On September 4, 1981, the Soviet Union astounded the world by holding the largest military exercise in human history. The exercise mobilized more than half a million soldiers, and featured various weapons as well as more than 10,000 tanks. The two sides fought using real weapons over the course of eight days before the outcome was decided. When the exercise began, NATO entered a state of combat readiness and vigilantly followed its progress. It was said at the time that with these forces, it would have only taken the Soviet Union a month to conquer the rest of Europe. The new Bear Faction units that will debut in Iron Conflict feature a line of powerful heavy tanks. Today, let’s take our first look at this torrent of steel.
Tier I - IS-3 Heavy Tank
The IS-3 heavy tank was developed by the Soviet Union at the end of World War II. The tank has a combat weight of 46.5 tons, a crew of 4, and is equipped with a 122mm tank gun, a 12.7mm anti-aircraft gun, and three 7.62mm machine guns. It is powered by a 520 horsepower water-cooled diesel engine. The slanted armor of the tank’s body and turret, as well as its side and rear armor are comprehensively strengthened. It features one of the highest armor-to-combat weight ratios in the world. The IS-3 was developed in 1944, put into production in 1945, and was modernized from 1946 to 1952. Mass production of the tank continued until the middle of 1946, and 2,311 total tanks were produced. In Iron Conflict, the lower-tier tanks of the Bear Faction are capable of overpowering the lower-tier tanks of the Dragon Faction, since the latter faction’s tanks are medium tanks at lower tiers.
Tier II - T-10 Heavy Tank
The T-10 heavy tank was developed by the Soviet Union in the 1950s. It is equipped with a 122mm tank gun, and its hull is a fully welded structure. Its armor is 120mm thick, its combat weight is 50 tons, and its road speed maxes out at 53 km/h. The T-10 featured some of the strongest firepower and armor protection in the Soviet Union, and at the time, was also its most expensive tank. The main role of the T-10 was to provide long-range fire support for T-54 and T-55 tanks, as well as to break through defensive positions. It began being used in 1954 and production ceased in 1957; a total of 8,000 were made. In 1993, the T-10 was retired, seeing a total of 40 years of service. In Iron Conflict, the Bear Faction will first feature heavy tanks, with medium tanks and light tanks to come in the future.
Tier III - T-10M Heavy Tank
The T-10M heavy tank is an improved version of the T-10 heavy tank, and was introduced in 1957. It features a longer gun as well as infrared night vision equipment. In Iron Conflict, the T-10M tank fills the Tier III heavy tank role for the Bear Faction.
Tier IV - T-64A Main Battle Tank
The Soviet Union began using the T-64A tank starting in 1969. Its main difference from the original T-64 was the installation of a D-81 125mm smoothbore gun and an improved automatic loader, and it was the first conventional turret tank of its kind to have these. Starting in 1972, the tanks were produced with a 12.7mm remote-controlled anti-aircraft machine gun. In addition, minesweepers were installed on the front of its chassis. Starting in November 1974, the T-64A adopted a new D-81TM smoothbore gun and a 2E28M2 weapon stabilizer. Approximately 4,600 of these tanks were produced. At the time, it was one of the most advanced tanks in the world. In Iron Conflict, the D-81 smoothbore gun is a powerful deterrent to other tanks at its tier.
Starting from the T-64A, the Bear Faction’s main battle tanks feature the firepower and armor of heavy tanks, while preserving the mobility of medium tanks. Stay tuned for a preview of the Tier 5-8 tanks!
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