Su 122a good one-time damage for a top gun

SU-122 is a medium-weight Soviet self-propelled gun of the assault gun class (with minor restrictions it could serve as a self-propelled howitzer). This vehicle became one of the first self-propelled guns that were accepted into large-scale production in the USSR. The impetus for the creation of self-propelled guns was the need to simplify the design of the T-34 tank as much as possible in difficult conditions for the country in mid-1942 and the need to provide tank and mechanized units with a highly mobile and powerful means of fire support.

The plenum of the GAU Artillery Committee, held on April 15, 1942, in which representatives from the troops, industry, and the People's Commissariat of Armaments took part, determined the directions for the development of Soviet self-propelled artillery. The Red Army was to have infantry support self-propelled guns armed with a 76-mm ZIS-3 divisional cannon, a 122-mm M-30 howitzer, and a self-propelled pillbox fighter armed with a 152-mm ML-20 howitzer gun. In general, the decisions of the plenum boiled down to the creation of a self-propelled artillery system that would be able to provide support and escort of advancing infantry and tanks with its fire, would be able to follow the advancing formations of troops and at any moment open fire to kill. The decisions made at the plenum were approved by the State Defense Committee.

IN as soon as possible already by November 30, 1942, the Ural Heavy Engineering Plant (UZTM, Uralmash) had completed design work and the first prototype of the SU-122 was manufactured. Due to the shortage of self-propelled artillery in the troops, the SU-122 self-propelled gun was put into mass production already in December, during which the vehicle was constantly subjected to numerous modifications, which were associated with a hasty launch into series and a short testing period. The self-propelled guns were produced from December 1942 to August 1943; a total of 638 self-propelled guns of this series were produced. Production of the SU-122 was discontinued due to the transition to production of the SU-85 tank destroyer, which was created on its basis.

Design Features

The SU-122 self-propelled gun had the same layout as all other serial Soviet self-propelled guns, with the exception of the SU-76. The fully armored hull was divided into 2 parts. In the front there was an armored cabin, which housed the crew, gun and ammunition - it combined the control compartment and the fighting compartment. At the rear of the vehicle were the engine and transmission. The crew of the self-propelled guns consisted of 5 people. Three crew members were located to the left of the gun: the driver sat first, followed by the gunner, followed by the loader. Two more people were located to the right of the gun - the self-propelled gun commander and the castle commander. The fuel tanks were located along the sides between the shafts of the individual spring suspension units, including in the habitable compartment of the vehicle. This arrangement had a negative impact on the survivability of the crew and explosion safety in the event of a self-propelled gun being hit by an enemy shell.

A relatively large self-propelled gun crew (5 people) was necessary, since the 122-mm gun had separate loading, a piston breech and a guidance mechanism spaced on both sides of the gun. On the right was the flywheel of the sector lifting mechanism, and on the left was the flywheel of the screw rotary mechanism.

The armored hull and wheelhouse of the self-propelled gun were made of rolled armor plates with a thickness of 45, 40, 20 and 15 mm. through welding, the self-propelled gun's armor was projectile-proof. The armor plates of the front of the wheelhouse and the hull of the self-propelled gun had rational angles of inclination. On the prototype and the first versions of the self-propelled gun, the frontal part of the cabin was assembled from 2 armor plates installed at different angles, but later it was replaced with a single part, which was installed at an angle of 50 degrees to the normal.

The main armament of the self-propelled guns was the slightly modified M-30S howitzer, created on the basis of the rifled 122-mm M-30 howitzer of the 1938 model. The differences between the swinging parts of the towed and self-propelled versions were insignificant and were mainly associated with the need to mount the gun in the cramped space of the armored cabin. From the M-30 howitzer, the gun retained the controls for the aiming mechanisms located on both sides of the barrel, which required two gunners in the crew of the self-propelled gun. The M-30S howitzer had a 22.7-caliber barrel, the direct fire range was 3.6 km, and the maximum firing range was 8 km. The range of elevation angles was from -3 to +20 degrees. The horizontal guidance sector was limited to 20 degrees. The rotating mechanism of the gun was a screw type and was located to the left of the barrel; it was serviced by the gunner. The lifting mechanism of the gun was on the right; it had to be serviced by the self-propelled gun commander. The howitzer had a mechanical manual trigger.

The howitzer's ammunition consisted of 40 rounds of separate cartridge loading. Most of the ammunition consisted of high-explosive fragmentation rounds. In some cases, to combat enemy tanks at a distance of up to 1000 meters, cumulative shells were used, which, weighing 13.4 kg, were capable of penetrating 100 mm of armor. The mass of high-explosive fragmentation shells was 21.7 kg. For self-defense, the SA-122 crew used 2 PPSh submachine guns (20 discs with 1420 rounds of ammunition), as well as 20 F-1 hand grenades.

The chassis of the self-propelled guns almost completely replicated the base T-34 tank. On each side there were 5 large-diameter gable road wheels with a rubber band, sloth and drive wheels. There were no support rollers in the chassis; the upper part of the caterpillar rested on the self-propelled vehicle's support rollers. Sloths with a caterpillar tensioning mechanism were located in front, and ridge gear drive wheels were located at the rear. To improve cross-country ability, the tracks could be equipped with special lugs of various designs, which were bolted to every fourth or sixth track.

