T-72M1 (Italy)

◔T-72M1

◔BTR-80A

◔Leopard 2A4

◔T-72M1

◔BTR-80A

◔Leopard 2A4

Italy

VI Rank

Battle rating:

AB	RB	SB
9.3	9.3	9.3

Class:

Medium tank

Research:220 000

Purchase:620 000

Show in game

Description

The ◔T-72M1 represented the 178 T-72M1 delivered to Hungary from Soviet Union, which were likely sourced from Eastern-Bloc countries with production line; although being delivered in 1979, the tank was never used during combat during its service in Hungary. Due to the obsolete performance and NATO-lization of Hungarian Armed Force, these tanks were put into reserve while until Leopard 2 series replace them eventually by 2020s; while some of these tanks are also supplied to countries that need to replenish their tank fleet of Soviet-built tanks.

Introduced in Update "Sons of Attila" with the Hungarian sub-tech-tree in Italy, players of Germany, Sweden (as Finland) or Soviet Union will soon get on hand with the T-72M1 thanks to its identical performance to their cousins in different tech trees; while it has some flaws in terms of gun traverse and speed, T-72M1 could still serve as a breakthrough tank if utilized carefully where lower tier tanks will have a hard time fighting back.

General info

Survivability and armour

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

Self-entrenching equipment

Creation of ramparts and trenches in soft ground

Armourfront / side / back

Hull110 / 80 / 40

Turret125 / 102 / 65

Crew3 people

Visibility75 %

The T-72M1 is basically a near identical copy of the T-72A found in the Soviet tech tree, therefore the armour layout is also almost identical. Some differences are the additional applique armour placed on the front glacis which was part of the mid-1980s upgrade. While not substantially thick, the sloping effect on top of the composite front glacis might be enough to prevent some shells from fully penetrating, especially those from lower tiers; they will have extremely hard time going through the armour.

The hull and turret of the T-72M1 are strong enough to somewhat reliably bounce some shells and eat, although it still possesses the same weak spots that most other soviet tanks have (lower front plate, drivers optics, etc.).

Armour type:

• Cast homogeneous armour (turret)
• Rolled homogeneous armour (hull)

Armour	Front (Slope angle)	Sides	Rear	Roof
Hull	210+16 mm	80 mm Top 20 mm Bottom	40 mm	20 mm
Turret	200-280 mm Turret front 150-400 mm Gun mantlet	130-240 mm	60-100 mm	45 mm
Cupola	100 mm	100 mm	100 mm	45 mm

Notes:

Mobility

Speedforward / back

AB67 / 5 km/h

RB and SB60 / 5 km/h

Number of gears7 forward

1 back

Weight41.5 t

Engine power

AB1 488 hp

RB and SB780 hp

Power-to-weight ratio

AB35.9 hp/t

RB and SB18.8 hp/t

V-46-6 12-cylinder diesel engine is still the only option for T-72A series and the export T-72M1; while the overall power-to-weight ratio is better than M60 series and Chieftain series, French, Italian and German tanks will always outrun T-72 thanks to their high output engine. But the long-time problem of -4 km/h reverse speed still haunts the tank, making it very unlikely to retreat for safety without turning the tank (if smoke grenades available).

Game Mode	Max Speed (km/h)		Weight (tons)	Engine power (horsepower)		Power-to-weight ratio (hp/ton)
	Forward	Reverse		Stock	Upgraded	Stock	Upgraded
Arcade	67	5	41.5	_,___	1,488	__.__	35.86
Realistic	60	5		_,___	780	__.__	18.8

