T-10M
| This page is about the Soviet heavy tank T-10M. For the other version, see T-10A. |
Contents
Description
The T-10M is a modernised modification of the seventh variant of the IS heavy tank family. The T-10 (also known as Object 730 or IS-8) was the final variant of the IS heavy tank produced by the Soviet Union during the Cold War. Object 730 was the name given to it during development. It was approved for production as the IS-8 (Iosif Stalin), but due to the political situation following Stalin's death in 1953, it was renamed T-10. The main differences between it and its immediate ancestor, the IS-3, were a longer hull, seven pairs of road wheels rather than six, a larger turret housing a new gun with a fume extractor, an improved diesel engine, and enhanced armour. Overall performance was comparable; however, the T-10 could carry slightly more ammunition, increasing from 28 to 30 rounds. The T-10M is the variant's final modification, seeking to bring it up to the increasingly difficult conditions of the Cold War. It had a longer 122 mm M-62-T2S L/46 tank gun with a five-baffle muzzle brake, a two-plane fully automatic stabilization system, a 14.5 mm KPVT heavy machine gun (which was a better ballistic match for the new main gun), infrared night vision equipment, and NBC protection. It was the last Soviet IS heavy tank to enter service. When the more advanced T-64 main battle tank (MBT) was introduced, it quickly replaced the T-10M in front-line formations.
Introduced in Update 1.51 "Cold Steel", the T-10M outperformed its predecessors in every area, including firepower, speed, armour, and efficiency. It was a promising breakthrough that arrived far too late. In the game, the T-10M behaves like a medium tank with somewhat below-average mobility but can reach speeds of up to 40 km/h. Its poor reload speed is arguably its only downside. However, in the 1960s, the Soviets recognized that the MBT concept was far more efficient. Tank guns with comparable capability, as well as reasonable armour, might be mounted on a medium tank, making it much more flexible than a heavy tank. This ideology suited the Soviets because MBTs were capable of performing far more deployments than the T-10M. Overall, the T-10M reflects the final closing chapters of World War II heavy tank design philosophy, marking the beginning of new doctrine and tactics.
General info
Survivability and armour
From being one of the most feared tanks in the game, the T-10M is now very often overlooked. Its armour is called out-of-date, easily over-matched by new APFSDS rounds even when at an angle.
Frontally, the T-10M's armour ranges from 200 mm (LFP) to 250 mm (peak of the pike) to over 300 mm around the turret. That is not bad, especially for hull-down positions where the T-10M can present only its turret. When compared to the Chieftains (Mk 3 and Mk 5, without composite armour), the T-10M has more hull armour, and even a more evenly protected turret (Chieftains have a weaker side on the left when facing one frontally).
Angling your hull is not effective, it's detrimental. For instance, the stock round on the Leopard A1A1 (DM13, APDS round) cannot penetrate your upper pike or your turret, only the LFP. However, if you present your side, it negated the angling of the pike and allows the Leopard to get through, usually hitting your driver and the ammunition. The story is the same with almost every vehicle - you shouldn't angle.
Lastly, mind that you have 3 crew members sitting in line on your left side when looking from the T-10M, that presents an opportunity to knock the tank out with a single shot for any opponent that can penetrate your pike. Although, your driver is almost always knocked out, which means that you can't reverse into cover, so try not to get shot.
Armour type:
- Rolled homogeneous armour (Hull, Turret roof)
- Cast homogeneous armour (Turret)
| Armour | Front | Sides | Rear | Roof |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Hull | 120 mm (57°) Front glacis 120 mm (49°) Lower glacis 40,60 mm (78-79°) Driver's port |
120 mm (50°) Top 80 mm (0-64°) Middle 30 mm (60°) Bottom |
50 mm (53°) Top 60 mm (21°) Bottom |
30 mm |
| Turret | 120-250 mm (26-60°) Turret front 100 + 250 mm (0-75°) Gun mantlet |
130-190 mm (3-55°) | 102 mm (21-47°) | 30 mm |
| Cupola | 40 mm | 40 mm | 30 mm | 30 mm |
Notes:
- Suspension wheels are 20 mm thick while tracks are 30 mm thick.
