Difference between revisions of "ISU-122S"

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== Description ==
 
== Description ==
 
<!-- ''In the description, the first part should be about the history of the creation and combat usage of the vehicle, as well as its key features. In the second part, tell the reader about the ground vehicle in the game. Insert a screenshot of the vehicle, so that if the novice player does not remember the vehicle by name, he will immediately understand what kind of vehicle the article is talking about.'' -->
 
<!-- ''In the description, the first part should be about the history of the creation and combat usage of the vehicle, as well as its key features. In the second part, tell the reader about the ground vehicle in the game. Insert a screenshot of the vehicle, so that if the novice player does not remember the vehicle by name, he will immediately understand what kind of vehicle the article is talking about.'' -->
−
The '''{{Specs|name}}''' is a rank {{Specs|rank}} Russian tank destroyer {{Battle-rating}}. It was introduced during the Closed Beta Test for Ground Forces before [[Update 1.41]]. Compared to the [[ISU-122]], the {{PAGENAME}} presents a better 122 mm cannon by allowing for faster reloads.
+
The '''{{Specs|name}}''' is a rank {{Specs|rank}} Russian tank destroyer {{Battle-rating}}. It was introduced during the Closed Beta Test for Ground Forces before [[Update 1.41]]. Compared to the [[ISU-122]], the {{PAGENAME}} is equipped with a different 122 mm gun whose modified breech allows for a faster reload.
  
 
== General info ==
 
== General info ==
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''If necessary use a visual template to indicate the most secure and weak zones of the armour.''-->
 
''If necessary use a visual template to indicate the most secure and weak zones of the armour.''-->
 +
The {{PAGENAME}}'s armour profile is almost identical to that of its predecessor, except for a different gun mantlet. The armour will protect against smaller calibre guns and autocannons, but should not be relied upon against most tanks it faces at its battle rating. The gun mantlet is the strongest part of the armour, and, because the gun is offset to the right, it is thus recommended to try and hide the left side and only expose the right side of the front towards enemies.
 +
 +
The relatively thick side armour can cause bounces and ricochets if angled, but depending on this is risky for a turretless vehicle, as it may get its tracks disabled and rendered helpless.
 +
 
'''Armour type:'''
 
'''Armour type:'''
  
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* Suspension wheels are 20 mm thick while tracks are 30 mm thick.
 
* Suspension wheels are 20 mm thick while tracks are 30 mm thick.
 
* There is a 40 mm plate under the gun mantlet, reinforcing the original 65 mm gun mantlet case.
 
* There is a 40 mm plate under the gun mantlet, reinforcing the original 65 mm gun mantlet case.
−
* Being rather vertical, the casemate walls provide little chance for ricochet in a close range engagement.
 
−
* The gun is installed at mid-height in the casemate, meaning you will have to expose 2/3 of your superstructure to get your gun on a target.
 
−
* Maximize the distance between you and your opponents by profiting of the good performance of the gun to increase your survivability.
 
  
 
=== Mobility ===
 
=== Mobility ===
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{{tankMobility|abMinHp= 739|rbMinHp= 460}}
 
{{tankMobility|abMinHp= 739|rbMinHp= 460}}
−
Based off the IS-2, the {{PAGENAME}} has its robust chassis, wide tracks and powerful engine. It benefits thus from the same good mobility all while being a heavy vehicle. The acceleration is good and reaching the maximum speed takes only a dozen seconds.
+
Based on the IS-2, the {{PAGENAME}} has its robust chassis, wide tracks and powerful engine. It benefits thus from the same good mobility despite being a relatively heavy vehicle. The acceleration is good and it will reach its maximum speed without any problem..
  
−
The very high reverse speed is a positive aspect, that will help you get out of enemy sight quickly once you've fired or once spotted. The wide tracks give it a good handling and performance on soft terrain.
+
The very high reverse speed is a positive aspect, as it allows it to back off from an engagement quickly, which can be the difference between life or death. The wide tracks give it good handling and performance on soft terrain.
  
−
A negative aspect of the {{PAGENAME}} is that it is sluggish in stock condition, especially when turning on the spot. And because of its weight, it is slow when going uphill.
+
One negative aspect of the {{PAGENAME}} is that it is quite sluggish in stock condition, especially when pivot-turning, as it lacks neutral steering. It is also slow when going uphill due to its weight.al-steer
  
−
If you have to turn quickly on the spot, privilege using your reverse gear because it has more torque.
+
If you have to turn quickly, it is better to use the reverse gear because it has more torque.
  
 
=== Modifications and economy ===
 
=== Modifications and economy ===
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{{main|D-25S (122 mm)}}
 
{{main|D-25S (122 mm)}}
  
−
{| class="wikitable" width="100%" style="text-align:center"
+
{| class="wikitable" style="text-align:center" width="100%"
 
|-
 
|-
 
! colspan="5" | [[D-25S (122 mm)|122 mm D-25S]] || colspan="5" | Turret rotation speed (°/s) || colspan="4" | Reloading rate (seconds)
 
