Difference between revisions of "Ha-Go Commander"

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{{Specs-Card|code=jp_type_95_ha_go_commander}}
 
 
{{About
 
{{About
−
|about=premium Japanese tank '''{{PAGENAME}}'''
+
|about= Japanese light tank '''{{PAGENAME}}'''
−
|usage=the regular version
+
|other
−
|link=Ha-Go
+
|usage-1 = other versions
 +
|link-1 = Ha-Go (Family)
 +
|usage-2 = other usess
 +
|link-2 = Ha-Go (Disambiguation)
 +
}}
 +
{{Specs-Card
 +
|code=jp_type_95_ha_go_commander
 +
|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.'' -->
−
<!-- [[File:GarageImage_{{PAGENAME}}.jpg|420px|thumb|left]]
+
The '''{{Specs|name}}''' ({{Annotation|九五式軽戦車 指揮車型「ハ号」|Kyūgo-Shiki Kei-Sensha Shiki-Shagata [Ha-Gō]}}) was a variant of the [[Ha-Go]] assigned to commanders of tank companies within the Japanese armoured forces. In the early stages, the Japanese, like many others, did not widely equip their tanks with radios, relying instead on signal flags. To ensure the tank of the company commander remained visible, it was often painted with relatively unique camouflage patterns or insignias. Command versions featured various modifications and deviations from standard production procedures. Some were equipped with a radio and circular antenna on the commander's cupola, while others, like this one, were fitted with smoke dischargers (although this feature was not exclusive to command vehicles).
−
{{break}} -->
+
 
−
The '''{{Specs|name}}''' is a premium rank {{Specs|rank}} Japanese light tank {{Battle-rating}}. It was introduced in [[Update 1.65 "Way of the Samurai"]] along with the initial set of the Japanese Ground Forces Tree.
+
The Ha-Go Commander was introduced in [[Update 1.65 "Way of the Samurai"]] along with the initial Japanese Ground Forces Tree and was the prize in the [[wt:en/news/4418-special-collect-a-premium-type-95-ha-go-commander-for-christmas-en|2016 "Christmas gift"]] giveaway. The Ha-Go is deployed for its agility, which makes it suitable for the role of a support tank. Its primary duty is to assist larger tanks in their advances. However, due to its limited armour, it can be easily destroyed in combat. The Ha-Go Commander serves a similar purpose, but it is equipped with four smoke grenades, which makes it more versatile tactically. This allows for a stealthy retreat or approach, based on the commander's daring strategy and situational requirements.
  
 
== General info ==
 
== General info ==
 
=== Survivability and armour ===
 
=== Survivability and armour ===
−
''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?''
+
{{Specs-Tank-Armour}}
 +
<!-- ''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.'' -->
 +
[[File:Ha-Go first prototype under public domain .jpg|right|300px|thumb|3/4 front view and 3/4 rear view of the '''Ha-Go Prototype'''.]]
 +
'''Armour type:'''
 +
 
 +
* Rolled homogeneous armour
 +
 
 +
{| class="wikitable"
 +
|-
 +
! Armour !! Front !! Sides !! Rear !! Roof
 +
|-
 +
| Hull || 12 mm ''Front plate'' <br> 9 mm (73°) ''Front glacis'' <br> 12 mm (17°) ''Joint plate'' <br> 9 mm (69°) ''Lower glacis'' || 12 mm || 10 mm || 9 mm ''Front'' <br> 6 mm ''Rear''
 +
|-
 +
| Turret || 12 mm ''Turret front'' <br> 30 mm ''Gun mantlet'' || 12 mm || 12 mm || 12 mm
 +
|-
 +
! Armour !! Sides !! Roof
 +
|-
 +
| Cupola || 12 mm || 6 mm
 +
|}
 +
'''Notes:'''
  
−
''If necessary use a visual template to indicate the most secure and weak zones of the armour.''
+
* Suspension wheels and tracks are both 15 mm thick.
  
