ZTZ59A

ZTZ59A

ZTZ59A

China

V Rank

Battle rating:

AB	RB	SB
8.0	8.0	8.0

Class:

PREMIUM

Medium tank

Purchase:8 200

Show in game

Description

The ZhuangJia Tanke ZhuZhan 59A is a premium rank V Chinese medium tank with a battle rating of 8.0 (AB/RB/SB). It was introduced in Update "Ground Breaking".

Based on the long-existing Type 59 and upgraded with technologies from Type 69, although the basis of Type 59 is obsolete to later MBTs, it also came with some sufficient upgrades that could help this old tank finding its second life with laser rangefinder and automatic ballistic chart linked to the rangefinder which gives it a chance to stay away from heated battlefield and strike enemies further away, enhancing its survivability in long term.

General info

Survivability and armour

Smoke grenades

Creation of a smoke screen in front of the vehicle

Armourfront / side / back

Hull100 / 80 / 45

Turret200 / 155 / 65

Crew4 people

Visibility83 %

To make things short and clear: ZTZ59A has NO protection upgrades over its basis other than additional skirts to the sides, which doesn't help enhancing its protection; so its characteristic is basically identical to its non-premium cousin.

The armour layout of the ZTZ59A is identical to the T-54 (1951), having a rounded, egg-shaped turret with a highly sloped upper glacis. The armour is not bad per se, but most of its opponents use powerful APDS, APFSDS, or HEAT-FS rounds that can go right through it, an issue made worse by the fact that the Type 59 currently has a higher battle rating than the T-54. While it is mostly immune to APHE rounds from the front, few vehicles use them at its rank, and those that do are typically from the Soviet Union and unlikely to face the Type 59 in Realistic Battles. The full-caliber AP shells fired by the M103's 120 mm gun can penetrate the ZTZ59A's hull armour quite easily.

Post-penetration survivability is questionable. Ammunition is scattered around the tank and none of the ammo racks are protected. The interior of the tank is cramped and penetrating hits are likely to take out multiple crew members. When the gun is pointed forward, the driver, gunner, and commander are all lined up for an easy one-shot kill.

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

AB56 / 9 km/h

RB and SB51 / 8 km/h

Number of gears5 forward

1 back

Weight36.0 t

Engine power

AB992 hp

RB and SB520 hp

Power-to-weight ratio

AB27.6 hp/t

RB and SB14.4 hp/t

Due to the nature of being a Type 59, the mobility part is as well totally identical to the former.

The mobility of the ZTZ59A is the same as the Type 59, decent to good but not the best. The top speed will only be reached on paved surfaces. The wide tracks make for fairly good off-road capability. The tank cannot turn in place and the reverse speed of -7 km/h leaves much to be desired. Speedy MBTs like the Leopard I will easily outrun the ZTZ59A , though it can keep up with the M60 and is still faster than the Centurion Mk 10.

Game Mode	Max Speed (km/h)		Weight (tons)	Engine power (horsepower)		Power-to-weight ratio (hp/ton)
	Forward	Reverse		Stock	Upgraded	Stock	Upgraded
Arcade	56	9	36	_,___	992	__.__	27.56
Realistic	51	8		_,___	520	__.__	14.44

Modifications and economy

Repair cost

AB2 818

RB3 225

SB4 391

Crew training10 000

Experts490 000

Aces1 200

Research Aces1 440 000

Reward for battleAB / RB / SB

2 × 130 / 200 / 230 %

2 × 196 / 196 / 196 %

Modifications

Mobility	Protection	Firepower
Tracks Suspension Brake System Filters Transmission Engine	Improved Parts Improved FPE Crew Replenishment Smoke grenade	Horizontal Drive Adjustment of Fire Laser rangefinder Elevation Mechanism 100mm_APCBC_ammo_pack Artillery Support 100mm_APDS_ammo_pack 100mm_cn_HEAT_ammo_pack

Armaments

Laser rangefinder

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

Main armament

100 mm Type 59 cannon

Vertical stabilizer

Reduces the swing of the gun in one plane while moving

Ammunition34 rounds

First-order20 rounds

Reloadbasic crew → aces

9.7 → 7.5 s

Vertical guidance-5° / 18°

The ZTZ59A variant didn't improve its firepower either, other than having a laser rangefinder while vastly boost its capabilities on handling long-range targets; so the handling of the weapons are the same as well.

