Soviet Heavy Tank KV-1

(Google Translate)

The KV-1 is a 45-t Soviet heavy tank equipped with a long-barreled 76mm gun. At the start of the German-Soviet War, it stood in the way of the German army with its powerful offensive power and heavy armor, which could be said to be the strongest in the world. The 37mm gun, the main anti-tank gun of the German army at the time, was unable to cause any damage to it, and German soldiers feared it as a "monster." However, the weight of 45 tons naturally put a heavy burden on the drive system, causing frequent breakdowns, and more often than not being destroyed by the enemy, it was left abandoned on the battlefield because it could not run, just like the German heavy tanks at the end of the war. In addition, with a weight of 40 tons, many chopsticks could not be crossed, and it sometimes hindered the movement of the entire army. Furthermore, the biggest enemy of the KV-1 heavy tank was not the enemy Germany, but ironically the ally T34 medium tank. The KV-1 heavy tank and the T-34 have almost the same offensive and defensive power. Some within the military began to say that the highly mobile, low-cost T-34 would suffice.

(It's not that the KV-1 was bad, it's just that the T-34 was so amazing.)

As the German-Soviet war reached the middle stage and powerful new German forces such as the Tiger I and Panther appeared, the KV-1 found itself in tougher fights,

and was eventually replaced by the IS-2, which had greater offensive power.

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KV-1は長砲身76mm砲を搭載した45t級のソ連の重戦車です。独ソ戦開始時点では世界最強ともいえる強力な攻撃力と重装甲でドイツ軍の前に立ちはだかりました。

当時のドイツ軍の主力対戦車砲である37mm砲では全くダメージを与えることができず、ドイツ兵からは「怪物」と恐れられました。

とはいえ、この45tという重量は当然のように駆動系に重い負担となり、故障が頻発し、敵に撃破されるよりも走行不能となり戦場に遺棄される方が多いという、あたかも大戦末期のドイツ重戦車の様な様相を呈していたのであります。また40tの重量では渡れない箸も多く、軍全体の移動の妨げになることも。

さらにこのKV-1重戦車の最大の敵となったのは敵軍のドイツではなく、皮肉にも味方であるT34中戦車でありました。このKV-1重戦車とT-34は攻撃力・防御力はほぼ同じ。それなら高い機動力を持ち、かつ低コストの「T-34だけでいいじゃん」という声も軍内部で出始めます。

（KV-1がダメ、という事ではなく、それほどまでにT-34が素晴らしすぎただけなのですが）

やがて独ソ戦も中盤に差し掛かりティーガーIやパンターといったドイツ側の強力な新戦力が登場してくると、さすがのKV-1も厳しい戦いを強いられるようになり、

より高い攻撃力を持ったIS-2にその座を譲っていくのでありました。