Difference between revisions of "ZTZ99-II"

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{{Specs-Card|code=cn_ztz_99}}
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{{About
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| about = Chinese MBT '''{{PAGENAME}}'''
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| usage = other versions
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| link = ZTZ99 (Family)
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}}
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{{Specs-Card
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|code=cn_ztz_99
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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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The '''{{Specs|name}}''' (ZTZ99式主战坦克 二类定型状态, aka 99一期改; coded WZ123) is the accepted version of the ZTZ99 in PLAGF service since the early 2000s. The plan for a new MBT for the PLAGF arose after the Project 122, which was lacking in firepower against possible Soviet assaults on Mainland China. The project for a new tank was issued in April 1984, and developments during the 1980s included evaluations on Object 172M-1 E-4 (known as T-72 Ural or Type 64 六四型 by Chinese engineers) and later mock-up targets of the T-80U. The standards were revised during development, and the new 3rd generation MBT was tested extensively during the 1990s. The finalized prototypes/LRIP models (ZTZ99-I) were then first shown during the 50th National Day Parade. These LRIP tanks, which were yet to be built at the factory, later received new protection packages in 2004 with FY-4 ERA on both the UFP and turret, leading to the well-known design of the ZTZ99.
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{{Break}}
 
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The '''{{Specs|name}}''' is a rank {{Specs|rank}} Chinese medium tank {{Battle-rating}}. It was introduced in [[Update "Hot Tracks"]].
 
  
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Also known as the '''Type 99''', the ZTZ99 is perhaps the most famous Chinese main battle tank. It looks similar to the [[ZTZ96A]] at a quick glance, with similar "arrowhead" ERA arrays on the front turret, but the dimensions are larger and the hull layout is more similar to the Soviet [[T-72 (Family)|T-72]]. The ZTZ99 boasts great firepower, good protection, excellent thermal sights, and improved engine power in addition to nifty features like a laser warning system and thermal sights for the commander. Notable weaknesses include substandard mobility, slow reload, numerous weak spots, and the lack of a supporting lineup, but these are not new to Chinese tankers in War Thunder. The ZTZ99 presents an iconic and long-awaited tank to cap off the PLA ground forces line.
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The ZTZ99-II was introduced in [[Update "Hot Tracks"]]. The Chinese adopted a NATO approach for their tank design with arrow-shaped turret applique armour while retaining kinetic ERA protection from Soviet MBTs, into which the engineers integrated the mobility from the former and the firepower from the latter (in fact better than most Russian/Soviet tanks thanks to the ZTZ99's FCS). While design flaws including the driver's hatch, mantlet, LFP and its long hull haunt the tank, the overall better handling compared to Soviet tanks will make players enjoy the overall performance of ZTZ99-II, though they have to maintain extra precaution for the best efficiency.
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''<small>Note: ZTZ99-II is also erroneously known as Type 99G before the family were clarified by mid-2010s</small>''.
  
 
== General info ==
 
== General info ==
 
=== Survivability and armour ===
 
=== Survivability and armour ===
 +
{{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.'' -->
 
<!-- ''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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Like the [[T-80U]], the ZTZ99 uses both composite armor and advanced ERA with kinetic protection. Composite armor is present on the turret cheeks and on the upper glacis; it is unremarkable by itself, but the areas with full coverage of both composite armor and FY-4 ERA are even capable of resisting the [[Leopard 2A6]]'s DM53 APFSDS. Unfortunately, these areas are limited to the turret cheeks and lower portion of the upper glacis.  
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Like the [[T-80U]], the ZTZ99 uses both composite armour and advanced ERA with kinetic protection. Composite armour is present on the turret cheeks and on the upper glacis; it is unremarkable by itself, but the areas with full coverage of both composite armour and FY-4 ERA are even capable of resisting the [[Leopard 2A6]]'s DM53 APFSDS. Unfortunately, these areas are limited to the turret cheeks and lower portion of the upper glacis. Interestingly, the ERA is resistant to tandem charge warheads, which allows it to withstand ATGMs that other ERA-equipped vehicles cannot.
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Unfortunately, there are plenty of weak spots on the hull. First, the lower glacis has no composite armour or ERA whatsoever and can be penetrated by practically anything, and it also is proportionally larger than on Soviet MBTs. Penetrating shots there have a large chance of detonating the ammo in the autoloader and destroying the tank. The upper glacis composite armour is modeled with a large cutout for the driver's optics, as on the Soviet T-64/72 series, and even the FY-4 ERA there is not enough to save it from powerful APFSDS. Some small portions of the upper glacis are not covered by ERA either.
  
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There are plenty of weak spots on the hull. First, the lower glacis has no composite armor or ERA whatsoever and can be penetrated by practically anything, and it also is proportionally larger than on Soviet MBTs. Penetrating shots there have a large chance of detonating the ammo in the autoloader and destroying the tank. The upper glacis composite armor is modeled with a curiously large cutout for the driver's optics, as on the Soviet T-64/72 series, and even the FY-4 ERA there is not enough to save it from powerful APFSDS. Some small portions of the upper glacis are not covered by ERA either.  
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The turret has its fair share of weak spots as well. The gun mantlet area has no composite armour and penetrating shots will usually take out the gun breech and possibly a crew member. There is a cutout in the ERA array on the left cheek to allow the driver to enter and exit the tank that reduces the protection there. Lastly, this vehicle is an early production ZTZ99 that features a round, cast steel "forehead" on top of the turret, merging into the gunner and commander cupolas. This forehead has inadequate protection against APFSDS rounds and penetrating shots might take out the gunner or commander. Since no ammunition is stored in the turret, frontal turret penetrations will likely only take out one crew member at a time.
  
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The turret has its fair share of weak spots as well. The gun mantlet area has no composite armor and penetrating shots will usually take out the gun breech and possibly a crew member. There is a cutout in the ERA array on the left cheek to allow the driver to enter and exit the tank that reduces the protection there. Lastly, this vehicle is an early production ZTZ99 that features a round, cast steel "forehead" on top of the turret, merging into the gunner and commander cupolas. This forehead has inadequate protection against APFSDS rounds and penetrating shots might take out the gunner or commander. Since no ammunition is stored in the turret, frontal turret penetrations will likely only take out one crew member at a time.
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The ZTZ99 does not have any ERA on the hull sides and the base hull side armour of 50 mm is thinner than Soviet MBTs, so be careful of IFVs with autocannons. Successful hits to the side will usually total the tank, either detonating the ammo racks or knocking out the turret crew.
  
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The ZTZ99 does not have any ERA on the hull sides and the base hull side armor of 50 mm is thinner than Soviet MBTs, so be careful of IFVs with autocannons. Successful hits to the side will usually total the tank, either detonating the ammo racks or knocking out the turret crew.
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The ZTZ99's armour protection has enough gaps that it can be considered "trolly" as opposed to "well-protected", but the areas that are well-protected are very strong. It's best to stay at long range and utilize the ZTZ99's low profile in conjunction with cover to make it difficult for enemies to hit the weak spots. Putting some bushes near the driver's hatch or gun mantlet might help. Remember that ERA is destroyed upon absorbing fire and the composite armour alone does not have sufficient protection for a top-rank vehicle.
  
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The ZTZ99's armor protection has enough gaps that it can be considered "trolly" as opposed to "well-protected", but the areas that are well-protected are very strong. It's best to stay at long range and utilize the ZTZ99's low profile in conjunction with cover to make it difficult for enemies to hit the weak spots. Putting some bushes near the driver's hatch or gun mantlet might help. Remember that ERA is destroyed upon absorbing fire and the composite armor alone does not have sufficient protection for a top-tier vehicle.
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As a last note, the GL-7 laser dazzler is physically modeled on the left side of the turret roof, but the active protection capabilities is currently not implemented in War Thunder (while its LWR and laser rangefinding functions are implemented).
  
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As a last note, an active protection system is physically modeled on the left side of the turret roof, but it is currently not implemented in War Thunder. The ZTZ99 does not have the capability to spoof ATGMs like the [[T-90A]].
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'''Armour type:'''
  
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'''Armour type:''' <!-- The types of armour present on the vehicle and their general locations -->
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* Rolled homogeneous armour (hull, turret cheeks, turret roof, cupolas)
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<!-- Example: * Rolled homogeneous armour (Front, Side, Rear, Hull roof)
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* Cast homogeneous armour (turret, gun mantlet, driver hatch)
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* Cast homogeneous armour (Turret, Transmission area) -->
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* Rubber-fabric screens (side skirts)
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* Structural steel (slat armour)
  
 
{| class="wikitable"
 
{| class="wikitable"
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! Armour !! Front (Slope angle) !! Sides !! Rear !! Roof
 
! Armour !! Front (Slope angle) !! Sides !! Rear !! Roof
 
|-
 
|-
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| Hull || ___ mm || ___ mm ''Top'' <br> ___ mm ''Bottom'' || ___ mm || ___ - ___ mm
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| Hull || 20 mm (70°) ''Upper front'' <br> 80 mm (60°) ''Lower front'' || 80 mm (50°) ''Top'' <br> 20 mm ''Bottom'' || 45 mm || 20-30  mm
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|-
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| Turret || 220 mm ''Turret front'' <br> 310 mm ''Gun mantlet'' || 80 mm (volumetric) || 35 mm || 30-50 mm
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|-
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| Cupola || colspan="3" | 45 mm (cylindrical) || 35 mm
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|-
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|}
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{| class="wikitable"
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! Composite armour !! Frontal effective protection
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|-
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| Hull ||'''Upper glacis (ERA counted):''' <br> 600-700 mm ''Kinetic'' / 1,050-1,300 mm ''Chemical''
 
|-
 
|-
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| Turret || ___ - ___ mm ''Turret front'' <br> ___ mm ''Gun mantlet'' || ___ - ___ mm || ___ - ___ mm || ___ - ___ mm
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| Turret ||'''Turret front (ERA counted):''' <br> 550-750 mm ''Kinetic'' / 1,000-1,300 mm ''Chemical'' <br> '''Gun mantlet:''' <br> 30-400 mm ''Kinetic'' / 60-400 mm ''Chemical''
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|}
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{| class="wikitable"
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! FY-4 Explosive reactive armour !! Front (Slope angle) !! Sides
 
|-
 
|-
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| Cupola || ___ mm || ___ mm || ___ mm || ___ mm
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| Hull ||'''Upper glacis:''' <br> 180 mm ''Kinetic''/ 550 mm ''Chemical'' || N/A
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|-
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| Turret ||'''Turret front:''' <br> 180 mm ''Kinetic''/ 550 mm ''Chemical'' || '''Rear side:''' <br> 50 mm ''Kinetic'' / 350 mm ''Chemical''
 
|-
 
|-
 
|}
 
|}
  
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'''Notes:''' <!-- Any additional notes which the user needs to be aware of -->
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'''Notes:'''
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<!-- Example: * Suspension wheels are 20 mm thick, tracks are 30 mm thick, and torsion bars are 60 mm thick. -->
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 +
* Suspension wheels, tracks, and torsion bars are 20 mm thick.
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* Side skirts are 8 mm thick, and slat armour on the turret sides is 10 mm thick.
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* A log placed at the rear of the hull is 100 mm thick.
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* A 5 mm thick internal RHA screen separates the engine compartment from the crew compartment.
  