Combat use

On December 28, 1942, a control vehicle from the installation December batch was tested at the UZTM factory site. The self-propelled gun covered 50 km. run and fired 40 shots. Testing of the vehicle was completed successfully, and the entire pilot batch of SU-122 was transferred to the Red Army. All 25 vehicles produced up to this point were transferred to The educational center self-propelled artillery. Then, at the end of December 1942, the first 2 self-propelled artillery regiments began to form (1433 SAP and 1434 SAP), which were used on the Volkhov Front. Each regiment consisted of two four-gun batteries armed with SU-122, as well as 16 SU-76 self-propelled guns, two light tanks or armored vehicles, trucks and cars, and 2 tractors.

The first battles of the formed units took place on February 14-15, 1943 as part of a private offensive operation of the 54th Army in the Smerdyn area. During the battles, which lasted 4-6 days, self-propelled artillery regiments proved their effectiveness by destroying 47 bunkers, destroying 14 anti-tank guns, from 19 to 28 vehicles, suppressing 5 mortar batteries with their fire and destroying 4 enemy warehouses. The proposed tactics of using self-propelled guns have also fully justified themselves. SU-122 self-propelled guns moved at a distance of 400-600 meters behind the attacking tanks, suppressing detected firing points with fire, mainly firing from stops. If necessary, self-propelled guns could be used to repel enemy counterattacks, acting as traditional howitzer artillery.

However, it was not always possible to adhere to this tactic. So already in the battle on the Kursk Bulge, vehicles were often used in the first line of attack, often replacing them in attacks regular tanks. As a result, vehicles unsuitable for fighting in the first line (insufficient armor, lack of machine guns, narrow field of fire) suffered unreasonably large losses. During the Battle of Kursk, the Soviet command had high hopes for the SU-122 as an effective means of combating the new armored vehicles of the Wehrmacht, but the actual successes of self-propelled guns in the fight against tanks were very modest, and the losses were significant.

SU-122s took part in the 1446th SAP and in the notorious counterattack near Prokhorovka. As a result of improper use, of the 20 vehicles participating in the counterattack, 11 were burned and another 6 were shot down. At the same time, counter-preparation - firing from closed positions at distant targets - accumulations of enemy equipment and infantry - played an important role in the defensive actions of units armed with the SU-122 self-propelled guns. One way or another, the Battle of Kursk became the site of their most widespread use. Already in August 1943, they began to be replaced by new SU-85 vehicles, which belonged to the class of tank destroyers.

Performance characteristics: SU-122
Weight: 29.6 t.
Dimensions:
Length 6.95 m, width 3.0 m, height 2.15 m.
Crew: 5 people
Reservation: from 15 to 45 mm.
Armament: 122 mm howitzer M-30S
Ammunition: 40 shells
Engine: twelve-cylinder V-shaped diesel engine V-2-34 with a power of 500 hp.
Maximum speed: on the highway – 55 km/h, on rough terrain – 20 km/h
Cruising range: on the highway – 400 km.

Everything was decided in October 1944, when the technical council of the NKTP reviewed five self-propelled gun projects, but according to the results of the consideration, it was not the hero of our article, but the project that was recognized as the best. As a result, work in other areas was curtailed. And in vain, the self-propelled gun was quite promising.

Gaming characteristics

In “thunder”, thanks to his rapid-fire and biting weapon, he became an amazing “damage dealer” at long distances. Let's look at its characteristics in terms of the game:

Protection

We have armor, but with nuances. In the forehead - 90 mm, and it seems that at the seventh level this is not enough. But this does not take into account that the frontal sheet is tilted at an angle of 60 degrees, which gives a reduction of as much as 175 mm. Quite good and rebounds will be your frequent guests... In the top. On the sides and in the stern the situation is worse - 75 and 45 mm of armor. True, you will shoot from afar, turning your front to the enemy. If a “carousel” begins around you, then your tactics are wrong. 840 hit points complete the picture. You won’t be laid down right away, and that’s joy.

Firepower

But the gun is what this self-propelled gun is purchased for. 122 mm D-25S gun one of the most damaging at the level, as it gives 390 HP damage, with a rate of fire of 7.5 rounds per minute. Potential damage in 60 seconds is 2925 HP and this is not the limit! Armor penetration with basic 175 mm shells is sometimes not enough, and this is where 217 mm sub-calibers come to the rescue.

The disadvantages of the gun include: a fairly tight aiming time of 2.9 seconds, low accuracy of 0.41, as well as terrible vertical aiming angles of minus four degrees. The horizontal aiming angles are also not “ice” - minus eight degrees in both directions. Plus, the trajectory of the log thrower's shot was always flat, and the projectile speed was low, which increases the risk of a miss at a distance.

Dynamics

But the engine B-44-500 revs up and produces 500 hp, which gives a top speed of 47.5 km/h. Going back is a little worse - 13 km/h. The tracks provide a turn on the spot up to 42 degrees/sec. This is a very maneuverable tank destroyer! It is a pity that this property will not always be needed.

Detection and communication

Radio station 9RS gives a communication radius of 700 meters. For Soviet analogues it is actually a bestseller. But the review figure upsets us - only 330 meters. Even for a tank destroyer this is a very bad indicator. This is compensated by our excellent stealth, especially if we stand under the “net” in the “greenery”.

Pumping and equipment

SU-122-44- a premium tank destroyer, therefore it comes as standard. We will cover the details of pumping up the crew, purchasing special equipment and consumables.