! colspan="5" | [[D-25S (122 mm)|122 mm D-25S]] || colspan="5" | Turret rotation speed (°/s) || colspan="4" | Reloading rate (seconds)
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|}
 
|}
  
−
[[File:ISU-122S gun horizontal displacement.png|right|thumbnail|Gun horizontal displacement of the {{PAGENAME}}|200px]]
+
[[File:ISU-122S gun horizontal displacement.png|right|thumbnail|Horizontal traverse arc of the {{PAGENAME}}|200px]]
−
The 122 mm D-25S comes from the same design as the 122 mm D-25T equipped on the IS-2. They have the same ballistic characteristics, the same reload time and the same available ammunition choice. The S stand for "samokhodnaya" (self-propelled) while the T stand for tank, the main difference being the length of the breech: short breech for the IS-2 in its cramped turret and long breech for the {{PAGENAME}} because of the casemate layout.
+
The 122 mm D-25S comes from the same design as the 122 mm D-25T equipped on the IS-2. They have the same ballistic characteristics and the same available ammunition choice. The S stand for "samokhodnaya" (self-propelled) while the T stand for "tank," the main difference being the length of the breech: short breech for the IS-2 in its cramped turret and long breech for the {{PAGENAME}} because of the casemate layout.
−
 
 
−
The gun stays reliably accurate until 1,300 m distance. Beyond 1,000 m your optics will limit your accuracy as your magnification is poor (unless you fire at huge targets like Ferdinand, Jadgtiger, Tiger II, etc.). The high muzzle velocity of your shells grants you pretty flat firing trajectories and thus helps fire at moving targets from a distance. In that regard, using the "sight distance control" feature can increase your chances of successfully hitting enemy tanks.
 
  
−
The gun has a limited traverse on the horizontal axis. That displacement is asymmetrical due to the commander's position limiting rotation towards the left side. This can make the tracking of a target difficult as the gun quickly reaches a stop. You should take that constraint into account when positioning your hull at a firing spot.
+
Being originally an artillery field gun, the gun uses two-piece ammunition with projectiles and propellant bags. These combined with the large calibre of the gun result in a relatively low rate-of-fire. However, because of the improved breech, the {{PAGENAME}} reloads significantly faster than the preceding [[ISU-122]] and the [[IS-2 (Family)|IS-2s]].
  
−
Additionally, the rotation speed is very slow compared to other tanks at the same rank or battle rating who can aim their gun in average 2 times faster than you do. Which means your targeting process will be longer than for other tanks if you aim to be accurate. Any enemy appearing outside of the area your gun covers will require hull movement and will make you restart your targeting process from 0.
+
The gun is reliably accurate out to 1,300 m. Beyond 1,000 m, the poor optics will limit its accuracy as the sight magnification is poor. The high muzzle velocity of the shells result in relatively flat trajectories and thus eases hitting moving targets from a distance. Using the "sight distance control" feature can increase your chances of successfully hitting enemy tanks.
  
−
Being originally an artillery field gun, the gun uses two-piece ammunition with projectiles and propellant bags. This causes the reload time to be 2 to 3 times longer compared to vehicles at the same BR.
+
The gun has limited horizontal traverse. The traverse arc is asymmetrical due to the commander's position limiting rotation towards the left side. This can make tracking a moving target difficult. This should be taken into account when positioning the vehicle. Additionally, because of the size of the gun and the manual traverse, the gun traverse speed is very slow compared to other tanks at the same rank or battle rating. The result is that the {{PAGENAME}} is rather slow to react against moving targets, and being able to predict a target's movement is a skill that will really help overcome these limitations.
  
−
Your recoil is important but not powerful enough to throw your gun off target after firing: the damping cylinders on the gun are too weak to absorb most of the recoil power and the suspension will absorb much of it. Your reload time being very long, the recoil is not as much of a handicap as it could be.
+
The {{PAGENAME}} also has very poor gun depression, even by Soviet standards, and will struggle to bring its gun to bear on a target on all but the flattest of terrain. Gun elevation, on the other hand, is quite good. This can be used to make up for the poor gun depression to some extent with creative positioning.
  
 
==== Ammunition ====
 
==== Ammunition ====
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* '''BR-471''': APHE; an armour-piercing shell with high explosive mass and high muzzle velocity that will one-shot any tank that it penetrates.
 
* '''BR-471''': APHE; an armour-piercing shell with high explosive mass and high muzzle velocity that will one-shot any tank that it penetrates.
−
* '''BR-471B''': APHEBC; the same as the BR-471 but with increased penetration thanks to the ballistic cap. This shell can reliably penetrate the frontal glacis of a Panther from over 700 m.
+
* '''BR-471B''': APHEBC; essentially the same as the BR-471, but with significantly improved performance against sloped armour thanks to the ballistic cap. This shell can reliably penetrate the frontal glacis of a Panther from over 700 m. The preferred shell against armoured targets.
−
* '''OF-471''': HE; for destroying open and lightly armoured vehicles. While it is a standard shell for a Soviet vehicle, prioritize using your heavy machine gun to deal with lightly armoured targets because of the long reload time of the {{PAGENAME}}.
+
* '''OF-471''': HE; most effective against light and open-top vehicles. However, the projectile contains enough explosive to penetrate the roofs of some tanks via the blast overpressure of the explosive filler.
  
 
{| class="wikitable sortable" style="text-align:center" width="100%"
 
{| class="wikitable sortable" style="text-align:center" width="100%"
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{{main|DShK (12.7 mm)}}
 
{{main|DShK (12.7 mm)}}
  
−
The 12.7 mm DShK heavy machine gun is located on a pintle mount and can act as both an offensive and anti-aircraft machine gun on the {{PAGENAME}}, giving it protection against aircraft and lightly armoured vehicles. Best use is within 500 m against lightly armoured vehicles. The 360° movement allows you to point quickly your MG in any given direction. However, the position of the MG high on the casemate and the poor depression angle make it difficult to shoot a low-profile tank when it is close.
+
The 12.7 mm DShK heavy machine gun is located on a pintle mount, manned by the loader, and can act as both an offensive and anti-aircraft machine gun on the {{PAGENAME}}, giving protection against aircraft and lightly armoured vehicles. Effective range is within 500 m against lightly armoured vehicles. The 360° traverse allows you to point the DShK in any given direction. However, the position of the DShK high on the casemate and the poor depression angle make it difficult to shoot at low-profile targets at close range. The DShK also has a slow traverse speed compared to the American .50 cal M2HB mounted on American-made vehicles.
  
