The upcoming War Thunder update will see three new modifications of the legendary Russian tank being added to the game – the 1989 T-72B build, the 2011 T-72B3 and the latest 2016 T-72B3 build!

War Thunder tank commanders should by now be well familiar with the Soviet T-72, which was the most-produced tank in the second half of the 20th century. The present modifications; the T-72A and the T-72B perform rather well in rank VI battles but struggle quite a bit against the top-tier Western tanks. This can be explained for a number of reasons: their average mobility, lack of modern ERA and fire control systems, and insufficient destructive power of the shells. Fans of the Soviet/Russian armoured vehicle tech tree had much to think about, mainly because of an incredibly wide range of available T-72 modifications, both developed domestically and abroad.

In the upcoming major update, three new modifications of the tank will be added to War Thunder, and this will promote the T-72 from its duties in the secondary offensive front to the hottest top-dog assault lines. Please welcome the 1989 T-72B model, the 2011 T-72B3 model and it is the 2016 T-72B3 researchable modification, that will put the T-72 on the closest-possible level to modern MBTs!

T-72B (1989)

What first and foremost separates the 1989 T-72B modification from the rest is Kontakt-5, a second-gen explosive reactive armour system. The ERA blocks fitted at the front form a single plane with the hull, unlike with Kontakt-1 which is already well known to players. The turret containers are positioned at an angle toward each other, thus forming the build’s recognizable silhouette, which has been a common sight at Russian military parades and in Russian news stories. Kontakt-5 provides a significant boost to the tank’s frontal defences against both HEAT and kinetic. The fresh set of armour will allow you to spring upon enemies head-on, but keep in mind the vulnerable spots at the front of the turret – you’d do well to turn the gun slightly away from your opponent while reloading.

T-72B3 and modification T-72B3 UBH

T-72B3, main battle tank, USSR/Russia, VII rank

Pros

• Up-to-date sight with thermal imaging 
• All-sector protection from HEAT rounds 
• Good mobility

Cons

• Slow rear speed
• Low vertical aiming angles

A basic modernization of the T-72B tank, issued at the beginning of the 2010’s. The major difference here is a new sight with thermal imaging, which makes night battles much more comfortable; no advantages in mobility and protection though.

In the second half of 2010’s, a new modernization program was initialized, the T-72B3 (2016), often called the T-72B3 UBH (abbreviation in Russian for “improved battle characteristics”). This modification is researchable for the T-72B3 in the game, and it improves the combat potential of the vehicle greatly.

First of all, it features a new powerful 1130 hp engine, a new gun stabilizer, as well as advanced “Relikt” protection with ERA elements. The hull and turret sides  are additionally covered with anti-HEAT screens. These improvements bring the old good T-72 to a level with the most advanced MBT’s in War Thunder.

The War Thunder Team

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