advised to go on a big flank. If you know where the enemies are approximately, you may get away with simply rushing them, because they won't expect it, however, this poses a big risk and should only be done in dire situations. If you do find yourself in a stand-off with another tank, you can try baiting a shot by showing them your front plate while angling it (but not showing the side), by using a corner of a building as cover. You can also abandon the encounter, retreat, find an ambush and wait, although a smart enemy will be cautious, some might fall into your trap.

Pros and cons

Pros:

  • Excellent APFSDS and HEATFS rounds can cleave through almost any opponent at its battle rating
  • Two-plane stabilizer makes it easy to fire on the move and land the first shot
  • Slightly improved turret armour, gun depression, and traverse compared to earlier Chinese/Soviet medium tanks
  • Has night vision systems
  • Good overall mobility
  • Respectable frontal armour
  • Easy to aim APFSDS even without a laser rangefinder

Cons:

  • Slow reload
  • No heavy machine gun for use against soft targets or aircraft
  • Gun depression while improved, is not good, however, better depression than the Type 59 and T-54/55
  • No laser rangefinder compared to contemporaries

History

Main article: History of the T-62
Battle of Zhenbao/Damansky Island

After an initial period of cooperation between the Soviet Union and the fledgeling People's Republic of China, the Sino-Soviet split of 1956 soured relations between the two countries, resulting in the former allies becoming regional rivals. In 1969, the tensions came to a head as the PRC and USSR clashed over the disputed Zhenbao/Damansky Island for seven months. On March 2, 1969, the Soviet Army used a large number of advanced tanks and armoured vehicles in the Zhenbao/Damansky Island incident. Despite the PLA's warning, the Soviets repeatedly attempted to seize the Zhenbao/Damansky Island by force. At 11:07 on March 15, when four Soviet T-62 tanks formed a column to guide two armoured vehicles into the river branch on the west side of Zhenbao/Damansky Island, they were suddenly attacked by the ambush unit led by Yu Hongdong, the commander of the island garrison and reconnaissance platoon. In the panic, the Soviet force's leading T-62, No.545, drove into a hidden anti tank mine field set by the Chinese army earlier, and the right track was immediately blown up. The crew of the tank were killed by Chinese ambush detachment when abandoning the tank. The other three T-62 of the Soviet Army turned around and fled back along the same road. The T-62 whose track was broken by the anti tank mine was then left abandoned on the Chinese side of the ice-covered river.

The paralyzed T-62 then attracted attention of both China and the Soviet Union, which led to a battle to capture that tank. Apart from the political reasons, what was more important is that the T-62 adopted a large number of advanced technologies that were on the world's advanced level at that time. It would be a significant teacher for China to learn lessons on the development of new tanks. The Soviet side was afraid that this T-62 would fall into the Chinese hands and have the advanced technologies of it mastered by China. Firstly, this T-62 took the lead in using large calibre smoothbore cannon, which created the precedent of using smoothbore technology in tank gun in the 1960s; secondly, this type of tank was equipped with an advanced two-plane gun stabiliser, which had high firing accuracy on the move; thirdly, the T-62 was equipped with a powerful engine which had a unique design of cartridge tank; also, the T-62 integrated different protection methods against multiple threats, such as advanced collective overpressure device, smoke screening device, automatic fire extinguisher and other new technologies, which greatly improved its battlefield survivability. In addition, it is worth mentioning that the T-62 was also equipped with the TPN1–41–11 infrared night vision sight for the gunner, and TKN-2/3 day/night sight for the commander, with a night vision distance of around 800 m, giving it strong night combat capability, whereas the Chinese produced Type 59 tank at the time only had a driver's infrared night vision device, so the commander and gunner could not effectively observe and fire at night. It was precisely because the T-62 tank contained so many technical secrets that it was understandable for China and the Soviet Union to fight for this paralyzed tank.

However, the Soviet attempt in re-taking the No.545 T-62 was unsuccessful, and the tank was later sunken into the river as the ice surface it was on was blown to pieces by Soviet and Chinese artillery fires. Eventually the T-62 No.545 was salvaged by the Chinese and was studied thoroughly, with its technologies being reverse-engineered and applied on domestic Chinese tanks such as the Type 69. Though captured by the Chinese, the T-62 never formally entered service in the PLA. The tank still exists today and is currently on display in the Military Museum of the Chinese People's Revolution.

Media

Skins
Videos
T-62 No 545 - Patience, Then Puuuuuuuuush - Napalmratte

See also

Vehicles equipped with the same chassis
Other vehicles of similar configuration and role

External links


China medium tanks
ZTZ59  Type 59 · ZTZ59A · ZTZ59D1
ZTZ69  Type 69 · Type 69-IIa
ZTZ88/96  ZTZ88A · ZTZ88B
  ZTZ96 · ZTZ96A · ZTZ96A (P)
ZTZ99  ZTZ99-II · ZTZ99-III
ZTZ99A  ZTZ99A · WZ1001(E) LCT
Export series  MBT-2000 · VT4A1
ROC  CM11
Other  Т-34-85 Gai · Object 122MT "MC"
Bangladesh  T-69 II G
Japan  ␗Chi-Ha · ␗Chi-Ha Kai
Pakistan  Al-Khalid-I
USA  ␗M4A4 · ␗M4A4 (1st PTG) · ␗M4A1 (75) W · ␗M48A1 · ␗M60A3 TTS
USSR  ␗T-34 (1943) · ␗Т-34-85 (S-53) · T-34-85 No.215 · Т-62 №545

China premium ground vehicles
Light tanks  T-26 No.531 · ␗M3A3 (1st PTG) · ␗M41A3 · M64 · WMA301
Medium tanks  ␗M4A4 (1st PTG) · T-34-85 No.215 · Т-62 №545 · ZTZ59A · Type 69-IIa · T-69 II G · ZTZ96A (P) · Al-Khalid-I
Heavy tanks  IS-2 No.402

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