The T-10A is the big brother of the IS-3, featuring the stabilized D-25TS and almost double the reload speed; it fixes most of the issues of the IS-3. However, unlike the T-10M, it still has the older D-25 gun with a worse stabilizer: the gun still has enough penetration to go through enemies, but still not enough to not have to target weak spots of certain enemies.
| Pros: | Cons: |
| Good mobility | Slow turret traverse |
| Solid frontal armor | Armor becomes unreliable when angled |
| Low speed gun stabilizer | Stabilizer deactivates at 24+ km/h |
| Improved reload speed | Slower reload than medium tanks |
| Co-axial and roof HMG | Small HMG magazine size |
| Rear smoke barrels + ESS | No forward-firing smoke grenades |
Main Armament
The main armament of the T-10A is the D-25TS 122mm gun, a very well-known gun that can be found on many Soviet vehicles at Rank 4 and Rank 5. However, there is a big difference between other tanks and this one. Unlike tanks like the IS-3, you get a blazing fast 15-second reload with an ace crew—that’s almost twice as fast as the IS-3.
While there are several different shells that you can choose from, there is only a single one that you need: the BR-471B. But why the BR-471B instead of the BR-471D, you may ask? The answer is simple: normalization. While the BR-471D offers improved flat armor penetration, it significantly struggles when penetrating highly sloped armor, something that you will come up against very often at this battle rating. The BR-471B can easily pass through sloped plates that the BR-471D will simply bounce off, wreaking havoc inside any vehicle it manages to penetrate, triggering overpressure and destroying any module that is close enough due to the massive warhead with almost 250 grams of TNT.
Armor and Survivability
The armor profile of the T-10A is excellent. You are essentially immune to all kinetic energy rounds found at the battle rating this vehicle sits at, even sub-caliber shells like APDS. Even the mighty Conqueror will have a hard time penetrating your upper front plate or turret, as long as you are directly pointed at it. With 120mm plates angled at 65 degrees, offering over 260mm of raw thickness, you can make a lot of mistakes and not be punished for them.
The side armor is also quite impressive, with an 80mm plate angled at 65 degrees at the top part and a flat 80mm plate directly underneath. You are able to reliably bounce some lower-tier kinetic energy and even chemical energy projectiles, thanks to the storage boxes that prematurely detonate said chemical energy projectiles. Even the rear of the tank can only be penetrated by medium to high caliber cannons even from up close!
In terms of survivability after penetration, however… there’s none. The tank is filled with ammunition, and your entire crew is packed so tightly together that surviving a penetrating hit will be just pure luck.
Mobility
The T-10A is powered by the very familiar 700hp V-2-5 engine found in the IS-3M, IS-4M, and even the IS-6. Combined with a weight of only 50 tons you get an amazing 14 hp/ton and when combined with a top speed of 42 km/h, it allows this vehicle to get into unexpected positions with relative ease, sometimes even outrunning older WW2 medium tanks. The main weakness of this vehicle, however, is its reverse speed. With only two reverse gears and a maximum reverse speed of 8 km/h, you may struggle if you have to retreat after firing a shot, so it’s wise not to expose your tank more than absolutely necessary.
Conclusion
The T-10A is a fast breakthrough heavy tank that can use its amazing mobility to flank the enemy while taking advantage of its excellent armor. Being able to shoot on the move using your stabilizer further increases its chances of survival by making it harder for the enemy to shoot at its weak points, while the stabilizer allows for enough accuracy to make the BR-471B shells go through enemy armor. While it is not advised to be played as a frontline tank, it is still possible in downtiers, but keep in mind that the frontal wedge armor is much easier to penetrate when the tank is not pointed directly at the enemy.
