Add 125-II APFSDS for Chinese 125 mm tanks

Machinery of War Discussion Ground Vehicle
1
[Would you like to see this in-game?]
  • Yes
  • No
0 voters
  • Suggestion

China’s high-tier tanks currently fall behind in kinetic penetration compared to their Western and Russian counterparts. While vehicles like the Leopard 2A5, M1A2, and Challenger 2 have access to powerful darts, China remains limited to lower-performance 125 mm APFSDS options — which results in a noticeable disadvantage in long-range and angled engagements.

However, evidence shows that China developed a second-generation 125 mm APFSDS known as 125-II, which significantly outperforms the current in-game round.

  • Primary evidence

A technical paper from Nanjing University of Science & Technology (NJUST) compares the 125-I and 125-II 125 mm APFSDS projectiles.
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According to Table 5 in the study:

Round Rod Size Rod Mass Muzzle Velocity Penetration @ 2000 m
125-I (in-game) 460 mm × 25 mm ~7.34 kg ~1730 m/s ≈460 mm RHA
125-II (missing) 580 mm × 23 mm ~7.44 kg ~1740 m/s ≈600 mm RHA

This shows a clear generational improvement in Chinese APFSDS performance, and the 125-II round is both well documented and realistic to add.

  • Why it should be added

Chinese top-tier tanks suffer in gameplay: They currently lack a round capable of reliably penetrating composite plates and spaced armor used by many top-tier NATO tanks

Historically accurate: The 125-II is not speculative — it’s listed in a formal engineering comparison and fits China’s late 1990s–early 2000s ammunition development.

Improves tech tree balance: Would help Chinese tanks compete with western armor

Already has clear game-ready stats (mass, dimensions, velocity) that allow the devs to implement it using the same model used for 125-I.

  • Implementation proposal

Add the 125-II APFSDS as a new unlockable modification for Chinese 125 mm platforms: ZTZ99-II, ZTZ99-III, ZTZ99A, WZ-1001(E) LCT, VT4, VT4A1, and MBT-2000.

Alternatively, if Gaijin prefers not to add a new projectile, use the 125-II numeric parameters (rod length/diameter/mass, MV) to rebalance the current top Chinese APFSDS so performance better reflects documented values (≈600 mm RHA @ 2 km for 125-II, supported by NJUST Table 5 and CCTV).

This is my first time posting, so i apologize for any wrong doings or if my sources are incorrect.

1 Like
2

It’s already in-game too as BTA4 on the BM Oplot-T. It’d be nice as an intermediate round or replacement for 125-I (please change it back to this instead of Type 1985-I, thank you very much Gaijin).

2 Likes
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Yeah its fair

4

How long ago did the Abrams receive the M829A4?
Did I miss something? Can anyone tell me which update the Abrams received the M829A4? I remembered the Abrams didn’t receive the M829A3. The Abrams currently have the 1994 M829A2. So, don’t say that US tanks have the most modern APFSDS.

5

Ten months ago, I was pressured for posting this information, While the information was easily found on the internet, perhaps this was blackmail by the moderators.

Ten months ago, I was pressured for publishing this information, for showing and proving, with documents, that China possesses other intermediate shells between the 125-I and the DTC-10, which is the BTA-4 for export models like the VT4 and the DTW-125/125-IIM, the licensed version of the BTA-4. This implies that the DTC-10 needs to be corrected because, with information found online, one can easily see that the DTC-10 easily penetrates more than 600 mm of steel.

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If your post is still there, I assume the information has become freely accessible since then

https://community.gaijin.net/issues/p/warthunder/i/Pjyy5FyyR2ZT

China has invested heavily in composite materials over the last ten years, particularly in warhead geometry. Tungsten is a very modern shell from 2010, with information that surfaced on forums in 2022. By 2025, the DTC10’s stats are no longer a secret; the DTC10 rivals the DM53 and the M829A2. We can also mention the OFL 120 F2, which isn’t currently in the game but could also compete with these shells.

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And we know this for sure or just assuming? Geniunely asking, this seems like info that might still be restricted in some way.

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The problem is that Gaijin can say whatever they want, restricted or not, but the reality is that the DCT-10’s stats are no longer secret and it has a much higher penetration value. Gaijin still bears some responsibility in all this; they implemented the DCT-10 in the game when the documents were leaked. They implemented a supposedly secret shell in their game, and after 2-3 years in the game, with proof that the Chinese have intermediate shells before the DCT-10 (the BTA4A/DTW-125), Gaijin should implement the BTA4A for export tanks and the DTW-125 for national tanks (it’s just a matter of names, same shell)

The problem with all this is that, without explicitly saying so, foreigners will admit to neglecting the Chinese nation once again, despite numerous reports. And the second problem is that it remains a matter of goodwill, even if the evidence is there

1 Like