Difference between revisions of "KV-122"

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{{Specs-Card|code=ussr_kv_122}}
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{{Specs-Card
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|code=ussr_kv_122
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|images={{Specs-Card-Image|GarageImage_{{PAGENAME}}.jpg}}
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}}
  
 
== Description ==
 
== Description ==
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''In the description, the first part needs to be about the history of the creation and combat usage of the vehicle, as well as its key features. In the second part, tell the reader about the ground vehicle in the game. Insert the screenshot of the vehicle. If the novice player does not remember the vehicle by name, they will immediately understand what kind of vehicle it is talking about.''
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<!-- ''In the description, the first part should be about the history of the creation and combat usage of the vehicle, as well as its key features. In the second part, tell the reader about the ground vehicle in the game. Insert a screenshot of the vehicle, so that if the novice player does not remember the vehicle by name, he will immediately understand what kind of vehicle the article is talking about.'' -->
 +
The '''{{Specs|name}}''' was a proposed Soviet upgrade to the [[KV-85]], designed with the intent of being able to compete with the firepower and armour of German heavy tanks near the end of World War II. The idea was to equip the existing KV-85s with copies of the turret and gun of the [[IS-2]]. By doing so, the tank would be able to engage German heavy tanks with high effectiveness despite their thick armour. However, the {{Specs|name}} project never progressed beyond a single prototype due to a combination of various factors. Firstly, the Soviet Union had already shifted its focus towards more capable tanks like the IS-2. Secondly, it was deemed unnecessary to recover the relatively small number of KV-85s on the frontlines, upgrade them, and then re-deploy them into combat. And finally, the Soviet Union faced too many logistical challenges to support the production and deployment of the {{Specs|name}} tanks. These challenges included limited resources (caused by a lot of KV-85s being lost), difficulties in transporting the heavy tanks, and a shortage of skilled personnel to operate and maintain them, as those were focused on more advanced tanks.
 +
 
 +
The {{Specs|name}} was introduced in [[Update 1.63 "Desert Hunters"]]. The turret and gun, which are copies of those found on IS-2, are two of its most obvious differences that set it apart from [[KV-1 (Family)|previous models]]. A less noticeable difference is the engine, which was replaced with a V-2IS capable of producing 520 hp as opposed to the V-2K found on most KV variants, which is capable of producing 600 hp. Overall, it plays like an IS-2 with the convenience of a lower battle rating.
  
 
== General info ==
 
== General info ==
 
=== Survivability and armour ===
 
=== Survivability and armour ===
−
''Describe armour protection. Note the most well protected and key weak areas. Appreciate the layout of modules as well as the number and location of crew members. Is the level of armour protection sufficient, is the placement of modules helpfull for survival in combat?''
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{{Specs-Tank-Armour}}
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<!-- ''Describe armour protection. Note the most well protected and key weak areas. Appreciate the layout of modules as well as the number and location of crew members. Is the level of armour protection sufficient, is the placement of modules helpful for survival in combat? If necessary use a visual template to indicate the most secure and weak zones of the armour.'' -->
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 +
The armour of the tank at its BR is poor as compared to its lower tier brother the IS-1 which is packing 120 mm of frontal armour. The KV-122 is packing 75, the same as the KV-1. Unlike the IS-1 and IS-2, the KV-122 does not feature the prominent nose that prevents angling allowing a skilled user to angle their armour far above the base value of 75, combined with its 60 mm of side armour and its ability to tank shots while angled is high.
 +
 
 +
'''Armour type:'''
  
−
''If necessary use a visual template to indicate the most secure and weak zones of the armour.''
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* Rolled homogeneous armour (Hull, Turret roof, Gun mantlet)
 +
* Cast homogeneous armour (Turret, Cupola)
 +
 
 +
{| class="wikitable"
 +
|-
 +
! Armour !! Front !! Sides !! Rear !! Roof
 +
|-
 +
| Hull || 75 mm (30°) ''Front plate'' <br> 75 mm (70°) ''Front glacis'' <br> 25 mm (25-70°) ''Joint plate'' <br> 75 mm (26-75°) ''Lower glacis'' || 60 mm <br> 40 mm ''Turret ring guard'' || 40 mm (26-79°) ''Top'' <br> 75 mm (6-73°) ''Bottom'' || 40 mm <br> 30 mm ''Ports and engine grille''
 +
|-
 +
| Turret || 100 mm (0-72°) ''Turret front'' <br> 100 mm (2-58°) ''Gun mantlet'' || 100 mm (9-20°) || 100 mm (13-32°) || 30 mm <br> 35 mm ''Hatches''
 +
|-
 +
| Cupola || 82 mm || 82 mm || 82 mm || 35 mm
 +
|-
 +
|}
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'''Notes:'''
 +
 
 +
* Suspension wheels are 20 mm thick, tracks are 30 mm thick.
 +
* There is a 45 mm thick frame around the gun mantlet. Shots on the border of the mantlet may have this 45 mm be added into the armour calculation.
  
