Difference between revisions of "ISU-152"

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{{Specs-Card|code=ussr_isu_152}}
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{{About
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| about = Soviet tank destroyer '''{{PAGENAME}}'''
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| usage = the Chinese version
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| link = ISU-152 (China)
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}}
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{{Specs-Card
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|code=ussr_isu_152
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|images={{Specs-Card-Image|GarageImage_{{PAGENAME}}.jpg|ArtImage_{{PAGENAME}}.png}}
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}}
  
 
== Description ==
 
== Description ==
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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.-->
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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.'' -->
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[[File:GarageImage_{{PAGENAME}}.jpg|420px|thumb|left]]
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The '''ISU-152''' is a Soviet self-propelled heavy howitzer used during World War II. It is very similar to the [[SU-152]], mounting the same 152 mm ML-20S howitzer on an IS heavy tank chassis. Since the main armament was mounted in a casemate, it required repositioning the entire vehicle using the tracks, which made it awkward to aim. To support more mobile infantry and armour attacks, it was employed as mobile artillery rather than directly engaging the enemy itself. It was employed in numerous campaigns and nations well into the 1970s.
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{{break}}
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The '''{{Specs|name}}''' is a rank {{Specs|rank}} Russian tank destroyer {{Battle-rating}}. It was introduced during the Closed Beta Test for Ground Forces before [[Update 1.41]]. Wielding the same infamous 152 mm gun as on the [[KV-2]] and [[SU-152]], the ISU-152 presents better armour, mobility, and firepower with the addition of the heavy-hitting HEAT round for the gun.
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Introduced in the Closed Beta Test for Ground Forces before Update 1.41, the ISU-152 is a tank destroyer that serves many different purposes. At this point, most of the enemy is heavily armoured, so the best ammunition to use is an armour-piercing shell. However, high-explosive shells remain a useful choice, particularly against vehicles with light armour. However, owing to this vehicle's incredibly long reload time, players must make sure every shot counts. Although protection is enhanced over the SU-152, it should not be relied upon in combat.
  
 
== General info ==
 
== General info ==
 
=== Survivability and armour ===
 
=== Survivability and 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?''
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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 ISU-152 is inadequately protected against most enemy tanks. The vehicle is armoured mainly with 90 mm of rolled homogeneous armour (RHA), covering the sides, back and front glacis. The only thicker armour section (100 mm) covers the curved gun mantlet. Against tank guns, this level of protection is inadequate as the ISU-152's armour plates are all poorly angled and not thick enough. The gun mantlet might bounce some shells sometimes, but never count on that. However against SPAA the ISU has very good armour, as most SPAAs' penetration are lower than 60 mm. The top of the vehicle is armoured with 30 mm of RHA, meaning that most cannon-calibre aircraft projectiles will not penetrate it with ease.
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 +
In terms of survivability, the ISU-152's five crew members are somewhat spread out, meaning that with a frontal penetration by an explosive-filled shell, the chances of an instant crew-knock are smaller. The large gun breech can also block some shrapnel for the crew on one side. But with a side shot through the superstructure, or if a large-calibre shell penetrates, the crew are very likely to get knocked out instantly. The main weakness in the ISU-152's protection are its ammo racks. The vehicle has two large ammo racks (shells on the left side, charges on the right side) that sit directly underneath the side 90 mm RHA belts. This means that any shot that penetrates the side of the hull will likely cause an ammo rack detonation. The engine is located at the very rear of the vehicle, covered by fuel tanks.
  
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''If necessary use a visual template to indicate the most secure and weak zones of the armour.-->
 
 
'''Armour type:'''
 
'''Armour type:'''
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*Rolled homogeneous armour
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*Cast homogeneous armour (Gun mantlet)
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* Rolled homogeneous armour (hull, casemate)
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* Cast homogeneous armour (gun mantlet)
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{| class="wikitable"
 
{| class="wikitable"
 
|-
 
|-
 
! Armour !! Front !! Sides !! Rear !! Roof
 
! Armour !! Front !! Sides !! Rear !! Roof
 
|-
 
|-
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| Hull || 60 mm (75°) ''Front glacis'' <br> 90 mm (31°) ''Lower glacis'' || 90 mm || 60 mm (50°) ''Top'' <br> 60 mm (39°) ''Bottom'' || 30 mm  
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| Hull || 60 mm (75°) ''Front glacis'' <br> 90 mm (31°) ''Lower glacis'' || 90 mm || 60 mm (50°) ''Top'' <br> 60 mm (39°) ''Bottom'' || 30 mm
 
|-
 
|-
−
| Superstructure || 90 mm (29°) ''Front glacis'' <br> 65 mm (7-69°) ''Gun mantlet case'' <br> 100 mm ''Gun mantlet'' (0-45°) || 75 mm (14-15°) || 60 mm (1°) || 30 mm  
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| Superstructure || 90 mm (29°) ''Front glacis'' <br> 65 mm (7-69°) ''Gun mantlet case'' <br> 100 mm ''Gun mantlet'' (0-45°) || 75 mm (14-15°) || 60 mm (1°) || 30 mm
 
|-
 
|-
 
|}
 
|}
 
'''Notes:'''
 
'''Notes:'''
 +
 
* Suspension wheels are 20 mm thick while tracks are 30 mm thick.
 
* Suspension wheels are 20 mm thick while tracks are 30 mm thick.
  
 
=== Mobility ===
 
=== 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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{{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=739|rbMinHp=460}}
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The ISU-152's mobility is adequate, but isn't particularly impressive. It can reach an average forward speed of 40 km/h on hard road, while a lower top speed can be expected in off-road manoeuvres, especially when crossing rough/soft terrain. The hull traverse is somewhat lacklustre, since by moving track on one side the ISU can barely turn, thus a short forward/backward acceleration is often needed to get it turning. The tank also has relatively good reverse speeds (~15 km/h), much more than Soviet tanks such as the T-34 series, allowing the player to quickly back down when necessary. The power-to-weight ratio is quite competitive, but should not be relied on., as the ISU starts to behave sluggishly when on a slope or on bad terrain. Overall the ISU-152 can keep up with most tanks at this BR, and can get to a required position in time.
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=== Modifications and economy ===
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{{Specs-Economy}}
  
 
== Armaments ==
 
== Armaments ==
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{{Specs-Tank-Armaments}}
 
