Type 63

Type 63

␗M18 GMC

Type 62

Type 63

␗M18 GMC

Type 62

China

IV Rank

Battle rating:

AB	RB	SB
6.3	6.3	6.3

Class:

Light tank

Research:63 000

Purchase:200 000

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Description

The Type 63 is a rank IV Chinese light tank with a battle rating of 6.3 (AB/RB/SB). It was introduced in Update 1.91 "Night Vision".

The Type 63 can be considered a domestic Chinese counterpart to the Soviet-produced PT-76 amphibious light tank, its predecessor in the tech tree. However, it is not a copy. It features a similar cast turret to the Type 62 equipped with an 85 mm gun, and the hull has larger dimensions and a different position for the driver. This 63-I variant has a more powerful engine as well. While the protection and gun handling are poor, the good firepower and speed make it much more formidable than the PT-76. It offers a taste of what's to come in the succeeding Type 62, which has similar offensive capabilities while improving in practically every aspect.

General info

Survivability and armour

The Type 63-I's armour is no better than the PT-76 and should not be relied upon against any incoming fire. Even heavy machine guns and autocannons pose a serious threat to this vehicle; the turret has only 11 mm of cast steel for example and can be penetrated by the M2 Browning commonly mounted on US tanks. SPAAs and aircraft will rip the tank to shreds. In general, avoid being spotted and stay close to cover. Placing bushes on the front and top of the tank to delay recognition of the tank, even for a second or two, can help considerably.

The Type 63-I is vulnerable to hull-break. Chemical shells (HEAT, HEAT-FS, HE) of at least decent size will trigger it consistently. Sizeable solid rounds that hit important parts like the engine, transmission, or gun breech can also cause it, but such rounds might also pass through the tank with little damage due to the thin armor.

The crew of 4 is better than the 3 in the PT-76, but the additional crew member is still clustered tightly in the turret and the benefits to survivability are marginal.

Mobility

Game Mode	Max Speed (km/h)		Weight (tons)	Engine power (horsepower)		Power-to-weight ratio (hp/ton)
	Forward	Reverse		Stock	Upgraded	Stock	Upgraded
Arcade	72	9	18.4	620	763	33.7	41.47
Realistic	65	9		354	400	19.24	21.74

The Type 63 sees a decent improvement in mobility compared to the preceding PT-76, thus making this tank more attractive for flanking, or early game rushing. The Type 63 is also good for hillclimbing and can reach some nifty positions on some maps. The mobility lags slightly behind some contemporary tanks like the M41 Walker Bulldog and wheeled Italian vehicles are much faster on roads. It will still handily outrun medium and heavy tanks.

Armaments

Main armament

The Type 62-85TS cannon performs identically to the Type 62's -85TC variant but has a slower reload by about 2 seconds.

Two APHE shells are available. The stock BR-365A APHEBC round has rather low penetration for its rank, but this is compensated by its excellent slope modifiers and high explosive mass. It penetrates other light tanks easily and is the best round to use when flanking. The BR-367 APCBC round has about 30 mm of extra penetration with less than half the TNT equivalent; while this is not a bad tradeoff, in practice it does not frontally penetrate many vehicles that the BR-365A round cannot, and when flanking the lower post-penetration damage is a big drawback.

The BR-367P APCR shell has high velocity and better flat penetration than the APHE rounds, but as with other shells of its class the angled performance and post-penetration damage are awful. It is best used as an interim shell before the HEAT-FS is unlocked; in emergency situations it can penetrate the turret face of the Tiger II (H) at close range.

The Type 1956 HEAT-FS shell is the most powerful option available to the Type 63-I and is very strong for its rank. 300 mm of flat penetration at any distance with good velocity and angled performance is no joke, capable of nullifying the armour of many heavy tanks. The only rival at the battle rating of 6.3 is the ST-A1's 90 mm HEAT-FS with 305 mm of flat penetration. It boasts more TNT equivalent than the HE shell, making it dangerous to hull-breakable targets like the common M18 Hellcat. The main drawbacks are the mediocre post-penetration damage and the tendency to bounce against heavily sloped armor, so aim carefully.

The stock O-365K HE shell is very weak and should be avoided. It is not large enough to reliably trigger hull-breaks on anything more armored than a SPAA truck and the HEAT-FS is better in all aspects.

Machine guns

The Type 63-I has a coaxial 7.62 SGMT machine gun. It is useful for spotting targets on the map but little else. The lack of a pintle mounted heavy machine gun makes it difficult to ward off aircraft or gun down light vehicles like armored cars.

7.62 mm SGMT
Coaxial mount
Capacity (Belt capacity)				Fire rate (shots/minute)	Vertical guidance	Horizontal guidance
3,200 (250)				600	N/A	N/A

Usage in battles

The Type 63-I is best used in a way that avoids direct exposure to enemy fire and gives you time to set up shots and ambushes. Running straight into battle or rushing cap points may not end well. Flanking is definitely a recommended method as this gives you the time you desperately need due to slow turret rotation and reload. It also gives you chances to shoot at enemy side armour, which is the only way to penetrate heavier enemies if you use the conventional shells. When flanking, avoid driving in the open if possible and keep an eye out for other light vehicles. Some of them, like armoured cars and Hellcats, can be hull broken with the HEAT-FS round, while others like the M41 Walker Bulldog cannot and are most easily dispatched with the APHE rounds.

