Difference between revisions of "ASU-85"

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m (→‎Usage in battles: Added some new weakspot data for some common heavy vehicles, removed some vehicles such as Panther II and Tiger 2 105mm (they arent common at all))
 
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{{Specs-Card
 
{{Specs-Card
 
|code=ussr_asu_85
 
|code=ussr_asu_85
−
|images={{Specs-Card-Image|GarageImage_{{PAGENAME}}.jpg}}
+
|images={{Specs-Card-Image|GarageImage_{{PAGENAME}}.jpg|ArtImage_{{PAGENAME}}.png}}
 
}}
 
}}
  
 
== 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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The '''{{Specs|name}}''' is a rank {{Specs|rank}} Soviet tank destroyer {{Battle-rating}}. It was introduced in [[Update 1.59 "Flaming Arrows"]]. It was designed to provide the VDV (''Vozdushno-Desantnye Voyska''), the Soviet airborne forces, with an air-portable self-propelled gun for independent fire support and anti-tank capability in support of paratroopers during airborne operations.
+
The '''ASU-85 (Авиадесантная самоходная установка, АСУ-85)''' was a Cold War-era Soviet-designed airborne self-propelled gun. It began to replace the open-topped [[ASU-57]] in service in 1959. Beginning in 1969, it was superseded by the BMD-1. It was designed to replace older designs such as the ASU-57 for use by the Vozdushno-Desantnye Voyska (VDV). Its design was lengthy and intricate, and it took nearly ten years to complete due to the demanding demands of getting the vehicle airborne. The ASU-85 saw duty as late as the Soviet-Afghan War, but it was far from widespread. The ASU-85 was based on the [[PT-76 (Family)|PT-76 light amphibious tank family]] chassis, however, it lacked amphibious characteristics and was powered by a different engine. The vehicle was divided into three compartments: the driver's compartment at the front, the combat compartment in the centre, and the engine compartment in the back. The ASU-85 was utilized in airborne missions by the Soviet Airborne Forces. With minimal anti-tank capability, its primary function was light infantry support or assault fortifications. The ASU-85 was only exported to two other Warsaw Pact countries: East Germany and Poland. NATO first noticed it in 1962, and it was frequently utilized by Soviet and Polish airborne units.
 +
 
 +
Introduced in [[Update 1.59 "Flaming Arrows"]], the ASU-85 is a unique vehicle that survives on the battlefield through stealth. It is particularly vulnerable if caught in the open due to the very thin roof armour, especially against planes. The armament can deal with almost any tank that the ASU-85 is likely to encounter. Unfortunately, the ASU-85 lacks the mobility of its forefather, the ASU-57, and must play more passively. On city maps, where engagements are typically close-range, this could be a problem. Overall, the ASU-85 is a situational vehicle that excels on large maps and circumstances where the terrain allows for stealth ambush but struggles in close-quarters combat.
  
 
== General info ==
 
== General info ==
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The front upper glacis plate, while only 45 mm thick, is quite heavily sloped and can occasionally ricochet rounds. The mantlet is also quite thick and rounded, and it can also bounce the occasional lucky shot.
 
The front upper glacis plate, while only 45 mm thick, is quite heavily sloped and can occasionally ricochet rounds. The mantlet is also quite thick and rounded, and it can also bounce the occasional lucky shot.
  
−
However, the rest of the ASU-85 is very thinly armoured and vulnerable to even heavy machine guns. It is especially vulnerable to aircraft strafing.
+
However, the rest of the ASU-85 is very thinly armoured and vulnerable to even heavy machine guns. Angling is useless in this tank, since thin armour parts get overmatched by high calibre shells and they just ignore ricochet chance completely. If it is necessary to give the enemy something to fire at, it is possible to take only half of the shells and then present the left side to the enemy, as it will have less ammo racks, though it is still likely the entire tank will be obliterated anyway.
 +
 
 +
The tank itself is very short and can even bully tanks like the [[M4A3 (76) W]] by standing next to them, as it will only be able to aim at the autobounce zone on top of the ASU-85 and will likely miss. In the case if the tank it stands next to explodes, the ASU-85 will also suffer overpressure damage and often lose crew, so moderate levels of "vitality" crew skill are needed to survive when doing this.
 +
 
 +
The ASU-85 is also somewhat vulnerable to aircraft strafing, particularly if they attack from the top or with rockets.
  
 
'''Armour type:'''
 
'''Armour type:'''
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The ASU-85 is based on the [[PT-76B]] and uses the same engine. It is somewhat heavier, however, and the mobility thus suffers comparatively. With a top speed of under 50 km/h, the ASU-85 is relatively slow for such a lightly armoured vehicle, but it is adequate enough for repositioning when needed. The ASU-85 also has a fairly slow reverse speed and only one reverse gear, inherited from the PT-76B.
 
The ASU-85 is based on the [[PT-76B]] and uses the same engine. It is somewhat heavier, however, and the mobility thus suffers comparatively. With a top speed of under 50 km/h, the ASU-85 is relatively slow for such a lightly armoured vehicle, but it is adequate enough for repositioning when needed. The ASU-85 also has a fairly slow reverse speed and only one reverse gear, inherited from the PT-76B.
  
−
It should also be noted that the ASU-85 is ''not'' amphibious, unlike the PT-76B it is based on.
+
Note that the ASU-85 is not amphibious, unlike the PT-76B it is based on.
  
