How Do You Use Russian Tactics

[Slater]

Hi I'am new to the Forum but I like to think iam a Seasoned veteran when it comes to the CM games as I bought CMBO when it came out and still playing BOTH games.

Anyway I'am wondering how the HELL do you use russian tactics in CMBB I can win Small battles with the Russians but I use the same Tactics as I do with the Germans but when its from Medium up I seem to just mess the whole battle up. German tactics simply do not work with the red army so I try to simply overun german possitions but my men simply get cut up line after line and my armor just gets shot up time after time Iam looking all over the internet for any infomation on russian tactics but come up with nothing, I was wondering what is the right tactic for the reds when Attacking Assaulting etc, I know this is a wide subject but any help would be great.

[Stoffel]

difficult point.

but for me I think the two most important factors for red succes were:

thinly deployed German troops,huge amount of troops available.

So the solution to play CMBB wit those russian tactics is to play on big maps with small units

and lots of turns

This enables you to do a good fighting recon to examine enemy strength and overrun that weak point with all your troops so you can swarm out in the enemy rear area

Henk

[Sunflower Farm Boy]

I usually only play the Bolsheviks and the tactics I use are what made the Great Patriotic War what is was. Massive use of manpower even if most of it gets slaughtered (as long as you win the battle, who cares. One death is tragic, a million is a statistic). I go tank light on the purchases (of course depending on the terrain and time period) and load up on cheap engineer/SMG/recon groups. I also load up on support units. Keep your men under command control at all times. Works for me in PBEM battles.

[Sunflower Farm Boy]

And don't forget the judicious use of Russian arty. 82mm and 120mm mortars are relatively cheap. I time my assaults to occur when the bombardment has been launched by setting up small avenues of advance between arty targets. So what if a stray round routs a few conscripts, it's getting there with the mostest that matters.

Defend in depth with lots of reserve forces, and attack in an all out fury of adavncing manpower.

[Grisha]

The Soviets tactically worked from a basis of firepower. They would try to determine enemy positions, then lay down heavy firepower to suppress both flanking positions as well as the intended target for assault. For the Soviets, small unit tactical maneuver was a means for improving the weight of firepower that could be brought to bear on a target.

In CMBB, this will require that you at first use mostly area fire to suppress likely enemy positions as well as any sound contacts that may arise.

When choosing your force, it depends on the year, but in general spend adequate points on rifle forces, but put most of your points down on heavy weapons or vehicles. This means AT guns, field pieces, ATRs, mortars, MGs, tanks and SUs, and last but not least, FOs. Decide where you think the enemy will deploy, then plan everything on that decision. This is important, since your artillery will most likely need to be part of a fire plan. Make sure you plan for maximum firepower during your advance with everything you've got, and insure that your units are in position to provide firepower at the assigned time.

Wrt to tanks/SUs, don't use them as your primary AT assets. Let the AT guns and ATRs do that, if possible. Use your tanks primarily to either support your infantry, or counterattack at the crucial moment. You can be assured that enemy AT assets will be arrayed against you, but try to see if your AT guns and ATRs can at least damage them or flush them out before you commit your AFVs to the task.

Because CMBB works from a basis of near blind tactical intelligence, you'll be at a disadvantage as the Soviets (the Soviets considered such a situation as criminally negligent, and no nachalnik razvedki, or chief of intelligence officer worth their salt would ever report to the commander, "Well, we know German infantry is out in front of us. I would be surprised if they didn't have AT assets, and we should assume they are probably well fortified." ). Thus, you'll need to seriously think beforehand about where the enemy is and what would be their most likely plan. Don't try to be too 'cute' with your plan - be direct and to the point, and make sure you'll have hell come down on your assigned assault area at the assigned time. It'll most likely be a bloody fight, but if you have enough firepower, you covered your flanks sufficiently, and you make sure to keep moving(don't need to move fast, just continuous short bounds), you should do okay.

At this level, the Soviet player must insure that their planning promotes decisive action and that their attack is conducted with maximum ferocity and firepower.

[Grisha]

Another thing I should point out is that as a Soviet player, it really does help to do a lot of 'training' beforehand. What I mean is, test out your weapon systems, see what they are capable of, see how well your troops advance under fire, using advances of different lengths, and develop a strong interest in just how deep units can be within various terrain and still see. And, remember, terrain effects vary according to season. For example, are you aware how effective ATRs are at attacking pillboxes? That the maxim MG is great for suppressive fire, because it has a lot of ammo?

[Slater]

Thanks for all that info I relise somethings I was doing wrong now Ill list them for not to do's

1.Everytime I was Faced with a lot of Russian Infantry I would spread them the width of the battlefield resulting in one long thin wave which often breaks

2.Under estermating surpresive fire I would often send my Russian Hordes across open fields with little or none surpressive fire.

3.Always being afraid to lose men, if you're playing the Germans and you've lost 4-5 tanks and 100's of dead Germans Lying about you would normally not be doing all that good but with the same statistics as the Reds you be doing fine Casulty wise ( bad example ) anyway the point is I was too scared to lose a LOT of men in the battles

thats all iam puting but iam sure theres more!

[Redwolf]

BTW, we had the same thread just a few days ago, something started by Colonel_deadmarsh.