 
=== Mobility ===
 
=== Mobility ===
 +
{{Specs-Tank-Mobility}}
 
<!-- ''Write about the mobility of the ground vehicle. Estimate the specific power and manoeuvrability, as well as the maximum speed forwards and backwards.'' -->
 
<!-- ''Write about the mobility of the ground vehicle. Estimate the specific power and manoeuvrability, as well as the maximum speed forwards and backwards.'' -->
  
−
{| class="wikitable" style="text-align:center" width="70%"
+
{{tankMobility|abMinHp=130|rbMinHp=106}}
−
! rowspan="2" | Game Mode
+
 
−
! colspan="3" | Mobility characteristics
+
=== Modifications and economy ===
−
! colspan="2" | Engine power (horsepower)
+
{{Specs-Economy}}
−
! colspan="2" | Power-to-weight ratio (hp/ton)
+
 
 +
== Armaments ==
 +
{{Specs-Tank-Armaments}}
 +
=== Main armament ===
 +
{{Specs-Tank-Weapon|1}}
 +
<!-- ''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.'' -->
 +
{{main|Type 94 (37 mm)}}
 +
 
 +
{| class="wikitable" style="text-align:center" width="100%"
 +
|-
 +
! colspan="5" | [[Type 94 (37 mm)|37 mm Type 94]] || colspan="5" | Turret rotation speed (°/s) || colspan="4" | Reloading rate (seconds)
 
|-
 
|-
−
! {{Annotation|Max Speed|Maximum Speed (km/h)}}
+
! Mode !! Capacity !! Vertical !! Horizontal !! Stabilizer
−
! {{Annotation|Weight|Vehicle Weight (tons)}}
+
! Stock !! Upgraded !! Full !! Expert !! Aced
−
! {{Annotation|AoA Weight|Add on Armour Weight (tons)}}
+
! Stock !! Full !! Expert !! Aced
−
! Stock
 
−
! Upgraded
 
−
! Stock
 
−
! Upgraded
 
 
|-
 
|-
−
! Arcade
+
! ''Arcade''
−
| 54 || rowspan="2" | 7.7 || rowspan="2" | 130 || 160 || ____ || 16.88 || 20.78
+
| rowspan="2" | 119 || rowspan="2" | -15°/+20° || rowspan="2" | ±180° || rowspan="2" | {{Annotation|Shoulder|up to 10 km/h}} || 14.9 || 20.7 || 25.1 || 27.8 || 29.6 || rowspan="2" | 4.29 || rowspan="2" | 3.80 || rowspan="2" | 3.50 || rowspan="2" | 3.30
 +
|-
 +
! ''Realistic''
 +
| 9.3 || 11.0 || 13.3 || 14.8 || 15.7
 
|-
 
|-
−
! {{Annotation|Realistic|Simulator uses Realistic FMs}}
 
−
| 48 || 106 || 120 || 13.77 || 15.58
 
 
|}
 
|}
  
−
== Armaments ==
+
==== Ammunition ====
−
=== Main armament ===
+
{{:Type 94 (37 mm)/Ammunition|Type 94 APHE}}
−
''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.''
+
 
 +
==== [[Ammo racks]] ====
 +
[[File:Ammoracks_Ha-Go.png|right|thumb|x250px|[[Ammo racks]] of the {{PAGENAME}}]]
 +
<!-- '''Last updated: 2.15.1.70''' -->
 +
{| class="wikitable" style="text-align:center"
 +
|-
 +
! Full<br>ammo
 +
! 1st<br>rack empty
 +
! 2nd<br>rack empty
 +
! 3rd<br>rack empty
 +
! 4th<br>rack empty
 +
! 5th<br>rack empty
 +
! 6th<br>rack empty
 +
! 7th<br>rack empty
 +
! Visual<br>discrepancy
 +
|-
 +
| '''119''' || 116&nbsp;''(+3)'' || 107&nbsp;''(+12)'' || 94&nbsp;''(+25)'' || 89&nbsp;''(+30)'' || 81&nbsp;''(+38)'' || 49&nbsp;''(+70)'' || 1&nbsp;''(+118)'' || No
 +
|-
 +
|}
  
−
=== Additional armament ===
+
Turret & Left empty: 89&nbsp;''(+30)''
−
''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 how to use them and how to fill the ammunition storage. If there is no additional weaponry remove this subsection.''
 
