War Thunder Wiki - User contributions [en]

Churchill VII

2020-08-30T04:06:37Z

U49457694: /* Pros and cons */

{{Specs-Card|code=uk_a_22f_mk_7_churchill_1944}}
{{About
| about = British heavy tank '''{{PAGENAME}}'''
| usage = other uses
| link = Churchill (Family)
}}

== Description ==

[[File:GarageImage_ChurchillMkVII.jpg|420px|thumb|left]]
{{break}}
The '''{{Specs|name}}''' (or just '''{{Specs|pseudonym}}''') is a Rank {{Specs|rank}} British heavy tank {{Battle-rating}}. It was introduced in [[Update 1.55 "Royal Armour"]] along with the rest of the initial British Ground Forces Tree. A lumbering beast made of pure steel, the Churchill Mk.VII is the epitome of a "walking giant" which you do not want to have staring down at you. With 152 mm of armour, it is one of the most heavily protected tanks in Rank III, even if its firepower seems pitiful for such a tank.

== General info ==
=== Survivability and armour ===

'''Armour type:'''

* Rolled homogeneous armour
* Cast homogeneous armour (Machine gun port, Driver's hatch, Turret)

{| class="wikitable"
|-
! Armour !! Front !! Sides !! Rear !! Roof
|-
| Hull || 152 mm (1°) ''Front plate'' 57.15 mm (66-67°) ''Front glacis'' 139 mm (24°) ''Lower glacis'' 102 mm ''Machine gun port'' || 95 mm || 50.8 mm (1°) ''Top'' 25.4 mm (64°) ''Bottom'' || 15.875 mm
|-
| Turret || 152 mm (1-20°) ''Turret front'' 152 mm (1-54°) ''Gun mantlet'' || 95.25 mm || 95.25 mm (0-1°) || 20 mm
|-
! Armour !! Sides !! Roof
|-
| Cupola || 152 mm || 20 mm
|}
'''Notes:'''

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

'''If you are using vehicle below 4.7 BR do not attempt to fire at the ''Churchill Mk VII'' at the front''' (unless you have a very high penetration shell for your cannon). There is no benefit of attempting to penetrate the Churchill Mk.VII from its front without aiming for thinner sides or weak points, that 152 mm of armour will chew up shells like nothing. The saving grace is that the Churchill has a gun that belongs to Rank II and low top speed, so it is possible to outmanoeuvre it in the terrain. Flank the tank to get a good shot on its weak side armour. Eliminate the turret crew to immobilise their firepower, then move in for the easy points.

Side armour of the hull and turret's sides and flat parts of frontal armour are the most significant weaknesses on the Churchill, as their effective thickness is much lower. It is also technically possible to penetrate the roof if an enemy tank's profile is high enough. The turret is entirely bare, and a hit could disable the entire turret crew, losing half of your total crew. For this reason, Churchill VII needs armour and smoke upgrades as soon as possible.

A hit in the hull is a hit or miss, but it seems that a hit there is also likely to hit your tracks and suspensions, which would mitigate the round if it caught it. The rear of the vehicle is also vulnerable, but if an enemy can come around and smack the Churchill from behind, even with all the allies and smoke screens around, it probably wasn't your day anyway.

As with other Churchill tanks, a single rocket to the engine deck is often fatal for this tank due to the irremovable ammo racks.

It is also worth noting that installing additional track armour makes ammo rack weak spots extremely obvious for people who know about it, although anything below SPG grade cannon will likely fail to penetrate until the track gets destroyed by concentrated fire. However, the tracks are a must-have to bolster frontal hull and side turret armour, so this upgrade should be used regardless for their benefits.

The long leading tracks often glitch out and fail to stop a shell which hits them from the front at flat angle, so it is entirely possible to get oneshotted through them even by [[AMX-13 (FL11)]]. This is surprisingly common, especially in AB, and so correct angling is always effective. Hopefully this issue is soon to be rectified.

For all these reasons, Churchill VII must '''always''' drive at an angle and slightly turn away it's turret from opponents after shot, and in Arcade mode it must '''always''' smoke up the battlefield, whether their teammates will be mad or not. Angling vehicle makes Churchill VII nearly invulnerable to vehicles below battle rating 5.0, while smoke screens blind opponents and make firing at weak spots and judging attack angle near to impossible, which prolongs tank's life significantly. To reduce amount of teammate's frustration generated by spamming smokes, you'll have to try to land them in such way, that teammates can still see something from the sides, but effectively disabling aim assist and direct sight between you and your enemy.

=== Mobility ===


{{tankMobility|abMinHp= 452|rbMinHp= 310|AoAweight= 0.5}}

== Armaments ==
=== Main armament ===

{{main|OQF Mk.V (75 mm)}}

{| class="wikitable" style="text-align:center" width="100%"
|-
! colspan="5" | [[OQF Mk.V (75 mm)|75 mm OQF Mk.V]] || colspan="5" | Turret rotation speed (°/s) || colspan="4" | Reloading rate (seconds)
|-
! Mode !! Capacity !! Vertical !! Horizontal !! Stabilizer
! Stock !! Upgraded !! Full !! Expert !! Aced
! Stock !! Full !! Expert !! Aced
|-
! ''Arcade''
| rowspan="2" | 84 || rowspan="2" | -12°/+20° || rowspan="2" | ±180° || rowspan="2" | N/A || 19.42 || 26.88 || 32.64 || 36.10 || 38.40 || rowspan="2" | 6.50 || rowspan="2" | 5.75 || rowspan="2" | 5.30 || rowspan="2" | 5.00
|-
! ''Realistic''
| 14.28 || 16.80 || 20.40 || 22.56 || 24.00
|-
|}

==== Ammunition ====
{| class="wikitable sortable" style="text-align:center" width="100%"
! colspan="8" | Penetration statistics
|-
! rowspan="2" data-sort-type="text" | Ammunition
! rowspan="2" | Type of warhead
! colspan="6" | '''Penetration @ 0° Angle of Attack (mm)'''
|-
! 10 m !! 100 m !! 500 m !! 1,000 m !! 1,500 m !! 2,000 m
|-
| M72 shot || AP || 91 || 88 || 78 || 67 || 57 || 49
|-
| M61 shot || APCBC || 103 || 100 || 89 || 77 || 66 || 57
|-
| M48 shell || HE || 10 || 10 || 10 || 10 || 10 || 10
|-
|}
{| class="wikitable sortable" style="text-align:center" width="100%"
! colspan="11" | Shell details
|-
! rowspan="2" data-sort-type="text" | Ammunition
! rowspan="2" | Type of warhead
! rowspan="2" | Velocity (m/s)
! rowspan="2" | Projectile Mass (kg)
! rowspan="2" | Fuse delay (m)
! rowspan="2" | Fuse sensitivity (mm)
! rowspan="2" | Explosive Mass (TNT equivalent) (g)
! rowspan="2" | Normalization At 30° from horizontal
! colspan="3" | Ricochet
|-
! 0% !! 50% !! 100%
|-
| M72 shot || AP || 619 || 6.3 || N/A || N/A || N/A || -1° || 47° || 60° || 65°
|-
| M61 shot || APCBC || 618 || 6.53 || N/A || N/A || N/A || +4° || 48° || 63° || 71°
|-
| M48 shell || HE || 463 || 6.3 || 0.4 || 0.5 || 666 || +0° || 79° || 80° || 81°
|-
|}
{| class="wikitable" style="text-align:center"
! colspan="7" | Smoke shell characteristics
|-
! Ammunition
! Velocity (m/s)
! Projectile Mass (kg)
! Screen radius (m)
! Screen deploy time (s)
! Screen hold time (s)
! Explosive Mass (TNT equivalent) (g)
|-
| M89 || 259 || 3.0 || 13 || 5 || 20 || 50
|-
|}

==== [[Ammo racks]] ====
[[File:Ammoracks_ChurchillMkVII.png|right|thumb|x250px|[[Ammo racks]] of the {{PAGENAME}}]]
{| class="wikitable" style="text-align:center"
|-
! Full ammo
! 1st rack empty
! 2nd rack empty
! 3rd rack empty
! 4th rack empty
! 5th rack empty
! Visual discrepancy
|-
| '''84''' || 68 ''(+16)'' || 51 ''(+33)'' || 34 ''(+50)'' || 17 ''(+67)'' || 1 ''(+83)'' || style="text-align:center" | Yes
|-
|}

Turret empty: 68 ''(+16)''

==== Optics ====


{| class="wikitable" style="text-align:center" width="50%"
! colspan="3" | {{PAGENAME}} [[Optics]]
|-
! Which ones
! Default magnification
! Maximum magnification
|-
! Main Gun optics
| x3 || x6 
|-
! Comparable optics
| colspan="2;" style="text-align:center;" | [[VFW]]
|-
|}

The first tank in Heavy Tank British tech line to have X6 scope. It will not get any better than this until rank VI, so get used to it - it will be the same across entire tech tree for a while with SPAA being the only exception.

As of rank III, this scope is slightly or moderately superior to most medium and heavy tanks, but do not expect to out-snipe German SPG as they have same optics or even better.

=== Machine guns ===

{{main|BESA (7.92 mm)}}

{| class="wikitable" style="text-align:center" width="50%"
|-
! colspan="5" | [[BESA (7.92 mm)|7.92 mm BESA]]
|-
! Mount !! Capacity (Belt) !! Fire rate !! Vertical !! Horizontal
|-
| Coaxial || 9,350 (225) || 600 || N/A || N/A
|-
|}

== Usage in battles ==

The Churchill Mk.VII is a slow and manoeuvrable turtle, you're not going to break any speed records with this, but rest assured that if the frontal armour is facing toward the enemy, most of their shells are not able to penetrate the front of the hull and turret at your BR and below. In up-tier, you really should avoid provoking enemy SPGs, as they can destroy or fatally cripple the tank, even when you are angled.