 
=== Modifications and economy ===
 
=== Modifications and economy ===
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{{main|D-70 (85 mm)}}
 
{{main|D-70 (85 mm)}}
  
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The ASU-85 is armed with the '''85 mm D-70''', a significantly more powerful gun compared to the wartime Soviet 85 mm ZiS S-53 and D-5T guns and comparable in capability to the German 8,8 cm L/71 guns. The mounting has only 4° of gun depression due to the restricted size of the vehicle, but has a fairly generous amount of traverse for a casemate tank destroyer. It has a relatively low rate-of-fire for its calibre, reflecting the rather cramped crew compartment of the ASU-85.
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The ASU-85 is armed with the '''85 mm D-70''', a significantly more powerful gun compared to the wartime Soviet 85 mm ZiS S-53 and D-5T guns and comparable in capability to the German 8,8 cm L/71 guns. The mounting has only 4° of gun depression due to the restricted size of the vehicle, but has a fairly generous amount of traverse for a casemate tank destroyer. It has a relatively low rate-of-fire for its calibre, reflecting the rather cramped crew compartment of the ASU-85. The recoil of a gun throws the tank around, especially if it is fired sideways, sometimes kicking the tank backwards up to 5-10 m.
  
−
The standard shell is the '''BR-372''' APBC shell with a lethal explosive filler. It has an excellent muzzle velocity and is accurate at long ranges. It will also easily penetrate most things that the ASU-85 may encounter. Anything that cannot be penetrated by the APBC shell will almost certainly be penetrable by the '''3BK7''' HEAT-FS round. Boasting 300 mm of penetration, it is capable of punching straight through a [[Tiger II (P)|Tiger II]]'s upper glacis and does not lose penetration over distance. However, it suffers the usual drawbacks of HEAT rounds (cannot go through obstacles like trees or fences) and is significantly less lethal than the APBC shell. The muzzle velocity is also lower, which can complicate aiming at long ranges.
+
The standard shell is the '''BR-372''' APBC shell with a lethal explosive filler. It has an excellent muzzle velocity and is accurate at long ranges, very similarly to APDS. It will also easily penetrate most things that the ASU-85 may encounter. Anything that cannot be penetrated by the APBC shell will almost certainly be penetrable by the '''3BK7''' HEAT-FS round. Boasting 300 mm of penetration, it is capable of punching straight through a [[Tiger II (P)|Tiger II]]'s upper glacis and does not lose penetration over distance. However, it suffers the usual drawbacks of HEAT rounds (cannot go through obstacles like trees or fences) and is significantly less lethal than the APBC shell. The muzzle velocity is also lower, which can complicate aiming at long ranges.
  
 
{| class="wikitable" style="text-align:center" width="100%"
 
{| class="wikitable" style="text-align:center" width="100%"
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|-
 
|-
 
! ''Arcade''
 
! ''Arcade''
−
| rowspan="2" | 39 || rowspan="2" | -4°/+15° || rowspan="2" | ±15° || rowspan="2" | N/A || 6.2 || 8.5 || 10.4 || 11.5 || 12.2 || rowspan="2" | 11.18 || rowspan="2" | 9.89 || rowspan="2" | 9.12 || rowspan="2" | 8.60
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| rowspan="2" | 39 || rowspan="2" | -4°/+15° || rowspan="2" | ±15° || rowspan="2" | - || 6.2 || 8.5 || 10.4 || 11.5 || 12.2 || rowspan="2" | 7.80 || rowspan="2" | 6.90 || rowspan="2" | 6.36 || rowspan="2" | 6.00
 
|-
 
|-
 
! ''Realistic''
 
! ''Realistic''
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==== Ammunition ====
 
==== Ammunition ====
−
{| class="wikitable sortable" style="text-align:center" width="100%"
+
{{:D-70 (85 mm)/Ammunition|BR-372, 3BK7, OF-372}}
−
! colspan="8" | Penetration statistics
 
−
|-
 
−
! rowspan="2" data-sort-type="text" | Ammunition
 
−
! rowspan="2" | Type of<br>warhead
 
−
! colspan="6" | '''Penetration @ 0° Angle of Attack (mm)'''
 
−
|-
 
−
! 10 m !! 100 m !! 500 m !! 1,000 m !! 1,500 m !! 2,000 m
 
−
|-
 
−
| BR-372 || APCBC || 245 || 242 || 230 || 216 || 202 || 190
 
−
|-
 
−
| 3BK7 || HEATFS || 300 || 300 || 300 || 300 || 300 || 300
 
−
|-
 
−
| OF-372 || HE || 11 || 11 || 11 || 11 || 11 || 11
 
−
|-
 
−
|}
 
−
{| class="wikitable sortable" style="text-align:center" width="100%"
 
−
! colspan="10" | Shell details
 
−
|-
 
−
! rowspan="2" data-sort-type="text" | Ammunition
 
−
! rowspan="2" | Type of<br>warhead
 
−
! rowspan="2" | Velocity<br>(m/s)
 
−
! rowspan="2" | Projectile<br>Mass (kg)
 
−
! rowspan="2" | Fuse delay<br>(m)
 
−
! rowspan="2" | Fuse sensitivity<br>(mm)
 
−
! rowspan="2" | Explosive Mass<br>(TNT equivalent) (g)
 
−
! colspan="3" | Ricochet
 
−
|-
 
−
! 0% !! 50% !! 100%
 
−
|-
 
−
| BR-372 || APCBC || 1,040 || 9.3 || 1.2 || 14 || 77 || 48° || 63° || 71°
 
−
|-
 
−
| 3BK7 || HEATFS || 925 || 7.22 || 0.05 || 0.1 || 1,440 || 65° || 72° || 77°
 
−
|-
 
−
| OF-372 || HE || 1,010 || 9.66 || 0 || 0.1 || 740 || 79° || 80° || 81°
 
−
|-
 
−
|}
 
  
 