=== Main armament ===
 
=== Main armament ===
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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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{{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|ML-20S (152 mm)}}
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The ISU-152 carries, as the vehicle name suggests, a massive 152 mm gun. The gun has a massive 20+ second reload time, and packs a similarly-massive punch. The ML-20S is a Soviet WWII-era howitzer, developed from a WWI-era howitzer. The weapon can fire an extremely powerful APHE shell with 170 mm of penetration, while still packing 740 grams of TNT filler. The tank can also fire HE shells with 5.9 kg of explosive, as well as an APHEBC shell with more TNT filler. In addition, a HEAT shell is available to deal with any heavily-armoured tank in an uptier, thanks to the amazing 250 mm penetration. Thus, the shells can easily penetrate the frontal armour of almost all tanks at the ISU-152's BR. In particular, the APHE/APHEBC shells can come as a nasty surprise, as they pack an impressive punch combined with strong penetration ability.
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Recommended ammunition to bring is a combination of APHEBC and HEAT rounds. The APHEBC is great at knocking out all tanks at the ISU-152's BR, including even very heavy targets such as the M4A3E2 Jumbo or the Panther series of tanks, because the APHEBC has large overmatch due to the calibre of the round, it can punch through their upper front plate armour at over 3 km when they are directly facing you. The HEAT, on the other hand, is for light tanks that have too thick armour for them to be penetrated by the heavy machine gun. HE shells are not very useful, as they cannot penetrate tanks, and HEAT shells can do a similar job at destroying light vehicles with overpressure.
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Many players find the long reload of Soviet large-calibre guns very harsh. If one misses or fails to knock out the target with a single shot, they must wait for another half a minute reloading. However if one masters the trajectory and velocity of such guns, it can become very effective at knocking out enemies in one shot. In most cases, after destroying a target there would be quite some time before the next target shows up, eliminating the disadvantaged reload time. Nevertheless, vehicles with this reload speed like the ISU-152 is definitely not suitable to hold down a line where multiple enemies are charging simultaneously.
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The last aspect to overcome is the extremely poor gun depression of only -3 degrees. This requires the player to only fight on flat ground, preferably in an urban environment, to avoid having to hull down. In a hilly map (e.g. Karelia) find spots where there is absolutely no slopes.
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{| class="wikitable" style="text-align:center" width="100%"
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|-
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! colspan="5" | [[ML-20S (152 mm)|152 mm ML-20S]] || colspan="5" | Turret rotation speed (°/s) || colspan="4" | Reloading rate (seconds)
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|-
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! Mode !! Capacity !! Vertical !! Horizontal !! Stabilizer
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! Stock !! Upgraded !! Full !! Expert !! Aced
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! Stock !! Full !! Expert !! Aced
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|-
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! ''Arcade''
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| rowspan="2" | 20 || rowspan="2" | -3°/+20° || rowspan="2" | -3°/+7° || rowspan="2" | N/A || 7.0 || 9.8 || 11.8 || 13.1 || 13.9 || rowspan="2" | 27.69 || rowspan="2" | 24.50 || rowspan="2" | 22.58 || rowspan="2" | 21.30
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|-
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! ''Realistic''
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| 4.8 || 5.6 || 6.8 || 7.5 || 8.0
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|-
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|}
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==== Ammunition ====
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{{:ML-20S (152 mm)/Ammunition|BR-540, OF-540, BR-540B, BP-540}}
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==== [[Ammo racks]] ====
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[[File:Ammoracks_{{PAGENAME}}.png|right|thumb|x250px|[[Ammo racks]] of the {{PAGENAME}}]]
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<!-- '''Last updated:''' -->
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{| class="wikitable" style="text-align:center"
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|-
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! Full<br>ammo
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! Ammo<br>type
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! 1st<br>rack empty
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! 2nd<br>rack empty
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! 3rd<br>rack empty
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! 4th<br>rack empty
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! Visual<br>discrepancy
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|-
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| '''20''' || ''Projectiles''<br>''Propellants'' || 11&nbsp;''(+9)''<br> 11&nbsp;''(+9)'' || 1&nbsp;''(+19)'' <br> 9&nbsp;''(+11)'' || ''N/A''<br> 7&nbsp;''(+13)'' || ''N/A''<br> 1&nbsp;''(+19)'' || No
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|-
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|}
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'''Notes''':
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* The {{PAGENAME}} uses two-piece ammunition, composed of projectiles (yellow) and propellant bags (orange). Both have separate racks.
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* Shells are modeled individually and disappear after having been shot or loaded.
  
 
=== 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.''
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{{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|DShK (12.7 mm)}}
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{| class="wikitable" style="text-align:center" width="50%"
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|-
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! colspan="5" | [[DShK (12.7 mm)|12.7 mm DShK]]
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|-
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! Mount !! Capacity (Belt) !! Fire rate !! Vertical !! Horizontal
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|-
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| Pintle || 250 (50) || 600 || -5°/+85° || ±180°
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|-
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|}
  
 
== Usage in battles ==
 
== Usage in battles ==
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''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).''
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<!-- ''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).'' -->
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The ISU-152 is a tank destroyer with a huge 152 mm cannon which can knock out any target that it penetrates with one shell. In an uptier, the gun is equipped with a HEAT shell that has enough penetration to destroy even the most armoured heavy tanks. However, the gun comes with its drawbacks. Its reload time is long, shell velocity is low, and on top of that, shell drop must be accounted for when aiming. This makes aiming and leading at long ranges difficult--indeed, the ISU-152 is best at close and medium ranges.
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The gun has a very small gun depression, which means that the ISU-152 is unsuited for hilly maps and for firing from behind ridgelines. Flat, urban terrain lets this vehicle use its gun to the greatest potential.
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Of course, the ISU-152 is not a turreted vehicle, and this means that flankers such as the [[M18 Hellcat (Family)|M18 Hellcat]] are extremely dangerous. Worse, the ISU-152 is quite sluggish in the mobility department. Repositioning in order to face an enemy takes a considerable amount of time, which means that it's necessary to keep a careful eye out for flankers, and to plan escape routes in dangerous situations.
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As for armour, the ISU-152's protection is average. Its roof armour can protect against aircraft machine guns and some 20 mm cannons, and its side armour protects well against SPAA guns. However, the frontal armour is easily penetrated by many of the guns at this tier. And, the tightly-packed arrangement of the crew inside the vehicle means that being knocked out by a single shot is not a rare occurrence in this vehicle.
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Provided you have the HEAT shell unlocked, the ISU-152 is a exceptional machine to use in a full uptier and even beyond, with up to 250 mm of armour penetration. The HEAT shell on the ISU-152 is identical to the one on the [[Object 268]], a BR 7.3 tank destroyer, with the same armour penetration stats to boot. With the extra silver lions obtainable from the "Rank does not matter" achievement, the ISU-152 may actually be more effective in a uptier then at tier.
  
