Armour Tactics

by Pz_J_Dietrich

 

Armour 1941-42:

In this part of the game it has to be said that the Russians have much better armour than the Germans with the likes of the KV's, T34's, OT-133 Flamers and heavy British Churchill tanks available for them. Yes, I know that German tank crews are better trained and have better morale and Russians are fairly poor in both of those. But you have to think that a Pz III has a very small chance of killing a T34 from most angles and against a heavy KV the Pz III has no chance at all, so what would you prefer? A well trained tank that has little chance of killing much from the front, or a fairly poor trained crew that is given a hard hitting and very well protected tank? Germans until the very end of 1942, when Tiger and StuG IIIG tanks appear for the 1st time, have to sometimes really struggle with poor PzIII's and StuG IIIC's. Not until the Summer of 1942 when the capable PzIVG and StuG IIIF Panzers appear do the Germans have the ability to engage Russian armour with their own and not with AT guns and other fixed support weapons.

Armour Fall 1942-43:

It is in this part of the game that things really start to heat up and games become aggressive with both sides being given some very well armed and armoured fighting vehicles. Early in 1943 it can be said that the Germans have the clear advantage by being supplied with heavy Tiger tanks. By Spring the Pz IVH and massive 65ton Elefant tanks appear for the 1st time for the Germans, and with hard hitting tanks like these the Russians should be out-matched. But the Germans aren't the only side to be resupplied. By the Spring of 1943 the Russian commander has a few new weapons up for action with the new and very formidable IS-1 tank and upgunned 85mm KV models. The IS-1 can rip apart Tigers without getting a scratch and being very well protected they can assault German positions and over-run them. In Spring 1943 and without the German Elefant tanks around and the Russians IS-1 being there for the picking, it is again that the Russians have the advantage but not by far.

Between the Summer and Fall of 1943 it is the Germans again that have the advantage, this time the Russians don't have much new armour available for them, apart from the SU152 which is a very powerful weapon against most targets. Germans on the other-hand are given excellent new weapons which includes Brummbars, Nashorns, Bisons and above all the massive and destructive Panther A's and G's. With weapons like the Panther G around it is hard for any Russian commander to try and get the edge over his/her enemys armour. Only really with side shots and fixed support weapons and poor tactics on your enemys part can the Russians try and engage the Panthers without loosing a piece of his/her own armour. At this point in the game it's the Germans with all the best cards in their hands.

Armour, Fall 1943-45:

From the end of 1943 right to the end of the game in Winter 1945, the Germans aren't really given many new fighting units at all, but the ones they do get are some of the best tanks in the game. On the Russian side things are a little better, being given captured German Panthers to their force roster as well as the powerful IS-2s, the excellent alround T-34/85, mobile heavy AT guns of the ISU-122/152s and fairly powerful SU-100. The Russain christmas must have come early, but then again what do the Germans get? Well they get the excellent hard hitting tank destroyers like the Jagdpanthers, Jagdpanther IV, Hetzers and the fairly good Pz IVJ's which should all keep the Russians at bay.

In the Summer of 1944 the Russians face their biggest problem, the King Tiger II or Royal King as it was known to the Allies. This tank is by far the hardest hitting, best protected and overal the biggest problem for any Russian commander if available to your German counterpart. The King Tiger eats IS-2's for breakfast and anything else is just a snack for the 68ton King. When facing these and playing against a good enemy commander you are damn right to say that the advantage is clearly German. You get in the way of one of these tanks you can kiss your ass good bye, the only way to stop one of these tanks if heavy rounds to its sides.

Winter 1945 the 70ton Jagdtiger appears, at last! These heavy tank destroyers are given massive sloped armoured plating and a massive 128mm main gun to deal with anything that gets in its way. So, overall I would say that the Germans from Fall 1943 have a fairly good advantage and from the Summer of 1944 to the end of the game they Germans have by far a great advantage over its enemys armoured units.

