IS2 tank is low on defence (underpowerd)

[Vrachov]

It had 1600 hpts...that was the imba...and a very piss poor gun

Funny times

[Analpirat]

Original soviet testing is reported to have shown that the IS2 gun could penetrate the panther through and through from 1500m. After all, that was the whole purpose of the tank.
The same gun was able to knock out Israeli M48s some decades later, so I'd say that's a safe bet.

The IS-2's purpose wasn't to kill Panthers, it's a breakthrough tank, used for assaulting fortified positions. It just carried a mighty punch, but the gun was far from perfect for an AT role.
What do you mean with "through and through"? Front Hull and exit at the back? Because what I have read is (courtesy of tanknet):

"BR-471B and distance 1400 meters:

Panzer-IV Ausf H: shot went through hull frontal and rear armour.

Panzer-V Panther: impact in front hull penetrated causing a 150×230mm and a crack in the welding. Impact in front tower caused a 180х240 hole and displaced turret by 500mm. Side shot in the turret caused a 130х130 mm hole and penetrated the other side.

Panzer-VI Tiger: 122mm proyectile hit same spot where a 85mm had previously been fired. The round detached rear armour after going through the inside of the tank. Turret was hit in the roof (80° inclination) leaving a 330mm path. When front turret hit a piece of armour was detached (580×130mm) and displaced turret by 540mm.

Ferdinand: First plate in full front armour was penetrated (120×150mm penetration) but round bounced on second plate. In the turret the impact did not penetrate, creating a 100mm depth hole.

Tiger-II front hull armour was penetrated from 600 meters. "

So the Panther was penetrated in the turret side with a "through and through" penetration from 1400m, which isn't an outstanding feat considering the weak side armour.

Contrasting this with the IS-2 vulnerability:
"Front (cast) hull components can be penetrated by 88mm Tiger's AP shell from 1000-1200m, 75mm Panther's AP shell from 900-1000m and 75mm T-IV shell from 300-400m. Penetration is usually accompanied by armor spalling and cracking of armor and weld seams. Due to reduced resistance in the area of front idler wheel this area is even vulnerable to 28/20mm ATR projectile.
Side sloped (cast) armor can be penetrated by Tiger from 1200-1500m, T-IV from 600-700m and 20mm gun of Ju-87 - from 75-100m."

Note that (IIRC) the test carried out on German armor weren't exaclty scientific as some of the tanks had suffered prior penetration and the latter source is from combat reports, not from actual testing.

[Zerstörer]

Breakthrough tank, is a heavy tank. Heavy tanks are used to make breakthroughs and deal with other enemy heavy tanks. It's like saying a Tiger is a breakthrough tank so wasn't meant as a tank killer which is wrong.
ISUs are the assault guns that deal with emplacements and AT guns and you're confusing the two terms.

IS2 was created as a counter the german panther/tiger and hence why the 85mm was replaced with the 122mm which was the only mass produced gun(100mm gun wasn't produced in sufficient quantities) to reliably defeat both tank at long combat ranges.

Steven Zalonga quoted the STAVKA tests which showed the first 122mm round hiting the frontal armour of the panther in the test range from 1500m which then went through the combat compartment, the engine and punched out the rear armour. And as I also note the same gun killed M48s which had considerably better armour than a Panther at normal combat ranges of about 1000m.

It also clearly stated that the IS2m(like in EF) front armour was invulnerable to both the 88 and 75mm of the panther, except the small nose part where the tracks hang(which isn't really likely to be hit at long ranges anyways)

As I said above, we can all bring about 6000 different conflicting quotes and data, but it generally agreed that all 3 tanks were roughly equal.

Alas, this thread doesn't have anything to do with balance and once again lacks a freaking tag. So its locked.

Cheers