KV-85
KV-85
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[Client Values; Actual values in
900,000  Cost |
| 920194 HP Hit Points |
| 45.98/46.823.5/49 t Weight Limit |
- Commander (Radio Operator)
- Gunner
- Driver
- Loader
| 500600 hp Engine Power |
| 34/14 km/h Speed Limit |
| 2830 deg/s Traverse |
| 10.8725.53 hp/t Power/Wt Ratio |
| NoNo Pivot |
| // mm Hull Armor |
| 100/90/90100/90/90 mm Turret Armor |
AP/APCR/HE
AP/APCR/HE Shells |
109/2800/98
1025/4800/608 Shell Cost |
| 160/160/280390/390/530 HP Damage |
| 120/161/43175/217/61 mm Penetration |
|
12.24 r/m ▲
3 r/m Standard Gun ▲ Rate of Fire Standard Gun |
|
1958.4 ▲
Standard Gun
▼
Standard Gun
▲
1170 Standard Gun ▲
Standard Gun
▼
Standard Gun
▲ Damage Per Minute Standard Gun |
|
0.38 m ▲
0.5 m With 50% Crew: 0.471 m ▲ Accuracy With 50% Crew: 0.619 m |
| 2.9 s 3.6 s Aim time |
| 2828 deg/s Turret Traverse |
| 360° Gun Arc |
| -3°/+23°-3°/+20° Elevation Arc |
| 7028 rounds Ammo Capacity |
| 1515 % Chance of Fire |
| 320 m 340 m View Range |
| 325 m 440 m Signal Range |
VI
900000
The KV-85 is a Soviet tier 6 heavy tank.
A further development of the KV-1S tank. Unlike the previous modification, the KV-85 had enhanced armament. The vehicle was developed in the spring of 1943 at the Chelyabinsk Kirov Plant. The tank entered service on August 8, 1943, and was mass produced until September, with a total of 148 vehicles manufactured. The KV-85 was used by the breakthrough armored regiments of the Red Army.
Like its predecessor, the KV-1S, the KV-85 is heavy tank that trades armour for speed and maneuverability. The KV-85 is most deadly on the flanks of its opponents, where it can use either a fast firing 100mm S-34 gun with excellent overall DPM, or the high-alpha 122mm D-2-5T gun capable of taking out half a tier VI heavy's hit points with one hit.
The KV-85 marks the end of its Soviet heavy line.
Modules / Available Equipment and Consumables
Modules
Guns
| Tier | Gun | Penetration (mm) |
Damage (HP) |
Rate of fire (rounds/minute) |
Dispersion (m/100m) |
Aiming time (s) |
Weight (kg) |
Price (  )
| |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| VI | 85 mm D-5T | 120/161/43 | 160/160/280 | 12.24 | 0.38 | 2.7 | 1500 | 61530 | |
| VII | 122 mm D-2-5T | 175/217/61 | 390/390/530 | 3 | 0.5 | 3.6 | 2600 | 84980 | |
| VII | 100 mm S-34 | 170/210/50 | 250/250/330 | 7.89 | 0.38 | 2.7 | 1920 | 75300 |
Engines
| Tier | Engine | Engine Power (hp) |
Chance of Fire on Impact (%) |
Weight (kg) |
Price ( )
| |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| VII | V-2IS | 600 | 15 | 750 | 36000 | |
| VI | V-2K | 500 | 15 | 750 | 23050 |
Suspensions
| Tier | Suspension | Load Limit (т) |
Traverse Speed (gr/sec) |
Rmin | Weight (kg) |
Price ( )
| |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| V | KV-85 | 46.8 | 28 | B/2 | 12400 | 9100 | |
| VI | KV-122 | 49 | 30 | B/2 | 12400 | 15390 |
Radios
| Tier | Radio | Signal Range (m) |
Weight (kg) |
Price ( )
| |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| IV | 9R | 325 | 80 | 1980 | |
| V | 10R | 360 | 100 | 3660 | |
| VII | 10RK | 440 | 100 | 18600 |
Compatible Equipment
Compatible Consumables
Player Opinion
Pros and Cons
Pros:
- Has two good gun choices: the DPM-rich 100 mm and the amazingly powerful 122 mm
- Good maneuverability and speed for a heavy tank
- Somewhat bouncy frontal turret armor that can pull of the occasional ricochet
Cons:
- Practically no gun depression at a mere -3°
- Poor view range
- Poor aim time and dispersion
- Rather weak hull armor
- 122 mm takes as long as artillery to reload.
Performance
The KV-85 is characterised by its poor armour, excellent guns and above-average mobility for a heavy tank. Coming right off of the KV-1S, players will be right at home with the KV-85 as they are virtually the same tank. However, the KV-85 has one of the poorest non-SPG gun depression ratings at only -3 degrees, making the tactic of "ridge popping"- or even just fighting on hills- difficult to employ without taking a considerable amount of incoming fire. Even the slightest irregularity in the ground (that you wouldn't notice in any other tank) can leave you with your gun suddenly aiming up into the air and your shot going high.
When fully stock, the KV-85 is very frustrating and difficult to play. The stock 85mm D-5T gun is wholly inadequate for its tier and will fail to penetrate a KV-1 most of the time. The tank's main advantage, its speed, can only be found in the upgraded engine, meaning that a stock KV-85 is very sluggish, and with the stock suspension, very difficult to maneuver. The weak armour, slow speed, and poor penetration of the 85mm D-5T gun make it a very hard tank to grind, especially since upgraded gun requires both the turret and the new suspension. However, the difficult grind is well worth the effort, as the KV-85 has impressive selections of guns, and is very maneuverable for a heavy tank.