==== [[Ammo racks]] ====
 
==== [[Ammo racks]] ====
 
[[File:Ammoracks_{{PAGENAME}}.png|right|thumb|x250px|[[Ammo racks]] of the {{PAGENAME}}]]
 
[[File:Ammoracks_{{PAGENAME}}.png|right|thumb|x250px|[[Ammo racks]] of the {{PAGENAME}}]]
−
<!-- '''Last updated:''' -->
+
<!-- '''Last updated: 2.21.1.18''' -->
 
{| class="wikitable" style="text-align:center"
 
{| class="wikitable" style="text-align:center"
 
|-
 
|-
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! Visual<br>discrepancy
 
! Visual<br>discrepancy
 
|-
 
|-
−
| '''39''' || 33&nbsp;''(+6)'' || 26&nbsp;''(+13)'' || 19&nbsp;''(+20)'' || 13&nbsp;''(+26)'' || 7&nbsp;''(+32)'' || 1&nbsp;''(+38)'' || No
+
| '''39''' || 33&nbsp;''(+6)'' || 25&nbsp;''(+14)'' || 20&nbsp;''(+19)'' || 12&nbsp;''(+27)'' || 6&nbsp;''(+33)'' || 1&nbsp;''(+38)'' || No
 
|-
 
|-
 
|}
 
|}
 +
'''Notes''':
  
−
Front empty: 26&nbsp;''(+13)''<br />Sides only: 33&nbsp;''(+6)''
+
* Shells are modeled individually and disappear after having been shot or loaded.
 +
{{Clear}}
  
 
=== Machine guns ===
 
=== Machine guns ===
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The ASU-85 is a veritable glass cannon that relies on stealth and/or distance in order to survive on the battlefield. It is very vulnerable if caught in the open, especially to planes due to the very weak roof armour. The 85 mm gun is capable of handling almost any tank likely to be encountered by the ASU-85. Unfortunately, the ASU-85 lacks the mobility of its predecessor, the [[ASU-57]], and thus has to adopt a more passive playstyle. The stock APBC round is excellent for ambushes, which tend to involve a lot of side shots where the lethality of the explosive filler is valuable, especially with the long reload time of the gun. The HEAT-FS round is better suited for medium/long-range fighting, since it does not lose penetration over distance.
 
The ASU-85 is a veritable glass cannon that relies on stealth and/or distance in order to survive on the battlefield. It is very vulnerable if caught in the open, especially to planes due to the very weak roof armour. The 85 mm gun is capable of handling almost any tank likely to be encountered by the ASU-85. Unfortunately, the ASU-85 lacks the mobility of its predecessor, the [[ASU-57]], and thus has to adopt a more passive playstyle. The stock APBC round is excellent for ambushes, which tend to involve a lot of side shots where the lethality of the explosive filler is valuable, especially with the long reload time of the gun. The HEAT-FS round is better suited for medium/long-range fighting, since it does not lose penetration over distance.
  
−
The ASU-85 has a rather unorthodox method of using its smoke screen. Unlike most vehicles, which use smoke shells, singular canisters, or canister clusters, the ASU-85 uses two large drum like structures at the rear. When deployed, these will drop away, so it is relatively easy to tell from close range whether or not an ASU-85 has smoke or not, and how many it has. Due to the orientation of the drums, the smoke screen will actually form ''behind'' the tank and take about 2-3 seconds to fully envelope the assault gun.
+
The ASU-85 has a rather unorthodox method of using its smoke screen. Unlike most vehicles, which use smoke shells, singular canisters, or canister clusters, the ASU-85 uses two large drum like structures at the rear. When deployed, these will drop away, so it is relatively easy to tell from close range whether or not an ASU-85 has smoke or not, and how many it has. Due to the orientation of the drums, the smoke screen will actually form behind the tank and take 5 seconds to fully envelope the assault gun.
  
−
Common opponent weakspots:
+
The smokes screens themselves are very thin and allow ASU-85 to see through them with sniper scope and attack. In arcade mode, ASU-85 can use smoke screen to disable aim assist and spotting for enemy vehicles while still being able to track their position with scouting, which works well with its ability to bounce poorly aimed shots. The APDS-like APHE and HEAT-FS also help with fighting with aim assist off, which makes it a viable trick, though it will not help if enemy already took aim at ASU-85 and is just waiting for reload to finish.
  
−
* Tiger II [[Tiger II (P)|(P)]], [[Tiger II (H)|(H)]], [[Tiger II (10.5 cm Kw.K)|105 mm]]: Turret cheeks. HEAT-FS can penetrate the hull front.
+
Heavily armored opponent's weakspots:
−
* [[Panther II]]: APBC can penetrate the turret face. HEAT-FS can penetrate the hull front.
+
 
 +
* Tiger II [[Tiger II (P)|(P)]]/[[Tiger II (H)|(H)]]: Turret cheeks are penetrable by APCBC even at 1.2km. Shoot the left cheek to kill all turret crew and wound the hull crew.  
 +
* T26E5: Cupola, turret ring and hull MG port remain weakspots even up to 2km with APCBC.
 +
* T26E1-1: Hull MG port and upper section of lower glacis remain penetrable with APCBC up to 2km.
 +
* T34: Hull MG port, lower glacis and cupola penetrable at 1km. MG port and most of the lower glacis remain penetrable at 2km.
 