The 75 mm gun provided may not be able to easily take on some of the tanks you may encounter at the rank, but with the high degree of protection, you can leisurely take your time picking out the weaknesses of your enemy to deal precise blow as you hear their rounds bounce off of your frontal armour. With the best ammunition, you can defeat even other heavy tanks without having to drive close to them.

If nothing else, Churchill VII can take a lot of smoke shells and make opponent's life much worse, by driving up to capture points and smoking down snipers and passages, then proceed to blind fire at those unfortunate enough to be close to it. No matter what, do not let enemy land a straight shot at you. In down-tier, they may struggle with you for a long time even if you got surrounded.

When encountering enemies, different considerations are to be made depending on the tank's nationality and what they bring to the battlefield.

'''Germany'''

German tanks always pose a threat. From about BR 3.0, almost every German tank is armed with the long barrel 75 mm gun, which can penetrate the Churchill MK.VII from the front with APCR (unangled). Even worse, you may face dedicated SPGs such as the Dicker Max with its 105 mm gun. When using Pzgr.rot it will be deadly and will slice through your armour. Also, the Panzer IV/70(V)/(A) a terrifying threat. They carry the same gun as the Panther and will be able to penetrate you under 1000 m easily. Luckily, common German tanks like the Panzer IV can be easily penetrated by your 75 mm gun. The same cannot be said for their tank destroyers: the Hetzer, Stug IV, Jagdpanzer IV/48 and the Panzer IV/70(V)/(A). They have thick, sloped armour and will easily bounce your hits.

'''USSR'''

Russian tanks can be tough enemies to take on. Tanks in the T-34 line have sloped armour and are highly mobile. Early models with the 76 mm gun will not be able to penetrate you. They will try to go around the sides and to your rear. The T-34-85 is more of a threat, but even the 85 mm gun will not be able to penetrate your frontal armour unless aimed at your machine gun port. The SU-85 is less of a threat with slightly less mobility and no turret. The thing about the Russians is that they love their big guns, in particular, the KV-2 and the SU-152 with their massive 152 mm howitzers. Their HE shells alone will prove devastating to the Churchill, which has very thin top armour. Expect your game to very suddenly end when you come across either of these vehicles.

The Russians also have very useful heavy tanks. You can come upon some slightly awkward stalemates when facing vehicles like the KV-1 ZiS-5. You will struggle to penetrate their armour, and they will fight to penetrate yours. Stalemates are a common situation with Churchill Mk VII. It is important to have back up so that you can soak up damage for your teammates with more powerful guns, and to protect you from being overwhelmed if the KV brought more tanks to flank you. You may also encounter IS-1s which you will struggle to deal with. Russian tanks are frustrating to deal with. Their armour is sloped, and you will often have to aim for weak spots with your 75 mm gun. If the armour is not sloped, it is usually too thick to penetrate. This is easier said than done in some circumstances.

Special notes for the [[IS-2 (Family)|IS-2]]: it carries a very deadly cannon that can one-shot literally anything, including the Black Prince. Its 122 mm gun can easily go through your frontal hull and turret, subsequently knocking out everyone inside. The best way to avoid that is to angle your hull so that your long, large tracks cover up the frontal hull, exposing your angled side and luring the IS-2 into firing at your side armour. The side armour of the Black Prince resembles the Churchills' which are quite complex, with some weird internal structures soaking up lots of shells, increasing your survivability. Against an IS-2 1943, aim at the hull armour that curves and blends into the side, or the turret cheeks. Its crew are closely packed and even the British solid shells can knock them all out at once. Against a 1944 model, only shoot at its turret as the hull is quite strong.

'''Japan'''

As a whole, Japanese tanks are easier to deal with. Their armour is quite thin and usually quite easy to penetrate. Tanks to note are the Chi-To and Chi-Ri II. They can penetrate 155 mm of armour at 100 m, which is just enough to get through your frontal armour. The Na-To is also a threat with its APCR, which can penetrate you frontally under 500 m. Finally, the low-rank Ho-Ro is dangerous, with its powerful 150 mm howitzer, but not many people will be using it at this rank.

=== Modules ===
{| class="wikitable"
! Tier
! colspan="2" | Mobility
! Protection
! colspan="2" | Firepower
|-
| I
| Tracks
|
| Parts
| Horizontal Drive
|
|-
| II
| Suspension
| Brake System
| FPE
| Adjustment of Fire
| M61 shot
|-
| III
| Filters
|
| Crew Replenishment
| Elevation Mechanism
|
|-
| IV
| Transmission
| Engine
| Add-on Armor
| M89
| Smoke grenade
|-
|}

=== Pros and cons ===


'''Pros:'''

* Great frontal armour (152 mm), pretty much impervious to small calibre shells
* Even stronger when angled properly, with large suspension sides having side hits more likely to break tracks than penetrate the hull
* Very good at being an actual 'tank' - spearheading an assault, drawing fire and being a shield for weaker allies with stronger guns to eliminate foes
* Very hard to dislodge when hulled down or given enough support, especially in down-tier and with additional armour, because it can soak up a lot of damage unless critically hit
* The 75 mm gun main gun is decent for close-range combat and also can be armed with utility shells
* Able to smoke up the entire battlefield in a matter of seconds if necessary
* Ability to pivot steer
* Good weight dispersion leads to amazing hill climbing capabilities

'''Cons:'''

* 75 mm shells have no explosive filler and cause limited fragmentation upon penetration - it is unable to deal a lot of damage per shot
* Upgraded ammo has still had less penetration than stock ammo on its [[Churchill Mk III|predecessor]]
* Armour construction is rather unsloped, and tanks with APCR and similar shells can exploit it
* Armor is impervious to long-barreled Panzer 4s, but anything more powerful than a Jagdpanzer 4 can penetrate the armour
* While additional armour reduces the chance of penetration, it is still possible to remove it by continuous fire
* Frontal 50 mm weak spot (the machine gun port both on the hull and the turret)
* Extremely vulnerable to coordinated flanking, as penetrations to tank side typically cause catastrophic damage to ammo racks located below the turret
* Roof armour is thin - susceptible to airstrikes and attacks from high ground or very tall tanks
* Large tank in terms of length compared to contemporaries
* Underpowered engine - the tank is unable to scale obstacles properly, speed is maxed out at 20 km/h
* Terrible reverse speed
* Requires good coordination with a team to enable full potential

== History ==


===Development===
The General Staff specification ''A20'' was implemented before World War II and was meant to replace the [[Matilda Mk II|Matilda II]] and [[Valentine Mk XI|Valentine]] infantry tanks. The specification was based around the British infantry tank doctrine, and with the expectation that the coming war would be based on the World War I trench warfare. Thus the tank was needed to travel across unfavourable terrain and able to destroy enemy defences and infantry obstacles. As speed and heavy firepower were not taken with priority, the vehicle was to have two 2-pounder guns on side sponson mounts with a coaxial machine gun, with another machine gun and smoke dischargers on the front hull, armour was about 60 mm on the turret. Four prototypes were made by June 1940 by Harland and Wolff. The front hull would see an upgrade in armament with a 3-inch howitzer during the prototype stages, the 43-ton tank had a 300 hp Meadows engine from the Covenanter tank and was made the tank underpowered. The A20 project was cancelled with the Battle of France, which saw the emergency evacuation of the British Expeditionary Force from Dunkirk that left a majority of their heavy equipment behind.

The Battle of France proved that the coming World War II was not going to be a stagnant battlefield like the trench warfare from World War I. The entire concept had to be redesigned and was done so by Henry Merrit, the director of Tank Design at Woolwich Arsenal. His new concept, the '''A22''' or '''Infantry Tank Mark IV Churchill''', was given to Vauxhall Motors in June 1940. War Office requested that the A22 be ready to enter production within the year due to the growing pressure of a German invasion of Britain. The designs were prepared in July 1940, and the prototypes were made by December of the same year, production soon followed in June 1941. The rushed development was acknowledged in the company to being the cause of many faults and defects in the tank, but the demand by the government was so high that it must be carried out, with the expectation that the issues will be fixed during production. The Churchill tank suffered from an underpowered engine, weak armament, and mechanical problems. The weak weapon from a 2-pounder was replaced with the arming of a 6-pounder on the Churchill, but the other issues caused poor performance of the Churchill in the battlefield. The Churchill production was almost cancelled in favour of the [[Cromwell V|Cromwell]] due to its issues, but its usage in the Second Battle of El Alamein proved its value and kept it in service.

The Churchill would carry on the rest of the war as one of the most versatile tank design in British service, serving in many specialist roles other than its tank role. Altogether, a total of 7,568 Churchill units produced from 1941 to 1945, with 5,968 as tanks.

===Variants===
The Churchill, used in a multitude of roles, is made into many different variants. Twelve different kinds of tank variants were produced for combat roles, with 11 more variants in specific roles ranging from armoured personnel carrier, a bridge-layer, mine clearer, a [[3 inch Gun Carrier]], flamethrower tank, and an armoured recovery vehicle.

===Combat usage===
The Churchill tank was first used in the Dieppe Raid in August 1942. While it was a test on how an opposed landing would work, the 60 Churchill tanks to support the Canadian units suffered from mechanical issues, and those that did work are not able to penetrate past the sea wall due to impassable defences. None of the Churchill tanks that landed returned from the beaches and with a 70% casualty rate, the raid's attempt to establish a beachhead was a failure.