Tactical Tip:

When playing a game and looking for good armour to buy, or if you just want alittle more armour, try looking in your elite command roster. Sometimes you can find more Tigers, KV-85, Panthers etc. to add to your force roster ;)

King Tiger:

First appearing in the Summer of 1944, the 68ton King Tiger II is the toughest German fighting vehicle and some would say the best tank in the game. Being almost indestructable from most angles, the King Tiger is a must have for any German commander. Having firepower that can kill even the IS-2 from the other side of the map and armour that can withstand even the most powerful AT gun shells, the King Tiger is excellent for both offensive and defensive operations. Don't be afraid of taking more than one tank on at a time as the King Tiger should be feared by the Russian opponent. The best example of this tactic is to tell you about a ture battle I had, it goes something like this:

My King Tiger was on the offensive in open terrain on the southern flank of my enemy when a single IS-2 came out from behind a building at my 12 o'clock. We both engaged and after 2 rounds had been fired from my Tiger another IS-2 appeared at 2 o'clock. I turned my turret and opened fire on the 2nd enemy tank. Then, to my shock, a 3rd IS-2 appeared from behind the 2nd. Now I had 3 undamaged Russian heavy IS-2's with their guns bearring down on me, five or six 122mm shells blasting against my hull. At this point my King Tiger slammed into action, and 1 by 1 my Tiger fired a single round at each enemy tank destroying them 1 at a time. Not a single scratch had been received on the Tiger and it simply continued its assault, all 3 IS-2' s where less than 70metres away! The whole engagement had lasted less then 2 minutes and I had knocked out over 600pts worth of enemy equipment without a loss, the game was over before it began.

Watch out for the slow mobility of the Tiger, so avoid unknown closed up areas so try and use other units to find the target then attack. Best way to destroy a King Tiger is with close range side shots or heavy fixed support guns like the 152mm's and 100mmAT guns, or close range shots with smaller caliber AT guns like the powerful 57mm (British 6pdr). Also anti-tank weapons given to infantry units like captured German Panzerfausts, TNT and flamethrowers etc. can course trouble to the heavy tank. Overall what ever you use against the King Tiger you are likely to struggle.

German Armour Tip:

With the MG's in German armour both have different maxium rangers when being used. The hull mounted MG will only fire at targets within 50m and the coax only firing at targets with 150m. So to get the most effect out of your tanks it is maybe best to quickly move your armour towards the infantry unit so that their just within 50m range. By doing this you can target infantry units with both MG's and your main gun, giving your tank the chance to annihilate your enemy. When doing this make sure your infantry target is just within the 50m mark, Russian engineer flamers can fire up to 45m.

Russian Armour Tip:

This tip is the same as the above but the MG's in the Soviet tanks are a little different. The coax has the same range, 150m, but the hull mounted MG has a 75m range giving the Russian tankers a little better anti-infantry and suppression abilitly.

IS-2 Josef Stalin:

The IS-2 is the toughest Russian tank to beat, not necessary because of its 122mm main gun which isn't that powerful anyway against the heavy German panzers, but because of its thick sloped armour. The IS-2 is a very mobile and capable machine against both infantry and armoured targets but its major downfall is its extremly long reloading time of around 20 seconds. This means that if engaged by a German panzer like a Panther the IS-2 leaves itself open for 2 or EVEN 3 shots by the much faster reloading panzer, and that can sometimes mean your destruction. When attacking enemy armour try and distract your target with infantry/support units etc. This sometimes makes the target turn and show a weaker side or angle for your IS-2 to attack. Always place your IS-2, aswell as anyother slow reloading units on ambush mode as then they will not attack targets without you orders and will not waste time reloading aswell as wasting an AP round which leaves yourself open. Always attack the IS-2 with your best armour like Panthers as weaker panzers like the StuG IIIG havent much of a chance from most angles. Overall you will need a long barrelled 88mm like that armed on the Jagdpanther or King Tiger or the powerful high-velocity 75mm of the Panther/Jagdpanzer IV to score a clean kill from most rangers against the 160mm frontal armoured plating.

 

Tiger VIE:

Appearing in the winter of 1942 the Tiger VIE gives the German commander a vehicle that he's/she's been waiting for. Being very well armoured and armed for late 1942 early 1943, the Tiger gives the Germans the firepower to hammer the KV\'s and T34's from all rangers that their StuG IIIG's have been struggling to do. The Tiger can rule the map if used correctly and can continue to rule the map until around Spring 1943 when the formidable IS-1 and KV-85 appear for the 1st time. Tigers should be attacked with side shots from smaller caliber weapons like the 76mm, but also smaller caliber AT guns like the 45mm can kill a Tiger from the front at fairly close range. Front shots from the 85mm weapons can mean a kill and shots fired from heavy fixed weapons like the 152mm Infantry Guns would hammer the Tiger from all angels. Don't deploy the Tiger or anyother tank in open terrian at the start of the game as Russian fixed support weapons can have a field day. Instead keep the Tigers protected from LOS from unknown Russian deployment areas and use other units to find the enemy and then drive the Tiger up for the kill. The Tigers armour is good, but not great. Also watch the Tigers slow mobility on the battlefield as smaller more mobile tanks like the T34 can flank the Tiger and hit its weaker sides.