The Type 59 cannon is identical to the original Soviet D-10T used by the T-54 (1951) aside from its stabilizer and different choice of ammunition. The turret rotation speed is very poor, making it hard to respond to ambushes and proving to be a liability in urban combat. The vertical stabilizer allows the ZTZ59A to shoot accurately when driving under 40 km/h; alternatively you can utilize the laser rangefinder onboard keep yourself away from the battlefield with fair accuracy. The reload is quite slow and the average medium tank at the Type 59's battle rating will reload around 2 seconds quicker.

100 mm Type 59					Turret rotation speed (°/s)					Reloading rate (seconds)
Mode	Capacity	Vertical	Horizontal	Stabilizer	Stock	Upgraded	Full	Expert	Aced	Stock	Full	Expert	Aced
Arcade	34	-4°/+17°	±180°	Vertical	__._	__._	__._	__._	__._	_.__	_.__	_.__	_.__
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
BR-412	APHE	218	212	190	164	143	124
BR-412D	APCBC	239	236	220	202	186	170
Type 1959 APDS	APDS	299	298	291	272	253	249
Type 1973 HEAT-FS	HEATFS	390	390	390	390	390	390
OF-412	HE	19	19	19	19	19	19

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%
BR-412	APHE	895	15.9	1.2	19	100.1	47°	60°	65°
BR-412D	APCBC	887	15.9	1.2	19	93.94	48°	63°	71°
Type 1959 APDS	APDS	1,432	3.18	N/A	N/A	N/A	75°	78°	80°
Type 1973 HEAT-FS	HEATFS	1,000	10.05	0.05	0.1	1,180	65°	72°	77°
OF-412	HE	900	15.6	0	0.1	1,460	79°	80°	81°

Other than missing our BR-412B and 412P shells from the original Type 59, the remaining shells are totally identical to the former.

The stock round is the BR-412 APHE. An uncapped shell, its performance is rather substandard for its rank and it might have difficulties against angled armour or at long distances. The BR-412B APHEBC round is slightly better at a distance and the BR-412D APCBC round is the best of the AP shells overall. These shells are best used against lightly armoured tanks like the Leopard I and AMX-30. Light tanks and SPAAs are also good targets, but some may have extremely thin armour that will not trigger the fuse.

The Type 1959 APDS has identical penetration to the Soviet 3BM-8 APDS round with minor differences in the weight and muzzle velocity. The performance is generally comparable to the DM13 APDS. It has a high muzzle velocity and is thus the easiest to use at long distance, but the post-penetration damage is somewhat underwhelming.

The Type 1973 HEAT-FS has the same penetration as the T-55A's 3BK-5M HEAT-FS round. The muzzle velocity and weight are between the 3BK-5M and 3BK-5, but it has about 260 fewer grams of TNT equivalent due to the different filler. In practice, there is not a significant difference, and the HEAT-FS boasts the highest penetration out of all of the Type 59's rounds including ZTZ59A, going clean through almost any tank not equipped with composite armour or ERA. It is also capable of causing hull-breaks on light tanks and SPAAs. Unfortunately, the fuse is very sensitive and will trigger on bushes and fences.

The OF-412 HE shell only has 26 mm of penetration and is of limited utility. It is not large enough to cause any notable damage to MBTs, and while it can cause hull-breaks, so can the HEAT-FS.

But just like his non-premium cousin, it doesn't come with 3D3 smoke shells that is provided on Soviet's T-54s.

