JS-3

Overview
The IS-3, first known as Object 703, was a Soviet heavy of WWII and the Cold War. The first prototype appeared in 1945, however the tank saw little to no action before the war ended. The IS-3 was a logical step forward from the IS-2, however the vehicles had little similarity. The IS-3 featured a semi-hemispherical turret, a design that would later characterize Cold-War Soviet tanks. The front was sloped and pointed into a pike-shape, eliminating any flat, un-angleded plates. The tank had a low silhouette, and boasted the powerful 122 mm D-25T cannon.

Design
The IS-3 was by far the most advanced tank of its time that was in series production. The construction of its armor was designed to maximize protection, and it boasted powerful armament that fired a mixture of shells. This allowed for great versatility on the battlefield. In fact, the shape of the glacis is so remarkable that it earned the vehicle the name "The Pike".

The IS-3 was powered by a 600 hp diesel, and the chassis was very similar to that of the IS-2. The suspension consisted of six double-roller wheels per side, and a 14-tooth rear sprocket as well as frontal idlers. Three double return rollers were arranged above the road wheels. The tank had bogie suspension, and the track was 160 cm wide. The hull sides were angled out, eliminating the mudguards, and an escape hatch was fitted to the floor. The semi-hemispherical turret was extremely sloped, and made the most use out of its cast homogeneous armor. The turret narrowed towards the armament mounting, and was most angled at the rear. Several handles were positioned around the rear, for tank riders, and the loader was provided a roof mounted DShK heavy machine gun for crew defense.

The main armament was a powerful 122 mm D-25T cannon, capable of blasting through almost all armor available at the time.

Action
The IS-3 was late for WWII, and by the time they arrived in Berlin, the war was already over. But the tank was ready for the invasion of Japanese-held Manchuria, however they did not play much of a role in this war either. However the tank did face numerous problems during its transportation, including an unreliable transmission. This was most likely inherited from the KV series of tanks, and proved to be an unwelcome surprise.

In 1948, the IS-3 was modernized, creating the IS-3M. This featured a rotary cupola for the commander and primitive night vision equipment. These tanks was placed in reserve. The IS-3 finally got action during the conflicts of the Cold War. They were used in the 1956 Hungarian Revolution as well as the 1967 war between Egypt and Israel. The IS-3 did cause a disproportionate amount of fear among the western powers. This fear prompted the creation of several very potent British and American vehicles, most notably the Conqueror and M103, which would likely have been more than a match for the IS-3.