Our crew consists of four people. It’s worth downloading them using the standard PT version: the commander “Sixth Sense”, and the rest “Camouflage”. At the second level there is a perk for: the commander “Eagle Eye”, the gunner “Sniper”, the driver mechanic “Smooth Ride”, and the loader “Non-contact ammo rack”. And only at the third level - “Combat Brotherhood” for everyone. Remember that you can transfer other Soviet self-propelled tank crews to a premium vehicle without penalties!

As for special equipment, in the sniper version we take: “Stereotube”, “Camouflage net” and “Reinforced aiming drives”. In the assault: “Rammer”, “Reinforced aiming drives” and “Ventilation”. We recommend the first setup as it is more relevant.

We place the following consumables: “Manual fire extinguisher”, “Large first aid kit” (-5% to stun time, +15% to crew protection from injury), “Large repair kit” (+15% to repair speed). The engine will not be knocked out often, so you can replace the fire extinguisher with an “Additional Pipe”.

SU-122-44- a classic third-line damage dealer, so the main attention should be paid to positions and “holes” on the map.

Be sure to watch the let-plays of all the leading players on tank destroyers. Study their maneuvers and actions, as well as their choice of position. Playing self-propelled guns is not so much about reaction and assertiveness (although this doesn’t hurt), but about theory and tactics. Feel free to read detailed guides, study armor penetration tables and vulnerabilities of your main opponents. Knowledge is power!

Our speed will help us quickly occupy the most important bushes on the map. You can even try to passively “shine” on the front line, but only after eliminating all enemy light vehicles. Good dynamics will allow you to quickly change position when detected, as well as retreat in time if the front is broken through. Sometimes, in a critical situation, it is possible to rouse especially tight strands without cover.

Shooting at a distance is given only after a lot of practice, when you already intuitively know where the shot will hit and how the enemy will move. Consider the speed and slightly upward nature of the projectile trajectory. If the fire is conducted at a medium distance, then it is quite possible to try to target the modules. First of all, try to immobilize the enemy to prevent him from crawling towards your precious carcass.

It’s better not to get caught in the glare at all. Your gun is equipped with a muzzle brake and after firing from the bushes it completely unmasks. Plus, the thick tracer from the projectile quite accurately localizes the location of the “thunder”. Even if the “Sixth Sense” light doesn’t come on, don’t be lazy and change your position or at least your position in the bushes. Otherwise, expect “suitcases” from the art.

But it’s not always possible to stay in the safe green. There are times when even tank destroyers have to conduct active combat operations. Never shoot on the move, unless not at point blank range. It is better to move in rolls: stop - aim - shoot - move. Moreover, it is better to carry out the “stop-shot” phase while the enemy is reloading.

When the Allies have secured a breakthrough at the front, it is stupid to remain in the rear. It is better to turn on the afterburner and support the offensive with fire. As before, do not climb forward; shoot from behind the wide backs of your comrades. Just be careful - colleagues like to suddenly get into the crosshairs and grab your sour damage, disrupting a profitable battle. Leave flanking maneuvers to LT and ST, although with the right amount of adventurism, you can jump out like a jack-in-the-box into the very epicenter of a firefight.

Review of the tank's strengths and weaknesses. Results

pros:

• Powerful gun
• High rate of fire
• Excellent dynamics
• Well armored forehead
• Low silhouette

Minuses:

• Tight mixing and low accuracy
• Bad review
• Bad UGN and UVN
• Balances towards the eighth-ninth levels

SU-122-44- a wonderful self-propelled gun, designed to farm and bend. The level of battles is not always comfortable, but when fighting at a distance you will never go into the red. What else is required from a premium car? Probably accessibility. Therefore, only one question remains - is the car worth the money? According to the latest data from the store, it can be purchased for 6,750 gold. My advice is to take it. It is rare to find such a successful car at this level, without obvious shortcomings.

Good luck in battle!

20-02-2017, 01:34

Hello to all adherents of USSR technology, the site is here! Friends, today we will talk about a very dangerous and for some hated vehicle, the Soviet Art-SPG of the fifth level, in front of you SU-122A guide.

Of course, this article will primarily be useful for those who like to play with artillery and have decided to upgrade the domestic development branch of these deadly machines. However, know TTX SU-122A World of Tanks Everyone who at least sometimes plays around levels 5-6 should, because this machine is a frequent guest in battles and you need to understand what to expect from it.

TTX SU-122A

According to established tradition, we will begin with the fact that we have at our disposal a unit with the smallest safety margin even by SAU-5 standards and a very poor basic viewing radius of 255 meters.

There is no need to talk much about armor in the case of artillery, because SU-122A characteristics reservations are really very scarce. Initially, “bare” numbers do not promise anything serious, and therefore even the VLD, located at a very good angle, has only 50 millimeters in the reduction, which is penetrated by every enemy encountered.

But fortunately the dimensions self-propelled gun SU-122A not very large, the silhouette can even be called quite low, due to which our camouflage is very good, especially if we properly upgrade the crew and select the appropriate equipment, which we will talk about later.

In terms of driving characteristics, this unit also does not stand out in the best way. Dynamics as for artillery SU-122A WoT good, but the maximum speed is quite mediocre, and we move around very slowly.

gun

However, the whole point of this self-propelled artillery mount is not in the general parameters, but in the armament, since our gun is truly formidable and deserves close attention.