Ammo racks

Full ammo	1st rack empty	2nd rack empty	3rd rack empty	4th rack empty	5th rack empty	6th rack empty	Visual discrepancy
34	34	33 (+1)	28 (+6)	23 (+10)	22 (+11)	21 (+13)	1 (+33)	No

The ammunition storage of the ZTZ59A is not exactly safe just like all the Type 59 family, but to be fair, this applies to many contemporary tanks. Spare rounds are littered around the turret and fighting compartment, and there is a large rack next to the driver. It's best to take fewer rounds to at least clear out the turret. Carrying 21 rounds or fewer will completely empty the fighting compartment, which helps to prevent side-aspect shots from being instantly fatal.

Machine guns

12.7 mm Type 54 machine gun

Ammunition500 rounds

Belt capacity50 rounds

Reloadbasic crew → aces

10.4 → 8.0 s

Fire rate600 shots/min

Vertical guidance-4° / 82°

Offensive and anti-aircraft machine guns not only allow you to fight some aircraft but also are effective against lightly armoured vehicles. Evaluate machine guns and give recommendations on its use.

12.7 mm DShK
Mount	Capacity (Belt)	Fire rate	Vertical	Horizontal
Pintle	500 (50)	600	-10°/+60°	±180°

7.62 mm SGMT
Mount	Capacity (Belt)	Fire rate	Vertical	Horizontal
Coaxial	3,000 (250)	600	N/A	N/A

Usage in battles

Aside from the laser rangefinder, the ZTZ59A plays pretty identical to a Type 59 with some alternative playstyle.

The ZTZ59A is best used similarly to the original Type 59 or Soviet T-54S. The mobility is decent, but the turret rotation speed and gun elevation speed are quite agonizing. For those not used to this vehicle, it is better not to rush straight into the combat zone. Instead, stay behind other teammates, keep an eye on the surroundings, and anticipate where enemies may appear. Alternatively, you can stay away from the battlefield thanks to the laser rangefinder strapped on the centre line of the tank, and comes with automatic ballistic chart; so for those who concerns about its protection or had suffered from Type 59's incapable of long-range shootings, ZTZ59A solved this problem to some extent. The vertical stabilizer, an oddity for a high-tier vehicle, is effective up to around 40 km/h, which is a major step up from the familiar vertical stabilizers used by the M4 Sherman family and practically equivalent to two-plane stabilizer under most circumstances; the ZTZ59A will typically only exceed 40 km/h when driving downhill or on roads. Still, the crippling gun handling makes high-speed shooting risky since the turret will struggle with the rapid aim adjustments required. The stabilizer is a significant advantage when fighting unstabilized tanks since the gun does not need to settle before an accurate shot. Keep the gun pointed towards possible enemy positions and remember to turn the hull as well as the turret when rapid adjustments in aim are needed.

Helicopters start to become common around the ZTZ59A's battle rating and can be a major threat if equipped with rockets or ATGMs. The ZTZ59A has limited options for offense or defense against helicopters since it has poor gun handling and no smoke grenades. The APDS might be able to take out very inattentive helicopter pilots with good aim and a healthy dose of luck. If they get closer, the heavy machine gun may be able to destroy or scare off unarmoured helicopters. When all else fails, hide behind buildings or among trees

Stay close to teammates if possible. The slow reload and poor gun handling make dealing with multiple enemies or flankers a difficult task without backup. A fast light tank, SPAA, or armoured car can circle around the Type 59 faster than it can react. It helps to bind the cupola mounted heavy machine gun to a separate key in case this happens; the DShK rotates fairly quickly and will rip through the sides of light targets like the AUBL/74 HVG with ease. If a healthy distance is maintained, the ZTZ59A has an easier time coping with its poor gun handling.

Pay attention to the battlefield and identify enemy tanks ahead of time. This allows the gun to be wrangled into position and the appropriate choice of ammunition to be selected. Thinly armoured enemies should typically be targeted with the APCBC round. Scoring one-shot kills is very helpful for the ZTZ59A since the slow reload makes follow-up shots risky. It is worth remembering that although the OF-40, STB-1, and Leopard A1A1 look very similar to the Leopard I, they are significantly more resistant to conventional rounds from the front. Shoot the OF-40 in the lower glacis, the STB-1 in the upper glacis (close to the turret ring) or gun mantlet, and the A1A1 in the hull.