 
{| class="wikitable" style="text-align:center" width="50%"
 
{| class="wikitable" style="text-align:center" width="50%"
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== Usage in battles ==
 
== Usage in battles ==
 
<!-- ''Describe the tactics of playing in the vehicle, the features of using vehicles in the team and advice on tactics. Refrain from creating a "guide" - do not impose a single point of view but instead give the reader food for thought. Describe the most dangerous enemies and give recommendations on fighting them. If necessary, note the specifics of the game in different modes (AB, RB, SB).'' -->
 
<!-- ''Describe the tactics of playing in the vehicle, the features of using vehicles in the team and advice on tactics. Refrain from creating a "guide" - do not impose a single point of view but instead give the reader food for thought. Describe the most dangerous enemies and give recommendations on fighting them. If necessary, note the specifics of the game in different modes (AB, RB, SB).'' -->
 +
==== Offensive role ====
 +
The {{PAGENAME}} performs well as a long range sniper, taking advantage of the APHEBC shell's high penetration values, high gun accuracy and good reverse speed. Find a shooting spot and engage targets from at least 1,000 m away to prevent enemy progress towards the objectives. Because of its high profile (casemate), long reload, and weak frontal armour, always stay away from the frontline to avoid being flanked or swarmed. While your gun is very powerful, your in-game performance will highly be dependent on the map you are playing on. Open maps like Fire Arc, Kursk, or Maginot Line will allow you to make the best use of its sniping capabilities, whereas urban environments like Advance to the Rhine are generally poor maps for the {{PAGENAME}}. In case you are playing on a mixed terrain map, prefer open spaces.
  
−
;Offensive role
+
==== Defensive role ====
−
 
+
In case of an enemy breakthrough, your role is to contain the enemy advance by pinning them down. The enemy will be moving the front line, so engagements will take place at a closer range than you're comfortable with. You should identify and target priority choke points, narrow passages, and corridors of the map that the enemy will be forced to take. Your limited gun traverse only allows you to monitor an area spanning about 175 m at 1,000 m distance without having to reposition your hull. Position the left side of your casemate behind an obstacle to leave only your gun mantlet exposed, the thickest part of the frontal armour.
−
The {{PAGENAME}} should be played as a long range sniper, taking advantage of the APHEBC shell's high penetration values, high gun accuracy and good reverse speed. Find a shooting spot and engage targets from at least 1,000 m away to prevent enemy progress towards the objectives. You will also suppress enemy fire to prevent your team from being pinned down by enemy snipers attempting the same in return. Because of your high profile (casemate) and weak frontal armour, always stay away from the frontline to avoid being flanked or swarmed. While your gun is very powerful, your in-game performance will highly be dependent on the map you're playing. Open maps like Fire Arc, Kursk or Maginot Line will allow to play at the full extent or your capability whereas urban environments like Advance to the Rhine will be detrimental to your playstle. In case you are playing a mixed map, privilege open spaces.
 
−
 
 
−
;Defensive role
 
−
 
 
−
In case of an enemy breakthrough, your role is to contain the enemy advance by pinning them down. The enemy will be moving the front line, so engagements will take place at a closer range than you're comfortable with. You should identify and target in priority choke points, narrow passages and corridors of the map that the enemy will be forced to take. Your limited gun traverse only allows you to monitor an area spanning 175 m at 1,000 m distance without having to reposition your hull. Position the left side of your casemate behind an obstacle to let only your gun exposed.
 
−
 
 
−
;Other roles
 
  
 +
==== Other roles ====
 
If you try to use the {{PAGENAME}} in a different role on the battlefield, you will be confronted with the following:
 
If you try to use the {{PAGENAME}} in a different role on the battlefield, you will be confronted with the following:
  
−
* If you try to play as a front-line tank, you will be quickly disabled by any type of fire coming from enemy tanks. Your frontal armour is pretty thin for a tank at close range and a successful penetrating shot from the front will greatly handicap your crew sitting in line. Your gun traverse is very limited and your turning speed is also too poor to manoeuvre quickly enough in close combat.
+
* If you try to play as a front-line tank, you will be quickly disabled by any type of fire coming from enemy tanks. Your frontal armour is pretty thin for a tank to play at close range, and a successful penetrating shot from the front will usually disable your crew sitting in a line. Your gun traverse is very limited and your turning speed is also too poor to manoeuvre quickly enough in close combat.
  
−
* If you attempt to play support tank, your high profile will make it difficult to stay hidden behind obstacles without taking fire. Your good reverse speed can be an advantage but the enemy will flush you out with artillery strike (which can be accurate enough from middle ranges to disable you). Even with an escape route planned and cover to hide behind, your chances of survival are meagre. You will also be at risk of being flanked by light tanks or armoured cars, especially if they swarm you. Anyone who manages to get behind you has a very high chance to destroy you. In that role, an undetected flanking enemy, artillery strikes or CAS will be great threats to the {{PAGENAME}}.
+
* If you attempt to play support tank, your high profile will make it difficult to stay hidden behind obstacles without taking fire. Your good reverse speed can be an advantage but the enemy will flush you out with an artillery strike (which can be accurate enough at medium range to disable you). Even with an escape route planned and cover to hide behind, your chances of survival are meagre. You will also be at risk of being flanked by light tanks or armoured cars, especially if they swarm you. Anyone who manages to get behind you has a very high chance of destroying you. In that role, an undetected flanking enemy, artillery strikes or CAS will be great threats to the {{PAGENAME}}.
  