- Turret side armour is not equally thick, ranging from 130 mm to 190 mm in some areas.
Mobility
The T-10M is surprisingly agile. Its top speed of 50 km/h is on par with MBTs; however, it is rarely reached. Its acceleration is great, enabling you to reach strategic locations relatively quickly.
| Game Mode | Max Speed (km/h) | Weight (tons) | Engine power (horsepower) | Power-to-weight ratio (hp/ton) | |||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Forward | Reverse | Stock | Upgraded | Stock | Upgraded | ||
| Arcade | 54 | 11 | 50 | 968 | 1,431 | 19.36 | 28.62 |
| Realistic | 51 | 10 | 663 | 750 | 13.26 | 15 | |
Modifications and economy
| Mobility | Protection | Firepower | ||||||||||||||||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
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Armaments
Main armament
The T-10M features a powerful gun which is able to knock out all the tanks it faces with a single shot thanks to the diverse ammunition it gets. The main gun is capable of defeating almost all vehicles frontally at its battle rating (with exception of the Maus and E-100).
| 122 mm M-62-T2S | Turret rotation speed (°/s) | Reloading rate (seconds) | |||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Mode | Capacity | Vertical | Horizontal | Stabilizer | Stock | Upgraded | Full | Expert | Aced | Stock | Full | Expert | Aced |
| Arcade | 30 | -4°/+15° | ±180° | Two-plane | 13.8 | 19.0 | 23.1 | 25.6 | 27.2 | 20.0 | 17.2 | 15.9 | 15.0 |
| Realistic | 10.1 | 11.9 | 14.5 | 16.0 | 17.0 | ||||||||
Ammunition
BR-472 APCBC - This is the first ammunition the T-10M has access to which is considered as the "weak" ammunition. Despite having a "low" penetration (has 295 mm at 10 m at 0°) it should not be underestimated. It should be your main ammunition in almost all sorts of engagements. It has the penetration to deal with all heavy tanks frontally (with exception of Maus, E-100) as well as enough fuse sensitivity to explode inside lightly armoured vehicles which will be the main enemies at the battle rating (Leopard 1, AMX-30, Centurions, etc.). This round is a guaranteed knock-out with a single shot 99% of the time due to its tremendous explosive power if aimed correctly (184.5 g of TNT equivalent). The BR-472 should not be underestimated.
3BM-11 APDS - This is the most reliable round to use at distances when speed is crucial (1,620 m/s). It has enough penetration to deal the with everything but Maus glacis but, due to being a solid shot subcalibre round, it has no explosive power. This means the APDS relies on spalling created by the armour penetration which can sometimes be crucial if killing the enemy vehicle has to be done as soon as possible. This does not mean the APDS cannot cause knock-outs with a single shot if aimed at ammunition or center of mass. Most tanks will be destroyed with a single shot at the glacis if the shot is made right at the middle of the glacis. This round should be mostly be used as a secondary round for heavily armoured targets or at far ranges in which a high velocity round is preferable.
3BK-9 HEATFS - This is the round with the most consistent penetration due to being chemical energy, on par with other HEATFS rounds at the same BR. This round can be considered the most reliable round for all sorts of engagements both at close range or at distance if single-shot knock-outs are not planned. It has a great explosive power (2.61 kg of TNT equivalent) but, due to being a hollow charge, the spalling is focused in a cone shape rather than a star shape as the APCBC. Similar to APDS, this round has to be aimed at center of mass to damage as most modules and crew members as possible due to the tightly packed spalling created. It should be noted that this round requires a clear flight path to the target as trees, bushes, fences and any obstruction will detonate it due to the fuse sensitivity. Keep this in mind.
