WMA301

WMA301

WMA301

China

VI Rank

Battle rating:

AB	RB	SB
8.7	9.0	9.0

Class:

PREMIUM

Light tank

Purchase:8 730

Show in game

Description

The WMA301 is a premium rank VI Chinese light tank with a battle rating of 8.7 (AB) and 9.0 (RB/SB). It was introduced in Update "Red Skies".

Based on the same WZ551 chassis of ZSL-92 and and PTL02, WZ301 is a export only vehicle of Mainland China made by the NORINCO Factory 256 at Chongqing; the most noticeable difference from PTL02 is a newly-designed welded turret that resembles more like the current ZTZ96A and the main gun has changed into a 105mm gun. This assault gun saw service in different African countries and Myanmar, serving as a quick-response assault gun for the buyers and a fast-moving addition to their inventory

General info

Survivability and armour

Smoke grenades

Creation of a smoke screen in front of the vehicle

Armourfront / side / back

Hull10 / 8 / 6

Turret30 / 20 / 15

Crew5 people

Visibility136 %

Both WMA301 and his cousin PTL02 shares the very same chassis, the WZ551. So WMA301 shares the same flaw of being very lightly-armoured hull; avoid anything with a HMG or any autocannon vehicles (including aircraft) at all costs, because it is very likely you will not have a second chance to return fire and knock the enemy out.

Also, like his cousin, his overall height is still high, so it will easily be spotted by enemies albeit with the combination of thin armour and large, empty volume will occasionally frustrate enemies firing subcalibre rounds. Penetration is essentially guaranteed, but minimal spalling is created and a hastily aimed shot may not catch many crew members or important modules in the line of fire. On the other hand, HE shells with a high explosive mass will often transmit shockwaves into the vehicle's interior and knock out the crew with pressure damage. Other chemical rounds like HEAT and HESH might inflict overpressure damage but with a much lower probability. Bombs, rockets, and artillery shells are similarly dangerous.

Armour type:

Armour	Front (Slope angle)	Sides	Rear	Roof
Hull	___ mm	___ mm Top ___ mm Bottom	___ mm	___ - ___ mm
Turret	___ - ___ mm Turret front ___ mm Gun mantlet	___ - ___ mm	___ - ___ mm	___ - ___ mm
Cupola	___ mm	___ mm	___ mm	___ mm

Notes:

Mobility

Speedforward / back

AB95 / 8 km/h

RB and SB85 / 8 km/h

Number of gears8 forward

1 back

Weight19.0 t

Engine power

AB611 hp

RB and SB320 hp

Power-to-weight ratio

AB32.2 hp/t

RB and SB16.8 hp/t

Since the WMA301 is a PTL02 but with a different turret, the whole power train and the suspension system are totally the same as the latter, powered by the same Deutz DBF8L413F and ZF 5S-111GPA transmission, so they share the same top speed at 85km/h and the subpar reverse at -7km/h; thus players that have played PTL02 will "feel like home".

Like his Chinese cousin, to make the most out of the good top speed, it will need to navigate on hard terrain (roads, urban surfaces) for best results. If players must be used on hilly and soft terrain maps, try your best not to get stuck since the lack of mobility will absolutely be the death sentence of this vehicle.

Game Mode	Max Speed (km/h)		Weight (tons)	Engine power (horsepower)		Power-to-weight ratio (hp/ton)
	Forward	Reverse		Stock	Upgraded	Stock	Upgraded
Arcade	95	8	19	_,___	611	__.__	32.16
Realistic	85	8		_,___	320	__.__	16.84

Modifications and economy

Repair cost

AB2 568

RB2 706

SB3 145

Crew training10 000

Experts730 000

Aces2 000

Research Aces1 780 000

Reward for battleAB / RB / SB

2 × 120 / 160 / 200 %

2 × 214 / 214 / 214 %

Modifications

Mobility	Protection	Firepower
Tires Suspension Brake System Filters Transmission Engine	Improved Parts Improved FPE Crew Replenishment Smoke grenade	Horizontal Drive 105mm_china_HE_VT_ammo_pack 105mm_TYPE83_HESH_ammo_pack Adjustment of Fire Airstrike 105mm_china_ATGM_ammo_pack Elevation Mechanism 105mm_china_APDS_FS_ammo_pack NVD Scout UAV Artillery Support Improved optics Laser rangefinder

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

105 mm WMA301 cannon

Two-plane stabilizer

Reduces the swing of the gun in two planes while moving

Ammunition30 rounds

First-order12 rounds

Reloadbasic crew → aces

8.7 → 6.7 s

Vertical guidance-4° / 18°

Since WMA301 is an export vehicle and the compatibility to mainstream ammunitions is essential, it chose a 105mm gun as its main armament; based on the ZPL94 gun found on T 69-IIG but with lower recoil, it can fires both NATO and NORINCO's 105mm ammunitions ranging from HEATFS to APFSDS, as well as HE-VT rounds.

