KV-1S

This page is about the Soviet heavy tank KV-1S. For other versions, see KV-1 (Family).

KV-1S

KV-2 (1939)

KV-1 (ZiS-5)

KV-1S

KV-2 (1939)

KV-1 (ZiS-5)

USSR

II Rank

Battle rating:

AB	RB	SB
4.0	4.0	4.0

Class:

Heavy tank

Research:14 000

Purchase:32 000

Show in game

Description

The KV-1S is a Rank II Soviet heavy tank with a battle rating of 4.0 (AB/RB/SB). It was introduced in Update 1.57 "Battle March". A lightened KV-1 made to improve its manoeuvrability, the KV-1S has less overall armour than the original design but keeps its same lethality with improved speed.

Compared to the KV-1 L-11, side and rear armour are decreased to 60 mm, lightening the vehicle and increasing its speed to maximum 43 kph. A new turret was installed, presenting a smaller profile, thicker armour, and better angling all around. The armament is also changed to the ZIS-5, the equivalent of its successor and the T-34's F-34 guns.

General info

Survivability and armour

Armourfront / side / back

Hull75 / 60 / 60

Turret82 / 82 / 82

Crew5 people

Visibility96 %

The KV-1S is a lighter, more mobile version of the KV-1, meaning it has thinner armour. The KV-1S features thinner hull side armour at 60mm, thinner lower front plate at 60mm, and a very weak gun mantlet of only ~50mm thick. Though against opponents of lower BR the KV-1S can still utilise the angling tactic and stack the effective thickness up to 100mm, the gun mantlet becomes a very fatal weakspot if the opponent knows it. At 50mm unangled, even a Pz.III can frontally penetrate it and break the gun breech or knock out a few crews. But apart from the gun mantlet, the turret is overall more sturdy than the original KV-1, at 82mm all-round. This may bounce off some poorly aimed shells if they impact the edge. Post-pentration survivability against common opponents is not great as the crew members are closely packed together. Overall, due to the reduction of armour thickness here and there, the KV-1S no longer grants the player a sturdy protection. Rather they must rely more on the improved mobility to not get hit.

Armour type:

• Rolled homogeneous armour (Hull, Turret roof)
• Cast homogeneous armour (Turret)

Armour	Front (Slope angle)	Sides	Rear	Roof
Hull	75 mm (30°) Front plate 50 mm (70°) Front glacis 25 + 50-60 mm (25-70°) Joint plate 60 mm (26-50°) Lower glacis	60 mm	60 mm (35-75°) Top 60 mm (2-69°) Bottom	40 mm Front 30 mm Rear
Turret	82 mm (2-76°) Turret front 50-75 mm (4-71°) Gun mantlet shield 90 mm (0-29°) Gun mantlet	82 mm (0-25°)	82 mm (27-56°) 75 mm (1-43°) Machine gun port	30 mm
Cupola	60 mm			30 mm

Notes:

• Suspension wheels are 20 mm thick, tracks are 30 mm thick.
• The gun mantlet shield has varying thickness, thickest just a little above and below the centre 55 mm area.

Mobility

Speedforward / back

AB48 / 19 km/h

RB and SB45 / 18 km/h

Number of gears8 forward

3 back

Weight42.5 t

Engine power

AB1 145 hp

RB and SB600 hp

Power-to-weight ratio

AB26.9 hp/t

RB and SB14.1 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	48	19	42.5	775	1,145	18.24	26.94
Realistic	45	18		531	600	12.49	14.12

Modifications and economy

Repair costBasic → Reference

AB1 129 → 1 396

RB1 184 → 1 464

SB1 551 → 1 918

Total cost of modifications13 840

20 250

Talisman cost860

Crew training9 200

Experts32 000

Aces270

Research Aces250 000

Reward for battleAB / RB / SB

60 / 90 / 100 %

130 / 130 / 130 %

Modifications

Mobility	Protection	Firepower
Tracks Research: 690 Cost: 1 000 90 Suspension Research: 620 Cost: 890 80 Brake System Research: 620 Cost: 890 80 Filters Research: 870 Cost: 1 300 115 Transmission Research: 1 500 Cost: 2 200 195 Engine Research: 1 500 Cost: 2 200 195	Improved Parts Research: 690 Cost: 1 000 90 Improved FPE Research: 620 Cost: 890 80 Crew Replenishment Research: 870 Cost: 1 300 115	Horizontal Drive Research: 690 Cost: 1 000 90 76mm_AP_1942_ammo_pack Research: 690 Cost: 1 000 90 Adjustment of Fire Research: 620 Cost: 890 80 76mm_AP_1941_ammo_pack Research: 620 Cost: 890 80 Elevation Mechanism Research: 870 Cost: 1 300 115 76mm_APCR_1943_ammo_pack Research: 870 Cost: 1 300 115 76mm_ussr_Smoke_ammo_pack Research: 1 500 Cost: 2 200 195

