KV-5 is a Tier 8 Soviet premium heavy tank in World of Tanks. One of the most controversial TTs in the game, which was long removed from sale in the in-game store and received the status of a promotional vehicle. One of the reasons for such measures was the fact that the KV-5 has a preferential level of combat.
Over its long history in the game, the tank has gone through many updates, but the main ones for it recently have been two:
- Patch 0.9.13 converts textures to HD and improves armor.
- Patch 1.2 in which the developers “upped” the performance characteristics of preferential vehicles.
How does the KV-5 feel in random after all the changes, how did they affect its gameplay and is it worth buying in 2022? Read on.
TTX
Firepower
The KV-5 is equipped with a 107 mm ZiS-6M gun with a single damage of 300 units and armor penetration of only 186 mm. These are the worst weapon indicators for Tier 8 heavy tanks. This disadvantage of the tank is compensated by its high rate of fire, which allows it to inflict about 2,100 units of damage per minute without taking into account equipment.
The aiming time is 2.3 seconds, and the accuracy of 0.4 per 100 meters is quite acceptable for a TT. It was these values that were improved in patch 1.2 and made the game more comfortable. The gun has good vertical guidance angles -7...+22°.
Previously, the aiming time was 2.9 seconds and the accuracy was 0.42.
Characteristics of ammunition
| Projectile | Armor-piercing | Sub-caliber | High explosive |
| Flight speed (m/s) | 830 | 1038 | 830 |
| Armor penetration (mm) | 186 | 219 | 54 |
| Price | 270 | 4400 | 280 |
In patch 1.2, the tank's armor-piercing shell penetration was increased by 19 mm.
The speed of the projectiles is moderate and quite convenient at close range. The cost of the shells is low, but farming credits is made difficult by the low armor penetration of basic and even gold shells.
Vitality
The health reserve is 1780 units and this is one of the largest indicators at level 8 among heavy weights. The KV-5 is positioned as a super-heavy tank, so let's take a closer look at the armor and how it has changed.
The turret's all-round armor has changed from 150 mm to 180 mm, but most G8s will still be able to penetrate it anywhere without any problems, including the 190 mm gun mantlet. Hull armor: VLD and NLD are located at good angles, so the armor ratings there vary from 220 mm to 300 mm. Unfortunately, this is of little use, because they rarely shoot there.
All experienced players know the most vulnerable spot in the tank's forehead - the radio operator's turret.
The frontal armor there is 160 mm, so some “sixes”, most of the “sevens” and almost all “eights” will be able to penetrate it. With this situation, there is no point in trying to tank in battles with 9 levels.
The second turret (the smaller one) accommodates the driver. It is more armored by 20 mm, but again this is not enough to confidently take on level 8-9 opponents.
In addition to the fact that the turret is not difficult to penetrate, there is an impressive commander’s turret on top of it.
Vulnerable areas and crew members in the tank are located as follows:
Due to the design features of the tank, there is a high probability that the radio operator will be incapacitated more often than anyone else.
Other indicators
KV-5 has 100.18 tons with a specific engine power of 1200 hp. can accelerate to 40 km/h. But the tank experiences problems on medium and soft soils, so it picks up speed there slowly. The visibility of 350 meters is weak for his level of combat, and the communication range is 730 meters, which will decrease each time if the radio operator is concussed.
Historical reference
KV-5 (object 225) is a Soviet project of a super-heavy breakthrough tank with three turrets from the beginning of 1941. The project was carried out by the design bureau of J. Ya. Kotin at the Leningrad Kirov Plant.
The goal of the project is to create a vehicle with a thickness of armor on the front of the hull and turret of 170 mm, and sides of 150 mm. The 107 mm ZIS-6 gun was planned as the main armament.
The ZIS-6 gun made it possible to hit any modern (at the beginning of the 40s) tank from a distance of more than 1 km.