−
;Notable enemies:
+
==== Notable enemies ====
  
−
* Any tank will disable you with little effort in a close range encounter because of your weak and vertical casemate armour.
+
* Any tank will disable you with ease in a close range encounter because of your weak unsloped casemate armour.
−
* For long range engagements, the cannons able to penetrate an {{PAGENAME}} from 1,000 m are:
+
* For long range engagements, commonly met guns able to penetrate the {{PAGENAME}} from 1,000 m are:
 
** USA: tanks equipped with a long 76 mm gun (M4/M41), M36 GMC
 
** USA: tanks equipped with a long 76 mm gun (M4/M41), M36 GMC
−
** Germany: any vehicle equipped with a 75 or 88 mm gun like Panthers. Tigers I & II, etc.
+
** Germany: any vehicle equipped with a 75 or 88 mm gun like Panthers, Tigers I & II, etc.
−
** USSR: any vehicle equipped with a 85 or 122 mm gun like the IS-2, T-34-85, etc.
+
** USSR: any vehicle equipped with an 85 or 122 mm gun like the IS-2, T-34-85, etc.
−
** Great Britain: any vehicle equipped with APDS like the Centurion, Challenger & Charioteer
+
** Great Britain: any vehicle equipped with APDS like the Centurion, Challenger, and Charioteer.
−
** Japan: Ho-Ri & US tank imports
+
** Japan: Ho-Ri and US-built tanks.
−
** China: vehicles similar to US and USSR ones
+
** China: vehicles similar to the US and USSR ones.
−
** France: ARL-44 & AMX-13
+
** France: ARL-44 and AMX-13.
−
** Sweden: Ikv 103 & Strv 74
+
** Sweden: Ikv 103 and Strv 74.
  
 
[[File:Wsp volumetric shell diagram.png|thumb|Differences between non-volumetric shells and volumetric shells hitting a Tiger I]]
 
[[File:Wsp volumetric shell diagram.png|thumb|Differences between non-volumetric shells and volumetric shells hitting a Tiger I]]
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<!--Summarize and briefly evaluate the vehicle in terms of its characteristics and combat effectiveness. Mark its pros and cons in a bulleted list. Try not to use more than 6 points for each of the characteristics. Avoid using categorical definitions such as "bad", "good" and the like - use substitutions with softer forms such as "inadequate" and "effective".-->'''Pros:'''
 
<!--Summarize and briefly evaluate the vehicle in terms of its characteristics and combat effectiveness. Mark its pros and cons in a bulleted list. Try not to use more than 6 points for each of the characteristics. Avoid using categorical definitions such as "bad", "good" and the like - use substitutions with softer forms such as "inadequate" and "effective".-->'''Pros:'''
  
−
* Deadly cannon provides superior one-shot capacity with any target upon penetration. The improved firerate increases its killing potential even more.
+
* Extremely potent 122 mm gun.
−
* Powerful stock AP penetrates up to 205mm which is very effective in a full uptier. For example the weakspots of the early Centurions, Ferdinand, Tiger II H can all get penetrated with ease.
+
* Reloads significantly faster than other 122 mm gun platforms.
−
* The huge gun mantlet and its complex armor is capable of deflecting quite some shells sometimes.
+
* Large gun mantlet can be hard to penetrate.
−
* 30mm roof armor resists popular aircraft weapons well, like the 12.7mm M2 with ground target belt and the MG 151.
+
* Decent all-round protection against autocannons.
−
* All-round protection provides good resistance against flanking SPAAs. The M19 / M42 are very common flankers.
+
* High reverse speed.
−
* 14 km/h reverse speed allows it to retreat from danger quickly
 
  
 
'''Cons:'''
 
'''Cons:'''
  
−
* Reload time of 19s is still quite long, demanding precise aiming which isn't very beginner friendly.
+
* Long reload time compared to most contemporary vehicles.
−
* Front armour is only 60-100mm and is not well angled. Gets penetrated easily by common guns at the BR, like the 76mm M1, 17 pdr, 75mm and 88mm.
+
* Unsloped frontal armour that is insufficient against commonly encountered tank guns.
−
* Closely packed crew all easily get killed when an explosive shell penetrates.
+
* Cramped crew compartment results in poor crew survivability.
−
* Very inadequate gun depression of -3° combined with the sluggish mobility makes it only capable of fighting in urban (flat) areas, but never the hills.
+
* Very poor gun depression and narrow traverse arc.
−
* Turretless layout and the sluggish mobility makes it very vulnerable to surprise flankers, for example the infamous M18, T20, T25 and Puma.
+
* Lacks a turret.
−
* Gun breech often gets damaged while under enemy fire.
+
* Gun breech often gets damaged.
  