Armaments

Main armament

76 mm ZIS-5 cannon

Ammunition114 rounds

Reloadbasic crew → aces

9.0 → 6.9 s

Vertical guidance-5° / 25°

The KV-1S is armed with a 76mm ZiS-5 cannon which is quite similar to that of a SU-76. In general, the gun has inadequate penetration at this BR but comes with a wide range of ammunition. From different APHE to APCR to smoke shells, these ammo can fit various scenarios. The 76mm APHE shells are explosive-packed, allowing them to one-shot most enemy tanks if the shot is placed correctly. However their mediocre penetration of ~90mm becomes below average when facing well-armoured tanks at similar BR like the Pz.IV H, StuG III G and T14, especially when at a distance or when angling. The player have to be familiar with common foes' weakspots or else they will struggle to penetrate in most cases.

The gun depression is of a typical Soviet style, at -5 degrees, which is inadequate for mountainous battlefields. The aiming speed can be underwhelming against fast flankers, but overall the turret rotation speed of ~10 degree/s is enough for combat. Lastly, the gunsight magnification is poor at 3.5x. But given the curved trajectory and low projectile velocity of the ZiS-5 cannon, long range battle is not a good role for the KV-1S anyways, thus this level of zoom is generally enough.

76 mm ZiS-5					Turret rotation speed (°/s)					Reloading rate (seconds)
Mode	Capacity	Vertical	Horizontal	Stabilizer	Stock	Upgraded	Full	Expert	Aced	Stock	Full	Expert	Aced
Arcade	114	-5°/+25°	±180°	N/A	7.1	9.9	16.3	18.0	19.2	9.00	7.90	7.30	6.90
Realistic					7.1	8.4	10.2	11.3	12.0

Ammunition

The available ammunition allows for engaging all types of targets:

• BR-350A (MD-5 fuze): APHEBC; a shell with high explosive mass that will one-shot any tank it penetrates but has an average penetration power.
• BR-350P: APCR; a composite round with the best penetration but no explosive filler and will only penetrate flat vertical surfaces.
• BR-350SP: APBC; a solid shot with an even better penetration but no explosive filler.
• BR-350B (MD-8 fuze): APHEBC; same shell as the BR-350A but with increased penetration at the cost of slightly less explosive filler.
• OF-350M: HE; useful for destroying open and lightly armoured vehicles.
• Sh-354T: Shrapnel; useful against vehicles that are resistant to the HE shells but too thinly armoured to trigger the fuzes of AP shells.
• D-350A: Smoke; useful to blind enemy vehicles that are too remote for you to disable so that you can progress towards objectives.

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-350A (MD-5 fuze)	APHEBC	87	85	76	67	59	52
BR-350P	APCR	125	119	92	68	50	36
BR-350SP	APBC	102	100	91	81	72	64
BR-350B (MD-8 fuze)	APHEBC	94	92	83	73	65	57
OF-350M	HE	10	10	10	10	10	10
Sh-354T	Shrapnel	37	35	29	25	20	17

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-350A (MD-5 fuze)	APHEBC	662	6.3	1.2	14	150	48°	63°	71°
BR-350P	APCR	950	3.02	N/A	N/A	N/A	66°	70°	72°
BR-350SP	APBC	655	6.78	N/A	N/A	N/A	48°	63°	71°
BR-350B (MD-8 fuze)	APHEBC	655	6.3	0.9	14	108.8	48°	63°	71°
OF-350M	HE	680	6.2	0.05	0.1	621	79°	80°	81°
Sh-354T	Shrapnel	680	6.2	0.5	8	85	62°	69°	73°

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)
D-350A	680	6.45	13	5	20	50

Ammo racks

Ammo racks of the KV-1S

Full ammo	1st rack empty	2nd rack empty	3rd rack empty	4th rack empty	5th rack empty	6th rack empty	7th rack empty	Visual discrepancy
114	110 (+4)	105 (+9)	100 (+14)	68 (+46)	36 (+78)	24 (+90)	1 (+113)	No

Notes:

• As they are modeled by sets of 2, shells disappear from the rack only after you fire both shells in the set.
• Turret empty: 100 (+14) shells.

