[Development] Ho-Ni II: Devastating Power - News

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Ho-Ni II: Devastating Power

19 February 2026 Development

Meet this Japanese self-propelled gun based on the Chi-Ha tank with a 105 mm howitzer, becoming a new and interesting vehicle for the Japanese lower ranks.

Ho-Ni II: A Tank Destroyer (SPG) for Japan at Rank II

At a glance:

105 mm howitzer with armor-piercing and high-explosive rounds
Good gun depression
Average mobility
Limited traverse angles
Vulnerable open crew compartment

The Japanese Type 1 Ho-Ni II self-propelled gun was developed on the chassis of the Type 97 Chi-Ha medium tank, as a further development of the 75 mm Ho-Ni I. The distinguishing feature of the new model was the installation of a more powerful 105 mm Type 91 howitzer in a fixed, open cabin.

The first prototype was built in 1942. Due to a general shortage of industrial resources in Japan during the war, large-scale production was not possible. A total of 54 Ho-Ni self-propelled guns of various modifications were manufactured from 1943 onwards. These vehicles saw limited use in combat in the Philippines and Burma, but the bulk of the fleet remained in Japan, where they were used to defend against the expected Allied invasion.

Download Wallpaper:

Introducing the Ho-Ni II!

In the next major update, we’ll be adding the new Japanese Ho-Ni, featuring a self-propelled gun on the chassis of Japan’s most widely-produced medium tank, the Chi-Ha. This vehicle is armed with a large howitzer, the largest-caliber gun in the series. Let’s take a further look at this thing!

Meet the largest-caliber self-propelled gun in the Ho-Ni family, arriving at rank II in the Japanese ground forces tree. The main feature that distinguishes the Ho-Ni II from its siblings is the gun. The oscillating part of the 105 mm Type 91 field howitzer is mounted on an armor shield, firing high-explosive and AP rounds. The AP round’s penetration is enough to destroy most targets at its rank, including T-34s and Shermans if you aim for their weakspots! The gun has a limited traverse angle of 10 degrees left and right, so in most cases you’ll have to aim the hull towards your target. Due to the gun’s long breech, elevation is also limited to 22 degrees, but the gun’s depression is at an excellent -17 degrees, allowing you to shoot from behind cover effectively.

The chassis of the Ho-Ni II derives from the Chi-Ha medium tank, giving it decent mobility with a top speed of up to 40 km/h. The superstructure however is very lightly protected just like the Ho-Ni I. The front and some of the side armor is at least bulletproof, but the crew are completely exposed from the top and the rear, making them especially vulnerable to machine guns and aircraft.

The Ho-Ni II will excel in a strong position, thanks to its gun depression and relatively fast fire rate, it can easily lock down a sightline from cover. Like with many SPGs in the game positioning is key, so identify a good spot in a high traffic area and lock in!

That’s it for this one, we’ll continue releasing dev blogs for the next major update, so keep an eye on the news. See you soon!

Please note that this vehicle’s characteristics may be changed before it is added to the game.

You can kick-start and greatly speed up the research of the Ho-Hi II with this pack:

Japanese Starter Pack