PE vs Russians

[ThGermanElite]

This is a thread for all my fellow PE players. Post any good and bad strategies here, PE has been on the rise in power recently because of our determination to perfect them, now we have a new enemy we can work together and perfect our strategies.

My personal fav is this:

-3-4 Squads of G43s (Get them to 4 man squads ASAP)
     -Vet them to Vet 3 Offensive
-1 squad of MP44s
     -Vet them to Vet 3 Defensively
-Use Hetzers ONLY when  nessessary
-Get Panthers ASAP
-Use the TD Doctrine
-Use Marders wisely AND SUPPORTED, move them with Panthers and keep them at a safe distance behind them
(They tend to rip apart T34s and IS2s)
-JagdPanther is a great late game option too

[wordsmith]

I don't want be nit-picker but 4 topics lower is the same topic mate you even contributed to that one. IMO it is better to have every ideas in one group so other players will find them at one spot.

And to your strat: going Logistik kompanie (tier1) will delay your tech to 2x Panthers. 4men are good but T1 is not necessary for Panthers tech. I found better to have 2xPanthers ASAP than to have 4men. Vs early russian infantry (conscripts or not-vetted strelky) also 3men are fine, but necessary G43 and/or MP44. Only problem is command squad with its annoying mortar barrage - G43 with volley fire is solution, if engaged russian commnder: destroy by all means! He's 350MP worth and so hard to kill.

[DrCashpor]

going for panthers asap is a fail in itself imo, Ive been playing alot of PanzerElite its my favorite faction ofcourse i don't know what kind of match you are useing that "asap panther strat" for. In case your thinking about 1v1 i would say don't even bother for a 2x panthers. i would say keep a 2x building combination the whole game, if you have a descent micro theres plenty of coice off very usable units.

[wordsmith]

going for panthers asap is a fail in itself imo, Ive been playing alot of PanzerElite its my favorite faction ofcourse i don't know what kind of match you are useing that "asap panther strat" for. In case your thinking about 1v1 i would say don't even bother for a 2x panthers. i would say keep a 2x building combination the whole game, if you have a descent micro theres plenty of coice off very usable units.

Going for Panthers I meant researching those 3 upgrades with highest priority: panzerschrecks, MarderIII and PzIV. Of course you have to watch what is Russian player doing, but it is the same when you play PE vs Brit or US. I'm not saying that you do nothing and just make it for Panthers. I'm saying that research those exact upgrades I'm allowed to pull also Panzerschreck PGs or MarderIII if necessary and I'm still close to Panthers if I need them.

In fast 1vs1 games it happenes that T2-T3 or T2-T4 is sufficient too. I don't go T1-Logistik vs Russian, but I was thinking of using Scout cars+Ketten with repair ability (tank busters doctr.) maybe I will try it next time. Also Vampire with Goliath could be usefull vs blobs of infantry. The problem with T1 is that vs Brit it is almost useless and vs US I use only 4men upgrd. and/or Vampire, Scout cars just suck vs US Rifles or Brit Tommies. But vs Conscripts they actually might work.... I just haven't tried it yet since I'm used to my build order from US/Brit games.

[ThGermanElite]

Lol Wordsmith, where do you think I got the idea, I liked the guy's points made. But anyway man, I think 4 man squads are crucial for PE because the 3 man squads die too fast vs snipers, I mean, having just 2 men on the frontlines makes me nervous, so if 1 guy dies it makes me uncomfortable, and yes it does delay the ability to get panthers real quick, but early game is very important, because once the "Frontlines" are established they tend to stay the same, and holding the fuel points is a primary objective for all, and 4 man squads just seem to do it for me

[wordsmith]

Lol Wordsmith, where do you think I got the idea, I liked the guy's points made. But anyway man, I think 4 man squads are crucial for PE because the 3 man squads die too fast vs snipers, I mean, having just 2 men on the frontlines makes me nervous, so if 1 guy dies it makes me uncomfortable, and yes it does delay the ability to get panthers real quick, but early game is very important, because once the "Frontlines" are established they tend to stay the same, and holding the fuel points is a primary objective for all, and 4 man squads just seem to do it for me

That is why I recommend T2-IHT, you can replenish 3rd man right on place and move inside the IHT and hunt those snipers. Not to mention the suppressing fire of MG - PE doesn't have any suppressing MG like MG42, just IHT or Wirbelwind which is doctrinal. But yes you have a point, 4men are better also because firepower is 33% more.

[theplay]

if the map is a decent size, say semois, the armored car is a great unit to bring out to protect territory. Usually the 4th pg will build the logistics center. The ac is incredible against consripts and ingenery, especially those annoying near death 2 man squads capping all your crap. Also around the beginning of mid game or when anti tank squads appear, it can be used to secure resources. Also dont forget to get increased squad sizes to justify the purchase of logistics center.