 
=== Pros and cons ===
 
=== Pros and cons ===
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<!--Summarize 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".-->
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<!-- ''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".'' -->
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'''Pros:'''
 
'''Pros:'''
−
* Great calliber provides enourmous damage output
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−
* Powerful HEAT ammo with good HE blast
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* Powerful cannon that can take out any target with a single shot upon penetration
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* Fast reload for the caliber
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* Powerful HEAT penetrates up to 250 mm which is very effective in a full uptier
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* The huge gun mantlet and its complex armour layout is capable of deflecting quite some shells sometimes
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* 30 mm roof armour resists popular aircraft weapons well, like the 12.7 mm M2 with ground target belt and the MG 151
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* All-round protection provides good resistance against flanking SPAAs. The M19/M42 are very common flankers
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* Equipped with a .50 calibre machine gun, good for dealing with lighter vehicles like SPAAs, or some light tank destroyers like the [[M18 GMC|M18 Hellcat]]
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'''Cons:'''
 
'''Cons:'''
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* Armour cannot stand up against high rank cannons
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−
* Small crew compartment
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* Long reload of more than 20 seconds and the rather curved trajectory demands very precise aiming, which isn't beginner friendly
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* Armour not angled
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* Front armour is only 90 mm and is not well angled and can be penetrated easily by commonly encountered guns
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* Rather sluggish
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* Closely packed crew all easily get killed when an explosive shell penetrates
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* Terrible gun depression of -3°
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* Very inadequate gun depression of -3° combined with the sluggish mobility makes it only capable of fighting in urban (flat) areas, but never the hills
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* Turretless layout and the sluggish mobility makes it very vulnerable to surprise flankers, for example the infamous M18, T20, T25 and Puma.
 
* Gun breech often gets damaged while under enemy fire
 
* Gun breech often gets damaged while under enemy fire
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* 12.7 mm heavy machine gun only has 250 rounds
  
 
== History ==
 
== History ==
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<!--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 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></nowiki></code>, as well as adding them at the end of the article. This section may also include the vehicle's dev blog entry (if applicable) and the in-game encyclopedia description (under <code><nowiki>=== Encyclopedia Info ===</nowiki></code>, also if applicable).-->
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<!-- ''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).'' -->
 
===Development===
 
===Development===
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Development of the '''ISU-152''' already started alongside the [[SU-152]], its predecessor. The SU-152 was based off the KV-1S tank, which itself is a lighter version of the [[KV-1 (ZiS-5)|KV-1]] heavy tank. The vehicle, while highly praised in its performance, saw a need for modernization with the KV-1's phasing out of the Soviet's inventory and being replaced with the new [[IS-1|IS]] heavy tanks. The modernization process began on May 25, 1943 with the goal of using the IS tank as the basis of the vehicle and also increasing armour protection alongside other improvements. Development began in July under Joseph Yakovlevich Kotin, a chief designer of Soviet heavy tanks, who worked alongside G. N. Moskvin as the main designer. The designing of the improved vehicle went on for a month before the first variant was ready, designated the ''IS-152''. This was tested in September 1943, which revealed defects and deficiencies with the design, so it was redone into a second variant called ''Object 241'' in October 1943. Trials began on ''Object 241'', which was successful through factory and state trials and adopted on November 6, 1943 as the '''ISU-152'''. Production began in December at the Chelyabinsk Kirovsk Plant, producing 3,242 units from then all the way until the 1947, with 1,885 units made by the end of World War II.
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Development of the '''ISU-152''' already started alongside the [[SU-152]], its predecessor. The SU-152 was based off the KV-1S tank, which itself is a lighter version of the [[KV-1 (ZiS-5)|KV-1]] heavy tank. The vehicle, while highly praised in its performance, saw a need for modernization with the KV-1's phasing out of the Soviet inventory and being replaced with the new [[IS-1|IS]] heavy tanks. The modernization process began on May 25, 1943, with the goal of using the IS tank as the basis of the vehicle and also increasing armour protection alongside other improvements. Development began in July under Joseph Yakovlevich Kotin, a chief designer of Soviet heavy tanks, who worked alongside G. N. Moskvin as the main designer. The designing of the improved vehicle went on for a month before the first variant was ready, designated the IS-152. This was tested in September 1943, which revealed defects and deficiencies with the design, so it was redone into a second variant called Object 241 in October 1943. Trials began on Object 241, which was successful through the factory and state trials and adopted on November 6, 1943, as the ISU-152. Production began in December at the Chelyabinsk Kirovsk Plant, producing 3,242 units from then all the way until 1947, with 1,885 units made by the end of World War II.
  
 
===Design===
 
===Design===
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The ISU-152 was the successor to the SU-152, retaining the same 152 mm ML-20S howitzer needed to destroy enemy fortifications in offensive operations. The vehicle was run on a torsion-bar suspension system from the [[IS-2|IS]] tank chassis. The crew consists of four or five men in the vehicle, the optional crew member being a loader. The crew had external views through periscopes and two gun sights, a panoramic and a telescopic one. Crew communication was possible with an intercom system and a 10R or 10RK radio was available to communicate between vehicles. The crew had access to two PPSh submachine guns and grenades in the tank to defend themselves against infantry.  
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The ISU-152 was the successor to the SU-152, retaining the same 152 mm ML-20S howitzer needed to destroy enemy fortifications in offensive operations. The vehicle was run on a torsion-bar suspension system from the [[IS-2|IS]] tank chassis. The crew consists of four or five men in the vehicle, the optional crew member being a loader. The crew had external views through periscopes and two gun sights, a panoramic and a telescopic one. Crew communication was possible with an intercom system and a 10R or 10RK radio was available to communicate between vehicles. The crew had access to two PPSh submachine guns and grenades in the tank to defend themselves against infantry.
  
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A drawback to the vehicle's design was the gun ammunition and internal stowage. The large ammunition pieces were limited to about 20 rounds in the vehicle, and each rounds were extremely heavy and large that reloading the tank can take up to 40 minutes and lots of strength. Rate of fire was also reduced by the ammunition's heavy weight.
+
A drawback to the vehicle's design was the gun ammunition and internal storage. The large ammunition pieces were limited to about 20 rounds in the vehicle, and each round was extremely heavy and large that reloading the tank can take up to 40 minutes and lots of strength. Rate of fire was also reduced by the ammunition's heavyweight.
  