 
=== 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 forwards and backwards.'' -->{{tankMobility|abMinHp=1860|rbMinHp=1061}}
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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=1860|rbMinHp=1061}}
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The ZTZ99-II's mobility is average for a top-tier vehicle. It has a sizeable NORINCO Shanxi Diesel 12V150HB 1,200 hp diesel engine, which is comparable to the [[T-80U]]'s Klimov GTD-1250 1,250 hp gas turbine engine and among the most powerful Eastern Bloc diesel engines, despite its design limits from the chassis. However, the ZTZ99 also weighs at 51 tons, which approaches the weight of the [[Leopard 2A4]] and the [[M1 Abrams]]. Among contemporaries, its power-to-weight ratio is better than the [[Challenger 2]] and [[T-72B3|T-72B3 mod. 2011 (before the 2016 UBH upgrades)]], comparable to the [[Ariete PSO]] and [[M1A2 Abrams]]. Though it is quite fast in a straight line, reaching 65 km/h on road at most; this 51-ton tank does need a considerably long time to pick up speed especially when stock or traversing rough terrain. Also, due to the space limits of the chassis and lack of manufacturing experience with transmission boxes, it has no neutral steering and the reverse speed with a mere -5 km/h is truly abysmal. The ZTZ99 can get into battle reasonably quickly but does not excel at flanking and will struggle to retreat from sticky situations, so avoid over-extending into the battlefield to keep the tank in one piece.
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=== Modifications and economy ===
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{{Specs-Economy}}
  
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The ZTZ99's mobility is below average for a top tier vehicle. The power-to-weight ratio is only better than the [[Challenger 2]] and is comparable to the [[Ariete PSO]]. It is quite fast in a straight line and across rough terrain, but it does not have neutral steering and the reverse speed of 5 km/h is truly abysmal. The ZTZ99 can get into battle reasonably quickly but does not excel at flanking and will struggle to retreat from sticky situations.
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Recommended research order:
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# Parts. The ZTZ99-II's gun mantlet is a major weak spot meaning the gun breech or barrel can get destroyed a lot. Being able to repair these critical components is crucial.
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# 125-I APFSDS. Stock HEAT rounds are a pain to use against modern MBTs, while the HE requires longer time to target the enemy's weak spot, putting the ZTZ99-II in danger. A filler APFSDS allows more weak spots to be an option.
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# Mobility modifications. They can improve the tank's speed and handling.
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# LWS/LR. The more important module here is the laser rangefinder as it allows the player to quickly target distant enemies. The laser warning receiver is a nice bonus.
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# DTC10-125 APFSDS. With 500+ mm penetration, this round renders even more areas as penetrable, greatly increasing the ZTZ99-II's capacities.
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# Others
  
 
== Armaments ==
 
== Armaments ==
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{{Specs-Tank-Armaments}}
 
=== Main armament ===
 
=== Main armament ===
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{{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.'' -->
 
<!-- ''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|ZPT98 (125 mm)}}
 
{{main|ZPT98 (125 mm)}}
  
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The ZPT98 cannon is a 125 mm cannon with an autoloader, much like the 2A46 cannon used by the T-72 or the Type 88C cannon used by the ZTZ96, but it is 50 calibers long instead of 48. The reload speed of 7.5 seconds is the slowest of any top-rank vehicle, so destroying or crippling enemies in one shot is important. The gun handling is the same as the ZTZ96 series, being slightly better than most Soviet MBTs barring the [[T-72B3]] but still lower than most Western MBTs.
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The ZPT98 cannon is a 125 mm smoothbore cannon with an autoloader, much like the 2A46 cannon used by the T-72 or the Type 88C cannon used by the ZTZ96, but it is 50 calibres long instead of 48. The reload speed of 7.1 seconds is the slowest of any top-rank vehicle, so destroying or crippling enemies in one shot is important; but thanks to the upgraded FCS, ZTZ99-II can be more versatile with 6x-11x gun optics, helping players to engage both close and long range targets with relative ease. The gun handling is the same as the ZTZ96 series, being slightly better than most Soviet MBTs barring the [[T-80U]] and comparable to certain Western bloc MBTs ([[Challenger 2]], [[Leclerc (Family)|Leclerc]], [[Type 10]] etc.).
  
 
{| class="wikitable" style="text-align:center" width="100%"
 
{| class="wikitable" style="text-align:center" width="100%"
 
|-
 
|-
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! colspan="5" | [[ZPT98 (125 mm)|125 mm ZPT98]] || colspan="5" | Turret rotation speed (°/s) || colspan="4" | Reloading rate (seconds)
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! colspan="5" | [[ZPT98 (125 mm)|125 mm ZPT98]] || colspan="5" | Turret rotation speed (°/s) || Reloading rate (seconds)
 
|-
 
|-
 
! Mode !! Capacity !! Vertical !! Horizontal !! Stabilizer
 
! Mode !! Capacity !! Vertical !! Horizontal !! Stabilizer
 
! Stock !! Upgraded !! Full !! Expert !! Aced
 
! Stock !! Upgraded !! Full !! Expert !! Aced
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! Stock !! Full !! Expert !! Aced
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! Autoloader
 
|-
 
|-
 
! ''Arcade''
 
! ''Arcade''
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| rowspan="2" | 39 || rowspan="2" | -5°/+13° || rowspan="2" | ±180° || rowspan="2" | Two-plane || 28.6 || __._ || __._ || __._ || __._ || rowspan="2" | 7.50 || rowspan="2" | 7.50 || rowspan="2" | 7.50 || rowspan="2" | 7.50
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| rowspan="2" | 39 || rowspan="2" | -5°/+13° || rowspan="2" | ±180° || rowspan="2" | Two-plane || 28.6 || 39.5 || 48.0 || 53.1 || 56.5 || rowspan="2" | 7.10
 
|-
 
|-
 
! ''Realistic''
 
! ''Realistic''
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| 17.9 || __._ || __._ || __._ || __._
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| 17.9 || 21.0 || 25.5 || 28.2 || 30.0
 
|-
 
|-
 
|}
 
|}
  
 
==== Ammunition ====
 
==== Ammunition ====
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{| class="wikitable sortable" style="text-align:center" width="100%"
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{{:ZPT98 (125 mm)/Ammunition|DTP-125, DTB-125, 125-I, DTC10-125, GP125, DTB12-125}}
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! colspan="8" | Penetration statistics
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−
|-
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Reload time aside, the ZTZ99's firepower is good, where its variety of ammunition can help players defeat all types of enemies.
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! rowspan="2" data-sort-type="text" | Ammunition
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! rowspan="2" | Type of<br>warhead
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The stock DTP-125 HEATFS round has the typical penetration of 480 mm shared by Western MBTs with 120 mm guns, but this is not enough to deal with tanks with composite armour, which are the norm at the ZTZ99's battle rating. The post-penetration damage is also disappointing. Only use it as an interim shell before APFSDS is unlocked. With 2.19 kg of explosive mass, it is sometimes capable of knocking out light targets like SPAAs and light tanks with overpressure damage, so keep an eye out for those.
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! colspan="6" | '''Penetration @ 0° Angle of Attack (mm)'''
 
−
|-
 
−
! 10 m !! 100 m !! 500 m !! 1,000 m !! 1,500 m !! 2,000 m
 
−
|-
 
−
| DTP-125 || HEATFS ||480||480||480||480||480||480
 
−
|-
 
−
| DTB-125 || HE ||45||45||45||45||45||45
 
−
|-
 
−
| 125-I || APFSDS ||466||464||458||450||442||434
 
−
|-
 
−
| DTW-125 || APFSDS ||568||566||558||549||538||529
 
−
|-
 
−
|}
 
−
{| 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%
 
−
|-
 
−
|DTP-125||HEATFS||905||18||0.05||0.1||2,190||65°||72°||77°
 
−
|-
 
−
|DTB-125||HE||850||23||0.00||0.1||5,460||79°||80°||81°
 
−
|-
 
−
|125-I||APFSDS||1730||4.02||N/A||N/A||N/A||78°||80°||81°
 
−
|-
 
−
|DTW-125||APFSDS||1730||4.83||N/A||N/A||N/A||78°||80°||81°
 
−
|-
 
−
|}
 
  
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Reload time aside, the ZTZ99's firepower is good. Most of its ammunition selections are identical to the ZTZ96 series.
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The stock DTB-125 HE shell is one of the strongest of any top-rank MBT. It can actually cause more damage to MBTs than the HEATFS round if fired at turret rings, hull roofs, and turret cupolas, especially after the introduction of pressure damage. Well placed impacts have a good chance of transmitting the shockwave into the crew compartment and knocking the target out instantly, even against the toughest MBTs like the [[Leopard 2A6]]. It helps to keep a few HE rounds around even after APFSDS is unlocked as they excel at causing pressure damage to light targets.
  
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The stock DTP-125 HEAT-FS round has the typical penetration of 480 mm shared by Western MBTs with 120 mm guns, but this is not enough to deal with tanks with composite armor, which are the norm at the ZTZ99's battle rating. The post-penetration damage is also disappointing. Only use it as an interim shell before APFSDS is unlocked. It is capable of hull-breaking light targets like SPAAs and light tanks, so keep an eye out for those.
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The ZTZ99-II also has access to the GP125 tandem ATGM, which performs identically to its Soviet counterpart. If players find their darts are not effective against well-armoured targets, the sufficient velocity and penetration can ruin the day of such vehicles, as well as helicopters if they don't evade the incoming missile.
  