First of all, have SU-122A gun has the largest alpha strike at the fifth level, which allows us to carry almost any classmate into the hangar with one shot if there is a successful hit. But we take the longest to reload, so you need to shoot accurately.

If we talk about penetration parameters, then land mines penetrate little, but due to the fact that they do not enter the target at the usual angle, but from above, the damage is noticeable. Of course soviet tank SU-122A World of Tanks fires with land mines, because this is our main and only type of projectile, and they also have a good radius of scattering fragments, which is especially important after the release of update 0.9.18, after which a splash can not only cause damage, but also stun vehicles, temporarily reducing their characteristics .

As for accuracy, it became the payment for the most powerful one-time damage at the level. This means that the spread SU-122A art It is very large, it takes a long time to assemble and the stabilization here is poor. In addition, we are the owners of very uncomfortable horizontal aiming angles, the total angle of which is only 8 degrees.

Advantages and disadvantages

One of the most important nuances playing any tank is understanding its strengths and weaknesses, because it is based on this knowledge that you can build tactics of behavior in battle. For this reason, we will now highlight the main advantages and disadvantages Art-SAU SU-122A World of Tanks.
Pros:
Good camouflage;
Good mobility;
The most powerful alphastrike at the level;
A good radius of scattering fragments by SAU-5 standards.
Minuses:
Very small margin of safety;
Cardboard armor;
Poor accuracy;
Long recharge;
Poor horizontal aiming angles.

Equipment for SU-122A

With installed additional modules, it will be much more pleasant to play and it will be somewhat easier to realize the potential of the machine. Of course, in this matter it is important not to make a mistake with the choice, however, in the case of artillery there are very few alternatives, so tank SU-122A equipment you need to set it like this:
1. is the most necessary and in demand module for every art, because with it our very long reload will speed up at least a little.
2. - an equally important choice given such spread, aiming time and terrible horizontal aiming angles.
3. is the only reasonable option left, because it will improve our camouflage, and remaining undetected for any self-propelled gun is the most important criterion.

Crew training

You need to devote even more time to improving the skills of crew members than choosing equipment, because this aspect takes a lot of time, and there are much more variations. However, this point remains relatively standard, that is, for Art-SAU SU-122A perks It is better to distribute as follows:
Commander (radio operator) – , , , .
Gunner – , , , .
Driver mechanic - , , , .
Loader – , , , .

Equipment for SU-122A

Another standard entirely concerns the purchase of consumables. By the way, for artillery, if you do not have large reserves of silver, you can absolutely easily get by with a set of , , . But when you will be much calmer if you drive SU-122A equipment as , , . In addition, the ideal solution would be to replace the fire extinguisher with one; boosting the characteristics will not hurt you.

Tactics of playing on the SU-122A

Even if we take into account just one plus of this device - one-time damage, we can already say that the potential of this artillery is very great. But as in 99% of cases when playing self-propelled guns, in order to realize this potential, SU-122A tactics is to take a good position.

First, you must be hidden from the enemy by bushes, perhaps some buildings or terrain. That is, it is safe, and it is also advisable to have an escape route. Secondly, and this is even more important, when playing on Art-SAU SU-122A WoT you need to have a high-quality shot, nothing should interfere with the firing, at least in a certain sector, and this depends on the position you have chosen.

At the very beginning of the battle, we go to the place where the enemy will leave and wait. SU-122A tank you must be ready to fire at the moment your opponents are spotted; ideally, you should not even re-arrange at this moment, which is especially difficult, given the uncomfortable UGN.

Another fundamental nuance is to move after each shot, at least a few meters. So yours SU-122A art you will be safer, and you also eliminate the possibility of the enemy finding you using tracers.

Otherwise, you just need to try to bring the maximum benefit to your team. To do this, try to always keep an eye on the mini-map, while reloading, look for better positions for firing, do not let anyone get close to you and remember that because of your firepower SAU SU-122A World of Tanks must focus the most dangerous opponents.

The self-propelled gun was developed record-breakingly quickly: in October 1942, the State Defense Committee decided to begin work on the creation of a self-propelled gun with a 122-mm M-30 howitzer of the 1938 model on the basis of the T-34 tank, and in December it was already adopted by the Red Army and to production. SU-122 was intended to support and escort tanks. It entered service with self-propelled artillery regiments of medium self-propelled guns (16 units each).

Structurally, the self-propelled unit was a chassis of a T-34 tank, the control and fighting compartment of which was occupied by a wheelhouse closed on all sides by armor. The swinging part of the M-30 field howitzer was mounted in the wheelhouse. To protect the howitzer's recoil devices, a massive armored mantlet protrudes forward and swings along with the gun. Fire control devices made it possible to fire both direct fire and from closed positions. The howitzer's ammunition included high-explosive fragmentation and cumulative shells. The latter penetrated armor 100 mm thick. The 9R radio station, as well as the TPU-3-BisF tank intercom, were mounted on the self-propelled unit. The self-propelled gun had quite satisfactory combat characteristics, but its rate of fire was low due to the use of separately loaded rounds. It was produced during 1942 -1943, a total of 638 vehicles were produced.

Creation of self-propelled artillery units based on medium tanks, organization of their large-scale production during the Great Patriotic War Patriotic War became one of the characteristic features of the development of domestic tank building. The need to create this type of combat vehicle was explained by the fact that medium and heavy tanks needed to be accompanied during an attack by more powerful artillery pieces capable of direct fire. Due to limited visibility from the tank and the difficulty of conducting aimed fire on the move in the absence of a stabilizer, the fire of tank guns was effective at relatively short ranges (650-900 m). To combat anti-tank guns and enemy tanks firing from behind cover, our tanks needed the help of self-propelled guns that followed them onto the battlefield and accompanied them with fire from short stops. Field artillery guns could not fully solve this problem.

