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Starting Soviets

Starting Soviets

Postby da_grot » Wed Dec 08, 2010 12:44 pm

Hi all,

being caught up in the flames of war explosion at our club I've decided to go Russian (as I'm a dirty commie at heart :P )

Here's my inital 1000 pts list I'm going to run with. Tell me what you think and what issues you can see me facing.

Fortress Europe
Motostrelkovy Batalon

Batalon HQ - 30 points

Motostrelkovy Company, Hq with 2 rifle platoons, Komissar, 2x Maksim Hmg teams - 280 points

Motostrelkovy Company, Hq with 1 rifile platoon, Komissar - 125 points

Tankovy Company, 5 T34 obr 1942 - 265 points

Tank killer Company, 3 SU-85 - 165 points

Motorised Mortar Company, Hq with 2 mortar platoons, observer team - 125 points


The idea is the large amount of infantry will cause some problems due to their sheer size.
The T34's are there to pick on other medium tanks while the SU-85's may have an actual chance of hurting some of the German cats (or so I hope)
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Re: Starting Soviets

Postby DaBoss » Wed Dec 08, 2010 3:05 pm

Great to see another Soviet Player, I've had my most fun games playing the Russians.

Some advise based on the games I've played.

1) Even number of Platoons - as half the missions require you to select half (rounding down) your platoons, having 5 selections means you can only deploy 2.

2) T-34 tanks - two things 'Hen and Chicks' means you will be either not shooting or crawling along at 6". At long range T-34/76 (obr 1942) will struggle to damage German armour. example Panzer IV's are Front 6 with +1 at long range against your Anti-Tank 9 - after hitting on 5's maybe 6's - you will have a 1/6 of maybe destroying one and a 1/6 of bailing. I'd upgrade to T-34/85 with AT 12. Otherwise I run 10 x T-34/76's in 1200pts

3) Large Companies is where the Soviets are good, as the enemy need to cause 10 hits to pin. I find single Company Motostelkovy (7 teams) die quickly compared to the Veteran Germans.

4) I like SU-85 with AT 12 but watch out for counter fire with Front Armour 5, Panzer IV will have a field day.

Luckily in 1000pt games not likely to face any Panthers but maybe a Tiger?

I would suggest the following:
1 Batalon HQ @ 30 pts
2 Rifle team
1 Komissar team

1 Motostrelkovy Company @ 255 pts
1 HQ Section
1 Rifle/MG team
1 Komissar team
2 Motor Rifle Platoon
7 Rifle/MG team
1 Machine-gun Platoon
1 Maksim HMG

1 Motostrelkovy Company @ 255 pts
1 HQ Section
1 Rifle/MG team
1 Komissar team
2 Motor Rifle Platoon
7 Rifle/MG team
1 Machine-gun Platoon
1 Maksim HMG

1 Tankovy Company @ 325 pts
4 T-34/85 obr 1943 (Limited Vision)
1 T-34 obr 1942 (Fast Tank; Limited Vision; Wide Tracks)

1 Motorised Mortar Company @ 125 pts
1 HQ Section
1 Rifle team
1 Observer Rifle team
2 Mortar Platoon
3 82-BM-41 mortar

Total List Cost: 990
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Re: Starting Soviets

Postby KInG » Wed Dec 08, 2010 3:10 pm

woot, go get em da_grot ;)
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Re: Starting Soviets

Postby Herne » Wed Dec 08, 2010 4:25 pm

da_grot wrote:Tell me what you think and what issues you can see me facing.


I forsee only one problem - pronouncability! 8O
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Re: Starting Soviets

Postby Cobby » Wed Dec 08, 2010 5:20 pm

Join the Fuhrer and bring power to the Mother Land of Germany.

Will get a 1000 point list sorted for Sunday pal.
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Re: Starting Soviets

Postby da_grot » Wed Dec 08, 2010 8:01 pm

Cheers Daboss for the input.

I agree with the larger unit size for soviets. The only reason I ended up going for the single motor rifle platoon is I've only got 3 platoons at the moment :P

Seems to me that taking a full platoon while a little unwieldy will be very resilient due to needing 10 hits to be pinned.

I agree on the T-34's as well.The /85 does seem the best way to go purely for the antitank 12.