The next use of the Churchill was in North Africa during the Second Battle of El Alamein. At this point, the Churchills have been upgraded to the [[Churchill Mk III|Mk.III]] variants with 6-pounders as their main armament. The detachment, code-named "King Force", help supported the 7th Motor Brigade in their attack. The Churchills were fired upon by many German anti-tank weapons, but none were taken out with only one receiving noteworthy damage. "King Force", as a test bed for the feasibility of Churchills operating in the desert environment, was disbanded with the establishment of the 25th Army Tank Brigade with the Churchills to see action in February 1943 in Tunisia. In the German offensive Operation Ochsenkpf, two Churchill Mk.III from the 51st Royal Tank Regiment came across an entire German transport column that they ambushed. The result was a loss of twelve artillery pieces, 25 wheeled vehicles, two [[Pz.III J|Panzer III]]s and 200 casualties on the British side with no losses. The Churchill also played a crucial role in the Battle of Longstop Hill, where Churchill tanks in the 48th Royal Tank Regiment faced off with Germany's newest heavy tank [[Tiger H1|Tiger I]]. Though suffering losses, a lucky 6-pounder shot from the Churchill ended up jamming the Tiger's turret and turret ring that injured the crew, forcing them to abandon the tank. The Tiger tank was captured by the British for intelligence purpose on Germany's armoured forces. The Tiger Tank is named Tiger 131.

After the North African campaign, the Churchill began to see widespread usage in the British army as a support unit for the infantry. The Churchill saw much more operation hours than any other British tank in service. It was at this point that the Churchill Mk.III began conversion into the 75 mm guns that were used on the American [[M4|M4 Sherman]] tanks. These conversions, known as ''NA75,'' were a resourceful solution for increasing the firepower of the Churchill tanks using readily available equipment. Some Churchills were also converted into close support vehicles with 95 mm howitzers as their main armaments. In response to the growing German anti-tank firepower in the later years of World War II, the Churchill tanks were also upgraded in armour by a large degree, though their engines were also upgraded to compensate for the additional weight. The [[Churchill Mk VII|Churchill Mk.VII]], for example, has armour ranging up to 152 mm thick in the front, in comparison to the Mk.III 89 mm thick front hull. The Churchills also saw service in Europe during Operation Overlord. At the time, it was considered that the Churchill would become severely outdated with the growing tank technology, so an experimental program under specification A43, otherwise known as the [[Black Prince|Black Prince]], to up-armour and up-gun the Churchill. While this experimented seem fruitful, the development of more agile tanks with the same level of protection and armament such as the [[Centurion Mk 3|Centurion]] rendered the project obsolete.

The Churchills were also given out to the Allies to help combat the Axis forces. The Australian Army received a handful of Churchills for testing alongside the M4 Sherman with the Matilda II as the basis, to which proved that the Churchill was superior in jungle warfare. Of the 510 Churchills ordered by the Australians in the war, only 46 arrived in time and were not used in the Pacific War; the rest were cancelled with the end of World War II. The USSR also used the Churchills given by the British as part of the Lend-Lease act. 301 Churchills were sent, but 43 were lost to the sea by German naval forces. Of those that arrived, the Soviets gave the Churchills to the 5th Guards Tank Army in the Battle of Prokhorovka during the Kursk Offensive.

After World War II, the Churchill stuck around in the British Army until the Korean War, where the British sent the Churchill Crocodile Squadron (C squadron of the 7th Royal Tank Regiment) to Korea to fight with the Allied coalition. They fought as gun tanks in battle such as the Third Battle of Seoul. The Churchills were instrumental in some victories and were widely praised by both British and American forces and historians. After the Korean war, the Churchills remains in combat service until 1952, with the specific bridge-layer variant staying until the 1970s. The Irish Army also received three Churchill tanks in 1948 and another in 1949 as rentals until 1954, where they were purchased after trials with the vehicles. Despite running out of spare parts for the Churchill, the Irish Army took them in and experimented with using different engines to keep them functional, though this ended with failure and by 1967, only one was still functional. All were retired in 1969, and one was preserved at the Curragh Camp.

== Media ==

{{Youtube-gallery|gxIVvUZGptw|'''The Shooting Range #51''' - ''Pages of History'' section at 03:14 discusses the Churchill Mk VII.}}

== 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 ==


* [https://warthunder.com/en/devblog/current/845/ [Devblog<nowiki>]</nowiki> A22B Сhurchill Mk.III and A22 Churchill Mk.VII (with developers answers)]

{{Britain heavy tanks}}

IS-2

2020-08-30T04:03:41Z

U49457694: /* Pros and cons */

{{Specs-Card|code=ussr_is_2_1943}}
{{About
| about = heavy tank '''{{PAGENAME}}'''
| and
| usage = the later versions
| link-1 = IS-2 (1944)
| link-2 = IS-2 "Revenge"
}}
== Description ==

[[File:GarageImage_IS-2.jpg|420px|thumb|left]]
{{break}}
The '''{{Specs|name}}''' is a rank {{Specs|rank}} Soviet heavy tank {{Battle-rating}}. It was introduced during the Closed Beta Test for Ground Forces before [[Update 1.41]]. The IS-2 introduces the heavy-hitting 122 mm D-25 gun as a tank armament, presenting massive firepower with a devastating post-damage effect. Its effect on the battlefield should not be underestimated.

Operational and visual characteristics of the IS-2, as its design and name suggest, is visually similar to its previous sister-tank, the [[IS-1]] but with operational characteristics of a Tank Destroyer in its Rank and Battle-Rating. Players experienced in operating previous models of the KV series tanks, in particular, the [[KV-2 (1939)|KV-2]] and SU-line of Tank Destroyers should have little to no difficulty in adjusting to this vehicle.

== General info ==
=== Survivability and armour ===

[[File:IS-2 scheme of armour.jpg|right|thumbnail|x250px|The historical armour layout of the JS/IS-2 for the 1943 and 44 mod's]] 
'''Armour type:'''

* Cast homogeneous armour (Turret, Hull front, Hull side)
* Rolled homogeneous armour (Hull roof, Engine deck side & rear, Turret roof, Gun mantlet)

{| class="wikitable"
|-
! Armour !! Front !! Sides !! Rear !! Roof
|-
| Hull || 120 mm (27-34°) ''Driver's port'' 60 mm (74°) ''Front glacis'' 100 mm (28-36°) ''Lower glacis'' || 90 - 100 mm (9-25°) ''Top'' 90 mm ''Bottom''|| 60 mm (49-50°) ''Top'' 60 mm (38°) ''Bottom'' || 30 mm
|-
| Turret || 100 mm (7-72°) ''Turret front'' 100 mm (5-60°) ''Gun mantlet'' || 100 mm (12-22°) || 100 mm (5-35°) || 30 mm
|-
! Armour !! Sides !! Roof
|-
| Cupola || 90 mm || 30 mm
|-
|}
'''Notes:'''

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

The IS-2 has sufficient armour, but will not protect from the guns of its rank. The frontal plate has 120 mm of armour plating, which will not stop anything the IS-2 faces, making slight angle adjustments paramount survivability essential. However, due to a tendency for the driver's viewport to literally absorb the round, most players will not aim here. The LFP has a value of 100 mm angled at 27 degrees, and will not bounce any shots. Since behind the LFP is the driver and the 2 main fuel tanks, a penetrating round will have catastrophic results for the {{PAGENAME}}. The side armour is 90 mm, and observing the front of the tank, it has a noticeable curvature to it. When viewed from the front, the 90 mm of armour will deflect or absorb a high number of shots contrary to the 120 mm plate. Angling with large adjustments will cause the {{PAGENAME}} to render this part useless and make the tank extremely vulnerable. The frontal turret armour is 100 mm with a distinctive "cheek" construction. As with any "cheek" construction, the lower part may act as a shot trap and the middle may absorb shots, but it is more than likely to fail against high-penetration guns.

=== Mobility ===


{{tankMobility|abMinHp= 671|rbMinHp= 460|}}

== Armaments ==
=== Main armament ===

{{main|D-25T (122 mm)}}

{| class="wikitable" style="text-align:center" width="100%"
|-
! colspan="5" | [[D-25T (122 mm)|122 mm D-25T]] || colspan="5" | Turret rotation speed (°/s) || colspan="4" | Reloading rate (seconds)
|-
! Mode !! Capacity !! Vertical !! Horizontal !! Stabilizer
! Stock !! Upgraded !! Full !! Expert !! Aced
! Stock !! Full !! Expert !! Aced
|-
! ''Arcade''
| rowspan="2" | 28 || rowspan="2" | -3°/+20° || rowspan="2" | ±180° || rowspan="2" | N/A || 11.3 ||11.5||19.0||21.1||55.0|| rowspan="2" | 27.1 || rowspan="2" |24.0|| rowspan="2" |22.1|| rowspan="2" | 20.8
|-
! ''Realistic''
| 8.3 ||9.8||11.9||13.2|| 14.0
|-
|}

===== Ammunition =====
{| class="wikitable sortable" style="text-align:center" width="100%"
! colspan="8" | Penetration statistics
|-
! rowspan="2" data-sort-type="text" | Ammunition
! rowspan="2" class="unsortable" | Type of warhead
! colspan="6" | '''Penetration''' '''''in mm''''' '''@ 90°'''
|-
! 10m
! 100m
! 500m
! 1000m
! 1500m
! 2000m
|-
| BR-471 || APHE || 205 || 201 || 183 || 162 || 144 || 128
|-
| BR-471B || APHEBC || 205 || 203 || 191 || 178 || 166 || 155
|-
| OF-471 || HE || 37 || 37 || 37 || 37 || 37 || 37
|-
|}
{| class="wikitable sortable" style="text-align:center" width="100%"
! colspan="11" | Shell details
|-
! rowspan="2" data-sort-type="text" | Ammunition
! rowspan="2" class="unsortable" | Type of warhead
! rowspan="2" |Velocity in m/s
! rowspan="2" |Projectile Mass in kg
! rowspan="2" | ''Fuse delay''
''in m:''
! rowspan="2" | ''Fuse sensitivity''
''in mm:''
! rowspan="2" | ''Explosive Mass in g (TNT equivalent):''
! rowspan="2" | ''Normalization At 30° from horizontal:''
! colspan="3" | ''Ricochet:''
|-
! 0%
! 50%
! 100%
|-
| BR-471 || APHE || 795 || 25 || 1.2 || 19 || 246.4 || -1° || 47° || 60° || 65°
|-
| BR-471B || APHEBC || 795 || 25 || 1.2 || 19 || 246.4 || +4° || 48° || 63° || 71°
|-
| OF-471 || HE || 800 || 25 || 0.1 || 0.1 || 3,600 || +0° || 79° || 80° || 81°
|-
|}