 
== History ==
 
== History ==

Revision as of 11:04, 11 June 2021

This page is about the tank destroyer ISU-122S. For the version equipped with an A-19 cannon, see ISU-122.
ISU-122S
ussr_isu_122s.png
GarageImage ISU-122S.jpg
ISU-122S
USSR flag.png USSR
IV Rank
Battle rating:
AB RB SB
5.7 5.7 5.7
Class:
Research:46 000 Specs-Card-Exp.png
Purchase:155 000 Specs-Card-Lion.png
Show in game

Description

The ISU-122S is a rank IV Russian tank destroyer with a battle rating of 5.7 (AB/RB/SB). It was introduced during the Closed Beta Test for Ground Forces before Update 1.41. Compared to the ISU-122, the ISU-122S is equipped with a different 122 mm gun whose modified breech allows for a faster reload.

General info

Survivability and armour

Armourfront / side / back
Hull90 / 90 / 60
Turret90 / 75 / 60
Crew4 people
Visibility83 %

The ISU-122S's armour profile is almost identical to that of its predecessor, except for a different gun mantlet. The armour will protect against smaller calibre guns and autocannons, but should not be relied upon against most tanks it faces at its battle rating. The gun mantlet is the strongest part of the armour, and, because the gun is offset to the right, it is thus recommended to try and hide the left side and only expose the right side of the front towards enemies.

The relatively thick side armour can cause bounces and ricochets if angled, but depending on this is risky for a turretless vehicle, as it may get its tracks disabled and rendered helpless.

Armour type:

  • Rolled homogeneous armour (hull, superstructure/casemate, roof)
  • Cast homogeneous armour (Gun mantlet)
Armour Front Sides Rear Roof
Hull 60 mm (75°) Front glacis
90 mm (31°) Lower glacis 		90 mm 60 mm (50°) Top
60 mm (39°) Bottom 		30 mm
Superstructure 90 mm (30°) Front glacis
100 + 65 mm (7-35°) Gun mantlet 		75 mm (14-15°) 60 mm 30 mm

Notes:

  • Suspension wheels are 20 mm thick while tracks are 30 mm thick.
  • There is a 40 mm plate under the gun mantlet, reinforcing the original 65 mm gun mantlet case.

Mobility

Speedforward / back
AB39 / 15 km/h
RB and SB36 / 14 km/h
Number of gears8 forward
2 back
Weight46.0 t
Engine power
AB992 hp
RB and SB520 hp
Power-to-weight ratio
AB21.6 hp/t
RB and SB11.3 hp/t
Game Mode Max Speed (km/h) Weight (tons) Engine power (horsepower) Power-to-weight ratio (hp/ton)
Forward Reverse Stock Upgraded Stock Upgraded
Arcade 39 15 46 739 992 16.07 21.57
Realistic 36 14 460 520 10 11.3

Based on the IS-2, the ISU-122S has its robust chassis, wide tracks and powerful engine. It benefits thus from the same good mobility despite being a relatively heavy vehicle. The acceleration is good and it will reach its maximum speed without any problem..

The very high reverse speed is a positive aspect, as it allows it to back off from an engagement quickly, which can be the difference between life or death. The wide tracks give it good handling and performance on soft terrain.

One negative aspect of the ISU-122S is that it is quite sluggish in stock condition, especially when pivot-turning, as it lacks neutral steering. It is also slow when going uphill due to its weight.al-steer

If you have to turn quickly, it is better to use the reverse gear because it has more torque.

Modifications and economy

Repair costBasic → Reference
AB2 427 → 3 002 Sl icon.png
RB2 866 → 3 545 Sl icon.png
SB3 956 → 4 893 Sl icon.png
Total cost of modifications40 500 Rp icon.png
78 900 Sl icon.png
Talisman cost1 400 Ge icon.png
Crew training45 000 Sl icon.png
Experts155 000 Sl icon.png
Aces630 Ge icon.png
Research Aces440 000 Rp icon.png
Reward for battleAB / RB / SB
100 / 160 / 210 % Sl icon.png
160 / 160 / 160 % Rp icon.png
Modifications
Mobility Protection Firepower
Mods new tank traks.png
Tracks
Research:
2 700 Rp icon.png
Cost:
5 200 Sl icon.png
145 Ge icon.png
Mods new tank suspension.png
Suspension
Research:
1 800 Rp icon.png
Cost:
3 500 Sl icon.png
95 Ge icon.png
Mods new tank break.png
Brake System
Research:
1 800 Rp icon.png
Cost:
3 500 Sl icon.png
95 Ge icon.png
Mods new tank filter.png
Filters
Research:
3 400 Rp icon.png
Cost:
6 600 Sl icon.png
180 Ge icon.png
Mods new tank transmission.png
Transmission
Research:
6 600 Rp icon.png
Cost:
13 000 Sl icon.png
350 Ge icon.png
Mods new tank engine.png
Engine
Research:
6 600 Rp icon.png
Cost:
13 000 Sl icon.png
350 Ge icon.png
Mods tank tool kit.png
Improved Parts
Research:
2 700 Rp icon.png
Cost:
5 200 Sl icon.png
145 Ge icon.png
Mods extinguisher.png
Improved FPE
Research:
1 800 Rp icon.png
Cost:
3 500 Sl icon.png
95 Ge icon.png
Mods tank reinforcement ussr.png
Crew Replenishment
Research:
3 400 Rp icon.png
Cost:
6 600 Sl icon.png
180 Ge icon.png
Mods new tank horizontal aiming.png
Horizontal Drive
Research:
2 700 Rp icon.png
Cost:
5 200 Sl icon.png
145 Ge icon.png
Mods tank cannon.png
Adjustment of Fire
Research:
1 800 Rp icon.png
Cost:
3 500 Sl icon.png
95 Ge icon.png
Mods tank ammo.png
122mm_APHE_ammo_pack
Research:
1 800 Rp icon.png
Cost:
3 500 Sl icon.png
95 Ge icon.png
Mods new tank vertical aiming.png
Elevation Mechanism
Research:
3 400 Rp icon.png
Cost:
6 600 Sl icon.png
180 Ge icon.png
  • Start with Parts and FPE for the survivability.
  • Proceed with Tracks to increase your mobility.
  • After that, prioritize either firepower or mobility modules depending on your needs.