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The stock DTB-125 HE shell is once again the strongest of any top-tier MBT. It can actually cause more damage than the HEAT-FS round if fired at turret rings, hull roofs, and turret cupolas. The first two may detonate ammo racks stored in the hull (commonplace for the Leopard 2 series, for example) or at least cripple the target through damage to the turret drive, driver, and gun barrel. Hitting the commander's cupola or optics is difficult but has the potential to one-shot even the toughest MBTs like the [[Leopard 2A6]]. It helps to keep a few HE rounds around even after APFSDS is unlocked, as they excel at hull-breaking light targets.
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The 125-I APFSDS round is a tier 1 modification. Though it first appeared on the [[ZTZ96]], it is still a decent option for the ZTZ99 and eases the stock grind considerably. It has very similar flat penetration and superior angled penetration to the 3BM42 "Mango" round used by Soviet tanks and can penetrate most contemporary opponents through at least the lower front plate and gun breech.
  
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The 125-I APFSDS round is a Tier 1 modification. Though it first appeared on the 9.3 [[ZTZ96]], it is still a decent option for the ZTZ99 and eases the stock grind considerably. It has very similar flat penetration and superior angled penetration to the top 3BM42 "Mango" round used by the [[T-80U]] and can penetrate most tanks through at least the lower front plate and gun breech.
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Waiting as a tier 4 modification is the DTC10-125 APFSDS round, a high mass and high velocity shell with only slightly worse performance compared to 3BM60 on the [[T-80BVM]]. This will be the go-to round for the ZTZ99-II and most targets at the rank are unlikely to withstand a penetrating shot from this shell.
  
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Waiting at Tier 4 is the DTW-125 APFSDS round. It is highly lethal and very similar in performance to the Leclerc's OFL 120 F1, having high flat and angled penetration. The performance is not sufficient to break through the turret cheeks of heavily armored MBTs like the [[M1A2 Abrams]], [[Leopard 2A5]]/[[Leopard 2A6|2A6]], and [[Challenger 2]], but other MBTs may be vulnerable. It will comfortably penetrate any tank's hull armor and the higher mass compared to the 125-I round produces somewhat more spalling.
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DTB12-125 is also available as a tier 4 modification; this is one of the few HE-VT shells available for a top-tier MBT. This shell turns ZTZ99-II into a 125 mm anti-aircraft gun thanks to its generous explosive filler, any aircraft that are within its 7 m trigger radius will not have a good day. Although it has lesser explosive content, the VT fuse is not triggered by ground vehicles so it can serve as an alternative to the stock HE-FS as well.
  
 
==== [[Ammo racks]] ====
 
==== [[Ammo racks]] ====
−
<!-- [[File:Ammoracks_{{PAGENAME}}.png|right|thumb|x250px|[[Ammo racks]] of the {{PAGENAME}}]] -->
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[[File:Ammoracks_{{PAGENAME}}.png|right|thumb|x250px|[[Ammo racks]] of the {{PAGENAME}}]]
−
<!-- '''Last updated:''' -->
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<!-- '''Last updated: 2.7.0.141''' -->
 
{| class="wikitable" style="text-align:center"
 
{| class="wikitable" style="text-align:center"
 
|-
 
|-
 
! Full<br>ammo
 
! Full<br>ammo
 +
! Ammo<br>part
 
! 1st<br>rack empty
 
! 1st<br>rack empty
 
! 2nd<br>rack empty
 
! 2nd<br>rack empty
Line 136: Line 151:
 
! 5th<br>rack empty
 
! 5th<br>rack empty
 
! 6th<br>rack empty
 
! 6th<br>rack empty
 +
! 7th<br>rack empty
 
! Visual<br>discrepancy
 
! Visual<br>discrepancy
 
|-
 
|-
−
| '''39''' || __&nbsp;''(+__)'' || __&nbsp;''(+__)'' || __&nbsp;''(+__)'' || __&nbsp;''(+__)'' || __&nbsp;''(+__)'' || __&nbsp;''(+__)'' || __
+
| '''39''' || ''Projectiles''<br>''Propellants'' || 37&nbsp;''(+2)''<br>39&nbsp;''(+0)'' || 34&nbsp;''(+5)''<br>38&nbsp;''(+1)'' || 31&nbsp;''(+8)''<br>37&nbsp;''(+2)'' || 27&nbsp;''(+12)''<br>28&nbsp;''(+11)'' || 23&nbsp;''(+16)''<br>26&nbsp;''(+13)'' || N/A <br>23&nbsp;''(+16)'' || 1&nbsp;''(+38)''<br>1&nbsp;''(+38)'' || No
 
|-
 
|-
 
|}
 
|}
 +
'''Notes'''
 +
 +
* The 7th projectiles and propellants rack is the First-stage ammo stowage: it is a mechanized ammo rack with a fixed reload rate.
 +
* The mechanized ammo rack depletes clock-wise: the arrow in the image shows where the ammo depletion starts.
 +
* It is recommended to bring 23 rounds in the tank as to limit the chances of the tank being knocked out by ammo rack explosion.
  
 
=== Machine guns ===
 
=== Machine guns ===
 +
{{Specs-Tank-Weapon|2}}
 +
{{Specs-Tank-Weapon|3}}
 
<!-- ''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.'' -->
 
<!-- ''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|QJC88A (12.7 mm)|Type 86 (7.62 mm)}}
 
{{main|QJC88A (12.7 mm)|Type 86 (7.62 mm)}}
 +
 
{| class="wikitable" style="text-align:center" width="50%"
 
{| class="wikitable" style="text-align:center" width="50%"
 
|-
 
|-
Line 151: Line 175:
 
! Mount !! Capacity (Belt) !! Fire rate !! Vertical !! Horizontal
 
! Mount !! Capacity (Belt) !! Fire rate !! Vertical !! Horizontal
 
|-
 
|-
−
|Pintle|| 500 (150) ||700|| -5°/+60° || ±180°
+
| Pintle || 600 (150) || 600 || -6°/+85° || ±180°
 
|-
 
|-
 
|}
 
|}
Line 160: Line 184:
 
! Mount !! Capacity (Belt) !! Fire rate !! Vertical !! Horizontal
 
! Mount !! Capacity (Belt) !! Fire rate !! Vertical !! Horizontal
 
|-
 
|-
−
|Coaxial|| 2500 (250) ||700||N/A||N/A
+
| Coaxial || 2,500 (250) || 700 || - || -
 
|-
 
|-
 
|}
 
|}
Line 166: Line 190:
 
== 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).'' -->
 +
==== The Well-known Great Wall ====
 +
When players have some understanding of ZTZ99 series from other certain games, one thing they might find very noticeable is the rather long hull, this is indeed a feature of ZTZ99 series since the engineers opted for a larger powerplant, higher combat radius and fitting the turret system; this can be a major problem for players who came from Soviet MBTs with shorter chassis ''(for example, T-72 series are only 6.86 m while ZTZ99 is at 7.2 m)'', considering that players need to take cover from time to time at such tier, enemy flanking can certainly spot the chassis of ZTZ99-II much earlier than any T-72 series thus higher risk of disablement of the vehicle. Another problem players have to consider is the rather similar weakspots to Soviet/Russian equivalents, namely the driver visor, LFP and mantle; while some players might somehow mistaken the tank as a NATO MBT due to its applique/ERA layout, their long shot for the mantle can somewhat easily disable the gun of ZTZ99-II, leaving the vehicle much less troublesome to the enemy team. While the slow reload rate at 7.1 second per shot with autoloader is up to debate whether the need for a human loader is essential, one issues is very certain for ZTZ99's layout - anything hitting the carousel of autoloader can very likely lead to an unwanted firework show for the player and the total destruction of the vehicle, so hiding the weakspots at all cost is the best way to extend its service as long as possible.
  
−
The ZTZ99's main weaknesses are poor mobility characteristics and inconsistent protection, so to mitigate these, it is best used as a sniper or midfielder. Carefully move up to positions that offer cover and a good view. Once in position, the ZTZ99's strengths can be put to good use. The laser warning system and high-quality thermal sights for the commander give the ZTZ99 a large degree of situational awareness, allowing enemies to be spotted and engaged quickly. Try to attack enemies from a distance and while they are in the open; in this situation they will have difficulty targeting the weak points of the ZTZ99 while the ZTZ99 typically only needs to shoot their hull when using the top DTW-125 APFSDS. Be aware of the slow reload, which is up to 50% slower than other top MBTs. If a target is still capable of returning fire after being hit (e.g. gunner, gun breech, turret drive are intact), it might be better to move to cover and wait for teammates to distract or attack them. Move up when the coast is clear but do not overextend, it is difficult to back out from a bad position due to the bad reverse speed and in the meantime enemies can fire plenty of shots at the ZTZ99.
+
But thinking a ZTZ99-II is yet another T-72 also leads to a common misconception: in this case, thanks to the technological advancement and well-refined design for almost two-decades, players can enjoy top-tier protection as early as 10.7 thanks to the armour layout with blocks of FY-4 and its internal composite armor to stop up to 690 mm penetration at certain spots; any Kontakt-5 equipped MBTs could stop up to around 620 mm penetration from kinetic shells. When the shot happens to hit the UFP, in most cases it is likely to prove fruitless for enemy team especially from long distance; while ZTZ99-II can retaliate with either its APFSDS or ATGM from afar and achieve critical hit to some of its NATO rivalries. Another misconception is the mobility of ZTZ99 series, it is very likely NATO MBTs would run into a ZTZ99-II when they are also rushing for vantage points; thanks to the new 1200 hp 12V150HB diesel engine, although not as fast as NATO equivalents, the vehicle is extensively faster than any non-T-80 MBTs in Russian service, sometimes even heavier NATO equivalents such as Challenger 2 series. Rushing for vantage points and halt the advancement of enemy is a good idea to achieve victory, this also need well-planned tactics beforehand to compensate the most lethal flaw of ZTZ99 - its -4.8 km/h reverse; any rushes to frontline need careful planning for covers due to the size of the vehicle, it is always better finding covers such as rubbles of buildings or other fellow tanks, as long as ZTZ99-II is still part of the fight, the turret system and ammunition are still more than enough to finish off enemy vehicles rushing onto players, its better gun-laying systems also help ZTZ99-II to react on sudden strikes. Sometimes when players have to opt of long-range engagement, chances are enemy players will go for their LRF to acquire enemy targets - this is also the case for ZTZ99-II thanks to the LWS installed on the emitter/receiver unit behind the turret which in turn expose the existence of enemy vehicles, with sufficient reaction time and hand controls ''(i.e. fine controls with mouse)'', this will be the last mistake enemy ever make. In case the vehicle entered maps with very complicated terrain such as Kursk or Vietnam, keep the LOS of enemy away from the chassis as much as possible as players have to consider for the rather poor depression of the main cannon, as well as its lack of dozer blade; always think twice before eventually engage careless targets for victories or at least reduce the stress of frontline.
  