 
=== Mobility ===
 
=== Mobility ===
−
''Write about the mobility of the ground vehicle. Estimate the specific power and maneuverability as well as the maximum speed forward and backward.''
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{{Specs-Tank-Mobility}}
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<!-- ''Write about the mobility of the ground vehicle. Estimate the specific power and manoeuvrability, as well as the maximum speed forwards and backwards.'' -->
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 +
{{tankMobility|abMinHp=671|rbMinHp=460}}
 +
 
 +
Mobility wise, the {{PAGENAME}} is no speed demon, much like the previous KV series of tanks. But for a heavy tank of its size and weight, the KV-122 has a decent on-road speed of around 40 km/h, allowing to keep up with some medium tanks. It also has a pretty fast reverse speed of -14 km/h, meaning it can quickly retreat to safety if the player misses a shot or gets hit.
 +
 
 +
However, the {{PAGENAME}} becomes quite sluggish and struggles to drive on muddy, snowy or sandy surfaces, giving it a very poor off-road mobility. Moreover, the poor power to weight ratio makes it more sluggish to move around on a slope, or to accelerate on road. It is also bad at traversing the hull, the tracks are long and quite narrow, making the hull to turn really slow, therefore a short forward/backward acceleration is often needed to quickly turn the hull. The KV-122 feels slow especially when compared to the faster [[IS-2]].
 +
 
 +
=== Modifications and economy ===
 +
{{Specs-Economy}}
  
 
== Armaments ==
 
== Armaments ==
 +
{{Specs-Tank-Armaments}}
 
=== Main armament ===
 
=== Main armament ===
−
''Give the reader information about the characteristics of the main gun. Assess its effectiveness in a battle based on the reloading speed, ballistics and the power of shells. Do not forget about the flexibilty of the fire, that is how quickly the cannon can be aimed at the target, open fire on it and aim at another enemy. Add a link to the main article on the gun: <code><nowiki>{{main|Name of the weapon}}</nowiki></code>. Describe in general terms the ammunition available for the main gun. Give advice on how to use them and how to fill the ammunition storage.''
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{{Specs-Tank-Weapon|1}}
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<!-- ''Give the reader information about the characteristics of the main gun. Assess its effectiveness in a battle based on the reloading speed, ballistics and the power of shells. Do not forget about the flexibility of the fire, that is how quickly the cannon can be aimed at the target, open fire on it and aim at another enemy. Add a link to the main article on the gun: <code><nowiki>{{main|Name of the weapon}}</nowiki></code>. Describe in general terms the ammunition available for the main gun. Give advice on how to use them and how to fill the ammunition storage.'' -->
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{{main|D-25T (122 mm)}}
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The KV-122 packs the same 122 mm gun as the IS-2, thus suffers the same advantages and draw backs as her sister vehicle. The advantage is a weapon with acceptable penetration and the nearly guaranteed one shot potential of the 122. The draw backs consist of the lengthy reload in between shots, which would leave the vehicle extremely vulnerable. The ammunition types are also the same as the IS-2 and as a result, your load out should be the same. Your default shell is strong and you should carry it primarily for the most part. The KV-122 does not need to struggle much to penetrate most targets from 4.7-5.7; but at 6.7 or higher, you might want to use the APHEBC, which has slightly higher penetration.
 +
 
 +
{| class="wikitable" style="text-align:center" width="100%"
 +
|-
 +
! colspan="5" | [[D-25T (122 mm)|122 mm D-25T]] || colspan="5" | Turret rotation speed (°/s) || colspan="4" | Reloading rate (seconds)
 +
|-
 +
! Mode !! Capacity !! Vertical !! Horizontal !! Stabilizer
 +
! Stock !! Upgraded !! Full !! Expert !! Aced
 +
! Stock !! Full !! Expert !! Aced
 +
|-
 +
! ''Arcade''
 +
| rowspan="2" | 28 || rowspan="2" | -3°/+20° || rowspan="2" | ±180° || rowspan="2" | N/A || 11.33 || 15.68 || 19.04 || 21.06 || 22.40 || rowspan="2" | 27.04 || rowspan="2" | 23.92 || rowspan="2" | 22.05 || rowspan="2" | 20.80
 +
|-
 +
! ''Realistic''
 +
| 8.33 || 9.80 || 11.90 || 13.16 || 14.00
 +
|-
 +
|}
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 +
==== Ammunition ====
 +
{{:D-25T (122 mm)/Ammunition|BR-471, BR-471B, OF-471}}
 +
 
