T-34

The T-34 is a Light Tank used by several REDFOR and INDFOR factions in ArmA 2.

Overview[]

Role:
- Fire support

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T-34 production started during WWII in 1941. The tank is quite simple in comparison with modern tanks and thus is very easy to operate.
It is armed with an 85mm cannon and two 7.62mm machineguns.

Armoury Description^[1]

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Design[]

Then-considered a technologically innovative design, the T-34 was created to address the shortcomings of the earlier BT series of tanks in use by the Soviet Armed Forces at the height of the Second World War.

Armament
It is armed with an 85 mm tank gun and has two 7.62 mm light machine guns, one mounted coaxially^{[CfgVh 4]} and the second as a forward-facing only MG at the front of the tank's hull.^{[CfgVh 5]}

The primary ZiS-S-53 tank gun has access to two types of munitions:^{[CfgVh 6]}

10 rounds worth of armour-piercing (AP) shells
33 rounds of high-explosive (HE) shells

The hull and coaxial DT LMGs feed from 60-round pan magazines. Both DTs have access to a total of 300 rounds split across 5× magazines.^{[CfgVh 6]}

Features
As a force multiplier, the T-34 can provide anti-infantry and limited anti-vehicle fire support, acting as a quasi mobile line-of-sight artillery gun. Thanks to its large stockpile of HE shells^{[CfgVh 6]}, the T-34 can suppress motorised infantry squads quite effectively - so long as the tank's crew are the ones ambushing their targets, or they remain out of attack range of any anti-tank weapons.

Mobility
The T-34's acceleration is comparable to that of the newer T-55, with the latter being only just slightly faster than the T-34 initially but the T-34 retaining a higher cruising speed (48 km/h versus the T-55's 43 km/h). However, both tanks are identical when they are running on turbo, and are capped to a maximum speed of no more than 63 km/h.

Two -armed UAZ-469s almost wipe out a platoon of T-34s. — Two AGL-armed UAZ-469s almost wipe out a platoon of T-34s.

Drawbacks
As is to be expected of what is essentially a museum relic on tracks, ArmA 2's T-34 is objectively a worse version of the T-55.

Not only does it share all the drawbacks of the T-55 (no enhanced vision modes for its optics, poor range for its main gun, lacks a laser rangefinder, no defensive smoke countermeasures), but it has even thinner armour plating and is highly susceptible to explosive damage, meaning that anti-tank launchers won't be needed destroy a T-34. For instance, five direct hits with 40 mm grenade rounds - either from an underbarrel grenade launcher or a static-/vehicle-mounted automatic grenade launcher, can inflict heavy damage to most of the tank's components. Ten more direct hits from 40 mm grenades will eventually cause a catastrophic kill.

Additionally, the T-34 has a base armour value of 300^{[CfgVh 7]}, meaning that on top of explosive munitions being able to disable the tank's systems with ease, it won't be able to withstand a single hit from any modern tank cannon. It is not even necessary to use armour-piercing shells; a single hit from the T-55's 100 mm HE shells is sufficient to knock out the T-34.

Because of all these drawbacks, the T-34 isn't capable of going toe-to-toe with any modern armoured vehicle aside from Armoured Personnel Carriers and unarmoured vehicles. If alternatives are available, the T-34 should be disregarded in favour of newer and better protected tanks like the T-72.

Crew Capacity
The T-34 has a crew capacity of four that consists of the driver, a gunner, the tank's commander, and a front gunner who mans the hull machine gun. It cannot transport any passengers.

Camouflage[]

Desert
Olive

Desert: Standard two-tone desert tan/olive green camouflage scheme. Used by Takistani Army-operated T-34s.
Olive: Dark olive green paint scheme. Only used on NAPA and Takistani Rebel T-55s.

Protection: Hitpoints[]

The T-34 has a base armour value of 300.^{[CfgVh 7]}

Successful strikes to any of the following highlighted sections will inflict full damage to the component:

Hull[]

The T-34's hull can withstand up to 255 points of damage.^{[CfgVh 8]}^{[Formula 1]} Depletion of the hull's integrity can result in a catastrophic kill if the T-34 is at critical "health" status.^{[CfgVh 9]}

Engine[]

The T-34's engine can take a maximum of 105 points of damage before it fails.^{[CfgVh 10]}^{[Formula 2]} At least 20% of incoming damage will be shared with the T-34's main "health" pool. Destruction of the engine can potentially result in a catastrophic explosion if the T-34 is at critical "health" status.^{[CfgVh 11]}

