Slitherine

Hi all,

I have played a few multiplayer now. Have lost every one as the Russians. I think it may just be me. I was wondering if some can comment if they are able to get the Russians to win in multiplayer mode?

thanks

Geoff

it is a bit harder in the early years than in later years but, yes, as the Soviets, you can win in MP games.

I believe that using their superior mobility is often the key to victory. But I'm just repeating what I hear Iain say

Cheers

Pip

I think in the early years the German player is allowed to purchase too many Tiger tanks. Soviet superior mobility isn't going to help much if you don't have much room to maneuver.

Don't know if you've already attempted this, but fully utilizing your smoke capabilities really helps. The Tiger's are extremely vulnerable from behind. With the range of movement a T34 has a few rounds of smoke in the tigers face and to a flank has always done the trick for me. Also massing armour as opposed to splitting them up will fully maximize their potential as a breakthrough force. Splitting them in pairs really negates their potential.

Just some of my thoughts, no idea if you've tried them before or not.

I've noticed this is a real problem on a few MP maps.

On the Bloody Triangle, the Soviets have no mortar, whereas the Germans do! As we know, at the moment in BA2, AT guns drop like flies from mortars. You'll also have to have air defence tied to them at all times as they are so easy to pick off. So no point buying them for soviets really. But the Germans are free to buy TWO 88s, and a bunch more AT guns with no real drawbacks.

As for the tanks, the T-34s are the most powerful tank on the map, so you will always want to buy both. However, the remaining tanks suffer multiple drawbacks, such as reduced shots, reduced accuracy, paper-thin frontal armour, and they aren't very fast either. And only 200 more purchasing points...

Saying that, I did win as the Russians on this map. My enemy surrendered (on poor judgement IMO) as I was something like 3 tank kills and 2 infantry kills ahead. One 88 was down. Lots of suppressed axis armour. But even with that advantage I couldn't see an easy victory.

On No Man's Land, the Soviet tanks are too weakly armoured and inaccurate. The KV-2 is powerful but only 1-shot per turn. Germans can buy swathes of tanks that actually have some proper steel on the front. Of course, tanks win in trench warfare! So pop, pop, pop go the Soviet tanks, German tanks drive up to VPs and wait out their victory. Of course, mortars, artillery and smoke can be used tactically, but both sides have equal helpings!

I kind of like the skewed balance, but sometimes it seems a little too impossible to win as Soviets.

It depends on the scenario

Big guns is hard for the soviets... Three rivers is hard for the germans

Every scenario is different, but the soviets sure can win...... You need to play each scenario several times before coming up with the right force mix and tactic for each particular scenario

I must say, I retract my statement - I'm being trounced by Soviets on No Man's Land. My opponent is good with smoke and distraction!!

To add to what Pip said, not just Soviet mobility but as the Russian player you want to get close to the German armor, that's where you have the chance. Long range, the Tigers and Panthers will win each and every time. Use your smoke, sneak around,whatever, you need to get in close.

Hello all,

This was a complaint for us in the office, but Iain can destroy anything with the Soviets, so we think it is just none of us can play well with the Soviets. The Germans are the easiest to play as, as they are better at range, whereas the Soviets are tactically weaker and need to be used more effectively. But even in maps where one of us steamrolls the Soviet player with the Germans, but then we play against Iain and the German player loses as badly.

How does one get to play Iain? I'd like to try Streets of Stalingrad with him.

Sorry for the belated reply. He is a very busy man, but if you PM him in the forum and create a password protected game he might be able to accept it, but I can't speak for him.