Armaments

Main armament

122 mm D-25S cannon
Ammunition30 rounds
Reloadbasic crew → aces
19.7 → 15.2 s
Vertical guidance-3° / 20°
Horizontal guidance-3° / 7°
Main article: D-25S (122 mm)
122 mm D-25S Turret rotation speed (°/s) Reloading rate (seconds)
Mode Capacity Vertical Horizontal Stabilizer Stock Upgraded Full Expert Aced Stock Full Expert Aced
Arcade 30 -3°/+22° -3°/+7° N/A 6.16 8.53 10.40 11.50 12.19 19.76 17.40 16.10 15.20
Realistic 4.17 4.90 6.00 6.60 7.00
Horizontal traverse arc of the ISU-122S

The 122 mm D-25S comes from the same design as the 122 mm D-25T equipped on the IS-2. They have the same ballistic characteristics and the same available ammunition choice. The S stand for "samokhodnaya" (self-propelled) while the T stand for "tank," the main difference being the length of the breech: short breech for the IS-2 in its cramped turret and long breech for the ISU-122S because of the casemate layout.

Being originally an artillery field gun, the gun uses two-piece ammunition with projectiles and propellant bags. These combined with the large calibre of the gun result in a relatively low rate-of-fire. However, because of the improved breech, the ISU-122S reloads significantly faster than the preceding ISU-122 and the IS-2s.

The gun is reliably accurate out to 1,300 m. Beyond 1,000 m, the poor optics will limit its accuracy as the sight magnification is poor. The high muzzle velocity of the shells result in relatively flat trajectories and thus eases hitting moving targets from a distance. Using the "sight distance control" feature can increase your chances of successfully hitting enemy tanks.

The gun has limited horizontal traverse. The traverse arc is asymmetrical due to the commander's position limiting rotation towards the left side. This can make tracking a moving target difficult. This should be taken into account when positioning the vehicle. Additionally, because of the size of the gun and the manual traverse, the gun traverse speed is very slow compared to other tanks at the same rank or battle rating. The result is that the ISU-122S is rather slow to react against moving targets, and being able to predict a target's movement is a skill that will really help overcome these limitations.

The ISU-122S also has very poor gun depression, even by Soviet standards, and will struggle to bring its gun to bear on a target on all but the flattest of terrain. Gun elevation, on the other hand, is quite good. This can be used to make up for the poor gun depression to some extent with creative positioning.

Ammunition

The available choice of ammunition focuses on heavily armoured targets:

  • BR-471: APHE; an armour-piercing shell with high explosive mass and high muzzle velocity that will one-shot any tank that it penetrates.
  • BR-471B: APHEBC; essentially the same as the BR-471, but with significantly improved performance against sloped armour thanks to the ballistic cap. This shell can reliably penetrate the frontal glacis of a Panther from over 700 m. The preferred shell against armoured targets.
  • OF-471: HE; most effective against light and open-top vehicles. However, the projectile contains enough explosive to penetrate the roofs of some tanks via the blast overpressure of the explosive filler.
Penetration statistics
Ammunition Type of
warhead 		Penetration @ 0° Angle of Attack (mm)
10 m 100 m 500 m 1,000 m 1,500 m 2,000 m
BR-471 APHE 205 201 183 162 144 128
BR-471B APHEBC 205 203 191 178 166 155
OF-471 HE 37 37 37 37 37 37
Shell details
Ammunition Type of
warhead 		Velocity
(m/s) 		Projectile
Mass (kg) 		Fuse delay
(m) 		Fuse sensitivity
(mm) 		Explosive Mass
(TNT equivalent) (g) 		Ricochet
0% 50% 100%
BR-471 APHE 795 25 1.2 19 246.4 47° 60° 65°
BR-471B APHEBC 795 25 1.2 19 246.4 48° 63° 71°
OF-471 HE 800 25 0.1 0.1 3,600 79° 80° 81°

Ammo racks

Ammo racks of the ISU-122S
Full
ammo 		Ammo
part 		1st
rack empty 		2nd
rack empty 		3rd
rack empty 		4th
rack empty 		5th
rack empty 		Visual
discrepancy
30 Projectiles
Propellants 		25 (+5)
25 (+5) 		19 (+11)
19 (+11) 		13 (+17)
17 (+13) 		7 (+23)
9 (+21) 		1 (+29)
1 (+29) 		No

Notes:

  • The ISU-122S uses two-piece ammunition, composed of propellant bags (orange) and projectiles (yellow). Both have separate racks.
  • To go into battle with the right flank depleted of propellant bags (racks 1 to 3), pack 17 (+13) shells.