 
===Combat usage===
 
===Combat usage===
−
The ISU-152 was issued in a similar manner to the SU-152 in independent Heavy Self-propelled Artillery Regiments. Each regiments, of which 53 were formed from May 1943 to 1945, had 21 guns divided into four batteries of five vehicles and a commander vehicle. These regiments were supported by other military units to be flexible against threats. In December 1944, the Guards Heavy Self-propelled Artillery Brigades were formed to provide heavy fire support. These brigades had up to 65 vehicles, which would consist of ISU-152s or [[ISU-122]]s.
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The ISU-152 was issued in a similar manner to the SU-152 in independent Heavy Self-propelled Artillery Regiments. Each regiment, of which 53 were formed from May 1943 to 1945, had 21 guns divided into four batteries of five vehicles and a commander vehicle. These regiments were supported by other military units to be flexible against threats. In December 1944, the Guards Heavy Self-propelled Artillery Brigades were formed to provide heavy fire support. These brigades had up to 65 vehicles, which would consist of ISU-152s or [[ISU-122]]s.
  
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Like its predecessor the [[SU-152]], the ISU-152 also served as a multi-role vehicle as a heavy assault gun, tank destroyer, and self-propelled artillery. As an assault gun, the vehicle was valuable during the Soviet's offensive operations assaulting fortified cities held by the Axis forces. The 152 mm gun was very successful in demolishing fortifications and strong points. The greater armour protection on the ISU-152 compared to the SU-152 (90 mm vs. 65 mm) made the vehicle very durable against German anti-tank weapons, even forcing the [[Tiger H1|Tiger]] to come withing close range to penetrate the vehicle. Usual tactics of the ISU-152s in urban combat was to act in one or two vehicle groups with infantry to deter infantry anti-tank weaponry like the Panzerfaust. As a tank destroyer, the ISU-152 worked its unintended role well enough that it inherited the nickname ''Zveroboy'' ("Beast Killer") from the SU-152s. The ISU-152 was very capable of destroying many of the more armoured German tanks like the [[Panther G|Panthers]], [[Tiger E|Tiger Is]], and [[Tiger II (H)|Tiger IIs]]. Though not as rapid-firing or as accurate as dedicated anti-tank guns, the rounds of the 152 mm howitzer could blow the turret off a Tiger tank, and a direct hit would definitely caused extensive internal damages to the tank's internal mechanisms or kill the crew due to spalling of the hull due to the explosive force. The tank destroyer role was phased out with the introduction of dedicated vehicles like the [[SU-100]]. As a self-propelled artillery piece, the ISU-152 is able to successfully fire in indirect bombardments against enemy targets up to 7,000 meters away. Though it was not really a specialized vehicle for the role, it was better than typical towed artillery pieces due to being able to move and being an enclosed vehicle to protect the crew. The ISU-152 served in all these roles in all of the Soviet offensive operations into German territory all the way until the Battle of Berlin.
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Like its predecessor the [[SU-152]], the ISU-152 also served as a multi-role vehicle as a heavy assault gun, tank destroyer, and self-propelled artillery. As an assault gun, the vehicle was valuable during the Soviet's offensive operations assaulting fortified cities held by the Axis forces. The 152 mm gun was very successful in demolishing fortifications and strong points. The greater armour protection on the ISU-152 compared to the SU-152 (90 mm vs. 65 mm) made the vehicle very durable against German anti-tank weapons, even forcing the [[Tiger H1|Tiger]] to come within close range to penetrate the vehicle. Usual tactics of the ISU-152s in urban combat was to act in one or two vehicle groups with infantry to deter infantry anti-tank weaponry like the Panzerfaust. As a tank destroyer, the ISU-152 worked its unintended role well enough that it inherited the nickname Zveroboy ("Beast Killer") from the SU-152s. The ISU-152 was very capable of destroying many of the more armoured German tanks like the [[Panther G|Panthers]], [[Tiger E|Tiger Is]], and [[Tiger II (H)|Tiger IIs]]. Though not as rapid-firing or as accurate as dedicated anti-tank guns, the rounds of the 152 mm howitzer could blow the turret off a Tiger tank, and a direct hit would definitely cause extensive internal damages to the tank's internal mechanisms or kill the crew due to spalling of the hull due to the explosive force. The tank destroyer role was phased out with the introduction of dedicated vehicles like the [[SU-100]]. As a self-propelled artillery piece, the ISU-152 is able to successfully fire in indirect bombardments against enemy targets up to 7,000 m away. Though it was not really a specialized vehicle for the role, it was better than typical towed artillery pieces due to being able to move and being an enclosed vehicle to protect the crew. The ISU-152 served in all these roles in all of the Soviet offensive operations into German territory all the way until the Battle of Berlin.
  
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Many ISU-152s were exported by the Soviets after World War II to assist its allies and other Warsaw Pact members. Countries that had access to the ISU-152 in their military were Finland, Poland, China, Czechoslovakia, North Korea, Egypt, Iraq, Yugoslavia, and Romania. All of which used the ISU-152s up until the 1970s at latest.
+
Many ISU-152s were exported by the Soviets after World War II to assist its allies and other Warsaw Pact members. Countries that had access to the ISU-152 in their military were Finland, Poland, China, Czechoslovakia, North Korea, Egypt, Iraq, Yugoslavia, and Romania. All of which used the ISU-152s up until the 1970s at the latest.
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{{break}}
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{{Navigation-Start|{{Annotation|Archive of the in-game description|An archive of the historical description of the vehicle that was presented in-game prior to Update 1.55 'Royal Armour'}}}}
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{{Navigation-First-Simple-Line}}
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In the autumn of 1943, the KV-1S heavy tank was removed from mass production along with the successful SU-152 SPG based on the KV tanks. However, the fact that the KV and IS chassis were similar meant that a new SPG could be built based on the new heavy tank.
 +
 
