Type 96

The Type 96 is a tier 6 Main Battle Tank originating from China, and is sold by Zhang Feng. It can be unlocked from the Type 85-IIM, and leads to the Type 96A.

Features

 * Heavy armor: this vehicle's armor bounces more shots and takes more hits.
 * High caliber: the high caliber weaponry deals an increased damage.
 * Override: this vehicle's engine can be switched to override mode, which will significantly increase speed and acceleration.

Pros

 * Great speed
 * Reliable cannon
 * Has the old Light Tank Acceleration Boost

Cons

 * Poor armour
 * Mediocre view range
 * Very little camoflauge

Upgrade Suggestions
The gun should first be upgraded to increase effective damage output on the move. Upgrading the engine should be a second priority. Upgrading the spall liner is the least important and should be saved for after the engine.

Retrofit Suggestions

 * Improved Gun Breech, since stock reload is poor
 * Improved Pioneer Repair Kit, to reduce time being tracked
 * Augmented Optics V2, to improve vision whilst driving

Commander and Crew Skill Suggestions
Commander: Freja Højbjerg, for improved repair speed and increased gun accuracy

Driver: Smooth Ride, Off-Road Driving

Gunner: Quick Draw, Sharp Shooter

History
Class: Main Battle Tank Developed: 1996 Service: 1997+ Vehicles Built: cca 1000 Operators: China, Sudan (allegedly) The Type 96 Main Battle Tank is the ultimate evolution of the second generation of Chinese MBTs, which included the Type 80, Type 88 and Type 85 tanks. It is mostly a Chinese domestic vehicle that, however, started with a design called Type 85-III. The Type 85-III was the last step in the Type 85 export line. The prototype was developed based on the Type 85-IIM export version for Pakistan. It was developed in 1993 by NORINCO and featured a large number of improvements, including but not limited to a more powerful 1000hp diesel engine, a new transmission of the same type the T-72 used and a new ERA kit. It was offered starting from 1994, but the attempt to export it was unsuccessful. In 1995, it was competing against Ukraine&#39;s T-80UD MBT in Pakistan but lost due to being a prototype only while the T-80UD was already mass-produced at the time. As a result of this failure, the promotion of Type 85-III was basically dropped. On the other hand, the developers were quite happy with the tank, claiming that in combat value it was on par with the Russian T-80 and T-90 series. In 1991, the Chinese military underwent a massive shock in the form of the absolute decimation of Iraqi forces by the Americans during the Gulf War. As a result, the development of a new, third generation Main Battle Tank was accelerated, but such things take time. Aware of the increasing delays, the Chinese turned to possibly the best armored vehicle they had developed, the Type 85-III prototype. In 1996, the design was officially approved as the Type 96 Main Battle Tank, although it was somewhat downgraded to ensure the highest reliability possible. Thus, the original Type 96 resembled the Type 85-IIM more than it did the Type 85-III. It did have its welded turret and an automatically loaded 125mm gun, but it lacked ERA and the 1000hp up-tuned engine. After successfully passing the state tests, the initial production of the Type 96 started in 1997 and ran roughly until 2005 with around 2000 vehicles produced (although a half of it consisted of the modernized Type 96Avariant). At this moment, the People’s Liberation Army is estimated to still operate around 1000 tanks of this older type. As a side note, despite the vehicle being intended for domestic use, an unknown number (perhaps two dozen) of them found its way to Sudan, possibly around 2006 to 2007. There, they allegedly participated in government service in the fighting against South Sudanese forces, knocking out several T-72 tanks.