Difference between pages "IS-3" and "Ho-Ri Production"

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{{Specs-Card|code=ussr_is_3}}
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{{Specs-Card|code=jp_type_5_ho_ri_production}}
 +
{{About
 +
|about=tank destroyer '''{{PAGENAME}}'''
 +
|usage=the bundle version
 +
|link=Ho-Ri Prototype
 +
}}
  
 
== Description ==
 
== Description ==
−
<!--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.-->
+
<!--''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_IS-3.jpg|420px|thumb|left]]
+
[[File:GarageImage_Ho-RiProduction.jpg|420px|thumb|left]]
 
{{break}}
 
{{break}}
−
The '''{{Specs|name}}''' is a rank {{Specs|rank}} Soviet heavy tank {{Battle-rating}}. It was introduced during the closed beta testing for Ground Forces before [[Update 1.41]]. The IS-3 keeps the same [[D-25T (122 mm)|D-25T]] gun as its predecessor while ''drastically'' upgrading its armour without hindering mobility too much.
+
The '''{{specs|name}}''' is a rank {{specs|rank}} Japanese tank destroyer {{Battle-rating}}. It was introduced in [[Update 1.73 "Vive la France"]].
  
−
Anyone familiar with the [[IS-2]] and [[IS-2 (1944)]] will sit comfortably behind the driver's controls of this behemoth.
+
The Ho-Ri has a distinctive sloped UFP, small gun mantlet, and long casemate hull. Note the large lower plate - it is quite vulnerable and shots there can get its transmission destroyed.
  
−
As with previous IS models, the IS-3 sports the same D-25T 122mm cannon, with its awesome destructive potential. Experienced tankers will know which weak points to look for on most targets, although the weapon's effectiveness increases dramatically once the BR-417D ammunition is researched, upgrading its penetration from 207mm to 230mm while retaining most of the HE filler. At 7.3 BR, the IS-3 will come up against many other heavy tanks with large, slow reloading guns, making the playing field much more even. Despite this, always beware the faster, lightly armoured targets such as the [[Ru 251]], [[Leopard I]], and other vehicles that can essentially ignore the IS-3's armour like the [[FV4005|FV4005]]. As with the IS-2 mod. 1944, the IS-3 has a spindle-mounted Heavy Machine Gun, good for warding off strafing aircraft or deterring light vehicles.
+
== General info ==
 +
=== 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 helpful for survival in combat?''
  
−
The IS-3 once again demonstrates sub-par maneuverability, despite being relatively light for a heavy tank. It has an engine that produces a measly 671 horsepower, making the vehicle feel sluggish when attempting to initiate a turn from both standstills and when moving. Its' acceleration also leaves much to be desired, however, it does have a reasonably high top speed, and usually will reach it eventually regardless of the surface it is driving on. Fortunately, as with all late Soviet heavy tanks, the reverse speed of the IS-3 is very respectable, often allowing it the time necessary to back out of bad situations to reload or repair. The reverse gears and low forward gears allow the vehicle to climb surprisingly sharp slopes, despite what some might expect from such a large vehicle.
+
''If necessary use a visual template to indicate the most secure and weak zones of the armour.''-->
 +
[[File:Ho-Ri frontal weak spot demonstration.jpg|450px|thumb|right|Destroying Ho-Ri with APHE in direct battle isn't really all that hard - simply aim for these square sheets protecting its radiators and fire. As long as your shell can penetrate 200 mm of armour it will instantly explode the tank, or at least take out the entirety of the crew in that part of the tank. If you are ''very'' good at aiming, you can aim a bit higher to hit the window which has only 175 mm of armour with potential of hitting an outer ammo rack directly, but reduced likelyhood of APHE hitting the ammo on the bottom of the tank.]]
 +
If you spot a Ho-Ri, '''never''' shoot it in the sloped UFP. It can bounce shells from even an Object 120 and the only good thing that can come from it is if you get lucky and it bounces into the barrel. Instead, aim for the 120mm lower plate to destroy its mobility, or the right side of the mantlet to knock out the gunner. Note that the outer edges of the mantlet are slightly weaker, so if using APHE aim for that if possible.
  
−
The most obvious changes over the previous IS tanks are of course the redesigned turret and the sharply angled 'pike' nose. The front is not only angled, but the armour is also relatively thick, with 110mm on both the top and bottom, angled at 54°-56° and 54° respectively. As with previous designs, the IS-3 has somewhat sub-par side and rear armour, and angling should be avoided. The redesigned turret is much more resilient than the older designs, with more angling, a much smaller flat area around the mantlet, and significantly thicker casting. The tank is somewhat vulnerable to trap shots and turret ring penetration - these can be somewhat negated by depressing the gun and blocking the vulnerable areas.
+
While transmission is very sturdy and LFP is rather thick for lighter tanks and APHE, some heavy pure AP tanks like [[Lorraine 40t]] can shoot through it and ammo rack Ho-Ri in one shot.
  
−
The IS-3 is the definition of a 'breakthrough' tank, which excels at close-range, front-on conflict where the chances of flanking are minimal and drivers can take advantage of the heavy frontal armour and reverse speed. When up-tiered, or against certain enemies with HEAT, HESH or ATGMs, IS-3 drivers should play cautiously as the tank is extremely vulnerable to high-penetration and chemical rounds.
+
There is also a minor, but important detail - whenever your gun is pointing down, it opens the hatch on top of your vehicle, so if the enemy attacker is trying to top-down your SPG, pull your gun up to make sure it won't destroy the vehicle. It is also possible to push HE inside of compartment when the hatch is opened, but for anything, with exception of rank I tanks, it would be easier to just shoot your tank directly.
  
−
== General info ==
+
Overall, the Ho-Ri is highly resistant to light tanks and many relatively low-velocity shells when angled (such as even it's own APHE), however at flat angle front can be easily penetrated (especially when fired at point blank), flat sides can be easily penetrated by anything at the BR, and even the rear can be penetrated by SPAA. As such, in urban enviroment, it's best to cut corners and drive out onto enemy while already being angled.
−
=== 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 helpful for survival in combat?
+
Worst case scenario, Ho-Ri has 6 crew members, which are located in a very practical way (not just standing straight in the middle of the tank, but rather stand closer to the hull), so taking all of them out is a challenge in itself, and if player took less than maximal amount of ammo into fight, only the best-aimed shots can indefinitely one-shot the tank.
  
−
If necessary use a visual template to indicate the most secure and weak zones of the armour.-->
 
 
'''Armour type:'''
 
'''Armour type:'''
  
−
* Rolled homogeneous armour (Hull, Turret roof)
+
* Rolled homogeneous armour
−
* Cast homogeneous armour (Turret)
+
* Cast homogeneous armour (Gun mantlet)
  
 
{| class="wikitable"
 
{| class="wikitable"
 
|-
 
|-
−
! Armour !! Front !! Sides !! Rear !! Roof
+
! Armour !! Front (Slope angle) !! Sides !! Rear !! Roof
 
|-
 
|-
−
| Hull || 110 mm (54-56°) ''Front glacis'' <br> 110 mm (54°) ''Lower glacis'' || 90 mm (0-40°) ''Top'' <br> 20 mm (60°) ''Bottom'' || 60 mm (47°) ''Top'' <br> 60 mm (41-42°) ''Bottom'' || 20 mm  
+
| Hull || 120 mm (70°) ''Front glacis'' <br> 120 mm (8°), 60 mm (67°) ''Lower glacis'' <br> 100 mm (16°) ''Hull cheeks'' || 75 mm (17°) ''Top'' <br> 75 mm ''Bottom'' || 35 mm (10-40°) || 20 mm
 
|-
 
|-
−
| Turret || 250 mm (1-78°) ''Turret front'' <br> 100 + 250 mm (9-79°) ''Gun mantlet''|| 75-220 mm (33-69°) || 70-120 mm (22-52°) || 20 mm ''Front, Hatch roof'' <br> 40 mm ''Center'' <br> 75 mm ''Sides''
+
| Superstructure || 200-225 mm (5-20°) ''Superstructure front''<br> 175-225 mm ''Gun mantlet'' <br> 175 mm (5°) ''Vision slits'' <br> 50-200 mm (45°) ''Barrel shroud'' || 75 mm (17-48°) || 35 mm (5°) || 20-35 mm
 
|-
 
|-
 
|}
 
|}
 
'''Notes:'''
 
'''Notes:'''
  
−
* Suspension wheels are 20 mm thick while tracks are 30 mm thick.
+
* Suspension wheels and bogies are 15 mm thick while tracks are 20 mm thick.
−
* The thickest armour of the tank is at the front – the "beak" at the front of the hull raises the effective thickness of the armour from 110 to around 180 – 200 mm, depending on the exact spot.
+
* Bogie guards in the side suspension provide rows of 10 mm RHA at their locations.
−
* The turret front of the IS-3 is an also fairly well armoured, with 250 mm of heavily sloped armour equating to around 400 mm effective thickness.
+
* Belly armour is 20 mm thick.
−
* Turret side armour is not equal throughout its length. In the side middle, it is 130 mm, then bordering the rear armour is 150 mm thick.
+
* Hull underside right above tracks is 20 mm thick.
−
* Gun mantlet side and bottom are boosted by the 250 mm of the turret front, whereas the top of gun mantlet has no armour behind it.
+
* 20 mm RHA plates separate the engine compartment from the front and rear.
−
* Side armour of the hull has an additional 5 mm of sheet metal on above the suspension area.
 