−
Unlike top Soviet MBTs, the ZTZ99 does not have access to gun-launched ATGMs, making it more difficult to swat helicopters or low-flying aircraft from the sky. Stay within the coverage of friendly SPAA vehicles like the [[ZPRK 2S6|Tunguska]] if possible, and if no support is available, use the smoke grenades and engine smoke system to hide.
+
While the design of ZTZ99-II could saw the heritage of some of its foreign ancestors, the vehicle itself serves as the breakthrough of PLAGF and also lead to future designs; always keep in mind of the following Chinese idiom - 眼观四路耳听八方 '''''(keep keen eyes and clear ears for the surroundings)''''', plan ahead and consider carefully how to disable enemies as fast as possible as ZTZ99-II might not have the chance to fire again. Tactics on -II can also be retained for the -III, just be sure to employ a well-mixed tactics from NATO and Warsaw-Pact MBTs.
  
−
As of [[Update "Hot Tracks"]], it is important to remember that the ZTZ99 currently has no supporting ground lineup. The most competent backup tank is the [[ZTZ96A]] with decent firepower and thermal sights, but that is a whole battle rating lower and suffers at top tier due to its inadequate mobility and armor. SPAA is sorely lacking since the most advanced option is the [[WZ305]], which does not have a radar and has worn out its welcome against supersonic jets with air-to-ground missiles. Consider stocking up on backup vehicles for the ZTZ99. For close air support, options include the [[F-104G (China)|F-104G]], [[Q-5A]], and [[F-100A (China)|F-100A]], but be aware that top tier battlefields are often strewn with SAMs and other potent SPAA vehicles.
 
−
 
−
=== Modules ===
 
−
{| class="wikitable"
 
−
|-
 
−
!Tier
 
−
! colspan="2" |Mobility
 
−
! colspan="2" |Protection
 
−
! colspan="2" |Firepower
 
−
|-
 
−
|I
 
−
|Tracks
 
−
|
 
−
|Parts
 
−
|
 
−
|Horizontal Drive
 
−
|125-I
 
−
|-
 
−
|II
 
−
|Suspension
 
−
|Brake System
 
−
|FPE
 
−
|
 
−
|Adjustment of Fire
 
−
|LWS/LR
 
−
|-
 
−
|III
 
−
|Filters
 
−
|
 
−
|Crew Replenishment
 
−
|NVD
 
−
|Elevation Mechanism
 
−
|
 
−
|-
 
−
|IV
 
−
|Transmission
 
−
|Engine
 
−
|ESS
 
−
|Smoke Grenade
 
−
|Artillery Support
 
−
|DTW-125
 
−
|}
 
 
=== Pros and cons ===
 
=== Pros and cons ===
 
<!-- ''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".'' -->
 
<!-- ''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".'' -->
Line 218: Line 202:
 
'''Pros:'''
 
'''Pros:'''
  
−
* Powerful firepower: has access to high-penetrating APFSDS with great velocity and damage
+
* Powerful firepower:
−
* DTW-125 APFSDS is more powerful than any Soviet offering
+
** Variety of shells ranging from high-penetration darts, devastating HE(-VT) shells and gun-launched ATGM
−
* Nice frontal protection: sturdy turret cheeks and upper front plate, can resist common shells such as DM53
+
** High resolution thermal sights for both commander and gunner give it some advantage in poor visibility conditions
−
* HE shell is currently the most powerful available to any high-rank MBT, can cripple or outright destroy enemies with a good shot
+
** Autoloader reloads the cannon even when putting out fires or replacing crew members
 +
** Roof-mounted heavy machine gun is useful against low-flying aircraft and light targets
 +
* Good armour:
 +
** Nice frontal protection: sturdy turret cheeks and upper front plate, can resist common shells
 +
** ERA is immune to tandem-charged warheads
 
* Low profile
 
* Low profile
−
* ERA is immune to tandem-charged warheads
 
−
* Roof-mounted heavy machine gun is useful against aircraft and light targets
 
−
* Thermal sights for both commander and gunner give it some advantages in poor visibility conditions
 
−
* Autoloader reloads the cannon even when putting out fires or replacing crew members
 
 
* Has a laser warning receiver
 
* Has a laser warning receiver
−
* Improved mobility over predecessor ZTZ96
+
* Improved mobility over preceding ZTZ96A with faster acceleration and higher top speed
  
 
'''Cons:'''
 
'''Cons:'''
  
−
* Has a huge driver's weakspot that can be penetrated by pretty much any gun
+
* Inconsistent protection:
−
* Right side of the gun mantlet (when facing the ZTZ99) only has a thin armour sheet rather than ERA protection, lowering its thickness significantly
+
** Has a huge driver's weak spot that can be penetrated by pretty much any gun
−
* Lower plate is very weak, with penetrating shells killing crew or exploding ammo
+
** Weak gun mantlet, very easy to disable gun breech
−
* Ineffectual reverse speed of only -4 km/h, which can usually get the player killed
+
** The outer part of the mantlet are in fact armour sheets rather than ERA, lowering its thickness significantly
−
* Below average gun depression of -5° limits its capacity in hilly environments
+
** Lower plate is very weak, with penetrating shells incapacitating the crew or exploding ammo
 +
** The bulge part of the turret (cast armour) might sometimes be penetrated and causing gun damages
 +
* Poor mobility:
 +
** Ineffectual reverse speed of only -5 km/h, makes it difficult to reverse and repair or escape dangerous situations
 +
** Due to the long hull, hull traverse speed is slow especially when stock or on loose surfaces
 +
* Turret mantle ERA offers low KE protection
 
* Only 3 crew members
 
* Only 3 crew members
−
* No ATGM capability, unlike the T-64B and T-72B
+
* Poor gun depression of -5° limits its capacity in hilly environments
−
* Relatively slow reload of 7.5 seconds compared to other MBT
+
* Relatively slow reload of 7.1 seconds compared to other MBTs
−
* Turret ERA give very low KE protection
+
* Sometimes be mistaken as NATO MBTs in simulator battles due to the turret design
  
 
== 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).'' -->
 +
 +
In the late 1960s, Mainland China had found that the PLAGF was lagging behind the mainstream of MBTs of the era; the menacing Soviet armoured brigades in the Far East were also a great concern as well, especially after Damansky (Zhenbao) Island Incident where they [[T-62 545 (China)|captured a T-62]]. During the mid-1970s, the '''Commission for Science, Technology and Industry for National Defense''' (COSTIND 国防科学技术工业委员会) made a few attempts to design new MBTs under the code '''WZ122''' with multiple prototypes; technological issues put an end to those prototypes in the mid-1970s.
 +
 +
Soon after the Cultural Revolution, in April 1978, COSTIND and 5th Ministry of Machine Building (第五机械工业部, now NORINCO and CSGC) received the requirements from PLA for a modern MBT, known as '''Project 784'''. It was to weigh around 43 tons and be armed with a 120 mm gun, as well as sporting a 1,000 hp MTU MB 331 TC-41 engine (which only 10 of them were imported from West Germany), in view of '''competing with the latest West German [[Leopard 2 (Family)|Leopard 2]] MBTs''' with excellent firepower and mobility. This prototype tank, coded WZ1224 underwent intensive tests. Later in 1984, Chinese exchanged a T-72 Ural from Romania, naming it Type 64 and using it for evaluation.<ref>https://www.163.com/dy/article/FUN6N9FU0535NL0F.html</ref> Although it was a fantasy for Mainland China during the 1980s to build a top-notch MBT, WZ1224, along with its later prototypes, became the basis of a new MBT - what would become the WZ123.
 +
 +
In the mid-1980s, after the Leopard 2-like design and Merkava-like design were ditched due to their overall inferior protection (Leopard 2 was too huge while a front-placed engine in fact decreased the overall protection against kinetic shells, as stated in research papers), COSTIND decided that WZ123 should have a low profile like a T-72 and '''Zhu Yusheng''' (祝榆生, Nov 1918 - 23 Oct 2014) of '''Institute 201''' (201所，北方车辆研究所) would be the chief designer of WZ123. During the decade between 1980s and 1990s, the new MBT went through extensive tests, including choosing a suitable engine for the tank at 1,200 hp, aimed to be comparable to the top-notch western MTU MB 873 Ka-501. However, the Chinese could only manage to get the license for MB 396 (a marine engine, Type 212 submarines used a pair of them; the licensed MTU 396 engine became the backbone of PLAN's new DDGs), and reverse-engineering efforts on the previous MB 331 TC-41 became 8V165 (8 valve, 165 mm cylinder diameter) with major flaws, so the options were only limited to domestic X150 or 150HB (designated by the cylinder diameter in millimetres) engine from '''Institute 70''' (NORINCO China North Engine Research Institute; Datong, Shanxi) and the lineage to German technology ended. A requirement from COSTIND was that the tank was to be compact, so large size engines like MB 873 Ka-501 weren't a viable option for the new MBT. With only 946 hp and some flaws found during the fitting of new engines into WZ123, the more potent and viable option in terms of Mainland China's overall engine technology: 150HB engine designed by Zhang Baozhong (张保中) was chosen as WZ123's engine.<ref>https://www.xcar.com.cn/bbs/viewthread.php?tid=33475284</ref> Later in 1996, '''Factory 617''' (NORINCO Inner-Mongolia First Machinery Group Corporation) delivered the new 3rd generation MBT to PLAGF for tests. While all the tests showed that WZ123 had passed the requirements from PLAGF, it was very unlikely made the way into commission before the 50th Anniversary of the Establishment of PRC under the codename '''"Project 9910"'''; efforts were made so that Factory 617 could produce 18 of these tanks to be paraded in the anniversary as the C001 to C018 tanks of C-vehicle phalanx, it was then known as Type 98 by USDOD. The prototypes built for Project 9910, aka '''ZTZ99-I''' then served in 38th Army Corps and based on this design, in early 2000s, Factory 617 built 2 variants of them for theorizing the applique and ERA placement of WZ123; finally one of them passed state certification at around 2003 and became '''ZTZ99-II''' (or ZTZ99 Mod. 2003, 99一期改, ZTZ99 "二类定型状态" in-game; erroneously known as 99G).
 +
 +
This design was then revised and finally in the 60th Anniversary of the Establishment of PRC, a new version named '''[[ZTZ99-III]]''' (or ZTZ99 Mod. 2004, 99二期改, ZTZ99 "三类定型状态" in-game; erroneously known as 99A1) was first publicly shown with a revised turret and placement of FY-4 ERA on the UFP. During the first decade of the 21st century, NORINCO was also refining their revised design on ZTZ99, dubbed ZTZ99AY (Y for {{Annotation|验证|yànzhèng}}, proof of concept). A decade later, in the 70th Anniversary of Victory over Japan Day, a brand-new designed ZTZ99A (erroneously known as 99A2), designed by '''Mao Ming''' (毛明, Sept 1962-) was first shown to the public, which only nominally shared the ZTZ99 name, and had enhanced capabilities against any modern and future MBTs it might face, serving as the new spearhead of elite armoured brigades in northern China.
  