  
 
=== Machine guns ===
 
=== Machine guns ===
−
''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.''
+
{{Specs-Tank-Weapon|2}}
 +
<!-- ''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.'' -->
 +
{{main|Type 97 (7.7 mm)}}
 +
 
 +
{| class="wikitable" style="text-align:center" width="50%"
 +
|-
 +
! colspan="5" | [[Type 97 (7.7 mm)|7.7 mm Type 97]]
 +
|-
 +
! Mount !! Capacity (Belt) !! Fire rate !! Vertical !! Horizontal
 +
|-
 +
| Hull || 3,000 (20) || 499 || ±22° || ±22°
 +
|-
 +
|}
  
 
== Usage in battles ==
 
== Usage in battles ==
−
''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).''
+
<!-- ''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).'' -->
 +
 
 +
As a light tank in a Rank I battle, the best overall tactic is to get the first jump on an enemy since the Ha-Go's gun is able to penetrate most tank's armour, yet everyone else's can also penetrate the Ha-Go. In an offensive, try to attack the enemy from a direction not covered to catch them by surprise, then exploit it by using the Ha-Go's mobility to keep moving around the enemy once it gets close so the enemy could not get an accurate bead on it. In a defensive, hold back and try to cover a single area of contact so the Ha-Go could dispel its fire on any enemy approaching.
  
 
=== Pros and cons ===
 
=== Pros and cons ===
−
''Summarize 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 - they can be substituted with softer forms such as "inadequate" and "effective".''
+
<!-- ''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:'''
−
*
+
 
 +
* 37 mm cannon has good penetration power
 +
* APHE shell has good post-penetration damage
 +
* Excellent gun depression and elevation
 +
* Good mobility and top speed
 +
* Small profile, easy to hide behind cover
  
 
'''Cons:'''
 
'''Cons:'''
−
*
+
 
 +
* Weak armour (12.7 mm machine guns are able to knock the tank out with ease)
 +
* Reverse speed is -5 km/h on any sloped ground
 +
* Three-man crew which means that the Ha-Go can be destroyed by a single shot, maybe two if lucky
 +
* Turns are sluggish at any speed
 +
* 37 mm gun quickly becomes outdated and ineffective against tougher foes
 +
* Smoke grenade launchers fire to the left side of the turret instead of the front, so you have to turn the turret to the right to cover your front
  
 
== History ==
 
== History ==
−
''Describe the history of the creation and combat usage of the ground vehicle in more detail than in the introduction. If the historical reference turns out to be too big, 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></nowiki></code>, as well as adding them at the end of the article. This section may also include the vehicle's devblog entry (if applicable) and the ingame encyclopedia description (under <code><nowiki>=== Encyclopedia Info ===</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===
 +
The deployment of the first Japanese domestic tank design, the [[I-Go Ko|Type 89 I-Go]], gave the Japanese good insight on the improvement of their armoured force. One of the pressing issues of the Type 89 was that the tank was too slow to keep up with motorized infantry, restricting the operational range or advance of a combined-arm unit to only 40 kilometers. Another tank design being fielded by the Type 89, the Type 92 cavalry tank, had the speed that fixes this problem, but its armour was too thin and only had a heavy machine gun armament. Thus, development started in July 1933 on a tank able to fix these problem, with the specifications that the tank should weigh only 7.7 tons and armed with a 37 mm gun. With the same engine as the Type 89, but half of its weight, the new tank would have a faster road speed.<ref name="ZalogaJapaneseTank">Zaloga Steven. ''Japanese Tanks 1939-1945'' Great Britain: Osprey Publishing Ltd., 2007</ref>
 +
 
 +
The production of the designs was given to Mitsubishi, with a prototype produced and ready for trials in June 1934. The design was sent to Manchuria and performed cold weather trials in the Independent Mixed Brigade. These trials were positive and the second prototype design was built in June 1935 with improvements based on the trials. With a well-received performance of the design, it was accepted for service in the Imperial Japanese Army as the '''Type 95 Ha-Go''' light tank (Accepted in 1935, Imperial year 2595. 'Ha-Go' name given by Mitsubishi).<ref name="ZalogaJapaneseTank">Zaloga Steven. ''Japanese Tanks 1939-1945'' Great Britain: Osprey Publishing Ltd., 2007</ref> Production lasted from 1936 to 1943, with up to 2,300 tanks produced in the time period, making it the most produced Japanese tank design in World War II.
 +
 