What have you found to be quite effective soviet company's anything you would suggest trying out?
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Re: Starting Soviets

Postby estarriol » Wed Dec 08, 2010 8:19 pm

Hmmm big cats a problem, how many points do SU122 and SU152's cost?
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Re: Starting Soviets

Postby DaBoss » Thu Dec 09, 2010 2:19 pm

estarriol wrote:Hmmm big cats a problem, how many points do SU122 and SU152's cost?


SU122 are cheap at 125pts for 3 but lack real Anti Tank at only 10.
SU152 not bad at 180pts for 2 but the problem is that they are RoF 1 @AT13 (+1 to hit if they move)

I'd prefer to have T-34/85's

German Big Cats have fallen to my mass T-34/76's and Infantry Swarm.

1 Game I defeated a Schwere Panzerkompanie of 6 Tiger 1e Tanks - took 60+ shots from my T-34/76's to bail them then an assault by my double sized SMG Company.

In another game, managed to outflank a Panther Platoon with the T-34/76's (remember they are Fast Tanks so can double time 32") while they were engaged with the T-34/85's to the front. 10 shots from the T-34/76 with AT9 vs Side Armour of 5 - down went the Panthers.

At 1000pts games, you won't have to worry about Panthers @560pts for 3, theirs not going to be much else in the German Army. Dig-in your Infantry on the objectives or move through cover - the panthers will struggle.

Otherwise I'd expect to see a Tiger 1e in a German Force in which case keep dropping Smoke from the Mortars on it reducing it's shooting either by it having to move or the fact that you are now concealed. Meanwhile a luck shot from the T-34/85's will take it down.
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Re: Starting Soviets

Postby DaBoss » Thu Dec 09, 2010 2:56 pm

da_grot wrote:What have you found to be quite effective soviet company's anything you would suggest trying out?


Must admit have only just started looking at other Intelligence Briefings than Fortress Europe.
At 1000pts it's very difficult to do much more than what you've planned (given the lack of a 4th Motor Rifle Platoon)

A new one that I've downloaded from the BattleFront website is a 'Peredovoye Otryad' or 'Mobile Exploitation Force'

In this formation you have 2 Combat Companies:
1 x Tankovy Company - 5xT-34/85 for 365pts
1 x Motostrelkovy Company - 2xMotor Rifle Platoons + HMG Team + Kommissar 320pts

Add Battalion HQ + Kommissar @50pts
That comes to 735pts
Plus your Motorised Mortar Company - 2 x Platoons + Observer for 140pts
Then add Spetsnaz Platoon (1 Squad) for 110pts (use your space Motor rifle models plus sub for 2 Halftracks)
Total 985pts

That gives you 4 Platoons to deploy and the best bit is the special rules for the Spetsnaz.

If you are the attacker (which Exploitation Forces always are) and you have the first turn and your opponent is in prepared defences; You get to infiltrate the Spetsnaz and one platoon which can be the Tankovy Company, which then allows the Motostrelkovy Company to ride on the tanks as transports. WHich means all 3 Platoons can do a recon move of 16" before the game starts as long as you stay out of sight and more than 16" away from any enemy (or better still move into concealing terrain), you get the first turn on a 2+.

Imagine, moving up through some woods or Corn Fields till you are just outside 8" of the German lines. Your Turn 1, the infantry dismount the Tanks and move to be within assault range, the T-34's engage any Guns or Armour, while the Mortars drop Smoke on the German Infantry to reduce their Defensive Fire.
Exactly the tactics used during the War.
http://www.flamesofwar.com/Portals/0/Documents/Briefings/Peredovoye-Otryad.pdf
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Re: Starting Soviets

Postby estarriol » Thu Dec 09, 2010 4:26 pm

Hang on, SU122's a tank specially devolped to hunt German big cats, and whose crews were known as Game Hunters for that reason, don't have good AT values?
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Re: Starting Soviets

Postby DaBoss » Thu Dec 09, 2010 4:57 pm

estarriol wrote:Hang on, SU122's a tank specially devolped to hunt German big cats, and whose crews were known as Game Hunters for that reason, don't have good AT values?


I think you mean the ISU-122 is the monster with the reputation
Range 32" RoF 1 Anti-Tank 15 Firepower 2+

All but King Tigers feared it...
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Re: Starting Soviets

Postby cgra1 » Fri Dec 10, 2010 9:15 am

I find the best way to Kill tigers is with artillery or planes, I know there hit and miss but the Russians get the IL2 Stormivik flying Tank, that is remarkably resiliant. Plus the threat of aircraft will force the German player to buy AA instead of extra tanks.
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