Something I have noticed, there are a few 'standard' tactics everyone does. They are all valid, there are plenty of threads on how to deal with them...but I am here just to list them prior to moving to my own. Some of my own may even incorporate these tactics, either with spare points or with an ally to help you by taking these actions.

The Mixer: This tactic is a mix of balanced forces that slowly pushes forward. A slow moving defensive line that bends and flows with the needs of the battle. This tactic calls on having everything you need at hand and in-of itself could be a thread of it's own. It is super generalized as it morphs to the situation needed... but always well-balanced with units a player is comfortable with.

Wall of Armor: Tank heavy with ATGMs. We see this the most with Pact. A ton of tanks moving from cover to cover with supply and some AA if they are smart. I like to do this one myself, but a mix of it.

The Air Rush: As many helicopters as possible OR a select few veteran Mi28/Apache with recon. Command-hunting, flanking, what ever. Always a swarm or vets+recon.

The Arty Spam: Recon + Lots of artillery, or worse, as much cheap arty as possible with supply. The prior tends to find concentrated enemies and fire away...the latter just fires wildly into your spawn/line of attack hoping for that random kill. I have seen 3 players take nothing but cheap gun arty, and cover the map in shells.

The Tank Rush: Lots of cheap tanks or tank destroyers down the roads/flanks. Nothing special to day.

The APC Rush: Same as above but tons of cheap infantry.

The most common thing I see are players taking one anti air unit to ward of helicopters. Sometimes even 2 or 3... but they don't use them to good effect. It keeps their armor rush safe or their defenses alive around them...but helicopters are often free to fly around.

Images with this are http://www.wargame-ee.com/forum/viewtopic.php?f=12&t=3478&p=37676#p37676

While good AA is expensive to do, if you are in a team game where you can risk some points... there is a way to keep the enemy from EVER taking a helicopter ANYWHERE near your defense zone.

Kill zones.
If the map is to large to defend a specific zone with a few AA units, this can guarantee your enemy a headache.
Depending on how extensive you wish to have your anti air... is how many units you will take for each kill zone. Typically I run two or three kill zones. One in my spawn (strongest), two further out on my flanks (weakest.) Each kill zone is a separate zone of rape. Since we do not have the mobile radar stations real air defense zones would have... we make do with recon. It is essential to have recon with your anti-air systems, and a supply truck.

Heavy Kill Zone consists of two segments, the core and the outer.

Core
1x Recon
1x Supply truck per 2 missile systems
1x heavy missile system vet-2 (Chap/BUK/KUB/Roland)
Outer-ring
3x heavy gun systems or light missile systems forming a triangle around the core. (Tung, )
or/and
8x cheap gun systems forming a ring around the core. (15-25pt AA guns)

Light Kill Zone consists of one system. Guns are useless here, enemy air will rarely get within gun range unless the enemy isn't keeping track of them. The light kill zones are meant to sit off on the flanks to prevent the enemy from hovering Apaches or what-not off to the side of your team picking off units, or worse, catch the helicopter rush with it's pants down BEFORE it reaches your primary AA!
[list]
1x Recon, 1x Supply truck
1x or 2x Vet-2+ AA Infantry
or
1-2 Vet-2+ Heavy or Light Missile Systems (Tungusta, Roland, etc.)[
OPTIONALIf you have points, one ATGM team and 4 basic infantry to defend)

The smaller the map, the tighter these kill zones can be. You can have as many light kill zones as you want to afford...just make sure you have team mates doing the fighting. If the enemy air-rush doesn't happen, outer-ring defenses in the heavy zone can move up to the front line to defend units/zones... and light kill zones can be mobile as needed.

TIP: AA Infantry can not be seen easily if their APC is not near them. Hide them in some bushes and put your APC for them somewhere else - if you want to risk it? Put it in an open field in range of your AA. Helicopters fly past your AA Infantry to kill those pesky APCs...only to discover SAM infantry sitting right next to them! KABOOM!

"There went in two and two unto Noah into the ark..."

As demonstrated in this photo... use the power of two! In this game I knew my opponents well. My girlfriend and a good friend of mine were the foes. I knew he had plenty of units to engage me... but I needed a nice photo for this next part. How to avoid being abused by artillery and HE.



I almost always have half if not more of my cheap tanks in groups of 2. I click each one to drive non-stop past the enemy positions, almost a rush but not quite. While the light tanks soak up fire, the heavier tanks move in for the kill.

Once in gun-range efficient distances (not shown here) I will split my heavy hitters into single tanks, spread them out extensively, and let them sit and shoot at the opponents who are now likely rear-facing my big guns... Usually at this point the enemy is dropping artillery. My units of two are spreading out, circling around, and coming back down on the enemy position.... while my single, very spread out, heavy hitters are mostly safe from focused artillery.

The trick is to not focus on a single point. The game tends to automatically put units onto a straight line to their destination...usually clumping up nice and good for artillery. Even units of 4 is highly risky when your mass of armor is on the move under artillery fire.