 +
==== [[Ammo racks]] ====
 +
[[File:Ammoracks_{{PAGENAME}}.png|right|thumb|x250px|[[Ammo racks]] of the {{PAGENAME}}]]
 +
<!-- '''Last updated:''' -->
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{| class="wikitable" style="text-align:center"
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|-
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! Full<br>ammo
 +
! Ammo<br>part
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! 1st<br>rack empty
 +
! 2nd<br>rack empty
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! 3rd<br>rack empty
 +
! 4th<br>rack empty
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! 5th<br>rack empty
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! 6th<br>rack empty
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! Visual<br>discrepancy
 +
|-
 +
| '''28''' || style="text-align:right" | ''Projectiles''<br />''Propellants'' || 21&nbsp;''(+7)''<br />21&nbsp;''(+7)'' || 13&nbsp;''(+15)''<br />13&nbsp;''(+15)'' || 9&nbsp;''(+19)''<br />9&nbsp;''(+19)'' || 5&nbsp;''(+23)''<br />7&nbsp;''(+21)''|| 3&nbsp;''(+25)''<br />3&nbsp;''(+25)'' || 1&nbsp;''(+27)''<br />1&nbsp;''(+27)'' || No
 +
|-
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|}
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'''Note''':
  
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=== Additional armament ===
+
* Turret minimum: 13&nbsp;''(+15)'' shells.
−
''Some tanks are armed with several guns in one or more turrets. Evaluate the additional weaponry and give advice on its use. Describe the ammunition available for additional weaponry. Give advice on how to use them and how to fill the ammunition storage. If there is no additional weaponry remove this subsection.''
 
  
 
=== Machine guns ===
 
=== Machine guns ===
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''Offensive and anti-aircraft machine guns not only allow you to fight some aircraft, but also are effective against lightly armoured vehicles. Evaluate machine guns and give recommendations on its use.''
+
{{Specs-Tank-Weapon|2}}
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<!-- ''Offensive and anti-aircraft machine guns not only allow you to fight some aircraft but also are effective against lightly armoured vehicles. Evaluate machine guns and give recommendations on its use.'' -->
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{{main|DT (7.62 mm)}}
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 +
{| class="wikitable" style="text-align:center" width="50%"
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|-
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! colspan="5" | [[DT (7.62 mm)|7.62 mm DT]]
 +
|-
 +
! Mount !! Capacity (Belt) !! Fire rate !! Vertical !! Horizontal
 +
|-
 +
| Coaxial || 1,890 (63) || 600 || N/A || N/A
 +
|-
 +
|}
 +
 
 +
== Usage in battles ==
 +
<!-- ''Describe the tactics of playing in the vehicle, the features of using vehicles in the team and advice on tactics. Refrain from creating a "guide" - do not impose a single point of view but instead give the reader food for thought. Describe the most dangerous enemies and give recommendations on fighting them. If necessary, note the specifics of the game in different modes (AB, RB, SB).'' -->
 +
While this tank is classified as a heavy tank, avoid driving it towards the front lines as the armour is not as strong as your sister heavy tanks and your speed is low as well. Instead, play a support role in backing up your stronger heavy tanks when down-tiered; when up-tiered, you can get away with brawling on the front lines so long as you manage to angle your armour properly.
  
−
== Usage in the battles ==
+
However, most tanks at the battle rating and above can deal with the KV-122 easily due to the relatively low sloping of the frontal armour. Tanks below BR 6.0 may be more lenient, although it is unlikely. but tanks with high-velocity anti-tank weapons such as the [[M1 (76 mm)|76 mm gun]] in the U.S., [[Ordnance QF 17-pounder (76 mm)|17-pounder]] in the British, and the [[KwK40 L48 (75 mm)|75 mm KwK40 L48]] in the Germans should be taken with caution.
−
''Describe the tactics of playing in the vehicle, the features of using vehicles in the team and advice on tactics. Refrain from creating a "guide" - do not impose a single point of view but give the reader food for thought. Describe the most dangerous enemies and give recommendations on fighting them. If necessary, note the specifics of the game in different modes (AB, RB, SB).''
+
[[File:Wsp volumetric shell diagram.png|thumb|Differences between non-volumetric shells and volumetric shells hitting a Tiger I]]
 +
An important note when engaging tanks, especially Tiger Is, is that, with the implementation of volumetric shells, you can no longer expect your shells to pierce through small openings or right past an obstacle. The large 122 mm calibre of your shells will result in it catching on an armour plate's edge very often, losing all of its penetration. For example, a Tiger I has some edges that can absorb your shell unexpectedly, despite having flat armour. Thus you must always make sure that where you are aiming at is absolutely free of obstruction, or it may result in a non-penetration or a ricochet. This can be seen in the diagram to the right.
  