When armed with the 100mm S-34 gun, the better penetration and damage should make driving the KV-85 considerably more enjoyable. With a reload time of around 7 seconds or more, an average alpha damage of 250 and an accuracy of 0.38, the tank is well equipped for dealing with tanks of tiers 7 and 8. The lower alpha means that this gun is more suited to play a support role where its good rate of fire coupled with respectable penetration and damage can lay waste to enemies in minutes. With the upgraded engine, the KV-85 essentially become a slower but better armoured medium that can flank slower heavies and target their weaker side and rear armour, as well as aid team mates who are attempting a push from the front. In tier 8 matches, however the 250 alpha and low hit points will steer the KV-85 to its destruction. In these matches, use it as an impromptu sniper or flanker and it can still be very helpful to the team. However, it is worth noting that the excellent maneuverability and DPM can combine to create a devastating tank capable of fighting anything it can meet.
When equipped with the 122mm D-2-5T, the tank changes drastically from a flanker into an opportunistic brawler. The 20 sec long reload, poor accuracy of 0.50 and an aiming time of 3.6 seconds means that this gun is best suited for close to point blank combat, where the gun's impressive damage of 390 will send medium and light tanks retreating and heaving reconsidering their plan, as it can almost kill tier 6 heavies in two shots. However, the inaccuracy of the gun forces the tank to get close to the enemy, where its weak hull armour can easily be penetrated. As such, it is wise to follow another heavy tank for supporting fire by hitting reloading enemies for a massive 390 damage then pulling back to cover your poor DPM. In the right hands, this gun can easily cause very high damage, just watch out for misses and non-penetrations, as a single AP shell costs 1,025 credits.
All in all, the KV-85 is a very versatile tank, able to be played both as a flanker and a brawler. The frustratingly terrible gun depression, armour, and occasional inaccuracy of the guns of the tank will be a great disadvantage, but is more than made up for by the KV-85's mobility and good gun damage. Play this tank cautiously and patiently to have the best results.
Early Research
After the split of the KV-1S and KV-85, the S-34 gun is no longer needed to be researched first if seeking the 122mm D-2-5T, however, you still need the top turret and the upgraded suspension. The top engine will further enhance the KV-85's agility and will make playing the tank considerably more rewarding. Even if using the S-34, it is recommended to unlock the 122mm D-2-5T to lessen the grind on the IS.
Suggested Equipment
Gallery
Historical Info
In response to criticisms, the lighter KV-1S was released, with thinner armour and a smaller, lower turret in order to reclaim some speed. Importantly, the KV-1S had a commander's cupola with all-around vision blocks. It also had a sophisticated planetary transmission that significantly increased reliability, and allowed use of more efficient regenerative geared steering, unlike the solely clutch and brake steering systems used the Panzer III, IV and T-34. Its reduced weight allowed it to achieve a top speed of 43.3 km/h. Over 1,300 were built before production ended in August 1943. Although KV-1S was the best of the mass-produced KV tanks, overcoming its predecessors problems, more modern tanks were already in sight. Up-arming the regular turret of the KV-1S with an 85mm S-31 resulted in the KV-1S-85 or KV-85G. This was rejected as it came with the unacceptable loss of a dedicated commander, reducing the turret crew to two. However, the thinning-out of the armor called into question why the tank was being produced at all, when the T-34 could seemingly do everything the KV could do and much more cheaply. The Soviet heavy tank program was close to cancellation in mid-1943.
The appearance of the German Panther tank in the summer of 1943 convinced the Red Army to make a serious upgrade of its tank force for the first time since 1941. Soviet tanks needed bigger guns to take on the growing numbers of Panthers and the few Tigers. A stopgap upgrade to the KV series was the short-lived KV-85 or Objekt 239. This was a KV-1S with the new turret from the Object 237(IS-85) still in development, mounting the same 85 mm D-5T gun as the SU-85 and early versions of the T-34-85. The 85 mm proved capable of penetrating the Tiger I from 1000 m and the demand for it slowed production of the KV-85 tremendously (only 148 were built in the end). The KV-85 appeared on the front beginning in September 1943 and its production ended by December 1943. Soviet industry was therefore able to produce a heavy tank as well armed as the Tiger I before the end of 1943. In spite of being an excellent opponent to the Tigers and Panthers, the KV-85 was built in too few a number to influence the war. The complete Object 237 was accepted into service as the IS-85 and was produced in the autumn and winter of 1943-44; they were sent to the front as of October 1943 and production of the IS-85/IS-1 was stopped by the spring of 1944 once the IS-122/IS-2 entered full-scale production.
- KV-85 – A KV-1S with the 85mm D-5T cannon in a new turret, with the ball mounted hull machine gun removed and the hole welded shut, 148 of these tanks were produced in the second half of 1943 until the spring of 1944; they were a stopgap until the IS tank series entered production.
- KV-100 - A KV-85 with the 100mm S-34 cannon. One prototype was made in 1944. Not taken in service.
- KV-122 (Object 239) - A KV-85 with the 122mm D-25T cannon. One prototype was made in 1944. Not taken in service.
Historical Gallery
Historical Accuracy Errata
*The 100 mm S-34 is technically not compatible with either turret choices as it required shifting the gunner and the commander (and hence his crew station and cupola) to the right side of the turret, while the loader sat on the left.