−
* Turret ring is 200mm thick with a 20mm "collar" covering the front and sides.
 
−
* Upper half of the side armor is at a very steep angle, meaning conventional rounds will simply bounce
 
  
 
=== Mobility ===
 
=== Mobility ===
 
<!-- ''Write about the mobility of the ground vehicle. Estimate the specific power and manoeuvrability, as well as the maximum speed forwards and backwards.'' -->
 
<!-- ''Write about the mobility of the ground vehicle. Estimate the specific power and manoeuvrability, as well as the maximum speed forwards and backwards.'' -->
  
−
{{tankMobility|abMinHp= 671|rbMinHp= 460|<!--AoAweight=(optional) -->}}The mobility and speed of the IS-3 is decent, and is somewhere between other heavy tanks of the same tier and mediums tanks of the same tier. The IS-3 drives very similar to it's predecessors the IS-1 and IS-2. Whenever the IS-3 turns at all, much of the speed of the tank is instantly lost, making the hull turn rate IS-3 lacklustre, especially without neutral steering. This is, of course, akin to those previously mentioned predecessors.  
+
{{tankMobility|abMinHp= 1562|rbMinHp= 973}}
 +
 
 +
 
 +
When spaded, the {{PAGENAME}} moves at the pace of a medium tank - about 40/30 km/h (AB/RB) forward and -10/-8 km/h (AB/RB) backwards when offroad. It climb hills easily, sometimes even getting up the mountains.
 +
 
 +
The biggest problem of this SPG is that its turn rate is quite low, and it lacks neutral steering. One must maximize "driving" skill of the crew to be able to indefinitely turn around, otherwise tank throttles and fails to turn around at gear 1-2, which can be easily exploited by enemy light tanks.
 +
 
 +
When just one track is broken, {{PAGENAME}} still can bounce around to continue fighting. It is also worth noting, that if one track '''and''' engine are broken, {{PAGENAME}} can barely turn around 1 degree per second, which is a big deal in urban combat.
 +
 
 +
In Arcade mode {{PAGENAME}}'s engine is powerful enough to move hostile heavy tanks and push them around, denying repairs. Due to its hull shape, hostile tanks often get pulled on it and become completely helpless, especially when pushed against the wall, making tanks like [[T29]], [[IS-6]] and [[T-54 (1947)|T-54]] vulnerable to point blank finishers. Wide and agile medium tanks like [[T-44-100]] or [[Warrior]] often resist ramming attempts if away from walls and can eventually sidestep {{PAGENAME}}, but there is no practical need to ram them anyway. If you absolutely have to do it, do not leave them enough space to squeeze between {{PAGENAME}} and the wall, or they will escape.
  
 
== Armaments ==
 
== 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 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.-->
+
<!--''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.''-->
−
{{main|D-25T (122 mm)}}
+
 
 +
The weapon used by Ho-Ri is mostly suited to attack medium and heavy tanks, while heavy SPG and hull-down tanks at it's BR can mostly deflect its shots unless a weak spot is hit. As such, engaging other SPG is always a great risk.
 +
 
 +
While APHE used by it sometimes struggles at penetrating enemy and hasty shot might result in ricochet, if it penetrates the enemy tank is probably going to blow up, making destroying anything like [[Tiger II (10.5 cm Kw.K)]] and [[Centurion (Family)]] relatively easy, which is also supported by SPG armour being able to bounce most, if not all, of their reply shots. Gun is also relatively easy to handle on move if self-discipline is maintained.
 +
 
 +
In close quarters, if gunner got taken out and situation looks grim, Ho-Ri can ram the opponent and pull them onto a rock, wall, hill, or even itself, then push APHE into their now un-angled hull as soon as someone replaces the gunner. Usually APHE is potent enough to reach the ammo rack or the crew and one-shot the tank, but if ammo rack is destroyed, the chain reaction also often destroys or completely immobilizes Ho-Ri as well.
 +
 
 +
Apart from APHE, the gun can be armed with "Experimental HE", which is mostly used to simply destroy light tanks without having to aim for too long.
 +
 
 +
{{main|Type 5 (105 mm)}}
  
 
{| class="wikitable" style="text-align:center"
 
{| class="wikitable" style="text-align:center"
 
|-
 
|-
−
! colspan="6" | [[D-25T (122 mm)|122 mm D-25T]]
+
! colspan="6" | [[Type 5 (105 mm)|105 mm Type 5]]
 
|-
 
|-
 
! colspan="3" rowspan="1" style="width:5em" |Capacity
 
! colspan="3" rowspan="1" style="width:5em" |Capacity
Line 66: Line 89:
 
! rowspan="1" | Stabilizer
 
! rowspan="1" | Stabilizer
 
|-
 
|-
−
| colspan="3" | 28 || -3°/+20° || ±180° || N/A
+
| colspan="3" | 51 || -10°/+20° || ±10° || N/A
 
|-
 
|-
 
! colspan="6" | Turret rotation speed (°/s)
 
! colspan="6" | Turret rotation speed (°/s)
Line 77: Line 100:
 
! style="width:4em" |Prior + Ace qualif.
 
! style="width:4em" |Prior + Ace qualif.
 
|-
 
|-
−
| ''Arcade'' ||7.28||10.08||12.24||13.54||14.4
+
| ''Arcade'' || 3.60 || 8.6 || 8.9 || 9.8 || __.__
 
|-
 
|-
−
| ''Realistic'' ||5.36||6.30||7.65||8.43|| 9.00
+
| ''Realistic'' || 3.60 || 5.0 || 5.1 || 5.6 || __.__
 
|-
 
|-
 
! colspan="4" | Reloading rate (seconds)
 
! colspan="4" | Reloading rate (seconds)
Line 88: Line 111:
 
! colspan="1" style="width:4em" |Prior + Ace qualif.
 
! colspan="1" style="width:4em" |Prior + Ace qualif.
 
|-
 
|-
−
|26.0||23.0||21.2||20.0
+
| 11.10 || 9.9 || 9.1 || __.__
 
|-
 
|-
 
|}
 
|}
Line 107: Line 130:
 
! 2000m
 
! 2000m
 
|-
 
|-
−
| BR-471 || APHE ||205||201||183||162||144||128
+
| Type 2 APHE || APHE || 234 || 230 || 209 || 184 || 163 || 141
 
|-
 
|-
−
| BR-471B || APHEBC ||205||203||191||178||166||155
+
| Experimental HE || HE || 30 || 30 || 30 || 30 || 30 || 30
−
|-
 
−
| BR-471D || APCBC || 230 ||227||215||200||186||173
 
−
|-
 
−
| OF-471 || HE ||37||37||37||37||37||37
 
 
|-  
 
|-  
 
|}
 
|}
Line 135: Line 154:
 
! 100%
 
! 100%
 
|-
 
|-
−
| BR-471 || APHE || 795 || 25 || 1.2 ||19||246.4|| -1° || 47° || 60° || 65°
+
| Type 2 APHE || APHE || 1000 || 16 || 1.2 || 19 || 200 || ° || 47° || 60° || 65°
 
|-
 
|-
−
| BR-471B || APHEBC ||795|| 25 || 1.2 ||19||246.4|| +4° || 48° || 63° || 71°
+
| Experimental HE || HE || 920 || 16 || 0.1 || 0.1 || 2,520 || +0° || 79° || 80° || 81°
−
|-
 
−
| BR-471D || APCBC || 800 || 25 || 1.2 ||19||192.5|| +4° || 48° || 63° || 71°
 
−
|-
 
−
| OF-471 || HE || 800 || 25 || 0.1 || 0.1 || 3,600 || +0° || 79° || 80° || 81°
 
 
|-  
 
|-  
 
|}
 
|}
  
 
===== [[Ammo racks|Ammo racks]] =====
 
===== [[Ammo racks|Ammo racks]] =====
−
[[File:Ammoracks IS-3.png|right|thumb|x250px|[[Ammo racks|Ammo racks]] of the IS-3.]]
+
[[File:Ammoracks Ho-Ri Prototype.png|right|thumbnail|x250px|[[Ammo racks|Ammo racks]] of the Ho-Ri Prototype (identical to Production type).]]
−
 
+
{| class="wikitable sortable" style="text-align:center"
−
The D-25T cannon fires two-piece ammunition that are stored all around the crew compartment. The majority of the projectiles are found lining the sides and rear of the turret while the majority of the propellant found in the hull, with two large piles flanking the driver and a few kept on the hull floor and rear. Next to the cannon breach on the loader's side is a small ready rack containing 5 propellant charges, with the 5 accompanying projectiles found to the loader's right against the turret side. The time it takes the loader to load one round into the ready rack from the stowage racks is about 21 seconds.
 
