Difference between revisions of "ZSD63/PG87"

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(Made some edits for tone, organization. Wrote intro, expanded gameplay sections.)
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{{Specs-Card|code=cn_zsd63_pg87}}
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{{Specs-Card
 +
|code=cn_zsd63_pg87
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|images={{Specs-Card-Image|GarageImage_ZSD63.jpg}}
 +
}}
  
 
== Description ==
 
== Description ==
 
<!-- ''In the description, the first part should be about the history of the creation and combat usage of the vehicle, as well as its key features. In the second part, tell the reader about the ground vehicle in the game. Insert a screenshot of the vehicle, so that if the novice player does not remember the vehicle by name, he will immediately understand what kind of vehicle the article is talking about.'' -->
 
<!-- ''In the description, the first part should be about the history of the creation and combat usage of the vehicle, as well as its key features. In the second part, tell the reader about the ground vehicle in the game. Insert a screenshot of the vehicle, so that if the novice player does not remember the vehicle by name, he will immediately understand what kind of vehicle the article is talking about.'' -->
[[File:GarageImage_{{PAGENAME}}.jpg|420px|thumb|left]]
 
{{Break}}
 
 
The '''{{Specs|name}}''' is a rank {{Specs|rank}} Chinese SPAA {{Battle-rating}}. It was introduced in [[Update "Starfighters"]].
 
The '''{{Specs|name}}''' is a rank {{Specs|rank}} Chinese SPAA {{Battle-rating}}. It was introduced in [[Update "Starfighters"]].
  
The ZSD63 is currently the first vehicle in the Chinese SPAA line and offers some much needed anti-air capabilities to Chinese tankers. Though it looks rather like a jury-rigged technical from the Middle East, having a turret with twin autocannons grafted on an APC chassis, it packs some serious firepower for its rank. A slight brush from the ZSD63's rapid-fire cannons will tear most aircraft to shreds. Lightly armored ground vehicles will also learn to fear the onslaught of AP rounds, which cut through them like a buzzsaw. While it has excellent firepower, the defensive capabilities are very lacking; the large size and paper-thin armor make it an attractive target to anything on the battlefield. Other issues include the limited belt size, with each gun only having 40 rounds, and the truly abysmal reload speed. Despite these challenges, the ZSD63 can be a very fun vehicle to play and will serve well as an anti-air vehicle even beyond its lowly rank; the succeeding Chinese SPAAs have a much lower rate of fire and are harder to use against aerial targets until the [[WZ305]] and its fused shells are researched.
+
The ZSD63 is the second vehicle in the Chinese SPAA line and offers greatly improved anti-air capabilities to Chinese tankers. Though it looks rather like a jury-rigged technical from the Middle East, having a turret with twin autocannons grafted on an APC chassis, it packs some serious firepower for its rank. A slight brush from the ZSD63's rapid-fire cannons will tear aircraft and lightly armoured ground vehicles to shreds. Even medium tanks will be wary of the onslaught of AP rounds, which can cut through them like a buzzsaw. While it has excellent firepower, the defensive capabilities are lacking; the large size, paper-thin armour, and high profile make it an attractive target to anything on the battlefield. The pair of PG87 cannons have a 600 rpm fire rate that will empty its dual 40 round magazine (80 total) in just over 4 seconds, then to face a truly abysmal reload speed of 30 plus seconds! The vehicle also only carries enough ammo for 5 reloads which will vanish like magic. Its saving grace is the high velocity ammo that makes aiming easy; the succeeding Chinese SPAAs have a much lower rate of fire and lower velocity, thus harder to use against aerial targets until the [[WZ305]] and its proximity-fused shells are researched. Despite these challenges, the ZSD63 can be a very fun vehicle to play and will serve well as an anti-air vehicle even beyond its low rank.
  
 
== General info ==
 
== General info ==
 
=== Survivability and armour ===
 
=== Survivability and armour ===
 +
{{Specs-Tank-Armour}}
 
<!-- ''Describe armour protection. Note the most well protected and key weak areas. Appreciate the layout of modules as well as the number and location of crew members. Is the level of armour protection sufficient, is the placement of modules helpful for survival in combat? If necessary use a visual template to indicate the most secure and weak zones of the armour.'' -->
 
<!-- ''Describe armour protection. Note the most well protected and key weak areas. Appreciate the layout of modules as well as the number and location of crew members. Is the level of armour protection sufficient, is the placement of modules helpful for survival in combat? If necessary use a visual template to indicate the most secure and weak zones of the armour.'' -->
 
Despite its armored box look, one would be hard pressed to call the ZSD63 "armored".  The armor is almost entirely 8 mm thick all-around, save for the 12 mm upper glacis. The near vertical sides may as well be unprotected.  Adding insult to injury is the high mounted open top turret with the crews' head exposed on top like pumpkins. Even coaxial rifle-caliber machine guns stand a fair chance of penetrating this vehicle.  While you might survive a few glancing bullets or have shots pass through the empty rear compartment, the best survival tactic is avoid being seen and stay close to cover for quick retreats after firing off a few bursts.
 
 
Note that the ZSD63 can be hull-broken. Avoid being hit by HEAT or HE rounds.
 
  
 
{| class="wikitable"
 
{| class="wikitable"
 
|-
 
|-
! Armour !! Front (Slope angle) !! Sides !! Rear  
+
! Armour !! Front (Slope angle) !! Sides !! Rear
 
|-
 
|-
| Hull || 12 mm || 8 mm || 8 mm  
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| Hull || 12 mm || 8 mm || 8 mm
 
|-
 
|-
| Turret || 8 mm || 8 mm || 8 mm  
+
| Turret || 8 mm || 8 mm || 8 mm
 
|-
 
|-
 
|}
 
|}
  
'''Notes:''' <!-- Any additional notes which the user needs to be aware of -->
+
Despite its armoured box look, one would be hard pressed to call the ZSD63 "armoured". The armour is almost entirely 8 mm thick all-around, save for the 12 mm upper glacis. The near vertical sides may as well be unprotected. Adding insult to injury is the high-mounted open-top turret with the crews' heads exposed on top like pumpkins. Even coaxial rifle-calibre machine guns stand a fair chance of penetrating this vehicle. While you might survive a few glancing bullets or have shots pass through the empty rear compartment, the best survival tactic is to avoid being seen and stay close to cover for quick retreats after firing off a few bursts.
<!-- Example: * Suspension wheels are 20 mm thick, tracks are 30 mm thick, and torsion bars are 60 mm thick. -->
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 +
On the other hand, the extremely thin armour will result in most shells over-penetrating, given that most fuse sensitivities are around 10 mm. An over-penetration through the empty space is likely to do little to no damage. Although you might survive, it is still a clear warning that you are exposed to lethal firepower and you should immediately relocate if possible.
 +
 
 +
Being an open topped AA with very weak armour makes it extremely susceptible to overpressure from HE and HEAT shells.
  
 
=== Mobility ===
 
=== Mobility ===
 +
{{Specs-Tank-Mobility}}
 
<!-- ''Write about the mobility of the ground vehicle. Estimate the specific power and manoeuvrability, as well as the maximum speed forwards and backwards.'' -->
 
<!-- ''Write about the mobility of the ground vehicle. Estimate the specific power and manoeuvrability, as well as the maximum speed forwards and backwards.'' -->
Mobility is good, though somewhat underwhelming compared to what the statistics might suggest.  With 19 hp/ton, the ZSD63 accelerates to 60 km/h forward on paved roads and the suspension works quite nicely on all kinds of terrain. Off-road speed is less impressive, topping at around 30-35 km/h. The 8 km/h reverse speed leaves some to be desired but is better than most contemporary vehicles. Overall, the ZSD63 is mobile enough to follow teammates and flank, though it is not exactly lightning fast and there should be no expectation of arriving at the battlefield far ahead of everyone else.
 