 +
The SPG's layout was standard. A cabin made from rolled armour plates was installed in the front of the vehicle, combining the driving compartment and fighting compartment into one section. The engine compartment was placed in the rear of the vehicle. Because of the smaller width of the IS in comparison to the KV, the side plates' vertical slope was decreased from 25° to 15°, and its rear plate's slope removed altogether. At the same time, the cabin's frontal armour thickness was increased to 90 mm and its side armour to 75 mm. The gun mantlet was 60 mm thick, subsequently increasing to 100 mm. The vehicle was armed with a 152.4 mm ML-20 Mod. 1937/43 gun-howitzer with a 28 calibre barrel length and an ammunition capacity of 21 shells. After the war, the SPG's ammunition capacity was increased to 30 shots during modernisation. Starting from October 1944, an anti-tank turret equipped with a 12.7 mm DShK machine gun was attached on a traversing base on the commander's hatch.
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 +
From November 1943 until the end of mass production in 1946, 3,242 of them were manufactured.
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 +
The ISU-152's main role in battle was providing fire support to advancing tanks and infantry. These heavy SPGs were sometimes used in artillery preparation strikes. They could fire both directly and from cover. The SPGs were indispensable in urban battles. ISU-152s were used to suppress the Hungarian Uprising of 1956.
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ISU-152 SPGs served in the Polish Army. After the war, Czechoslovakia received these vehicles. At the beginning of the 1960s, an Egyptian army regiment had an ISU-152 in service.
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 +
Among the vehicle's drawbacks, poor fighting compartment ventilation was noted. The shells' high weight demanded good physical endurance from the loader, and even then, the SPG's rate of fire was unsatisfactory. Its small on-board ammunition capacity and internally placed fuel tanks were also seen as serious flaws.
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{{Navigation-End}}
  
 
== Media ==
 
== Media ==
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<!--''Excellent additions to the article would be video guides, screenshots from the game, and photos.''-->
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<!-- ''Excellent additions to the article would be video guides, screenshots from the game, and photos.'' -->
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Skin and Camouflages for the [https://live.warthunder.com/feed/camouflages/?vehicleCountry=ussr&vehicleType=tank&vehicleClass=tank_destroyer&vehicle=ussr_isu_152 ISU-152] in Warthunder Live.
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;Skins
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* [https://live.warthunder.com/feed/camouflages/?vehicle=ussr_isu_152 Skins and camouflages for the {{PAGENAME}} from live.warthunder.com.]
  
 
== See also ==
 
== See also ==
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''Links to the articles on the War Thunder Wiki that you think will be useful for the reader, for example:''
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<!-- ''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;''
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* ''links to approximate analogues of other nations and research trees.''
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* ''links to approximate analogues of other nations and research trees.'' -->
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;Vehicles equipped with the same chassis
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* [[IS-1]]
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* [[IS-2]]
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* [[ISU-122]] / [[ISU-122 (China)]]
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* [[ISU-122S]]
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;Other vehicles of similar configuration and role
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* [[SU-152]]
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* [[Brummbar]]
  
 
== External links ==
 
== External links ==
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<!--''Paste links to sources and external resources, such as:''
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<!-- ''Paste links to sources and external resources, such as:''
 
* ''topic on the official game forum;''
 
* ''topic on the official game forum;''
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* ''encyclopedia page on the tank;''
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* ''other literature.'' -->
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* ''other literature.''-->
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* [https://warthunder.com/en/news/2795/current/ [Vehicle Profile<nowiki>]</nowiki> ISU-152 «Zveroboy»]
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* [[wt:en/news/2795/current/|[Vehicle Profile] ISU-152 «Zveroboy»]]
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* [https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/ISU-152 [Wikipedia<nowiki>]</nowiki> ISU-152]
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* [[wikipedia:ISU-152|[Wikipedia] ISU-152]]
  
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{{TankManufacturer ChTZ}}
 
{{USSR tank destroyers}}
 
{{USSR tank destroyers}}

Latest revision as of 19:52, 22 November 2023

RANK 5 FRANCE
Somua SM PACK
This page is about the Soviet tank destroyer ISU-152. For the Chinese version, see ISU-152 (China).
ISU-152
ussr_isu_152.png
GarageImage ISU-152.jpg
ArtImage ISU-152.png
ISU-152
USSR flag.png USSR
III Rank
Battle rating:
AB RB SB
4.7 4.7 4.7
Class:
Research:17 000 Specs-Card-Exp.png
Purchase:105 000 Specs-Card-Lion.png
Show in game

Description

The ISU-152 is a Soviet self-propelled heavy howitzer used during World War II. It is very similar to the SU-152, mounting the same 152 mm ML-20S howitzer on an IS heavy tank chassis. Since the main armament was mounted in a casemate, it required repositioning the entire vehicle using the tracks, which made it awkward to aim. To support more mobile infantry and armour attacks, it was employed as mobile artillery rather than directly engaging the enemy itself. It was employed in numerous campaigns and nations well into the 1970s.

Introduced in the Closed Beta Test for Ground Forces before Update 1.41, the ISU-152 is a tank destroyer that serves many different purposes. At this point, most of the enemy is heavily armoured, so the best ammunition to use is an armour-piercing shell. However, high-explosive shells remain a useful choice, particularly against vehicles with light armour. However, owing to this vehicle's incredibly long reload time, players must make sure every shot counts. Although protection is enhanced over the SU-152, it should not be relied upon in combat.

General info

Survivability and armour

Armourfront / side / back
Hull90 / 90 / 60
Turret90 / 75 / 60
Crew5 people
Visibility83 %

The ISU-152 is inadequately protected against most enemy tanks. The vehicle is armoured mainly with 90 mm of rolled homogeneous armour (RHA), covering the sides, back and front glacis. The only thicker armour section (100 mm) covers the curved gun mantlet. Against tank guns, this level of protection is inadequate as the ISU-152's armour plates are all poorly angled and not thick enough. The gun mantlet might bounce some shells sometimes, but never count on that. However against SPAA the ISU has very good armour, as most SPAAs' penetration are lower than 60 mm. The top of the vehicle is armoured with 30 mm of RHA, meaning that most cannon-calibre aircraft projectiles will not penetrate it with ease.

In terms of survivability, the ISU-152's five crew members are somewhat spread out, meaning that with a frontal penetration by an explosive-filled shell, the chances of an instant crew-knock are smaller. The large gun breech can also block some shrapnel for the crew on one side. But with a side shot through the superstructure, or if a large-calibre shell penetrates, the crew are very likely to get knocked out instantly. The main weakness in the ISU-152's protection are its ammo racks. The vehicle has two large ammo racks (shells on the left side, charges on the right side) that sit directly underneath the side 90 mm RHA belts. This means that any shot that penetrates the side of the hull will likely cause an ammo rack detonation. The engine is located at the very rear of the vehicle, covered by fuel tanks.