−
 
 
−
{| class="wikitable" style="text-align:center"
 
 
|-
 
|-
 
! class="wikitable unsortable" |Full<br /> ammo
 
! class="wikitable unsortable" |Full<br /> ammo
Line 158: Line 170:
 
! class="wikitable unsortable" |4th<br />  rack empty
 
! class="wikitable unsortable" |4th<br />  rack empty
 
! class="wikitable unsortable" |5th<br />  rack empty
 
! class="wikitable unsortable" |5th<br />  rack empty
−
! class="wikitable unsortable" |6th<br />  rack empty
 
 
! class="wikitable unsortable" |Visual<br /> discrepancy
 
! class="wikitable unsortable" |Visual<br /> discrepancy
 
|-
 
|-
−
|| '''28''' || 23&nbsp;''(+5)'' || 17&nbsp;''(+11)'' || 13&nbsp;''(+15)'' || 10&nbsp;''(+18)'' || 8&nbsp;''(+20)'' || 1&nbsp;''(+27)'' || style="text-align:center" | no  
+
|| '''51''' || 46&nbsp;''(+5)'' || 40&nbsp;''(+11)'' || 30&nbsp;''(+21)'' || 12&nbsp;''(+39)'' || 1&nbsp;''(+50)'' || style="text-align:left" | no  
 
|-
 
|-
 
|}
 
|}
  
−
* Recommended ammo load is 12, which empty all of the racks but racks 1 and 6.
+
Casemate sides empty: 40''(+11)''
−
* Ammo Rack 1 is a ready rack, and takes priority in being filled at the beginning of the battle, then fills racks 6 through 2.
 
−
* Full reload speed will be realized as long as ammo exists in the ready racks. If all three ready racks are empty, a penalty to reload speed will occur.
 
−
* Simply not firing when the gun is loaded will load ammo from racks 2-6 into rack 1, as long as there is ammo in racks 2-6. Firing will interrupt the loading of the ready racks.
 
  
−
=== Machine guns ===
+
== Usage in battles ==
−
<!--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.-->
+
<!--''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).''-->
−
{{main|DShK (12.7 mm)|DT (7.62 mm)}}
+
 
 +
The Ho-Ri can be used in multiple roles. Its most effective at medium range, where it's harder for the enemy to aim for the lower plate and shells have a harder time penetrating the mantlet, making it easy for you to destroy them. The Ho-Ri is also quite potent at long range, particularly in down-tiers, where your gun remains effective (though less so) and your armour becomes even better. Be careful using it as a brawler, however. Your transmission is easier to hit, the mantlet is easier to penetrate, and faster foes can surround you easier and get a shot at your weak side armour.
 +
 
 +
The Ho-Ri should be primarily played as a medium to long range sniper. Your potent cannon can dispatch most enemies and the thick frontal armour will stop most shots, especially the UFP which is basically an auto-bounce zone. Be careful in close quarters - the Ho-Ri turns quite slowly when not up to speed and an easy shot to the LFP will instantly eliminate your mobility allowing for an easy flank. Your surprisingly fast acceleration will also assist when getting to nice sniping spots, and the speedy reverse allows you to retreat when getting overrun.  
  
−
{| class="wikitable" style="text-align:center"
+
Due to Ho-Ri having more effective armour than most tanks at BR, and weapon capable of one-shots, it can be used as a flank attacker or even brawler in close range. The idea is to flank enemy, destroy as many tanks as possible before they realized what's going on, and then try to destroy them 1 by 1. While this strategy is most useful in AB (due to increased mobility of the vehicle and sometimes limited map space) and requires high "driving" crew skill, Ho-Ri is undeniably scary in close quarters, due to it being able to survive dozens of direct shots (as example, 3 poorly placed direct shots of [[Centurion Mk.5 AVRE]] and about 10 shots from [[Tiger II (P)]]) and even somehow come out on top in 1v3 fights. Try to keep your head cool though, as while going completely berserk and sweeping streets of enemy tanks, one might forget about lighter enemy tanks like [[Vickers MBT]] and [[Panther II]], users of which will ''never'' miss their opportunity to snipe ammo rack of an unsuspecting opponent from 50 to 2000 m alike.
−
|-
+
 
−
! colspan="7" | [[DShK (12.7 mm)|12.7 mm DShK]]
+
Some concerning enemies are:
−
|-
+
 
−
! colspan="7" | ''Pintle mount''
+
* [[T-54 (1947)]]: This tank can be quite the pain to destroy, and if they are using the more advanced APHE shells found in the 100mm gun they can wipe out most of your crew in the mantlet. Your biggest chance at destroying them is through a trap shot or the mantlet at very close range. In arcade mode, one can try to ram T-54 to fire at the base of their turret and also push them onto something to fire a gun at their exposed roof, though in case T-54 in question had full ammunition load, the sheer power of explosion might take Ho-Ri out as collateral.
−
|-
+
* [[IS-2]] / [[IS-2 (1944)]] / [[ISU-122]]: These machines carry a huge 122 mm cannon that penetrates literally anything they see, including the Ho-Ri. Their shells will go through Ho-Ri's vertical armor of the fighting compartment pretty easily, killing the crew inside or detonating the ammo. To deal with the IS-2, try get a shot at them before the notice you / when they are reloading. These tanks tend to get one-shot due to their lack of crew or the cramped interior. For IS-2 mod.1943, aim for the hull armor that curves and blends into the side, or aim at the turret cheeks. For mod.1944, only go for the turret as the hull is very thick and well sloped. For the ISU-122, aim at anywhere but the gun mantlet, as it often absorb shells or cause ricochet.
−
! colspan="4" rowspan="1" style="width:5em" |Capacity (Belt capacity)
+
* [[AMX-50 Foch]]: Wielding a powerful cannon and heavy sloped armour, the Foch is a rare yet dangerous enemy. Do not give them time to one-shot you through transmission and aim for the gun. If your quick aim is good enough, one or two shots to optics on top of the hull will destroy Foch, due to APHE spalling down inside of heavy SPG. In the worst case scenario, you can just de-track it and call your teammates, which is not a bad idea, considering Foch drivers like ramming their opponents, rendering them unable to do anything.
−
! rowspan="1" | Fire rate <br> (shots/minute)
+
* [[T32E1]]: Though rare, this tank is completely immune to your gun in the front, while it can still go through your lower plate easily. Shoot the barrel and either flank it or retreat.
−
! rowspan="1" | Vertical <br> guidance
+
* [[Jagdtiger]]: It's best to just retreat on sight of this SPG, as it can easily one-shot Ho-Ri, while it's barely possible to destroy it back. If direct combat is unavoidable, try to destroy its gun. MG port weak spot on the hull can be exploited to do minor crew damage. if Ho-Ri is on the low ground, an LFP shot becomes possible, resulting in one-shot.
−
! rowspan="1" | Horizontal <br> guidance
+
* ATGM light tanks and high tier SPAA: While APHE is adequate at destroying most of the light tanks, it is sometimes better to load "experimental HE" instead to one-shot them with hull break, especially the ones, which carry ATGM as secondary weapons. Keep in mind, that certain light tanks like [[BMP-1|BMP series]] and [[Warrior]] may resist explosives and are still easier to be destroyed with APHE instead. If low calibre non-combat SPAA is trying to destroy Ho-Ri, you can just put your rear next to a wall and make sure the roof hatch is closed. They will not be able to do anything to you like this.
 +
 
 +
=== Modules ===
 +
{| class="wikitable"
 +
! Tier
 +
! colspan="2" | Mobility
 +
! Protection
 +
! Firepower
 
|-
 
|-
−
| colspan="4" | 300 (50) || 600 || -4°/+85° || ±180°
+
| I
 +
| Tracks
 +
|
 +
| Parts
 +
| Horizontal Drive
 
|-
 
|-
−
|}
+
| II
−
{| class="wikitable" style="text-align:center"
+
| Suspension
 +
| Brake System
 +
| FPE
 +
| Adjustment of Fire
 
|-
 
|-
−
! colspan="7" | [[DT (7.62 mm)|7.62 mm DT]]
+
| III
 +
| Filters
 +
|
 +
| Crew Replenishment
 +
| Elevation Mechanism
 
|-
 
|-
−
! colspan="7" | ''Coaxial mount''
+
| IV
−
|-
+
| Transmission
−
! colspan="4" rowspan="1" style="width:5em" |Capacity (Belt capacity)
+
| Engine
−
! rowspan="1" | Fire rate <br> (shots/minute)
+
|
−
! rowspan="1" | Vertical <br> guidance
+
|
−
! rowspan="1" | Horizontal <br> guidance
 
−
|-
 
−
| colspan="4" | 2,000 (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).-->
 
−
 
−
The IS-3, continuing the tradition of the Russian IS line of heavy tanks, sports a powerful 122mm cannon, strong frontal armour and reasonable mobility for its class. As with its predecessors, it excels at dispatching anything it can penetrate with its explosive-filled rounds, and relies heavily on its excellent reverse speed and sharply angled armour to keep itself out of trouble. However, an IS-3 commander will increasingly encounter HEAT, HESH and ATGMs which pose a serious threat to the vehicle.
 