| 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-472 | APCBC | 295 | 292 | 275 | 256 | 238 | 222 |
| 3BM-11 | APDS | 408 | 404 | 385 | 362 | 341 | 321 |
| 3BK-9 | HEATFS | 400 | 400 | 400 | 400 | 400 | 400 |
| OF-472 | HE | 35 | 35 | 35 | 35 | 35 | 35 |
| 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-472 | APCBC | 950 | 25.1 | 1.2 | 19 | 184.8 | 48° | 63° | 71° | |||
| 3BM-11 | APDS | 1,620 | 4.5 | - | - | - | 75° | 78° | 80° | |||
| 3BK-9 | HEATFS | 920 | 18.4 | 0.05 | 0.1 | 2,120 | 65° | 72° | 77° | |||
| OF-472 | HE | 865 | 27.2 | 0.3 | 0.1 | 3,000 | 79° | 80° | 81° | |||
Ammo racks
| Full ammo |
Ammo part |
1st rack empty |
2nd rack empty |
3rd rack empty |
4th rack empty |
5th rack empty |
6th rack empty |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 30 | Projectiles Propellants |
27 (+3) 27 (+3) |
24 (+6) 24 (+6) |
20 (+10) 20 (+10) |
17 (+13) 17 (+13) |
14 (+16) 14 (+16) |
11 (+19) 11 (+19) |
| 7th rack empty |
8th rack empty |
9th rack empty |
10th rack empty |
11th rack empty |
12th rack empty |
Visual discrepancy |
|
| 10 (+20) 10 (+20) |
9 (+21) 9 (+21) |
7 (+23) 7 (+23) |
5 (+25) 5 (+25) |
3 (+27) 3 (+27) |
1 (+29) 1 (+29) |
No |
Machine guns
The KPVT can be considered as the most reliable heavy machine gun (HMG) in game due to multiple factors: ammunition capacity, ammunition speed and penetration, stopping power and rate of fire. It is a Jack-of-all-Trades when it comes to ground battles, it has a faster muzzle velocity than 20 mm cannons but has more destructive power than the 12.7 mm (.50 cal) machine gun, but does not get the fire rate of the 15 mm MG 151 HMG mounted on the AMX-50 Foch. The KPVT are exclusive to Soviet tanks and are able of doing multiple things:
- Immediate ground defence: this machine guns are able to damage and destroyed external components of all tanks (tracks, gun barrels, etc), destroy lightly armoured vehicles (with armour thinner than 45 mm), obstruction removal (fences, walls, etc) and spotting.
- Immediate air defence: due to having a roof mounted KPVT with a 360° rotation and a 40° elevation, it is able to critically damage low-flying aircraft. This belts have AP-I round which can cause fatal damage on all low flying aircraft (it often lights them on fire or damages engine).
| 14.5 mm KPVT | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Mount | Capacity (Belt) | Fire rate | Vertical | Horizontal |
| Pintle | 250 (50) | 600 | -5°/+60° | ±180° |
| Coaxial | 500 (50) | 600 | N/A | N/A |
Usage in battles
Despite being a heavy tank, the T-10M is only able to stop full calibre shells in which, at the battle rating, there is none but in some cases at 7.3 and 7.7. Due to this, the T-10M is far from being a frontline tank, meaning it has to stay away from the enemy line of sight (LoS) due to the long reload and weak armour. This does not mean it should be taken all the way through the outskirts of a map to get into position (can be done but not recommended on all maps). It should be used as a sniper in long range maps and a support vehicle in the rest. It is able to defend itself pretty well if a good defensive position is found or set. All close quarters combat (CQC) should be avoided as the extremely long reload speed invites enemy tanks to flank you from all sides. Some places in CQC environments (urban areas, city ravines, etc.) can be used as choke point (holding a full street waiting for someone to push if that street is the only access point) due to its powerful gun and decent armour. This tank faces almost nothing that can be a hard cookie to crack.