  
{{tankMobility}}
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{{tankMobility|abMinHp=369|rbMinHp=230}}
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 +
Mobility is good, though somewhat underwhelming compared to what the statistics might suggest. With 19 hp/ton, the ZSD63 accelerates to 60 km/h forward on paved roads and the suspension works quite nicely on all kinds of terrain. Off-road speed is less impressive, topping at around 30-35 km/h. The 8 km/h reverse speed leaves something to be desired but is better than most contemporary vehicles. Overall, the ZSD63 is mobile enough to follow teammates and flank, though it is not exactly lightning fast and there should be no expectation of arriving at the battlefield far ahead of everyone else.
 +
 
 +
=== Modifications and economy ===
 +
{{Specs-Economy}}
  
 
== Armaments ==
 
== Armaments ==
 +
{{Specs-Tank-Armaments}}
 
=== Main armament ===
 
=== Main armament ===
<!--''Give the reader information about the characteristics of the main gun. Assess its effectiveness in a battle based on the reloading speed, ballistics and the power of shells. Do not forget about the flexibility of the fire, that is how quickly the cannon can be aimed at the target, open fire on it and aim at another enemy. Add a link to the main article on the gun: <code><nowiki>{{main|Name of the weapon}}</nowiki></code>. Describe in general terms the ammunition available for the main gun. Give advice on how to use them and how to fill the ammunition storage.'' -->
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{{Specs-Tank-Weapon|1}}
 +
<!-- ''Give the reader information about the characteristics of the main gun. Assess its effectiveness in a battle based on the reloading speed, ballistics and the power of shells. Do not forget about the flexibility of the fire, that is how quickly the cannon can be aimed at the target, open fire on it and aim at another enemy. Add a link to the main article on the gun: <code><nowiki>{{main|Name of the weapon}}</nowiki></code>. Describe in general terms the ammunition available for the main gun. Give advice on how to use them and how to fill the ammunition storage.'' -->
 +
{{main|PG87 (25 mm)}}
  
The {{PAGENAME}} is arguably the most lethal autocannon system at its rank in-game. Each cannon fires a staggering 10 rounds per second (600 rpm) with extremely high velocity and precision. The excellent turret traverse speed makes tracking targets very easy. Aircraft are instant confetti under its FI-T rounds. Although the AP-T penetration at 100 meters is only 60 mm, declining to 47 mm at 500 meters, the high fire rate and high velocity allow multiple hits at weak points until a kill shot is made. Light tanks, tank destroyers, and other SPAAs are generally easy targets. Medium units should not be too difficult to eliminate either, and even heavy tanks can be disabled by the cannons when aimed at vulnerable locations. The weaknesses are the limited belt capacity and the extremely long reload time, so be highly conservative with your fire control. This monster will be just as effective to Rank 7 as in Rank 2.
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The {{PAGENAME}} is arguably the most lethal autocannon system at its rank in-game. Each cannon fires a staggering 10 rounds per second (600 rpm) with extremely high velocity and precision. The excellent turret traverse speed makes tracking targets very easy. Aircraft are instant confetti under its FI-T rounds. Although the AP-T penetration at 100 m is only 60 mm, declining to 47 mm at 500 m, the high fire rate and high velocity allow multiple hits at weak points until a kill shot is made. Light tanks, tank destroyers, and other SPAAs are generally easy targets. Medium units should not be too difficult to eliminate either, and even heavy tanks can be disabled by the cannons when aimed at vulnerable locations. The weaknesses are the limited belt capacity and the extremely long reload time, so be highly conservative with your fire control. This monster will be just as effective in Rank VII as in Rank II.
  
The default belt is a 50/50 mix of AP-T and FI-T. This does a pretty good job for anti-air operations, but for anti-tank usage the pure AP-T load is far better. If the ZSD63 is brought out at the start of a game, take mostly AP-T to deal with ground targets and switch to the default belt when aircraft begin to show up. There is also a pure FI-T belt that is high effective versus aircraft but essentially useless against ground targets; it is not of much use since the default belt is almost as effective and can still deal with ground targets in a pinch.
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The default belt is a 50/50 mix of AP-T and FI-T. This does a pretty good job for anti-air operations, and is perfectly adequate for the sort of ground targets you should be engaging - lightly armoured vehicles. The pure AP-T load is better but a needless expense. There is also a pure FI-T belt that is high effective versus aircraft but essentially useless against ground targets; it is not of much use since the default belt is almost as effective and can still deal with ground targets adequately. Using just the default belt avoids the potential for having the wrong belt loaded - it is good for all targets
  
Avoid trying to switch belts in the middle of combat as might be done for other SPAAs. Doing so will put the guns out of commission for potentially more than 30 seconds, which is unhelpful to say the least if there are enemies around. This is also why it's important to have some AP-T rounds in the belts at all times.
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Avoid trying to switch belts in the middle of combat as might be done for other SPAAs. Doing so will put the guns out of commission for potentially more than 30 seconds, which is unhelpful to say the least if there are enemies around. Spending minutes to switch belts for different targets only makes you defenceless and vulnerable.
 
 
{{main|PG87 (25 mm)}}
 
  
 
{| class="wikitable" style="text-align:center" width="100%"
 
{| class="wikitable" style="text-align:center" width="100%"
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|-
 
|-
 
! ''Arcade''
 
! ''Arcade''
| rowspan="2" | 480 (40) || rowspan="2" | 600 || rowspan="2" | -10°/+90° || rowspan="2" | ±180° || rowspan="2" | N/A || 47.6 || __.__ || __.__ || __.__ ||67.93|| rowspan="2" |32.5|| rowspan="2" | _.__ || rowspan="2" | _.__ || rowspan="2" |25
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| rowspan="2" | 480 (40) || rowspan="2" | 600 || rowspan="2" | -10°/+90° || rowspan="2" | ±180° || rowspan="2" | N/A || 47.6 || 65.8 || 79.9 || 88.4 || 94.0 || rowspan="2" | 16.90 || rowspan="2" | 14.95 || rowspan="2" | 13.78 || rowspan="2" | 13.00
 
|-
 
|-
 
! ''Realistic''
 
! ''Realistic''
|32.1|| __.__ || __.__ || __.__ ||45.9
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| 32.1 || 37.8 || 45.9 || 50.8 || 54.0
 
|-
 
|-
 
|}
 
|}
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==== Ammunition ====
 
==== Ammunition ====
  
* '''Default:''' {{Annotation|AP-T|Armour-piercing tracer}}{{-}}{{Annotation|FI-T|Fragmentation incendiary tracer}}
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* '''Default:''' {{Annotation|AP-T|Armour-piercing tracer}}{{-}}{{Annotation|FI-T*|Fragmentation incendiary tracer (self-destroying)}}
 +
* '''Type 87 HE:''' {{Annotation|FI-T*|Fragmentation incendiary tracer (self-destroying)}}
 
* '''Type 87 AP:''' {{Annotation|AP-T|Armour-piercing tracer}}
 
* '''Type 87 AP:''' {{Annotation|AP-T|Armour-piercing tracer}}
* '''Type 87 HE:''' {{Annotation|FI-T|Fragmentation incendiary tracer}}
 
  
{| class="wikitable sortable" style="text-align:center" width="100%"
+
{{:PG87 (25 mm)/Ammunition|FI-T*, AP-T}}
! colspan="7" | Penetration statistics
 
|-
 
! rowspan="2" data-sort-type="text" | Belts
 
! colspan="6" | '''Penetration @ 0° Angle of Attack (mm)'''
 
|-
 
! 10 m !! 100 m !! 500 m !! 1,000 m !! 1,500 m !! 2,000 m
 
|-
 
| Default || 63 || 60 || 47 || 35 || 26 || 19
 
|-
 
| Type 87 AP ||2||2||2||2||2||2
 
|-
 
| Type 87 HE ||63|| 60 ||47||35||26||19
 
|-
 
|}
 
{| class="wikitable sortable" style="text-align:center" width="100%"
 