−
 
−
=== General Gameplay ===
 
−
One of the most important points about the IS-3 is that angling does not work - your pike nose will become easier to get through as you angle your tank, so handle all enemies head-on, if possible. However your gun is still the same 122 mm cannon as on the initial [[IS-2]] at which is situated at a lower battle rating, so it is understandable that you will struggle to penetrate many heavy enemies frontally now at the higher battle rating.
 
−
 
−
In the current meta, faster vehicles are more viable than heavier ones, and the IS-3 is at a big disadvantage especially in Realistic. Your armour is amazing in a downtier (to Battle Ratings 6.3 / 6.7), but it's basically non-existent in an uptier (to Battle Ratings 8.0 / 8.3, where you start seeing APFSDS and HEAT shells all the time), so knowing when to take this tank out is also a big part of gameplay with it.
 
−
 
−
'''Arcade Battles'''
 
−
 
−
Surprisingly, the IS-3 can do very well in Arcade. Many enemies in Arcade don't seem to know that the best way to kill the IS-3 with a conventional round is via a shot-trap, so your survivability is increased. Moreover, when fully upgraded, the IS-3 becomes extremely mobile in Arcade allowing you to get into cover after shooting, or quickly advance on an unsuspecting enemy. The best strategy against a single enemy is to just rush them - the terrain usually bounces your tank around slightly making it very difficult to penetrate, and the sheer sight of a heavy tank speeding towards the enemy will cause some panic.
 
−
 
−
The more experienced tanker will know when to take the IS-3 out in battle and when to use other vehicles. If you know that the game is an uptier (e.g. by checking the statistics tab, or by the map draw) you should decide against the IS-3 and take out a tank like the [[BMP-1]], which fits better into the high tier meta. Also, long-range engagements are a gamble, since your top round and long reload times make it difficult to successfully attack enemies, while they might have a HEAT shell that disregards distance. However, the rush strategy can work here as well, especially if you turn your tank in random directions once in a while, making it harder for opponents to aim at you.
 
−
 
−
'''Realistic Battles'''
 
−
 
−
In Realistic, the IS-3 is much more difficult to play, because enemies take more time to aim at weakspots and your mobility is toned down. Due to that, you need to take time with your own shots and know your opponents - is there an ammo-rank in the side of the Caernarvon, or should you shoot at the driver's position? and etc. Generally, you need to play with stealth in Realistic, because the person who shoots first is usually the one that gets the kill. Flanking can, and does, work with the IS-3, not because of speed, but because your teammates are shot and you can return fire at the perpetrators and continue your advance. Moreover, some light tanks that are prevalent at the higher Battle Ratings outright cannot penetrate you with their main guns (most of them have ATGMs, though).
 
−
 
−
Against ATGMs, it's a good idea to use your machine guns to shoot at the ground in front of your tank - this makes a small smoke-screen out of dirt and rubble that makes it difficult for enemies to aim their ATGMs. Keep in mind though, that you should still move your tank away from the initial position, because enemies will try to predict where you are going (it's a good idea to shoot machine guns increasingly to the left, while moving to the right, because it causes a sense of your tank moving with machine guns, while actually, you're moving in the other direction).
 
−
 
−
'''General Tips'''
 
−
 
−
The IS-3 is relatively versatile, but excels in close-range combat against conventional rounds - it is very good at taking on other heavy tanks such as the [[T32|T32]] and [[Caernarvon]].
 
−
 
−
* It has a reasonably decent top speed, and on solid ground, acceptable acceleration, allowing it to reach cap points and combat areas fairly promptly and set up in positions to allow it to make the most of the frontal armour.
 
−
* When down tiered (6.3-6.7 games), the IS-3 performs excellently, able to push forward and play its 'breakthrough' role with impunity.
 
−
* Good climbing capabilities allow the IS-3 to reach some surprising positions for sniping or supporting teammates pushing points. Despite the gun's effectiveness being reduced at the range, the armour of the vehicle becomes much more effective as weak spots become significantly harder to hit.
 
−
* Since the IS-3 can keep up with most medium tanks like the Centurions, Panthers or T-44s, it can be played as early-game heavy support for those lighter, more vulnerable hulls to assist in taking objectives.
 
−
* In up tiered games (7.7-8.3), the IS-3 can come across a lot of chemical rounds and must be played significantly more carefully, as its armour simply cannot compete with the high penetration of these rounds.
 
−
 
−
Play this tank almost any way that is favourable. A few tips to increase this vehicle's performance:
 
−
 
−
* Always face towards the enemies directly, avoid exposing the weak hull sides.
 
−
* Cover the frontal weak spots if necessary with the gun's large barrel by pointing it downwards. It's better to have the gun barrel destroyed than it is to lose crew members and be potentially unable to reverse out of bad situations.
 
−
* Stop only to fire. Movement makes the weak spots harder to target. Even when there is no destination to move to, go back and forth a few meters just so that the IS-3 hull wobbles a bit on start and stop.
 
−
* Plan aggressive pushes and movements around enemy locations. The gun has negligible depression and very bad horizontal traverse, making reacting to enemies slow and risky, and impossible if they're on lower ground.
 
−
* Avoid engaging vehicles over hills by climbing the hill as it will be hard to aim with only -3° depression and the lower plate will be vulnerable due to the angling.
 
−
* Avoid fighting tanks with HEAT/HESH/APFSDS.
 
−
* Be careful when brawling at extremely close ranges, as the top of the turret is quite vulnerable due to the vehicle's low profile.
 
−
* Avoid facing elevated opponents, as this decreases LOS thickness for hull and exposes turret top.
 
−
* Carrying less ammo helps increase survivability from penetrating shots to the turret (ammunition is spread around the edges of the turret).
 
−
 
−
=== The Stock Grind ===
 
−
This vehicle can be a pain to play when stock, because enemies will try to kill you in any way, often by setting you on fire 3 times in a row. Your tracks and gun barrel are frequent targets as well, and without Parts or FPE gameplay is going to be painful. Due to this, you must '''research Parts and FPE first''', this is extremely important. Generally, you would want to be behind your teammates, to let them get shot more instead of you, when reloaded you can poke out and shoot your shot, right before going back into the cover or behind teammates. Sniping is an option, but it's not the most viable since there's quite a lot of bullet drop and missing your shots will cause the very long reload.
 
−
 
−
===Modules===
 
−
In tier, I, ''Parts'' and ''Horizontal Drive should, of course, be the prioritized modules for repairs and turret traverse speed. These two will also unlock Tier II modifications and grant access to the very vital ''FPE'' and ''M61 shot'', the former for preservation against fires and the latter to improve damage in the battlefield.''
 
−
 
−
Then in tier III, ''Crew Replenishment'' should be obtained for crew survival improvement and the APCR ''T45 shot'' for improved armour-piercing power. After that, everything else could be done at one's own priorities, but ''Engine'' should be invested for better automotive performances and ''M89'' for the smoke capabilities.
 