 
=== [[wt:en/news/7005-development-ztz99-pouncing-tiger-en|Devblog]] ===
 
=== [[wt:en/news/7005-development-ztz99-pouncing-tiger-en|Devblog]] ===
 
Development of the ZTZ99 began in the mid 1980s, with Chinese engineers starting work on a new advanced main battle tank to replace the existing vehicles in service at the time. After examining possible design proposals, the engineers decided to proceed with a design similar to that of the Soviet T-72 tank.
 
Development of the ZTZ99 began in the mid 1980s, with Chinese engineers starting work on a new advanced main battle tank to replace the existing vehicles in service at the time. After examining possible design proposals, the engineers decided to proceed with a design similar to that of the Soviet T-72 tank.
  
−
By 1991, the first prototype of the vehicle was constructed and demonstrated to high-ranking officials, followed by the construction of additional prototypes in the following year. In the early to mid 1990s, the prototypes underwent testing and were continuously improved over time. In the late 1990’s, further pre-production prototypes were built and transferred to the army for final testing.
+
By 1991, the first prototype of the vehicle was constructed and demonstrated to high-ranking officials, followed by the construction of additional prototypes in the following year. In the early to mid 1990s, the prototypes underwent testing and were continuously improved over time. In the late 1990's, further pre-production prototypes were built and transferred to the army for final testing.
  
−
The ZTZ99 was first shown off to the public as part of the military parade commemorating the 50th anniversary of the People’s Republic of China in October 1999. Soon after, the ZTZ99 was officially adopted for service with the PLA in late 2000.
+
The ZTZ99 was first shown off to the public as part of the military parade commemorating the 50th anniversary of the People's Republic of China in October 1999. Soon after, the ZTZ99 was officially adopted for service with the PLA in late 2000.
  
−
Several years after its first introduction to service, the ZTZ99 received an upgrade package, allowing the vehicle to be fitted with additional FY-4 ERA, thus bolstering its protection significantly. Although initially intended to become China’s primary MBT, the high cost hindered large-scale production, resulting in only about 500 vehicles being manufactured. However, due to the tank’s advanced design and relatively small numbers, ZTZ99s are exclusively employed by China’s elite armoured units.
+
Several years after its first introduction to service, the ZTZ99 received an upgrade package, allowing the vehicle to be fitted with additional FY-4 ERA, thus bolstering its protection significantly. Although initially intended to become China's primary MBT, the high cost hindered large-scale production, resulting in only about 500 vehicles being manufactured. However, due to the tank's advanced design and relatively small numbers, ZTZ99s are exclusively employed by China's elite armoured units.
  
 
The ZTZ99 remained in production until the early 2010s, before production capacities were allocated to the more advanced ZTZ99A - a highly modernized variant of the ZTZ99.
 
The ZTZ99 remained in production until the early 2010s, before production capacities were allocated to the more advanced ZTZ99A - a highly modernized variant of the ZTZ99.
Line 257: Line 255:
 
== Media ==
 
== Media ==
 
<!-- ''Excellent additions to the article would be video guides, screenshots from the game, and photos.'' -->
 
<!-- ''Excellent additions to the article would be video guides, screenshots from the game, and photos.'' -->
−
'''Skins'''
 
−
 
−
[https://live.warthunder.com/feed/camouflages/?vehicleCountry=china&vehicleType=tank&vehicleClass=medium_tank&vehicle=cn_ztz_99 Skins and camouflages for the {{PAGENAME}} from live.warthunder.com.]
 
−
 
−
'''Videos'''
 
  
−
{{Youtube-gallery|uCbzVR2aDs4|'''ZTZ99 - Tank Review''' - ''Napalmratte''|BtuRjIvTtTQ|'''The BEAST from the East - ZTZ99''' - ''JustinPlaysYT''|}}
+
;Skins
  
−
'''Images'''
+
[https://live.warthunder.com/feed/camouflages/?vehicle=cn_ztz_99 Skins and camouflages for the {{PAGENAME}} from live.warthunder.com.]
  
 +
;Images
 
<gallery mode="packed" caption="ZTZ99 Devblog Images" heights="150">
 
<gallery mode="packed" caption="ZTZ99 Devblog Images" heights="150">
 
File:ZTZ-99 WTWallpaper 001.jpg|
 
File:ZTZ-99 WTWallpaper 001.jpg|
Line 277: Line 271:
 
</gallery>
 
</gallery>
  
−
 
+
;Videos
−
 
+
{{Youtube-gallery|Yssg5uKGS-A|'''The Shooting Range #236''' - ''Metal Beasts'' section at 00:28 discusses the {{PAGENAME}}.|uCbzVR2aDs4|'''ZTZ99 - Tank Review''' - ''Napalmratte''|BtuRjIvTtTQ|'''The BEAST from the East - ZTZ99''' - ''JustinPlaysYT''|}}
  
 
== See also ==
 
== See also ==
Line 296: Line 290:
 
* [[wt:en/news/7005-development-ztz99-pouncing-tiger-en|[Devblog] ZTZ99: Pouncing Tiger]]
 
* [[wt:en/news/7005-development-ztz99-pouncing-tiger-en|[Devblog] ZTZ99: Pouncing Tiger]]
  
 +
=== References ===
 +
<references />
 +
 +
{{TankManufacturer Norinco}}
 
{{China medium tanks}}
 
{{China medium tanks}}
 +
[[Category:ATGM vehicles]]

Latest revision as of 22:28, 17 June 2024

Rank VI USA | Premium | Golden Eagles
A-10A Thunderbolt (Early)
This page is about the Chinese MBT ZTZ99-II. For other versions, see ZTZ99 (Family).
ZTZ99-II
cn_ztz_99.png
GarageImage ZTZ99-II.jpg
ZTZ99-II
China flag.png China
VII Rank
Battle rating:
AB RB SB
11.0 11.0 11.0
Class:
Research:300 000 Specs-Card-Exp.png
Purchase:830 000 Specs-Card-Lion.png
Show in game

Description

The ZhuangJia Tanke ZhuZhan 99 Stage II (ZTZ99式主战坦克 二类定型状态, aka 99一期改; coded WZ123) is the accepted version of the ZTZ99 in PLAGF service since the early 2000s. The plan for a new MBT for the PLAGF arose after the Project 122, which was lacking in firepower against possible Soviet assaults on Mainland China. The project for a new tank was issued in April 1984, and developments during the 1980s included evaluations on Object 172M-1 E-4 (known as T-72 Ural or Type 64 六四型 by Chinese engineers) and later mock-up targets of the T-80U. The standards were revised during development, and the new 3rd generation MBT was tested extensively during the 1990s. The finalized prototypes/LRIP models (ZTZ99-I) were then first shown during the 50th National Day Parade. These LRIP tanks, which were yet to be built at the factory, later received new protection packages in 2004 with FY-4 ERA on both the UFP and turret, leading to the well-known design of the ZTZ99.

The ZTZ99-II was introduced in Update "Hot Tracks". The Chinese adopted a NATO approach for their tank design with arrow-shaped turret applique armour while retaining kinetic ERA protection from Soviet MBTs, into which the engineers integrated the mobility from the former and the firepower from the latter (in fact better than most Russian/Soviet tanks thanks to the ZTZ99's FCS). While design flaws including the driver's hatch, mantlet, LFP and its long hull haunt the tank, the overall better handling compared to Soviet tanks will make players enjoy the overall performance of ZTZ99-II, though they have to maintain extra precaution for the best efficiency.

Note: ZTZ99-II is also erroneously known as Type 99G before the family were clarified by mid-2010s.

General info

Survivability and armour

ERA
Effective action against the cumulative ammunition
Composite armour
Balanced protection against all types of ammunition
Smoke grenades
Creation of a smoke screen in front of the vehicle
ESS
Creation of a smoke screen in the direction of movement of the vehicle
LWS
Notifies about the vehicle's exposure to laser emissions
Armourfront / side / back
Hull80 / 50 / 45
Turret220 / 45 / 35
Crew3 people
Visibility75 %

Like the T-80U, the ZTZ99 uses both composite armour and advanced ERA with kinetic protection. Composite armour is present on the turret cheeks and on the upper glacis; it is unremarkable by itself, but the areas with full coverage of both composite armour and FY-4 ERA are even capable of resisting the Leopard 2A6's DM53 APFSDS. Unfortunately, these areas are limited to the turret cheeks and lower portion of the upper glacis. Interestingly, the ERA is resistant to tandem charge warheads, which allows it to withstand ATGMs that other ERA-equipped vehicles cannot.