! colspan="10" | Belt details
 
|-
 
! rowspan="2" data-sort-type="text" | Ammunition
 
! rowspan="2" | Type of<br>warhead
 
! rowspan="2" | Velocity<br>(m/s)
 
! rowspan="2" | Projectile<br>Mass (kg)
 
! rowspan="2" | Fuse delay<br>(m)
 
! rowspan="2" | Fuse sensitivity<br>(mm)
 
! rowspan="2" | Explosive Mass<br>(TNT equivalent) (g)
 
! colspan="3" | Ricochet
 
|-
 
! 0% !! 50% !! 100%
 
|-
 
| Type 87 AP || AP-T ||1050||0.25||N/A||N/A||N/A||47°||60°||65°
 
|-
 
| Type 87 HE || FI-T ||1050||0.25||N/A||0.1||19|| 47° || 56° || 65°
 
|-
 
|}
 
  
 
==== [[Ammo racks]] ====
 
==== [[Ammo racks]] ====
<!-- [[File:Ammoracks_{{PAGENAME}}.png|right|thumb|x250px|[[Ammo racks]] of the {{PAGENAME}}]] -->
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[[File:Ammoracks_ZSD63-PG87.png|right|thumb|x250px|[[Ammo racks]] of the {{PAGENAME}}]]
 +
<!-- '''Last updated:''' -->
 
{| class="wikitable" style="text-align:center"
 
{| class="wikitable" style="text-align:center"
 
|-
 
|-
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! Visual<br>discrepancy
 
! Visual<br>discrepancy
 
|-
 
|-
| '''6''' || __ ''(+__)'' || __ ''(+__)'' || __ ''(+__)'' || __ ''(+__)'' || __ ''(+__)'' || __ ''(+__)'' || __
+
| '''12''' || 10&nbsp;''(+2)'' || 8&nbsp;''(+4)'' || 6&nbsp;''(+6)'' || 4&nbsp;''(+8)'' || 2&nbsp;''(+10)'' || 0&nbsp;''(+12)'' || No
 
|-
 
|-
 
|}
 
|}
 +
Notes:
 +
 +
* A box of ammunition contains 40 projectiles.
 +
* A rack consists of 2 boxes.
  
 
== Usage in battles ==
 
== Usage in battles ==
 
<!-- ''Describe the tactics of playing in the vehicle, the features of using vehicles in the team and advice on tactics. Refrain from creating a "guide" - do not impose a single point of view but instead give the reader food for thought. Describe the most dangerous enemies and give recommendations on fighting them. If necessary, note the specifics of the game in different modes (AB, RB, SB).'' -->
 
<!-- ''Describe the tactics of playing in the vehicle, the features of using vehicles in the team and advice on tactics. Refrain from creating a "guide" - do not impose a single point of view but instead give the reader food for thought. Describe the most dangerous enemies and give recommendations on fighting them. If necessary, note the specifics of the game in different modes (AB, RB, SB).'' -->
  
When attacking ground units, be extremely cautious and avoid exposing your weak armor. Choose a pure AP (AP-T) load to double the chance of penetrating hits and head straight to good ambush spots. Wide flanking maneuvers are a good idea, allowing you to attack the weak sides of light targets. Going wide, you will likely encounter other weakly armored units like the popular [[M24 (Family)|M24 Chaffee]], which is very vulnerable to the 25mm cannons. Know you targets and aim for weak points. The ubiquitous Shermans are generally tough customers from the front, where at most the transmission housings or perhaps ventilators can be penetrated, but the terrible hull side armor is a good target. The lower side armor behind the tracks is an especially good weak point if facing Shermans with applique side armor, and spraying a wide burst in that area can knock out the transmission, ammo, and driver. Other medium tanks like the [[Pz.IV F2]] and [[Chi-Nu]] are vulnerable from the front at close range. T-34s are tougher targets and can only be reliably penetrated frontally in the turret cheeks (for "small turret" models like the [[T-34 (1940)]]) or the turret ring at close range. The hull sides are thicker and better sloped than other medium tanks and also have fuel tanks protecting the turret crew, so during flanking attacks, try to shoot the lower hull armor to knock out the engine and driver/machine gunner before going for the turret side.
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The main job for this vehicle is providing effective defence for your team against enemy aircraft. Avoid continuous firing, 1 to 2 second bursts are critical for success. The cannons have noticeable recoil and the limited ammunition capacity does not allow for much "Spray and Pray". Before any planes spawn, it is recommended to locate yourself between the points and the spawn, and find some hard cover. This way you can get close to most of your teammates and target incoming planes easier, you don't need to worry about getting shot by enemy tanks, and you can use the covers to dodge strafing planes. Then, as soon as an enemy plane spawns, slowly shoot single salvoes towards it to draw its attention. Most planes will dive in for an easy SPAA kill, knowing that all SPAA have weak armour and not-lethal-enough firepower. If it is a bomber, position your hull sideways for quick retreat from bombs. Planes diving straight towards the ZSD63 are very threatening, but at the same time they present easy no-deflection targets; use your great gunsight magnification to work out the plane's flying path, and spray a 1-sec burst of 25 mm rounds in their flight path. 1-3 hits will shred most planes apart. With this method a 40-round clip can take out 1-2 planes. Fire conservatively if the target is not flying directly towards or away from the ZSD63.
  
For self defense, it is important to know how to disable opponents quickly and efficiently, with minimal time and ammunition expenditure. Obviously the optimal situation is to knock out a target's crew before they can attack the ZSD63, but this will not always be possible. The twin cannons can destroy tracks and tires almost instantly, but for turreted vehicles this will not prevent the target from returning fire. If only one track is destroyed, even a casemate tank destroyer can potentially scoot around enough to fire back (though this can expose their sides). Destroying the engine is a good move when shooting from the sides or rear for this reason. Destroying gun barrels is also a good idea, but this can be difficult if said barrel is pointed directly at you, presenting a small cross section. Destroying turret rings can also be helpful, but this is not really possible outside of close quarters, and some tanks like Shermans don't even have vulnerable turret rings. Juggling these techniques takes practice, and some may end up using a lot of ammo, so it's best not to use the ZSD63 offensively against multiple well-armored opponents. Damage targets just enough to save yourself and allow your teammates to finish them off. A target with upgraded crew skills might be able to repair their damage before the ZSD63 can reload!
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When attacking ground units, be extremely cautious and avoid exposing your weak armour. The best approach for engaging ground units is do not do so except for the lightest ones. The pure AP (AP-T) belt doubles the chance of penetrating hits but changing belts is time consuming, and you should not be engaging ground targets where the default belt isn't enough in the first place. Wide flanking manoeuvres allow you to attack the weak sides of light targets, but are likely to leave you exposed and without any support yourself - so an easy target. Going wide, you will likely encounter other weakly armoured units like the popular [[M24 (Family)|M24 Chaffee]], which is very vulnerable to the 25 mm cannons. Know your targets and aim for weak points. The ubiquitous Shermans are generally tough customers from the front, where at most the transmission housings or perhaps ventilators can be penetrated, but the terrible hull side armour is a good target. The lower side armour behind the tracks is an especially good weak point if facing Shermans with applique side armour, and spraying a wide burst in that area can knock out the transmission, ammo, and driver. Other medium tanks like the [[Pz.IV F2]] and [[Chi-Nu]] are vulnerable from the front at close range. T-34s are tougher targets and can only be reliably penetrated frontally in the turret cheeks (for "small turret" models like the [[T-34 (1940)]]) or the turret ring at close range. The hull sides are thicker and better sloped than other medium tanks and also have fuel tanks protecting the turret crew, so during flanking attacks, try to shoot the lower hull armour to knock out the engine and driver/machine gunner before going for the turret side. The AP round does not have explosive filler so multiple penetrating hits are needed to defeat a tank. Remember that the ZSD63 also has access to artillery, a very useful spoiler to keep your targets off balance.
  