By making a very wide line of cheap tanks, and a small force of heavier tanks spread out behind them... I can usually hit an enemy hard. To many targets. I will slowly bring him into a nice bear hug of armored death.

Often behind these lines lay my AA units and logistics units. If the line hits a harder enemy force at the objective than I had anticipated, I will slowly pull my heavy hitters back, and the most damaged units. Reversing where possible. Repair, relocate, try in another location.

The key to any wide armor offensive is the the following 'average' make up. No specific numbers here, you can try and find what works for you...

-60% Throw-Away Tanks
-40% Medium Tanks
-10% Heavy Tanks
-2-6 cheap AA units like the Kamaz ZU you see in the upper picture (i forgot they went faster and lost track of -them in the fight...oops!)
-2 Medium AA (Tungs/Rolands)
-1 Heavy AA optional (BUK/KUB/Chap)
-At least 4 logistic trucks to begin with, your tanks will use fuel going cross country like mad.

In the end, your face should be something like this when the enemy realizes his artillery is practically useless at this point.

Great topic, but I would like a screen of your air defense grid if you can. It will help me to see how you spread up your SAM and flak.

Thank you! I often eared how SAM batteries worked in team with Flak and by disposing them in "formation", but I never really tried to apply that in a game. I will apply it whenever I can afford it. I also really love the idea of a airborne battalion, it can surely be fun to play and probably surprising for the ennemy who will think that you are again a cheap generic rusher.

*Will try to add pictures later*

Lately I have been testing out a few things with tank destroyers (Marder VTSI and Zhalo for example) - but any unit would work in this role as long as they are faster than most tanks. Often I find myself against a numerous enemy or a line of enemy defenses. They have just enough that a full head on attack wouldn't work... and being someone who doesn't like to spam rocket artillery? Gun and Mortar carriers wouldn't help as much on breaking their moral before a frontal assault. To spread out to hurt!

So what do we do in a situation like this?

You attack in two waves! Light units trundle forward, followed by heavier hitting units. It works, it throws the enemy off balance sometimes as he repositions to deal with the light units driving up close and personal... so here is the tactic!

Note: This tactic's weakness is recon! If the enemy gets a good bead on you...and Smerch/MLRS' your units... even indirectly...that broken moral can throw this entire plan out of shape. It also works best when the enemy does not have tons of helicopters to hit you with. Have one or two AA to pull up with the main force just in case.

What you need.

1 Recon if possible!
12+ light vehicles of any sort that can harm armor or shake them at least. Zhalos, Marders, BMP-2s/3s, what ever you can fill this role with.
2-4+ APCs of infantry who will ride in with the light vehicles. Each unit spread out, not a group.
X Number of your primary attack force. It just needs to be what-ever you would normally use to kill the enemy. Nothing special here.

Step 1: With your recon, assuming you have it, locate your enemy! Find where his defenses are. Find what area is weakest in tank destroying units...and for god's sake, avoid flame units at all costs, if they are in the forest! That crap will rip you up! Once you've found the enemy, move on to step 2.

Step 2: Position your light units forward, with APCs right behind them...and your main attack force a bit further back. Mostly just to avoid artillery.

Step 3: Attack! Move your light units and APCs into the enemy lines. Once they are in firing range...in your baddest 1980s reference to The Last Starfighter moment ever, yell Death Blossom and begin laughing maniacally. No seriously. SPLIT YOUR UNITS. ALL YOUR TANK DESTROYERS. Yes it hurts moral, but the idea here is simple... send them EVERYWHERE. OUTWARDS. Do not stop to fight. Do not stop to shoot. Do not stop to call grandma about this cute puppy you see on the side of the field...

To Explain without the silly: Your light units are now broken up and you quickly click to send them out in every direction -forward- (not back!), spreading out. Yes they will be susceptible to more moral damage... but now your enemy has targets going every-which-way, behind his lines if you found the read 'weak spot' to attack.

Step 4: Unload the infantry the second your light units are passing by. Will add to the confusion and you will take some tanks with you.

Step 5: While all this chaos is going on and the enemy is desperately trying to stop a "lol bum rush" - your actual force is driving up behind him. If you did it right, his rear armor will be exposed to your MBT's. Also it may be good to have some ranged AA in the area too...by now enemy air is coming.

Step 6: Circle back! Bring the light units back around, begin regrouping them if you can't micro that many units. By now the enemy is firing on the more serious threat. Now he is being pinched between two forces and possibly infantry in his face.

Step 7a: IF ENEMY HAS ARTY: If you know the enemy has artillery? Once you have decimated the enemy or severely hurt him... fall back to your own lines and repair. Fall further back than your staging ground. You've decimated his defense and he won't be catching up soon.
Step 7b: IF THE ENEMY HAS NO ARTY: Take the ground, recon to see what is elsewhere to insure you didn't just wipe out a small expeditionary force or something. Send in supplies to repair.
Step X: If you want to, and you know the enemy has artillery or something soft in the back, send 4 or so fast and light units down the road and go command or arty hunting. No more then this.

Prepare to be called a rusher, even though you use a balanced force.