The average speed of field artillery, even equipped with various tracked tractors, on the ground was significantly lower than the speed of tanks, so the escort guns inevitably lagged behind them. In addition, frequent changes of positions even by part of the artillery units supporting the tanks led to weakening of the fire and disrupted interaction with the tanks, and the loss of time led to unnecessary losses of armored vehicles.

In the pre-war years in the USSR, a large amount of design work was carried out and prototypes of self-propelled guns were tested, created on the chassis of mass-produced tanks (as well as using their components and assemblies), under various operating conditions, which made it possible to quickly accumulate some experience in creating self-propelled artillery installations that would meet the requirements of the troops. At the same time, possible ways to organize their mass production were quickly outlined. The loss of part of the country's territory with great economic potential during the first period of the Great Patriotic War, the forced evacuation of industrial enterprises to the Urals, Siberia, as well as the need to make up for the losses of the Red Army in tanks primarily caused the cessation for some time of various development work to create this type of combat vehicles. The resumption of work on the creation of all self-propelled artillery installations was begun in accordance with the decision of the plenum of the Artillery Committee of the GAU RKKA on April 15, 1942, which was attended by representatives from the troops, as well as industry and the People's Commissariat of Armaments (NKV). The Plenum recognized as desirable the creation of self-propelled guns armed with a 76.2 mm ZIS-3 cannon or a 122 mm howitzer of the 1938 type M-30 to support infantry and a 152.4 mm howitzer-gun of the 1937 type ML-20 to overcome heavily fortified enemy defensive zones.

The new self-propelled gun U-35 was a closed, fully armored combat vehicle, which differed from the T-34-76 tank by installing weapons in a non-rotating armored cabin located in the bow of the hull. A commander's turret was installed on the roof of the cabin above the self-propelled gun commander's position, and above the gunner's position there was an observation turret for the Hertz panorama, in the sides of which there were special windows covered with armored covers. The crew of the car consisted of six people. The crew boarded through a rectangular hatch, closed with an armored lid on hinges, located in the roof of the cabin. The driver's hatch in the front plate to the left of the gun was intended for viewing only. To observe the battlefield, mirror viewing devices were used, installed in the front, right and stern sheets of the conning tower. The main weapon was the 122-mm M-30 divisional howitzer, model 1938, with a piston bolt. The gun was mounted on a stand mounted on the bottom of the vehicle. Vertical aiming angles ranged from - 3° to + 25°, horizontal - in the 20° sector. When shooting, a Hertz panorama was used. Its rate of fire was 2-5 rounds/min. The howitzer's ammunition also included 36 separately loaded high-explosive fragmentation rounds. Additionally, two 7.62-mm PPSh submachine guns with 1,420 rounds of ammunition (20 discs) were stowed in the fighting compartment.

Armor protection - anti-ballistic. The hull and conning tower were welded, made of rolled armor sheets with a thickness of 15 mm, 20 mm, 40 mm and 45 mm, located at rational angles of inclination. The frontal armor plate of the hull and wheelhouse was composite and had inclination angles of 57° and 50° from the vertical, respectively. For firing from the crew's personal weapons, special holes were made in the front, rear and side deckhouses, which were closed with armor plugs. Power point, transmission and electrical equipment remained the same as the T-34-76 medium tank. The chassis of the installation differed from the chassis of the T-34-76 tank in that it had reinforced front suspension units. For external radio communication, a 9P radio station was installed on the vehicle, and for internal communication - a TPU-ZF tank intercom. A prototype of the U-35 (SU-122) self-propelled gun, manufactured at UZTM on November 30, 1942, entered factory tests, which included mileage 50 km and firing the gun with 20 rounds at the factory firing range in Krasnoye. Factory tests revealed a discrepancy between gun aiming angles and tactical and technical requirements, irrational placement of the crew, cramped and gas-filled fighting compartment of the U-35, unsatisfactory location of the ammunition load and, as a result, the low rate of fire of the SU-122. It turned out to be almost impossible to use the commander's cupola and aim the gun in a vertical plane.

To eliminate the identified deficiencies in the self-propelled guns, only those design changes were made that were required for successful implementation state tests. Seats, ammunition rack, viewing devices, a fan for sucking powder gases from the fighting compartment and other equipment were installed, and the aiming controls required by the TTT were provided, and the shot rammer was eliminated. Other shortcomings and changes were taken into account when developing the drawings of the installation batch. State tests of two prototypes of self-propelled guns U-35 (SU-122) and SG-122, manufactured respectively by UZTM and plant No. 592, were carried out at the Gorokhovetsky ANIOP in the period from December 5 to 19, 1942. The SU-122 UZTM self-propelled gun was tested by firing 281 rounds (of which 161 rounds were with an enhanced charge) and a range of 430 km. In terms of rate of fire and elevation angle, the SU-122 UZTM self-propelled gun lost to the SG-122 self-propelled gun from plant No. 592, but in terms of armor protection, dimensions (height) and cross-country ability, it was significantly superior to the latter.

