T-72M1 (Germany)

This page is about the medium tank T-72M1 (Germany). For other versions, see T-72 (Family).

◊T-72M1

M48 Super

Leopard 2K

◊T-72M1

M48 Super

Leopard 2K

Germany

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 ◊KPz T-72M1 was the final tank delivered to East Germany by the Warsaw Pact during the 1980s, with the intention of it becoming their new spearhead in case the Cold War escalated into a full-scale world war. The NVA used various versions of the T-72, but all of them were either from the Soviet Union (T-72 and T-72A) or from other Warsaw Pact countries with license-produced variants (T-72M and T-72M1). This model represents the export/licensed T-72M1, which had mostly identical performance to the Soviet T-72A Mod. 1983 (an upgraded T-72A with additional plates on the UFP which is a researchable upgrade to the T-72A in-game) after domestic upgrades were made in East Germany. These tanks were never used in war and were subsequently transferred to the Heer for evaluation or sale.

Introduced in Update "Sky Guardians", players from the Soviet tech tree will soon become accustomed to the tank due to its very similar, if not identical, performance compared to Soviet T-72A: the armour upgrade is now included for free with the T-72M1 in NVA service. Although it may not have the agility of NATO MBTs or the gun handling of PLAGF MBTs, the T-72M1 will still prove its worth against lower-tier enemies who face it with earlier APFSDS or even APDS, as they will have difficulty 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

As the T-72M1 was introduced late into NVA service and was one of the A/M variants, it continues to be powered by the well-known V-46-6 V12 turbocharged diesel engine used in the previous T-72 series. While this engine provides up to 780 horsepower when upgraded, with around 19 horsepower-to-weight ratio, it is not particularly fast. Nevertheless, it offers considerably more manoeuvrability compared to the M60 family or Chieftains. It is worth noting that the post-T-64 tanks feature a 7F1R planetary gear transmission, which gives the T-72 its distinctively slow reverse speed, a lethal flaw that is shared by most Soviet/Warsaw-Pact and certain PLAGF tanks.

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	1,209	1,488	29.13	35.86
Realistic	60	5		690	780	16.63	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°

The T-72M1 shares the same gun as the T-72A, and this version of the 2A46M was equipped with heat sleeves. Due to export limitations from the Soviet Army, the only ammunition options for the T-72M1 are those used by the T-72A. The overall firepower of the T-72M1 is quite sufficient at its tier, thanks to its large-calibre 125 mm gun (NATO tanks have yet to upgrade their MBTs to 120 mm guns). The penetration is more than enough to handle most enemies it may face. However, it is important to be cautious of the rather slow turret traverse speed and the fixed 7.1 second reload time - plan your shots very carefully since exposed T-72s are rather fragile to incoming shells that aim for their weak spots.

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	19.0	26.4	32.0	35.4	37.6	7.10
Realistic					11.9	14.0	17.0	18.8	20.0

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
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	Visual discrepancy
44	40 (+4)	29 (+15)	23 (+21)	1 (+43)	No

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

Similar to its Soviet and Warsaw Pact counterparts, the T-72M1 in NVA service is equipped with NSVT and PKT machine guns. The NSVT is suitable for handling light vehicles or oncoming aircraft within its vertical traverse limits, while the PKT is only useful for taking out exposed crews of enemy vehicles.

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	N/A	N/A

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 NVA 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:

• Better protection and small profile against enemy tanks
• Large-calibre main cannon with devastating firepower
• Better mobility than M60 or Chieftain series
• Commander HMG for taking out light targets/aircraft
• Equipped with HE-FS for overpressure damage against well-covered targets
• Autoloader for constant reload rate and available even during critical scenario (i.e fire onboard, knocked-out crew)

Cons:

• Rather cramped interior with high odds of destruction/fatal damages in case of a penetration
• Infamous AZ-172 autoloader with very high chance of detonation when being hit directly
• Shares identical weakspots (i.e LFP, driver's visors) to the T-72 series
• Slow turret traverse speed, vulnerable to sudden attacks or flankers
• Mediocre top speed compare to Leopards or AMX-30s
• Fixed 8x optical channel with less flexibility to variable magnification optics
• Lacks commander override for the gun

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: https://wiki.warthunder.com/(Vehicle-name)/History) and add a link to it here using the main template. Be sure to reference text and sources by using <ref></ref>, as well as adding them at the end of the article with <references />. This section may also include the vehicle's dev blog entry (if applicable) and the in-game encyclopedia description (under === In-game description ===, also if applicable).

Media

Skins

• Skins and camouflages for the T-72M1 (Germany) from live.warthunder.com.

See also

Related development

• T-72 (Family)

External links

Paste links to sources and external resources, such as:

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