List of opponents important notes when facing frontally:
- Panther/M48/Pershing: all front can be penetrated with BR-472 and higher penetration rounds. Do not use 3BK-9
- M60: gun mantlet can be penetrated by BR-472, hull has to be penetrated by 3BM-11 or 3BK-9
- Centurion: all front can be penetrated with BR-472 and higher penetration rounds
- M103: hull has to be penetrated by 3BM-11 or 3BK-9, center of mass shot has to be done frontally as the hull and turret are curvy, hull is impenetrable by BR-472
- Maus/E-100: gun mantlet can be penetrated by all rounds, hull is impenetrable by all rounds. Side shots are safe to be done with all rounds
- Leopard 1/AMX-30: all front can be penetrated with BR-472 and higher penetration rounds
- T95: gun mantlet and hull can be penetrated by BR-472
Pros and cons
Pros:
- Decent acceleration and top speed for a heavy tank
- Good reverse speed, as with many late Soviet heavy tanks
- Stock round has a lot of explosive filler, leading to regular knock-outs with a single shot
- 14.5 mm machine guns are effective at deterring strafing aircraft and can shred lightly-armoured vehicles
- Has a two-plane Stabilizer
- Unlockable APDS and HEATFS can take on most vehicles frontally
Cons:
- Has ammunition at the rear of the turret; a shell strike there can end your game if you get flanked
- Due to the "pike" of the frontal armour, angling is not a good idea, especially against enemies with HEAT or Sabot rounds
- Armour has a hard time dealing with modern ammo types and ATGMs
- Stock round will struggle against a lot of enemies from the front due to its lack of penetration
- The unlockable APDS and HEAT-FS shells has minimal spalling effects, must aim for ammo or important crew members such as the gunner
- Slow turret rotation speed when stock and not spaded
History
Development
The desire for the successor of the IS-3 heavy tank with a more lenient weight and cost requirement brought forth a start in development in 1948. The tank labelled the IS-8, used many characteristics from the previous experimental heavy tanks, with the engine of the IS-4 and IS-6, road wheels and tracks of the IS-4, the turret traverse mechanism and suspension system from the IS-7. The IS-8 also used an improved 122 mm gun from the IS-2 and IS-3 models. The armour on the IS-8 and IS-3 were quite similar in format but was thickened on the IS-8 for improved protection. The hull was extended to make room for an engine cooling system, necessitating another road wheelset on the suspension. The IS-8 was deemed ready for production between late 1950 to early 1951, with production to begin at the Chelyabinsk Tractor Plant (ChTZ), with reports that some IS-8 tanks were also produced at a tank plant in Omsk as well.[1]
Stalin's death in 1953 brought forth a political situation of destalinization to eradicate the influence of the late Soviet leader. Due to this, the IS-8 heavy tanks that take its first two letters from the name of Joseph (Iosef) Stalin was renamed to the T-10. Production of the tank continued, but with implemented improvements. The T-10A model introduced a newer 122 mm D-25TS gun with a vertical stabilization system and a bore evacuator, with a rammer implemented inside the tank to ease with the loading process by helping the loaders push the rounds into the breech. The T-10's sole telescopic sight was replaced with two new sights, one periscopic and one telescopic. There was also a night-vision device and gyrocompass installed for the gunner. The next upgrade was the T-10B in the mid-1950s, which introduced a two-axis stabilization for the gun and new fire control sight inside with little changes outside. The final revision was with the T-10M in 1957, with the most notable difference being the new M-62-TS gun, which was longer than its previous iterations and presents a very unique multi-slotted muzzle brake and bore evacuator along with having a stabilization system. DShK heavy machine guns were also replaced with the newer KPVT machine guns, which benefited by being similar in ballistic characteristics with the M-62-TS gun to double as a range-finder. Another change in the T-10M was the improved 750 hp engine. The last reported change to the T-10 design was in the 1960s when the tanks went through a rebuild with a new transmission and main clutch.[1]
By the time the T-10's production ended in 1962, a total of 8,000 of all types of T-10 heavy tanks had been manufactured, making the T-10 the most numerous Soviet heavy tank produced.[1]
