#china
The ZTZ96 is China’s most advanced second generation main battle tank (MBT). But its history actually extends well before the ZTZ96 actually appeared and its development history is extremely messy (not that any tank development project is ever neat), filled with several weird prototypes and secretive vehicles. So, let’s take a look at the history of this tank’s development, its main variants, and all of those weird 1-off prototypes that never made it to production.
The IS-2 (1944) is a Soviet heavy tank. It has adequate armour which rivals the Tiger II and a powerful cannon that overpowers the US 90mm M3. These characteristics make it a good sniper. Additionally, its great BR-471B and BR-471D rounds can cause overpressure and knock out most foes with one single shot. When correctly played with, the IS-2 (1944) will become a huge threat to your enemies. Although its 20+ sec long reload can be frustrating, it is still a tank worthy of playing.
The PTZ89 was born of a need by the Chinese People’s Liberation Army to counter a possible invasion threat by Soviet-made armor. But instead of going the typical route of designing an ATGM carrier like the M113, the People’s Liberation Army instead went with the comparably ancient concept of a gun-based tank destroyer and produced what can be considered by many as the ultimate and final evolution of the concept of a gun-based tank destroyer.
As the representation of PLAGF transformation from Warsaw Pact caliber to NATO caliber howitzer, the PLZ05 is the earlier variant of its family with basic digitized equipment. The hybrid of Russian carousel autoloader and NATO caliber howitzer is what makes PLZ05 unique among its counterparts; the introduction of this artillery piece also fills a gap in Chinese tech-tree with a long-anticipated SPH equivalent to NATO counterparts.
The Nakajima Ki-43 Hayabusa is a Japanese single-engined monoplane fighter developed by Nakajima Aircraft Company. Light and easy to fly, it became legendary for its combat performance in East Asia in the early years of the war. It could outmanoeuvre any opponent, but did not initially have armour or self-sealing fuel tanks, and its armament was poor until its final version, which was produced as late as 1945. In War Thunder, it can be found in the early ranks of the Japanese aviation tech tree, which contains three variants. A Ki-43-III can also be found in the Chinese aviation tech tree. This guide covers all of the Hayabusas in the game given how all of them are played in a similar way.
The F-84G is often one of the first jets for many players. It can be used for both air combat and ground attack, making it a solid multi-role aircraft. Although it is a bit older compared to jets like the MiG-15 or F-86, it can still hold its own and compete well against these more modern aircraft.
The A-5C (Q-5III/强-5III), NATO reporting name: Fantan, is the export version of the Nanchang Q-5 during the early days of China’s paid military sales in the 1980s. China was in desperate need of funding after economic reforms, and since previous aircraft exports were essentially given as aid rather than sales, military factories were also searching for a means to generate funds for their new projects.
The Type 63 Amphibious Tank (63式水陆坦克), later redesignated as ZTS63, is one of China’s first armored vehicle designs that was both developed and produced locally. This family of vehicles might be familiar, you might have played against it, alongside it, or even commanded one in-game; but have you ever wondered about the story behind the Type 63? As is the case with many Cold War vehicles, the story of this tank will take us back to the 1950s, shortly after the Korean War.
The Mirage 2000-5Ei is an air superiority fighter for the Chinese tech tree. Due to the Chinese purchase of the Su-27 in 1992, Taiwan decided to order new-gen fighters capable of defending their country’s airspace. The choice fell on the French Mirage 2000 thanks to its BVR capability needed for its role as a frontline interceptor. This Taiwanese version of the Mirage 2000-5F primarily differs in its suspended armament: this Mirage can only be fitted with MICA-EM and Magic 2 missiles, making it a pure air-to-air fighter.