Avoid firing continuously for longer than 1 second or so. The cannons have noticeable recoil and the limited ammunition capacity does not allow for much "Spray and Pray". Firing measured bursts and adjusting the fire as necessary will lead to cleaner results, though if a very nice firing solution is available, don't be afraid to let loose. Against aircraft in particular, fire conservatively if the target is not flying directly towards or away from the ZSD63. Planes diving straight towards the ZSD63 are very threatening, but at the same time they would have signed their own death warrant; move a bit and put a nice spray of 25 mm rounds in their flight path, even a few successful FI-T impacts will do the job. The AP round does not have explosive filler so multiple penetrating hits are needed to defeat a tank. Remember that the ZSD63 also has access to artillery, a very useful spoiler to keep your targets off balance.
+
For self-defence, it is important to know how to disable opponents quickly and efficiently, with minimal time and ammunition expenditure. Obviously the optimal situation is to knock out a target's crew before they can attack the ZSD63, but this will not always be possible. The twin cannons can destroy tracks and tires almost instantly, but for turreted vehicles this will not prevent the target from returning fire. If only one track is destroyed, even a casemate tank destroyer can potentially scoot around enough to fire back (though this can expose their sides). Destroying the engine is a good move when shooting from the sides or rear for this reason. Destroying gun barrels is also a good idea, but this can be difficult if said barrel is pointed directly at you, presenting a small cross section. Destroying turret rings can also be helpful, but this is not really possible outside of close quarters, and some tanks like Shermans don't even have vulnerable turret rings. Juggling these techniques takes practice, and some may end up using a lot of ammo, so it's best not to use the ZSD63 offensively against multiple well-armoured opponents. Damage targets just enough to save yourself and allow your teammates to finish them off. A target with upgraded crew skills might be able to repair their damage before the ZSD63 can reload!
  
Expect to go to allied cap zone more than most vehicles to replenish ammo and possibly another crew member.
+
Note that the default gun camera seems to be located between the guns, as a result when shooting at a target your vision will be mostly obstructed by the muzzle smoke. Some solutions include moving slightly away from the old spot to get out of the smoke, or use the "camera from gunner sight" option, although it may not be practical for other tanks.
  
 +
Expect to go to allied cap zones more than most vehicles to replenish ammo and possibly another crew member.
  
=== Modules ===
+
'''Against the ZSD63:'''
{| class="wikitable"
+
 
! Tier
+
'''Light tank/SPAA''': these vehicles are not well armoured (e.g. [[M24 (Family)|M24]]) so never expose yourself to a ZSD63, or you will get destroyed within a second. If you get the chance to fire at it, do not shoot the hull directly below the turret, as there is absolutely nothing there. Your shells will either over-penetrate without detonating, or explode inside with the shrapnel hitting next to nothing. Only target two sections: frontal hull and turret. These are the areas where there are crew inside. A few more shots might be needed if the shell fuse are not set off by the thin armour. For an SPAA (e.g. [[M16 MGMC]]) it will be easier, as all you have to do is spray bullets/shells at said parts until the ZSD63 is knocked out.
! colspan="2" | Mobility
+
 
! Protection
+
'''Medium tank/tank destroyer''': never rely on your armour even in a medium tank or tank destroyer. The ZSD's AP rounds have a maximum of 63 mm penetration which is enough to go through some weak spots of common tanks (e.g. [[Pz.IV F2]], [[M4A1]], [[StuG III F]]), even from the front! Since medium tanks do not have good mobility as lighter tanks and thus cannot manoeuvre around the ZSD quickly, it is crucial to ensure that it cannot fight back or cannot penetrate you. Angle your hull, target the above areas, but prioritise the turret. If you have add-on armour installed they might save your life now, for example the frontal hull armour of the Pz.IV F is 50 mm which can be penetrated by the ZSD's AP, but with an additional 20 mm tracks it becomes 70 mm, which is immune to its shells. Even a Sherman's weak side will be able to resist some fatal shells with a slight increase in its effective thickness (38 + ~20 = ~58 mm).
! colspan="2" | Firepower
+
 
|-
+
'''Heavy tank''': in a well-protected heavy tank such as [[T14]], you are safe to take some hits from a ZSD and not worry about a single shell going through, since most if not all heavy tanks' front/side armour is thicker than 63 mm. Target the same areas as said above. Note that heavy tanks are less mobile so the ZSD might manage to break your tracks and/or gun barrel. Prevent this by angling your hull and traversing it randomly, and swing your turret around randomly while you reload, this way the ZSD will waste quite some shells to follow up its target.
| I
+
 
|Tracks
+
'''Aircraft''': with a plane against a ZSD, your best buddy is anything with big blast radius, like bombs and rockets. With them, you do not have to perform head-ons with a ZSD63, rather you can destroy it from far away and bank off early if your bomb drops or rockets are accurately aimed. Planes such as [[P-47D-28|P-47D]] and [[F6F-5|F6F]] are perfect for this role. The shrapnel can pierce through the ZSD's thin armour easily and knock out its crew members and/or modules. It is very not recommended to go head-on with a ZSD no matter how powerful your offensive weapons are. With the ZSD's great shell velocity, accuracy, trajectory, penetration and damage, the SPAA is able to put a spray of deadly 25 mm shells precisely in your flight path, and you cannot afford to take more than ~2 hits from its guns. However it has a really long reload time of around 30 seconds, so you can try strafing it if you think it fired around 40 shells.
|
+
 
|Parts
+
'''Enemies worth noting:'''
|Horizontal Drive
+
 
|Type 87 HE
+
* [[R3 T20 FA-HS]]: This popular Italian vehicle should be a player's priority target to hunt, if playing in an anti tank mode. It is extremely fast on road and bears a very deadly 20 mm rapid-firing autocannon. With the high fire rate and great speed, it can appear at unexpected positions and easily finish the {{PAGENAME}} with a 2-second burst. To deal with it, the full AP belt is very handy. Aim at the front half of its hull and tap to fire single salvos, and the {{PAGENAME}} can knock out all of its crews quickly.
|-
+
* [[Wirbelwind]]: this is another big threat. It has two types of AP belts, and both of them can penetrate the {{PAGENAME}}'s armour. Plus the good rate of fire and four barrels it can be equally deadly as the R3 T20. It also has better survivability in terms of hull armour and crew number: 80 mm of frontal armour means that the {{PAGENAME}}'s guns cannot penetrate it in a frontal encounter, while the rather spread out crew makes it harder to knock it out in time. Aim at its turret and wipe out all the turret crew to disarm it. Of course, aim at the hull side/rear if it's not facing the {{PAGENAME}} frontally.
| II
+
* [[Ju 87 (Family)|Ju 87]], [[Bf 110 (Family)|Bf 110]], etc: utmost care should be taken when facing against bomb-equipped planes since even if they are considered destroyed, they can still drop their bombs around the {{PAGENAME}} which, given its weak armour, will likely result in the vehicle getting destroyed by the bombs. Common examples include the Ju 87 and Bf 110 series as they can carry bombs of up to 1,000 kg which is a huge threat. As mentioned above, find hard cover and point the hull sideways so the {{PAGENAME}} can quickly get away from the bombs.
|Suspension
 
|Brake System
 
|FPE
 
|Adjustment of Fire
 
|Type 87 AP
 
|-
 
| III
 
|Filters
 
|
 
|Crew Replenishment
 
|Elevation Mechanism
 
|
 
|-
 
| IV
 
|Transmission
 
|Engine
 
|
 
|Artillery Support
 
|
 
|-
 
|}
 
  
 
=== Pros and cons ===
 
=== Pros and cons ===
Line 176: Line 135:
 
'''Pros:'''
 
'''Pros:'''
  
* Excellent firepower against both planes and tanks
+
* Excellent firepower against planes and light & medium tanks
* Great -10 degrees gun depression allows sneaky shots in hilly terrains
+
* Extremely high rate of fire, making it deadly against any and all aircraft
 +
* Great -10 degrees gun depression allows engagements in hilly terrain
 