  
 
=== Pros and cons ===
 
=== Pros and cons ===
−
<!--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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<!--''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".''-->
 +
'''Pros:'''
  
−
'''Pros''':
+
* Heavy amount of frontal sloped armour
 +
* Can bounce '''anything''' when angled right
 +
* Very fast for a heavy SPG, with high acceleration thanks to its massive engine
 +
* Reverse speed is good enough to get away from trouble and even when Ho-Ri loses one track it can still balance around to continue fighting
 +
* High-velocity cannon with decent penetration and high post-penetration damage, perfect against medium tanks
 +
* Good gun depression
  
−
* Very good frontal armour. Upper and lower plates are basically immune to all conventional shells
+
'''Cons:'''
−
* First Soviet heavy tank that comes with the V-shaped hull and ridiculously strong spaced armour lining the sides
 
−
* Really strong turret. Even the sides of the turret are heavily armoured and angled
 
−
* Very powerful 122 mm gun; top APHE shell has high penetration and very good damage potential
 
−
* Good top speed and manoeuvrability
 
−
* Fearsome reputation
 
  
−
'''Cons''':
+
* No neutral steering
−
 
+
* Can get outflanked by turret tanks easily
−
* Horrifying reload speed; despite the armour, fighting two tanks at once is ill-advised
+
* Often up-tiered
−
* Armor is still no match for APDS and HEAT
+
* Enemy heavy SPG destroy it easily and usually shrug off its attacks
−
* Terrible gun depression; finding a good hull-down location to use the gun is difficult
+
* Mantlet is easily penetrated in close quarters, especially by sabot rounds
−
* Despite the good turret, the left side of the gun mantlet can be penetrated by conventional rounds with good penetration (Like the 88 mm shell found on the Tiger II)
+
* Large weak spot in the LFP, protected by transmission, resulting in a quick immobilization
−
* Bottom of the gun mantlet is an infamous shot trap
+
* Very high repair cost
−
* While a small target, the entirety of the turret ring is exposed
 
−
* Ammo is strewn throughout the entire crew compartment
 
−
* Roof-mounted 12.7 mm machine gun only has a 50 box magazine before needing to reload
 
−
* Only four crew members in a small crew compartment; any APHE shell that penetrates will likely knock out the entire crew
 
  
 
== 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 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></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).-->
+
<!-- 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: https://wiki.warthunder.com/(Vehicle-name)/History) and add a link to it here using the main template. Be sure to reference text and sources by using <ref>, 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 === Encyclopedia Info ===, also if applicable). -->
−
 
+
In September 1942, the Japanese Army Staff received word of the new American M4 Sherman tank, which they realized had completely outclassed every Japanese tank in production at the time. There were three projects proposed by the Staff, each bearing their own gun selection; the 47 mm ''Kou'', 57 mm ''Otsu'', and 75 mm ''Hei'' designs. As combat data was filtered to the Japanese High Command, they ordered that the model ''Kou'' and ''Otsu'' merge to become the basis of what would eventually become the Type 4 [[Chi-To]]. Meanwhile, the ''Hei'' proposal would lead to the development of the Type 5 [[Chi-Ri II|Chi-Ri]]. 
−
===Development===
 
−
Late in 1944, development of the next generation of the IS heavy tanks started, following after the [[IS-2 (1944)|IS-2]] tank. The tank was to be better in armour compared to the IS-2 as a response to the new [[Tiger II (H)|Tiger II]] that showed up and is able to penetrate the front armour of the hull. The project was codenamed ''Kirovets-1'' and was headed by General Nikolai Dukhov.<ref name="ZalogaIS">Zaloga Steven. ''IS-2 Heavy Tank 1944-73'' Great Britain: Osprey Publishing Ltd., 1994</ref> Design bureaus at the Chelyabinsk Tractor Plant "Tankograd" (ChTZ) and Factory No. 100 worked on the design of the vehicle. A focus on the armour improvement came from a study by an engineer in the teams that most tank losses occurred from hits to the front turret, with the front hull coming in second. The two design bureaus came up with their own ideas on how to make the armour of the tank more effective, with ChTZ developing an extremely rounded turret and No.100 developing a new angled front armour in a shape of a "beak". Soviet command decided that the design should use both features in the armour as both ideas were promising. The prototype vehicle was then produced at ChTZ and completed in October 1944 when it trialled and accepted for production as the '''IS-3'''. Production for the IS-3 started in 1945 at ChTZ alongside the IS-2 production. As the first tanks rolled off production lines, it was determined that the design was rushed and unproven with its multiple mechanical problems, some of which included the armour plates welds cracking open from the vibration of cross-country movement and muzzle blast from the gun. Because of this, the IS-3 was not available in large numbers to be committed into battle, leading to their absence in the final months of World War II before Germany surrendered in May 1945.<ref name="ZalogaIS" />
 
−
 
 
−
Despite its rough introduction and prevalent mechanical issues, the IS-3 continued production with gradual fixes to the front hull, final drive, and engine mounts. The Chelyabinsk factory produced IS-3s from 1945 to 1951 for a total of 1,800 tanks.<ref name="ZalogaIS" />
 
−
 
 
−
===Usage===
 
−
Though the IS-3 was not available in large numbers at the start, the Soviets attempted to transport the IS-3 to Germany in April 1945 to assist in the fightings, but they arrived too late to be committed to any fighting. It is reported that the IS-3 did see service during the Soviet invasion of Manchuria in August 1945 to fulfil Stalin's promise in the Yalta Conference to invade Japan after the capitulation of Germany, however not much information is present about this topic.<ref name="ZalogaIS" />
 
  
−
The end of the most destructive war in history did not waver the Soviet's opinion of the IS-3 however, and the Soviet command had the 52 IS-3 tanks from the 2nd Guards Tank Army paraded in the Berlin Victory Parade on September 7, 1945.<ref name="ZalogaIS" /> The reveal of the IS-3 in the parade came as a huge shock to the Western Allies who saw the IS-3 as a nigh-invulnerable breakthrough tank with their heavy armour. The response to the tank was there to develop their own heavy tanks able to do the same job and with a gun able to fight the IS-3, such as the British [[Conqueror|Conqueror]] and the American [[M103|M103]] heavy tanks. Despite its very ominous stature, the IS-3 was still plagued with mechanical issues at this point with its poor armour quality and mechanical reliability. A short modernization program from 1948 to 1952 was made to fix these issues with tanks in production and in the depots with no change to the name designation. The IS-3 was then modernized further in the 1960s to keep it up with changing times. The modifications done were similar to the IS-2M, which gave the IS-3 extra external fuel tanks, storage bins, and protective side skirts as well as an improved engine, engine filtration, new radios, new machine guns, new gun optics, and many more small changes. The modernized IS-3 was named the ''IS-3M''.<ref name="ZalogaIS" />
+
Additional development projects came from a change in the Weapons Administration Headquarters Research Policy in July of 1943, a change that was made due to analyzing tank warfare between the German Army and the Soviet Union. Through the analysis of said data, the Japanese Army shifted their tank doctrine towards an emphasis on developing tanks that prioritized anti-armour missions instead of infantry support. Upon the enacting of this policy, the Army started a program to develop a series of tank destroyers based on the chassis of the medium tanks being designed. 
  
−
One of the few actions the IS-3 saw in the post-war era with the Soviet Union was in 1956 during the Hungarian Revolution with a single heavy tank regiment. The Soviet's heavy tank regiments used to consist of 21 heavy tanks during World War II. In 1947, the regiment composition is changed to between 44-46 heavy tanks and 21 heavy assault guns in a mixed formation. Another change between 1958-1959 saw this mixed unit changed to consist of only heavy tanks but now consists of up to 100 heavy tanks. Despite their armour, a number of heavy tanks were lost before the Soviets were able to crush the revolution. The IS-3 after that did not see much action afterwards in the Soviet Union's hands before it started to be replaced by the newer [[T-10M|T-10]] heavy tank in the 1960s. During this time, many heavy tanks were transported to the border between the Soviet Union and China in face of the rising tension between the two countries.<ref name="ZalogaIS" />
+
The Type 5 Chi-Ri was chosen to become the basis for a new tank destroyer, as it was Japan's primary medium tank project and was more mature than other alternatives, while also mounting some of the most advanced technology Japan had produced at the time. 
  
−
The IS-3 would also be supplied to the Soviet Union's allies such as Poland, Czechoslovakia, North Korea, and Egypt. Poland and Czechoslovakia never adopted the tank after trials however, thus leaving only North Korea and Egypt as the main foreign users of the IS-3. The Egyptians used the IS-3M, 100 of which were received from the Soviets, against the Israelis in the Six-Day War in 1967. Of all the tanks used in that war, the IS-3M was the most feared by the Israelis due to the thick front armour. Israeli infantry's standard anti-tank weaponry could not penetrate through the front, and tanks as modern as the [[M48A1|M48 Patton]] also could not defeat the IS-3M. Nevertheless, the better tactics and training among the Israeli tank units were able to prevail against the IS-3M, with the IS-3 being commented by the Egyptians for its low rate of fire and outdated fire-controls to the crew's deficiency in combat. Of the 100, 73 tanks were lost during the Six-Day War. The Israeli managed to capture a number of IS-3 and pressed them into service, though only for a short period before its faults become more problematic than its benefits. The engine on the IS-3 proved to be unsuitable in the desert climate of the Middle East, and an attempt by the Israeli to alleviate this by replacing the engine with one from the [[T-54 (1951)|T-54]], though this did not prove fruitful. In the Yom Kippur War in 1973, both the Egyptians and Israeli used the IS-3M to a smaller degree than the Six Day War, the IS-3 not seeing much combat in the Egyptian forces and were used as dug-in pillboxes on the Jordan River by the Israelis.<ref name="ZalogaIS" />
+
The tank destroyer would eventually be titled the '''''Ho-Ri'''''. Development of the vehicle began shortly after the Chi-Ri's, and after the decision was made to use the reliable coil spring suspension system that the Japanese manufacturers were familiar with, the Army began work on designing the superstructure and casemate with the first design mimicking the Chi-Ri chassis entirely and replacing the turret with a reinforced rear-mounted superstructure. 
  