Unfortunately, there are plenty of weak spots on the hull. First, the lower glacis has no composite armour or ERA whatsoever and can be penetrated by practically anything, and it also is proportionally larger than on Soviet MBTs. Penetrating shots there have a large chance of detonating the ammo in the autoloader and destroying the tank. The upper glacis composite armour is modeled with a large cutout for the driver's optics, as on the Soviet T-64/72 series, and even the FY-4 ERA there is not enough to save it from powerful APFSDS. Some small portions of the upper glacis are not covered by ERA either.

The turret has its fair share of weak spots as well. The gun mantlet area has no composite armour and penetrating shots will usually take out the gun breech and possibly a crew member. There is a cutout in the ERA array on the left cheek to allow the driver to enter and exit the tank that reduces the protection there. Lastly, this vehicle is an early production ZTZ99 that features a round, cast steel "forehead" on top of the turret, merging into the gunner and commander cupolas. This forehead has inadequate protection against APFSDS rounds and penetrating shots might take out the gunner or commander. Since no ammunition is stored in the turret, frontal turret penetrations will likely only take out one crew member at a time.

The ZTZ99 does not have any ERA on the hull sides and the base hull side armour of 50 mm is thinner than Soviet MBTs, so be careful of IFVs with autocannons. Successful hits to the side will usually total the tank, either detonating the ammo racks or knocking out the turret crew.

The ZTZ99's armour protection has enough gaps that it can be considered "trolly" as opposed to "well-protected", but the areas that are well-protected are very strong. It's best to stay at long range and utilize the ZTZ99's low profile in conjunction with cover to make it difficult for enemies to hit the weak spots. Putting some bushes near the driver's hatch or gun mantlet might help. Remember that ERA is destroyed upon absorbing fire and the composite armour alone does not have sufficient protection for a top-rank vehicle.

As a last note, the GL-7 laser dazzler is physically modeled on the left side of the turret roof, but the active protection capabilities is currently not implemented in War Thunder (while its LWR and laser rangefinding functions are implemented).

Armour type:

  • Rolled homogeneous armour (hull, turret cheeks, turret roof, cupolas)
  • Cast homogeneous armour (turret, gun mantlet, driver hatch)
  • Rubber-fabric screens (side skirts)
  • Structural steel (slat armour)
Armour Front (Slope angle) Sides Rear Roof
Hull 20 mm (70°) Upper front
80 mm (60°) Lower front 		80 mm (50°) Top
20 mm Bottom 		45 mm 20-30 mm
Turret 220 mm Turret front
310 mm Gun mantlet 		80 mm (volumetric) 35 mm 30-50 mm
Cupola 45 mm (cylindrical) 35 mm
Composite armour Frontal effective protection
Hull Upper glacis (ERA counted):
600-700 mm Kinetic / 1,050-1,300 mm Chemical
Turret Turret front (ERA counted):
550-750 mm Kinetic / 1,000-1,300 mm Chemical
Gun mantlet:
30-400 mm Kinetic / 60-400 mm Chemical
FY-4 Explosive reactive armour Front (Slope angle) Sides
Hull Upper glacis:
180 mm Kinetic/ 550 mm Chemical 		N/A
Turret Turret front:
180 mm Kinetic/ 550 mm Chemical 		Rear side:
50 mm Kinetic / 350 mm Chemical

Notes:

  • Suspension wheels, tracks, and torsion bars are 20 mm thick.
  • Side skirts are 8 mm thick, and slat armour on the turret sides is 10 mm thick.
  • A log placed at the rear of the hull is 100 mm thick.
  • A 5 mm thick internal RHA screen separates the engine compartment from the crew compartment.

Mobility

Speedforward / back
AB73 / 6 km/h
RB and SB65 / 5 km/h
Number of gears7 forward
1 back
Weight51.0 t
Engine power
AB2 290 hp
RB and SB1 200 hp
Power-to-weight ratio
AB44.9 hp/t
RB and SB23.5 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 73 6 51 1860 2,290 36.47 44.9
Realistic 65 5 1061 1,200 20.8 23.53

The ZTZ99-II's mobility is average for a top-tier vehicle. It has a sizeable NORINCO Shanxi Diesel 12V150HB 1,200 hp diesel engine, which is comparable to the T-80U's Klimov GTD-1250 1,250 hp gas turbine engine and among the most powerful Eastern Bloc diesel engines, despite its design limits from the chassis. However, the ZTZ99 also weighs at 51 tons, which approaches the weight of the Leopard 2A4 and the M1 Abrams. Among contemporaries, its power-to-weight ratio is better than the Challenger 2 and T-72B3 mod. 2011 (before the 2016 UBH upgrades), comparable to the Ariete PSO and M1A2 Abrams. Though it is quite fast in a straight line, reaching 65 km/h on road at most; this 51-ton tank does need a considerably long time to pick up speed especially when stock or traversing rough terrain. Also, due to the space limits of the chassis and lack of manufacturing experience with transmission boxes, it has no neutral steering and the reverse speed with a mere -5 km/h is truly abysmal. The ZTZ99 can get into battle reasonably quickly but does not excel at flanking and will struggle to retreat from sticky situations, so avoid over-extending into the battlefield to keep the tank in one piece.

Modifications and economy

Repair costBasic → Reference
AB4 216 → 6 657 Sl icon.png
RB4 147 → 6 548 Sl icon.png
SB4 878 → 7 702 Sl icon.png
Total cost of modifications243 500 Rp icon.png
408 000 Sl icon.png
Talisman cost2 900 Ge icon.png
Crew training240 000 Sl icon.png
Experts830 000 Sl icon.png
Aces2 100 Ge icon.png
Research Aces1 140 000 Rp icon.png
Reward for battleAB / RB / SB
150 / 200 / 230 % Sl icon.png
238 / 238 / 238 % Rp icon.png
Modifications
Mobility Protection Firepower
Mods new tank traks.png
Tracks
Research:
13 000 Rp icon.png
Cost:
20 000 Sl icon.png
390 Ge icon.png
Mods new tank suspension.png
Suspension
Research:
12 000 Rp icon.png
Cost:
19 000 Sl icon.png
360 Ge icon.png
Mods new tank break.png
Brake System
Research:
12 000 Rp icon.png
Cost:
19 000 Sl icon.png
360 Ge icon.png
Mods new tank filter.png
Filters
Research:
13 000 Rp icon.png
Cost:
20 000 Sl icon.png
390 Ge icon.png
Mods new tank transmission.png
Transmission
Research:
12 000 Rp icon.png
Cost:
19 000 Sl icon.png
360 Ge icon.png
Mods new tank engine.png
Engine
Research:
12 000 Rp icon.png
Cost:
19 000 Sl icon.png
360 Ge icon.png
Mods tank tool kit.png
Improved Parts
Research:
3 900 Rp icon.png
Cost:
20 000 Sl icon.png
390 Ge icon.png
Mods extinguisher.png
Improved FPE
Research:
3 600 Rp icon.png
Cost:
19 000 Sl icon.png
360 Ge icon.png
Mods tank reinforcement cn.png
Crew Replenishment
Research:
13 000 Rp icon.png
Cost:
20 000 Sl icon.png
390 Ge icon.png
Mods thermal sight.png
NVD
Research:
13 000 Rp icon.png
Cost:
20 000 Sl icon.png
390 Ge icon.png
Mods engine smoke screen system.png
ESS
Research:
12 000 Rp icon.png
Cost:
19 000 Sl icon.png
360 Ge icon.png
Mods smoke screen.png
Smoke grenade
Research:
12 000 Rp icon.png
Cost:
19 000 Sl icon.png
360 Ge icon.png
Mods new tank horizontal aiming.png
Horizontal Drive
Research:
13 000 Rp icon.png
Cost:
20 000 Sl icon.png
390 Ge icon.png
Mods tank ammo.png
125mm_china_APDS_FS_ammo_pack
Research:
13 000 Rp icon.png
Cost:
20 000 Sl icon.png
390 Ge icon.png
Mods tank cannon.png
Adjustment of Fire
Research:
12 000 Rp icon.png
Cost:
19 000 Sl icon.png
360 Ge icon.png
Mods counterMeasures.png
LWS/LR
Research:
12 000 Rp icon.png
Cost:
19 000 Sl icon.png
360 Ge icon.png
Mods new tank vertical aiming.png
Elevation Mechanism
Research:
13 000 Rp icon.png
Cost:
20 000 Sl icon.png
390 Ge icon.png
Mods tank ammo.png
125mm_china_ATGM_ammo_pack
Research:
13 000 Rp icon.png
Cost:
20 000 Sl icon.png
390 Ge icon.png
Mods art support.png
Artillery Support
Research:
12 000 Rp icon.png
Cost:
19 000 Sl icon.png
360 Ge icon.png
Mods tank ammo.png
125mm_china_DTW_APDS_FS_ammo_pack
Research:
12 000 Rp icon.png
Cost:
19 000 Sl icon.png
360 Ge icon.png
Mods tank ammo.png
125mm_china_HE_VT_ammo_pack
Research:
12 000 Rp icon.png
Cost:
19 000 Sl icon.png
360 Ge icon.png

Recommended research order:

  1. Parts. The ZTZ99-II's gun mantlet is a major weak spot meaning the gun breech or barrel can get destroyed a lot. Being able to repair these critical components is crucial.
  2. 125-I APFSDS. Stock HEAT rounds are a pain to use against modern MBTs, while the HE requires longer time to target the enemy's weak spot, putting the ZTZ99-II in danger. A filler APFSDS allows more weak spots to be an option.
  3. Mobility modifications. They can improve the tank's speed and handling.
  4. LWS/LR. The more important module here is the laser rangefinder as it allows the player to quickly target distant enemies. The laser warning receiver is a nice bonus.
  5. DTC10-125 APFSDS. With 500+ mm penetration, this round renders even more areas as penetrable, greatly increasing the ZTZ99-II's capacities.
  6. Others

Armaments

Laser rangefinder
Reduces the error and increases the maximum measurable distance of the rangefinder
Night vision device
Improves visibility by enhancing natural light or active illumination.
Thermal imager
Allows to see thermal radiation in the infrared range day and night

Main armament

125 mm ZPT98 cannon
Two-plane stabilizer
Reduces the swing of the gun in two planes while moving
Autoloader
Automatically feeds projectiles into the breech. The speed does not depend on the skills of the loader
Ammunition39 rounds
First-order22 rounds
Reload7.1 s
Vertical guidance-6° / 14°
Main article: ZPT98 (125 mm)

The ZPT98 cannon is a 125 mm smoothbore cannon with an autoloader, much like the 2A46 cannon used by the T-72 or the Type 88C cannon used by the ZTZ96, but it is 50 calibres long instead of 48. The reload speed of 7.1 seconds is the slowest of any top-rank vehicle, so destroying or crippling enemies in one shot is important; but thanks to the upgraded FCS, ZTZ99-II can be more versatile with 6x-11x gun optics, helping players to engage both close and long range targets with relative ease. The gun handling is the same as the ZTZ96 series, being slightly better than most Soviet MBTs barring the T-80U and comparable to certain Western bloc MBTs (Challenger 2, Leclerc, Type 10 etc.).