* High top speed allows it to get to positions in time
 
* High top speed allows it to get to positions in time
* Thin armor can lead to some shells over-penetrating without detonation (e.g. 122 mm)
+
* Thin armour can lead to some shells over-penetrating without detonation (e.g. 122 mm)
 
* Huge gap behind the driving compartment and below the turret can absorb shells
 
* Huge gap behind the driving compartment and below the turret can absorb shells
* Great gunsight magnification allows easy snipes from long range
+
* Great gun sight magnification allows easy snipes from long range
 +
* The fast elevation speed acts like a stabilizer at very low speeds
  
 
'''Cons:'''
 
'''Cons:'''
  
* Very poor survivability due to its light armor and open-topped turret
+
* A rather long reload of at least 13 seconds
 +
* High rate of fire can empty the magazine in 4 seconds
 +
* Low magazine capacity (2 x 40 rounds) as well as low total ammunition capacity (only 480 rounds)
 +
* Very poor survivability due to its light armour and open-topped turret with exposed crew
 
* Fuel tanks are easily set on fire
 
* Fuel tanks are easily set on fire
* Extremely long reload time of up to 32 seconds
 
 
* High profile makes it easier to get spotted and shot at
 
* High profile makes it easier to get spotted and shot at
* Requires expert fire control since the firerate can empty the magazine quickly and the reload is very long
+
* AP round is not powerful enough to penetrate heavy tanks even at point blank range
* AP is still not enough to penetrate heavy tanks even point blank
 
  
 
== History ==
 
== 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: <nowiki>https://wiki.warthunder.com/(Vehicle-name)/History</nowiki>) and add a link to it here using the <code>main</code> template. Be sure to reference text and sources by using <code><nowiki><ref></ref></nowiki></code>, as well as adding them at the end of the article with <code><nowiki><references /></nowiki></code>. This section may also include the vehicle's dev blog entry (if applicable) and the in-game encyclopedia description (under <code><nowiki>=== In-game description ===</nowiki></code>, also if applicable).'' -->
 
<!-- ''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: <nowiki>https://wiki.warthunder.com/(Vehicle-name)/History</nowiki>) and add a link to it here using the <code>main</code> template. Be sure to reference text and sources by using <code><nowiki><ref></ref></nowiki></code>, as well as adding them at the end of the article with <code><nowiki><references /></nowiki></code>. This section may also include the vehicle's dev blog entry (if applicable) and the in-game encyclopedia description (under <code><nowiki>=== In-game description ===</nowiki></code>, also if applicable).'' -->
  
The 装甲输送车 (Zhuangjia Shusong Che, Armoured Personnel Carrier) ZSD63 was China's first domestic armored vehicle design. China initiated the work in 1958 with prototype finished in 1960. It is also sometimes called the "Type 63", both a name system used to refer to Julian year of production start. Basic steel box design is simple and functional, designed for small arms protection and have all terrain operation with amphibious capabilities. Although a Chinese design the Soviet design influence is strongly visible. Thousands have been produced with hundreds sold to other countries making it one of the most successful military vehicles built.
+
The 装甲输送车 (Zhuangjia Shusong Che, Armoured Personnel Carrier) ZSD63 was China's first domestic armoured vehicle design. China initiated the work in 1958 with a prototype finished in 1960. It is also sometimes called the "Type 63", both a name system used to refer to Julian year of production start. The basic steel box design is simple and functional, designed for small arms protection and have all terrain operation with amphibious capabilities. Although it is a domestic Chinese design, the Soviet design influence is strongly visible. Thousands have been produced with hundreds sold to other countries making it one of the most successful military vehicles built.
 +
 
 +
This SPAA version mounts a turret on the roof armed with twin PG87 which is based on the Soviet ZU-23-2 23 mm autocannon which was modified to use domestically produced 25x183B 25 mm rounds. As the name suggests, this weapon was put in production in 1987 making for a retrofit of an approximately 23 year old chassis. This turret seems to be literally mounted on the roof, as there is no hole into the hull of the ZSD, likely an attempt to maintain is amphibious ability despite additional weight. In addition, a pair of extending feet for stabilization were added, but are not functional in-game. It is likely in real world operation the vehicle had to be stationary, feet planted, and crew externally passing the large and heavy ammo magazines to the loaders on top.
 +
 
 +
=== [[wt:en/news/6702-development-zsd-63-twin-barrel-mower-en|Devblog]] ===
 +
During the 1980's, Chinese engineers finished developing a new dual 25 mm anti-aircraft turret, designated as the PG87. Intended to replace the outdated 37 mm anti-air cannons in service with the Chinese armed forces in the years prior, work on this replacement already began in the 1970s, but lacking interest and shifting priorities led to the development work being prolonged into the next decade.
  
This SPAA version mounts a turret on the roof armed with twin PG87 which is based on the Soviet ZU-23-2 23mm auto cannon which was modified to use domestically produced 25x183B 25mm rounds. As the name suggests this weapon was put in production in 1987 making for a retrofit of an approximately 23 year old chassis.  This turret seems to be literally mounted on the roof, as there is no hole into the hull of the ZSD, likely an attempt to maintain is amphibious ability despite additional weight.  In addition a pair of extending feet for stabilization are added, but not functional in game. It is likely in real world operation the vehicle had to be stationary, feet planted, and crew externally passing the large and heavy ammo magazines to the loaders on top.
+
Around the same time, the Chinese military was in dire need of a new mobile SPAA vehicle in order to successfully be able to carry out its air defense tasks. As no new vehicle could be developed in such short notice, the decision was made to convert existing Type 63 APC chassis into SPAAG's with the use of the newly developed PG87 anti-air turret.
 +
 
 +
The result of this undertaking was an SPAA variant of the Type 63 APC, which entered service with the Chinese military some time in the late 1980's and early 1990's. It's unknown exactly how many APC's were converted onto the SPAAG standard nor if the vehicle is still in active service today.
  
 
== Media ==
 
== Media ==
 
<!-- ''Excellent additions to the article would be video guides, screenshots from the game, and photos.'' -->
 
<!-- ''Excellent additions to the article would be video guides, screenshots from the game, and photos.'' -->
''Excellent additions to the article would be video guides, screenshots from the game, and photos.''
+
 
 +
;Skins
 +
 
 +
* [https://live.warthunder.com/feed/camouflages/?vehicle=cn_zsd63_pg87 Skins and camouflages for the {{PAGENAME}} from live.warthunder.com.]
 +
 
 +
'''Images'''<gallery mode="packed" caption="Devblog Images" heights="150">
 +
File:ZSD-63 WTWallpaper 01.jpg|
 +
File:ZSD-63 WTWallpaper 02.jpg|
 +
File:ZSD-63 WTWallpaper 03.jpg|
 +
File:ZSD-63 WTWallpaper 04.jpg|
 +
File:ZSD-63 WTWallpaper 05.jpg|
 +
File:ZSD-63 WTWallpaper 06.jpg|
 +
</gallery>
 +
 
 +
;Videos
 +
{{Youtube-gallery|QAM5QTzjZLg|'''Spade Review: {{PAGENAME}}. A Powerful but limited AA''' - ''Joseph 2000''}}
  
 
== See also ==
 
== See also ==
Line 207: Line 191:
 
* ''reference to the series of the vehicles;''
 
* ''reference to the series of the vehicles;''
 
* ''links to approximate analogues of other nations and research trees.'' -->
 
* ''links to approximate analogues of other nations and research trees.'' -->
''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;''
+
;Other vehicles of similar configuration and role
* ''links to approximate analogues of other nations and research trees.''
+
 
 +
* [[Wirbelwind]]
 +
* [[Crusader AA Mk II]]
  
 
== External links ==
 
== External links ==
 
<!-- ''Paste links to sources and external resources, such as:''
 
<!-- ''Paste links to sources and external resources, such as:''
 
* ''topic on the official game forum;''
 
* ''topic on the official game forum;''
* ''encyclopedia page on the tank;''
 
 
* ''other literature.'' -->
 
* ''other literature.'' -->
  
 
* [[wt:en/news/6702-development-zsd-63-twin-barrel-mower-en|[Devblog] ZSD63: twin-barrel mower]]
 
* [[wt:en/news/6702-development-zsd-63-twin-barrel-mower-en|[Devblog] ZSD63: twin-barrel mower]]
 +
* [[wikipedia:Type_63_(armoured_personnel_carrier)|[Wikipedia] Type 63 (armoured personnel carrier)]]
  
 +
{{TankManufacturer Norinco}}
 
{{China anti-aircraft vehicles}}
 
{{China anti-aircraft vehicles}}

Revision as of 18:11, 5 February 2023

VTOL | Rank 5 USA
AV-8A Harrier Pack
cn_zsd63_pg87.png
GarageImage ZSD63.jpg
ZSD63/PG87
AB RB SB
5.0 4.7 4.7
Class:
Research:18 000 Specs-Card-Exp.png
Purchase:47 000 Specs-Card-Lion.png
Show in game

Description

The ZSD63/PG87, Dual-Barrel AA is a rank III Chinese SPAA with a battle rating of 5.0 (AB) and 4.7 (RB/SB). It was introduced in Update "Starfighters".