 
=== Pros and cons ===
 
=== Pros and cons ===
−
''Summarize and briefly evaluate the vehicle in terms of its characteristics and combat effectiveness. Mark its pros and cons in a bulleted list. Do not use more than 6 points for each of the characteristics. Avoid using categorical definitions such as "bad", "good" and the like - they have a substitution in the form of softer "inadequate", "effective".''
+
<!-- ''Summarise and briefly evaluate the vehicle in terms of its characteristics and combat effectiveness. Mark its pros and cons in a bulleted list. Try not to use more than 6 points for each of the characteristics. Avoid using categorical definitions such as "bad", "good" and the like - use substitutions with softer forms such as "inadequate" and "effective".'' -->
  
 
'''Pros:'''
 
'''Pros:'''
−
*
+
 
 +
* Excellent firepower with nearly unmatched destructive potential
 +
* High penetration allows it to easily kill higher BR tanks (e.g. [[Jagdpanther]], early [[Centurion (Family)|Centurion]])
 +
* Considerably good speed for a heavy tank: around 40 km/h on road
 +
* Easy to angle front armour (no shot trap like the [[IS-1]] or 2)
 +
* Good reverse speed allows it to retreat quickly
 +
* Turret armour can sometimes bounce/absorb shells
 +
* Side armour is quite thick, allowing "side scraping"
 +
* Has a low profile for a heavy tank
  
 
'''Cons:'''
 
'''Cons:'''
−
*
+
 
 +
* Very low rate of fire demanding every shot to count
 +
* Inadequate frontal and overall armour for a heavy tank
 +
* Cramped interior often leads to all crew getting knocked out with one shot
 +
* Sluggish compared to the IS series
 +
* Extremely poor gun depression
 +
* Slow turret traverse speed
  
 
== History ==
 
== History ==
−
''Describe the history of the creation and combat usage of the ground vehicle in more detail than in the introduction. If the historical reference turns out to be too big, take it to a separate article, taking a link to an article about the vehicle and adding a block "/historical reference" (example: https://wiki.warthunder.com/Name-vehicles/historical reference) and add a link to it here using the <code>main</code> template. Be sure to include links to sources at the end of the article.''
+
<!-- ''Describe the history of the creation and combat usage of the vehicle in more detail than in the introduction. If the historical reference turns out to be too long, take it to a separate article, taking a link to the article about the vehicle and adding a block "/History" (example: <nowiki>https://wiki.warthunder.com/(Vehicle-name)/History</nowiki>) and add a link to it here using the <code>main</code> template. Be sure to reference text and sources by using <code><nowiki><ref></ref></nowiki></code>, as well as adding them at the end of the article with <code><nowiki><references /></nowiki></code>. This section may also include the vehicle's dev blog entry (if applicable) and the in-game encyclopedia description (under <code><nowiki>=== In-game description ===</nowiki></code>, also if applicable).'' -->
 +
It was 1944, the end of World War II felt close, yet there were many kilometres on the way into Germany. The Soviet forces were amidst a complete counteroffensive into previously German-controlled countries in Eastern Europe. The Axis forces were on a full defensive retreat.
 +
 
 +
The battles, however, only seemed more ferocious. Bigger and better-armed heavier tanks like the IS-2 were preparing, with the purpose of charging and spearheading massive assaults over city streets, farm fields, and extensive forests, where fearsome enemies like the Tiger, Ferdinand/Elefants and Panther could be encountered. The threat of heavy anti-tank emplacements such as the 8.8 cm Pak 43 and the 12.8 cm Pak 44 was also high.
 +
 
 +
One of those proposed tanks to be built was the KV-122. The tank was based on a KV-85 chassis and featured a new 122 mm D-25T gun and turret, borrowed from the IS-2. The design bureau assigned to build the single prototype was the Chelyabinsk Tractor Plant, lead by the engineer Abram Samuilovich Shneidman. The premise was to refit the numerously available KV chassis and extend their combat capacities. The idea proved competent for a test since it only needed a few modifications; the gun, the engine and the turret. The most important modification was with no doubt the firepower. It was a significant increase when compared to the previous KV family. This refit would deem not necessary to build a whole new tank. Instead, this modification to the existing KV-85s would have provided a remarkable update in firepower.
 +
 
 +
Ultimately, the idea didn't progress as it was considered unnecessary to retrieve the rather small numbers of KV-85s in frontline service, upgrade them and send them back. The outdated hull armour of the KV was also considered ineffective against the highly capable German guns.
 +
 
 +
Only a single '''KV-122''' prototype was ever built. The war efforts were instead put into the all-around stronger and powerful tank; the [[IS-2]].
  