* [[T29]]: Lower glacis. There are also weakspots in the gun mantlet, but they may be hard to hit at anything but close range.
 
* [[T29]]: Lower glacis. There are also weakspots in the gun mantlet, but they may be hard to hit at anything but close range.
 
* [[Caernarvon]]: Turret ring and lower glacis.
 
* [[Caernarvon]]: Turret ring and lower glacis.
 
* [[Tortoise]]: Area surrounding the hull machine gun port.
 
* [[Tortoise]]: Area surrounding the hull machine gun port.
−
* [[T95]]: Cupolas may be penetrated but do not trigger the explosive filler of AP rounds.
+
* [[T95]]: Cupolas may be penetrated but will not generate enough spall to reliably kill more than 1 crew member. HEAT-FS also does not seem to be capable of consistently disabling more than 1 crew member. Suggest breaking their gun and running away to flank them. The upper section of the T95's sides are vulnerable to APCBC even at 1km.
−
* [[Jagdtiger]]: HEAT-FS can penetrate the hull front and superstructure.
+
* [[Jagdtiger]]: APCBC can penetrate lower glacis and hull MG port up to 800m. 1-shot kill is in theory possible with HEAT-FS, but you will need to aim at the left or right cheeks to hit the ammo.
  
 
=== Pros and cons ===
 
=== Pros and cons ===
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'''Pros:'''
 
'''Pros:'''
  
−
* Excellent 85 mm gun
+
* Excellent 85 mm gun - higher penetration and muzzle velocity than the 100 mm D-10T found on the T-54s
 
* Competitive stock APBC round with explosive filler
 
* Competitive stock APBC round with explosive filler
 
* Access to HEAT-FS with 300 mm of penetration
 
* Access to HEAT-FS with 300 mm of penetration
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* Slow gun elevation and traverse
 
* Slow gun elevation and traverse
 
* Slow reload for an 85 mm gun
 
* Slow reload for an 85 mm gun
−
* Lightly armoured everywhere besides the front, especially vulnerable to aircraft strafing
+
* Cannon recoil is so strong it throws the tank around and will not only mess with tanks aim but kick the user off a cliff if they are not careful
 +
* Lightly armoured everywhere besides the front, vulnerable to aircraft strafing, angling even just slightly will expose the extremely weak side armor to vehicles with APCBC shells
 
* Poor reverse speed
 
* Poor reverse speed
−
* Mediocre mobility, considering the light armour
+
* Mediocre mobility and low maximum speed, considering the light armour
 
* Poor gun depression
 
* Poor gun depression
−
* Angling even just slightly will expose the extremely weak side armor to vehicles with APCBC shells
 
  
 
== 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).'' -->
 
<!-- ''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).'' -->
 
===Development===
 
===Development===
−
A new assault gun was requested by the Armed Forces sometime before 1953. Due to the success of the [[ASU-57]], they tasked the OKB-40 design bureau headed by Nikolaj Astrov to design the vehicle. The design, designated ''Object 573'', was ready for tests in the latter half of 1953. Constant changes and improvement was made from the span of 1956 to 1957. The design used the chassis of the [[PT-76B|PT-76]] amphibious light tank design, though it did not have the same amphibious feature and had a new engine propelling it. The armament was an 85 mm D-70 gun derived from the 85 mm D-48 anti-tank gun. The design could carry 45 rounds inside and could fire a variety of rounds up to 1 km away. Secondary armament for the vehicle was a GMT or PKT coaxial machine gun. The improved design was going to accepted and enter production in 1958 as the ''SU-85'' (despite the existence of [[SU-85|a vehicle of the same name]]), but this was again delayed when the Ministry of Defense ordered an armoured roof to be installed. The design was to enter production in 1961, but by then the design was rather outdated for army forces usage. Thus, when the vehicle entered production, it was taken up by the VDV, the Soviet Airborne Forces, and renamed the '''ASU-85'''. The ASU-85 was produced from 1959 to 1966, while staying in service from 1959 all the way to 1993.
+
A new assault gun was requested by the Armed Forces sometime before 1953. Due to the success of the [[ASU-57]], they tasked the OKB-40 design bureau headed by Nikolaj Astrov to design the vehicle. The design, designated "Object 573", was ready for tests in the latter half of 1953. Constant changes and improvement was made from the span of 1956 to 1957. The design used the chassis of the [[PT-76B|PT-76]] amphibious light tank design, though it did not have the same amphibious feature and had a new engine propelling it. The armament was an 85 mm D-70 gun derived from the 85 mm D-48 anti-tank gun. The design could carry 45 rounds inside and could fire a variety of rounds up to 1 km away. Secondary armament for the vehicle was a GMT or PKT coaxial machine gun. The improved design was going to accepted and enter production in 1958 as the SU-85 (despite the existence of [[SU-85|a vehicle of the same name]]), but this was again delayed when the Ministry of Defense ordered an armoured roof to be installed. The design was to enter production in 1961, but by then the design was rather outdated for army forces usage. Thus, when the vehicle entered production, it was taken up by the VDV, the Soviet Airborne Forces, and renamed the ASU-85. The ASU-85 was produced from 1959 to 1966, while staying in service from 1959 all the way to 1993.
  
 
===Usage===
 
===Usage===
 
The Soviet airborne forces primarily used the ASU-85 as a light infantry support/assault gun. Advancements in air-drop techniques and the advent of helicopters made its air deployment a more viable option in the early 1960s. The Soviet Union deployed 31 ASU-85s to each of its airborne divisions in and assault gun battalion. The Soviet Union used the ASU-85 during the Soviet-Afghan War with the airborne troops stationed there.
 