The ZSD63 is the second vehicle in the Chinese SPAA line and offers greatly improved anti-air capabilities to Chinese tankers. Though it looks rather like a jury-rigged technical from the Middle East, having a turret with twin autocannons grafted on an APC chassis, it packs some serious firepower for its rank. A slight brush from the ZSD63's rapid-fire cannons will tear aircraft and lightly armoured ground vehicles to shreds. Even medium tanks will be wary of the onslaught of AP rounds, which can cut through them like a buzzsaw. While it has excellent firepower, the defensive capabilities are lacking; the large size, paper-thin armour, and high profile make it an attractive target to anything on the battlefield. The pair of PG87 cannons have a 600 rpm fire rate that will empty its dual 40 round magazine (80 total) in just over 4 seconds, then to face a truly abysmal reload speed of 30 plus seconds! The vehicle also only carries enough ammo for 5 reloads which will vanish like magic. Its saving grace is the high velocity ammo that makes aiming easy; the succeeding Chinese SPAAs have a much lower rate of fire and lower velocity, thus harder to use against aerial targets until the WZ305 and its proximity-fused shells are researched. Despite these challenges, the ZSD63 can be a very fun vehicle to play and will serve well as an anti-air vehicle even beyond its low rank.

General info

Survivability and armour

Armourfront / side / back
Hull12 / 8 / 8
Turret8 / 8 / 8
Crew5 people
Visibility313 %
Armour Front (Slope angle) Sides Rear
Hull 12 mm 8 mm 8 mm
Turret 8 mm 8 mm 8 mm

Despite its armoured box look, one would be hard pressed to call the ZSD63 "armoured". The armour is almost entirely 8 mm thick all-around, save for the 12 mm upper glacis. The near vertical sides may as well be unprotected. Adding insult to injury is the high-mounted open-top turret with the crews' heads exposed on top like pumpkins. Even coaxial rifle-calibre machine guns stand a fair chance of penetrating this vehicle. While you might survive a few glancing bullets or have shots pass through the empty rear compartment, the best survival tactic is to avoid being seen and stay close to cover for quick retreats after firing off a few bursts.

On the other hand, the extremely thin armour will result in most shells over-penetrating, given that most fuse sensitivities are around 10 mm. An over-penetration through the empty space is likely to do little to no damage. Although you might survive, it is still a clear warning that you are exposed to lethal firepower and you should immediately relocate if possible.

Being an open topped AA with very weak armour makes it extremely susceptible to overpressure from HE and HEAT shells.

Mobility

Speedforward / back
AB66 / 10 km/h
RB and SB61 / 9 km/h
Number of gears5 forward
1 back
Weight14.0 t
Engine power
AB496 hp
RB and SB260 hp
Power-to-weight ratio
AB35.4 hp/t
RB and SB18.6 hp/t
Game Mode Max Speed (km/h) Weight (tons) Engine power (horsepower) Power-to-weight ratio (hp/ton)
Forward Reverse Stock Upgraded Stock Upgraded
Arcade 66 10 14 369 496 26.36 35.43
Realistic 61 9 230 260 16.43 18.57

Mobility is good, though somewhat underwhelming compared to what the statistics might suggest. With 19 hp/ton, the ZSD63 accelerates to 60 km/h forward on paved roads and the suspension works quite nicely on all kinds of terrain. Off-road speed is less impressive, topping at around 30-35 km/h. The 8 km/h reverse speed leaves something to be desired but is better than most contemporary vehicles. Overall, the ZSD63 is mobile enough to follow teammates and flank, though it is not exactly lightning fast and there should be no expectation of arriving at the battlefield far ahead of everyone else.

Modifications and economy

Repair costBasic → Reference
AB1 290 → 1 660 Sl icon.png
RB1 032 → 1 328 Sl icon.png
SB1 506 → 1 938 Sl icon.png
Total cost of modifications19 810 Rp icon.png
32 500 Sl icon.png
Talisman cost980 Ge icon.png
Crew training13 000 Sl icon.png
Experts47 000 Sl icon.png
Aces330 Ge icon.png
Research Aces280 000 Rp icon.png
Reward for battleAB / RB / SB
70 / 90 / 140 % Sl icon.png
136 / 136 / 136 % Rp icon.png
Modifications
Mobility Protection Firepower
Mods new tank traks.png
Tracks
Research:
990 Rp icon.png
Cost:
1 600 Sl icon.png
95 Ge icon.png
Mods new tank suspension.png
Suspension
Research:
890 Rp icon.png
Cost:
1 500 Sl icon.png
85 Ge icon.png
Mods new tank break.png
Brake System
Research:
890 Rp icon.png
Cost:
1 500 Sl icon.png
85 Ge icon.png
Mods new tank filter.png
Filters
Research:
1 700 Rp icon.png
Cost:
2 800 Sl icon.png
160 Ge icon.png
Mods new tank transmission.png
Transmission
Research:
2 100 Rp icon.png
Cost:
3 400 Sl icon.png
195 Ge icon.png
Mods new tank engine.png
Engine
Research:
2 100 Rp icon.png
Cost:
3 400 Sl icon.png
195 Ge icon.png
Mods tank tool kit.png
Improved Parts
Research:
990 Rp icon.png
Cost:
1 600 Sl icon.png
95 Ge icon.png
Mods extinguisher.png
Improved FPE
Research:
890 Rp icon.png
Cost:
1 500 Sl icon.png
85 Ge icon.png
Mods tank reinforcement cn.png
Crew Replenishment
Research:
1 700 Rp icon.png
Cost:
2 800 Sl icon.png
160 Ge icon.png
Mods new tank horizontal aiming.png
Horizontal Drive
Research:
990 Rp icon.png
Cost:
1 600 Sl icon.png
95 Ge icon.png
Mods tank ammo.png
25mm_cn_HE_ammo_pack
Research:
990 Rp icon.png
Cost:
1 600 Sl icon.png
95 Ge icon.png
Mods tank cannon.png
Adjustment of Fire
Research:
890 Rp icon.png
Cost:
1 500 Sl icon.png
85 Ge icon.png
Mods tank ammo.png
25mm_cn_AP_ammo_pack
Research:
890 Rp icon.png
Cost:
1 500 Sl icon.png
85 Ge icon.png
Mods new tank vertical aiming.png
Elevation Mechanism
Research:
1 700 Rp icon.png
Cost:
2 800 Sl icon.png
160 Ge icon.png
Mods art support.png
Artillery Support
Research:
2 100 Rp icon.png
Cost:
3 400 Sl icon.png
195 Ge icon.png

Armaments

Main armament

2 x 25 mm PG87 cannon
Ammunition480 rounds
Belt capacity40 rounds
Reloadbasic crew → aces
16.9 → 13.0 s
Fire rate600 shots/min
Vertical guidance-10° / 90°
Main article: PG87 (25 mm)

The ZSD63/PG87 is arguably the most lethal autocannon system at its rank in-game. Each cannon fires a staggering 10 rounds per second (600 rpm) with extremely high velocity and precision. The excellent turret traverse speed makes tracking targets very easy. Aircraft are instant confetti under its FI-T rounds. Although the AP-T penetration at 100 m is only 60 mm, declining to 47 mm at 500 m, the high fire rate and high velocity allow multiple hits at weak points until a kill shot is made. Light tanks, tank destroyers, and other SPAAs are generally easy targets. Medium units should not be too difficult to eliminate either, and even heavy tanks can be disabled by the cannons when aimed at vulnerable locations. The weaknesses are the limited belt capacity and the extremely long reload time, so be highly conservative with your fire control. This monster will be just as effective in Rank VII as in Rank II.