 
== Media ==
 
== Media ==
−
''An excellent addition to the article will be video guides, as well as screenshots from the game and photos.''
+
<!-- ''Excellent additions to the article would be video guides, screenshots from the game, and photos.'' -->
 +
 
 +
;Skins
 +
* [https://live.warthunder.com/feed/camouflages/?vehicle=ussr_kv_122 Skins and camouflages for the {{PAGENAME}} from live.warthunder.com.]
 +
 
 +
;Videos
 +
{{Youtube-gallery|FVUuGkSFA4o|'''KV-122, Soviet, Premium Tier-4, Heavy Tank''' - ''Angry Nerd Gaming''}}
  
−
== Read also ==
+
== See also ==
−
''Links to the articles on the War Thunder Wiki that you think will be useful for the reader, for example,''
+
<!-- ''Links to the articles on the War Thunder Wiki that you think will be useful for the reader, for example:''
 
* ''reference to the series of the vehicles;''
 
* ''reference to the series of the vehicles;''
−
* ''links to approximate analogues of other nations and research trees.''
+
* ''links to approximate analogues of other nations and research trees.'' -->
−
''ETC.''
+
 
 +
;Vehicles equipped with the same chassis
 +
* [[KV-1 (Family)]]
  
−
== Sources ==
+
== External links ==
−
''Paste links to sources and external resources, such as:''
+
<!-- ''Paste links to sources and external resources, such as:''
 
* ''topic on the official game forum;''
 
* ''topic on the official game forum;''
−
* ''other literature.''
+
* ''other literature.'' -->
 +
 
 +
* [[wikipedia:Kliment_Voroshilov_tank|[Wikipedia] Kliment Voroshilov tank]]
 +
* [https://tanks-encyclopedia.com/ww2/soviet/soviet_KV-85.php <nowiki>[Tanks Encyclopedia]</nowiki> KV-85]
 +
* [https://www.globalsecurity.org/military/world/russia/kv-122.htm <nowiki>[Global Security]</nowiki> KV-122 Heavy Tank]
 +
 
 +
{{TankManufacturer ChTZ}}
 +
{{USSR heavy tanks}}
 +
{{USSR premium ground vehicles}}

Latest revision as of 13:47, 5 August 2023

RANK 5 FRANCE
Somua SM PACK
KV-122
ussr_kv_122.png
GarageImage KV-122.jpg
KV-122
USSR flag.png USSR
IV Rank
Battle rating:
AB RB SB
5.7 5.3 5.3
Class:
PREMIUM
Purchase:4 880 Specs-Card-Eagle.png
Show in game

Description

The KV-122 was a proposed Soviet upgrade to the KV-85, designed with the intent of being able to compete with the firepower and armour of German heavy tanks near the end of World War II. The idea was to equip the existing KV-85s with copies of the turret and gun of the IS-2. By doing so, the tank would be able to engage German heavy tanks with high effectiveness despite their thick armour. However, the KV-122 project never progressed beyond a single prototype due to a combination of various factors. Firstly, the Soviet Union had already shifted its focus towards more capable tanks like the IS-2. Secondly, it was deemed unnecessary to recover the relatively small number of KV-85s on the frontlines, upgrade them, and then re-deploy them into combat. And finally, the Soviet Union faced too many logistical challenges to support the production and deployment of the KV-122 tanks. These challenges included limited resources (caused by a lot of KV-85s being lost), difficulties in transporting the heavy tanks, and a shortage of skilled personnel to operate and maintain them, as those were focused on more advanced tanks.

The KV-122 was introduced in Update 1.63 "Desert Hunters". The turret and gun, which are copies of those found on IS-2, are two of its most obvious differences that set it apart from previous models. A less noticeable difference is the engine, which was replaced with a V-2IS capable of producing 520 hp as opposed to the V-2K found on most KV variants, which is capable of producing 600 hp. Overall, it plays like an IS-2 with the convenience of a lower battle rating.