The Soviet airborne forces primarily used the ASU-85 as a light infantry support/assault gun. Advancements in air-drop techniques and the advent of helicopters made its air deployment a more viable option in the early 1960s. The Soviet Union deployed 31 ASU-85s to each of its airborne divisions in and assault gun battalion. The Soviet Union used the ASU-85 during the Soviet-Afghan War with the airborne troops stationed there.
  
−
The ASU-85 was only given out to Poland and Vietnam. Poland used the ASU-85s in the same manner as the Soviet Union, with 31 vehicles in each airborne divisions. The ASU-85 are still in service in the Vietnamese military, with interests on improving their technical performances in early 2016.<ref name="JaneASU-85">Fisher, Richard D., Jr. "DSA 2016: Vietnam May Update Soviet Era ASU-85s." IHS Jane's 360, 21 Apr. 2016. Web. 23 Sept. 2016.</ref>
+
The ASU-85 was only given out to Poland and Vietnam. Poland used the ASU-85s in the same manner as the Soviet Union, with 31 vehicles in each airborne divisions. The ASU-85 are still in service in the Vietnamese military, with interests on improving their technical performances in early 2016.<ref name="JaneASU-85">Fisher</ref>
  
 
The ASU-85 also serves as the genesis of other support vehicles using the derived PT-76 chassis. The most notable vehicle using a similar chassis was the [[ZSU-23-4|ZSU-23-4 "Shilka"]] anti-aircraft system.
 
The ASU-85 also serves as the genesis of other support vehicles using the derived PT-76 chassis. The most notable vehicle using a similar chassis was the [[ZSU-23-4|ZSU-23-4 "Shilka"]] anti-aircraft system.
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;Skins
 
;Skins
−
* [https://live.warthunder.com/feed/camouflages/?vehicleCountry=ussr&vehicleType=tank&vehicleClass=tank_destroyer&vehicle=ussr_asu_85 Skins and camouflages for the {{PAGENAME}} from live.warthunder.com.]
+
 
 +
* [https://live.warthunder.com/feed/camouflages/?vehicle=ussr_asu_85 Skins and camouflages for the {{PAGENAME}} from live.warthunder.com.]
  
 
;Videos
 
;Videos
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<!-- ''Paste links to sources and external resources, such as:''
 
<!-- ''Paste links to sources and external resources, such as:''
 
* ''topic on the official game forum;''
 
* ''topic on the official game forum;''
−
* ''encyclopedia page on the tank;''
 
 
* ''other literature.'' -->
 
* ''other literature.'' -->
  
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===References===
 
===References===
−
'''Citations'''
+
 
 +
;Citations
 
<references />
 
<references />
  
−
'''Bibliography'''
+
;Bibliography
  
−
* [http://www.janes.com/article/59688/dsa-2016-vietnam-may-update-soviet-era-asu-85s [World News<nowiki>]</nowiki> Vietnam may update Soviet-era ASU-85s]
+
* Fisher, Richard D., Jr. "DSA 2016: Vietnam May Update Soviet Era ASU-85s." ''IHS Jane's 360'', Janes, 21 April 2016, [http://www.janes.com/article/59688/dsa-2016-vietnam-may-update-soviet-era-asu-85s Website]. ([https://web.archive.org/web/20161228181451/http://www.janes.com/article/59688/dsa-2016-vietnam-may-update-soviet-era-asu-85s Archive])
  
 
{{USSR tank destroyers}}
 
{{USSR tank destroyers}}

Latest revision as of 14:13, 23 February 2024

RANK 5 FRANCE
Somua SM PACK
ASU-85
ussr_asu_85.png
GarageImage ASU-85.jpg
ArtImage ASU-85.png
ASU-85
USSR flag.png USSR
IV Rank
Battle rating:
AB RB SB
6.3 6.3 6.3
Class:
Research:63 000 Specs-Card-Exp.png
Purchase:200 000 Specs-Card-Lion.png
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Description

The ASU-85 (Авиадесантная самоходная установка, АСУ-85) was a Cold War-era Soviet-designed airborne self-propelled gun. It began to replace the open-topped ASU-57 in service in 1959. Beginning in 1969, it was superseded by the BMD-1. It was designed to replace older designs such as the ASU-57 for use by the Vozdushno-Desantnye Voyska (VDV). Its design was lengthy and intricate, and it took nearly ten years to complete due to the demanding demands of getting the vehicle airborne. The ASU-85 saw duty as late as the Soviet-Afghan War, but it was far from widespread. The ASU-85 was based on the PT-76 light amphibious tank family chassis, however, it lacked amphibious characteristics and was powered by a different engine. The vehicle was divided into three compartments: the driver's compartment at the front, the combat compartment in the centre, and the engine compartment in the back. The ASU-85 was utilized in airborne missions by the Soviet Airborne Forces. With minimal anti-tank capability, its primary function was light infantry support or assault fortifications. The ASU-85 was only exported to two other Warsaw Pact countries: East Germany and Poland. NATO first noticed it in 1962, and it was frequently utilized by Soviet and Polish airborne units.

Introduced in Update 1.59 "Flaming Arrows", the ASU-85 is a unique vehicle that survives on the battlefield through stealth. It is particularly vulnerable if caught in the open due to the very thin roof armour, especially against planes. The armament can deal with almost any tank that the ASU-85 is likely to encounter. Unfortunately, the ASU-85 lacks the mobility of its forefather, the ASU-57, and must play more passively. On city maps, where engagements are typically close-range, this could be a problem. Overall, the ASU-85 is a situational vehicle that excels on large maps and circumstances where the terrain allows for stealth ambush but struggles in close-quarters combat.