105 mm WMA301					Turret rotation speed (°/s)					Reloading rate (seconds)
Mode	Capacity	Vertical	Horizontal	Stabilizer	Stock	Upgraded	Full	Expert	Aced	Stock	Full	Expert	Aced
Arcade	30	-4°/+18°	±180°	Two-plane	__._	__._	__._	__._	__._	_.__	_.__	_.__	_.__
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
Type-83 HEAT	HEATFS	400	400	400	400	400	400
DTB-1	HE-VT*	21	21	21	21	21	21
Type-83 HESH	HESH	127	127	127	127	127	127
GP105	ATGM (tandem)	750	750	750	750	750	750
Type-83 APDS	APFSDS	337	335	330	322	314	306

Shell details
Ammunition	Type of warhead	Velocity (m/s)	Projectile Mass (kg)	Fuse delay (m)	Fuse sensitivity (mm)	Explosive Mass (TNT equivalent) (g)	Ricochet
							0%	50%	100%
Type-83 HEAT	HEATFS	1173	11	0.05	0.1	1270	65°	72°	77°
DTB-1	HE-VT*	825	16.2	500	0.1	1660	79°	80°	81°
Type-83 HESH	HESH	730	15	0.05	0.1	4310	73°	77°	80°
GP105	ATGM (tandem)	370	18.8	0.2	0.1	4620	80	82°	90°
Type-83 APDS	APFSDS	1455	3.79	N/A	N/A	N/A	78°	80°	81°

During the late 1990s, Mainland China has acquired 100mm gun-launched ATGM technologies from Russia, so it also comes with a powerful GP105 tandem ATGM which owners of T-55AM-1 may find familiar with it, with its whopping 750mm penetration it can take down most targets it will ever meet in its BR.

Its DTW-1 APFSDS is the same found on ZTZ59D1 and shares all traits of it, which is still sufficient for its BR but it might struggle when it faces Russian MBTS with higher protection at longer ranges; and its Type 83 HEATFS and HESH are only good for hitting soft/lightly-protected targets albeit the aforementioned GP105 can perform the same role as well, therefore players can bring some just in case if they need to knock out enemy assault guns, SPAAGs or light tanks; using HESH as an last-ditch option to knock out hull down vehicles is also viable. Last but not least is the DTB-1 HE-VT round, although it is useful to deal with helicopters of low-flyers on very shallow dive, but this is not recommended since anything that flies is the last thing WMA301 want to see.

Ammo racks

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

Machine guns

12.7 mm QJC88A machine gun

Ammunition600 rounds

Belt capacity150 rounds

Reloadbasic crew → aces

6.5 → 5.0 s

Fire rate600 shots/min

Vertical guidance-6° / 85°

7.62 mm Type 86 machine gun (coaxial)

Ammunition1 000 rounds

Belt capacity250 rounds

Reloadbasic crew → aces

10.4 → 8.0 s

Fire rate700 shots/min

The turret-mounted 12.7 mm QJC88A HMG has already become the standardized HMG for most PLAGF vehicles after the 1990s and this exported assault gun was no exception. The main usage of the HMG is to deal with lightly protected vehicles and low-flying aircraft including helicopters. It can also effectively damage gun barrels, tracks, optics, MG, and ERA to assist teammates in destroying enemies, though this may require a lot of fire. Players who dealt with the paltry 50 round belt capacity of the 12.7 mm DShK machine guns of previous PLA vehicles will be happy to know that the QJC88A has a much more generous 150 round belt capacity.

The 7.62 mm MG, on the other hand, is only useful in clearing obstacles such as fences, marking out enemy positions on the minimap, or knocking out exposed crew on certain vehicles (eg. M113 TOW). It lacks the penetration to pierce through even lightly armoured vehicles.