General info

Survivability and armour

Armourfront / side / back
Hull75 / 60 / 75
Turret100 / 100 / 100
Crew4 people
Visibility101 %

The armour of the tank at its BR is poor as compared to its lower tier brother the IS-1 which is packing 120 mm of frontal armour. The KV-122 is packing 75, the same as the KV-1. Unlike the IS-1 and IS-2, the KV-122 does not feature the prominent nose that prevents angling allowing a skilled user to angle their armour far above the base value of 75, combined with its 60 mm of side armour and its ability to tank shots while angled is high.

Armour type:

  • Rolled homogeneous armour (Hull, Turret roof, Gun mantlet)
  • Cast homogeneous armour (Turret, Cupola)
Armour Front Sides Rear Roof
Hull 75 mm (30°) Front plate
75 mm (70°) Front glacis
25 mm (25-70°) Joint plate
75 mm (26-75°) Lower glacis 		60 mm
40 mm Turret ring guard 		40 mm (26-79°) Top
75 mm (6-73°) Bottom 		40 mm
30 mm Ports and engine grille
Turret 100 mm (0-72°) Turret front
100 mm (2-58°) Gun mantlet 		100 mm (9-20°) 100 mm (13-32°) 30 mm
35 mm Hatches
Cupola 82 mm 82 mm 82 mm 35 mm

Notes:

  • Suspension wheels are 20 mm thick, tracks are 30 mm thick.
  • There is a 45 mm thick frame around the gun mantlet. Shots on the border of the mantlet may have this 45 mm be added into the armour calculation.

Mobility

Speedforward / back
AB37 / 14 km/h
RB and SB35 / 14 km/h
Number of gears8 forward
3 back
Weight48.0 t
Engine power
AB992 hp
RB and SB520 hp
Power-to-weight ratio
AB20.7 hp/t
RB and SB10.8 hp/t
Game Mode Max Speed (km/h) Weight (tons) Engine power (horsepower) Power-to-weight ratio (hp/ton)
Forward Reverse Stock Upgraded Stock Upgraded
Arcade 37 14 48 671 992 13.98 20.67
Realistic 35 14 460 520 9.58 10.83

Mobility wise, the KV-122 is no speed demon, much like the previous KV series of tanks. But for a heavy tank of its size and weight, the KV-122 has a decent on-road speed of around 40 km/h, allowing to keep up with some medium tanks. It also has a pretty fast reverse speed of -14 km/h, meaning it can quickly retreat to safety if the player misses a shot or gets hit.

However, the KV-122 becomes quite sluggish and struggles to drive on muddy, snowy or sandy surfaces, giving it a very poor off-road mobility. Moreover, the poor power to weight ratio makes it more sluggish to move around on a slope, or to accelerate on road. It is also bad at traversing the hull, the tracks are long and quite narrow, making the hull to turn really slow, therefore a short forward/backward acceleration is often needed to quickly turn the hull. The KV-122 feels slow especially when compared to the faster IS-2.

Modifications and economy

Repair cost
AB2 437 Sl icon.png
RB2 587 Sl icon.png
SB3 599 Sl icon.png
Crew training10 000 Sl icon.png
Experts320 000 Sl icon.png
Aces800 Ge icon.png
Research Aces1 050 000 Rp icon.png
Reward for battleAB / RB / SB
Talisman.png 2 × 120 / 180 / 200 % Sl icon.png
Talisman.png 2 × 172 / 172 / 172 % Rp icon.png
Modifications
Mobility Protection Firepower
Mods new tank traks.png
Tracks
Mods new tank suspension.png
Suspension
Mods new tank break.png
Brake System
Mods new tank filter.png
Filters
Mods new tank transmission.png
Transmission
Mods new tank engine.png
Engine
Mods tank tool kit.png
Improved Parts
Mods extinguisher.png
Improved FPE
Mods tank reinforcement ussr.png
Crew Replenishment
Mods new tank horizontal aiming.png
Horizontal Drive
Mods tank cannon.png
Adjustment of Fire
Mods tank ammo.png
122mm_APHE_ammo_pack
Mods new tank vertical aiming.png
Elevation Mechanism

Armaments

Main armament

122 mm D-25T cannon
Ammunition28 rounds
Reloadbasic crew → aces
27.1 → 20.8 s
Vertical guidance-3° / 20°
Main article: D-25T (122 mm)

The KV-122 packs the same 122 mm gun as the IS-2, thus suffers the same advantages and draw backs as her sister vehicle. The advantage is a weapon with acceptable penetration and the nearly guaranteed one shot potential of the 122. The draw backs consist of the lengthy reload in between shots, which would leave the vehicle extremely vulnerable. The ammunition types are also the same as the IS-2 and as a result, your load out should be the same. Your default shell is strong and you should carry it primarily for the most part. The KV-122 does not need to struggle much to penetrate most targets from 4.7-5.7; but at 6.7 or higher, you might want to use the APHEBC, which has slightly higher penetration.