125 mm ZPT98 Turret rotation speed (°/s) Reloading rate (seconds)
Mode Capacity Vertical Horizontal Stabilizer Stock Upgraded Full Expert Aced Autoloader
Arcade 39 -5°/+13° ±180° Two-plane 28.6 39.5 48.0 53.1 56.5 7.10
Realistic 17.9 21.0 25.5 28.2 30.0

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
DTP-125 HEATFS 480 480 480 480 480 480
DTB-125 HE 45 45 45 45 45 45
125-I APFSDS 466 464 458 450 442 434
DTC10-125 APFSDS 577 575 566 555 544 533
GP125 ATGM (tandem) 850 850 850 850 850 850
DTB12-125 HE-VT* 43 43 43 43 43 43
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%
DTP-125 HEATFS 905 18 0.05 0.1 2.62 65° 72° 77°
DTB-125 HE 850 23 0.3 0.1 5.46 79° 80° 81°
125-I APFSDS 1,730 4.02 - - - 78° 80° 81°
DTC10-125 APFSDS 1,770 4.85 - - - 78° 80° 81°
Missile details
Ammunition Type of
warhead 		Velocity
(m/s) 		Range
(m) 		Projectile
mass (kg) 		Fuse delay
(m) 		Fuse sensitivity
(mm) 		Explosive mass
(TNT equivalent) (kg) 		Ricochet
0% 50% 100%
GP125 ATGM (tandem) 445 5,000 17.2 0.4 0.01 5.72 80° 82° 90°
Proximity-fused shell details
Ammunition Type of
warhead 		Velocity
(m/s) 		Projectile
mass (kg) 		Fuse delay
(m) 		Fuse sensitivity
(mm) 		Arming
distance (m) 		Trigger
radius (m) 		Explosive mass
(TNT equivalent) (kg) 		Ricochet
0% 50% 100%
DTB12-125 HE-VT* 850 23.2 0.3 0.1 500 7 5.3 79° 80° 81°

Reload time aside, the ZTZ99's firepower is good, where its variety of ammunition can help players defeat all types of enemies.

The stock DTP-125 HEATFS round has the typical penetration of 480 mm shared by Western MBTs with 120 mm guns, but this is not enough to deal with tanks with composite armour, which are the norm at the ZTZ99's battle rating. The post-penetration damage is also disappointing. Only use it as an interim shell before APFSDS is unlocked. With 2.19 kg of explosive mass, it is sometimes capable of knocking out light targets like SPAAs and light tanks with overpressure damage, so keep an eye out for those.

The stock DTB-125 HE shell is one of the strongest of any top-rank MBT. It can actually cause more damage to MBTs than the HEATFS round if fired at turret rings, hull roofs, and turret cupolas, especially after the introduction of pressure damage. Well placed impacts have a good chance of transmitting the shockwave into the crew compartment and knocking the target out instantly, even against the toughest MBTs like the Leopard 2A6. It helps to keep a few HE rounds around even after APFSDS is unlocked as they excel at causing pressure damage to light targets.

The ZTZ99-II also has access to the GP125 tandem ATGM, which performs identically to its Soviet counterpart. If players find their darts are not effective against well-armoured targets, the sufficient velocity and penetration can ruin the day of such vehicles, as well as helicopters if they don't evade the incoming missile.

The 125-I APFSDS round is a tier 1 modification. Though it first appeared on the ZTZ96, it is still a decent option for the ZTZ99 and eases the stock grind considerably. It has very similar flat penetration and superior angled penetration to the 3BM42 "Mango" round used by Soviet tanks and can penetrate most contemporary opponents through at least the lower front plate and gun breech.

Waiting as a tier 4 modification is the DTC10-125 APFSDS round, a high mass and high velocity shell with only slightly worse performance compared to 3BM60 on the T-80BVM. This will be the go-to round for the ZTZ99-II and most targets at the rank are unlikely to withstand a penetrating shot from this shell.

DTB12-125 is also available as a tier 4 modification; this is one of the few HE-VT shells available for a top-tier MBT. This shell turns ZTZ99-II into a 125 mm anti-aircraft gun thanks to its generous explosive filler, any aircraft that are within its 7 m trigger radius will not have a good day. Although it has lesser explosive content, the VT fuse is not triggered by ground vehicles so it can serve as an alternative to the stock HE-FS as well.

Ammo racks

Ammo racks of the ZTZ99-II
Full
ammo 		Ammo
part 		1st
rack empty 		2nd
rack empty 		3rd
rack empty 		4th
rack empty 		5th
rack empty 		6th
rack empty 		7th
rack empty 		Visual
discrepancy
39 Projectiles
Propellants 		37 (+2)
39 (+0) 		34 (+5)
38 (+1) 		31 (+8)
37 (+2) 		27 (+12)
28 (+11) 		23 (+16)
26 (+13) 		N/A
23 (+16) 		1 (+38)
1 (+38) 		No

Notes

  • The 7th projectiles and propellants rack is the First-stage ammo stowage: it is a mechanized ammo rack with a fixed reload rate.
  • The mechanized ammo rack depletes clock-wise: the arrow in the image shows where the ammo depletion starts.
  • It is recommended to bring 23 rounds in the tank as to limit the chances of the tank being knocked out by ammo rack explosion.

Machine guns

12.7 mm QJC88A machine gun
Ammunition600 rounds
Belt capacity150 rounds
Reload5.0 s
Fire rate600 shots/min
Vertical guidance-6° / 85°
7.62 mm Type 86 machine gun (coaxial)
Ammunition2 500 rounds
Belt capacity250 rounds
Reload8.0 s
Fire rate700 shots/min
Main articles: QJC88A (12.7 mm), Type 86 (7.62 mm)
12.7 mm QJC88A
Mount Capacity (Belt) Fire rate Vertical Horizontal
Pintle 600 (150) 600 -6°/+85° ±180°
7.62 mm Type 86
Mount Capacity (Belt) Fire rate Vertical Horizontal
Coaxial 2,500 (250) 700 - -

Usage in battles

The Well-known Great Wall

When players have some understanding of ZTZ99 series from other certain games, one thing they might find very noticeable is the rather long hull, this is indeed a feature of ZTZ99 series since the engineers opted for a larger powerplant, higher combat radius and fitting the turret system; this can be a major problem for players who came from Soviet MBTs with shorter chassis (for example, T-72 series are only 6.86 m while ZTZ99 is at 7.2 m), considering that players need to take cover from time to time at such tier, enemy flanking can certainly spot the chassis of ZTZ99-II much earlier than any T-72 series thus higher risk of disablement of the vehicle. Another problem players have to consider is the rather similar weakspots to Soviet/Russian equivalents, namely the driver visor, LFP and mantle; while some players might somehow mistaken the tank as a NATO MBT due to its applique/ERA layout, their long shot for the mantle can somewhat easily disable the gun of ZTZ99-II, leaving the vehicle much less troublesome to the enemy team. While the slow reload rate at 7.1 second per shot with autoloader is up to debate whether the need for a human loader is essential, one issues is very certain for ZTZ99's layout - anything hitting the carousel of autoloader can very likely lead to an unwanted firework show for the player and the total destruction of the vehicle, so hiding the weakspots at all cost is the best way to extend its service as long as possible.

But thinking a ZTZ99-II is yet another T-72 also leads to a common misconception: in this case, thanks to the technological advancement and well-refined design for almost two-decades, players can enjoy top-tier protection as early as 10.7 thanks to the armour layout with blocks of FY-4 and its internal composite armor to stop up to 690 mm penetration at certain spots; any Kontakt-5 equipped MBTs could stop up to around 620 mm penetration from kinetic shells. When the shot happens to hit the UFP, in most cases it is likely to prove fruitless for enemy team especially from long distance; while ZTZ99-II can retaliate with either its APFSDS or ATGM from afar and achieve critical hit to some of its NATO rivalries. Another misconception is the mobility of ZTZ99 series, it is very likely NATO MBTs would run into a ZTZ99-II when they are also rushing for vantage points; thanks to the new 1200 hp 12V150HB diesel engine, although not as fast as NATO equivalents, the vehicle is extensively faster than any non-T-80 MBTs in Russian service, sometimes even heavier NATO equivalents such as Challenger 2 series. Rushing for vantage points and halt the advancement of enemy is a good idea to achieve victory, this also need well-planned tactics beforehand to compensate the most lethal flaw of ZTZ99 - its -4.8 km/h reverse; any rushes to frontline need careful planning for covers due to the size of the vehicle, it is always better finding covers such as rubbles of buildings or other fellow tanks, as long as ZTZ99-II is still part of the fight, the turret system and ammunition are still more than enough to finish off enemy vehicles rushing onto players, its better gun-laying systems also help ZTZ99-II to react on sudden strikes. Sometimes when players have to opt of long-range engagement, chances are enemy players will go for their LRF to acquire enemy targets - this is also the case for ZTZ99-II thanks to the LWS installed on the emitter/receiver unit behind the turret which in turn expose the existence of enemy vehicles, with sufficient reaction time and hand controls (i.e. fine controls with mouse), this will be the last mistake enemy ever make. In case the vehicle entered maps with very complicated terrain such as Kursk or Vietnam, keep the LOS of enemy away from the chassis as much as possible as players have to consider for the rather poor depression of the main cannon, as well as its lack of dozer blade; always think twice before eventually engage careless targets for victories or at least reduce the stress of frontline.