===== [[Ammo racks|Ammo racks]] =====
[[File:Ammoracks_IS-2.png|right|thumbnail|x250px|[[Ammo racks|Ammo racks]] of the IS-2.]]
{| class="wikitable sortable" style="text-align:center"
|-
! class="wikitable unsortable" |Full ammo
! class="wikitable unsortable" |Ammo Part
! class="wikitable unsortable" |1st rack empty
! class="wikitable unsortable" |2nd rack empty
! class="wikitable unsortable" |3rd rack empty
! class="wikitable unsortable" |4th rack empty
! class="wikitable unsortable" |5th rack empty
! class="wikitable unsortable" |6th rack empty
! class="wikitable unsortable" |Visual discrepancy
|-
|| '''28''' || style="text-align:right" | ''Projectiles'' ''Propellants'' || 19 ''(+9)'' 18 ''(+10)'' || 14 ''(+14)'' 13 ''(+15)'' || 9 ''(+19)'' 9 ''(+19)'' || 6 ''(+22)'' 6 ''(+22)'' || 3 ''(+25)'' 1 ''(+27)'' || 1 ''(+27)'' 1 ''(+27)'' || style="text-align:left" | No
|-
|}

Center ammo removed: 18 ''(+10)''

=== Machine guns ===

{{main|DT (7.62 mm)}}

{| class="wikitable" style="text-align:center"
|-
! colspan="7" | [[DT (7.62 mm)|7.62 mm DT]]
|-
! colspan="7" | ''Coaxial mount''
|-
! colspan="4" rowspan="1" style="width:5em" |Capacity (Belt capacity)
! rowspan="1" | Fire rate (shots/minute)
! rowspan="1" | Vertical guidance
! rowspan="1" | Horizontal guidance
|-
| colspan="4" | 1,890 (63) || 600 || N/A || N/A
|-
|}

== Usage in the battles ==

As the tank's design purpose suggests, the IS-2 is a heavy tank built with an emphasis on engaging hostile armoured vehicles as well as a breakthrough tank. The tanks heavy armour retains the similar properties of its [[IS-1]] and previous KV line of battle-tanks but introduces some sloped armour on the front plate and turret mantlet. Differing from its IS-1 predecessor, the IS-2 comes equipped with the large 122mm D-25T gun and a slightly more armoured but elongated turret. Although powerful, the D-25T main cannon of the IS-2 is encumbered by a slow reload time, mimicking that of the Soviet Tank-Destroyer line of vehicles at around the mid-20 seconds. Nevertheless, this vehicle with its powerful cannon and shell will commonly destroy almost all but the most heavily armoured vehicles with a single shot, behaving similarly to the older KV-2 predecessor, albeit with half the time required for reloading. In the tank's Battle-Rating and Rank, the armour of the IS-2 no longer stands up to much punishment with the advent of opponents with more powerful weaponry, and caution should be taken. Close-quarters combat and brawling against more than one target at a time is highly discouraged due to the long reload speed unless the tank operator is trapped and situation requires this as an absolute necessity. Alternatively, if escorted and accompanied by other friendly tanks, the IS-2 can be supplemented and perform better in dire close-quarters situations.

=== General Gameplay ===

==== Arcade Battles ====
In Arcade, the IS-2 proves to be quite mobile when fully upgraded. This can be used effectively to get into superior positions to engage enemies early in the match when they haven't yet set-up camp in well-covered positions and/or presented their strongest armour. Thus, it's easy to gain a kill at the start of the match, if you are comfortable with the 122 mm gun.

Close quarters combat proves even more deadly in Arcade Battles because all opposing vehicles will be able to easily overrun a single IS-2, especially after it has shot and is now waiting through its long reload (> the 20s). Hence why it's advised to use your improved reverse speed to quickly disengage after shooting and retreating towards your teammates, who will likely be able to return fire. If the map forces you to fight in close quarters, attempt to get into a position where your teammates can cover your sides, while you can face forwards and clear the road. If the map allows, you can try taking 5 rounds of ammunition and camp at a capture point (usually one that's given to your team) to snipe all enemies that enter your line of sight while reducing your chances of blowing up at the first incoming shot.

In rare cases, it's possible to rush with the IS-2 and surprise lighter vehicles at a contested capture point in the early stages of a game. This strategy relies on the capture point being unpopular and being lucky to face only one enemy vehicle at a time. Some light tanks are unable to penetrate the IS-2 frontally, especially if they are from a much lower rank (e.g. [[BT-7]], the [[Sd.Kfz.234/2|Puma]] or the [[R3 T20 FA-HS|R3]]), so that's an added benefit of being a decently mobile heavy tank. If successful, the IS-2 can then flank to other objectives or advance to the enemy spawn to destroy another enemy or two. You shouldn't expect a lot of easy targets with this strategy, because it exposes your tank to potentially a lot of enemy fire.

==== Realistic Battles ====
In Realistic, the IS-2 begins to feel like a heavy tank. Its mobility is heavily reduced and its speed is outmatched by practically everything, mostly due to poor acceleration off-roads. However, this should be used as an advantage to gauge where the enemies are set-up, by looking where your teammates are killed from. You can then decide to return fire, although sometimes opponents don't show themselves until later in the match, in which case you should stay passive and try to remain behind your team's front lines.

Due to generally increased map size in Realistic, you will have to get comfortable with the bullet drop. There is an added benefit to that because the following [[IS-3]] and [[IS-4M]] mount the same gun (as does [[T-44-122]] and [[KV-122]], if you have them), and [[T-10M]] has similar bullet drop. Now, the IS-2 performs decently well at longer ranges, but it will cost you a lot if you miss or don't penetrate, because the reload is so long. Often, you will need to rely on the rangefinder, the teammates or map knowledge to gauge how high you need to shoot, so it might be a great idea to take out another vehicle first (such as the [[T-44]] or [[T-34-85]]) remember the distance and then take the IS-2 out. However, on larger maps, it is generally a better idea to take out other vehicles.

A more reliable strategy for the IS-2 is to camp nearby an objective and pick off any enemies who pose a threat. Just make sure to find a flat spot with cover, because your poor gun depression and long reload will be your death in hilly or open areas. It's also a good idea to target heavy enemies, because they are easier to hit, and also will likely pose a larger threat to your general team (e.g the [[Ferdinand]], the [[Ho-Ri Production|Ho-Ri]] or the [[Tiger II (H)]] ).

====General Tactics====

Although classified as a heavy tank and an upgraded improved design over the KV predecessor, the IS-2's armour will no longer hold up to its more common and heavier opponents of its Battle-Rating and Rank. Compared with other vehicles such as the new German Tiger II, American heavy T-series tanks; most of which can easily deflect even the most powerful shots of the IS-2 unless targeted specifically and known weak-spots. Because of this, it is recommended to always travel and fight in groups of two or more vehicles. The slow and difficult in the manoeuvring of the vehicle (especially in confined spaces) will more than once place the IS-2 in significant danger. It is recommended to field the IS-2 into a fire-support role, peeking over the shoulder of friendly, more heavier vehicles and firing a shot against the opposition in tandem.

Another significant note of this vehicle is the IS-2's considerably fast reverse rate, the highest of its Rank and Battle-Rating for the nation's faction inherited from its IS-1 predecessor, topping at 17 km/h. During situations where engagement is expected, an unorthodox strategy can be utilized where the operator of the IS-2 tank re-positions the vehicle 90 degrees and drive in reverse with the rear-facing towards the enemy. By driving in reverse this way, the engine blocks make a crude yet somewhat effective shield to protect the more delicate crew members. As the fuel tanks are mostly stored at the front on the left and right side of the driver's station, the risk of fire and fuel-tank explosion is reduced significantly (but not completely eliminated) and thus, the tank is able to resist even the most powerful of shots. Be aware that more experienced players may attempt to instead fire at the more exposed turret of the IS tank and instantly knocking out the crew with a common APHE penetrating shell in this way.

In regards to shells, the D-25T cannon is also equipped with powerful High Explosive (HE) Shells which should not go ignored. Firing a HE shell with precise aim directly underneath the chassis of enemy vehicles were the armour, like on the top of the vehicle if thinnest, can cripple or instantly destroy said enemy vehicles. In rare instances, the HE shell of the D-25T is so powerful to the point two or more medium or heavy tanks close to each other can be destroyed with a single exploding HE Shell.<ref>https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=orjvoBexPd4</ref> Alternatively, the powerful armour-piercing capability of the D-25T cannon's APHE rounds has also been documented to pierce two or three light-armoured targets without exploding, claiming hull-break wins. <ref>https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EpXjG9ORxTI</ref>

====Specific enemies worth noting====

German Tiger IIs, Panthers will be common encounters at the IS-2's Battle-Rating and Rank, combined with the more threatening and heavier American T-Series tanks such as the T34 and M26. At this Battle Rating and Rank, more powerful British Tanks such as the Centurions will be encountered. As previously specified above, The IS-2 no longer retains its armour advantage in this Battle-Rating and Rank un-likes its IS-1 predecessor and thus, it is important to identify and fire on targets first before they do. In this rank, Tanks such as the Panthers, Tiger II and similar vehicles will be present with sloped armour, strong enough to even withstand the might of the 122mm Shells of the D-25T gun. A common design flaw, however, is the turret of said vehicles, commonly being mostly blunt and flat and easy to penetrate. A patient and well placed aim and shot against these surfaces will destroy the target with no more than a single shot. Be aware that most opposition vehicles at this rank have the lower calibre and puncturing power than the D-25T of the IS-2, but come with an improved reload speed, a reload speed commonly faster than the IS-2. Japanese line of tanks at the same rank as the IS-2 is of little concern; their poor armour and armaments at the same rank will render them relatively easy to destroy.