 +
===Design===
 +
The Type 95 Ha-Go was a light tank weighing roughly 7.7 tons. It had a three-man crew with a turret that only held one person inside. The turret was armed with a 37 mm gun, as well as a machine gun mount on the rear of the turret just like the Type 89. The machine gun armament on the back allowed the commander to simply traverse the turret to use a certain armament for the situation desired. Despite that, the one-man turret meant the commander was overworked.
 +
 
 +
The tank used the same engine on the Type 89B, the 120 hp Mitsubishi diesel engine. The suspension on the tank was quite simple, two bogies with wheels suspended on a bell crank with a front sprocket and two return rollers on each side. The two bogies were attached to a brace, connecting the two to fix problems with the pitching that inhibited the tank's driving ability, but the suspension still gave the crew a rough ride when driving on uneven ground. A unique feature on the Type 95 design was that there was an asbestos padding area separating the interior area from the hull armour to protect the crew from burning on hot metal armour and from injury on hitting the hull from the tank's rough driving experience.
 +
 
 +
[[File:Ha-Go with a smoke candle launcher as a field modification.jpg|thumb|300px|Close up image of Ha-Go turret with the smoke launcher field modification]]
 +
This Ha-Go version possesses four smoke grenades, mounted on the turret's side. There is no official factory documentation as this is a field modification, utilizing the Type 99 short self-projecting smoke candle.
 +
 
 +
===Combat usage===
 +
The Type 95's was first deployed in the Second Sino-Japanese War. The Type 95s in the theater were generally well-received due to the inferiority of China's anti-tank defenses and their tank forces usually consist of machine gun-armed tanks like the Panzer I and CV33. The Type 95 Ha-Go's first major combat was during the border conflicts between Japan and the Soviet Union during the battles at Khalkhin Gol. The Type 95 made up a good portion of the 4th Tank Regiment in the 1st Tank Corps, alongside [[I-Go Ko|Type 89]]s and Type 94 tankettes. These tanks generally fought against the Soviet's [[BT-5]] and [[BT-7]] tanks, which were in the same class as the Ha-Gos, though the Japanese took special note on the 45 mm cannon on the Soviet tanks, which they deemed superior to the Ha-Go 37 mm cannon. The two side exchanged multiple battles and territories, eventually resulting in a ceasefire between the two nations in August 1939.
 +
 
 +
The next major usage of the Type 95 Ha-Go would be in opening stages of World War II when Japan invades the Allied territory after their surprise attack on Pearl Harbor on 7 December 1941. Their first usage was in the Malaya campaign, then Singapore, then the Burma campaign. Despite the British technological superiority over the Japanese with their tank designs in Europe, their self-created concept that tanks were next-to-useless in the Pacific jungles caused them to have a severe shortage of armour in the Pacific in the early stages of the war. The Japanese however, with no experience in jungle warfare, managed to invade with Type 95 alongside [[Chi-Ha|Type 97 mediums]] as their spearhead. The Type 95 would also be involved with America's first tank-to-tank battle during the Battle of the Philippines. Type 95s from the 4th Tank Regiment came across U.S. [[M3 Stuart|M3 Stuarts]] from the 192nd Tank Battalion. Despite the Stuarts being five years newer than the Type 95, the two tanks were deemed very similar performance-wise. In this engagement, the Type 95 managed to spot the U.S. tanks first and open fired, destroying one of the Stuarts in the platoon and the west withdrew under fire.
 +
 
 +
The Japanese continued using their Ha-Go in the Pacific Theater all the way until the end of the war. Even when outmatched by the newer American tanks like the [[M4|M4 Shermans]], the lack of any better equipment forced the Japanese Army to play with what they've got left. This led to costly defeats in the Japanese tank units on Tarawa, Saipan, Guam, Peleliu, and Okinawa as the tank units were used in reckless charges or static pillboxes as they were destroyed via tank, cannon, or bazooka fire.
 +
 
 +
After the war, the remnants of the Japanese Army left behind a huge number of Type 95 Ha-Go in their depot at the occupied territory. This led to a massive amount of tanks being captured and used by the opposing sides of the Chinese Civil War. Another curious user of the captured Japanese tanks were the French, which captured them from Japanese-occupied area in French Indochina. The French used the Japanese tanks alongside French tanks to hastily make units called 'Commando Blindé du Cambodge' to fight in the First Indochina War.
  