122 mm D-25T Turret rotation speed (°/s) Reloading rate (seconds)
Mode Capacity Vertical Horizontal Stabilizer Stock Upgraded Full Expert Aced Stock Full Expert Aced
Arcade 28 -3°/+20° ±180° N/A 11.33 15.68 19.04 21.06 22.40 27.04 23.92 22.05 20.80
Realistic 8.33 9.80 11.90 13.16 14.00

Ammunition

Penetration statistics
Ammunition Type of
warhead 		Penetration @ 0° Angle of Attack (mm)
10 m 100 m 500 m 1,000 m 1,500 m 2,000 m
BR-471 APHE 205 201 182 161 143 127
BR-471B APHEBC 205 203 192 178 166 155
OF-471 HE 37 37 37 37 37 37
Shell details
Ammunition Type of
warhead 		Velocity
(m/s) 		Projectile
mass (kg) 		Fuse delay
(m) 		Fuse sensitivity
(mm) 		Explosive mass
(TNT equivalent) (g) 		Ricochet
0% 50% 100%
BR-471 APHE 795 25 1.2 19 246.4 47° 60° 65°
BR-471B APHEBC 795 25 1.2 19 246.4 48° 63° 71°
OF-471 HE 795 25 0 0.1 3,600 79° 80° 81°

Ammo racks

Ammo racks of the KV-122
Full
ammo 		Ammo
part 		1st
rack empty 		2nd
rack empty 		3rd
rack empty 		4th
rack empty 		5th
rack empty 		6th
rack empty 		Visual
discrepancy
28 Projectiles
Propellants 		21 (+7)
21 (+7) 		13 (+15)
13 (+15) 		9 (+19)
9 (+19) 		5 (+23)
7 (+21)		 3 (+25)
3 (+25) 		1 (+27)
1 (+27) 		No

Note:

  • Turret minimum: 13 (+15) shells.

Machine guns

7.62 mm DT machine gun
Ammunition1 890 rounds
Belt capacity63 rounds
Reloadbasic crew → aces
10.4 → 8.0 s
Fire rate600 shots/min
Main article: DT (7.62 mm)
7.62 mm DT
Mount Capacity (Belt) Fire rate Vertical Horizontal
Coaxial 1,890 (63) 600 N/A N/A

Usage in battles

While this tank is classified as a heavy tank, avoid driving it towards the front lines as the armour is not as strong as your sister heavy tanks and your speed is low as well. Instead, play a support role in backing up your stronger heavy tanks when down-tiered; when up-tiered, you can get away with brawling on the front lines so long as you manage to angle your armour properly.

However, most tanks at the battle rating and above can deal with the KV-122 easily due to the relatively low sloping of the frontal armour. Tanks below BR 6.0 may be more lenient, although it is unlikely. but tanks with high-velocity anti-tank weapons such as the 76 mm gun in the U.S., 17-pounder in the British, and the 75 mm KwK40 L48 in the Germans should be taken with caution.

Differences between non-volumetric shells and volumetric shells hitting a Tiger I

An important note when engaging tanks, especially Tiger Is, is that, with the implementation of volumetric shells, you can no longer expect your shells to pierce through small openings or right past an obstacle. The large 122 mm calibre of your shells will result in it catching on an armour plate's edge very often, losing all of its penetration. For example, a Tiger I has some edges that can absorb your shell unexpectedly, despite having flat armour. Thus you must always make sure that where you are aiming at is absolutely free of obstruction, or it may result in a non-penetration or a ricochet. This can be seen in the diagram to the right.

Pros and cons

Pros:

  • Excellent firepower with nearly unmatched destructive potential
  • High penetration allows it to easily kill higher BR tanks (e.g. Jagdpanther, early Centurion)
  • Considerably good speed for a heavy tank: around 40 km/h on road
  • Easy to angle front armour (no shot trap like the IS-1 or 2)
  • Good reverse speed allows it to retreat quickly
  • Turret armour can sometimes bounce/absorb shells
  • Side armour is quite thick, allowing "side scraping"
  • Has a low profile for a heavy tank

Cons:

  • Very low rate of fire demanding every shot to count
  • Inadequate frontal and overall armour for a heavy tank
  • Cramped interior often leads to all crew getting knocked out with one shot
  • Sluggish compared to the IS series
  • Extremely poor gun depression
  • Slow turret traverse speed

History

It was 1944, the end of World War II felt close, yet there were many kilometres on the way into Germany. The Soviet forces were amidst a complete counteroffensive into previously German-controlled countries in Eastern Europe. The Axis forces were on a full defensive retreat.

