Type 79

The Type 79 is a tier 3 Main Battle Tank originating from China, and is sold by Zhang Feng. It can be unlocked from the Type 69, and leads to the Type 80-II.

Features

 * Heavy armor: this vehicle's armor bounces more shots and takes more hits.
 * HESH: can even penetrate armor with large hit angles.

Player Recommendations
Due to its strong turret armor and relatively fast speed for an MBT, this tank is best played as an aggressive hull down defender, which also has decent potential as a flanker. With the highest base accuracy of any of the T3 MBTs, it is the most capable of long range firefights, albeit by a small margin.

Pros

 * Above average top speed among the T3 MBTs
 * Decent camo rating for an MBT
 * Good aiming time

Cons

 * Mediocre hull armor
 * Sluggish stock acceleration

Upgrade Suggestions
Upgrading to the 12150L-7BW Diesel Engine significantly boosts mobility, increasing vehicle flanking ability. Researching firepower upgrades will heavily improve lethality.

Retrofit Suggestions

 * Advanced Muzzle Reference System
 * Advanced Fire Control
 * Augmented Optics
 * Improved Gun Breech
 * Improved Pioneer Tool Kit
 * Improved Spall Liner

Commander and Crew Skill Suggestions

 * Commander: Juan Carlos, to improve the aim speed and crew stats
 * Driver: Spin to Win, Off-Road Driving
 * Gunner: Sharpshooter, Do the Twist
 * Loader: Rapid Fire, Explosive Shells/Preparation

History
Class: Main Battle Tank Developed: 1981-1983 Service: 1986+ Vehicles Built: 300-800 (sources vary) Operators: China The Type 79 Main Battle Tank is the ultimate mass-produced evolution of the Type 69. The Type 79 MBT starts where the Type 69 left off. In the late 1970s and the early 1980s, a significant improvement to the relationships between China and the United States of America took place, which gave the former the access to many western technologies. One of the top items on the Chinese shopping list was the famous British Royal Ordnance 105mm L7 rifled tank cannon. Widely used by NATO in one form or another, it was a weapon to be reckoned with, completely outclassing the old generation of Soviet T-54/55 Main Battle Tanks. Naturally, since the Type 59 and Type 69 both were based on the Type 59 MBT, which in turn was a T-54A copy, the Chinese were very keen on obtaining the weapon for themselves and to arm their tanks with something similar. And so, in the late 1970s, they managed to set up a bogus Austrian trade company and purchase at least one of these guns for themselves. This approach would not work for the much closely guarded 120mm smoothbore but for the time being, the Chinese were satisfied. The gun was wrapped up, shipped to China and promptly examined and copied by the Chinese experts from NORINCO. The result was a weapon called Type 83 rifled cannon, roughly comparable in performance to the L7. It was immediately integrated into the Type 69-II MBT, resulting in a variant called Type 69-III. Apart from the gun, the vehicle remained mostly the same, including its steel-only armor. Three prototypes were built and tested between 1981 and 1984. The tests were successful and proved that the vehicle was ready for mass-production, which started in 1984. It appeared in public for the first time on October 1, 1984 during the 35th National Day of the People&#39;s Republic of China military parade in Beijing but it took fourteen more months before the tank was formally accepted in service in January 1986 under the name of Type 79. Unlike the Type 69-II, the Type 79 was not exported and was produced in limited number for domestic use. It was never widespread, however, and the production numbers are estimated to be between 300 and 800 vehicles, some of which remain in service to this day, used mostly by reserve units.