 
== Media ==
 
== Media ==
−
''Excellent additions to the article would be video guides, screenshots from the game, and photos.''
+
;Images
 +
<gallery mode="packed-hover"  heights="x250px">
 +
File:ArtImage2 Ha-Go Commander.png|<small>Ha-Go Commander in [[jungle]]</small>
 +
</gallery>
 +
 
 +
;Skins
 +
 
 +
* [https://live.warthunder.com/feed/camouflages/?vehicle=jp_type_95_ha_go_commander Skins and camouflages for the {{PAGENAME}} from live.warthunder.com.]
  
 
== See also ==
 
== See also ==
−
''Links to the articles on the War Thunder Wiki that you think will be useful for the reader, for example:''
+
<!--''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;''
 
* ''reference to the series of the vehicles;''
−
* ''links to approximate analogues of other nations and research trees.''
+
* ''links to approximate analogues of other nations and research trees.''-->
 +
 
 +
;Related Development
 +
* [[Ha-Go]]
 +
 
 +
;Tanks of comparable role, configuration, and era
 +
* [[File:France flag.png|30px|link=]] [[H.39]]
 +
* [[File:Britain flag.png|30px|link=]] [[File:Finland flag.png|30px|link=]] [[Vickers Mk.E]]
 +
* [[File:USSR flag.png|30px|link=]] [[T-26 (Family)]]
 +
* [[File:USA flag.png|30px|link=]] [[M2A4]] / [[M3 Stuart (Family)]]
 +
* [[File:Italy flag.png|30px|link=]] [[M13/40 (Family)]]
 +
* [[File:Germany flag.png|30px|link=]] [[Pz.35(t)]]
  
 
== External links ==
 
== External links ==
−
''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.''
+
 
 +
* [[wt:en/news/4418-special-collect-a-premium-type-95-ha-go-commander-for-christmas-en Collect a premium|[Special] Type-95 Ha-Go Commander for Christmas!]]
 +
 
 +
=== References ===
 +
<references />
  
 +
{{TankManufacturer Mitsubishi}}
 
{{Japan light tanks}}
 
{{Japan light tanks}}
 
{{Japan premium ground vehicles}}
 
{{Japan premium ground vehicles}}

Latest revision as of 23:50, 25 June 2024

Rank VI | Premium | Golden Eagles
Chinese A-5C Pack
This page is about the Japanese light tank Ha-Go Commander. For other versions, see Ha-Go (Family). For other usess, see Ha-Go (Disambiguation).
Ha-Go Commander
jp_type_95_ha_go_commander.png
GarageImage Ha-Go Commander.jpg
ArtImage Ha-Go Commander.png
Ha-Go Commander
Japan flag.png Japan
I Rank
Battle rating:
AB RB SB
1.0 1.0 1.0
Class:
PREMIUM
Purchase:250 Specs-Card-Eagle.png
Show in game

Description

The Type 95 Ha-Go Commander (九五式軽戦車 指揮車型「ハ号」) was a variant of the Ha-Go assigned to commanders of tank companies within the Japanese armoured forces. In the early stages, the Japanese, like many others, did not widely equip their tanks with radios, relying instead on signal flags. To ensure the tank of the company commander remained visible, it was often painted with relatively unique camouflage patterns or insignias. Command versions featured various modifications and deviations from standard production procedures. Some were equipped with a radio and circular antenna on the commander's cupola, while others, like this one, were fitted with smoke dischargers (although this feature was not exclusive to command vehicles).

The Ha-Go Commander was introduced in Update 1.65 "Way of the Samurai" along with the initial Japanese Ground Forces Tree and was the prize in the 2016 "Christmas gift" giveaway. The Ha-Go is deployed for its agility, which makes it suitable for the role of a support tank. Its primary duty is to assist larger tanks in their advances. However, due to its limited armour, it can be easily destroyed in combat. The Ha-Go Commander serves a similar purpose, but it is equipped with four smoke grenades, which makes it more versatile tactically. This allows for a stealthy retreat or approach, based on the commander's daring strategy and situational requirements.

