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In Development: ZTZ-20

Commanders!

Today, we’d like to tell you more about the top prize of the Rise of the Dragon Battle Path – the Chinese ZTZ-20 Premium Main Battle Tank.



This is an exceedingly rare tank that was imported from China by Perihelion – a true masterpiece of engineering that can only be found serving with Chinese elite units guarding Beijing. How did Murdoch’s people get their hands on one is a mystery but a quick examination showed it was made using advanced technologies, some of which are not available at all in the United States of America of 2028.

So much for Armored Warfare lore, now for the real history – let’s address the elephant in the room. The ZTZ-20 Main Battle Tank does not exist. It is a vehicle made-up by a Chinese internet user who posted a full fictional history along with its technical descriptions on the internet. It’s unclear when the original post appeared; the estimate is around 2016-2017. The idea was to create a “future MBT for the Chinese armed forces” and the author was clearly inspired by the Russian Armata.

The hull bears a strong resemblance to it and the design features a number of elements taken directly from the T-14, such as the unmanned turret design and the armored crew capsule. On the other hand, there are some relatively strange solutions in there as well, such as the ATGM launchers in the turret that are retractable but cannot be loaded without someone doing it manually from the outside. The carousel loading mechanism is a bit strange as well and there are a myriad of other details betraying the fact the author of the vehicle wasn’t an actual tank designer. Nevertheless, the concept has gained a lot of popularity on the Chinese internet over the years and we’ve decided to give it a try and introduce it as a playable vehicle.

As we posted before, in Armored Warfare, the ZTZ-20 is going a Tier 10 Premium Main Battle Tank with a rather unique twist.



The overall concept of the tank will resemble that of the other Chinese MBTs in Armored Warfare, such as the Type 99B. Unlike the others, however, this MBT will be protected by the following elements:
  • Unmanned turret taking reduced damage
  • NERA armor making it quite durable during the initial stages of fighting
  • Full smoke grenade cover (360 degrees)
  • Advanced hard-kill APS

On the downside the basic armor will become quite thin once the NERA elements are spent. Not to worry though, the ammo rack weakspot the Type 99 series is famous for in the game will not make an appearance (on the contrary, we’ll fix the issue on the other vehicles of the Type 99 series).

Mobility is a staple of Chinese MBTs and this one will be no exception. We’re looking at something similar to Type 99A2 despite the weight of 59 tons. The ZTZ-20 will be powered by a 1630hp diesel engine giving it the maximum speed of whopping 90 km/h with the following additional values:
  • Acceleration from 0 to 32 km/h: 4.81s
  • Hull traverse: 44.7 deg/s

As you can see, it will be one of the most agile and fast-accelerating Tier 10 MBTs in the game. Additionally, two of the three Active Abilities available to it will also make it move faster: Override and Top Speed.

And, finally, we come to the firepower. The tank will allow you to choose between two weapons:
  • 125mm smoothbore cannon
  • 140mm smoothbore cannon

The 125mm gun is mostly intended for PvE. Performance-wise, it’s on par with the Type 99A2’s gun, including its famous HEAT rounds with 1000mm penetration and 930 damage per shot. The reload time and the subsequent damage output will be roughly similar to the Type 99A2, although the gun-launched ATGMs are missing here.

The 140mm gun is, on the other hand, intended for PvP, trading the damage per minute value for increased damage per shot and APFSDS penetration. This gun will fire both APFSDS (835mm penetration, 945 damage) and HEAT rounds (950mm penetration, 1181 damage).



Both guns will be able to elevate to +14 degrees and depress to -7 degrees. But that’s still not all as the tank will feature a unique system – Phosphorus Missiles.

That’s right; those ATGMs at the back of the turret are no ordinary ATGMs. You have four of them in your launcher – they can be fired once per 3.5 seconds followed by 25 seconds of reload. The way they work is relatively simple. They fly either into a target directly or over a target (much like the overflight attack missiles do) and explode, dealing meager damage but covering a wide area around the impact point with white phosphorus.