[stryker]

...especially those annoying near death 2 man squads capping all your crap...

Glad I'm not the only one infected with those!

[Versedhorison]

I find panzer IV is the best thing to deal with the infantry blobs especially since the AT rifle squad cant hurt them much.

[Saavedra]

In the v1.2 patch or somewhere around that, when I played PE, I did not need Panthers. I just went full PE infantry with schreckers and MP44s. Maybe one or two G43s in case I met something that really needed to die.

Of course, this advice might be outdated.

[wordsmith]

Last few days I played some games 1vs1 but 500VP games (not Annihilate and normal resources) and only very few times I was able to get to Panthers. Most of the time the game is solved by infantry and by quick armors - which Panthers are not.

I realized that what is important is get Tier3 (Panzer-Jager K.) as fast as possible, and it doesn't matter as so much if from T1 or T2. T3 gives you 3 things very deadly to Russians: MP44, MarderIII and ACs (in this particular order). Those are must otherwise you're finished. T1 is good for 4men squads and for Vampire-Goliath. T2 is good because IHT and possible schrecks if you fail to get Marder fast.

Going T4 is not as good as T3 vs Rus, because ATHT is very weak vs T34. I didn't compared range of T34 and ATHT but I have feeling that it is same. Because when fighting Sherman, I just break its legs and then retreat a bit and Sherman could not reach me and I kite it with ATHT. With T34 the T34 always shot back even from what I thought is a safe distance.

In much sense the game vs Russian is similar to play US player - you need to focus on keeping units together, get MP44 fast, deny territory and cap with Ketten. It differs on use of AC because this thing is good vs US rifles but it's pretty weak vs Russian PTRD AT infantry. And as AT unit don't use the ATHT but MarderIII.

So in conclusion the general rules could be:

- if you see Rus making only conscripts for longer time the chances are he's going for fast Tank Hall - expect fast T90 ot T34 if you failed to deny fuel - you can make an AC and try to hurt those Consripts fast or try to raid his base with those, maybe you catch him just building a tank hall - otherwise focus on getting Marder fast (or Schrecks if you are short of fuel)

- if you see snipers/mortars/PTRD he used 50fuel for support barracks - dont bother with AC and tech to MarderIII, build more PGs with MP44 fast

- get MP44 fast and deny territory with those, use with combination of some G43

- use PGs to fight infantry and Marders behind to kite vehicles

- keep the whole panzergruppe together and slowly gain map control

- later when enough fuel build T4 and ATHT (for threadbraker) or just fast PzIV and raid his base with it

- as fights are very infantry intensive from begin of match vs Rus you will need "Defensive ops" (healing) upgrade really fast (1st upgrade I make) and also later "Field craft" so I can cap faster with PGs (also one more reason for T2)

- as for doctrines, I'm "Scorched earth" player (booby traps everywhere) but also "Luftwaffe" is quite good with Wirbelwind and LGF for advanced repair of Marders, Tank hunters are strong only in late game and Hetzer dies really quickly to T34

[comrade2012]

make plenty of grenadiers

get marders as soon as you can, but use them carefully.

get Hetzers, get them together, and use them carefully. use them like tank destroyers, not tanks.

save up for the Jagdpanther.

make sure to have plenty of grenadiers to support your tanks.

Hold off the enemy attacks long enought to get a good enough attack force of Panthers

[Griptonix]

I find panzer IV is the best thing to deal with the infantry blobs especially since the AT rifle squad cant hurt them much.

Have you been playing against AI soviets or do you not pay attention much? The level three PTRD anti tank squads can nearly destroy and tank, always do damage, and can penetrate even frontal armour. Not even m-26 pershings, sherman firefly's, or whatever the soviets use as heavy tanks can compare to the effectiveness of a ptrd squad!

[GodlikeDennis]

Actually, half the PRTD shots will do absolutely nothing if the P4 IST has armour skirts. They do little damage anyway. The threat is AT nades because the P4 is such an up close and personal tank. And of course you can't lock down with the risk of AT nades about.

[Versedhorison]

I find panzer IV is the best thing to deal with the infantry blobs especially since the AT rifle squad cant hurt them much.

Have you been playing against AI soviets or do you not pay attention much? The level three PTRD anti tank squads can nearly destroy and tank, always do damage, and can penetrate even frontal armour. Not even m-26 pershings, sherman firefly's, or whatever the soviets use as heavy tanks can compare to the effectiveness of a ptrd squad!

A panzer IV plus your panzer grenadiers in support will kill AT rifle squads before they do too much damage.