Based on the results of the tests, the state commission came to the conclusion that:

"1. Accuracy of combat, stability and confusion of aiming when firing from a gun on a U-35 (SU-122) self-propelled gun are within normal limits.
2. The rate of fire of the gun does not exceed 5 rds/min, which is two times less than that specified in the TTT and less than the rate of fire obtained when firing from a self-propelled gun of factory No. 592 (7-8 rds/min). The reasons for this are the cramped fighting compartment of the self-propelled gun Uralmashplant, unsatisfactory stowage of ammunition, inconvenient and irrational placement of the crew in the fighting compartment.
3. Ride quality The U-35 (SU-122) self-propelled gun (in terms of speed, maneuverability, maneuverability, etc.) does not differ from the T-34 tank.
4. The following improvements to the U-35 (SU-122) self-propelled gun are required:
a) elimination of gaps in the armor protection of the gun that are formed when the gun is turned to its extreme positions;
b) increasing the strength of the gun's mounting;
c) changing the relative placement of the team in the fighting compartment;
d) changing the relative position of the seats, as well as sighting devices, viewing devices, lamps for illuminating instrument scales;
e) reducing the force on the handles of the flywheels of the guidance mechanisms;
e) adding a foot trigger.
Noting that the prototype U-35 (SU-122) self-propelled gun from Uralmashplant passed sea trials and firing tests, the state commission in general comparative assessment of both presented samples of medium self-propelled guns came to the conclusion that it was necessary to modify the vehicle in order to eliminate the noted shortcomings and, mainly, to eliminate the crowded conditions in the fighting compartment. The SU-122 self-propelled gun passed the tests and was recommended for mass production."

The GAU also pointed out the need to improve the fighting compartment of the U-35 (SU-122).
However, the State Defense Committee, without waiting for the results of state tests of the U-35 (SU-122) and SG-122 self-propelled guns, issued resolution No. 4559 of December 2, 1942 on the immediate organization of mass production of medium self-propelled artillery guns in the workshops of the Uralmashplant. At the same time, according to NKTP order No. 792 of December 5, 1942, production was planned for the near future in the following quantities:

• 1942, December - 25 pieces.
• 1943, January - 100 pcs.
• 1943, February - 100 pcs.
• 1943, March - 100 pcs.

Uralmashplant began intensive preparations for serial production of SU-122 self-propelled guns.
Despite the fact that the plant was allowed to produce the first 125 vehicles according to prototype drawings and only from February 1943 (i.e. from machine No. 126) to produce self-propelled units with the elimination of all the shortcomings noted by the state commission, the plant already in December 1942 released drawings in which most of the defects identified by the tests were eliminated. From the very beginning, the production of the installation batch of SU-122 self-propelled guns was organized according to these drawings.

These changes included:

"1. Installation of a straightened front plate on the body of a self-propelled gun, which made it possible to increase the volume of the fighting compartment and improve the working conditions of the team.
2. Elimination of gaps in the armor protection of the gun.
3. Improving the location of ammunition stowage, crew workstations, sighting and viewing devices, lighting, hatches, etc. in the fighting compartment.
4. Replacement of the commander's cupola with a PTK device.
5. Increasing the capacity of fuel tanks.
6. Reducing the effort when operating the flywheels of the aiming mechanisms.
7. Improving conditions when working on tensioning tracks, etc."

On December 28, 1942, at the factory test site in Krasny, in order to check the assembly quality of the SU-122 installation, tests were carried out on one of the vehicles of the installation batch (December program) according to the modified drawings. The tests consisted of running 50 km and firing 40 rounds (half of them with a reinforced charge). No breakdowns or deficiencies were found during testing. Compared to the first prototype, the working conditions of the crew in the fighting compartment were significantly improved. Based on the results of these tests, the entire installation batch of self-propelled guns of the December program in the amount of 25 vehicles was declared suitable for acceptance into the Red Army and in January 1943 was sent to the center of self-propelled artillery, and then to the Volkhov Front. The shortcomings of the SU-122 self-propelled gun and the comments of the testing commission were fully taken into account when the drawings were finalized by January 1, 1943, and from that time the vehicles began to be produced without any identified deficiencies. Serial production of the SU-122 was organized at UZTM. The total number of parts borrowed from the T-34 tank was 75%, the remaining parts were new, specially designed for the SU-122 self-propelled gun.

The U-35 (SU-122) self-propelled gun was tested with 281 shots (of which 161 were with an enhanced charge) and a 430-kilometer range. In a general comparative assessment of the presented sample, the state commission came to the conclusion that it was necessary to modify the SU-122 self-propelled gun in order to eliminate a number of shortcomings identified during testing and mainly cramped conditions in the fighting compartment, but at the same time recommended its adoption by the Red Army. On December 2, 1942, the State Defense Committee, without waiting for the results of the state test, issued a resolution on the immediate organization of mass production of the SU-122 at the Uralmashplant. It was allowed to produce the first 125 vehicles according to the prototype drawings, and only from February 1943 to produce self-propelled guns with the elimination of all the shortcomings noted by the State Commission. However, already in December the plant completed drawings that eliminated most of the defects and began producing serial production machines based on them.

The changes made included:

• installation of a straightened front wheelhouse, which increased the volume of the fighting compartment and improved working conditions for the crew;
• eliminating gaps in armor protection;
• improving the location in the fighting compartment of the ammunition compartment, crew workplaces, sighting and viewing devices, lighting devices, hatches, etc.;
• replacing the commander's cupola with a PTK device;
• increasing the capacity of fuel tanks; reduction of effort when operating flywheels of guidance mechanisms; improvement of conditions when working on track tension, etc.

