What best strategy for taking on US tanks with Syrian tanks ?

[Hannibal]

So when facing US tanks with Syrian tanks what the best aproach .Spilt up and try to get flanking shots or concentrate your tanks and wait for them to come at you .

[SgtMuhammed]

Flanking shots are always the best against any tanks. If you can't manuever for a flank shot then try to position several tanks to fire at single or only a few M1s. Multiple hits to the front will give you a better chance of getting a kill, especially if they can spot the M1s first and get off the first shots.

[RCmarine]

Bail out and run away on foot. *snicker*

[Chelco]

On the defense, reverse slope worked great for me so far.

On the attack, try approaches where you face very few M1s at a time.

[Sivodsi]

The problem with trying to get flanking shots is that CMSF penalizes moving tanks over stationary. While you are moving you will see the other tank later and die quicker, it seems.

Is this accurate or not? I would have thought 'hunting' a tank forward would give it an equal chance to spot a stationary tank, but what do I know?

I'm having a hard time keeping my T90s alive vs Abrams in 'Bad Moon Rising' PBEM - its sooo open its hard to get a flanking shot.

[Chelco]

The problem with trying to get flanking shots is that CMSF penalizes moving tanks over stationary. While you are moving you will see the other tank later and die quicker, it seems.

Is this accurate or not? I would have thought 'hunting' a tank forward would give it an equal chance to spot a stationary tank, but what do I know?

I'm having a hard time keeping my T90s alive vs Abrams in 'Bad Moon Rising' PBEM - its sooo open its hard to get a flanking shot.

Hi Sivodsi,

Do you have a target arc covering the stationary tanks?

Cheers,

[Flanker15]

My strat is to analyse the terrain features and set up the tanks in reverse slope/ambush posistions. Also I like to spread my tanks out across the map in this manner not all in one bunch, this way you only lose a few tanks if a M1 gets a good LOS on your posistion. If you can setup good posistions the M1's superior armor, weapon and sensors do not factor into the combat since you're fighting at point blank.

If you're fighting on the offensive you can't really use this tactic and you're at a great disadvantage. Just try to get as close as you can to the enemy posistions without exposing your tanks to fire. Attack with strength of numbers from 2 or more directions if you can so as to overwhelm the enemy and try to close as much distance as possible. The closer you get the more chance your T-72 has of getting a kill, while the M1 can kill your T-72 at any range.

[dan/california]

"I'm having a hard time keeping my T90s alive vs Abrams in 'Bad Moon Rising' PBEM - its sooo open its hard to get a flanking shot."

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There is a very subtle terrain feature in that scenario that makes it very easy for the U.S. player if they use it correctly. I advanced my tanks to that point and barely gave another command the rest of the scenario. This was against the AI, but the map is so featureless I can't see what a human player would do differently as the Syrians.

At some point I want to alter that map and see what happens. I don't think it shows off the T90 very well.

[MarkEzra]

The problem with trying to get flanking shots is that CMSF penalizes moving tanks over stationary. While you are moving you will see the other tank later and die quicker, it seems.

Is this accurate or not? I would have thought 'hunting' a tank forward would give it an equal chance to spot a stationary tank, but what do I know?

I'm having a hard time keeping my T90s alive vs Abrams in 'Bad Moon Rising' PBEM - its sooo open its hard to get a flanking shot.

May I suggest you pay close attention to the lay of he land. It's open, sure...but not flat. Use the contours to your advantage and keep those good old pin and flank tactics in mind. you have a lot of Good tanks against a few great tanks...similar to WW2 US vs Germans so you WILL take casualties but don't lose heart just keep pounding away...hopefully hull down.

[Cuirassier]

Sivodsi is correct. When using Syrian tanks, especially the older ones (eg T-55MV, T-62), offensive flanking maneuvers tend to be negated by superior US spotting and response times. To reliably knock out and Abrams you need good odds, and your tanks better be cooperating well so they all crest together. But expecting a single tank moving into los to get a flank shot and succeed is suicide. Whenever possible, even while attacking, try to use your armor defensively.

What I mean by this is set up your armor in positions where the enemy has to move through your los lines, and not the other way. Of course, this can be hard when you are the attacker. One common tactic is to probe with infantry supported by tank HE, while you stay out of his armor los. As you eat his forward positions he will be forced to move his armor into los of your infantry, hopefully exposing flanks to your armor. Of course, he may also use keyholes and multiple firing positions etc. The whole thing is thus very map dependent.

I also agree than over-concentration is bad. Forget the old panzer doctrines. US firepower punishes concentrated attackers. It is much better to have looser, skirmish lines that leak around the concentrated and less numerous US armor, crossing los lines at various points. Then if you run into some Abrams, only the few tanks opposite them will get whacked while the rest of your armor is getting into better position, supporting infantry etc.

Just my experiences.

[Lethaface]

Luck is also a factor in this map, sometimes the M1's just have a bit of luck surviving flank shots or numerous front shots and the T-90's arent so lucky in the aftermath. Another time my T-90's just kept on absorbing hits and slowly but steadily took out most abrams.

I like to create a few shoot outs with lots of smoke surrounding both sides, then use another group to speed to the flank and wait till the smoke clears up

If you have a number of T-90's at M1 flanks and are able to get a decent amount of shots of, bye bye Abrams...

[MikeyD]

What's that old equation that said on average it took three Sherman tanks to knock out one Panther in WWII? One to keep his attention to the front, one to maneuver around him for a flank shot, and - I guess - one left over to die in the process. The same may hold true of Syrian armor vs Abrams. Even an Abrams can't shoot two targets from two different directions at the same time - though with that fast turret drive your window of opportunity is pretty small.

[Sivodsi]

Hi Sivodsi,

Do you have a target arc covering the stationary tanks?

Cheers,

Absolutely. Target arc + hunt, and they still can't get parity vs a stationary tank.

Yes, the terrain of "Bad Moon Rising" is flat, and yes it has some contours, but it seems not enough to hide the Syrians.

Also, it seems that Abrams can see through the smoke they pop, but T90s cannot. I'm seeing a lot of flashes from within the billowing clouds but not the tank behind the flash. And then my T90s die:mad:

You also have to figure in that I'm playing a cunning Norwegian, not the AI.