Usage
The T-10s were organized in heavy tank regiments in the same way as the IS-3s. When first introduced, the Soviet heavy tank regiments were a composite unit organized in 1947 that was made of between 44-46 heavy tanks bolstered by 21 heavy assault guns. In between 1958 and 1959, the heavy tank regiments were reorganized to consist of only heavy tanks, 100 IS-3 or T-10 tanks that made the formation quite powerful. These regiments would help make up heavy tank divisions, which would consist of two heavy tank regiments and one medium tank regiment. These heavy tank divisions, intended to drive an offensive operation, were stationed along the borders of the Soviet Union against the Western forces.[1]
The T-10, like the IS-3, was a concern to the Western forces whose only response were the heavy M103 and Conqueror heavy tanks. The T-10 never saw combat against a Western force but was deemed invulnerable in frontal engagements against medium tanks of the time like the M48 Pattons, even when they used HEAT rounds. However, in a contest against the heavy tanks, the M103 and Conqueror presented better fire-control systems and range-finders that would benefit a well-trained and emplaced crew against an offensive force. The contest between the two sides with their heavy tanks reached a disparity with the introduction of newer tanks like the M60 and Chieftain, both which have guns able to penetrate straight through the T-10's front armour at standard ranges.[1]
Decline and discontinuation
Though the T-10 and the Soviet heavy tank family gave a formidable opponent to the Western forces, their fame and glory became short-lived in the 1960s. The new premier of the Soviet Union, Nikita Khrushchev, began cutbacks in the military with a new strategic goal of missiles and nuclear armament rather than with conventional forces. The heavy tanks, considered outdated, was ordered to have their production halted in 1960 by Khrushchev.[1] 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. 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.[1]
| Archive of the in-game description | |
|---|---|
|
The T-10M was an upgraded version of the T-10 heavy tank. The new vehicle's main distinction was the installation of new weaponry. The new M-62-T2S 122 mm cannon was installed on the tank. The new gun was significantly more powerful than the previous one and had greater initial projectile speed and improved armour penetration. The cannon was also equipped with a two-plane stabilizer, which allowed the tank's crew to fire effectively while it was in motion. A significant increase in the tank's combat capabilities was also achieved by installing equipment for firing and driving at night. The field of vision provided by the new T-2S-29-14 periscope sight with two-plane stabilizer allowed the gun to be fired accurately both directly and from cover. The installed TPN-1 night-vision sight also made it possible to fire accurately at night at a range of up to 1,150 m (3,773 ft). The testing of the new tank was completed in December, 1956, and in September, 1957 the tank was added to the arsenal. The tank was produced at the Chelyabinsk Kirov Factory and the Leningrad Kirov Factory until 1965. According to published data, 979 vehicles were produced with this modification. | |
Media
- Skins
- Videos
See also
- Vehicles equipped with the same chassis
External links
References
| Chelyabinsk Tractor Plant (Челябинский тракторный завод) | |
|---|---|
| IFVs | |
| BMP-1 | BMP-1 |
| Heavy Tanks | |
| KV | KV-85 · KV-122 |
| IS-1/2 | IS-1 · IS-2 · IS-2 (1944) · IS-2 "Revenge" · IS-2 No.321 |
| T-10 | T-10A · T-10M |
| Other IS Tanks | IS-3 · IS-4M |
| Tank Destroyers | |
| KV Derivatives | SU-152 |
| IS Derivatives | ISU-152 · ISU-122 · ISU-122S · Object 268 |
| Export | |
| IS-2 | ␗IS-2 · IS-2 No.402 · ␗IS-2 (1944) |
| ISU | ␗ISU-152 · ␗ISU-122 |
| IFVs | SPz BMP-1 |
| See Also | Leningrad Kirov Plant |
| USSR heavy tanks | |
|---|---|
| KV-1 | KV-1 (L-11) · KV-1 (ZiS-5) · KV-1E · KV-1S |
| KV-2 | KV-2 (1939) · KV-2 (1940) · KV-2 (ZiS-6) |
| Other KVs | KV-85 · KV-122 · KV-220 |
| IS-1/2 | IS-1 · IS-2 · IS-2 (1944) · IS-2 No.321 · IS-2 "Revenge" · Object 248 |
| Other IS tanks | IS-3 · IS-4M · IS-6 · IS-7 |
| T-10 | T-10A · T-10M |
| Multi-turreted | T-35 · SMK |
| Other | Object 279 |
| Lend-Lease | ▂MK-II "Matilda" |