General info

Survivability and armour

Smoke grenades
Creation of a smoke screen in front of the vehicle
Armourfront / side / back
Hull12 / 12 / 10
Turret30 / 12 / 12
Crew3 people
Visibility75 %
3/4 front view and 3/4 rear view of the Ha-Go Prototype.

Armour type:

  • Rolled homogeneous armour
Armour Front Sides Rear Roof
Hull 12 mm Front plate
9 mm (73°) Front glacis
12 mm (17°) Joint plate
9 mm (69°) Lower glacis 		12 mm 10 mm 9 mm Front
6 mm Rear
Turret 12 mm Turret front
30 mm Gun mantlet 		12 mm 12 mm 12 mm
Armour Sides Roof
Cupola 12 mm 6 mm

Notes:

  • Suspension wheels and tracks are both 15 mm thick.

Mobility

Speedforward / back
AB54 / 12 km/h
RB and SB49 / 11 km/h
Number of gears4 forward
1 back
Weight7.7 t
Engine power
AB229 hp
RB and SB120 hp
Power-to-weight ratio
AB29.7 hp/t
RB and SB15.6 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 54 12 7.7 130 229 16.88 29.74
Realistic 49 11 106 120 13.77 15.58

Modifications and economy

Repair cost
AB322 Sl icon.png
RB172 Sl icon.png
SB170 Sl icon.png
Total cost of modifications5 240 Rp icon.png
520 Sl icon.png
Crew training150 Sl icon.png
Experts1 000 Sl icon.png
Aces20 Ge icon.png
Research Aces145 000 Rp icon.png
Reward for battleAB / RB / SB
Talisman.png 2 × 20 / 20 / 20 % Sl icon.png
Talisman.png 2 × 75 / 75 / 75 % Rp icon.png
Modifications
Mobility Protection Firepower
Mods new tank traks.png
Tracks
Research:
600 Rp icon.png
Cost:
60 Sl icon.png
55 Ge icon.png
Mods new tank suspension.png
Suspension
Mods new tank break.png
Brake System
Research:
500 Rp icon.png
Cost:
50 Sl icon.png
45 Ge icon.png
Mods new tank filter.png
Filters
Mods new tank transmission.png
Transmission
Mods new tank engine.png
Engine
Research:
960 Rp icon.png
Cost:
95 Sl icon.png
85 Ge icon.png
Mods tank tool kit.png
Improved Parts
Mods extinguisher.png
Improved FPE
Mods tank reinforcement jp.png
Crew Replenishment
Mods new tank horizontal aiming.png
Horizontal Drive
Research:
600 Rp icon.png
Cost:
60 Sl icon.png
55 Ge icon.png
Mods tank cannon.png
Adjustment of Fire
Research:
500 Rp icon.png
Cost:
50 Sl icon.png
45 Ge icon.png
Mods new tank vertical aiming.png
Elevation Mechanism
Research:
560 Rp icon.png
Cost:
55 Sl icon.png
50 Ge icon.png
Mods smoke screen.png
Smoke grenade
Research:
560 Rp icon.png
Cost:
55 Sl icon.png
50 Ge icon.png
Mods art support.png
Artillery Support
Research:
960 Rp icon.png
Cost:
95 Sl icon.png
85 Ge icon.png

Armaments

Main armament

37 mm Type 94 cannon
Shoulder stabilizer
Reduces the swing of the gun in one plane while moving
Ammunition119 rounds
Reloadbasic crew → aces
4.3 → 3.3 s
Vertical guidance-15° / 20°
Main article: Type 94 (37 mm)
37 mm Type 94 Turret rotation speed (°/s) Reloading rate (seconds)
Mode Capacity Vertical Horizontal Stabilizer Stock Upgraded Full Expert Aced Stock Full Expert Aced
Arcade 119 -15°/+20° ±180° Shoulder 14.9 20.7 25.1 27.8 29.6 4.29 3.80 3.50 3.30
Realistic 9.3 11.0 13.3 14.8 15.7