General info

Survivability and armour

Smoke grenades
Creation of a smoke screen in front of the vehicle
Armourfront / side / back
Hull45 / 13 / 6
Turret0 / 0 / 0
Crew4 people
Visibility70 %

The front upper glacis plate, while only 45 mm thick, is quite heavily sloped and can occasionally ricochet rounds. The mantlet is also quite thick and rounded, and it can also bounce the occasional lucky shot.

However, the rest of the ASU-85 is very thinly armoured and vulnerable to even heavy machine guns. Angling is useless in this tank, since thin armour parts get overmatched by high calibre shells and they just ignore ricochet chance completely. If it is necessary to give the enemy something to fire at, it is possible to take only half of the shells and then present the left side to the enemy, as it will have less ammo racks, though it is still likely the entire tank will be obliterated anyway.

The tank itself is very short and can even bully tanks like the M4A3 (76) W by standing next to them, as it will only be able to aim at the autobounce zone on top of the ASU-85 and will likely miss. In the case if the tank it stands next to explodes, the ASU-85 will also suffer overpressure damage and often lose crew, so moderate levels of "vitality" crew skill are needed to survive when doing this.

The ASU-85 is also somewhat vulnerable to aircraft strafing, particularly if they attack from the top or with rockets.

Armour type:

  • Rolled homogeneous armour
  • Cast homogeneous armour (Gun mantlet)
Armour Front Sides Rear Roof
Hull 45 mm (60°) Front glacis
45 mm (37°) Lower glacis
50 mm Driver port		 6 mm 6 mm (40°) Upper
6 mm (18°) Lower 		6 mm
Superstructure 45 mm (60°) Front glacis
100 mm Gun mantlet 		13 mm (37-38°) 6 mm 13 mm Front
6 mm Rear

Notes:

  • Suspension wheels are 10 mm thick, tracks are 15 mm thick.

Mobility

Speedforward / back
AB49 / 6 km/h
RB and SB45 / 6 km/h
Number of gears5 forward
1 back
Weight15.9 t
Engine power
AB401 hp
RB and SB210 hp
Power-to-weight ratio
AB25.2 hp/t
RB and SB13.2 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 49 6 15.9 298 401 18.74 25.22
Realistic 45 6 186 210 11.7 13.21

The ASU-85 is based on the PT-76B and uses the same engine. It is somewhat heavier, however, and the mobility thus suffers comparatively. With a top speed of under 50 km/h, the ASU-85 is relatively slow for such a lightly armoured vehicle, but it is adequate enough for repositioning when needed. The ASU-85 also has a fairly slow reverse speed and only one reverse gear, inherited from the PT-76B.

Note that the ASU-85 is not amphibious, unlike the PT-76B it is based on.

Modifications and economy

Repair costBasic → Reference
AB3 184 → 4 476 Sl icon.png
RB3 563 → 5 009 Sl icon.png
SB4 964 → 6 979 Sl icon.png
Total cost of modifications52 700 Rp icon.png
90 800 Sl icon.png
Talisman cost1 700 Ge icon.png
Crew training57 000 Sl icon.png
Experts200 000 Sl icon.png
Aces800 Ge icon.png
Research Aces520 000 Rp icon.png
Reward for battleAB / RB / SB
120 / 190 / 250 % Sl icon.png
172 / 172 / 172 % Rp icon.png
Modifications
Mobility Protection Firepower
Mods new tank traks.png
Tracks
Research:
3 500 Rp icon.png
Cost:
6 000 Sl icon.png
210 Ge icon.png
Mods new tank suspension.png
Suspension
Research:
2 400 Rp icon.png
Cost:
4 100 Sl icon.png
145 Ge icon.png
Mods new tank break.png
Brake System
Research:
2 400 Rp icon.png
Cost:
4 100 Sl icon.png
145 Ge icon.png
Mods new tank filter.png
Filters
Research:
3 300 Rp icon.png
Cost:
5 700 Sl icon.png
200 Ge icon.png
Mods new tank transmission.png
Transmission
Research:
3 400 Rp icon.png
Cost:
5 900 Sl icon.png
200 Ge icon.png
Mods new tank engine.png
Engine
Research:
3 400 Rp icon.png
Cost:
5 900 Sl icon.png
200 Ge icon.png
Mods tank tool kit.png
Improved Parts
Research:
3 500 Rp icon.png
Cost:
6 000 Sl icon.png
210 Ge icon.png
Mods extinguisher.png
Improved FPE
Research:
2 400 Rp icon.png
Cost:
4 100 Sl icon.png
145 Ge icon.png
Mods tank reinforcement ussr.png
Crew Replenishment
Research:
3 300 Rp icon.png
Cost:
5 700 Sl icon.png
200 Ge icon.png
Mods new tank horizontal aiming.png
Horizontal Drive
Research:
3 500 Rp icon.png
Cost:
6 000 Sl icon.png
210 Ge icon.png
Mods tank cannon.png
Adjustment of Fire
Research:
2 400 Rp icon.png
Cost:
4 100 Sl icon.png
145 Ge icon.png
Mods airstrike.png
Airstrike
Research:
2 400 Rp icon.png
Cost:
4 100 Sl icon.png
145 Ge icon.png
Mods new tank vertical aiming.png
Elevation Mechanism
Research:
3 300 Rp icon.png
Cost:
5 700 Sl icon.png
200 Ge icon.png
Mods smoke screen.png
Smoke grenade
Research:
3 300 Rp icon.png
Cost:
5 700 Sl icon.png
200 Ge icon.png
Mods tank rangefinder.png
Rangefinder
Research:
3 400 Rp icon.png
Cost:
5 900 Sl icon.png
200 Ge icon.png
Mods scouting.png
Improved optics
Research:
3 400 Rp icon.png
Cost:
5 900 Sl icon.png
200 Ge icon.png
Mods tank ammo.png
85mm_HEAT_FS_ammo_pack
Research:
3 400 Rp icon.png
Cost:
5 900 Sl icon.png
200 Ge icon.png