The finalized design of the serial self-propelled gun SU-122 had the following features: the entire engine-transmission group and chassis of the T-34 tank remained unchanged; the fighting compartment was located in the front of the vehicle and was fully armored; The combat weight of the self-propelled gun - 29.6 tons - was less than the mass of the T-34 tank, and the speed, cross-country ability and maneuverability of the SU-122 remained the same as that of the T-34. The pin upper machine from the 122-mm M-30 field howitzer of the 1938 model was placed in the socket of a special cabinet mounted in the front part of the bottom of the hull. The swinging part of the howitzer was attached to the axles of the machine, and the barrel, cradle, recoil devices, sight and guidance mechanisms were taken as standard, without changes. The need to armor the swinging part required strengthening the spring balancing mechanism, which was done without changing its dimensions.

The ammunition consisted of 40 rounds of separate cartridge loading, mostly high-explosive fragmentation rounds. In some cases, to combat enemy tanks at ranges of up to 1000 m, cumulative shells weighing 13.4 kg, capable of penetrating 100 mm-120 mm armor, were used. The mass of the high-explosive fragmentation projectile was 21.7 kg. For self-defense of the crew, the installation was equipped with two PPSh submachine guns with 20 discs of cartridges (1420 pieces) and 20 F-1 hand grenades. The vehicle commander had a PTK-5 periscope tank observation device, which allowed for all-round observation of the terrain, and a 9RM radio station. The commander of the vehicle, in addition to his direct duties, performed the work of the right gunner in elevation. For direct fire and from closed firing positions, one panoramic sight with a semi-independent aiming line was used. The panorama head went under the armored hull visor, which had side openings for viewing the area, which, if necessary, could be closed with hinged covers. A relatively large crew (5 people) was necessary because the 122 mm howitzer had a piston breech, separate loading and a guidance mechanism located on both sides of the gun (on the left was the flywheel of the screw rotary mechanism, and on the right was the flywheel of the sector lifting mechanism).

On December 28, 1942, one of the vehicles of the December installation program was tested at the factory training ground, which consisted of running 50 km and firing 40 shots. No breakdowns or other deficiencies were noted during testing. As a result, the entire pilot batch of 25 self-propelled guns was declared suitable for adoption by the Red Army and sent to the self-propelled artillery training center. The first self-propelled artillery regiments (1433rd and 1434th) were formed in December 1942, consisting of six batteries each and had a mixed composition. Four batteries in the regiment were armed with four light self-propelled guns SU-76 and two batteries with four SU-122 units. Each battery had two platoons of two installations. There were no vehicles provided for battery commanders. In total, the regiment was armed with 17 SU-76 self-propelled guns (including one self-propelled gun of the regiment commander) and eight SU-122.

The self-propelled gun regiments were intended for transfer to tank and mechanized corps. However, in connection with the beginning of the operation to break the blockade of Leningrad, they were sent at the end of January 1943 to the Volkhov Front. The new regiments took their first battle on February 14 in the tactical operation of the 54th Army in the Smerdyn area. Over 4-6 days of fighting, self-propelled guns of both regiments destroyed 47 bunkers, suppressed 6 mortar batteries, destroyed 14 anti-tank guns, and burned 4 ammunition depots. During training and combat operations, tactics for using self-propelled artillery were developed, which were then preserved until the end of the war. It consisted in the fact that self-propelled guns, moving behind tanks at a distance of 400-600 m, entered the enemy’s defense line broken through by tanks and destroyed the enemy tanks or fortified points remaining there and finally cleared the way for the infantry. During the entire period of serial production of the medium self-propelled gun model SU-122, which lasted from December 1942 to August 1943, there was a continuous improvement in the quality and manufacturability of its production. In total, over 800 orders were issued to improve the quality and simplify the production of the machine. The work carried out to improve manufacturing and assembly technology made it possible to significantly reduce labor costs for producing the machine (over 9 months of production they were reduced by 15%). The commercial cost of the self-propelled unit also decreased from month to month.

The most important combat qualities of the Soviet medium self-propelled guns that entered service with the troops during the Great Patriotic War were:

• the fire power of installations armed, as a rule, with guns of a larger caliber than tanks of the same class, which ensured effective fire support for the latter on the battlefield;
• maneuverability; the installations had the same maneuverability as the tanks on which they were built, and had similar weight and overall dimensions; the high maneuverability of self-propelled guns facilitated the organization of constant and close interaction with tanks and infantry;
• good anti-ballistic resistance of the hull, achieved by giving it the appropriate shape, as well as by using the most favorable angles of inclination of the armor and increasing its thickness.

At the same time, combat practice has revealed the following main disadvantages of self-propelled guns:

• the small angle of horizontal fire of the gun and the complexity of aiming, which made it difficult to fire at moving targets;
• the long reach of the gun barrel (except for the SU-122), which made maneuvering on rough terrain and in populated areas difficult;
• low combat rate of fire - as a consequence, relatively small sizes fighting compartment and high shot weight (for the SU-100); separate loading and guidance (for the SU-122);
• insufficient transportable ammunition and the difficulty of replenishing ammunition during the battle.

