The Commander Series Forum

Greetings I was wondering why the KV-85 is not available for the late eastern front period I know not too many were made, my book Soviet Tank Units 1939-45 by David Porter says only 130 were ever made as a stop gap until the arrival of the IS-2 in numbers which began with 102 in 1943, 2252 in 1944 and 1500 in 1945.
The book makes the interesting comment that the Soviets often pieced together what ever they had.
The reason I ask is possibly selfish as I like the look of the model and it would make a good business partner for my IS-2 surely a few would have survived to fight past 1943 where as the rule book only allows them from 6/43 to 12/43 a brief career indeed.

If you can find evidence of it's use in a particular action then it's fine if fighting an historical scenario. For a pick up game I would say no, the danger here is that the exception could easily become the norm and the list becomes cluttered with vehicles that were used in very small nubers by a few units. e.g. the Panzer III and Panzer IV D/E turned up in a few German units in Normandy and after but they're not in the NWE list. the list of exceptions, particularly with the Germans, would exceed the normal list.

Historically probably not, but they are your toys. I suspect they were all gone by late 44, as combat losses. Checking I find I've allowed them till Sept 45. Certaily there is photograpic evidence of positivly arcahic gear being used against the Japanses in August 45.

IanS

For what it's worth, the 63rd Guards Independant Heavy Tank Regiment (part of 11th Guard Army) were equipped with KV-85 at the open of the Bagration campaign (July 1944).

This is according to here:
http://www.aslscenarioarchive.com/viewPub.php?i...

None of my Nafziger files mention what tanks they had, Zaloga's book on Orsha doesn't mention them at all (he lists only 4 Heavy Regt with IS-2), and the Bean/Fowler book on Russian armour give a figure of only 148 ever being made as a stop-gap until the IS-2 became available.

So, use them if you want, but chances are they were rare by 1944-5.

Thank you for the well written responses. Too good indeed.
I will give it a run mid war soon and my good offsider may wish to play w/out his Tiger II and contet himself with shooting me up with his Panthers and perhaps build a Tiger I.

No

Right you are Beccas very rude of me to suggest you should make a Tiger of any sort perhaps we should play mid war w/out it.

sultanbev, that is a really interesting list, especially "1452nd Separate Self-propelled Artillery Regiment" -- probably assigned as "Right, Ivan Ivanovich, your regiment only gets the SU-152s if you are also willing to take all the leftover vehicles no-one else wants. Think your maintenance guys are up for a challenge?"

"April 1944: 1452nd Separate Self-propelled Artillery Regiment: 11x KV-85, 5x KV-1S, 6x SU-152, 3x SU-76"
Thanks Mark!
I've now found a reason to spend money on Russian tanks again!
I thought I'd got over it. .

Yes sultanbev that is a very nice looking list may I ask what source/s have you located to the provide some the figures.
The reason I ask I have always had a soft spot for the Soviets in WW II as they produced such advanced armoured vehicles and can not resist a well written book from the Soviet perspective. Most are sourced from local s/hand bookshops which is a little limiting.

I know their build quality did suffer due to the numbers of men allocated to the front but as 1 author put it a tremendous achievement for vehicles often built by the old, cripples and children with some able bodied assitance.

Thank you sultanbev I may be able to order any suggestions you make over the net, I have had some sucess with the Book Depositry, which has since been taken over by Amazon and the other is Abe books I think. I have the link on my favourites at work so I can check tomorrow. They have been very good at sourcing unusual out of print titles from around the world.

Good luck with the Abrams.

Thank you sultanbev that is very informative

Keep it up it if you can was a great read

Lovely work Mark!
T34/57 next?

Thanks Mark.
I'd seen this and it had nudged my curiosity:
http://www.battlefield.ru/en/tank-development/2...

You learn something every day