Armaments

Rangefinder
Reduces the error and increases the maximum measurable distance of the rangefinder

Main armament

85 mm D-70 cannon
Ammunition39 rounds
Reloadbasic crew → aces
7.8 → 6.0 s
Vertical guidance-4° / 15°
Horizontal guidance-15° / 15°
Main article: D-70 (85 mm)

The ASU-85 is armed with the 85 mm D-70, a significantly more powerful gun compared to the wartime Soviet 85 mm ZiS S-53 and D-5T guns and comparable in capability to the German 8,8 cm L/71 guns. The mounting has only 4° of gun depression due to the restricted size of the vehicle, but has a fairly generous amount of traverse for a casemate tank destroyer. It has a relatively low rate-of-fire for its calibre, reflecting the rather cramped crew compartment of the ASU-85. The recoil of a gun throws the tank around, especially if it is fired sideways, sometimes kicking the tank backwards up to 5-10 m.

The standard shell is the BR-372 APBC shell with a lethal explosive filler. It has an excellent muzzle velocity and is accurate at long ranges, very similarly to APDS. It will also easily penetrate most things that the ASU-85 may encounter. Anything that cannot be penetrated by the APBC shell will almost certainly be penetrable by the 3BK7 HEAT-FS round. Boasting 300 mm of penetration, it is capable of punching straight through a Tiger II's upper glacis and does not lose penetration over distance. However, it suffers the usual drawbacks of HEAT rounds (cannot go through obstacles like trees or fences) and is significantly less lethal than the APBC shell. The muzzle velocity is also lower, which can complicate aiming at long ranges.

85 mm D-70 Turret rotation speed (°/s) Reloading rate (seconds)
Mode Capacity Vertical Horizontal Stabilizer Stock Upgraded Full Expert Aced Stock Full Expert Aced
Arcade 39 -4°/+15° ±15° - 6.2 8.5 10.4 11.5 12.2 7.80 6.90 6.36 6.00
Realistic 4.2 4.9 6.0 6.6 7.0

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
BR-372 APCBC 245 242 229 214 200 187
3BK7 HEATFS 300 300 300 300 300 300
OF-372 HE 27 27 25 24 22 21
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%
BR-372 APCBC 1,040 9.3 1.2 14 77 48° 63° 71°
3BK7 HEATFS 925 7.22 0.05 0.1 1,170 65° 72° 77°
OF-372 HE 1,010 9.66 0.2 0.1 740 79° 80° 81°

Ammo racks

Ammo racks of the ASU-85
Full
ammo 		1st
rack empty 		2nd
rack empty 		3rd
rack empty 		4th
rack empty 		5th
rack empty 		6th
rack empty 		Visual
discrepancy
39 33 (+6) 25 (+14) 20 (+19) 12 (+27) 6 (+33) 1 (+38) No

Notes:

  • Shells are modeled individually and disappear after having been shot or loaded.

Machine guns

7.62 mm SGMT machine gun (coaxial)
Ammunition2 000 rounds
Belt capacity250 rounds
Reloadbasic crew → aces
10.4 → 8.0 s
Fire rate600 shots/min
Main article: SGMT (7.62 mm)
7.62 mm SGMT
Mount Capacity (Belt) Fire rate Vertical Horizontal
Coaxial 2,000 (250) 600 N/A N/A

Usage in battles

The ASU-85 is a veritable glass cannon that relies on stealth and/or distance in order to survive on the battlefield. It is very vulnerable if caught in the open, especially to planes due to the very weak roof armour. The 85 mm gun is capable of handling almost any tank likely to be encountered by the ASU-85. Unfortunately, the ASU-85 lacks the mobility of its predecessor, the ASU-57, and thus has to adopt a more passive playstyle. The stock APBC round is excellent for ambushes, which tend to involve a lot of side shots where the lethality of the explosive filler is valuable, especially with the long reload time of the gun. The HEAT-FS round is better suited for medium/long-range fighting, since it does not lose penetration over distance.

The ASU-85 has a rather unorthodox method of using its smoke screen. Unlike most vehicles, which use smoke shells, singular canisters, or canister clusters, the ASU-85 uses two large drum like structures at the rear. When deployed, these will drop away, so it is relatively easy to tell from close range whether or not an ASU-85 has smoke or not, and how many it has. Due to the orientation of the drums, the smoke screen will actually form behind the tank and take 5 seconds to fully envelope the assault gun.

The smokes screens themselves are very thin and allow ASU-85 to see through them with sniper scope and attack. In arcade mode, ASU-85 can use smoke screen to disable aim assist and spotting for enemy vehicles while still being able to track their position with scouting, which works well with its ability to bounce poorly aimed shots. The APDS-like APHE and HEAT-FS also help with fighting with aim assist off, which makes it a viable trick, though it will not help if enemy already took aim at ASU-85 and is just waiting for reload to finish.