The default belt is a 50/50 mix of AP-T and FI-T. This does a pretty good job for anti-air operations, and is perfectly adequate for the sort of ground targets you should be engaging - lightly armoured vehicles. The pure AP-T load is better but a needless expense. There is also a pure FI-T belt that is high effective versus aircraft but essentially useless against ground targets; it is not of much use since the default belt is almost as effective and can still deal with ground targets adequately. Using just the default belt avoids the potential for having the wrong belt loaded - it is good for all targets

Avoid trying to switch belts in the middle of combat as might be done for other SPAAs. Doing so will put the guns out of commission for potentially more than 30 seconds, which is unhelpful to say the least if there are enemies around. Spending minutes to switch belts for different targets only makes you defenceless and vulnerable.

25 mm PG87 (x2) Turret rotation speed (°/s) Reloading rate (seconds)
Mode Capacity (Belt) Fire rate Vertical Horizontal Stabilizer Stock Upgraded Full Expert Aced Stock Full Expert Aced
Arcade 480 (40) 600 -10°/+90° ±180° N/A 47.6 65.8 79.9 88.4 94.0 16.90 14.95 13.78 13.00
Realistic 32.1 37.8 45.9 50.8 54.0

Ammunition

  • Default: AP-T · FI-T*
  • Type 87 HE: FI-T*
  • Type 87 AP: AP-T

Penetration statistics
Ammunition Penetration @ 0° Angle of Attack (mm)
10 m 100 m 500 m 1,000 m 1,500 m 2,000 m
FI-T* 8 8 6 5 4 3
AP-T 63 61 51 41 33 27
Shell details
Ammunition Velocity
(m/s)
Projectile
mass (kg)
Fuse delay
(m)
Fuse sensitivity
(mm)
Explosive mass
(TNT equivalent) (g)
Ricochet
0% 50% 100%
FI-T* 1,050 0.25 0.1 0.1 29.26 47° 56° 65°
AP-T 1,050 0.25 - - - 47° 60° 65°

Ammo racks

Ammo racks of the ZSD63/PG87
Full
ammo
1st
rack empty
2nd
rack empty
3rd
rack empty
4th
rack empty
5th
rack empty
6th
rack empty
Visual
discrepancy
12 10 (+2) (+4) (+6) (+8) (+10) (+12) No

Notes:

  • A box of ammunition contains 40 projectiles.
  • A rack consists of 2 boxes.

Usage in battles

The main job for this vehicle is providing effective defence for your team against enemy aircraft. Avoid continuous firing, 1 to 2 second bursts are critical for success. The cannons have noticeable recoil and the limited ammunition capacity does not allow for much "Spray and Pray". Before any planes spawn, it is recommended to locate yourself between the points and the spawn, and find some hard cover. This way you can get close to most of your teammates and target incoming planes easier, you don't need to worry about getting shot by enemy tanks, and you can use the covers to dodge strafing planes. Then, as soon as an enemy plane spawns, slowly shoot single salvoes towards it to draw its attention. Most planes will dive in for an easy SPAA kill, knowing that all SPAA have weak armour and not-lethal-enough firepower. If it is a bomber, position your hull sideways for quick retreat from bombs. Planes diving straight towards the ZSD63 are very threatening, but at the same time they present easy no-deflection targets; use your great gunsight magnification to work out the plane's flying path, and spray a 1-sec burst of 25 mm rounds in their flight path. 1-3 hits will shred most planes apart. With this method a 40-round clip can take out 1-2 planes. Fire conservatively if the target is not flying directly towards or away from the ZSD63.

When attacking ground units, be extremely cautious and avoid exposing your weak armour. The best approach for engaging ground units is do not do so except for the lightest ones. The pure AP (AP-T) belt doubles the chance of penetrating hits but changing belts is time consuming, and you should not be engaging ground targets where the default belt isn't enough in the first place. Wide flanking manoeuvres allow you to attack the weak sides of light targets, but are likely to leave you exposed and without any support yourself - so an easy target. Going wide, you will likely encounter other weakly armoured units like the popular M24 Chaffee, which is very vulnerable to the 25 mm cannons. Know your targets and aim for weak points. The ubiquitous Shermans are generally tough customers from the front, where at most the transmission housings or perhaps ventilators can be penetrated, but the terrible hull side armour is a good target. The lower side armour behind the tracks is an especially good weak point if facing Shermans with applique side armour, and spraying a wide burst in that area can knock out the transmission, ammo, and driver. Other medium tanks like the Pz.IV F2 and Chi-Nu are vulnerable from the front at close range. T-34s are tougher targets and can only be reliably penetrated frontally in the turret cheeks (for "small turret" models like the T-34 (1940)) or the turret ring at close range. The hull sides are thicker and better sloped than other medium tanks and also have fuel tanks protecting the turret crew, so during flanking attacks, try to shoot the lower hull armour to knock out the engine and driver/machine gunner before going for the turret side. The AP round does not have explosive filler so multiple penetrating hits are needed to defeat a tank. Remember that the ZSD63 also has access to artillery, a very useful spoiler to keep your targets off balance.

For self-defence, it is important to know how to disable opponents quickly and efficiently, with minimal time and ammunition expenditure. Obviously the optimal situation is to knock out a target's crew before they can attack the ZSD63, but this will not always be possible. The twin cannons can destroy tracks and tires almost instantly, but for turreted vehicles this will not prevent the target from returning fire. If only one track is destroyed, even a casemate tank destroyer can potentially scoot around enough to fire back (though this can expose their sides). Destroying the engine is a good move when shooting from the sides or rear for this reason. Destroying gun barrels is also a good idea, but this can be difficult if said barrel is pointed directly at you, presenting a small cross section. Destroying turret rings can also be helpful, but this is not really possible outside of close quarters, and some tanks like Shermans don't even have vulnerable turret rings. Juggling these techniques takes practice, and some may end up using a lot of ammo, so it's best not to use the ZSD63 offensively against multiple well-armoured opponents. Damage targets just enough to save yourself and allow your teammates to finish them off. A target with upgraded crew skills might be able to repair their damage before the ZSD63 can reload!

Note that the default gun camera seems to be located between the guns, as a result when shooting at a target your vision will be mostly obstructed by the muzzle smoke. Some solutions include moving slightly away from the old spot to get out of the smoke, or use the "camera from gunner sight" option, although it may not be practical for other tanks.

Expect to go to allied cap zones more than most vehicles to replenish ammo and possibly another crew member.

Against the ZSD63:

Light tank/SPAA: these vehicles are not well armoured (e.g. M24) so never expose yourself to a ZSD63, or you will get destroyed within a second. If you get the chance to fire at it, do not shoot the hull directly below the turret, as there is absolutely nothing there. Your shells will either over-penetrate without detonating, or explode inside with the shrapnel hitting next to nothing. Only target two sections: frontal hull and turret. These are the areas where there are crew inside. A few more shots might be needed if the shell fuse are not set off by the thin armour. For an SPAA (e.g. M16 MGMC) it will be easier, as all you have to do is spray bullets/shells at said parts until the ZSD63 is knocked out.