As additional weapons, it was planned to place 3 12.7 mm machine guns and 3 7.62 mm machine guns.
The total weight of the tank was supposed to be about 100 tons. It was also planned to place a 1200 hp engine.
Due to the difficult situation at the front, the project was closed; not a single prototype of a super-heavy breakthrough vehicle was built.
Advantages and disadvantages
Having understood in detail all the tactical and technical characteristics of the vehicle, we can highlight the strengths and weaknesses:
Advantages:
- preferential level of battles;
- fast recharge;
- high maximum speed as for TT;
- a large supply of strength points;
- good resistance to module damage;
- cheap cost of AP shells;
- a good simulator for the crew of Soviet heavy aircraft;
Flaws:
- small armor penetration;
- vulnerable spots in the frontal part;
- mediocre maneuverability;
- poor visibility and at the same time high visibility of the vehicle;
- The radio operator is often incapacitated.
Equipment
KV-5 provides several sets of equipment. The first two slots are relevant in any case, and the choice of the third depends on your preferred gaming style:
- large-caliber gun rammer - by increasing the rate of fire, we increase the damage per minute;
- vertical stabilizer - by reducing the circle of dispersion, it will make it possible to shoot more accurately while on the move.
Melee:
- anti-fragmentation lining - will reduce the damage received from land mines and when ramming, and will also reduce the likelihood of concussion of crew members. Will increase survivability under artillery and in duels against high-explosive Japanese tanks.
Distant battle:
- stereo tube - will add 87.5 meters to the vehicle’s visibility, which will allow you to see opponents not only at close range, but also at medium distance.
Due to the low basic visibility, there is no particular point in installing coated optics, since it will only add 35 meters.
Universal fighter:
- improved ventilation Class 3 - will add 5% to the crew's skills, thereby slightly enhancing all the characteristics of the vehicle.
If you are pumping up a new crew, then it makes sense to put a toolbox in the first place, because the speed of repair is extremely important for the KV-5.
Introduction
Many newcomers to World of Tanks, and even experienced players, often think about what tanks to upgrade. Because playing the same thing all the time gets boring, and new technology brings more variety to the gameplay. And while leveling up, you gain new experience and new game property.
Even if you prefer to play only on certain types of vehicles (ST, TT), then you should definitely try the gameplay on other vehicles (at least one machine of different classes). This is necessary to enrich your gaming experience and know the enemy by sight - the features of his technique, position, etc. This will make your game more effective.
However, not all tanks in WoT are worthy of leveling up. In our articles, we will consider all branches in as much detail as possible, with an emphasis on the best machines. And also about controversial ones and those that are not recommended to download. We will honestly and objectively talk about the main pros and cons of each tank under consideration, and draw conclusions about who it will suit and who it will not.
The author of the articles has fought more than 50 thousand battles, has extensive experience in playing all types of equipment and expresses his personal, not generally accepted, opinion. Screenshots were taken from a new account so that you can see how much experience is needed to upgrade each car. The most interesting ones are highlighted in green, controversial ones in yellow, and the worst ones in red. You can definitely decide for yourself, so let's go!
Crew training
The crew of the vehicle consists of 6 tankers, each of whom performs exclusively his role. Regardless of other Soviet heavy tanks, let's look at the selection of skills that are most suitable for the KV-5.
Let's look at the influence of perks and the relevance of studying them:
Due to its large dimensions, the tank is a priority target for artillery and standing “on the rink” is fraught with the risk of receiving a lot of damage, so we’ll upgrade the repair skill first.
After studying it completely, two skill levels are reset to give the tankers the Combat Brotherhood, which begins to operate only with 100% ownership of all crew members.
The combination of eagle eye and radio interception will add 17.5 meters to the basic overview.
The combination of a smooth ride and smooth rotation of the turret will improve the quality of shooting while moving.