White phosphorus works the same way as it does in WP artillery rounds:
  • The camouflage of hostile targets in the affected area will be reduced to zero, which will cause them to become immediately spotted
  • Anyone in the affected area will take damage over time (260 damage over 10 seconds)
  • The damage over time can disrupt the base-capturing process

The first point is the true purpose of these missiles – they can be fired at suspected enemy locations to get rid of those pesky scouts hiding in the bushes or “hero” MBTs “supporting” their lighter comrades from behind the lines. It’s worth noting that these missiles behave just like other ATGMs and are therefore susceptible to hostile APS.

Utility-wise, the tank will have access to the two abovementioned Active Abilities as well as the Rapid Fire one. It’ll also feature solid camouflage (22%) and viewrange (365m) for its class.

In summation, the ZTZ-20 will be a highly practical and versatile MBT with two configurations and a unique ability. Thanks to the combination of solid armor, excellent mobility and adequate firepower, it’ll have a chance to succeed on any battlefield and in any mode. We hope that you’ll enjoy it and, as always:

See you on the battlefield!

Community Survey: Armored Warfare

Commanders!

In our effort to improve the game, we'd like to ask for your feedback regarding several aspects of the game. Please take a few minutes to fill the survey below:



Thank you and see you on the battlefield!

Offer: Western Firepower

Commanders!

This week, we’ve prepared another set of attractive items for you:
  • Panzer 87-140 Tier 10 Premium Main Battle Tank
  • Challenger 2 Streetfighter II Tier 10 Premium Main Battle Tank
  • Leopard 2 Revolution Tier 8 Premium Main Battle Tank
  • Marder 2 Tier 8 Premium Armored Fighting Vehicle
  • Kampfpanzer 70 Tier 6 Premium Main Battle Tank
  • Commander Loot Crate (with new Key mechanics)
Between June 16 and 23, 2022, the following items will be available:


[h2]Panzer 87-140[/h2]


The Panzer 87-140 is an experimental version of Panzer 87 (Swiss Leopard 2A4), fitted with a RUAG 140mm smoothbore cannon and an armor kit called WE. It was developed in the 1980s and early 1990s to counter the next generation of Soviet MBTs, but with the collapse of the Soviet Union, the project was shelved, only to resurface around 2005-2006 but never passing the experimental stage. You can read more about it in our dedicated article.

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In Armored Warfare, the Panzer 87-140 is a Tier 10 Premium Main Battle Tank. Much like other Leopard series MBTs, it’s a long-range fighter with an extremely powerful gun and the ability to fire with pinpoint accuracy. Even though its armor leaves much to be desired, at long range, this MBT has few equals and can be considered one of the best snipers of its class.

The Panzer 87-140 Tier 10 Premium MBT is available in our Web Shop via Loot Crates. Collect 100 blueprint pieces from these crates to obtain the vehicle.






[h2]Challenger 2 Streetfighter II[/h2]


The Streetfighter II is an upgrade program to overhaul the venerable Challenger 2 Main Battle Tank for the conditions of modern battlefields, especially urban combat. It features a number of improvements and extra components, most notably a dozer blade, a Brimstone ATGM twin launcher and an advanced camera system by Elbit. You can read more about it in our dedicated article.

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In Armored Warfare, the Challenger 2 Streetfighter is a Tier 10 Premium Main Battle Tank. Its main advantages include excellent frontal armor (enhanced by the presence of its dozer blade covering its lower frontal plate), increased ramming damage and long range lethality, courtesy of a powerful ATGM launcher. Whether you desire to bring the fighting up close or support other MBTs at distance, the Streetfighter’s got your back.

The Challenger 2 Streetfighter II Tier 10 Premium MBT is available in our Web Shop via Loot Crates. Collect 100 blueprint pieces from these crates to obtain the vehicle.






[h2]Leopard 2 Revolution[/h2]


The Leopard 2 Revolution is a continuation of the older Evolution upgrade, intended to improve the performance of the older variants of the Leopard 2 Main Battle Tank in order to make it excel even on the battlefields of the 21st century. The improvements include a comprehensive armor upgrade, ROSY soft-kill APS and smoke grenade launchers as well as an entire suite of cutting edge electronics. You can read more about it in our dedicated article.



In Armored Warfare, the Leopard 2 Revolution is a Tier 8 Main Battle Tank. It is not only well-armored, it also features an extremely accurate 120mm gun with advanced ammunition, allowing it to destroy its opponents at very long ranges, rivaling those of Tank Destroyers. The German tanks in general perform best at longer ranges and the Revolution is no exception.






