Some notes on Late War Armoured Combat

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Some notes on Late War Armoured Combat

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Some notes on Late War Armoured Combat - 11/25/2002 10:35:24 AM

G_X

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Joined: 7/7/2002
From: Atlanta, Georgia
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Typically these kinds of fights can boil down to slug-fests, with whoever can simply out-shoot and out-penetrate the other winning.

However, I've noticed that if you take Russia's medium tanks from this period, the T-34's and T-44's, with proper use they can easily take down German Tigers I's and II's as well as Panthers.

Starting off, you should never stay in one hex for too long, as the German crews can zero in on any tank in their sights, and gain great accuracy over long ranges, but moving too fast throws off your own gunner's accuracy, so the best bet is to find a comfortable middle ground that you like.

Second, if you come across a group of tanks, direct artillery fire on them, it may not do much, but a 105 or 150 will supress them enough to keep them with the hatch buttoned, at the least, and could possibly score some tread hits, optics hits, or other damages. Also use this time to advance your own armour quickly but effectively towards the enemy position, coming up slightly to the flank, at a good clip, not firing, and making sure that they don't Op-Fire. At this point it's just a waste of ammo.

As your tanks get close, cease fire with the artillery, and continue running quickly to the flank, this gets you not only very close, but very close to the side of the tanks, allowing you some good clean side shots at short ranges.

Should you be fighting in wooded areas, you should be on high alert of infantry waiting to ambush your tanks, and should usually attempt to find a way outside the woods to do this, if it's not possible, slow down, and go one hex at a time, if you encounter enemy infantry, your best bet is to attempt to ignore it, if it's too great to ignore, pull back as quickly as possible, as stopping to fight them may very well be the last thing your tanks do otherwise.

If possible, come up on top of a hill when you're flanking the enemy, it may also not be a bad idea to drop a great deal of smoke artillery into the area, keeping in mind that smoke works both ways.

These are just a few tips for Russian vs German late war armoured combat, if anyone else wants to add in their ideas, feel free. Some of the stuff I mentioned may well seem very simplistic to some of you, but I'm sure there are people out there who would not have thought of it. :) Like me, till 2 weeks ago.

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- 11/25/2002 8:40:23 PM

Vetkin

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Joined: 7/21/2002
From: Philippines
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Hit & Run is the only way T-34s can kill Tigers in my experience... usually from the side, the rear (almost impossible to achieve unless the Tiger is fleeing) or the underside (not as hard, especially if the enemy positions his Tiger in a full enfilade overwatch, although your T-34s will also be vulnerable.)

A cheap tactic in SP:WAW is to use a jeep or light APC to draw the fire of a Tiger in one direction and then try to flank the Tiger with T-34s which might get a few shots to the side hull or side turret.

Panthers on the other hand are more vulnerable, even to the 76.2mm T-34s. They are accurate however to a certain extent but their super 75mms are not as lethal as the one-shot one-kill 88mms (if they hit) especially if a T-34 is hit in the front.

Tigers are pretty easy to immobilize IMO, especially with higher caliber guns? (I don't know if this affects the game at all, it's just that in my experience, SU-122s or -152s usually cannot kill Tigers but almost always damages suspension or immobilizes IF they hit, which is pretty hard to do... they have poor Fire control.)

All of what I wrote above is based on my limited knowledge & experience with the game so pardon me for any misconceptions :)

(in reply to G_X)

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- 11/25/2002 11:20:14 PM

Frank W.

Posts: 1958
Joined: 10/18/2001
From: Siegen + Essen / W. Germany
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on even point numbers in a meeting engagement it�s quite hard to beat the germans, even in 44 or so. i found out, that despite of their quite good FC value the T34/85 is not very acurate, same goes for SU85. against a enemy in good position it�s very hard for the russian player i think.

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- 11/26/2002 2:30:20 AM

Belisarius

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Joined: 5/26/2001
From: Gothenburg, Sweden
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Get in close. Range is the German advantage, sheer numbers the Russian. From ~10 hexes, Tigers swarmed with T-34's will have to pull out or die. If the pull out, you automatically gain an advantage as their (supposedly) nicely set up defense line will be disturbed.

At least that's my experience, usually being on the recieving end of it... just.. too ... many...targets. :mad:

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- 11/26/2002 3:10:58 AM

Frank W.

Posts: 1958
Joined: 10/18/2001
From: Siegen + Essen / W. Germany
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get in close??

yeahh of course.

sadly there is a wide range of open
terrain to cross.

enemy has panther G + inf. in great numbers
hidden behind ridge line where are already
from him conquered vic hexes lie.

my plan is now: use all arty, bombard and smoke
them, then send conscripts forward as cannonfodder
while trying to flank with my armor (or so...)

but the guy has set up flank protection.

no easy one.....

(in reply to G_X)

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- 11/28/2002 9:34:15 PM

Vetkin

Posts: 710
Joined: 7/21/2002
From: Philippines
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Don't underestimate the conscripts :D

They're really TOO cheap for what they are I think...

They can literally swarm infantry, sub-par in offense but a good bargain for defense, especially when comparing them to other low-morale infantry units like the Brits, Italians, French etc.

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Smoke and Speed - 11/29/2002 12:07:05 AM

Capt. Pixel

Posts: 1219
Joined: 10/15/2001
From: Tucson, AZ
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In my experience, a T34 that can get adjacent (and I mean right next to), an enemy tank, is almost impossible to hit. The probability of ricochet off that sloped armor goes waay up.

Smoke up their fields of fire with your artillery (the other Soviet advantage), and swarm them with T34s. The trick here is to time the bombard in concert with your armor advance.

If you can get right on top of the enemy, there's not much they can do. :cool:

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