Another specific enemy vehicle worth noting is the German [[Ferdinand]] Tank Destroyer. Most new players in Rank IV battles fielding the IS-2 may commonly mistake the front armour of the Ferdinand as appearing as thin as similar-looking tank destroyers such the [[Nashorn]] and are commonly caught unaware that almost the entire front of the Ferdinand consists entirely of heavy 100mm and 200mm plate armour, the largest being the fighting compartment located behind the driving compartment. Due to it being such a large target, many players including both IS-2 users and other vehicle type users alike will be tempted into firing at that portion expecting easy wins, only for almost all shots to be absorbed, even the powerful shells of the D-25T. It is recommended to avoid engaging the Ferdinand or ignore it entirely. If the opportunity arises, Ferdinand's weaker side and rear armour should be targeted (80mm).

=== The Stock Grind ===
When grinding the first modifications, Arcade Battles might be more fun, because of faster-paced gameplay and the ability to see all threats. Now, it's '''a priority to research Parts and FPE''' (you may want to activate 3-5 universal vehicle back-ups to be able to respawn twice in one match if you really wish to upgrade this vehicle quickly).

General stock grind advice:

* Don't show your rear to any enemies, because a single fire will be your death.
* Your gun is still very effective, so don't be afraid to attack enemies frontally, just make sure to aim for weak-spots if possible.
** Shooting at planes in Arcade with your machine gun (or main gun) and scoring some hits can often award you a kill if the plane crashes, which grants points.
* Play as a support tank - push with your team and let them take fire, then poke out and take your shots, then retreat back into cover.
** Try to push into objectives with your team to gain those points as well.

=== Modules ===
{| class="wikitable"
! Tier
! colspan="2" | Mobility
! Protection
! colspan="2" | Firepower
|-
| I
| Tracks
|
| Parts
| Horizontal Drive
|
|-
| II
| Suspension
| Brake System
| FPE
| Adjustment of Fire
| BR-471B
|-
| III
| Filters
|
| Crew Replenishment
| Elevation Mechanism
|
|-
| IV
| Transmission
| Engine
|
|
|
|-
|}

=== Pros and cons ===

'''Pros:'''

* Excellent firepower with nearly unmatched one-shot potential
* Good mobility
* Very fast reverse speed
* Repositioning of fuel tanks reduces chances of fires
* Players proficient with the KV-2 and Soviet Heavy Tank Destroyers will feel comfortable with the IS-2

''' Cons:'''

* Extremely poor gun depression (as most Russian tankers will be accustomed to)
* Very low rate of fire
* Sub-par armour for a heavy tank, inherited from the IS-1
* Poor manoeuvrability, very bad hull traverse speed, often needing forward acceleration before turning
* Slow turret traverse speed
* Big weak spots that directly lead to the driver or an ammo rack

== History ==

===Development===
The effort began on another heavy tank after the [[IS-1]]'s 85 mm gun no longer had a firepower advantage after the standard [[T-34 (1942)|T-34]] medium tank was upgraded with the same gun into the [[T-34-85]]. Due to that, the IS-1 was discontinued in January 1944 with about 107 units produced.<ref name="ISZaloga">Zaloga, Steven J. ''IS-2 Heavy Tank 1944-73'' Great Britain: Osprey Publishing Ltd., 1994</ref> Those in storage still awaited upgrade to become a more powerful heavy tank.

In late 1943, the upgrade of the IS tank began and the choices available were rounded down to two weapons, the 122 mm A-19 gun and the 100 mm D-10 gun. Both guns had their advantages and disadvantages in their specifications, the 100 mm D-10 had a much better armour penetration capabilities and uses a single-piece ammunition, the 122 mm A-19 has a better high-explosive round and used a two-piece ammunition In the end, the 122 mm A-19 (adopted as the D-25T) gun was chosen as the gun of the new IS tank due to larger supply of the gun available for use (the D-10 was a newly produced gun) and the better high-explosive round available. The better high-explosive round is due to the heavy tank's specification as a "breakthrough" tank than an anti-tank role, so it was meant to fight fortifications more than against armour. Nevertheless, against armour, the 122 mm gun proved a very lethal cannon against armour, having the capacity to knock out any German tanks fielded in the war, even the [[Tiger II (H)|Tiger II]], though the ease of knocking them out vary from their armour protection.

The 122 mm gun's two-piece ammunition was perhaps the gun's worst drawback, this along with the heavy shells and charges that it uses causes reloading speed to only be one and a half rounds per minute maximum. Even after some modernization to the gun including a semi-automatic breech, the firing rate only increased to two to three rounds per minute. Another drawback of the gun was the size of the ammunition that the 122 mm gun uses, the IS tank interior could only hold 28 of such ammunition, which restricts the time the IS could last in battle before requiring a resupply. In battle, the usual distribution of the shells is 20 high-explosive and 8 armour-piercing rounds.

The finished IS tank with the 122 mm gun, first called the ''IS-122'', was finally approved and renamed the '''IS-2''' heavy tank, some were rearmed IS-1s from the factory with the 122 mm gun. The IS-2 tank, like the IS-1, was superior to the previous [[KV-1 (ZiS-5)|KV-1]] tanks used in the Red Army. Production of the IS-2 started in October or November 1943 and by the end of World War II when production ended, a total of 3,854 units were produced.

===Design===
The IS-2 tank hull was similar to the IS-1 tank, but the turret was modified to accommodate the larger 122 mm D-25T gun. The suspension was a torsion-bar suspension system and the tank was powered by a diesel V2-IC engine. The drivetrain and the engine were taken from the KV-1 tank, yet was considerably more mobile. The armour on the IS-2 was a 120 mm thick front plate sloped at 60 degrees with a small step in the front for the driver's hatch. This '''"early version"''', developed from the KV-13 design, was produced from the initial production lines until some time in late 1944, where a '''[[IS-2 (1944)|IS-2 mod. 1944]]''' version was modified with the front plate now a single sloped 120 mm plate at 60 degrees with no interruptions in order to eliminate shot traps and weaknesses in the armour design. Other design changes when the IS-2 was upgraded to the 1944 model was a stronger gun mount, wider mantlet, and an addition of a Dshk machine gun on the turret. The formidable armour of the IS-2 is able to withstand the 88 mm shells from the [[Tiger H1|Tiger I]] at 1,000 meters out, yet the whole tank weighs less than the Panther at only 46 tons. Despite its construction, the IS-2 was still quite crude in quality and can have signs of being hastily built from the factories. This did not affect its battlefield performance greatly and the crude construction is merely a side effect of the fast production of the tanks to fill battlefield demands.

===Combat usage===
The IS-2 first saw action in early 1944. The IS-2 was organized in heavy tank regiments, each with 21 tanks. Their role was to spearhead the offensives launched at each sector, breaking through enemy emplacements and supporting the infantry by destroying enemy fortifications, they were not meant to exploit breakthroughs and this role was given to the lighter [[T-34-85|T-34]] tanks. Their first reported action was in April 1944 in the 11th Special Guards Heavy Tank Regiment near Tarnopol, Ukraine. The IS-2 presented such a surprise to the Germans as no Soviet tanks before could engage with accurate fire from more than 3 kilometres away. A bigger shock was when they found out the 88 mm of the Tiger I couldn't adequately penetrate their armour. The IS-2 initial combat experience was limited due to the inexperienced crew and organization, but more and more IS-2 started to come in to reinforce the Soviet forces.<ref name="ISZaloga">Zaloga, Steven J. ''IS-2 Heavy Tank 1944-73'' Great Britain: Osprey Publishing Ltd., 1994</ref>

The IS-2's next great effort was in Operation Bagration in July 1944. By this time period, the heavy tank regiments were allocated to one for each tank corps. During Operation Bagration, the IS-2 combat effort contributed to the decimation of the German Army Group Center. The IS-2 was able to deal with the troublesome German Panther and Tiger I tanks with ease. By December 1944, enough IS-2 was produced that the Soviets began outfitting them to Guards heavy tank brigades, consisting of 65 IS-2 tanks with other vehicles for support. Though the number of these brigades were still limited, they proved valuable in breaking through German lines, as used in January 1945 against the German in the Oder Offensive. It should be noted that despite having a role similar to the Tiger heavy tank battalions in the German service, they are produced in far greater numbers to enforce every tank corp with one heavy tank regiment that allowed even the IS-2 to overwhelm German defences. The IS-2 continued to see combat service for the Red Army all the way to the Battle of Berlin and the end of World War II.<ref name="ISZaloga">Zaloga, Steven J. ''IS-2 Heavy Tank 1944-73'' Great Britain: Osprey Publishing Ltd., 1994</ref> T

After World War II, the IS-2 production was replaced by the more heavily armoured [[IS-3]], but the IS-2 stayed in service up until 1982 due to modernization efforts on the IS-2. This modernized IS-2 was named the ''IS-2M'' and were done in the mid-1950s. These modernization efforts added external fuel tanks and stowage bins onto the hull and protective skirts on the edges of the tracks. The IS-2 was finally placed into storage in the 1990s and were kept in reserves or sold out as scrap metal.

Like most of Soviet Union's military hardware, the IS-2 was given out to the Warsaw Pact nations as supplies. The IS-2 was thus lent out to Poland, Czechoslovakia, Hungary, China, North Vietnam, and maybe North Korea. Later in 1960, a shipment of IS-2 was also sent to Cuba, these were converted into bunkers and coastal defences as spare parts for the tank never made it to Cuba due to the US blockade imposed in 1962.