SU122/152:

The first thing to say about these tanks is that they are nothing like what they were in the Reg CC3 Game. Overall both firepower and indirect abilitys have been fixed making the SU's no were near as deadly as the Reg version. In RR you can't just blast every building hoping that it'll cripple or destroy some hidden enemy unit, the SU's firepower has been fixed stopping players from using that tactic. Another thing about the SU tanks in RR is that their reloading times have been changed making them reloading in around 25 seconds so most of the time it would be best for you to attack and take your shot, then back away before your enemy can counter-attack. The SU152's are powerful but you'll really need a close range shot to destroy German panzers like the Panther, etc. Later in the game the Russian commander will be given a more powerful version of the SU152 and a tank-destroyer version of the SU122, these are known as the ISU's. These are given a much harder hitting main gun. Also the amount of ammo stored in the SU tanks has been halfed giving you a maxium of around 8 rounds of HE plus another 8 rounds of anti-tank shells the HT round. Mobility and armour is the same giving you are good mobile support weapon.

ISU122/152:

The only difference between the ISU models and the SU models are 2 things. The first is armour, the ISU's are given roughly double the armour of the older SU models. The second difference is the main gun being upgunned, the ISU's have better firepower against both infantry and armoured targets but theres not much difference between the SU models. Also the ISU122 is mainly designed for anti-tank use as its given more AP rounds than HE rounds but still has very good anti-infantry ability. The ISU152 is the same as the SU152 but with better armour, it really has the same firepower against all targets. Russian ISU's have the same speed and mobility as the SU models.

JagdTiger:

Not appearing in the RR game until the very end of the war, the 70ton JagdTiger is the most expensive tank in the game. For a massive 254pts you get a fixed turret heavy tank destroyer with enough firepower to knock-out any enemy unit from the full range of the map. Being based on the King Tiger chassis you would expect armour to be great but the JagdTiger is blessed with even better armour. While a King Tiger has a maxium of 180mm of armour and being just about indestructable, the JagdTiger has an excellent 250mm of frontal armoured plating making this tank invincible from frontal shots, even from close range 152mm HT rounds. The JagdTiger down fall can be a number of things from its slow reloading times, also being a fixed turret tank it has the chance of being crippled but above all its very slow mobility, mainly its rotating time, and top speed. The JagdTiger is a good tank destroyer but if outnumbered by faster moving Russian armour you may find yourself in a position were you are about to be attack from the sides and crippled, wasting 254 of your points. Therefore the JagdTiger should only be used as a static defensive tank or support tank covering open terrian and advancing units etc. Never really should you send your JagdTigers onto the offensive as even a small Russian infantry platoon can throw afew grenades coursing the tank to loose a track and placing it out of the game. Overall this tank should only be used by a very capable CC3 player.

IS-1 Josef Stalin:

Having 130mm of frontal armour the IS-1 becomes a very very formidable Russian weapon when it enters the game in the spring of 1943. The IS-1 is really the Russians own version of the German Panther. Armed with an 85mm main gun and given excellent sloped armour the IS-1, unlike other Russian heavy tanks like the KV-1s, has the capability of engaging the German Tigers and Panthers in a head-on clash. Weighing no more than a Tiger but with better mobility and having a greater thickness of armour, the IS-1 is a must have to any Russian commander. The IS-1 can make lightning strikes against German positions knowing that only a well armed side shot or powerful 88mm shells can kill it. Trying to stop this tank in spring 1943 is like trying to stop a Tiger in early 1943 with heavy support weapons, a massive problem for the commander as 75/76mm guns have no real chance from the front, making heavy 88mm weapons the best thing for the job. Also by having that thickness of armour aswell as a fairly fast reloading time, the IS-1 will never really go out without a fight even when crippled. This tank has the firepower to knock most German armour out with sometimes a single shot. Overall an excellent tank and one of my favourites.