Modifications and economy

Repair costBasic → Reference

AB4 146 → 6 256

RB4 106 → 6 195

SB5 326 → 8 036

Total cost of modifications185 300

305 000

Talisman cost2 700

Crew training175 000

Experts620 000

Aces2 100

Research Aces1 010 000

Reward for battleAB / RB / SB

160 / 200 / 240 %

226 / 226 / 226 %

Modifications

Mobility	Protection	Firepower
Tracks Research: 7 800 Cost: 12 000 300 Suspension Research: 8 800 Cost: 14 000 340 Brake System Research: 8 800 Cost: 14 000 340 Filters Research: 9 800 Cost: 15 000 370 Transmission Research: 13 000 Cost: 20 000 500 Engine Research: 13 000 Cost: 20 000 500	Improved Parts Research: 2 300 Cost: 12 000 300 Dozer Blade Research: 7 800 Cost: 12 000 300 Improved FPE Research: 2 600 Cost: 14 000 340 Crew Replenishment Research: 9 800 Cost: 15 000 370 Smoke grenade Research: 9 800 Cost: 15 000 370 ESS Research: 13 000 Cost: 20 000 500	Horizontal Drive Research: 7 800 Cost: 12 000 300 125mm_ussr_APDS_FS_ammo_pack Research: 7 800 Cost: 12 000 300 Adjustment of Fire Research: 8 800 Cost: 14 000 340 125mm_ussr_3BM12_APDS_FS_ammo_pack Research: 8 800 Cost: 14 000 340 Elevation Mechanism Research: 9 800 Cost: 15 000 370 Laser rangefinder Research: 9 800 Cost: 15 000 370 Artillery Support Research: 13 000 Cost: 20 000 500 125mm_ussr_3BM15_APDS_FS_ammo_pack Research: 13 000 Cost: 20 000 500

Armaments

Laser rangefinder

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

Main armament

125 mm 2A46 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

Ammunition44 rounds

First-order22 rounds

Reload7.1 s

Vertical guidance-6° / 13°

Like all T-72A series in game, T-72M1 uses the standard 2A46M 125 mm smoothbore cannon as the older D-81T on T-64A or T-72 Ural couldn't fulfill the combat needs of 1970s; the gun is known for its devastating firepower against enemy vehicles with varieties of ammunition of HEATFS, HEFS and APFSDS. While a precise hit on enemy components is very likely to disable them or knock them out right away, players will need to pay extra attention on its rather inferior turret traverse speed and make every shot count as the 7.1 second fixed reload time can be a dual-edge sword - while losing a crew in the tank will not halt the autoloader, aced tank crews can reload at least a second faster than autoloader does.

125 mm 2A46M					Turret rotation speed (°/s)					Reloading rate (seconds)
Mode	Capacity	Vertical	Horizontal	Stabilizer	Stock	Upgraded	Full	Expert	Aced	Autoloader
Arcade	44	-6°/+13°	±180°	Two-plane	__._	__._	__._	__._	__._	7.1
Realistic					__._	__._	__._	__._	__._

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
3OF26	HE	42	42	42	42	42	42
3BM22	APFSDS	425	420	415	405	393	380

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%
3OF26	HE	850	23	0.3	0.1	5.24	79°	80°	81°
3BM22	APFSDS	1,760	4.83	-	-	-	76°	77°	80°

Ammo racks

Full ammo	1st rack empty	2nd rack empty	3rd rack empty	4th rack empty	5th rack empty	6th rack empty	Visual discrepancy
44	__ (+__)	__ (+__)	__ (+__)	__ (+__)	__ (+__)	__ (+__)	__

Machine guns

12.7 mm NSVT machine gun

Ammunition300 rounds

Belt capacity60 rounds

Reload5.0 s

Fire rate700 shots/min

Vertical guidance-4° / 75°

7.62 mm PKT machine gun (coaxial)

Ammunition2 000 rounds

Belt capacity250 rounds

Reload8.0 s

Fire rate700 shots/min

12.7 mm NSVT
Mount	Capacity (Belt)	Fire rate	Vertical	Horizontal
Pintle	300 (60)	700	-4°/+75°	±180°

7.62 mm PKT
Mount	Capacity (Belt)	Fire rate	Vertical	Horizontal
Coaxial	2,000 (250)	700	-	-

Usage in battles

The T-72 series is widely known for being an economical yet effective option for large-scale tank assaults. The T-72M1 in Hungary service is no exception, sharing many characteristics with its Soviet counterparts. Its armour and firepower are superior to most enemies it might encounter, but there are some persistent flaws in this tank series that players should be aware of.