Tanks with good protection as often seen in US, British, and Soviet models should be dealt with using APDS or HEAT-FS if sideshots are not possible. HEAT-FS is typically the better option since it has higher penetration and can be used to hull-break light targets in a pinch, but APDS is easier to aim at long distances (especially important since the ZTZ59A has no dedicated rangefinder) and cannot be stopped by ERA. Take some of both, perhaps more APDS on large maps. Aim for crew members and ammo racks when using these ammunition types.

This ZTZ59A still omitted the night vision systems like the original Type 59, so it must rely on illumination flares for vision in night battles. The Type 69 is much more self-sufficient in this regard, so consider using that tank first if it is present in the lineup.

Overall, the Type 59 faces many challenges at its current battle rating, often being uptiered and having to deal with tanks far more advanced than it. Still, it is satisfying to destroy a thermal-equipped, APFSDS-slinging MBT from the late 1980s with a tank first produced in 1958, using an APCBC round introduced in 1951.

Pros and cons

Pros:

• Has a range of good ammo: explosive AP, piercing HEAT, and APDS
• 200mm frontal effective thickness is immune to SPAA or low tier tanks firing full-caliber kenitic shells
• Laser rangefinder allows it to engage distant targets easily
• Roof-mounted 12.7mm HMG is deadly against light vehicles (eg. AML-90, M551) and some low/slow aircraft

Cons:

• Slow turret traverse and elevation speed limits targeting rate. Fatal in surprise engagments
• Poor mobility overall, meaning low agility and responsiveness to changing situations
• Armour is still inadequate to stop common HEATFS or APFSDS (eg. Leopard 1, T-55AM, OF-40)
• Limiting gun depression of -4° hinders its capacity in uneven battlefield
• Terrible reverse speed of -7 km/h prevents it from getting out of danger quickly

History

The Type 59 (ZTZ59, WZ120) has been the backbone of PLAGF for many decades, although with some infamous political incident in late 1980s, the chassis itself still received quite some upgrades throughout its service and the ZTZ59A (alternatively called ZTZ59-I in earlier naming system) is the first major upgrade over Type 59.

During the Sino-Vietnamese conflict in late 1970s, PLAGF had found some problems on the original Type 59 and was handed to the 5th Ministry of Machine Building (第五机械工业部) for possible upgrades; meanwhile it was the era where the economic reform and normalize of relationships to western countries, although they have planned for new tanks and refurbishment of older tanks with NATO L7 105 mm gun, the mass of original Type 59 could still use some upgrades as well. Then in 1984, the ZTZ59A upgrade program has passed state certifications; the upgrade included a hydraulic steering, an IR searchlight mounted on the front of the chassis as well as FCS upgrades with a laser rangefinder from Type 69 as well as automatic ballistic chart. Some of the later ZTZ59A that had received such upgrades had also tested with different designs such as a two-plane stabilizator for the gun and welding extra fences onto the turret, while some received a smoke grenade launcher upgrade on the turret.

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.

China medium tanks
ZTZ59	Type 59 · ZTZ59A · ZTZ59D1
ZTZ69	Type 69 · Type 69-IIa · T-69 II G
ZTZ88/96	ZTZ88A · ZTZ88B
	ZTZ96 · ZTZ96A · ZTZ96A (P)
ZTZ99	ZTZ99-II · ZTZ99-III
ZTZ99A	ZTZ99A · WZ1001(E) LCT
Export series	MBT2000 · VT-4A1
ROC	CM11
Other	Т-34-85 Gai · Object 122MT "MC"
Japan	␗Chi-Ha · ␗Chi-Ha Kai
USA	␗M4A4 · ␗M4A4 (1st PTG) · ␗M4A1 (75) W · ␗M48A1 · ␗M60A3 TTS
USSR	␗T-34 (1943) · ␗Т-34-85 (S-53) · T-34-85 No.215 · Т-62 №545