Why does the SU-85M only get -3 degrees of gun depression when the SU-85 gets the standard -5? It seems like the in game model was taken from the SU-100 with some minor changes (as it should be for the most part) and the elevation angles belonging to the SU-100 were copied too. The SU-85M should feature the same 85mm D-5T cannon, gun mount and roof clearance so the gun depression and guidance speed should be the exact same.
So after some more looking for sources I still haven’t found enough evidence for either the -3° or -5° claim. The gun depression of the SU-85M isn’t explicitly stated on any documents I can find about the SU-85/SU-100 and researching Russian documents is painful but some suggest the only cannon related differences between the SU-85 and SU-85M are the horizontal aiming angles which I think might be due to the different mantlet design that restricts movement to either side. Some Russian websites have conflicting information and some do state -3° but none are particularly credible.
Does anyone know what sources Gaijin used for the elevation angles and guidance speed of the SU-85M?
I have no source, but unless they cut the hole slightly bigger or changed the mantlet shape 3cm more armor might have interfered with the mantlet so it couldn’t depress as much as regular SU-85.
Sadly until there is clear source of just SU-85M I don’t think it is going to change.
The mantlet sticks further out on the SU-85M and SU-100 so the extra 30mm shouldn’t be in the way. It still looks like lowering the gun would still be possible based on the external design. Although the D-5T is quite a big gun the D-10T is even bigger and would take up more space internally which I think would have a more noticable impact on the depression than the mantlet.
SU-85
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SU-85M
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Like you said it just might be that different sources use different number. Almost all English stuff don’t distinguish model between the 85 and 85M.
Only thing I can think of is that the new 85M mantlet might interfere with something but same time it almost looks smaller than one on the regular 85 outside of armor around the sight.