T-64A (1971)

T-64A (1971)

Object 435

T-64B

T-64A (1971)

Object 435

T-64B

USSR

VI Rank

Battle rating:

AB	RB	SB
9.3	9.3	9.3

Class:

Medium tank

Research:190 000

Purchase:520 000

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Description

The T-64A (1971) is a Rank VI Soviet medium tank with a battle rating of 9.3 (AB/RB/SB). It was introduced in Update 1.71 "New E.R.A". The T-64 can be played in all roles. It has good firepower, armour and mobility(except reverse speed). The T-64A can be played as a sniper with one of the fastest round in game (1800 m/s). It can be a brawler with its good armour and excellent reload speed(7.1s). It can flank with the good mobility, but the KPz/MBT-70 will do that before the T-64A can, so only flank if the opportunity is presented.

The T-64A presents a design that is reminiscent of some Soviet tanks seen in the contemporary period. The tank's overall color scheme presents a default camouflage of the same dull green seen on nearly all other prior Soviet tanks.

Compared to all other Soviet medium tanks prior, the T-64A suspension system uses multiple small wheels and rollers rather than the huge wheels. While this allowed better flotation, it does leave more of the side hull vulnerable to attack straight at without worry of hitting the tracks or suspension. That is when the set of protections come in to the T-64A for this side armour, the "flaps" on the side hull. This do not seem like very much on an armour standpoint, their purpose is to protect the tank against HEAT warheads from tank shells and even anti-tank missiles, detonating the sensitive shells far enough that the resulting penetrative material does not reach the armour.

Two long tubes extend from the back of the T-64A. One is on the turret, which is the container housing the snorkeling gear for the tank in deep wading procedures. The other on the turret is the familiar log that comes nearly standard with Soviet/Russian vehicle, used for removing the vehicle of it gets stuck in mud or other nasty terrain attributes.

General info

Survivability and armour

Armour type:

• Spaced armour (Hull front, Turret front)
• Cast homogeneous armour
• Rolled homogeneous armour (Turret)

Armour	Front (Slope angle)	Sides	Rear	Roof
Hull	80* mm (68°) Front glacis 80 mm (61°) Lower glacis	85 mm Front 70 mm Rear <br. 20 mm (33°) Bottom	20 mm (8-55°) Top 45 mm Center 20 mm (18-58°) Bottom	30 mm Front 20 mm Engine deck
Turret	50-330 mm (0-80°)	65-180* mm (2-49°)	65 mm (2-72°)	40-140 mm
Armour	Sides	Roof
Cupola	100 mm	40 mm
Composite armour*	Front	Sides	Rear	Roof
Hull	320 mm Kinetic 450 mm Chemical	N/A	N/A	N/A
Turret	400 mm Kinetic 450 mm Chemical	400 mm Kinetic 450 mm Chemical	N/A	N/A

Notes:

• Suspension wheels are 20 mm thick, torsion bars are 10 mm thick, and tracks are 30 mm thick.
• The side flaps on the hull side gives spaced protection against HEAT rounds, allowing one to angle the hull slightly while protecting the vulnerable side hull.
• Belly armour is 20 mm thick.
• A 5 mm RHA plate separates the engine from the crew compartment
• A log providing 100 mm thickness in wood.
• The snorkel tube on the turret rear provide 4 mm of structural steel.
• Hull roof armour at front and turret base is rated to be 30 mm effective against HE
• Hull spaced armour configuration is 80 mm RHA + 105 mm Textolite + 20 mm RHA.
• Turret spaced armour configuration is 150-180 mm CHA + 150 mm HHRA + 32 mm RHA.

The T-64A has the advantage of composite armour over most of its front glacis and turret, but this does not cover all sections! There are no composite on the lower front plate for example, so rounds able to go through ~200 mm should be able to get through there. On the other hand, if in possession of a tank with APFSDS ammunition that could penetrate more than 320 mm, than it is possible to slice through the front plate composite armour as well. HEAT ammunition is finicky as T-64A was built around protection specifications against shaped charges, the composite armour is 450 mm effective when against HEAT warheads and there are side flaps on the side hull to prevent even the chance of hitting the T-64A weaker side armour on the first try, although these side flaps are one-time use only so prolonged combat may have sheared these off already. Try to avoid aiming for the turret as it is the most protected area of the tank with a good portion covered by composite, leading to the need of massive amount of penetration to consider the turret a viable target, like the HOT missiles.

In a situation when the T-64A decides to hull-down and present as little of the front plate as possible, and in a tank unable to consider the turret the main target, there's little else to do but flank around and hit through the weaker side armour. Move in first and disable the gun, forcing the T-64A to repair the damaged gun barrel/breach. In this time, move around the T-64A as fast as possible. If caught unaware, the T-64A would have a harder time to withdraw as it has a rather poor reverse speed. Get around and plant a shell right into the center of the tank's side, which would certainly ignite one of the many ammunition stored in the autoloader carousel.