Tracks[]

Both of the T-34's tracks can take up to 45 points of damage before they break.^{[CfgVh 12]}^{[CfgVh 13]}^{[Formula 3]} At least 30% of damage inflicted upon either of the tracks will be shared with the T-34's main "health" pool. If the tank is at critical "health" status, the T-34 can potentially explode if both tracks get completely wrecked.^{[CfgVh 14]}^{[CfgVh 15]}

Turret[]

Traverse mechanisms for the T-34's turret can take up to 300 points of damage.^{[CfgVh 16]}^{[Formula 4]} 100% of incoming damage to the turret will always be shared with the T-34's main "health" pool. Depletion of the turret's integrity will result in a catastrophic kill if the T-34 is at critical "health" status.^{[CfgVh 17]}

Main gun[]

Elevation mechanisms for the T-34's main gun can withstand a maximum of 90 points of damage.^{[CfgVh 18]}^{[Formula 5]} Damage inflicted upon the gun's mechanisms will not be shared with the T-34's main "health" pool.^{[CfgVh 19]}

Protection: Armour[]

LEGENDPurple = iron.bisurfYellow = ironplate — **LEGEND**
**Purple** = iron.bisurf
**Yellow** = ironplate.bisurf

.bisurf	Density^[2]	Thickness^[2]	bulletPenetrability^[3]	bulletPenetrabilityWithThickness^[3]
iron.bisurf	7800	N/A; based on vehicle fire geometry thickness	20	N/A; not used by iron.bisurf
ironplate.bisurf	7800	5	200	10

The T-34's hull, turret, and treads/wheels are made out of iron.^{[rvmat 1]}^{[bisurf 1]} The top of the hull's side skirts and mud guards are also made out of iron, though they are thinner and have a thickness of just 5 millimetres.^{[rvmat 2]}^{[bisurf 2]}

Armament[]

NOTE: For specifics on the ZiS-S-53's munitions, see its related section listed here.

The gunner position handles both the primary ZiS-S-53 85 mm tank gun and coaxial DT 7.62 mm light machine gun.^{[CfgVh 4]} The fourth crewman (hull gunner) controls the secondary DT LMG:^{[CfgVh 5]}

ZiS-S-53[]

85 mm tank gun. Can load and fire AP or HE-type shells.^{[CfgWp 1]}

Its muzzle velocity remains the same for both types of shells:

AP: 800 m/s^{[CfgMa 1]}
HE: 800 m/s^{[CfgMa 2]}

It can fire a shell once every 7 seconds (fire rate of ~ 8 rounds per minute).^{[CfgWp 2]}^{[Formula 6]} Switching between shell types takes at least 10 seconds to complete.^{[CfgWp 3]} Accuracy-wise, the ZiS-S-53 has a dispersion of 0.002 rad.^{[CfgWp 4]}

Manual zeroing is available, starting from a minimum of 100 metres up to a maximum of 3,000 metres (100, 200, 300, 400, 500, 600, 700, 800, 900, 1000, 1100, 1200, 1300, 1400, 1500, 1600, 1700, 1800, 1900, 2000, 2100, 2200, 2300, 2400, 2500, 2600, 2700, 2800, 2900, 3000).^{[CfgVh 20]} By default, the ZiS-S-53 uses a zeroing of 600 metres.^{[CfgVh 21]}

The main turret can be freely rotated in any direction horizontally.^{[CfgVh 22]}^{[CfgVh 23]} However, vertical rotation is more restrictive as it allows for a maximum elevation of only 20 degrees^{[CfgVh 24]} and a depression of just 4 degrees.^{[CfgVh 25]}

DT[]

Ammo parameter	Value
Base damage value	12^{[CfgAm 1]}
Aerodynamic friction	-0.00096^{[CfgAm 2]}
Muzzle velocity (m/s)	840^{[CfgMa 3]}
Expected velocity (m/s)	900 ^{[CfgAm 3]}^{[note 1]}
Deflection angle (degrees)	10°^{[CfgAm 4]}

7.62 mm light machine guns. It is fitted as a coaxial weapon and is also mounted onto the front of the hull.