Panther:

These tanks are the most flexible fighting vehicles the Germans get, being highly mobile and well protected with a hard punch the Panthers are an excellent alround fighting vehicle for defensive and offensive actions. You can use the Panthers speed and mobility for lightning strikes against enemy positions, flanks and to capture ground with speed etc. Panthers if used well can become a real problem for the Soviet player as they are faster, better armoured than the heavier German Tiger VI tanks and have the firepower to kill even the IS-2 from long range. Also not only can the Panthers course problems for the Russian commander but they can also course alot of trouble for the German opponent. By winter 1944 the German commanders will notice that the Russians can be armed with captured German Panthers known as the T-5. The T-5's are a mirror image of the German version and firepower, reloading times, armour etc. are all the same. The T-5 is an excellent buy for the Russians and they also have the firepower to deal with even the King Tiger from some angels and medium rangers. To stop a Panther sides shots are needed but the Russian 85mm like that armed on their T34/85 models and German 88's will do damage at most rangers. Overall an excellent buy for both sides and a great fight when both sides have them.

KV-85:

The KV-85 appears at the same point in the game as the heavy IS-1 but is available is greater numbers with both Command and Flamer versions being produced. Overall this tank is slow in both speed and mobility but is given a very capable 85mm main gun aswell as 130mm on front armour. This really is the Russians own Tiger tank having the slow speed but thick armour and powerful main gun etc. The KV-85 has the ability to take on Tiger VI as well as the Panther tanks and other medium panzers. The flamer version of the KV is a very formidable tank, having excellent thick armour and a long range heavy flamer the KV can rip apart German positions if used well. Remember that indirect fire with the flamer can destroy enemy units without having a LOS. Most AT weapons and even AA guns from 5cm and above can kill this tank.

T34 Models:

The T34 right from the beginning of the game has been a excellent alround tank suited for most users. The T34 in the RR mod is outstanding compared to the poor performance in the Regular game. The T34 is much more real in RR than Reg. Being armed with a powerful 76mm main gun and given excellent sloped armour the T34 at the being of the game makes itself a formidable machine for the under-gunned Pz III's and StuG IIIC's. In just about all parts of the game the Russian T34 is upgraded to deal with the ever more powerful German panzers, from the T34/40 to the T34/41, then to the T34/42 and the final version, the excellent T34/85. The T34/85 has the ability to angage and kill Tiger VI's aswell as Panthers making it much more effective than the poor T34/85 in the Reg game. The T34/85 also has the armour to withstand even close range shots from both 75 and 88mm guns. The T34's have great mobility making it excellent for fast strikes and can be quickly moved from one place to another in times of crisis. Also available are the deadly T34 Flamers with indirect fire capability that can wipeout whole platoons of infantry with a single burst of fire. Overall a very flexible fighting vehicle with great mobility and one of the best tanks the Russians get.

Pz IV Models:

The Pz IV's are good alround tanks like that of the T34 models and they are clearly much better than they were in the Reg game. Being upgraded as the game goes on the Pz IV is a flexible weapon for the German commander as it becomes the first piece of German armour that can take on the massive KV models early in the game without much trouble. Being well armed and fairly well armoured with good mobility the Pz IV is a machine for all operations, and can deal with most Russian units like the KV-85 and SU models from most ranges. But by the time the Tigers and Panthers appear the Pz IV becomes really a reserve tank or mainly used as a command vehicle or for defensive work, but still a very capable and a great tank to use if nothing heavier is available. Also watch out for the JagdPanzer IV which houses the Panthers 75mm gun making it a good tank destroyer.

Pz III Models:

Appearing from the very start of the game the Pz III are fairly poor tanks, and also a tank that I hate; but sometimes have to use. The Pz IIIH has poor firepower, poor armour and against early war Russian tanks like the KV-41 you may as well get out your tank and throw snowballs cus their probably do more damage LOL. The Pz IIIN is an infantry support weapon good for suppression fire and is given some HT rounds for anti-tank use but still poor. Only really does the Pz IIIJ have the main gun to engage enemy armour, but only from close range. Its upgunned 5cm gun has a punch not still its nothing special, but probably the best of the bunch. The Pz III also has a flamethrowing version for close range support. Armed with a 14mm flamethrower this support vehicle only has a weapons range of 45m's giving it a disadvantage over the 60m range of its Russian counter-part. All Pz III can be killed by just about any weapon, even grenades.