Armour type:

  • Rolled homogeneous armour (hull, casemate)
  • Cast homogeneous armour (gun mantlet)
Armour Front Sides Rear Roof
Hull 60 mm (75°) Front glacis
90 mm (31°) Lower glacis 		90 mm 60 mm (50°) Top
60 mm (39°) Bottom 		30 mm
Superstructure 90 mm (29°) Front glacis
65 mm (7-69°) Gun mantlet case
100 mm Gun mantlet (0-45°) 		75 mm (14-15°) 60 mm (1°) 30 mm

Notes:

  • Suspension wheels are 20 mm thick while tracks are 30 mm thick.

Mobility

Speedforward / back
AB39 / 15 km/h
RB and SB36 / 14 km/h
Number of gears8 forward
2 back
Weight46.0 t
Engine power
AB992 hp
RB and SB520 hp
Power-to-weight ratio
AB21.6 hp/t
RB and SB11.3 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 39 15 46 739 992 16.07 21.57
Realistic 36 14 460 520 10 11.3

The ISU-152's mobility is adequate, but isn't particularly impressive. It can reach an average forward speed of 40 km/h on hard road, while a lower top speed can be expected in off-road manoeuvres, especially when crossing rough/soft terrain. The hull traverse is somewhat lacklustre, since by moving track on one side the ISU can barely turn, thus a short forward/backward acceleration is often needed to get it turning. The tank also has relatively good reverse speeds (~15 km/h), much more than Soviet tanks such as the T-34 series, allowing the player to quickly back down when necessary. The power-to-weight ratio is quite competitive, but should not be relied on., as the ISU starts to behave sluggishly when on a slope or on bad terrain. Overall the ISU-152 can keep up with most tanks at this BR, and can get to a required position in time.

Modifications and economy

Repair costBasic → Reference
AB1 443 → 1 784 Sl icon.png
RB1 683 → 2 081 Sl icon.png
SB2 183 → 2 700 Sl icon.png
Total cost of modifications29 700 Rp icon.png
57 800 Sl icon.png
Talisman cost1 200 Ge icon.png
Crew training30 000 Sl icon.png
Experts105 000 Sl icon.png
Aces470 Ge icon.png
Research Aces360 000 Rp icon.png
Reward for battleAB / RB / SB
90 / 130 / 170 % Sl icon.png
148 / 148 / 148 % Rp icon.png
Modifications
Mobility Protection Firepower
Mods new tank traks.png
Tracks
Research:
2 000 Rp icon.png
Cost:
3 900 Sl icon.png
135 Ge icon.png
Mods new tank suspension.png
Suspension
Research:
1 300 Rp icon.png
Cost:
2 500 Sl icon.png
90 Ge icon.png
Mods new tank break.png
Brake System
Research:
1 300 Rp icon.png
Cost:
2 500 Sl icon.png
90 Ge icon.png
Mods new tank filter.png
Filters
Research:
1 900 Rp icon.png
Cost:
3 700 Sl icon.png
130 Ge icon.png
Mods new tank transmission.png
Transmission
Research:
4 800 Rp icon.png
Cost:
9 400 Sl icon.png
330 Ge icon.png
Mods new tank engine.png
Engine
Research:
4 800 Rp icon.png
Cost:
9 400 Sl icon.png
330 Ge icon.png
Mods tank tool kit.png
Improved Parts
Research:
2 000 Rp icon.png
Cost:
3 900 Sl icon.png
135 Ge icon.png
Mods extinguisher.png
Improved FPE
Research:
1 300 Rp icon.png
Cost:
2 500 Sl icon.png
90 Ge icon.png
Mods tank reinforcement ussr.png
Crew Replenishment
Research:
1 900 Rp icon.png
Cost:
3 700 Sl icon.png
130 Ge icon.png
Mods new tank horizontal aiming.png
Horizontal Drive
Research:
2 000 Rp icon.png
Cost:
3 900 Sl icon.png
135 Ge icon.png
Mods tank cannon.png
Adjustment of Fire
Research:
1 300 Rp icon.png
Cost:
2 500 Sl icon.png
90 Ge icon.png
Mods tank ammo.png
152mm_ussr_APHEBC_ammo_pack
Research:
1 300 Rp icon.png
Cost:
2 500 Sl icon.png
90 Ge icon.png
Mods new tank vertical aiming.png
Elevation Mechanism
Research:
1 900 Rp icon.png
Cost:
3 700 Sl icon.png
130 Ge icon.png
Mods tank ammo.png
152mm_ussr_HEAT_ammo_pack
Research:
1 900 Rp icon.png
Cost:
3 700 Sl icon.png
130 Ge icon.png

Armaments

Main armament

152 mm ML-20S cannon
Ammunition20 rounds
Reloadbasic crew → aces
27.7 → 21.3 s
Vertical guidance-3° / 20°
Horizontal guidance-3° / 7°
Main article: ML-20S (152 mm)

The ISU-152 carries, as the vehicle name suggests, a massive 152 mm gun. The gun has a massive 20+ second reload time, and packs a similarly-massive punch. The ML-20S is a Soviet WWII-era howitzer, developed from a WWI-era howitzer. The weapon can fire an extremely powerful APHE shell with 170 mm of penetration, while still packing 740 grams of TNT filler. The tank can also fire HE shells with 5.9 kg of explosive, as well as an APHEBC shell with more TNT filler. In addition, a HEAT shell is available to deal with any heavily-armoured tank in an uptier, thanks to the amazing 250 mm penetration. Thus, the shells can easily penetrate the frontal armour of almost all tanks at the ISU-152's BR. In particular, the APHE/APHEBC shells can come as a nasty surprise, as they pack an impressive punch combined with strong penetration ability.

Recommended ammunition to bring is a combination of APHEBC and HEAT rounds. The APHEBC is great at knocking out all tanks at the ISU-152's BR, including even very heavy targets such as the M4A3E2 Jumbo or the Panther series of tanks, because the APHEBC has large overmatch due to the calibre of the round, it can punch through their upper front plate armour at over 3 km when they are directly facing you. The HEAT, on the other hand, is for light tanks that have too thick armour for them to be penetrated by the heavy machine gun. HE shells are not very useful, as they cannot penetrate tanks, and HEAT shells can do a similar job at destroying light vehicles with overpressure.