Machine guns

12.7 mm DShK machine gun
Ammunition250 rounds
Belt capacity50 rounds
Reloadbasic crew → aces
10.4 → 8.0 s
Fire rate600 shots/min
Vertical guidance-5° / 85°
Main article: DShK (12.7 mm)

The 12.7 mm DShK heavy machine gun is located on a pintle mount, manned by the loader, and can act as both an offensive and anti-aircraft machine gun on the ISU-122S, giving protection against aircraft and lightly armoured vehicles. Effective range is within 500 m against lightly armoured vehicles. The 360° traverse allows you to point the DShK in any given direction. However, the position of the DShK high on the casemate and the poor depression angle make it difficult to shoot at low-profile targets at close range. The DShK also has a slow traverse speed compared to the American .50 cal M2HB mounted on American-made vehicles.

12.7 mm DShK
Mount Capacity (Belt) Fire rate Vertical Horizontal
Pintle 250 (50) 600 -5°/+85° ±180°

Usage in battles

Offensive role

The ISU-122S performs well as a long range sniper, taking advantage of the APHEBC shell's high penetration values, high gun accuracy and good reverse speed. Find a shooting spot and engage targets from at least 1,000 m away to prevent enemy progress towards the objectives. Because of its high profile (casemate), long reload, and weak frontal armour, always stay away from the frontline to avoid being flanked or swarmed. While your gun is very powerful, your in-game performance will highly be dependent on the map you are playing on. Open maps like Fire Arc, Kursk, or Maginot Line will allow you to make the best use of its sniping capabilities, whereas urban environments like Advance to the Rhine are generally poor maps for the ISU-122S. In case you are playing on a mixed terrain map, prefer open spaces.

Defensive role

In case of an enemy breakthrough, your role is to contain the enemy advance by pinning them down. The enemy will be moving the front line, so engagements will take place at a closer range than you're comfortable with. You should identify and target priority choke points, narrow passages, and corridors of the map that the enemy will be forced to take. Your limited gun traverse only allows you to monitor an area spanning about 175 m at 1,000 m distance without having to reposition your hull. Position the left side of your casemate behind an obstacle to leave only your gun mantlet exposed, the thickest part of the frontal armour.

Other roles

If you try to use the ISU-122S in a different role on the battlefield, you will be confronted with the following:

  • If you try to play as a front-line tank, you will be quickly disabled by any type of fire coming from enemy tanks. Your frontal armour is pretty thin for a tank to play at close range, and a successful penetrating shot from the front will usually disable your crew sitting in a line. Your gun traverse is very limited and your turning speed is also too poor to manoeuvre quickly enough in close combat.
  • If you attempt to play support tank, your high profile will make it difficult to stay hidden behind obstacles without taking fire. Your good reverse speed can be an advantage but the enemy will flush you out with an artillery strike (which can be accurate enough at medium range to disable you). Even with an escape route planned and cover to hide behind, your chances of survival are meagre. You will also be at risk of being flanked by light tanks or armoured cars, especially if they swarm you. Anyone who manages to get behind you has a very high chance of destroying you. In that role, an undetected flanking enemy, artillery strikes or CAS will be great threats to the ISU-122S.

Notable enemies

  • Any tank will disable you with ease in a close range encounter because of your weak unsloped casemate armour.
  • For long range engagements, commonly met guns able to penetrate the ISU-122S from 1,000 m are:
    • USA: tanks equipped with a long 76 mm gun (M4/M41), M36 GMC
    • Germany: any vehicle equipped with a 75 or 88 mm gun like Panthers, Tigers I & II, etc.
    • USSR: any vehicle equipped with an 85 or 122 mm gun like the IS-2, T-34-85, etc.
    • Great Britain: any vehicle equipped with APDS like the Centurion, Challenger, and Charioteer.
    • Japan: Ho-Ri and US-built tanks.
    • China: vehicles similar to the US and USSR ones.
    • France: ARL-44 and AMX-13.
    • Sweden: Ikv 103 and Strv 74.
Differences between non-volumetric shells and volumetric shells hitting a Tiger I

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

Defeating an ISU-122S
  • Wait for ISU-122S to shoot before engaging it: its long reloading time is a big weakness as it is defenseless for at least 15 seconds like an IS-2. It can however retreat quickly thanks to its good reverse speed. Be careful not to get baited into open field trying to follow your prey.
  • The ISU-122S has a rather thin armour when compared to tanks at the same BR: iIf you have a very high penetrating power, aim for the casemate.
  • In a frontal encounter, the right side of the frontal armour plate is the biggest weak spot. A successful penetration will most likely knock out 3 out of 4 crew members because they sit in line along that axis.
  • In a flanking manoeuvre, the center of the casemate is the place to shoot to knock most crew members out.
  • From behind, the left side of the casemate is the best spot to disable the ISU-122S.
  • If you are alone, flanking a ISU-122S undetected remains your best chance to destroy it. But it is difficult because the ISU-122S ideally positions itself very far from the frontline.
  • Force it out of position with indirect fire (artillery strikes) if you're at relative close range.
  • In case of a frontal attack (choke point/corridor), try blinding the ISU-122S with smoke and then swarm it with several tanks to saturate its defensive capacities.
  • Engage the ISU-122S while it is moving: it takes a long time to brake, turn, bring the gun to a stable position and target precisely. With a reload time over 15 seconds, no player will take a shot that has little chance to hit.
  • Do not take pot shots or shoot on the move, aim precisely at the weak spots (casemate walls). Your chance of ricochet is increased at long range as your penetration power decreases and the ISU-122S can angle its hull in a defensive manoeuvre.

Pros and cons

Pros:

  • Extremely potent 122 mm gun.
  • Reloads significantly faster than other 122 mm gun platforms.
  • Large gun mantlet can be hard to penetrate.
  • Decent all-round protection against autocannons.
  • High reverse speed.