=== In-game description ===
The most powerful tank deployed in combat in World War II. The Iosif Stalin IS-2 was developed in the summer of 1943 at the same time as the IS-1 heavy tank armed with an 85 mm cannon. Thanks to its thick armour and high firepower, the IS-2 was a worthy opponent to German heavy tanks. The vehicle's basic armament consisted of the powerful 122 mm D-25T cannon with separate shell loading. The 122 mm weapon's penetration and firing accuracy were quite high. The standard-issue BR-471 sharp-nosed armour-piercing shells allowed it to penetrate the frontal armour of all German tanks.

The tank's layout was standard, with the transmission in the rear. The tank's hull was a fully welded armoured box made of cast and rolled armour.

The hull's nose and the under turret box were made of cast pieces. It's base, sides, rear and roof were rolled steel. The turret had a streamlined shape and was cast steel. Its sides contained small hatches with armoured covers for shooting through with small arms.

Around 450 of them were made between December 1943 and May 1944.

Tanks of this model played a large role in the battles of 1944-1945, particularly excelling in storming cities.

The IS-2's flaws limiting its anti-tank capabilities included its small ammunition supply consisting of 28 shots and its cannon's separate loading, which decreased its rate of fire. Its first battles revealed that the tank's frontal hull armour was insufficient.

The new heavy tanks were provided to Czechoslovakian units and the Polish Army, which participated in the final stage of the Great Patriotic War.

== Media ==


;Skins

* [http://live.warthunder.com/feed/camouflages/?q=%23is2 Skins and camouflages for the IS-2 from live.warthunder.com].

;Videos
{{Youtube-gallery|eqLe-I0FRwQ|'''The Shooting Range #72''' - ''Pages of History'' section at 03:43 discusses the IS-2.|MhjI_h5FhG4|'''IS-2 vs Tiger E''' - ''War Thunder Official Channel''}}

==References==
<references />

== Read also ==

[https://warthunder.com/en/news/2673/current/ Official War Thunder forum article: [Vehicle Profile<nowiki>]</nowiki> Iosif Stalin 2]

== Sources ==
''Paste links to sources and external resources, such as:''

* ''topic on the official game forum;''
* ''other literature.''

{{USSR heavy tanks}}

IS-2

2020-08-30T04:02:09Z

U49457694: /* Pros and cons */

{{Specs-Card|code=ussr_is_2_1943}}
{{About
| about = heavy tank '''{{PAGENAME}}'''
| and
| usage = the later versions
| link-1 = IS-2 (1944)
| link-2 = IS-2 "Revenge"
}}
== Description ==

[[File:GarageImage_IS-2.jpg|420px|thumb|left]]
{{break}}
The '''{{Specs|name}}''' is a rank {{Specs|rank}} Soviet heavy tank {{Battle-rating}}. It was introduced during the Closed Beta Test for Ground Forces before [[Update 1.41]]. The IS-2 introduces the heavy-hitting 122 mm D-25 gun as a tank armament, presenting massive firepower with a devastating post-damage effect. Its effect on the battlefield should not be underestimated.

Operational and visual characteristics of the IS-2, as its design and name suggest, is visually similar to its previous sister-tank, the [[IS-1]] but with operational characteristics of a Tank Destroyer in its Rank and Battle-Rating. Players experienced in operating previous models of the KV series tanks, in particular, the [[KV-2 (1939)|KV-2]] and SU-line of Tank Destroyers should have little to no difficulty in adjusting to this vehicle.

== General info ==
=== Survivability and armour ===

[[File:IS-2 scheme of armour.jpg|right|thumbnail|x250px|The historical armour layout of the JS/IS-2 for the 1943 and 44 mod's]] 
'''Armour type:'''

* Cast homogeneous armour (Turret, Hull front, Hull side)
* Rolled homogeneous armour (Hull roof, Engine deck side & rear, Turret roof, Gun mantlet)

{| class="wikitable"
|-
! Armour !! Front !! Sides !! Rear !! Roof
|-
| Hull || 120 mm (27-34°) ''Driver's port'' 60 mm (74°) ''Front glacis'' 100 mm (28-36°) ''Lower glacis'' || 90 - 100 mm (9-25°) ''Top'' 90 mm ''Bottom''|| 60 mm (49-50°) ''Top'' 60 mm (38°) ''Bottom'' || 30 mm
|-
| Turret || 100 mm (7-72°) ''Turret front'' 100 mm (5-60°) ''Gun mantlet'' || 100 mm (12-22°) || 100 mm (5-35°) || 30 mm
|-
! Armour !! Sides !! Roof
|-
| Cupola || 90 mm || 30 mm
|-
|}
'''Notes:'''

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

The IS-2 has sufficient armour, but will not protect from the guns of its rank. The frontal plate has 120 mm of armour plating, which will not stop anything the IS-2 faces, making slight angle adjustments paramount survivability essential. However, due to a tendency for the driver's viewport to literally absorb the round, most players will not aim here. The LFP has a value of 100 mm angled at 27 degrees, and will not bounce any shots. Since behind the LFP is the driver and the 2 main fuel tanks, a penetrating round will have catastrophic results for the {{PAGENAME}}. The side armour is 90 mm, and observing the front of the tank, it has a noticeable curvature to it. When viewed from the front, the 90 mm of armour will deflect or absorb a high number of shots contrary to the 120 mm plate. Angling with large adjustments will cause the {{PAGENAME}} to render this part useless and make the tank extremely vulnerable. The frontal turret armour is 100 mm with a distinctive "cheek" construction. As with any "cheek" construction, the lower part may act as a shot trap and the middle may absorb shots, but it is more than likely to fail against high-penetration guns.

=== Mobility ===


{{tankMobility|abMinHp= 671|rbMinHp= 460|}}

== Armaments ==
=== Main armament ===

{{main|D-25T (122 mm)}}

{| class="wikitable" style="text-align:center" width="100%"
|-
! colspan="5" | [[D-25T (122 mm)|122 mm D-25T]] || colspan="5" | Turret rotation speed (°/s) || colspan="4" | Reloading rate (seconds)
|-
! Mode !! Capacity !! Vertical !! Horizontal !! Stabilizer
! Stock !! Upgraded !! Full !! Expert !! Aced
! Stock !! Full !! Expert !! Aced
|-
! ''Arcade''
| rowspan="2" | 28 || rowspan="2" | -3°/+20° || rowspan="2" | ±180° || rowspan="2" | N/A || 11.3 ||11.5||19.0||21.1||55.0|| rowspan="2" | 27.1 || rowspan="2" |24.0|| rowspan="2" |22.1|| rowspan="2" | 20.8
|-
! ''Realistic''
| 8.3 ||9.8||11.9||13.2|| 14.0
|-
|}

===== Ammunition =====
{| class="wikitable sortable" style="text-align:center" width="100%"
! colspan="8" | Penetration statistics
|-
! rowspan="2" data-sort-type="text" | Ammunition
! rowspan="2" class="unsortable" | Type of warhead
! colspan="6" | '''Penetration''' '''''in mm''''' '''@ 90°'''
|-
! 10m
! 100m
! 500m
! 1000m
! 1500m
! 2000m
|-
| BR-471 || APHE || 205 || 201 || 183 || 162 || 144 || 128
|-
| BR-471B || APHEBC || 205 || 203 || 191 || 178 || 166 || 155
|-
| OF-471 || HE || 37 || 37 || 37 || 37 || 37 || 37
|-
|}
{| class="wikitable sortable" style="text-align:center" width="100%"
! colspan="11" | Shell details
|-
! rowspan="2" data-sort-type="text" | Ammunition
! rowspan="2" class="unsortable" | Type of warhead
! rowspan="2" |Velocity in m/s
! rowspan="2" |Projectile Mass in kg
! rowspan="2" | ''Fuse delay''
''in m:''
! rowspan="2" | ''Fuse sensitivity''
''in mm:''
! rowspan="2" | ''Explosive Mass in g (TNT equivalent):''
! rowspan="2" | ''Normalization At 30° from horizontal:''
! colspan="3" | ''Ricochet:''
|-
! 0%
! 50%
! 100%
|-
| BR-471 || APHE || 795 || 25 || 1.2 || 19 || 246.4 || -1° || 47° || 60° || 65°
|-
| BR-471B || APHEBC || 795 || 25 || 1.2 || 19 || 246.4 || +4° || 48° || 63° || 71°
|-
| OF-471 || HE || 800 || 25 || 0.1 || 0.1 || 3,600 || +0° || 79° || 80° || 81°
|-
|}

===== [[Ammo racks|Ammo racks]] =====
[[File:Ammoracks_IS-2.png|right|thumbnail|x250px|[[Ammo racks|Ammo racks]] of the IS-2.]]
{| class="wikitable sortable" style="text-align:center"
|-
! class="wikitable unsortable" |Full ammo
! class="wikitable unsortable" |Ammo Part
! class="wikitable unsortable" |1st rack empty
! class="wikitable unsortable" |2nd rack empty
! class="wikitable unsortable" |3rd rack empty
! class="wikitable unsortable" |4th rack empty
! class="wikitable unsortable" |5th rack empty
! class="wikitable unsortable" |6th rack empty
! class="wikitable unsortable" |Visual discrepancy
|-
|| '''28''' || style="text-align:right" | ''Projectiles'' ''Propellants'' || 19 ''(+9)'' 18 ''(+10)'' || 14 ''(+14)'' 13 ''(+15)'' || 9 ''(+19)'' 9 ''(+19)'' || 6 ''(+22)'' 6 ''(+22)'' || 3 ''(+25)'' 1 ''(+27)'' || 1 ''(+27)'' 1 ''(+27)'' || style="text-align:left" | No
|-
|}

Center ammo removed: 18 ''(+10)''

=== Machine guns ===

{{main|DT (7.62 mm)}}

{| class="wikitable" style="text-align:center"
|-
! colspan="7" | [[DT (7.62 mm)|7.62 mm DT]]
|-
! colspan="7" | ''Coaxial mount''
|-
! colspan="4" rowspan="1" style="width:5em" |Capacity (Belt capacity)
! rowspan="1" | Fire rate (shots/minute)
! rowspan="1" | Vertical guidance
! rowspan="1" | Horizontal guidance
|-
| colspan="4" | 1,890 (63) || 600 || N/A || N/A
|-
|}