Medium tank/tank destroyer: never rely on your armour even in a medium tank or tank destroyer. The ZSD's AP rounds have a maximum of 63 mm penetration which is enough to go through some weak spots of common tanks (e.g. Pz.IV F2, M4A1, StuG III F), even from the front! Since medium tanks do not have good mobility as lighter tanks and thus cannot manoeuvre around the ZSD quickly, it is crucial to ensure that it cannot fight back or cannot penetrate you. Angle your hull, target the above areas, but prioritise the turret. If you have add-on armour installed they might save your life now, for example the frontal hull armour of the Pz.IV F is 50 mm which can be penetrated by the ZSD's AP, but with an additional 20 mm tracks it becomes 70 mm, which is immune to its shells. Even a Sherman's weak side will be able to resist some fatal shells with a slight increase in its effective thickness (38 + ~20 = ~58 mm).

Heavy tank: in a well-protected heavy tank such as T14, you are safe to take some hits from a ZSD and not worry about a single shell going through, since most if not all heavy tanks' front/side armour is thicker than 63 mm. Target the same areas as said above. Note that heavy tanks are less mobile so the ZSD might manage to break your tracks and/or gun barrel. Prevent this by angling your hull and traversing it randomly, and swing your turret around randomly while you reload, this way the ZSD will waste quite some shells to follow up its target.

Aircraft: with a plane against a ZSD, your best buddy is anything with big blast radius, like bombs and rockets. With them, you do not have to perform head-ons with a ZSD63, rather you can destroy it from far away and bank off early if your bomb drops or rockets are accurately aimed. Planes such as P-47D and F6F are perfect for this role. The shrapnel can pierce through the ZSD's thin armour easily and knock out its crew members and/or modules. It is very not recommended to go head-on with a ZSD no matter how powerful your offensive weapons are. With the ZSD's great shell velocity, accuracy, trajectory, penetration and damage, the SPAA is able to put a spray of deadly 25 mm shells precisely in your flight path, and you cannot afford to take more than ~2 hits from its guns. However it has a really long reload time of around 30 seconds, so you can try strafing it if you think it fired around 40 shells.

Enemies worth noting:

  • R3 T20 FA-HS: This popular Italian vehicle should be a player's priority target to hunt, if playing in an anti tank mode. It is extremely fast on road and bears a very deadly 20 mm rapid-firing autocannon. With the high fire rate and great speed, it can appear at unexpected positions and easily finish the ZSD63/PG87 with a 2-second burst. To deal with it, the full AP belt is very handy. Aim at the front half of its hull and tap to fire single salvos, and the ZSD63/PG87 can knock out all of its crews quickly.
  • Wirbelwind: this is another big threat. It has two types of AP belts, and both of them can penetrate the ZSD63/PG87's armour. Plus the good rate of fire and four barrels it can be equally deadly as the R3 T20. It also has better survivability in terms of hull armour and crew number: 80 mm of frontal armour means that the ZSD63/PG87's guns cannot penetrate it in a frontal encounter, while the rather spread out crew makes it harder to knock it out in time. Aim at its turret and wipe out all the turret crew to disarm it. Of course, aim at the hull side/rear if it's not facing the ZSD63/PG87 frontally.
  • Ju 87, Bf 110, etc: utmost care should be taken when facing against bomb-equipped planes since even if they are considered destroyed, they can still drop their bombs around the ZSD63/PG87 which, given its weak armour, will likely result in the vehicle getting destroyed by the bombs. Common examples include the Ju 87 and Bf 110 series as they can carry bombs of up to 1,000 kg which is a huge threat. As mentioned above, find hard cover and point the hull sideways so the ZSD63/PG87 can quickly get away from the bombs.

Pros and cons

Pros:

  • Excellent firepower against planes and light & medium tanks
  • Extremely high rate of fire, making it deadly against any and all aircraft
  • Great -10 degrees gun depression allows engagements in hilly terrain
  • High top speed allows it to get to positions in time
  • Thin armour can lead to some shells over-penetrating without detonation (e.g. 122 mm)
  • Huge gap behind the driving compartment and below the turret can absorb shells
  • Great gun sight magnification allows easy snipes from long range
  • The fast elevation speed acts like a stabilizer at very low speeds

Cons:

  • A rather long reload of at least 13 seconds
  • High rate of fire can empty the magazine in 4 seconds
  • Low magazine capacity (2 x 40 rounds) as well as low total ammunition capacity (only 480 rounds)
  • Very poor survivability due to its light armour and open-topped turret with exposed crew
  • Fuel tanks are easily set on fire
  • High profile makes it easier to get spotted and shot at
  • AP round is not powerful enough to penetrate heavy tanks even at point blank range

History

The 装甲输送车 (Zhuangjia Shusong Che, Armoured Personnel Carrier) ZSD63 was China's first domestic armoured vehicle design. China initiated the work in 1958 with a prototype finished in 1960. It is also sometimes called the "Type 63", both a name system used to refer to Julian year of production start. The basic steel box design is simple and functional, designed for small arms protection and have all terrain operation with amphibious capabilities. Although it is a domestic Chinese design, the Soviet design influence is strongly visible. Thousands have been produced with hundreds sold to other countries making it one of the most successful military vehicles built.

This SPAA version mounts a turret on the roof armed with twin PG87 which is based on the Soviet ZU-23-2 23 mm autocannon which was modified to use domestically produced 25x183B 25 mm rounds. As the name suggests, this weapon was put in production in 1987 making for a retrofit of an approximately 23 year old chassis. This turret seems to be literally mounted on the roof, as there is no hole into the hull of the ZSD, likely an attempt to maintain is amphibious ability despite additional weight. In addition, a pair of extending feet for stabilization were added, but are not functional in-game. It is likely in real world operation the vehicle had to be stationary, feet planted, and crew externally passing the large and heavy ammo magazines to the loaders on top.

Devblog

During the 1980's, Chinese engineers finished developing a new dual 25 mm anti-aircraft turret, designated as the PG87. Intended to replace the outdated 37 mm anti-air cannons in service with the Chinese armed forces in the years prior, work on this replacement already began in the 1970s, but lacking interest and shifting priorities led to the development work being prolonged into the next decade.

Around the same time, the Chinese military was in dire need of a new mobile SPAA vehicle in order to successfully be able to carry out its air defense tasks. As no new vehicle could be developed in such short notice, the decision was made to convert existing Type 63 APC chassis into SPAAG's with the use of the newly developed PG87 anti-air turret.

The result of this undertaking was an SPAA variant of the Type 63 APC, which entered service with the Chinese military some time in the late 1980's and early 1990's. It's unknown exactly how many APC's were converted onto the SPAAG standard nor if the vehicle is still in active service today.

Media

Skins
Images
Videos

See also

Other vehicles of similar configuration and role

External links


China North Industries Corporation - NORINCO 中国兵器工业集团有限公司
Light Tanks/IFV 
WZ501  ZBD86
WZ131  ▂Type 62 · Type 62
WZ211  Type 63 · ZTS63
WZ502  ZBD04A
Main Battle Tanks 
WZ120  Type 59 · ZTZ59A · ZTZ59D1
WZ121  Type 69 · Type 69-IIa** · T-69 II G**
WZ122  ZTZ88B · ZTZ88A · ZTZ96 · ZTZ96A · ZTZ96A (P)
WZ123  ZTZ99-II · ZTZ99-III
WZ1001  WZ1001(E) LCT · ZTZ99A
Export MBT  MBT2000** · VT-4A1**
Tank Destroyers  AFT09 · PTL02 · WMA301** · PTZ89 · ZLT11
SPH  PLZ83
SPAA  ZSD63/PG87* · WZ305** · PGZ09 · PGZ04A
  *Field modifications
  **Export vehicles

China anti-aircraft vehicles
Radar SPAAG  PGZ09
Gun and Missile SPAAG  PGZ04A
Other  ZSD63/PG87 · WZ305
Germany  ␗Sd.Kfz.222
North Vietnam  Phòng không T-34
USA  CCKW 353 (M45) · ␗M42
USSR  Tor-M1