Many players find the long reload of Soviet large-calibre guns very harsh. If one misses or fails to knock out the target with a single shot, they must wait for another half a minute reloading. However if one masters the trajectory and velocity of such guns, it can become very effective at knocking out enemies in one shot. In most cases, after destroying a target there would be quite some time before the next target shows up, eliminating the disadvantaged reload time. Nevertheless, vehicles with this reload speed like the ISU-152 is definitely not suitable to hold down a line where multiple enemies are charging simultaneously.

The last aspect to overcome is the extremely poor gun depression of only -3 degrees. This requires the player to only fight on flat ground, preferably in an urban environment, to avoid having to hull down. In a hilly map (e.g. Karelia) find spots where there is absolutely no slopes.

152 mm ML-20S Turret rotation speed (°/s) Reloading rate (seconds)
Mode Capacity Vertical Horizontal Stabilizer Stock Upgraded Full Expert Aced Stock Full Expert Aced
Arcade 20 -3°/+20° -3°/+7° N/A 7.0 9.8 11.8 13.1 13.9 27.69 24.50 22.58 21.30
Realistic 4.8 5.6 6.8 7.5 8.0

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-540 APHE 170 169 161 152 144 136
OF-540 HE 49 49 49 49 49 49
BR-540B APHEBC 171 169 160 150 141 132
BP-540 HEAT 250 250 250 250 250 250
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-540 APHE 600 48.78 1.2 19 739.2 47° 60° 65°
OF-540 HE 655 43.56 0.3 0.1 5,860 79° 80° 81°
BR-540B APHEBC 600 48.96 1.2 19 739.2 48° 63° 71°
BP-540 HEAT 680 27.4 0.05 0.1 4,800 62° 69° 73°

Ammo racks

Ammo racks of the ISU-152
Full
ammo 		Ammo
type 		1st
rack empty 		2nd
rack empty 		3rd
rack empty 		4th
rack empty 		Visual
discrepancy
20 Projectiles
Propellants 		11 (+9)
11 (+9) 		1 (+19)
9 (+11) 		N/A
7 (+13) 		N/A
1 (+19) 		No

Notes:

  • The ISU-152 uses two-piece ammunition, composed of projectiles (yellow) and propellant bags (orange). Both have separate racks.
  • Shells are modeled individually and disappear after having been shot or loaded.

Machine guns

12.7 mm DShK machine gun
Ammunition250 rounds
Belt capacity50 rounds
Reloadbasic crew → aces
10.4 → 8.0 s
Fire rate600 shots/min
Vertical guidance-5° / 85°
Main article: DShK (12.7 mm)
12.7 mm DShK
Mount Capacity (Belt) Fire rate Vertical Horizontal
Pintle 250 (50) 600 -5°/+85° ±180°

Usage in battles

The ISU-152 is a tank destroyer with a huge 152 mm cannon which can knock out any target that it penetrates with one shell. In an uptier, the gun is equipped with a HEAT shell that has enough penetration to destroy even the most armoured heavy tanks. However, the gun comes with its drawbacks. Its reload time is long, shell velocity is low, and on top of that, shell drop must be accounted for when aiming. This makes aiming and leading at long ranges difficult--indeed, the ISU-152 is best at close and medium ranges.

The gun has a very small gun depression, which means that the ISU-152 is unsuited for hilly maps and for firing from behind ridgelines. Flat, urban terrain lets this vehicle use its gun to the greatest potential.

Of course, the ISU-152 is not a turreted vehicle, and this means that flankers such as the M18 Hellcat are extremely dangerous. Worse, the ISU-152 is quite sluggish in the mobility department. Repositioning in order to face an enemy takes a considerable amount of time, which means that it's necessary to keep a careful eye out for flankers, and to plan escape routes in dangerous situations.

As for armour, the ISU-152's protection is average. Its roof armour can protect against aircraft machine guns and some 20 mm cannons, and its side armour protects well against SPAA guns. However, the frontal armour is easily penetrated by many of the guns at this tier. And, the tightly-packed arrangement of the crew inside the vehicle means that being knocked out by a single shot is not a rare occurrence in this vehicle.

Provided you have the HEAT shell unlocked, the ISU-152 is a exceptional machine to use in a full uptier and even beyond, with up to 250 mm of armour penetration. The HEAT shell on the ISU-152 is identical to the one on the Object 268, a BR 7.3 tank destroyer, with the same armour penetration stats to boot. With the extra silver lions obtainable from the "Rank does not matter" achievement, the ISU-152 may actually be more effective in a uptier then at tier.

Pros and cons

Pros:

  • Powerful cannon that can take out any target with a single shot upon penetration
  • Powerful HEAT penetrates up to 250 mm which is very effective in a full uptier
  • The huge gun mantlet and its complex armour layout is capable of deflecting quite some shells sometimes
  • 30 mm roof armour resists popular aircraft weapons well, like the 12.7 mm M2 with ground target belt and the MG 151
  • All-round protection provides good resistance against flanking SPAAs. The M19/M42 are very common flankers
  • Equipped with a .50 calibre machine gun, good for dealing with lighter vehicles like SPAAs, or some light tank destroyers like the M18 Hellcat

Cons:

  • Long reload of more than 20 seconds and the rather curved trajectory demands very precise aiming, which isn't beginner friendly
  • Front armour is only 90 mm and is not well angled and can be penetrated easily by commonly encountered guns
  • Closely packed crew all easily get killed when an explosive shell penetrates
  • Very inadequate gun depression of -3° combined with the sluggish mobility makes it only capable of fighting in urban (flat) areas, but never the hills
  • Turretless layout and the sluggish mobility makes it very vulnerable to surprise flankers, for example the infamous M18, T20, T25 and Puma.
  • Gun breech often gets damaged while under enemy fire
  • 12.7 mm heavy machine gun only has 250 rounds

History

Development

Development of the ISU-152 already started alongside the SU-152, its predecessor. The SU-152 was based off the KV-1S tank, which itself is a lighter version of the KV-1 heavy tank. The vehicle, while highly praised in its performance, saw a need for modernization with the KV-1's phasing out of the Soviet inventory and being replaced with the new IS heavy tanks. The modernization process began on May 25, 1943, with the goal of using the IS tank as the basis of the vehicle and also increasing armour protection alongside other improvements. Development began in July under Joseph Yakovlevich Kotin, a chief designer of Soviet heavy tanks, who worked alongside G. N. Moskvin as the main designer. The designing of the improved vehicle went on for a month before the first variant was ready, designated the IS-152. This was tested in September 1943, which revealed defects and deficiencies with the design, so it was redone into a second variant called Object 241 in October 1943. Trials began on Object 241, which was successful through the factory and state trials and adopted on November 6, 1943, as the ISU-152. Production began in December at the Chelyabinsk Kirovsk Plant, producing 3,242 units from then all the way until 1947, with 1,885 units made by the end of World War II.