−
===Decline and Discontinuation===
+
During the development of the new tank destroyer series, the Army chose to design a new anti-tank gun to fit the role. In July of 1943, the Army Military Customs Council began designing a 105 mm anti-tank gun based off of the Type 96 150 mm Strategic artillery cannon. It was shortened and given a single piece barrel and tank breech. Unfortunately, the two chief engineers of the cannon project the task that it meet a requirement of penetrating 200 mm at 1,000 meters with a 1000 m/s muzzle velocity. Naturally, the tank gun was not capable of this and instead was only able to penetrate 150 mm at 1,000 meters with a 915 m/s muzzle velocity. Although it did not meet the requirements, it was still superior to any other Japanese tank gun and was accepted into service as the Type 5 10cm.
−
With the introduction of the lighter and more mobile [[T-54 (1951)|T-54]] main battle tank in the 1950s, the IS-3 saw less usage among the Soviet front-line as it started to become obsolete. Further development to improve and continue the IS tank series became the [[IS-4M|IS-4]], IS-7, and the [[T-10M|T-10]] tanks. However, in 1960, Nikita Khrushchev, the new premier of the Soviet Union after Stalin died, ordered heavy tank production to be terminated in wake of a new military strategy of missiles rather than conventional forces.<ref name="ZalogaIS" /> His orders are not without reason, heavy tanks are difficult to maintain and transport across the huge Soviet Union, which also did not have many bridges that could support a heavy tank. Another reason was the changing anti-tank technology that made tank armour extremely vulnerable, especially against the new anti-tank missiles that are becoming more and more efficient at their task in destroying tanks. Still, the order did not mean the dissolution of heavy tank units as by 1978, there were still up to 2,300 heavy tanks in the Far East. To this day, many heavy tanks are still either in inactive reserves or dug in as pillboxes along the borders of the Soviet Union.<ref name="ZalogaIS" /> The heavy tank's place in the Soviet Union's military was replaced by the main battle tanks (MBT) like the T-64, which presented a much better firepower, armour, and mobility for only a weight of 35 tons, a technological sign on the rising prevalence of the MBT.
 
  
−
=== In-game description ===
+
Originally, the Ho-Ri was to keep the hull-mounted Type 1 37 mm from the Chi-Ri due to the idea that the primary cannon could only do so much for itself and a secondary weapon was required. The development of the design was split into to concepts; one being a rear mounted superstructure with a central engine (Ho-Ri I) and the other being a centralized superstructure with a rear engine placement (Ho-Ri II). The engine selection was quite different from the traditional diesel engines that powered most Japanese tanks throughout their production. Instead, Japan had used a V12 gasoline aircraft engine designed by BMW, making 550 horsepower at 1500 RPM. This engine was chosen due to the industrial capacity of Japan reaching its peak, and many assets from aircraft development were readily available for usage. 
−
In spite of the fact that the IS-2 lived up to expectations, a decision was made a year after the end of the war to create a tank with even higher characteristics. Its unique welded hull and cast turret construction significantly increased its armour strength in comparison to the IS-2, from which it took many key parts and components.  
 
  
−
The hull was welded together from rolled armour plates and contained no cast armour pieces. The dual-sloping inclined nose design allowed a driver's hatch to be placed in it, significantly improved visibility in the field and provided high armour strength to the frontal hull. For increased fire safety, its fuel tanks were moved from the fighting compartment to the engine compartment. It was armed with a 122 mm D-25T cannon with a coaxial 7.62 mm DT machine gun. The turret's roof was equipped with a 12.7 mm DShK anti-aircraft machine gun. It had no bow or rear machine guns.
+
However, by the time both designs of the vehicle were proposed, the armour was no longer sufficient to thwart most US anti-tank armaments. Despite this, the design showed considerable promise and it was ordered that a third vehicle be designed with significantly improved armour. This new design was commonly labeled as '''Ho-Ri III'''. 
  
−
At the beginning of their deployment, a range of flaws resulting from a number of design errors and miscalculations was revealed in these tanks. Among other issues, these included failures in the engine, gearbox, and parts of the armoured hull in the region of the engine compartment. In 1948-1952, all IS-3 tanks were reworked and modernised. The engine brackets were reinforced, the gearbox fixings changed, the underturret plate strengthened, the main friction coupling design updated, and the sealing enhanced on the final drive and road wheels. The 10-RK radio set was replaced with the 10-RT radio set. These changes increased the tank's mass to 48.8 tonnes.
+
The Ho-Ri III took the basis of the Ho-Ri I and revamped it, changing the frontal plate from a flat 75 mm thick plate to a 120 mm thick plate sloped at 70°, deleting the hull-mounted 37 mm gun in the process. Although this was seen as a considerable blow to the tank's self-defense capabilities, it was accepted due to its vastly improved survivability. The removal of the 37 mm gun meant that the extra crew member who previously operated the gun could be used as a second loader to assist with the autoloading mechanism and provide shells for the primary loader.
  
−
The first experimental group of IS-3 heavy tanks left their factories in 1945. In total, 2,311 of them were made by mid-1946.
+
The construction of the prototype was completed in 1944 and achieved a top speed of 40 km/h during trials. Being seen as a success, the Army ordered 5 units of the vehicle and put it into service as the '''Type 5 Ho-Ri'''. However only one operable prototype was fully completed by the war's end and the series only made it to 50% completion, resulting in the design being scrapped and no further testing was pursued.
−
They were not deployed in combat in the Great Patriotic War. There are some indications that the IS-3 was used in the defeat of the Japanese army in August 1945.
 
  
 
== Media ==
 
== Media ==
−
<!--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=japan&vehicleType=tank&vehicleClass=tank_destroyer&vehicle=jp_type_5_ho_ri_production Ho-Ri Production] in Warthunder Live.
−
;Videos
 
−
{{Youtube-gallery|_-YJo8JRBEM|'''Shooting Range #190''' -  ''Metal Beasts'' section at 1:00 discusses the IS-3.}}
 
−
 
 
−
;Skins
 
−
 
 
−
* [http://live.warthunder.com/feed/camouflages/?q=%23is3 Skins and camouflages for the IS-3 from live.warthunder]
 
−
 
 
−
==References==
 
−
<references />
 
  
 
== See also ==
 
== See also ==
Line 329: Line 281:
  
 
== External links ==
 
== External links ==
−
<!--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;''
 
* ''encyclopedia page on the tank;''
 
* ''encyclopedia page on the tank;''
 
* ''other literature.''-->
 
* ''other literature.''-->
  
−
* [http://forum.warthunder.com/index.php?/topic/227061-vehicle-profile-is-3/#entry4370635 [Vehicle Profile<nowiki>]</nowiki> IS-3]
+
* [[Wikipedia:Type_5_Chi-Ri_medium_tank#Variant|[Wikipedia<nowiki>]</nowiki> Type 5 Chi-Ri medium tank]]
  
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{{USSR heavy tanks}}
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{{Japan tank destroyers}}

Revision as of 23:22, 13 July 2020

Rank 6 USA
F-5C Pack
Ho-Ri Production
jp_type_5_ho_ri_production.png
Ho-Ri Production
Japan flag.png Japan
V Rank
Battle rating:
AB RB SB
7.3 7.3 7.3
Class:
Research:95 000 Specs-Card-Exp.png
Purchase:270 000 Specs-Card-Lion.png
Show in game
This page is about the tank destroyer Ho-Ri Production. For the bundle version, see Ho-Ri Prototype.

Description

GarageImage Ho-Ri Production.jpg


The Type 5 Ho-Ri Production is a rank V Japanese tank destroyer with a battle rating of 7.3 (AB/RB/SB). It was introduced in Update 1.73 "Vive la France".

The Ho-Ri has a distinctive sloped UFP, small gun mantlet, and long casemate hull. Note the large lower plate - it is quite vulnerable and shots there can get its transmission destroyed.