Mobility

Mobility characteristic
Weight (tons)	Add-on Armor weight (tons)	Max speed (km/h)
38.0	N/A	67 (AB)
		61 (RB/SB)
Engine power (horsepower)
Mode	Stock	Upgraded
Arcade	1,085	____
Realistic/Simulator	619	700
Power-to-weight ratio (hp/ton)
Mode	Stock	Upgraded
Arcade	28.55	__.__
Realistic/Simulator	16.29	18.42

Armaments

Main armament

125 mm 2A26
Capacity			Vertical guidance	Horizontal guidance	Stabilizer
37			-6°/+14°	±180°	Two-plane
Turret rotation speed (°/s)
Mode	Stock	Upgraded	Prior + Full crew	Prior + Expert qualif.	Prior + Ace qualif.
Arcade	11.90	_.__	_.__	_.__	_.__
Realistic	11.90	_.__	_.__	_.__	_.__
Reloading rate (seconds)
Stock	Prior + Full crew	Prior + Expert qualif.	Prior + Ace qualif.
7.10	7.10	7.10	7.10

Ammunition

Penetration statistics
Ammunition	Type of warhead	Penetration in mm @ 90°
		10m	100m	500m	1000m	1500m	2000m
3BM9	APFSDS	310	307	298	285	274	263
3BM15	APFSDS	440	430	420	410	405	400
3BM12	APFSDS	383	378	367	351	339	327
3BK12M	HEATFS	440	440	440	440	440	440
3OF19	HE	35	35	35	35	35	35
3OF26	HE	47	47	47	47	47	47

Shell details
Ammunition	Type of warhead	Velocity in m/s	Projectile Mass in kg	Fuse delay in m:	Fuse sensitivity in mm:	Explosive Mass in g (TNT equivalent):	Normalization At 30° from horizontal:	Ricochet:
								0%	50%	100%
3BM9	APFSDS	1,800	3.6	N/A	N/A	N/A	°	72°	73°	75°
3BM15	APFSDS	1,780	3.9	N/A	N/A	N/A	°	76°	77°	78°
3BM12	APFSDS	1,800	3.6	N/A	N/A	N/A	°	76°	77°	78°
3BK12M	HEATFS	905	19	0.0	0.1	2,790	+0°	65°	72°	75°
3OF19	HE	850	23	0.1	0.5	3,150	+0°	79°	80°	81°
3OF26	HE	850	23	0.1	0.5	5,780	+0°	79°	80°	81°

Ammo racks

Full ammo	Ammo Part	1st rack empty	2nd rack empty	3rd rack empty	4th rack empty	5th rack empty	6th rack empty	Visual discrepancy
37	Projectiles Propellants	XX (X+)	(+)	(+)	(+)	(+)	(+)	No

Take about 20 - 28 shells.

Machine guns

7.62 mm PKT
Coaxial mount
Capacity (Belt capacity)				Fire rate (shots/minute)	Vertical guidance	Horizontal guidance
2,000 (250)				700	N/A	N/A

Usage in the battles

The most important thing about positioning the T-64A is to protect the lower front plate. There are no composite armour there so the need to protect this area against other Rank V-VI vehicles is a must. When positioning, also take into consideration the poor reverse speed of the T-64A. Have a good escape plan because once spotted, the enemies will try to outmaneuver the T-64A, and once they've managed to get to the sides, consider the lifespan of the T-64A limited.

Thankfully, the T-64A is quite versatile in its selection of tactics. It can be taken in an offensive role with its heavy armour and lead the attack on positions. During the movement, try to angle the tank roughly 15-20 degrees to use the side flaps effectively, especially when the enemy uses HEAT ammunition in the form of anti-tank missiles, though enemy tank HEAT and HESH shells would also be nullified like this. The T-64A can also be used defensively against the enemy opponents, letting them drive right into the sights of the 125 mm gun. With the enemy tanks like the MBT-70 and KPz-70, their high speed would encourage them to maneuvre around the battlefield swiftly, which could have them recklessly charged into a prepared gun position and be shot up.

When facing common enemy tanks:

• MBT-70/KPz-70 - When facing the MBT-70/Kpz-70, the best place to shoot is the left turret cheek as this will knock out commander and gunner.
• Chieftain Mk 10 - If hull down, shoot for cannon breach or gun barrel.

Pros and cons

Pros:

• Decent speed going forward.
• Great overall armour, turret boasts the thickest armour in the game at around 650-760 mm of effective armour.
• Vehicle is fitted with a surgically precise and devastatingly effective 125 mm gun. With a bit of practice, anything that is visible is easy to hit.
• Engine smoke generating system, covers friendly tanks behind the vehicle.
• Side flaps protect the tank from side attacks with chemical energy rounds (once a flap gets hit it will fall off).
• Decent reload; 7.1s no matter what because of the auto-loader system.
• Very good HE shell.
• Very low profile compared to the MBT/Kpz 70, much harder to spot and hit.
• Fastest round in game (1800 m/s), easy to aim.
• Stock APFSDS shell.
• Tier 4 modification present the upgraded APFSDS shell with 440mm of penetration, will go through almost anything in game
• Access to four very effective ammunition types.
• Nearly impossible to destroy when hull-down and in a good firing position.

Cons:

• Slow horizontal turret traverse.
• Ammo racks all around the tank interior
• Very slow reverse (-4 Kph).
• Weak lower glacis, easily penetrated by high penetrating ammunition.
• If the tank gets penetrated from the front, the shell will most likely end up hitting an ammo-rack.
• HEAT-FS shell costs 1600 SL.
• Bad gun depression (-6°).
• Lack of anti-air top mounted gun.
• High repair cost (6k-7k).
• Angling the tank causes the weak side armour to be exposed.
• Hull armour flaps are easily penetrated by kinetic munitions when angled.

Media

An excellent addition to the article will be video guides, as well as screenshots from the game and photos.

Read also

[Devblog] T-64A - The Pioneer of a New Era

Sources

Paste links to sources and external resources, such as:

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