[h2]Marder 2[/h2]


The Marder 2 was an experimental German IFV, developed in the late 1980s to replace the aging Marder IFV. It featured more armor, a new turret and a brand-new Rheinmetall dual-caliber autocannon that could fire both 35mm and 50mm rounds. Despite its qualities, the vehicle was never accepted in service due to its high cost and because it was no longer needed because of the fall of the Soviet Union. A single surviving prototype can be found today in the Koblenz military collection. You can read more about it in our dedicated article.



In Armored Warfare, the Marder 2 is a Tier 8 Armored Fighting Vehicle. With its 44 tons, it’s one of the heaviest and toughest AFVs around. Unlike many other AFVs of its Tier, it is not armed with guided missiles, relying instead on its extremely powerful 50mm autocannon. This vehicle can also deploy Mechanized Infantry.






[h2]Kampfpanzer 70[/h2]


The Kampfpanzer 70 is the German sibling of the MBT-70. Back in the 1960s, the Germans and the Americans cooperated on the creation of a new, highly advanced Main Battle Tank, armed with a powerful 152mm gun and cutting edge technology. The project was a failure and the tank was never adopted for several reasons, including an extremely high price. You can read more about it in our dedicated article.



In Armored Warfare, the Kampfpanzer 70 is a Tier 6 Premium Main Battle Tank, just like the MBT-70. Although both vehicles generally look the same way, there are some differences. For one, the Kampfpanzer 70 cannot fire the Shillelagh guided missiles, but can use HE ammunition, making it truly deadly against lightly armored opponents.






[h2]Commander Loot Crate[/h2]


This week, we’ve prepared another special offer for you in the form of a brand new Commander Loot Crate, featuring, amongst other things, some of the rarest commanders in the game!



This Loot Crate gives you the opportunity to obtain the following items:
  • Commander Ofelia Kitescu
  • Commander Austin Harper
  • Commander Alexander Cortez
  • Commander Alisa Korhonen
  • Commander Erin O’Connell
  • Commander Jorge Alvarez
  • Commander Joshua Seagrove
  • Commander Fyodor Sokolov
  • Platinum Commander XP Insignia tokens
  • Gold Commander XP Insignia tokens

We’re implementing a new mechanic to the MY.GAMES Market Loot Crates (no worries – the in-game crates will remain the same). The mechanic is simple – instead of purchasing the Loot Crates, you purchase keys to them, which you then use to unlock them.

However, please note:
  • Discounts do not apply to Loot Crates, but rather to Keys
  • It is possible to buy multiple keys for a single chest type
  • Keys belong to individual Loot Crates (that is, a key to a Commander Loot Crate purchased now is not guaranteed to work on a Commander Loot Crate a month down the line)
  • Keys can be found in a separate Market section





We hope that you will enjoy the offer and, as always:

See you on the battlefield!

Server Maintenance

On the 16th of June 2022, starting from 8:00 CEST, the server will not be available for 2 hours due to a planned server maintenance.



Please note that the maintenance can be extended beyond the abovementioned timeframe. We apologize for the inconvenience.

The in-game Global Chat is still temporarily disabled. To communicate with the community, please visit our Discord channel.

Rise of the Dragon Battle Path – Part 2: Building the PLA

Commanders!

In our previous Battle Path article, we have unveiled the basic concept behind the upcoming Rise of the Dragon Battle Path – to implement various rewards related to different eras of China in chronological order, starting from the pre-war period.



While we are finalizing the design of the ZTZ-20 MBT, we’ll tell you more about the second block of prizes dedicated to the early years of the People’s Liberation Army.

Continuing where we left off – after the previous tumultuous decades, the 1950s would prove just as challenging for the Chinese armed forces despite the final defeat of the Nationalist regime in 1949. The People’s Liberation Army (further referred to as PLA) would soon have to face another, technologically far superior enemy – the United Nations forces led by the Americans.



The PLA was actually founded relatively shortly before the Korean War – officially in 1947, but the transition was not complete until a year later. It’s not that everything had to be made from scratch – after all, the armed forces of the Chinese Communist Party existed since 1927 and were relatively well-organized. It was the equipment that was lacking.