Design

The ISU-152 was the successor to the SU-152, retaining the same 152 mm ML-20S howitzer needed to destroy enemy fortifications in offensive operations. The vehicle was run on a torsion-bar suspension system from the IS tank chassis. The crew consists of four or five men in the vehicle, the optional crew member being a loader. The crew had external views through periscopes and two gun sights, a panoramic and a telescopic one. Crew communication was possible with an intercom system and a 10R or 10RK radio was available to communicate between vehicles. The crew had access to two PPSh submachine guns and grenades in the tank to defend themselves against infantry.

A drawback to the vehicle's design was the gun ammunition and internal storage. The large ammunition pieces were limited to about 20 rounds in the vehicle, and each round was extremely heavy and large that reloading the tank can take up to 40 minutes and lots of strength. Rate of fire was also reduced by the ammunition's heavyweight.

Combat usage

The ISU-152 was issued in a similar manner to the SU-152 in independent Heavy Self-propelled Artillery Regiments. Each regiment, of which 53 were formed from May 1943 to 1945, had 21 guns divided into four batteries of five vehicles and a commander vehicle. These regiments were supported by other military units to be flexible against threats. In December 1944, the Guards Heavy Self-propelled Artillery Brigades were formed to provide heavy fire support. These brigades had up to 65 vehicles, which would consist of ISU-152s or ISU-122s.

Like its predecessor the SU-152, the ISU-152 also served as a multi-role vehicle as a heavy assault gun, tank destroyer, and self-propelled artillery. As an assault gun, the vehicle was valuable during the Soviet's offensive operations assaulting fortified cities held by the Axis forces. The 152 mm gun was very successful in demolishing fortifications and strong points. The greater armour protection on the ISU-152 compared to the SU-152 (90 mm vs. 65 mm) made the vehicle very durable against German anti-tank weapons, even forcing the Tiger to come within close range to penetrate the vehicle. Usual tactics of the ISU-152s in urban combat was to act in one or two vehicle groups with infantry to deter infantry anti-tank weaponry like the Panzerfaust. As a tank destroyer, the ISU-152 worked its unintended role well enough that it inherited the nickname Zveroboy ("Beast Killer") from the SU-152s. The ISU-152 was very capable of destroying many of the more armoured German tanks like the Panthers, Tiger Is, and Tiger IIs. Though not as rapid-firing or as accurate as dedicated anti-tank guns, the rounds of the 152 mm howitzer could blow the turret off a Tiger tank, and a direct hit would definitely cause extensive internal damages to the tank's internal mechanisms or kill the crew due to spalling of the hull due to the explosive force. The tank destroyer role was phased out with the introduction of dedicated vehicles like the SU-100. As a self-propelled artillery piece, the ISU-152 is able to successfully fire in indirect bombardments against enemy targets up to 7,000 m away. Though it was not really a specialized vehicle for the role, it was better than typical towed artillery pieces due to being able to move and being an enclosed vehicle to protect the crew. The ISU-152 served in all these roles in all of the Soviet offensive operations into German territory all the way until the Battle of Berlin.

Many ISU-152s were exported by the Soviets after World War II to assist its allies and other Warsaw Pact members. Countries that had access to the ISU-152 in their military were Finland, Poland, China, Czechoslovakia, North Korea, Egypt, Iraq, Yugoslavia, and Romania. All of which used the ISU-152s up until the 1970s at the latest.


Archive of the in-game description

In the autumn of 1943, the KV-1S heavy tank was removed from mass production along with the successful SU-152 SPG based on the KV tanks. However, the fact that the KV and IS chassis were similar meant that a new SPG could be built based on the new heavy tank.

The SPG's layout was standard. A cabin made from rolled armour plates was installed in the front of the vehicle, combining the driving compartment and fighting compartment into one section. The engine compartment was placed in the rear of the vehicle. Because of the smaller width of the IS in comparison to the KV, the side plates' vertical slope was decreased from 25° to 15°, and its rear plate's slope removed altogether. At the same time, the cabin's frontal armour thickness was increased to 90 mm and its side armour to 75 mm. The gun mantlet was 60 mm thick, subsequently increasing to 100 mm. The vehicle was armed with a 152.4 mm ML-20 Mod. 1937/43 gun-howitzer with a 28 calibre barrel length and an ammunition capacity of 21 shells. After the war, the SPG's ammunition capacity was increased to 30 shots during modernisation. Starting from October 1944, an anti-tank turret equipped with a 12.7 mm DShK machine gun was attached on a traversing base on the commander's hatch.

From November 1943 until the end of mass production in 1946, 3,242 of them were manufactured.

The ISU-152's main role in battle was providing fire support to advancing tanks and infantry. These heavy SPGs were sometimes used in artillery preparation strikes. They could fire both directly and from cover. The SPGs were indispensable in urban battles. ISU-152s were used to suppress the Hungarian Uprising of 1956.

ISU-152 SPGs served in the Polish Army. After the war, Czechoslovakia received these vehicles. At the beginning of the 1960s, an Egyptian army regiment had an ISU-152 in service.

Among the vehicle's drawbacks, poor fighting compartment ventilation was noted. The shells' high weight demanded good physical endurance from the loader, and even then, the SPG's rate of fire was unsatisfactory. Its small on-board ammunition capacity and internally placed fuel tanks were also seen as serious flaws.


Media

Skins

See also

Vehicles equipped with the same chassis
Other vehicles of similar configuration and role

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 tank destroyers
SU-76M  SU-76M · SU-76M (5th Gv.Kav.Corps) · SU-85A
SU-57B  SU-57B · SU-76D
T-34 Derivatives  SU-122 · SU-85 · SU-85M · SU-100 · SU-122P
Heavy Tank Derivatives  SU-100Y · ISU-122 · ISU-122S · SU-152 · ISU-152 · Object 268
SU-100P and Derivatives  SU-100P · Object 120
Wheeled  YaG-10 (29-K)
Airborne  ASU-57 · ASU-85
Rocket  BM-8-24 · BM-13N · BM-31-12
ATGM  IT-1 · Shturm-S · Object 775 · Khrizantema-S
Artillery  2S1 · 2S3M
Other  SU-5-1 · ZiS-30 · SU-122-54
USA  SU-57

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