General info

Survivability and armour

Destroying Ho-Ri with APHE in direct battle isn't really all that hard - simply aim for these square sheets protecting its radiators and fire. As long as your shell can penetrate 200 mm of armour it will instantly explode the tank, or at least take out the entirety of the crew in that part of the tank. If you are very good at aiming, you can aim a bit higher to hit the window which has only 175 mm of armour with potential of hitting an outer ammo rack directly, but reduced likelyhood of APHE hitting the ammo on the bottom of the tank.

If you spot a Ho-Ri, never shoot it in the sloped UFP. It can bounce shells from even an Object 120 and the only good thing that can come from it is if you get lucky and it bounces into the barrel. Instead, aim for the 120mm lower plate to destroy its mobility, or the right side of the mantlet to knock out the gunner. Note that the outer edges of the mantlet are slightly weaker, so if using APHE aim for that if possible.

While transmission is very sturdy and LFP is rather thick for lighter tanks and APHE, some heavy pure AP tanks like Lorraine 40t can shoot through it and ammo rack Ho-Ri in one shot.

There is also a minor, but important detail - whenever your gun is pointing down, it opens the hatch on top of your vehicle, so if the enemy attacker is trying to top-down your SPG, pull your gun up to make sure it won't destroy the vehicle. It is also possible to push HE inside of compartment when the hatch is opened, but for anything, with exception of rank I tanks, it would be easier to just shoot your tank directly.

Overall, the Ho-Ri is highly resistant to light tanks and many relatively low-velocity shells when angled (such as even it's own APHE), however at flat angle front can be easily penetrated (especially when fired at point blank), flat sides can be easily penetrated by anything at the BR, and even the rear can be penetrated by SPAA. As such, in urban enviroment, it's best to cut corners and drive out onto enemy while already being angled.

Worst case scenario, Ho-Ri has 6 crew members, which are located in a very practical way (not just standing straight in the middle of the tank, but rather stand closer to the hull), so taking all of them out is a challenge in itself, and if player took less than maximal amount of ammo into fight, only the best-aimed shots can indefinitely one-shot the tank.

Armour type:

  • Rolled homogeneous armour
  • Cast homogeneous armour (Gun mantlet)
Armour Front (Slope angle) Sides Rear Roof
Hull 120 mm (70°) Front glacis
120 mm (8°), 60 mm (67°) Lower glacis
100 mm (16°) Hull cheeks 		75 mm (17°) Top
75 mm Bottom 		35 mm (10-40°) 20 mm
Superstructure 200-225 mm (5-20°) Superstructure front
175-225 mm Gun mantlet
175 mm (5°) Vision slits
50-200 mm (45°) Barrel shroud 		75 mm (17-48°) 35 mm (5°) 20-35 mm

Notes:

  • Suspension wheels and bogies are 15 mm thick while tracks are 20 mm thick.
  • Bogie guards in the side suspension provide rows of 10 mm RHA at their locations.
  • Belly armour is 20 mm thick.
  • Hull underside right above tracks is 20 mm thick.
  • 20 mm RHA plates separate the engine compartment from the front and rear.

Mobility

Game Mode Max Speed (km/h) Weight (tons) Engine power (horsepower) Power-to-weight ratio (hp/ton)
Forward Reverse Stock Upgraded Stock Upgraded
Arcade 44 10 65 1562 2,099 24.03 32.29
Realistic 41 9 973 1,100 14.97 16.92


When spaded, the Ho-Ri Production moves at the pace of a medium tank - about 40/30 km/h (AB/RB) forward and -10/-8 km/h (AB/RB) backwards when offroad. It climb hills easily, sometimes even getting up the mountains.

The biggest problem of this SPG is that its turn rate is quite low, and it lacks neutral steering. One must maximize "driving" skill of the crew to be able to indefinitely turn around, otherwise tank throttles and fails to turn around at gear 1-2, which can be easily exploited by enemy light tanks.

When just one track is broken, Ho-Ri Production still can bounce around to continue fighting. It is also worth noting, that if one track and engine are broken, Ho-Ri Production can barely turn around 1 degree per second, which is a big deal in urban combat.

In Arcade mode Ho-Ri Production's engine is powerful enough to move hostile heavy tanks and push them around, denying repairs. Due to its hull shape, hostile tanks often get pulled on it and become completely helpless, especially when pushed against the wall, making tanks like T29, IS-6 and T-54 vulnerable to point blank finishers. Wide and agile medium tanks like T-44-100 or Warrior often resist ramming attempts if away from walls and can eventually sidestep Ho-Ri Production, but there is no practical need to ram them anyway. If you absolutely have to do it, do not leave them enough space to squeeze between Ho-Ri Production and the wall, or they will escape.

Armaments

Main armament

The weapon used by Ho-Ri is mostly suited to attack medium and heavy tanks, while heavy SPG and hull-down tanks at it's BR can mostly deflect its shots unless a weak spot is hit. As such, engaging other SPG is always a great risk.

While APHE used by it sometimes struggles at penetrating enemy and hasty shot might result in ricochet, if it penetrates the enemy tank is probably going to blow up, making destroying anything like Tiger II (10.5 cm Kw.K) and Centurion (Family) relatively easy, which is also supported by SPG armour being able to bounce most, if not all, of their reply shots. Gun is also relatively easy to handle on move if self-discipline is maintained.

In close quarters, if gunner got taken out and situation looks grim, Ho-Ri can ram the opponent and pull them onto a rock, wall, hill, or even itself, then push APHE into their now un-angled hull as soon as someone replaces the gunner. Usually APHE is potent enough to reach the ammo rack or the crew and one-shot the tank, but if ammo rack is destroyed, the chain reaction also often destroys or completely immobilizes Ho-Ri as well.

Apart from APHE, the gun can be armed with "Experimental HE", which is mostly used to simply destroy light tanks without having to aim for too long.

Main article: Type 5 (105 mm)
105 mm Type 5
Capacity Vertical
guidance 		Horizontal
guidance 		Stabilizer
51 -10°/+20° ±10° N/A
Turret rotation speed (°/s)
Mode Stock Upgraded Prior + Full crew Prior + Expert qualif. Prior + Ace qualif.
Arcade 3.60 8.6 8.9 9.8 __.__
Realistic 3.60 5.0 5.1 5.6 __.__
Reloading rate (seconds)
Stock Prior + Full crew Prior + Expert qualif. Prior + Ace qualif.
11.10 9.9 9.1 __.__
Ammunition
Penetration statistics
Ammunition Type of
warhead 		Penetration in mm @ 0° Angle of Attack
10m 100m 500m 1000m 1500m 2000m
Type 2 APHE APHE 234 230 209 184 163 141
Experimental HE HE 30 30 30 30 30 30
Shell details
Ammunition Type of
warhead 		Velocity
in m/s 		Projectile
Mass in kg 		Fuse delay

in m:

Fuse sensitivity

in mm:

Explosive Mass in g
(TNT equivalent): 		Normalization At 30°
from horizontal: 		Ricochet:
0% 50% 100%
Type 2 APHE APHE 1000 16 1.2 19 200 ° 47° 60° 65°
Experimental HE HE 920 16 0.1 0.1 2,520 +0° 79° 80° 81°
Ammo racks
Ammo racks of the Ho-Ri Prototype (identical to Production type).
Full
ammo 		1st
rack empty 		2nd
rack empty 		3rd
rack empty 		4th
rack empty 		5th
rack empty 		Visual
discrepancy
51 46 (+5) 40 (+11) 30 (+21) 12 (+39) 1 (+50) no

Casemate sides empty: 40(+11)

Usage in battles

The Ho-Ri can be used in multiple roles. Its most effective at medium range, where it's harder for the enemy to aim for the lower plate and shells have a harder time penetrating the mantlet, making it easy for you to destroy them. The Ho-Ri is also quite potent at long range, particularly in down-tiers, where your gun remains effective (though less so) and your armour becomes even better. Be careful using it as a brawler, however. Your transmission is easier to hit, the mantlet is easier to penetrate, and faster foes can surround you easier and get a shot at your weak side armour.

The Ho-Ri should be primarily played as a medium to long range sniper. Your potent cannon can dispatch most enemies and the thick frontal armour will stop most shots, especially the UFP which is basically an auto-bounce zone. Be careful in close quarters - the Ho-Ri turns quite slowly when not up to speed and an easy shot to the LFP will instantly eliminate your mobility allowing for an easy flank. Your surprisingly fast acceleration will also assist when getting to nice sniping spots, and the speedy reverse allows you to retreat when getting overrun.