Ammunition

Penetration statistics
Ammunition Type of
warhead 		Penetration @ 0° Angle of Attack (mm)
10 m 100 m 500 m 1,000 m 1,500 m 2,000 m
Type 94 APHE APHE 34 33 27 22 17 14
Shell details
Ammunition Type of
warhead 		Velocity
(m/s) 		Projectile
mass (kg) 		Fuse delay
(m) 		Fuse sensitivity
(mm) 		Explosive mass
(TNT equivalent) (g) 		Ricochet
0% 50% 100%
Type 94 APHE APHE 575 0.7 1.2 9 11 47° 60° 65°

Ammo racks

Ammo racks of the Ha-Go Commander
Full
ammo 		1st
rack empty 		2nd
rack empty 		3rd
rack empty 		4th
rack empty 		5th
rack empty 		6th
rack empty 		7th
rack empty 		Visual
discrepancy
119 116 (+3) 107 (+12) 94 (+25) 89 (+30) 81 (+38) 49 (+70) 1 (+118) No

Turret & Left empty: 89 (+30)

Machine guns

7.7 mm Type 97 machine gun (coaxial)
Ammunition3 000 rounds
Belt capacity20 rounds
Reloadbasic crew → aces
3.9 → 3.0 s
Fire rate499 shots/min
Main article: Type 97 (7.7 mm)
7.7 mm Type 97
Mount Capacity (Belt) Fire rate Vertical Horizontal
Hull 3,000 (20) 499 ±22° ±22°

Usage in battles

As a light tank in a Rank I battle, the best overall tactic is to get the first jump on an enemy since the Ha-Go's gun is able to penetrate most tank's armour, yet everyone else's can also penetrate the Ha-Go. In an offensive, try to attack the enemy from a direction not covered to catch them by surprise, then exploit it by using the Ha-Go's mobility to keep moving around the enemy once it gets close so the enemy could not get an accurate bead on it. In a defensive, hold back and try to cover a single area of contact so the Ha-Go could dispel its fire on any enemy approaching.

Pros and cons

Pros:

  • 37 mm cannon has good penetration power
  • APHE shell has good post-penetration damage
  • Excellent gun depression and elevation
  • Good mobility and top speed
  • Small profile, easy to hide behind cover

Cons:

  • Weak armour (12.7 mm machine guns are able to knock the tank out with ease)
  • Reverse speed is -5 km/h on any sloped ground
  • Three-man crew which means that the Ha-Go can be destroyed by a single shot, maybe two if lucky
  • Turns are sluggish at any speed
  • 37 mm gun quickly becomes outdated and ineffective against tougher foes
  • Smoke grenade launchers fire to the left side of the turret instead of the front, so you have to turn the turret to the right to cover your front

History

Development

The deployment of the first Japanese domestic tank design, the Type 89 I-Go, gave the Japanese good insight on the improvement of their armoured force. One of the pressing issues of the Type 89 was that the tank was too slow to keep up with motorized infantry, restricting the operational range or advance of a combined-arm unit to only 40 kilometers. Another tank design being fielded by the Type 89, the Type 92 cavalry tank, had the speed that fixes this problem, but its armour was too thin and only had a heavy machine gun armament. Thus, development started in July 1933 on a tank able to fix these problem, with the specifications that the tank should weigh only 7.7 tons and armed with a 37 mm gun. With the same engine as the Type 89, but half of its weight, the new tank would have a faster road speed.[1]

The production of the designs was given to Mitsubishi, with a prototype produced and ready for trials in June 1934. The design was sent to Manchuria and performed cold weather trials in the Independent Mixed Brigade. These trials were positive and the second prototype design was built in June 1935 with improvements based on the trials. With a well-received performance of the design, it was accepted for service in the Imperial Japanese Army as the Type 95 Ha-Go light tank (Accepted in 1935, Imperial year 2595. 'Ha-Go' name given by Mitsubishi).[1] Production lasted from 1936 to 1943, with up to 2,300 tanks produced in the time period, making it the most produced Japanese tank design in World War II.

Design

The Type 95 Ha-Go was a light tank weighing roughly 7.7 tons. It had a three-man crew with a turret that only held one person inside. The turret was armed with a 37 mm gun, as well as a machine gun mount on the rear of the turret just like the Type 89. The machine gun armament on the back allowed the commander to simply traverse the turret to use a certain armament for the situation desired. Despite that, the one-man turret meant the commander was overworked.