== Usage in the battles ==

As the tank's design purpose suggests, the IS-2 is a heavy tank built with an emphasis on engaging hostile armoured vehicles as well as a breakthrough tank. The tanks heavy armour retains the similar properties of its [[IS-1]] and previous KV line of battle-tanks but introduces some sloped armour on the front plate and turret mantlet. Differing from its IS-1 predecessor, the IS-2 comes equipped with the large 122mm D-25T gun and a slightly more armoured but elongated turret. Although powerful, the D-25T main cannon of the IS-2 is encumbered by a slow reload time, mimicking that of the Soviet Tank-Destroyer line of vehicles at around the mid-20 seconds. Nevertheless, this vehicle with its powerful cannon and shell will commonly destroy almost all but the most heavily armoured vehicles with a single shot, behaving similarly to the older KV-2 predecessor, albeit with half the time required for reloading. In the tank's Battle-Rating and Rank, the armour of the IS-2 no longer stands up to much punishment with the advent of opponents with more powerful weaponry, and caution should be taken. Close-quarters combat and brawling against more than one target at a time is highly discouraged due to the long reload speed unless the tank operator is trapped and situation requires this as an absolute necessity. Alternatively, if escorted and accompanied by other friendly tanks, the IS-2 can be supplemented and perform better in dire close-quarters situations.

=== General Gameplay ===

==== Arcade Battles ====
In Arcade, the IS-2 proves to be quite mobile when fully upgraded. This can be used effectively to get into superior positions to engage enemies early in the match when they haven't yet set-up camp in well-covered positions and/or presented their strongest armour. Thus, it's easy to gain a kill at the start of the match, if you are comfortable with the 122 mm gun.

Close quarters combat proves even more deadly in Arcade Battles because all opposing vehicles will be able to easily overrun a single IS-2, especially after it has shot and is now waiting through its long reload (> the 20s). Hence why it's advised to use your improved reverse speed to quickly disengage after shooting and retreating towards your teammates, who will likely be able to return fire. If the map forces you to fight in close quarters, attempt to get into a position where your teammates can cover your sides, while you can face forwards and clear the road. If the map allows, you can try taking 5 rounds of ammunition and camp at a capture point (usually one that's given to your team) to snipe all enemies that enter your line of sight while reducing your chances of blowing up at the first incoming shot.

In rare cases, it's possible to rush with the IS-2 and surprise lighter vehicles at a contested capture point in the early stages of a game. This strategy relies on the capture point being unpopular and being lucky to face only one enemy vehicle at a time. Some light tanks are unable to penetrate the IS-2 frontally, especially if they are from a much lower rank (e.g. [[BT-7]], the [[Sd.Kfz.234/2|Puma]] or the [[R3 T20 FA-HS|R3]]), so that's an added benefit of being a decently mobile heavy tank. If successful, the IS-2 can then flank to other objectives or advance to the enemy spawn to destroy another enemy or two. You shouldn't expect a lot of easy targets with this strategy, because it exposes your tank to potentially a lot of enemy fire.

==== Realistic Battles ====
In Realistic, the IS-2 begins to feel like a heavy tank. Its mobility is heavily reduced and its speed is outmatched by practically everything, mostly due to poor acceleration off-roads. However, this should be used as an advantage to gauge where the enemies are set-up, by looking where your teammates are killed from. You can then decide to return fire, although sometimes opponents don't show themselves until later in the match, in which case you should stay passive and try to remain behind your team's front lines.

Due to generally increased map size in Realistic, you will have to get comfortable with the bullet drop. There is an added benefit to that because the following [[IS-3]] and [[IS-4M]] mount the same gun (as does [[T-44-122]] and [[KV-122]], if you have them), and [[T-10M]] has similar bullet drop. Now, the IS-2 performs decently well at longer ranges, but it will cost you a lot if you miss or don't penetrate, because the reload is so long. Often, you will need to rely on the rangefinder, the teammates or map knowledge to gauge how high you need to shoot, so it might be a great idea to take out another vehicle first (such as the [[T-44]] or [[T-34-85]]) remember the distance and then take the IS-2 out. However, on larger maps, it is generally a better idea to take out other vehicles.

A more reliable strategy for the IS-2 is to camp nearby an objective and pick off any enemies who pose a threat. Just make sure to find a flat spot with cover, because your poor gun depression and long reload will be your death in hilly or open areas. It's also a good idea to target heavy enemies, because they are easier to hit, and also will likely pose a larger threat to your general team (e.g the [[Ferdinand]], the [[Ho-Ri Production|Ho-Ri]] or the [[Tiger II (H)]] ).

====General Tactics====

Although classified as a heavy tank and an upgraded improved design over the KV predecessor, the IS-2's armour will no longer hold up to its more common and heavier opponents of its Battle-Rating and Rank. Compared with other vehicles such as the new German Tiger II, American heavy T-series tanks; most of which can easily deflect even the most powerful shots of the IS-2 unless targeted specifically and known weak-spots. Because of this, it is recommended to always travel and fight in groups of two or more vehicles. The slow and difficult in the manoeuvring of the vehicle (especially in confined spaces) will more than once place the IS-2 in significant danger. It is recommended to field the IS-2 into a fire-support role, peeking over the shoulder of friendly, more heavier vehicles and firing a shot against the opposition in tandem.

Another significant note of this vehicle is the IS-2's considerably fast reverse rate, the highest of its Rank and Battle-Rating for the nation's faction inherited from its IS-1 predecessor, topping at 17 km/h. During situations where engagement is expected, an unorthodox strategy can be utilized where the operator of the IS-2 tank re-positions the vehicle 90 degrees and drive in reverse with the rear-facing towards the enemy. By driving in reverse this way, the engine blocks make a crude yet somewhat effective shield to protect the more delicate crew members. As the fuel tanks are mostly stored at the front on the left and right side of the driver's station, the risk of fire and fuel-tank explosion is reduced significantly (but not completely eliminated) and thus, the tank is able to resist even the most powerful of shots. Be aware that more experienced players may attempt to instead fire at the more exposed turret of the IS tank and instantly knocking out the crew with a common APHE penetrating shell in this way.

In regards to shells, the D-25T cannon is also equipped with powerful High Explosive (HE) Shells which should not go ignored. Firing a HE shell with precise aim directly underneath the chassis of enemy vehicles were the armour, like on the top of the vehicle if thinnest, can cripple or instantly destroy said enemy vehicles. In rare instances, the HE shell of the D-25T is so powerful to the point two or more medium or heavy tanks close to each other can be destroyed with a single exploding HE Shell.<ref>https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=orjvoBexPd4</ref> Alternatively, the powerful armour-piercing capability of the D-25T cannon's APHE rounds has also been documented to pierce two or three light-armoured targets without exploding, claiming hull-break wins. <ref>https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EpXjG9ORxTI</ref>

====Specific enemies worth noting====

German Tiger IIs, Panthers will be common encounters at the IS-2's Battle-Rating and Rank, combined with the more threatening and heavier American T-Series tanks such as the T34 and M26. At this Battle Rating and Rank, more powerful British Tanks such as the Centurions will be encountered. As previously specified above, The IS-2 no longer retains its armour advantage in this Battle-Rating and Rank un-likes its IS-1 predecessor and thus, it is important to identify and fire on targets first before they do. In this rank, Tanks such as the Panthers, Tiger II and similar vehicles will be present with sloped armour, strong enough to even withstand the might of the 122mm Shells of the D-25T gun. A common design flaw, however, is the turret of said vehicles, commonly being mostly blunt and flat and easy to penetrate. A patient and well placed aim and shot against these surfaces will destroy the target with no more than a single shot. Be aware that most opposition vehicles at this rank have the lower calibre and puncturing power than the D-25T of the IS-2, but come with an improved reload speed, a reload speed commonly faster than the IS-2. Japanese line of tanks at the same rank as the IS-2 is of little concern; their poor armour and armaments at the same rank will render them relatively easy to destroy.

Another specific enemy vehicle worth noting is the German [[Ferdinand]] Tank Destroyer. Most new players in Rank IV battles fielding the IS-2 may commonly mistake the front armour of the Ferdinand as appearing as thin as similar-looking tank destroyers such the [[Nashorn]] and are commonly caught unaware that almost the entire front of the Ferdinand consists entirely of heavy 100mm and 200mm plate armour, the largest being the fighting compartment located behind the driving compartment. Due to it being such a large target, many players including both IS-2 users and other vehicle type users alike will be tempted into firing at that portion expecting easy wins, only for almost all shots to be absorbed, even the powerful shells of the D-25T. It is recommended to avoid engaging the Ferdinand or ignore it entirely. If the opportunity arises, Ferdinand's weaker side and rear armour should be targeted (80mm).

=== The Stock Grind ===
When grinding the first modifications, Arcade Battles might be more fun, because of faster-paced gameplay and the ability to see all threats. Now, it's '''a priority to research Parts and FPE''' (you may want to activate 3-5 universal vehicle back-ups to be able to respawn twice in one match if you really wish to upgrade this vehicle quickly).

General stock grind advice:

* Don't show your rear to any enemies, because a single fire will be your death.
* Your gun is still very effective, so don't be afraid to attack enemies frontally, just make sure to aim for weak-spots if possible.
** Shooting at planes in Arcade with your machine gun (or main gun) and scoring some hits can often award you a kill if the plane crashes, which grants points.
* Play as a support tank - push with your team and let them take fire, then poke out and take your shots, then retreat back into cover.
** Try to push into objectives with your team to gain those points as well.