The effectiveness of a jack-of-all-trades is not the highest, since most often the radio operator is incapacitated, but if he falls under the focus of artillery, there is a high probability of losing one of the other crew members.
Given its large mass and good maximum speed, the KV-5 is effective in ramming and can be enhanced with the Ram Master perk. The off-road king will allow the tank to reach speed faster on medium and soft soils.
The ammunition rack is located in the rear of the turret, as well as along the sides, and can be damaged by getting into the gaps between the second and third rollers, so it is important for one of the loaders to examine the non-contact ammunition rack. For the second one at this time, it makes sense to master the desperate one, because the KV-5 has a large supply of health and there is a high probability of being left with less than 178 units of strength. In this case, the recharge speed will increase by 9.1%.
Considering the good rate of fire of the gun, one can hope for a noticeable effect from the sniper perk, increasing the likelihood of a critical hit for enemy tank modules.
Studying fire extinguishing will allow you to remove the fire extinguisher from consumables.
Equipment
When going into battle with a premium vehicle, you need to immediately decide for yourself: to farm or to bend over. In the first case, ordinary consumables will be enough, and to increase your survivability during the battle, improved equipment will of course be more effective. In general, the choice of equipment is standard:
- repair kit;
- first aid kit;
- fire extinguisher (upgraded will reduce the chance of fire by 10%)
If the “fire extinguishing” perk has been studied, then the third consumable can be replaced with Additional Rate to slightly increase all the performance characteristics of the vehicle.
How to play the KV-5
Having dealt with all the features of the technology, let’s move on to analyzing the gameplay and tactics in battle. Let's look at the main aspects of a heavy tank from the perspective.
Firing
Given the weak armor penetration, it is advisable to know and target the enemy’s vulnerable areas. During active combat operations with a group of enemies, it is necessary to correctly prioritize: first of all, finish off the “shot” ones and inflict damage on the least armored ones, for the reason that the chance of penetrating them is simply higher.
Given the cheap cost of AP shells, it makes sense to shoot at an enemy who has left the light for several seconds, if you did not have time to shoot while he was in sight.
When going to ram, you need to choose the enemy correctly. The same T34 or Löwe, included in the rating of the best tanks for farming, also have a large mass, but also have more armored turrets, so you won’t be able to shoot them in a clinch.
Using armor
To successfully deter enemies, you need to learn how to use your armor correctly. You can tank with a reverse diamond shape, then the vulnerable spots of the frontal projection will be hidden.
This maneuver is facilitated by strengthening the aft part (MTO) in patch 1.2.
A correctly installed KV-5 will receive an additional 300 mm of armor instead of its standard 150 mm. Also, do not be lazy to use cover or uneven terrain to hide the turrets in the frontal projection.
If an enemy tank is trying to circle you in an open area, then you need to turn not only the turret, but also the hull, then there will be a chance of catching a ricochet.
General recommendations
Being at the top of the list, you can play quite comfortably and farm silver. In battles with 9, it is better to stick to medium distance at the beginning of the battle if there are other TTs in the team. When choosing the direction of travel, do not forget to follow the map, because you can play much more effectively when your allies are covering you from behind. At the same time, the tank is quite dynamic and, if necessary, can return to defend the base.
Farm
What is farming? If you shoot well and play actively, then above average. Farm coefficient - 170%. For comparison:
Leo 190%
IS-6 180%
IS-5 175%
IS-2SH 170%
M6A2E1 EXP (level 8 goose) - 167%
For example, a few fights:
First cannon
1 fight
2 fight
Alternative weapon
General impressions
Ambiguous prem. The armor has huge areas with right angles. This means small reduction values.
Mobility is quite good for such a heavy vehicle. But overall it's slow.
The gun is quick-firing, but penetration is weak.
If you choose the main tank for farming, then there are more interesting vehicles. For example, Lion or Super Pershing. They have a higher farming coefficient and are more interesting in a number of characteristics. But in general, the KV-5 is quite playable.