The tank used the same engine on the Type 89B, the 120 hp Mitsubishi diesel engine. The suspension on the tank was quite simple, two bogies with wheels suspended on a bell crank with a front sprocket and two return rollers on each side. The two bogies were attached to a brace, connecting the two to fix problems with the pitching that inhibited the tank's driving ability, but the suspension still gave the crew a rough ride when driving on uneven ground. A unique feature on the Type 95 design was that there was an asbestos padding area separating the interior area from the hull armour to protect the crew from burning on hot metal armour and from injury on hitting the hull from the tank's rough driving experience.

Close up image of Ha-Go turret with the smoke launcher field modification

This Ha-Go version possesses four smoke grenades, mounted on the turret's side. There is no official factory documentation as this is a field modification, utilizing the Type 99 short self-projecting smoke candle.

Combat usage

The Type 95's was first deployed in the Second Sino-Japanese War. The Type 95s in the theater were generally well-received due to the inferiority of China's anti-tank defenses and their tank forces usually consist of machine gun-armed tanks like the Panzer I and CV33. The Type 95 Ha-Go's first major combat was during the border conflicts between Japan and the Soviet Union during the battles at Khalkhin Gol. The Type 95 made up a good portion of the 4th Tank Regiment in the 1st Tank Corps, alongside Type 89s and Type 94 tankettes. These tanks generally fought against the Soviet's BT-5 and BT-7 tanks, which were in the same class as the Ha-Gos, though the Japanese took special note on the 45 mm cannon on the Soviet tanks, which they deemed superior to the Ha-Go 37 mm cannon. The two side exchanged multiple battles and territories, eventually resulting in a ceasefire between the two nations in August 1939.

The next major usage of the Type 95 Ha-Go would be in opening stages of World War II when Japan invades the Allied territory after their surprise attack on Pearl Harbor on 7 December 1941. Their first usage was in the Malaya campaign, then Singapore, then the Burma campaign. Despite the British technological superiority over the Japanese with their tank designs in Europe, their self-created concept that tanks were next-to-useless in the Pacific jungles caused them to have a severe shortage of armour in the Pacific in the early stages of the war. The Japanese however, with no experience in jungle warfare, managed to invade with Type 95 alongside Type 97 mediums as their spearhead. The Type 95 would also be involved with America's first tank-to-tank battle during the Battle of the Philippines. Type 95s from the 4th Tank Regiment came across U.S. M3 Stuarts from the 192nd Tank Battalion. Despite the Stuarts being five years newer than the Type 95, the two tanks were deemed very similar performance-wise. In this engagement, the Type 95 managed to spot the U.S. tanks first and open fired, destroying one of the Stuarts in the platoon and the west withdrew under fire.

The Japanese continued using their Ha-Go in the Pacific Theater all the way until the end of the war. Even when outmatched by the newer American tanks like the M4 Shermans, the lack of any better equipment forced the Japanese Army to play with what they've got left. This led to costly defeats in the Japanese tank units on Tarawa, Saipan, Guam, Peleliu, and Okinawa as the tank units were used in reckless charges or static pillboxes as they were destroyed via tank, cannon, or bazooka fire.

After the war, the remnants of the Japanese Army left behind a huge number of Type 95 Ha-Go in their depot at the occupied territory. This led to a massive amount of tanks being captured and used by the opposing sides of the Chinese Civil War. Another curious user of the captured Japanese tanks were the French, which captured them from Japanese-occupied area in French Indochina. The French used the Japanese tanks alongside French tanks to hastily make units called 'Commando Blindé du Cambodge' to fight in the First Indochina War.

Media

Images
Skins

See also

Related Development
Tanks of comparable role, configuration, and era

External links

References

  1. ↑ 1.0 1.1 Zaloga Steven. Japanese Tanks 1939-1945 Great Britain: Osprey Publishing Ltd., 2007


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

Japan light tanks
Type 89  I-Go Ko
Type 95  Ha-Go · Ha-Go Commander
Type 98  Ke-Ni
Other  Ka-Mi
IFV  Type 89
RCV  Type 87 RCV (P) · Type 87 RCV · RCV (P)
MCV  Type 16 (P) · Type 16 (FPS) · Type 16
USA  ▅M24 · ▅M41A1

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

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