It can attain a fire rate of up to 600 RPM^{[CfgWp 5]}^{[Formula 7]} and has a muzzle velocity of 840 m/s.^{[CfgMa 3]} Accuracy-wise, the DT has a dispersion of 0.00125 rad.^{[CfgWp 6]} It takes at least 5 seconds to reload the DT with a fresh pan magazine.^{[CfgWp 7]} Every fourth round fired will emit a visible green tracer.^{[CfgMa 4]}

Manual zeroing limits for the coaxial DT is shared with the primary ZiS-S-53 tank gun. It has a minimum zeroing of 100 metres up to a maximum of 3,000 metres (100, 200, 300, 400, 500, 600, 700, 800, 900, 1000, 1100, 1200, 1300, 1400, 1500, 1600, 1700, 1800, 1900, 2000, 2100, 2200, 2300, 2400, 2500, 2600, 2700, 2800, 2900, 3000).^{[CfgVh 20]} By default, the coaxial DT is set to a zeroing of 600 metres.^{[CfgVh 21]}

Zeroing limits for the hull gunner mount are different as it has a much lower cap of 1,500 metres (100, 200, 300, 400, 500, 600, 700, 800, 900, 1000, 1100, 1200, 1300, 1400, 1500).^{[CfgVh 26]} Likewise, the hull DT is set to a default zeroing of 300 metres instead.^{[CfgVh 27]}

For the coaxial DT, its rotation limits are shared with the main turret (Horizontal: 360 degrees^{[CfgVh 22]}^{[CfgVh 23]}, Vertical: 20 degrees elevation^{[CfgVh 24]}/4 degrees depression^{[CfgVh 25]}). However, the hull turret's rotation limits are heavily restricted as it allows for a maximum of elevation/depression of no more than 16 degrees.^{[CfgVh 28]}^{[CfgVh 29]} Horizontal rotation is similarly limited to just 16 degrees in both directions.^{[CfgVh 30]}^{[CfgVh 31]}

Optics[]

Driver[]

The driver's periscope hatch does not have the ability to toggle enhanced vision modes. However, the driver can wear their own night vision goggles whilst they are looking through it.

Commander[]

When they are not turned out, the commander's day sight has variable zoom capability (minimum of 1x zoom^{[CfgVh 32]}^{[Formula 8]} up to a maximum of 20x zoom^{[CfgVh 33]}^{[Formula 9]}).

The sight's reticle is not illuminated and a laser rangefinder is not available. It is also not possible to toggle enhanced vision modes, though the commander can wear their own night vision goggles whilst they are looking through it. It should be noted that operating the sight does not require the T-34's engine to be switched on.^{[CfgVh 34]}

Gunner[]

The gunner's sight has variable zoom capability and can switch between a minimum of 1x zoom^{[CfgVh 35]}^{[Formula 10]} and a maximum of 8x zoom.^{[CfgVh 36]}^{[Formula 11]} The reticle is not illuminated and the sight cannot toggle enhanced vision modes. However, the gunner can wear their own night vision goggles while they are looking through the sight.

It should be noted that the T-34 does not have a dedicated auxiliary power unit (APU) for the turret. Attempting to rotate the turret in any direction will automatically force the engine to switch on.^{[CfgVh 37]}

Hull Gunner[]

The front hull gunner's sight has variable zoom capability and can switch between a minimum of 1x zoom^{[CfgVh 38]}^{[Formula 12]} and a maximum of 8x zoom.^{[CfgVh 39]}^{[Formula 13]}

The sight's reticle is not illuminated and a laser rangefinder is not available. It is also not possible to toggle enhanced vision modes, though the hull gunner is able to wear their own night vision goggles while they are looking through the sight. It should be noted that operating the sight does not require the T-34's engine to be switched on.^{[CfgVh 40]}

Defensive sensors[]

The T-34 is not equipped with defensive sensors. The tank's crew will not be alerted if the T-34 is being locked onto by guided weapon systems. No warnings will be issued if a guided projectile has successfully locked onto the T-34 and is flying towards it.^{[CfgVh 41]}^{[CfgVh 42]}

AI[]

NOTE: The following information only applies to the AI.

Camouflage rating[]

Main article: AI Basics: Detection

The T-34 has a camouflage^[4] rating of 8.^{[CfgVh 43]}

Cost[]

Main article: AI Basics: Targeting priority

The T-34 has a cost^[5] value of 1500000.^{[CfgVh 44]}

Threat values[]

Main article: AI Basics: Targeting priority

The T-34 is considered to be a high-risk threat^[6] to both AI-controlled infantry units and ground vehicles (0.7/0.7).^{[CfgVh 45]}

On the other hand, aircraft do not consider the T-34 to be a threat at all (0).^{[CfgVh 45]} They will ignore the T-34 in favour of attacking more valuable/threatening targets first unless there are no other valid targets in range.

Noise factor[]