12.7 mm QJC88A
Mount	Capacity (Belt)	Fire rate	Vertical	Horizontal
Pintle	500 (150)	700	-5°/+60°	180°

7.62 mm Type 86
Mount	Capacity (Belt)	Fire rate	Vertical	Horizontal
Coaxial	800 (250)	700	N/A	N/A

Usage in battles

Same as his Chinese cousin, WMA301 main advantages lie in its mobility and gun sight.

With its 85 km/h speed, flanking is the key to avoid any direct fire from pretty much any vehicle armed with at least a heavy machine gun. Because of the negligible protection found on this vehicle, take all precautions and avoid rushing into direct fire at all costs, you will not have the luxury of having the second chance to return fire. Being one of the slowest wheeled assault guns in the game, taking vantage points might not be possible considering the inferior top speed that only gets worse in off-road situations. The thin armour and poor reverse speed punish poor positioning, so think carefully about what spots allow the WMA301 to spot and engage enemies without being overly exposed to incoming fire. Complicated terrains are problematic for this vehicle and it tends to do better in urban combat. Any aircraft is a lethal threat, with either guns or rockets, so keep away from their sight. Use smoke grenades to mask your position if there are no buildings or other forms of large cover to hide behind. Helicopters in particular will have an easy time spotting and destroying the WMA301, so do not attract their attention and make use of the heavy machine gun, gun-launched ATGM and for last ditch, HE-VT if they get very close.

Whether the situation you are in, APFSDS and ATGM are a must for WMA301 and they came with the tank (premium vehicle), DTW-1 can handle most targets at its BR and with its tandem ATGM, it can be very versatile on dealing on different targets; leave most of the targets to the APFSDS and if you faces any ERA-equipped vehicles, GP105 is a very good friend of you since the penetration is still more than enough to deal with vehicles even you bring it to even higher BR range. With the same Gen 2 thermal gun sight and a laser rangefinder found on PTL02, being a mid-field runner for hit-and-run attacks or staying behind and sniping careless targets are both viable to WMA301.

Enemies worth noting

• Rooikat, Centauro, M1128: these wheeled vehicles perform a similar flanking role on the battlefield. Therefore you will often encounter them while flanking or on your way to flank. These vehicles are generally faster, both forwards and backwards, have better gun depression or better optics/ammo, so they may already be at a cap point before you. If this is the case, ambush around their location and passively hunt them down, as the WMA301's rather slow acceleration and bad reverse prevents it from being offensive in terms of mobility. The Rooikat lacks thermal sights, making it easier to spot and destroy preemptively. The Centauro is 0.3 lower battle rating as the WMA301 but is superior in almost every aspect, so be cautious if the enemy team has Italian vehicles. The M1128 can only be encountered in a full uptier and has an unmanned turret, good thermal sights for all crew members, and slat armour that occasionally interferes with HEAT-FS rounds.

• AMX-10RC: a contemporary French 6x6 wheeled light tank armed with a 105 mm gun, APFSDS rounds, and thermal sights for the gunner. The AMX-10RC has a rather low profile compared to other wheeled tanks and can be a dangerous sniper. Unlike the other wheeled vehicles mentioned previously, the AMX-10RC does not have any sort of gun stabilizer. Try to attack it when it is on the move and cannot shoot accurately.

• Gepard, Type 87, M3 Bradley, BMP-2, etc.: these vehicles are fast and armed with fully-stabilized autocannons that will very easily rip through the PTL02. Keep a safe distance and try to ambush them.

Pros and cons

Pros:

• Deadly 105 mm cannon with high velocity, adequate rate of fire and great accuracy
• Gen 2 gunner thermal greatly enhances search-and-destroy ability
• Various ammunition: from APFSDS to unique HE-VT to gun-launched tandem ATGM
• Competitive top speed on hard surfaces
• Roof-mounted HMG is lethal against helicopters and light vehicles (eg. M113)
• 2 salvos of smoke grenades provide helpful concealment
• Turn radius is quite small for a wheeled vehicle, beneficial in urban areas
• Has laser rangefinder to assist long-range shooting

Cons:

• Abysmal reverse speed of only -7 km/h, is fatally slow for such wheeled vehicle
• Poor agility on soft surfaces like mud, sand and snow
• Extremely thin hull armour, can be easily penetrated by MG like M2HB
• Tall profile, easy to get spotted and shot at
• APFSDS is less powerful at longer ranges (>2,000m) and will struggle to penetrate well-protected tanks (eg. T-62M-1, T-72A)
• Roof-mounted HMG has limited magazine capacity of only 50 rounds

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

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

Paste links to sources and external resources, such as:

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