Heavily armored opponent's weakspots:

  • Tiger II (P)/(H): Turret cheeks are penetrable by APCBC even at 1.2km. Shoot the left cheek to kill all turret crew and wound the hull crew.
  • T26E5: Cupola, turret ring and hull MG port remain weakspots even up to 2km with APCBC.
  • T26E1-1: Hull MG port and upper section of lower glacis remain penetrable with APCBC up to 2km.
  • T34: Hull MG port, lower glacis and cupola penetrable at 1km. MG port and most of the lower glacis remain penetrable at 2km.
  • T29: Lower glacis. There are also weakspots in the gun mantlet, but they may be hard to hit at anything but close range.
  • Caernarvon: Turret ring and lower glacis.
  • Tortoise: Area surrounding the hull machine gun port.
  • T95: Cupolas may be penetrated but will not generate enough spall to reliably kill more than 1 crew member. HEAT-FS also does not seem to be capable of consistently disabling more than 1 crew member. Suggest breaking their gun and running away to flank them. The upper section of the T95's sides are vulnerable to APCBC even at 1km.
  • Jagdtiger: APCBC can penetrate lower glacis and hull MG port up to 800m. 1-shot kill is in theory possible with HEAT-FS, but you will need to aim at the left or right cheeks to hit the ammo.

Pros and cons

Pros:

  • Excellent 85 mm gun - higher penetration and muzzle velocity than the 100 mm D-10T found on the T-54s
  • Competitive stock APBC round with explosive filler
  • Access to HEAT-FS with 300 mm of penetration
  • Tiny profile
  • Access to a coaxial machine gun
  • Access to night vision devices

Cons:

  • Slow gun elevation and traverse
  • Slow reload for an 85 mm gun
  • Cannon recoil is so strong it throws the tank around and will not only mess with tanks aim but kick the user off a cliff if they are not careful
  • Lightly armoured everywhere besides the front, vulnerable to aircraft strafing, angling even just slightly will expose the extremely weak side armor to vehicles with APCBC shells
  • Poor reverse speed
  • Mediocre mobility and low maximum speed, considering the light armour
  • Poor gun depression

History

Development

A new assault gun was requested by the Armed Forces sometime before 1953. Due to the success of the ASU-57, they tasked the OKB-40 design bureau headed by Nikolaj Astrov to design the vehicle. The design, designated "Object 573", was ready for tests in the latter half of 1953. Constant changes and improvement was made from the span of 1956 to 1957. The design used the chassis of the PT-76 amphibious light tank design, though it did not have the same amphibious feature and had a new engine propelling it. The armament was an 85 mm D-70 gun derived from the 85 mm D-48 anti-tank gun. The design could carry 45 rounds inside and could fire a variety of rounds up to 1 km away. Secondary armament for the vehicle was a GMT or PKT coaxial machine gun. The improved design was going to accepted and enter production in 1958 as the SU-85 (despite the existence of a vehicle of the same name), but this was again delayed when the Ministry of Defense ordered an armoured roof to be installed. The design was to enter production in 1961, but by then the design was rather outdated for army forces usage. Thus, when the vehicle entered production, it was taken up by the VDV, the Soviet Airborne Forces, and renamed the ASU-85. The ASU-85 was produced from 1959 to 1966, while staying in service from 1959 all the way to 1993.

Usage

The Soviet airborne forces primarily used the ASU-85 as a light infantry support/assault gun. Advancements in air-drop techniques and the advent of helicopters made its air deployment a more viable option in the early 1960s. The Soviet Union deployed 31 ASU-85s to each of its airborne divisions in and assault gun battalion. The Soviet Union used the ASU-85 during the Soviet-Afghan War with the airborne troops stationed there.

The ASU-85 was only given out to Poland and Vietnam. Poland used the ASU-85s in the same manner as the Soviet Union, with 31 vehicles in each airborne divisions. The ASU-85 are still in service in the Vietnamese military, with interests on improving their technical performances in early 2016.[1]

The ASU-85 also serves as the genesis of other support vehicles using the derived PT-76 chassis. The most notable vehicle using a similar chassis was the ZSU-23-4 "Shilka" anti-aircraft system.

Media

Skins
Videos
Airmobile tanks discusses the ASU-85 at 2:00 - War Thunder Official Channel
ASU-85 self-propelled gun (Soviet Airborne Forces) - yolkhere

See also

Links to the articles on the War Thunder Wiki that you think will be useful for the reader, for example:

  • reference to the series of the vehicles;
  • links to approximate analogues of other nations and research trees.

External links

References

Citations
  1. ↑ Fisher
Bibliography
  • Fisher, Richard D., Jr. "DSA 2016: Vietnam May Update Soviet Era ASU-85s." IHS Jane's 360, Janes, 21 April 2016, Website. (Archive)


USSR tank destroyers
SU-76M  SU-76M · SU-76M (5th Gv.Kav.Corps) · SU-85A
SU-57B  SU-57B · SU-76D
T-34 Derivatives  SU-122 · SU-85 · SU-85M · SU-100 · SU-122P
Heavy Tank Derivatives  SU-100Y · ISU-122 · ISU-122S · SU-152 · ISU-152 · Object 268
SU-100P and Derivatives  SU-100P · Object 120
Wheeled  YaG-10 (29-K)
Airborne  ASU-57 · ASU-85
Rocket  BM-8-24 · BM-13N · BM-31-12
ATGM  IT-1 · Shturm-S · Object 775 · Khrizantema-S
Artillery  2S1 · 2S3M
Other  SU-5-1 · ZiS-30 · SU-122-54
USA  SU-57

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