Cons:

  • Long reload time compared to most contemporary vehicles.
  • Unsloped frontal armour that is insufficient against commonly encountered tank guns.
  • Cramped crew compartment results in poor crew survivability.
  • Very poor gun depression and narrow traverse arc.
  • Lacks a turret.
  • Gun breech often gets damaged.

History

Development

When the ISU-152 began production in 1943 with the large 152 mm ML-20S gun, production of the chassis and hull soon exceeded the supply of the ML-20S gun, which caused a decrease in the production of self-propelled guns for the Soviet military. It was determined to speed up self-propelled gun production, the ISU chassis were to be mounted with the 122 mm A-19S gun. Work on this mounting already began before the supply issue in December 1943 at the Chelyabinsk Kirov Plant (ChKZ), which had a design team simply take the ISU-152 chassis and hull and only changing out the armament with the 122 mm gun, but this prototype - Object 242 - was not immediately put into production despite successful testings. When the supply issue arose, the prototype was then adopted by the Soviet Defense Committee for increased production and also that the 122 mm gun had better accuracy against tanks than the 152 mm gun. The ISU armed with the 122 mm gun, designated the ISU-122, began production in April 1944.

Upgrade

The original ISU-122 is equipped with the 122 mm A-19S gun, which had a firing rate of 1.5 to 2.5 shots per minute due to its manual-piston breech. An attempt to fix this was a modernized A-19 gun called the D-25. The D-25 didn't see instalment onto the ISU-122 for a while due to prioritization on the IS-2 tanks, but it was available for use on self-propelled mounts after September 1944 as the D-25S. The ISU-122 prototype mounting the D-25 gun was called Object 249 which was successfully tested and an improvement over the A-19 gun with an increased firing rate of 2 to 3 shots per minute with one loader and up to 4 shots per minute with an additional loader in the crew. The D-25 also exploited the use of a muzzle brake in order to reduce the recoil forces on the gun, so the recoil buffer on the D-25 was much smaller than the A-19, which helped reduce the size of the gun and improved crew workspace in the self-propelled gun. Object 249 was then adopted as the ISU-122S, which entered production side by side with the ISU-122 u and both were produced up until the end of 1945. ChKZ produced both vehicles during the war and manufactured 1,735 ISU-122s (April 1944 - December 1945) and 675 ISU-122Ss (September 1944 - December 1945).

Combat usage

The ISU-122 were organized in units in a similar fashion as the ISU-152. The focus was made to not mix the two vehicles in the same regiments or brigades due to logistical reasons with ammunition and ballistic differences in indirect fire, but some units were equipped with both vehicles anyways. Like the ISU-152, the ISU-122 proved to be a very powerful multi-purpose vehicle as an assault gun, self-propelled artillery, and tank destroyer. The 122 mm gun on the ISU-122 allowed it to engage armour and fortifications with heavy armour-piercing round and a large high-explosive round. The primary role of the ISU-122 was as a tank destroyer due to the gun's superior ballistics compared to the ISU-152's, which large calibre size more suited its role as an assault gun. The ISU-122 did participate as an assault gun role in urban combat to support the infantry, but the lack of rotating turret and long barrel length restricted its manoeuvring and ability to engage all enemies in a large angle. Nevertheless, commanders found the ISU-122 as a very good assault gun. Usage of the ISU-122 in an indirect firing role as a howitzer is rare, but when used could fire up to 14 kilometres away. Usage as an artillery piece is more likely during a rapid offensive where towed artillery behind the lines is unable to keep up with the advancing infantry lines.

In-game description

The ISU-122S self-propelled gun was created in April 1944 as a modernised variation of the ISU-122 SPG. It differed from the latter in that it was equipped with a 122 mm D-25S Mod. 1944 cannon with a wedge-type semi-automatic breech block and a muzzle brake. The barrel's length came to 48 calibres. The height of its firing line came to 1,795 mm. The vehicle had a five-man crew and its crew housing was the same as in the ISU-122. The use of this cannon increased its rate of fire in combat from 2.2 to 3 shots per minute. The cannon's new compact recoil mechanisms and breech housing provided better working conditions for the combat crew. Artillery superiority over the enemy had been absent for some time, but the use of the D-25S cannon brought it back. It had higher combat characteristics than the German 75 mm and 88 mm weapons, and penetrated enemy tank armour at a range of up to 2,500 m. In urban battles however, the 122 mm cannon's barrel length often prevented the vehicle from manoeuvring in tight spots.

From August 1944 to September 1945, the ISU-122 with its A-19 cannon and the modernised ISU-122S with its D-25S cannon were produced in tandem, as the 122 mm D-25S cannon supply was insufficient to furnish all the SPGs. By the 1st of June 1945, 475 ISU-122S SPGs were built and used in battles in the final stage of the Great Patriotic War. In total, 675 of them were made in their mass production period.

ISU-122S SPGs were used across the entire functional scope of self-propelled artillery application. It was used as an assault weapon in breaking through fortified zones and in urban battles, but with reduced effectiveness in comparison to the ISU-152. On the whole, the SPG was highly regarded in this role as well. In the middle of the 1960s, the SPGs were removed from service in the Soviet Army.

Media

Skins
Videos
ISU-122S Tank Review - NUSensei
ISU-122S - One last trick - Oxy (start at 00:42)

See also

Vehicles equipped with the same chassis
Similar Soviet vehicles
Other Soviet vehicles equipped with a 122mm gun
Other vehicles of similar configuration and role

External links


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

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