=== Modules ===
{| class="wikitable"
! Tier
! colspan="2" | Mobility
! Protection
! colspan="2" | Firepower
|-
| I
| Tracks
|
| Parts
| Horizontal Drive
|
|-
| II
| Suspension
| Brake System
| FPE
| Adjustment of Fire
| BR-471B
|-
| III
| Filters
|
| Crew Replenishment
| Elevation Mechanism
|
|-
| IV
| Transmission
| Engine
|
|
|
|-
|}

=== Pros and cons ===

'''Pros:'''

* Excellent firepower with nearly unmatched one-shot potential
* Good mobility
* Very fast reverse speed
* Repositioning of fuel tanks reduces chances of fires
* Players proficient with the KV-2 and Soviet Heavy Tank Destroyers will feel comfortable with the IS-2

''' Cons:'''

* Extremely poor gun depression (as most Russian tankers will be accustomed to)
* Very low rate of fire
* Sub-par armour for a heavy tank, inherited from the IS-1
* Poor manoeuvrability, very bad hull traverse speed, often needing forward acceleration before turning
* Slow turret traverse speed
* Big weak spots that directly lead to an ammo rack

== History ==

===Development===
The effort began on another heavy tank after the [[IS-1]]'s 85 mm gun no longer had a firepower advantage after the standard [[T-34 (1942)|T-34]] medium tank was upgraded with the same gun into the [[T-34-85]]. Due to that, the IS-1 was discontinued in January 1944 with about 107 units produced.<ref name="ISZaloga">Zaloga, Steven J. ''IS-2 Heavy Tank 1944-73'' Great Britain: Osprey Publishing Ltd., 1994</ref> Those in storage still awaited upgrade to become a more powerful heavy tank.

In late 1943, the upgrade of the IS tank began and the choices available were rounded down to two weapons, the 122 mm A-19 gun and the 100 mm D-10 gun. Both guns had their advantages and disadvantages in their specifications, the 100 mm D-10 had a much better armour penetration capabilities and uses a single-piece ammunition, the 122 mm A-19 has a better high-explosive round and used a two-piece ammunition In the end, the 122 mm A-19 (adopted as the D-25T) gun was chosen as the gun of the new IS tank due to larger supply of the gun available for use (the D-10 was a newly produced gun) and the better high-explosive round available. The better high-explosive round is due to the heavy tank's specification as a "breakthrough" tank than an anti-tank role, so it was meant to fight fortifications more than against armour. Nevertheless, against armour, the 122 mm gun proved a very lethal cannon against armour, having the capacity to knock out any German tanks fielded in the war, even the [[Tiger II (H)|Tiger II]], though the ease of knocking them out vary from their armour protection.

The 122 mm gun's two-piece ammunition was perhaps the gun's worst drawback, this along with the heavy shells and charges that it uses causes reloading speed to only be one and a half rounds per minute maximum. Even after some modernization to the gun including a semi-automatic breech, the firing rate only increased to two to three rounds per minute. Another drawback of the gun was the size of the ammunition that the 122 mm gun uses, the IS tank interior could only hold 28 of such ammunition, which restricts the time the IS could last in battle before requiring a resupply. In battle, the usual distribution of the shells is 20 high-explosive and 8 armour-piercing rounds.

The finished IS tank with the 122 mm gun, first called the ''IS-122'', was finally approved and renamed the '''IS-2''' heavy tank, some were rearmed IS-1s from the factory with the 122 mm gun. The IS-2 tank, like the IS-1, was superior to the previous [[KV-1 (ZiS-5)|KV-1]] tanks used in the Red Army. Production of the IS-2 started in October or November 1943 and by the end of World War II when production ended, a total of 3,854 units were produced.

===Design===
The IS-2 tank hull was similar to the IS-1 tank, but the turret was modified to accommodate the larger 122 mm D-25T gun. The suspension was a torsion-bar suspension system and the tank was powered by a diesel V2-IC engine. The drivetrain and the engine were taken from the KV-1 tank, yet was considerably more mobile. The armour on the IS-2 was a 120 mm thick front plate sloped at 60 degrees with a small step in the front for the driver's hatch. This '''"early version"''', developed from the KV-13 design, was produced from the initial production lines until some time in late 1944, where a '''[[IS-2 (1944)|IS-2 mod. 1944]]''' version was modified with the front plate now a single sloped 120 mm plate at 60 degrees with no interruptions in order to eliminate shot traps and weaknesses in the armour design. Other design changes when the IS-2 was upgraded to the 1944 model was a stronger gun mount, wider mantlet, and an addition of a Dshk machine gun on the turret. The formidable armour of the IS-2 is able to withstand the 88 mm shells from the [[Tiger H1|Tiger I]] at 1,000 meters out, yet the whole tank weighs less than the Panther at only 46 tons. Despite its construction, the IS-2 was still quite crude in quality and can have signs of being hastily built from the factories. This did not affect its battlefield performance greatly and the crude construction is merely a side effect of the fast production of the tanks to fill battlefield demands.

===Combat usage===
The IS-2 first saw action in early 1944. The IS-2 was organized in heavy tank regiments, each with 21 tanks. Their role was to spearhead the offensives launched at each sector, breaking through enemy emplacements and supporting the infantry by destroying enemy fortifications, they were not meant to exploit breakthroughs and this role was given to the lighter [[T-34-85|T-34]] tanks. Their first reported action was in April 1944 in the 11th Special Guards Heavy Tank Regiment near Tarnopol, Ukraine. The IS-2 presented such a surprise to the Germans as no Soviet tanks before could engage with accurate fire from more than 3 kilometres away. A bigger shock was when they found out the 88 mm of the Tiger I couldn't adequately penetrate their armour. The IS-2 initial combat experience was limited due to the inexperienced crew and organization, but more and more IS-2 started to come in to reinforce the Soviet forces.<ref name="ISZaloga">Zaloga, Steven J. ''IS-2 Heavy Tank 1944-73'' Great Britain: Osprey Publishing Ltd., 1994</ref>

The IS-2's next great effort was in Operation Bagration in July 1944. By this time period, the heavy tank regiments were allocated to one for each tank corps. During Operation Bagration, the IS-2 combat effort contributed to the decimation of the German Army Group Center. The IS-2 was able to deal with the troublesome German Panther and Tiger I tanks with ease. By December 1944, enough IS-2 was produced that the Soviets began outfitting them to Guards heavy tank brigades, consisting of 65 IS-2 tanks with other vehicles for support. Though the number of these brigades were still limited, they proved valuable in breaking through German lines, as used in January 1945 against the German in the Oder Offensive. It should be noted that despite having a role similar to the Tiger heavy tank battalions in the German service, they are produced in far greater numbers to enforce every tank corp with one heavy tank regiment that allowed even the IS-2 to overwhelm German defences. The IS-2 continued to see combat service for the Red Army all the way to the Battle of Berlin and the end of World War II.<ref name="ISZaloga">Zaloga, Steven J. ''IS-2 Heavy Tank 1944-73'' Great Britain: Osprey Publishing Ltd., 1994</ref> T

After World War II, the IS-2 production was replaced by the more heavily armoured [[IS-3]], but the IS-2 stayed in service up until 1982 due to modernization efforts on the IS-2. This modernized IS-2 was named the ''IS-2M'' and were done in the mid-1950s. These modernization efforts added external fuel tanks and stowage bins onto the hull and protective skirts on the edges of the tracks. The IS-2 was finally placed into storage in the 1990s and were kept in reserves or sold out as scrap metal.

Like most of Soviet Union's military hardware, the IS-2 was given out to the Warsaw Pact nations as supplies. The IS-2 was thus lent out to Poland, Czechoslovakia, Hungary, China, North Vietnam, and maybe North Korea. Later in 1960, a shipment of IS-2 was also sent to Cuba, these were converted into bunkers and coastal defences as spare parts for the tank never made it to Cuba due to the US blockade imposed in 1962.

=== In-game description ===
The most powerful tank deployed in combat in World War II. The Iosif Stalin IS-2 was developed in the summer of 1943 at the same time as the IS-1 heavy tank armed with an 85 mm cannon. Thanks to its thick armour and high firepower, the IS-2 was a worthy opponent to German heavy tanks. The vehicle's basic armament consisted of the powerful 122 mm D-25T cannon with separate shell loading. The 122 mm weapon's penetration and firing accuracy were quite high. The standard-issue BR-471 sharp-nosed armour-piercing shells allowed it to penetrate the frontal armour of all German tanks.

The tank's layout was standard, with the transmission in the rear. The tank's hull was a fully welded armoured box made of cast and rolled armour.

The hull's nose and the under turret box were made of cast pieces. It's base, sides, rear and roof were rolled steel. The turret had a streamlined shape and was cast steel. Its sides contained small hatches with armoured covers for shooting through with small arms.

Around 450 of them were made between December 1943 and May 1944.

Tanks of this model played a large role in the battles of 1944-1945, particularly excelling in storming cities.

The IS-2's flaws limiting its anti-tank capabilities included its small ammunition supply consisting of 28 shots and its cannon's separate loading, which decreased its rate of fire. Its first battles revealed that the tank's frontal hull armour was insufficient.

The new heavy tanks were provided to Czechoslovakian units and the Polish Army, which participated in the final stage of the Great Patriotic War.

== Media ==


;Skins

* [http://live.warthunder.com/feed/camouflages/?q=%23is2 Skins and camouflages for the IS-2 from live.warthunder.com].

;Videos
{{Youtube-gallery|eqLe-I0FRwQ|'''The Shooting Range #72''' - ''Pages of History'' section at 03:43 discusses the IS-2.|MhjI_h5FhG4|'''IS-2 vs Tiger E''' - ''War Thunder Official Channel''}}

==References==
<references />

== Read also ==

[https://warthunder.com/en/news/2673/current/ Official War Thunder forum article: [Vehicle Profile<nowiki>]</nowiki> Iosif Stalin 2]

== Sources ==
''Paste links to sources and external resources, such as:''

* ''topic on the official game forum;''
* ''other literature.''

{{USSR heavy tanks}}