Z sorting multiple nodes in Objective-C - ios

Question

I'm trying to build a game in iOS and am currently using Objective-C. The problem I'm running into is Z-sorting different enemy and player nodes. This is my current code for Z-sorting just one enemy type, and I am only copying this code to z-sort every different type of enemy (Mob). This is leading to ALOT of code that all does essentially the same thing for different objects. The only way I know how to fix this problem is by using template functions, but Objective-C doesn't support that to my knowledge. There has to be a better way...
// If two monsters are standing on the same cell, we need to z sort them based on position
// south-western most body will be closest to the "camera" from players perspective
-(void) zSortMobs {
int i = 0;
int j = 0;
for (i = 0; i < self.maxMobs; i++) {
Mob * mob = [self.mobs objectAtIndex: i];
if (mob.state != 0) {
for (j = 0; j < self.maxMobs; j++) {
Mob * mob2 = [self.mobs objectAtIndex: j];
if (mob2.state != 0) {
if (mob != mob2) {
if (mob.z == mob2.z) {
if (mob.y < mob2.y) {
mob.z++;
}
else if (mob.y == mob2.y) {
if (mob.x < mob2.x) {
mob.z++;
}
else {
mob2.z++;
}
}
else {
mob2.z++;
}
}
}
[mob setZPosition: mob.z];
[mob2 setZPosition: mob2.z];
}
}
for (j = 0; j < self.maxTanks; j++) {
Tank * tank = [self.tanks objectAtIndex: j];
if (tank.state != 0) {
if (mob.z == tank.z) {
if (mob.y < tank.y) {
mob.z++;
}
else if (mob.y == tank.y) {
if (mob.x < tank.x) {
mob.z++;
}
else {
tank.z++;
}
}
else {
tank.z++;
}
}
[mob setZPosition: mob.z];
[tank setZPosition: tank.z];
}
}
if (mob.z == self.gameScene.player.z) {
if (mob.y < self.gameScene.player.y) {
mob.z++;
}
else if (mob.y == self.gameScene.player.y) {
if (mob.x < self.gameScene.player.x) {
mob.z++;
}
else {
self.gameScene.player.z++;
}
}
else {
self.gameScene.player.z++;
}
}
[mob setZPosition: mob.z];
[self.gameScene.player setZPosition: self.gameScene.player.z];
}
}
}