Due to Ho-Ri having more effective armour than most tanks at BR, and weapon capable of one-shots, it can be used as a flank attacker or even brawler in close range. The idea is to flank enemy, destroy as many tanks as possible before they realized what's going on, and then try to destroy them 1 by 1. While this strategy is most useful in AB (due to increased mobility of the vehicle and sometimes limited map space) and requires high "driving" crew skill, Ho-Ri is undeniably scary in close quarters, due to it being able to survive dozens of direct shots (as example, 3 poorly placed direct shots of Centurion Mk.5 AVRE and about 10 shots from Tiger II (P)) and even somehow come out on top in 1v3 fights. Try to keep your head cool though, as while going completely berserk and sweeping streets of enemy tanks, one might forget about lighter enemy tanks like Vickers MBT and Panther II, users of which will never miss their opportunity to snipe ammo rack of an unsuspecting opponent from 50 to 2000 m alike.

Some concerning enemies are:

  • T-54 (1947): This tank can be quite the pain to destroy, and if they are using the more advanced APHE shells found in the 100mm gun they can wipe out most of your crew in the mantlet. Your biggest chance at destroying them is through a trap shot or the mantlet at very close range. In arcade mode, one can try to ram T-54 to fire at the base of their turret and also push them onto something to fire a gun at their exposed roof, though in case T-54 in question had full ammunition load, the sheer power of explosion might take Ho-Ri out as collateral.
  • IS-2 / IS-2 (1944) / ISU-122: These machines carry a huge 122 mm cannon that penetrates literally anything they see, including the Ho-Ri. Their shells will go through Ho-Ri's vertical armor of the fighting compartment pretty easily, killing the crew inside or detonating the ammo. To deal with the IS-2, try get a shot at them before the notice you / when they are reloading. These tanks tend to get one-shot due to their lack of crew or the cramped interior. For IS-2 mod.1943, aim for the hull armor that curves and blends into the side, or aim at the turret cheeks. For mod.1944, only go for the turret as the hull is very thick and well sloped. For the ISU-122, aim at anywhere but the gun mantlet, as it often absorb shells or cause ricochet.
  • AMX-50 Foch: Wielding a powerful cannon and heavy sloped armour, the Foch is a rare yet dangerous enemy. Do not give them time to one-shot you through transmission and aim for the gun. If your quick aim is good enough, one or two shots to optics on top of the hull will destroy Foch, due to APHE spalling down inside of heavy SPG. In the worst case scenario, you can just de-track it and call your teammates, which is not a bad idea, considering Foch drivers like ramming their opponents, rendering them unable to do anything.
  • T32E1: Though rare, this tank is completely immune to your gun in the front, while it can still go through your lower plate easily. Shoot the barrel and either flank it or retreat.
  • Jagdtiger: It's best to just retreat on sight of this SPG, as it can easily one-shot Ho-Ri, while it's barely possible to destroy it back. If direct combat is unavoidable, try to destroy its gun. MG port weak spot on the hull can be exploited to do minor crew damage. if Ho-Ri is on the low ground, an LFP shot becomes possible, resulting in one-shot.
  • ATGM light tanks and high tier SPAA: While APHE is adequate at destroying most of the light tanks, it is sometimes better to load "experimental HE" instead to one-shot them with hull break, especially the ones, which carry ATGM as secondary weapons. Keep in mind, that certain light tanks like BMP series and Warrior may resist explosives and are still easier to be destroyed with APHE instead. If low calibre non-combat SPAA is trying to destroy Ho-Ri, you can just put your rear next to a wall and make sure the roof hatch is closed. They will not be able to do anything to you like this.

Modules

Tier Mobility Protection Firepower
I Tracks Parts Horizontal Drive
II Suspension Brake System FPE Adjustment of Fire
III Filters Crew Replenishment Elevation Mechanism
IV Transmission Engine

Pros and cons

Pros:

  • Heavy amount of frontal sloped armour
  • Can bounce anything when angled right
  • Very fast for a heavy SPG, with high acceleration thanks to its massive engine
  • Reverse speed is good enough to get away from trouble and even when Ho-Ri loses one track it can still balance around to continue fighting
  • High-velocity cannon with decent penetration and high post-penetration damage, perfect against medium tanks
  • Good gun depression

Cons:

  • No neutral steering
  • Can get outflanked by turret tanks easily
  • Often up-tiered
  • Enemy heavy SPG destroy it easily and usually shrug off its attacks
  • Mantlet is easily penetrated in close quarters, especially by sabot rounds
  • Large weak spot in the LFP, protected by transmission, resulting in a quick immobilization
  • Very high repair cost

History

In September 1942, the Japanese Army Staff received word of the new American M4 Sherman tank, which they realized had completely outclassed every Japanese tank in production at the time. There were three projects proposed by the Staff, each bearing their own gun selection; the 47 mm Kou, 57 mm Otsu, and 75 mm Hei designs. As combat data was filtered to the Japanese High Command, they ordered that the model Kou and Otsu merge to become the basis of what would eventually become the Type 4 Chi-To. Meanwhile, the Hei proposal would lead to the development of the Type 5 Chi-Ri. 

Additional development projects came from a change in the Weapons Administration Headquarters Research Policy in July of 1943, a change that was made due to analyzing tank warfare between the German Army and the Soviet Union. Through the analysis of said data, the Japanese Army shifted their tank doctrine towards an emphasis on developing tanks that prioritized anti-armour missions instead of infantry support. Upon the enacting of this policy, the Army started a program to develop a series of tank destroyers based on the chassis of the medium tanks being designed. 

The Type 5 Chi-Ri was chosen to become the basis for a new tank destroyer, as it was Japan's primary medium tank project and was more mature than other alternatives, while also mounting some of the most advanced technology Japan had produced at the time. 

The tank destroyer would eventually be titled the Ho-Ri. Development of the vehicle began shortly after the Chi-Ri's, and after the decision was made to use the reliable coil spring suspension system that the Japanese manufacturers were familiar with, the Army began work on designing the superstructure and casemate with the first design mimicking the Chi-Ri chassis entirely and replacing the turret with a reinforced rear-mounted superstructure. 

During the development of the new tank destroyer series, the Army chose to design a new anti-tank gun to fit the role. In July of 1943, the Army Military Customs Council began designing a 105 mm anti-tank gun based off of the Type 96 150 mm Strategic artillery cannon. It was shortened and given a single piece barrel and tank breech. Unfortunately, the two chief engineers of the cannon project the task that it meet a requirement of penetrating 200 mm at 1,000 meters with a 1000 m/s muzzle velocity. Naturally, the tank gun was not capable of this and instead was only able to penetrate 150 mm at 1,000 meters with a 915 m/s muzzle velocity. Although it did not meet the requirements, it was still superior to any other Japanese tank gun and was accepted into service as the Type 5 10cm.

Originally, the Ho-Ri was to keep the hull-mounted Type 1 37 mm from the Chi-Ri due to the idea that the primary cannon could only do so much for itself and a secondary weapon was required. The development of the design was split into to concepts; one being a rear mounted superstructure with a central engine (Ho-Ri I) and the other being a centralized superstructure with a rear engine placement (Ho-Ri II). The engine selection was quite different from the traditional diesel engines that powered most Japanese tanks throughout their production. Instead, Japan had used a V12 gasoline aircraft engine designed by BMW, making 550 horsepower at 1500 RPM. This engine was chosen due to the industrial capacity of Japan reaching its peak, and many assets from aircraft development were readily available for usage. 

However, by the time both designs of the vehicle were proposed, the armour was no longer sufficient to thwart most US anti-tank armaments. Despite this, the design showed considerable promise and it was ordered that a third vehicle be designed with significantly improved armour. This new design was commonly labeled as Ho-Ri III. 

The Ho-Ri III took the basis of the Ho-Ri I and revamped it, changing the frontal plate from a flat 75 mm thick plate to a 120 mm thick plate sloped at 70°, deleting the hull-mounted 37 mm gun in the process. Although this was seen as a considerable blow to the tank's self-defense capabilities, it was accepted due to its vastly improved survivability. The removal of the 37 mm gun meant that the extra crew member who previously operated the gun could be used as a second loader to assist with the autoloading mechanism and provide shells for the primary loader.

The construction of the prototype was completed in 1944 and achieved a top speed of 40 km/h during trials. Being seen as a success, the Army ordered 5 units of the vehicle and put it into service as the Type 5 Ho-Ri. However only one operable prototype was fully completed by the war's end and the series only made it to 50% completion, resulting in the design being scrapped and no further testing was pursued.

Media

Skin and Camouflages for the Ho-Ri Production in Warthunder Live.

See also

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;
  • links to approximate analogues of other nations and research trees.

External links


Japan tank destroyers
Ro-Go Derivatives  Ro-Go Exp.
Chi-Ha Derivatives  Ho-Ni I · Ho-Ni III · Ho-Ro · Chi-Ha LG
Ho-Ri  Ho-Ri Prototype · Ho-Ri Production
Other  Na-To
JGSDF 
SPRG  Type 60 (C)
SPH  Type 75 · Type 99
ATGM  Type 60 ATM
Rocket  Type 75 MLRS
USA  ▅M36

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