Surviving IS-2s ???

[Cole]

Interesting discussion.

I have never been able to master the Crisis on the Oder scenario so maybe take what I say with a grain of salt....

Krazy Kat - Like Larry said the goal for the Germans is to use the panzer's longer effective range. German infantry can help stop the IS-S from getting in to close. They'll pay a price to do so but better you lose some infantry than your mobile panzers.

Kool Kat - The opposite is true for you. Get those IS-2's in close to the enemy panzers. Mass them and try to use the terrain and smoke to cover your advance as much as possible. Be patient and wait for a turn in which your horde of armor can strike from close range.

Huib brings up a good point but I prefer armor facing. I tend to play the Russian side and as it now stands in scenario design armor facing is a saving grace for Russian tankers. Based on historical data CS has built in longer effective ranges for German panzer direct fire and, I believe, there is usually greater strength factors for German panzers versus Russian tanks for the same caliber of guns (note I have not researched this) probably representing better German command and control and tactics.

As I type this I'm getting depressed thinking about some of these scenarios with a bunch of Tigers faced by T-34's. The T-34's pay a heavy price to get in close, all just to face 360 degrees of thick armor....

Now in a battle I would guess a tank commander wanting to retreat would not turn around but retreat by backing out. My mental image when I play is that when a tank unit retreats it represents a side gaining a local advantage in a skirmish. In the case of a rear shot one side has either surprised another side or has gained a great initiative. After all a turn represents all types of tactical maneuvering and micro terrain being used all within a very large 250 meter hex .

Just like the debate on how many minutes each turn is supposed to represent I guess the only answer with CS is to play with one's preferences that most coincide with your mental image of what the game is representing.