Machine guns

7.62 mm DT machine gun (coaxial)

Ammunition3 087 rounds

Belt capacity63 rounds

Reloadbasic crew → aces

10.4 → 8.0 s

Fire rate600 shots/min

7.62 mm DT
Mount	Capacity (Belt)	Fire rate	Vertical	Horizontal
Coaxial	1,890 (63)	600	N/A	N/A

The small calibre of the DT machine gun makes it largely ineffective against all armoured vehicles but the ones with an open compartment. It still can be used to ping targets as a rangefinding help or to mow down minor obstacles blocking your line of sight.

Usage in battles

When playing the KV-1S, remember that you are still a heavy tank. Keep your front armour facing your enemies at all times, and preferably angled (but slightly less than KV-1 (L-11)). The turret is more durable and can deflect more shots than before, so if possible expose your turret only. Gun has no special penetration value, so try to target weak spots or areas with the least armour. Flanking attacks could end in a fiery demise. Also, this tank is still a KV-1 in its heart.

The best tactics for this tank is: keep a low profile and stay behind the main assault. When your team has advanced to the enemy's base, the KV-1s is best used to round up straggling enemy tanks behind your lines. If these tanks aren't destroyed, they'll attack your team's rear.

The common enemies are armed with guns that usually can penetrate the driver's hatch. Watch out for enemy T-34 (especially mod. 1941 and 1942, sometimes mods 1943 and the 57 variants), since they can flank you easily. Also, watch out for all German Pz.IV & StuG armed with long 7.5 cm gun, as it can penetrate your front armour even if you are angled.

This vehicle (due to its higher BR) can also meet many opponents that your armor has no chance of stopping, avoid direct confrontation with them. (Includes: T-34-85, SU-85, Dicker Max & Nashorn, Sherman Firefly & Achilles)

Meeting other KV-1's and Churchill may become a stalemate as the KV-1S gun may not penetrate against their formidable armour. This leads to the hope that the APCR ammunition works, and the firing of several rounds into the target for penetration.

Pros and cons

Pros:

• Faster than its predecessor and successor, yet frontal armor is the same
• Very hard to knock out in one shot
• Adequate gun
• Bouncy turret front
• Wide tracks make for good cross-country performance
• Resilient. Can remain reasonably effective, even with a lot of damage
• Very effective overall

Cons:

• Side armour is considerably weaker (75 mm into 60 mm)
• Turret is cramped
• Very low reverse speed, poor low-speed handling
• Vulnerable to the long-barreled 75mm gun of the StuG III and Pz.IV F2,G, H and J
• First reverse gear presents a slow reverse speed of around -5 kph.
• Still carries most of the flaws of the KV-1 L-11
• Still a heavy vehicle, poor acceleration.
• Still cannot move on pace with T-34s
• Gun lacks penetration against heavier opponents: The KV-1 ZiS-5 and both Churchills are very hard to get through. APCR is unreliable.

History

During operation Barbarossa, the KV-1 (Family) of tanks had gained weight in armor due to the increased need for armor. Due to this the KV-1S tank was designed. Major changes included:

• a new planetary gear transmission improving reliability and allowing the use of regenerative steering
• a new lower profile cast steel turret with a commanders cupola

These changes did bring in to question the usefulness of the tank due to the reduced weight necessitating a reduction in the armor thickness making more akin to the T-34 (Family)

Media

Skins

• Skins and camouflages for the KV-1S from live.warthunder.com.

Videos

The Shooting Range #49 - Pages of History section at 03:09 discusses the KV-1S.

See also

Vehicles equipped with the same chassis

• KV-1 (Family)

Other vehicles of similar configuration and role

• MK-II "Matilda" (USSR)
• Churchill Mk III
• ARL-44 (ACL-1)

External links

• [Devblog] KV-1S: How's the tank?
• [Wikipedia] Kliment Voroshilov tank
• [Tanks Encyclopedia] KV-1