In the late 1940s and the early 1950s, the PLA was armed with an incredible assortment of captured weapons and war surplus. Armor-wise, they actively used captured Japanese tanks such as the Chi-Ha, but also the captured American equipment supplied to the Nationalists during the Chinese Civil War, including the Sherman and Stuart Light Tanks. To the Chinese generals, well-aware of modern weapons development, it was clear that everything they possessed was hopelessly obsolete. That was about to change.



In 1950, a treaty was signed with the Soviet Union. After all, both countries shared the same communist ideals (this would only change later) and China could definitely use some brotherly help in the arms department. As a result, roughly 1800 T-34/85 medium tanks were sent to China between 1950 and 1954. In Chinese service, these tanks were referred to as Type 58 and were most likely not produced domestically.



Here’s where we come to the first interesting prize of this segment. These tanks were not painted in the standard Soviet 4BO green paint – or, they initially were, but they were re-painted into a darker shade of green and that’s the reward we want to show you today – the PLA Green base paint. This paint was the most common (if not standard) for most tanks until the 1970s, when it was taken over by a very common three-tone camouflage.



These tanks were also marked with a PLA red star, which is why we’ll offer you the PLA symbol as a decal (and a flag) to allow you to paint your vehicles in proper livery.

But, back to our quick history rundown. While China was involved in in several conflicts in the 1950s, the by far largest one was the Korean War. Facing an unfavorable result for communism during the conflict, a more than 750 thousand men strong Chinese army of “volunteers” crossed the Yalu river to support its North-Korean allies citing “American aggression.” Unprepared for such an onslaught, the U.N. forces were forced to retreat, but not without inflicting incredibly high losses on the Chinese. The Chinese offensive would eventually be thrown back to the 38th parallel in 1951, which forms the border between both Koreas to this day.



Many are aware of the American legends surrounding the war, such as the Battle of the Chosin Reservoir and Chesty Puller’s famous “they can't get away this time” quote.

But there were such legends on the opposite side as well, such as the one of “Tank 215”. The “215” was a T-34/85 tank belonging to the 2nd Tank Division of the 2nd Tank Regiment of the People’s Volunteer Army tasked with the defense of North Mountain of Shiyandong on July 6, 1953, an area where three American M46 Pattons were reported threatening Chinese advances.



The ambush attempt unfortunately failed and the tank got shelled by American artillery, immobilizing it in the process. Its crew tried to set it free but to no avail. This effort took the rest of the day. Unwilling to abandon the vehicle, they instead decided to camouflage it with mud and twigs under the cover of the night. Luckily for them, they were found by a PVA patrol that helped dislodge the tank from its resting place, allowing it to retreat and set up another ambush in a nearby forest.



This time, things went better. The crew stumbled upon a trio of unsuspecting Pattons driving on a nearby road in a column. For whatever reason they decided to troll the Americans by actually joining the column, fitting in between the second and the third vehicle. When the column finally arrived at an American checkpoint, the “215” knocked out the rearmost Patton, trapping the other two and knocking out the rest one by one. Then it began to rampage through the supply depot, destroying 5 tanks (including the earlier 3 Pattons), 26 bunkers, 9 mortars, 1 command post and 3 more unidentified vehicles before escaping to the Chinese lines. The tank itself survived the war and can be found in the Beijing Military Museum.



This story was used extensively in Chinese propaganda and became a part of the Chinese mythos surrounding the war. Numerous different accounts of that battle’s events exist (sometimes with the events taking place in a different order), all of them most likely not true as no such loss records could be find in the American war records. Nevertheless, amongst the Rise of the Dragon’s prizes, you may find a special skin for the Type 96 MBT – Type 96 “215”.

This skin changes the appearance of your Type 96 by applying the appropriate base paint (PLA Green), the PLA symbols, the tactical number “215” as well as five red stars on the barrel signifying five tank kills.



Other prizes of this era include:
  • Red star of the PLA decal
  • No. 215 decal (applicable to any vehicle)
  • PLA flag
  • Decal with the name “Lei Feng”, another mythical soldier figure of the PLA displayed as an avatar of the People’s Republic of China’s virtues

Next time, we’ll finally take a look at the vehicle prizes as well as the prizes of the next era called Rapid Development.

See you on the battlefield!