While the design of ZTZ99-II could saw the heritage of some of its foreign ancestors, the vehicle itself serves as the breakthrough of PLAGF and also lead to future designs; always keep in mind of the following Chinese idiom - 眼观四路耳听八方 (keep keen eyes and clear ears for the surroundings), plan ahead and consider carefully how to disable enemies as fast as possible as ZTZ99-II might not have the chance to fire again. Tactics on -II can also be retained for the -III, just be sure to employ a well-mixed tactics from NATO and Warsaw-Pact MBTs.

Pros and cons

Pros:

  • Powerful firepower:
    • Variety of shells ranging from high-penetration darts, devastating HE(-VT) shells and gun-launched ATGM
    • High resolution thermal sights for both commander and gunner give it some advantage in poor visibility conditions
    • Autoloader reloads the cannon even when putting out fires or replacing crew members
    • Roof-mounted heavy machine gun is useful against low-flying aircraft and light targets
  • Good armour:
    • Nice frontal protection: sturdy turret cheeks and upper front plate, can resist common shells
    • ERA is immune to tandem-charged warheads
  • Low profile
  • Has a laser warning receiver
  • Improved mobility over preceding ZTZ96A with faster acceleration and higher top speed

Cons:

  • Inconsistent protection:
    • Has a huge driver's weak spot that can be penetrated by pretty much any gun
    • Weak gun mantlet, very easy to disable gun breech
    • The outer part of the mantlet are in fact armour sheets rather than ERA, lowering its thickness significantly
    • Lower plate is very weak, with penetrating shells incapacitating the crew or exploding ammo
    • The bulge part of the turret (cast armour) might sometimes be penetrated and causing gun damages
  • Poor mobility:
    • Ineffectual reverse speed of only -5 km/h, makes it difficult to reverse and repair or escape dangerous situations
    • Due to the long hull, hull traverse speed is slow especially when stock or on loose surfaces
  • Turret mantle ERA offers low KE protection
  • Only 3 crew members
  • Poor gun depression of -5° limits its capacity in hilly environments
  • Relatively slow reload of 7.1 seconds compared to other MBTs
  • Sometimes be mistaken as NATO MBTs in simulator battles due to the turret design

History

In the late 1960s, Mainland China had found that the PLAGF was lagging behind the mainstream of MBTs of the era; the menacing Soviet armoured brigades in the Far East were also a great concern as well, especially after Damansky (Zhenbao) Island Incident where they captured a T-62. During the mid-1970s, the Commission for Science, Technology and Industry for National Defense (COSTIND 国防科学技术工业委员会) made a few attempts to design new MBTs under the code WZ122 with multiple prototypes; technological issues put an end to those prototypes in the mid-1970s.

Soon after the Cultural Revolution, in April 1978, COSTIND and 5th Ministry of Machine Building (第五机械工业部, now NORINCO and CSGC) received the requirements from PLA for a modern MBT, known as Project 784. It was to weigh around 43 tons and be armed with a 120 mm gun, as well as sporting a 1,000 hp MTU MB 331 TC-41 engine (which only 10 of them were imported from West Germany), in view of competing with the latest West German Leopard 2 MBTs with excellent firepower and mobility. This prototype tank, coded WZ1224 underwent intensive tests. Later in 1984, Chinese exchanged a T-72 Ural from Romania, naming it Type 64 and using it for evaluation.[1] Although it was a fantasy for Mainland China during the 1980s to build a top-notch MBT, WZ1224, along with its later prototypes, became the basis of a new MBT - what would become the WZ123.

In the mid-1980s, after the Leopard 2-like design and Merkava-like design were ditched due to their overall inferior protection (Leopard 2 was too huge while a front-placed engine in fact decreased the overall protection against kinetic shells, as stated in research papers), COSTIND decided that WZ123 should have a low profile like a T-72 and Zhu Yusheng (祝榆生, Nov 1918 - 23 Oct 2014) of Institute 201 (201所，北方车辆研究所) would be the chief designer of WZ123. During the decade between 1980s and 1990s, the new MBT went through extensive tests, including choosing a suitable engine for the tank at 1,200 hp, aimed to be comparable to the top-notch western MTU MB 873 Ka-501. However, the Chinese could only manage to get the license for MB 396 (a marine engine, Type 212 submarines used a pair of them; the licensed MTU 396 engine became the backbone of PLAN's new DDGs), and reverse-engineering efforts on the previous MB 331 TC-41 became 8V165 (8 valve, 165 mm cylinder diameter) with major flaws, so the options were only limited to domestic X150 or 150HB (designated by the cylinder diameter in millimetres) engine from Institute 70 (NORINCO China North Engine Research Institute; Datong, Shanxi) and the lineage to German technology ended. A requirement from COSTIND was that the tank was to be compact, so large size engines like MB 873 Ka-501 weren't a viable option for the new MBT. With only 946 hp and some flaws found during the fitting of new engines into WZ123, the more potent and viable option in terms of Mainland China's overall engine technology: 150HB engine designed by Zhang Baozhong (张保中) was chosen as WZ123's engine.[2] Later in 1996, Factory 617 (NORINCO Inner-Mongolia First Machinery Group Corporation) delivered the new 3rd generation MBT to PLAGF for tests. While all the tests showed that WZ123 had passed the requirements from PLAGF, it was very unlikely made the way into commission before the 50th Anniversary of the Establishment of PRC under the codename "Project 9910"; efforts were made so that Factory 617 could produce 18 of these tanks to be paraded in the anniversary as the C001 to C018 tanks of C-vehicle phalanx, it was then known as Type 98 by USDOD. The prototypes built for Project 9910, aka ZTZ99-I then served in 38th Army Corps and based on this design, in early 2000s, Factory 617 built 2 variants of them for theorizing the applique and ERA placement of WZ123; finally one of them passed state certification at around 2003 and became ZTZ99-II (or ZTZ99 Mod. 2003, 99一期改, ZTZ99 "二类定型状态" in-game; erroneously known as 99G).

This design was then revised and finally in the 60th Anniversary of the Establishment of PRC, a new version named ZTZ99-III (or ZTZ99 Mod. 2004, 99二期改, ZTZ99 "三类定型状态" in-game; erroneously known as 99A1) was first publicly shown with a revised turret and placement of FY-4 ERA on the UFP. During the first decade of the 21st century, NORINCO was also refining their revised design on ZTZ99, dubbed ZTZ99AY (Y for 验证, proof of concept). A decade later, in the 70th Anniversary of Victory over Japan Day, a brand-new designed ZTZ99A (erroneously known as 99A2), designed by Mao Ming (毛明, Sept 1962-) was first shown to the public, which only nominally shared the ZTZ99 name, and had enhanced capabilities against any modern and future MBTs it might face, serving as the new spearhead of elite armoured brigades in northern China.

Devblog

Development of the ZTZ99 began in the mid 1980s, with Chinese engineers starting work on a new advanced main battle tank to replace the existing vehicles in service at the time. After examining possible design proposals, the engineers decided to proceed with a design similar to that of the Soviet T-72 tank.

By 1991, the first prototype of the vehicle was constructed and demonstrated to high-ranking officials, followed by the construction of additional prototypes in the following year. In the early to mid 1990s, the prototypes underwent testing and were continuously improved over time. In the late 1990's, further pre-production prototypes were built and transferred to the army for final testing.

The ZTZ99 was first shown off to the public as part of the military parade commemorating the 50th anniversary of the People's Republic of China in October 1999. Soon after, the ZTZ99 was officially adopted for service with the PLA in late 2000.

Several years after its first introduction to service, the ZTZ99 received an upgrade package, allowing the vehicle to be fitted with additional FY-4 ERA, thus bolstering its protection significantly. Although initially intended to become China's primary MBT, the high cost hindered large-scale production, resulting in only about 500 vehicles being manufactured. However, due to the tank's advanced design and relatively small numbers, ZTZ99s are exclusively employed by China's elite armoured units.

The ZTZ99 remained in production until the early 2010s, before production capacities were allocated to the more advanced ZTZ99A - a highly modernized variant of the ZTZ99.

Media

Skins

Skins and camouflages for the ZTZ99-II from live.warthunder.com.

Images
  • ZTZ99 Devblog Images
  • ZTZ-99 WTWallpaper 001.jpg
  • ZTZ-99 WTWallpaper 002.jpg
  • ZTZ-99 WTWallpaper 003.jpg
  • ZTZ-99 WTWallpaper 004.jpg
  • ZTZ-99 WTWallpaper 005.jpg
  • ZTZ-99 WTWallpaper 006.jpg
  • ZTZ-99 WTWallpaper 007.jpg
Videos
The Shooting Range #236 - Metal Beasts section at 00:28 discusses the ZTZ99-II.
ZTZ99 - Tank Review - Napalmratte
The BEAST from the East - ZTZ99 - JustinPlaysYT

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

  1. ↑ https://www.163.com/dy/article/FUN6N9FU0535NL0F.html
  2. ↑ https://www.xcar.com.cn/bbs/viewthread.php?tid=33475284


Norinco (China North Industries Corporation)
Light AFV/IFV 
WZ501  ZBD86¹
WZ131  ▂Type 62 · Type 62
WZ211  Type 63 · ZTS63
WZ502  ZBD04A
MBT 
WZ120  Type 59¹ · ZTZ59A · ZTZ59D1
WZ121  Type 69
WZ122  ZTZ88B · ZTZ88A · ZTZ96 · ZTZ96A · ZTZ96A (P)
WZ123  ZTZ99-II · ZTZ99-III
WZ1001  WZ1001(E) LCT · ZTZ99A
Tank Destroyers  AFT09 · PTL02 · PTZ89 · ZLT11
SPH  PLZ83
SPAA  ZSD63/PG87² · PGZ09 · PGZ04A
Export 
WZ121  Type 69-IIa · T-69 II G
MBT2000  MBT-2000 · Al-Khalid-I
MBT3000  VT4A1
Other  WMA301 · WZ305
  ¹ License production / Reverse engineered · ² Field modifications

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

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