The tier 5 Russian heavy tank KV-1S doesn’t come across as a heavy tank with a lot of armor when it is facing tier 5 and higher opponents, however against tier 3-4 tanks it is important for those players to know its weak spots.  Even against non-upgraded tier 5 tanks and low penetrating tier 5 tanks the KV-1S can be a difficult opponent to penetrate reliably.  Since it is a KV series tank it has the simple “boxy” design that allows KV-1S drivers to angle to keep both the frontal and side armor very difficult to penetrate.

This KV-1S weak spot guide will break down the KV-1S into the easiest places to penetrate(green), second best spots to penetrate(yellow), and then areas with the most difficult armor to penetrate(red).  Purple areas are either track sections with no armor behind them, zero damage modules, or sections of the tank with no hit-box.

KV-1S Frontal View

Green Areas = 0mm-66mm Effective Armor

Yellow Areas = 71mm-98mm Effective Armor

Red Areas = 100mm-210mm+ Effective Armor

Frontally the KV-1S is similar to other mid-tier KV series tanks with its strong and weak points.  The main weak spot is the frontal lower glacis and it is easily hit, just avoid shooting the yellow strip that has slightly thicker armor than the green area.  There is one small green view port slit in the upper glacis with zero armor as well as view ports on the top commander cupola.  The yellow areas are not that much tougher than the green areas and are also viable weak spots for most tanks facing the KV-1S.  For the top commander cupola keep in mind it has many different angles on it and that you should hit the sections least angled.

While the highly angled section of the upper glacis is red it is only 50mm thick compared to other sections of the frontal hull.  If you are positioned above the KV-1 or fire down into it then it becomes very easy to damage and loses its strength.

KV-1S Side View

Green Areas = 0mm-60mm Effective Armor

Yellow Areas = 80mm-98mm Effective Armor

Red Areas = 100mm+ Effective Armor

The side of the KV-1S is very weak overall since it lacks the angled sections that the frontal hull has.  When the KV-1S is presented close to this view and is not angled it is a piece of cake to damage if you stick to the non-track covered sections of the side hull.  The green hull sections are 60mm thick with minimal angles and there is one zero armor view port on the side turret and others on the commander’s cupola.  The yellow areas are also viable weak spots for most tanks the KV-1S faces but you should avoid the yellow track sections if you are firing HEAT or HE ammunition.  The only strong armor is found around the gun since the armor here is angled more than the other areas on the side of the KV-1S.

KV-1S Rear View

Green Areas = 0mm-69mm Effective Armor

Yellow Areas = 76mm=98mm Effective Armor

Red Areas = 137mm+ Effective Armor

The rear of the KV-1S is very straightforward since both the green and yellow areas are very easy to damage.  Keep in mind at the top of the rear hull is a angled section with 137mm of effective armor and the bottom of the turret has some angled sections at the edges.  Aside from that stick to shooting at flat areas and towards the center of the tank and you won’t struggle against the KV-1s’ rear.