The T-55M1 is a Tier 4 special premium Main Battle Tank under Marat Shishkin's dealership.
History[ | ]
Class: Medium Tank
Developed: 1981-1983
Service: 1983+
Vehicles Built: N/A (est. several thousand)
Operators: Soviet Union, Syria, Angola, Cuba, Finland, Georgia, Sudan, Somalia and Uganda
The T-54/55 Medium Tank family is, without a doubt, one of the most iconic armored vehicles of all times. Throughout the Cold War, even with the appearance of much more modern vehicles, its distinctive silhouette remained one of the symbols of Soviet armored might. It was widely exported and used by dozens of countries and even though it was already quite obsolete by the 1970s, it received numerous upgrades and continues to serve in some countries to this day, participating in many (if not most) third world conflicts.
By the late 1960s and the 1970s, the T-55 was becoming increasingly obsolete, which was a problem for the Soviet Union and the entire Warsaw Pact, which was operating very high numbers of the T-54/55 series. The Soviet T-55M was one of these improved variants. The decision to develop it was taken on July 25 1981 and the goal was to improve T-55 protection and firepower to T-64A/T-72 levels.
The armor of the tank was increased by adding applique BDD plates to the upper frontal hull and additional BDD armor plates (nicknamed Ilyich's Eyebrows by some western publications) to the most exposed frontal parts of the turrets. The BDD armor is not a simple applique kit. Inside, it consists of thin angled steel plates with the rest filled with polyurethane. This composition, while space-intensive, adds increased protection value against HEAT rounds. The vehicle kept its 100mm D-10T2S gun (the barrel also received a new thermal shroud), but received a new Volna Fire Control System. The accuracy was significantly improved as a result, but the vehicle received something else to add to its destructive capabilities: the 1K116-1 Bastion system, allowing it to launch guided missiles from its barrel.
The T-55M1 is the same vehicle but without the Bastion system. It's difficult to track how many T-55s were modified to one of the M variants in the Soviet Union. The best estimate is several thousand, which then made their way across the globe. Details about their combat performance are equally sketchy, although some were apparently used in Afghanistan. A considerable number of T-55Ms was sold to Syria and sources of varying quality place hundreds of T-55M variants in Angola, Cuba, Finland, Georgia, Sudan, Somalia and Uganda, although (given the nomenclature chaos) at least some of these are very likely tanks of Polish or Czechoslovak origin, which are not identical to the Soviet ones.
Vehicle Traits[ | ]
- Armored: This vehicle's armor can withstand a lot of punishment, allowing it to survive even serious firefights.
- Smoke Generators: This vehicle generates smoke all around it and lays down smoke cover by driving forward.
Ammunition[ | ]
| Ammo Name |
Ammo Type |
XP Cost | Damage | Penetration | Velocity | Reload Time |
More Info | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 100mm 3UBM11 APFSDS | APFSDS | Stock | 360 | 510[note 1] mm | 1415 m/s | 5.40 s | ||
| ||||||||
| 100mm 3UOF11 HE | HE | Stock | 540[note 2] | 35 mm | 900 m/s | 5.40 s | ||
| ||||||||
| 100mm 3UBK9 HEAT | HEAT | Stock | 460 | 610 mm | 900 m/s | 5.40 s | ||
| ||||||||
| 7.62mm AP | AP | Stock | 8 | 18[note 3] mm | 855 m/s | 5.00 s | ||
| ||||||||
Upgrades[ | ]
Armor[ | ]
| XP Cost | Credit Cost | Hull Armor |
Hull Composition |
Turret Armor |
Turret Composition |
ERA Name | ERA Penetration Reduction |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Stock | Stock | 490 mm (vs AP) 620 mm (vs HEAT) |
Steel | 855 mm (vs AP) 950 mm (vs HEAT) |
Steel | N/A | N/A vs AP N/A vs HEAT |
| This MBT features heavy appliqué armor on top of its basic steel body, providing some extra protection over the standard variant. | |||||||
Weapon[ | ]
| Name | XP Cost | Credit Cost | Aim Time | Reload Time | More Info | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 100mm D-10T2S Rifled Cannon | Stock | Stock | 1.40 s | 5.40 s | ||
Stats:
Ammo:
100mm 3UBM11 APFSDS 100mm 3UOF11 HE 100mm 3UBK9 HEAT 7.62mm AP | ||||||
Engine[ | ]
| Name | XP Cost | Credit Cost | Max Speed | Reverse Speed | Forward Acceleration |
Hull Traverse | Fire Chance |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| ChTZ V-55U 620 hp Diesel Engine | Stock | Stock | 50 km/h | 13 km/h | 5.69 s (0 to 32 km/h) 18.75 s (0 to Max Speed) |
35.48° | 15 % |
Parts[ | ]
| Name | XP Cost | Credit Cost | Description | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|---|
 Upgraded Exhaust Smoke Generator |
Stock | Stock | Provides 5 exhaust smoke charges Recharge time: 60s Duration: 14s |
|
 Improved Gun Stabilizer |
Stock | Stock | Overall accuracy while moving is improved by 20% | |
 Improved Gunner Optics |
Stock | Stock | Accuracy is improved by 10% | |
Upgraded Fire Control System Sensors |
Stock | Stock | Reduces the accuracy penalties for firing and traversing the hull. | |
 Stock Tracks |
Stock | Stock | Mobility (Light Terrain): 89.9% Mobility (Heavy Terrain): 75.8% |