The battles, however, only seemed more ferocious. Bigger and better-armed heavier tanks like the IS-2 were preparing, with the purpose of charging and spearheading massive assaults over city streets, farm fields, and extensive forests, where fearsome enemies like the Tiger, Ferdinand/Elefants and Panther could be encountered. The threat of heavy anti-tank emplacements such as the 8.8 cm Pak 43 and the 12.8 cm Pak 44 was also high.

One of those proposed tanks to be built was the KV-122. The tank was based on a KV-85 chassis and featured a new 122 mm D-25T gun and turret, borrowed from the IS-2. The design bureau assigned to build the single prototype was the Chelyabinsk Tractor Plant, lead by the engineer Abram Samuilovich Shneidman. The premise was to refit the numerously available KV chassis and extend their combat capacities. The idea proved competent for a test since it only needed a few modifications; the gun, the engine and the turret. The most important modification was with no doubt the firepower. It was a significant increase when compared to the previous KV family. This refit would deem not necessary to build a whole new tank. Instead, this modification to the existing KV-85s would have provided a remarkable update in firepower.

Ultimately, the idea didn't progress as it was considered unnecessary to retrieve the rather small numbers of KV-85s in frontline service, upgrade them and send them back. The outdated hull armour of the KV was also considered ineffective against the highly capable German guns.

Only a single KV-122 prototype was ever built. The war efforts were instead put into the all-around stronger and powerful tank; the IS-2.

Media

Skins
Videos
KV-122, Soviet, Premium Tier-4, Heavy Tank - Angry Nerd Gaming

See also

Vehicles equipped with the same chassis

External links


Chelyabinsk Tractor Plant (Челябинский тракторный завод)
IFVs 
BMP-1  BMP-1
Heavy Tanks 
KV  KV-85 · KV-122
IS-1/2  IS-1 · IS-2 · IS-2 (1944) · IS-2 "Revenge" · IS-2 No.321
T-10  T-10A · T-10M
Other IS Tanks  IS-3 · IS-4M
Tank Destroyers 
KV Derivatives  SU-152
IS Derivatives  ISU-152 · ISU-122 · ISU-122S · Object 268
Export 
IS-2  ␗IS-2 · IS-2 No.402 · ␗IS-2 (1944)
ISU  ␗ISU-152 · ␗ISU-122
IFVs  SPz BMP-1
See Also  Leningrad Kirov Plant

USSR heavy tanks
KV-1  KV-1 (L-11) · KV-1 (ZiS-5) · KV-1E · KV-1S
KV-2  KV-2 (1939) · KV-2 (1940) · KV-2 (ZiS-6)
Other KVs  KV-85 · KV-122 · KV-220
IS-1/2  IS-1 · IS-2 · IS-2 (1944) · IS-2 No.321 · IS-2 "Revenge" · Object 248
Other IS tanks  IS-3 · IS-4M · IS-6 · IS-7
T-10  T-10A · T-10M
Multi-turreted  T-35 · SMK
Other  Object 279
Lend-Lease  ▂MK-II "Matilda"

USSR premium ground vehicles
Light tanks  BA-11 · RBT-5 · BT-7A (F-32) · T-26 (1st Gv.T.Br.) · T-26E · T-126 · PT-76-57 · 2S38
Medium tanks  T-34 (Prototype) · T-34 (1st Gv.T.Br.) · T-34E · T-34-57 (1943) · T-34-85E · T-34-100 · T-44-122 · TO-55 · T-55AM-1 · T-72AV (TURMS-T) · T-80UD · Т-80U-Е1
  ▂M3 Medium · ▂M4A2 · ▂T-III · ▂T-V · ▂МК-IX "Valentine"
Heavy tanks  SMK · T-35 · ▂MK-II "Matilda" · KV-1E · KV-2 (1940) · KV-2 (ZiS-6) · KV-122 · KV-220 · IS-2 "Revenge" · Object 248 · IS-6 · T-10A
Tank destroyers  BM-8-24 · BM-13N · BM-31-12
  SU-57 · SU-76D · SU-76M (5th Gv.Kav.Corps) · SU-85A · SU-100Y · SU-122P · Object 120
SPAA  ▂Phòng không T-34 · ZUT-37

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