These are general advantages and disadvantages, to one degree or another, characteristic of all three types of self-propelled guns. At the same time, each of the machines had its own characteristics related to its purpose. How successfully Soviet designers managed to solve the tasks assigned to them when creating these self-propelled guns can be judged by comparing them with enemy vehicles of similar purpose, layout and design.

Unlike Hitler's Wehrmacht, the Red Army did not have a division of self-propelled guns according to purpose. There was only a division by class - light, medium and heavy. However, for comparison, it makes sense to take the German classification of self-propelled guns as a basis. In accordance with it, the SU-122 is an assault howitzer or an assault tank. Since 1939, the Germans have created several different models similar to self-propelled guns, differing in the type and caliber of the artillery system, base and layout. It is closest to the SU-122 in terms of weight and dimensions, layout and time of creation of the Sturmpanzer IV "Brummbär" ("Brummber") self-propelled gun.

It is with regret that we have to admit that the comparison here is not in favor of our vehicle: with a lower mass, the Brumber had more powerful armor and weapons. The design of the German self-propelled gun was clearly better developed. A special tank howitzer was installed in a ball mount in the front hull plate, while the SU-122 was armed with a conventional field howitzer mounted on a pedestal. Therefore, the horizontal pointing angle of the Brummber's gun was 30° versus 20° for the SU-122. The latest series of "Brummbers" were armed with an MG-34 machine gun, which was not available on either the SU-122 or later Soviet self-propelled guns. Perhaps the only thing in which the SU-122 was superior to the enemy was mobility.

Such an obvious superiority of the German self-propelled gun could be compensated by launching the SU-122-111 series with a 122-mm D-6 tank howitzer installed in the frame. It is difficult to understand why the work on this combat vehicle, unified in hull and mask installation with the SU-85, was not completed - after all, an assault self-propelled howitzer would have been very useful to the Red Army at the final stage of the war when breaking through defensive lines and storming fortified cities.

As for the SU-85, it is a classic anti-tank self-propelled gun. It has many German analogues, but for comparison, let’s take the most popular armored vehicle of the Wehrmacht - the StuG III assault gun and the Panzer IV/70 tank destroyer.

The Wehrmacht self-propelled guns were better armored and had more ammunition, which was important in a combat situation. Despite their lighter weight, their mobility is worse than that of the SU-85 due to lower engine power. In terms of armor penetration, the SU-85 was superior to the StuG III - 102 mm versus 82 mm at a distance of 1000 m and inferior to the Panzer IV/70. The latter's gun penetrated 110 mm armor at the same distance. The results are quite comparable, but we should not forget that both German self-propelled guns were equipped with 75 mm guns, and ours had 85 mm guns.

This art is an experimental model of a combat unit; it has a base from the SU-85b anti-tank self-propelled gun. For the SU-122A, World of Tanks turned out to be an excellent training ground for combat operations; this equipment is pumped up quickly and has one option for further development in the form of a self-propelled gun called SU-8.

General information.

For the SU-122A, the guide that will be presented below is purely informative and is not the main training evasion; remember that on the battlefield you need to act solely according to the situation.

This combat unit has a fairly powerful weapon, but low speed and dynamics. The tank's power is provided by a 152 mm cannon, which has 88 mm penetration and damage that reaches 910 units. The information presented relates to the use of high-explosive fragmentation projectiles. As for armor-piercing ones, use them exclusively in close combat. They have excellent penetration but little damage. The rate of fire reaches 2 rounds per minute.

The maximum speed of this representative reaches 30 km/h, and the reversing reserve stopped at around 10 km/h. The weight of the car is 13 tons, which comes from an engine with a power of 170 hp. The overview is 340 meters.

Armor indicators:

• Body: forehead - 25 mm, sides - 15 mm, pocket - 15 mm.

Additional modules have an extremely positive effect on the combat effectiveness of the tank:

• Reinforced aiming drives - speed up sight alignment;
• Camouflage net - vital additional module, allows artillery to remain undetected;
• Rammer - increases the rate of fire of the gun.

• repair kit;
• twisted speed controller;
• first aid kit

Crew.

A properly upgraded crew will help you get out of even the most difficult battle.

• Commander: light bulb, military brotherhood, disguise, inventor, eagle eye;
• Gunner: Camouflage, AP, Master Armorer, Sniper, Grudger;
• Gunner: camouflage, BB, smooth turret rotation, repair;
• Driver mechanic: disguise, BB, virtuoso, off-road king, repair;
• Loader: camouflage, AP, intuition, desperate, non-contact ammo rack;
• Loader: Camouflage, AP, Intuition, Desperate, Repair.

Comparison of equipment

If you start comparing technology between nations, then the representative of the USSR is in 3rd position in terms of application and popularity, the first 2 places are occupied by Germany and America. Due to its enormous power, Soviet technology has weak dynamics and little splash.

Video SU122a level 5 WOT

Battle tactics.

The SU-122A is a representative of a slow and not very dynamic technology. Therefore, due to the loss of speed, tactical opportunities on the map are also reduced. Thus, the Su-122a of the 5th level has a low speed indicator, so it has to operate at close range to the base. The best option will be hiding in the bushes behind the base. This technique It has a fairly “flattened” size, which makes it easy to hide in the thickets, especially if there is a camouflage net.

Despite the slow reload and long aiming time, the SU-122A has not lost its accuracy after the patch; the gun still perfectly hits targets in its coverage area; it is also worth noting that the gun allows you to easily throw shells behind cover, which becomes an unexpected surprise for enemies.

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