The long reload makes selecting the right ammunition type for the situation very important. Otherwise, switching to the correct round could take up to 11 seconds, enough for an enemy to retreat or return fire. It is better to keep HEAT-FS loaded when entering an engagement if enemy types are unknown; any target that the HEAT-FS cannot hull-break can still be disabled with a careful shot to the gunner/driver/gun breech, and APHE can be used to finish cripped targets off. On the other hand, the first speedy enemies to appear at the start of a match are probably soft enough to destroy with APHE. Try to reload while in cover.

Like many domestic PRC tanks, the Type 63-I's gun handling is quite awful, so predict where enemies are likely to appear and always be on the lookout for potential ambushes or flankers. If your aim needs to be shifted rapidly, turn the hull as well as the turret. Avoid trying to take down or harass aircraft unless they are bold enough to fly directly at you and escaping to cover is impossible.

Ground targets to watch out for include the infamous R3 T20 FA-HS, whose extreme mobility and fully stabilized autocannon are the bane of the Type 63-I's bad gun handling and armour, and the Ru 251, which also has incredible speed and can hull-break the Type 63-I easily with its chemical rounds. Thankfully, these two targets can be hull-broken in return. Try to spot them first and stay out of sight until they are not looking in your direction. Then, introduce them to the HEAT-FS. Be sure not to miss, you may not get a second chance.

Besides flanking, another tactic is to use the HEAT-FS shells for long range sniping. The HEAT-FS does not lose accuracy nor penetration at range, giving you the full 300 mm penetration on each hit. Keep in mind that the tank's optics are not great, having 4x zoom like the PT-76. Shooting and relocating is advisable due to the fact that if an enemy manages to be within range of you, they will only need one shot to take you out. Keep an eye on the sky and switch positions after a few kills, as it is very likely that planes and artillery will be on their way to seek revenge. Virtually any aircraft can dispatch the Type 63-I, even those lacking bombs or rockets.

Remember to constantly mark enemies with scouting. Besides helping your team and gaining assists for yourself, it allows teammates to mop up targets that you have crippled but are unwilling or unable to finish off. The reduction in aircraft spawn cost is also valuable due to the Type 63-I's fragility. If a good early-game run with the tank is terminated, it should be easy to pull out a good CAS aircraft like the Tu-2 or counter-CAS aircraft like the La-9 to exact revenge while leaving points in reserve for later spawns.

Pros and cons

Pros:

• Same 85 mm gun as the Type 62, more powerful and much less frustrating to use than that of the preceding PT-76
• Has access to 300 mm penetration HEAT-FS, excellent for the battle rating
• 4 crew members
• Improved mobility from the PT-76
• Can scout and assist with repairs

Cons:

• No stabilizer, firing on the move or on the water is difficult
• Very thin armour
• Slow turret traverse and elevation/depression speeds
• Slow reload
• No night vision devices
• Larger profile than the PT-76

History

The Soviet Union delivered PT-76 tanks to the People's Republic of China in the 1950s. Their lightweight and amphibious capability were appreciated by the PLA, and in 1958 an order was placed for the development of an indigenous vehicle in the same vein. Initially a copy of the PT-76 called the Type 60 was made, but unsatisfactory performance and reliability issues prompted a redesign. The new design was finalized in 1963 and entered service as the Type 63 light tank, not to be confused with the Type 63 armored personnel carrier that served as a basis for the ZSD63. While resembling the PT-76, the Type 63 tanks featured notable differences, such as a new engine, a relocated driver's station, and a new turret with an 85 mm gun. Overall dimensions were slightly enlarged for extra flotation. The Type 63 was intended for use in the wet and muddy terrain of southern China and also for seaborne assaults - many were stationed in the southern coast, across the strait from Taiwan.

The improved Type 63-I variant replaced the original 240 hp V6 engine derived from the PT-76 with a more powerful V12 12150-L2 engine developing about 400 hp. Additional upgrades were developed over the years. The 63-II variant from the 1970s added laser rangefinder and night vision equipment. The 63HG variant from the 1990s had a boat-like hull with a rounded nose and a modified turret with a 105 mm gun. In the late 1990s, the ultimate Type 63A variant entered service. It featured a new welded turret with improved protection, a 105 mm gun, modern fire control systems, and a further redesigned hull.

The Type 63 was exported to several countries, including Myanmar, Albania, and Vietnam. It remains in use with several of them today. The Type 63A still serves with the PLA, however it is being gradually replaced by the larger and more advanced ZTD-05 amphibious assault vehicle.

Media

Excellent additions to the article would be video guides, screenshots from the game, and photos.

See also

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

External links

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