Greetings commanders,

This week, we’re focusing on three Soviet heavyweights from the IS family that are moving through our asset pipeline: IS-1, ISU-152 and IS-2.

As per our previous articles, you’ll find a small historical summary for each vehicle, useful context while you wait to get them in your garage, and images showing our Art Team’s amazing work.

IS-1 Heavy Tank

Entering limited production in October 1943, the IS‑1 combined the new KV‑85 three‑man turret and its 85 mm D‑5T gun with the KV‑13 “universal” hull, a lighter, better‑angled evolution of the KV‑1S.

With 120 mm of sloped frontal armour and the proven V‑2 diesel, the 44‑ton machine could reach roughly 37 km/h on roads, giving Soviet crews a timely answer to early Tiger I and Panther threats. Production ran to just 207 units before the line switched to the better‑armed IS‑2.

In Steel Aces the IS‑1 fills the archetypal Soviet heavy‑tank slot. It can bully mediums and lights at close range, but its modest mobility means savvy opponents will try to work the flanks. Use it to duel rival heavies or anchor a chokepoint, and it will earn its keep.

ISU-152 Self-Propelled Gun

Accepted for production in November 1943, the ISU‑152 attached a fixed casemate onto the IS‑2 hull to house the 152 mm ML‑20S howitzer. Its 43 kg high‑explosive shells earned it the nickname Zveroboy (“Beast Killer”) for the way they flattened bunkers and heavy armour alike.

Protection came from a 90 mm frontal plate, and at 47 tons, the vehicle still managed around 30 km/h on roads thanks to the V‑2 diesel. Wartime output reached 1,885 units, with post‑war modernisations seeing service for decades.

On the Steel Aces battlefield, the ISU‑152 is your mobile siege gun. Set up hull‑down, lob HE to clear light armoured vehicles, and switch to AP when a heavy shows its flank. Limited traverse and mobility mean you’ll need a spotter and some support against fast light vehicles.

IS-2 Heavy Tank

Approved in December 1943 and first fielded in April 1944, the IS‑2 retained the IS‑1’s 120 mm armour but replaced its 85 mm gun with the formidable 122 mm D‑25T. The new weapon required a re‑profiled turret and two‑piece ammunition, yet crews could still manage two to three aimed rounds per minute.

Early hulls kept the stepped glacis; later hulls switched to a simpler single‑plate glacis that was easier to weld and better at reflecting impacts. A total of 3,854 tanks rolled off the line before V‑E Day.

Despite weighing 46 tons, the uprated V‑2‑IS diesel held top road speed at roughly 37 km/h, letting the IS‑2 keep pace with medium formations and spearhead breakthroughs from the Vistula to Berlin.

In Steel Aces the IS‑2 is a battlefield hammer: devastating alpha damage balanced by a lengthy reload. Angle the hull, time your shots, and push with support; solo play will see nimble opponents circle you with impunity.

That’s the wrap‑up for the Soviet IS heavyweight tanks. As always, let us know on Discord what you think of these vehicles and tell us what others you would like to see in the game.

The Steel Aces Team