The T-72M1 is mostly identical to the T-72A Mod. 1983 in Soviet service, featuring the smoke launchers and extra layer of applique armour on the upper front plate (UFP) that provides additional protection against most tanks at its tier. The installation of the later 2A46M 125 mm gun also ensures that it can take on enemy targets at its tier with ease, as most tanks at its tier would be one-shot by its devastating ammunition. Players who are familiar with the Soviet tech tree will quickly become accustomed to the T-72M1's similar performance to the T-72A. Those who are using it as an alternative to Bundeswehr MBTs, however, will need to adjust their tactics to maximize its effectiveness against potential enemies. While the T-72M1 lacks the high top speed of tanks like the Leopard series (barely reaching 59 km/h, similar to PLAGF tanks), it has the firepower to obliterate enemies from a distance thanks to its laser rangefinder (LRF) and larger calibre gun. The high muzzle velocity of its APFSDS shell ensures that it lands on designated targets accurately, while its HE-FS shell can sometimes result in surprise kills on enemy MBTs with overpressure damage, not to mention light vehicles with minimal protection. Players should note, however, that the T-72M1's slow turret traverse speed and fixed magnification gunsight can make sniping a challenge. In the event of a more aggressive approach, the T-72M1's protection and firepower make it capable of breaking through defensive lines composed of lower-tier tanks. Players should take cover as soon as possible after a large-scale counterattack, however, as the tank is not capable of rapid shots on enemies. Delaying counterattacks and waiting for support is the best strategy.

A common issue that haunts the T-72 series is the gun traverse speed, as previously mentioned. Chances are that enemies will take to the flanks to hit the tank's sides instead, which will result in the most devastating blow it could suffer - the cramped AZ-172 autoloader is completely exposed to enemy shells, and a precise hit on it could trigger a "jack-in-the-box" effect, sending the turret flying hundreds of metres away from the hull. Therefore, players should never show the sides to enemies and should plan their assaults carefully. Directing the tank straight towards the enemies is the best way to increase the odds of survival. The well-known driver visor and LFP weakspot are still vulnerabilities of the T-72M1, but shells will often encounter areas well-protected with the applique armour. Players should avoid giving enemies the opportunity to take aim at these spots.

Pros and cons

Pros:

• Devastating firepower with varieties of ammunition ranging from HEFS to APFSDS
• Well-protected against earlier APFSDS with insufficient penetration
• Autoloader ensures constant reload time with no worries about knocked-out crew
• Low profile for concealment behind bushes or covers
• Better mobility than some NATO tanks (i.e. M60 series and Chieftain)
• NSVT for gunning down light targets or aircrafts

Cons:

• Inferior optics with fixed magnification, no TVD channel
• Lacks commander override, gunner down means a very likely death sentence
• Identical weak spots to other T-72A series (i.e. driver visors, mantle)
• Cramped interior space with high likelihood of fatal blow once penetrated
• Infamous AZ-172 autoloader with very high likelihood of detonation once being hit
• Lesser agility to French, German or Italian tanks with higher speed and better transmission
• Infamous -4 km/h reverse speed is extremely fatal for retreating from battlefield

History

Due to the lack of detailed information, the only known details for these T-72M1 were that 178 of them were delivered to Hungary since 1979 to 1987; likely licensed production versions from Poland or Czechoslovakia as recorded on SIPRI. They served in Hungarian Army into the days after they joined NATO and now being replaced gradually by Leopard 2 series by 2010s, most of these T-72M1 were in reserve while some of these vehicles were aided to different countries that have urge need for Warsaw-Pact tanks.

Media

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

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

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• topic on the official game forum;
• other literature.