how to maxim ?!?!????!?!?!?!?!?!?! (3v3)

I consider the maxim, like all allied machine guns, garbage. I never build them in the early game, i find other soviet units to be more flexible.

However, what if I, god forbid, was wrong?? What is the forum opinion on the maxim, and, more importantly, how to effectively utilize it & what strategies are viable with it?

Get 2. It has some of the BEST AoE suppression radius, so it will suppress an entire blob. It doesn't suppress fast enough by itself though.

Otherwise, if you can slow the push and give it time to supress, again great AoE, so you only need 1. Its great to stop Pschrek blob chasing your T34.

Also, NO ONE steals a maxim, so OST will leave it where it dies. OKW will convert to fuel.

Sustained Fire is also not a joke. It really helps with suppression, but it triggers reload. So you have to do it AS the blob is rolling in.

If the blob has Obers and they are spread out to any real degree, its just going to die, not much to be done.

Get 2. It has some of the BEST AoE suppression radius, so it will suppress an entire blob. It doesn't suppress fast enough by itself though.

Otherwise, if you can slow the push and give it time to supress, again great AoE, so you only need 1. Its great to stop Pschrek blob chasing your T34.

Also, NO ONE steals a maxim, so OST will leave it where it dies. OKW will convert to fuel.

Sustained Fire is also not a joke. It really helps with suppression, but it triggers reload. So you have to do it AS the blob is rolling in.

If the blob has Obers and they are spread out to any real degree, its just going to die, not much to be done.

I don't think that the AoE suppression is as good as people claim, in my experience, the maxim only has enough time (outside of ability) to suppress a single squad, then it gets overwhelmed/axis infantry leaves arc of fire.
You'd be surprised, I saw plenty of maxims being stolen, which kinda shoots them in the foot, because it is far easier to kill a maxim than mg-42. The ability is nice, but imo idk if it justifies usage if you ever get the option of an axis mg

I consider the maxim, like all allied machine guns, garbage.

Sure only 3 best mgs in the gamebare from Allied side.

Maxim is usually not recrewed cause its a huge difference to have 4 or 6 man maxim.

Its 100% worth it specially when u have ambu/Brit reinforce point/HT or any kind of heal on your side

Just dont be a <> a do not sit back and be active specially in as you say 3v3s because there is a lot of space on many maps and its useless to have 2-3 maxims just siting somewhere and doing nothing.

This mg is supposed to be used as assault mg so use it with cons. who can merge if u lose some models or be your scouts for maxims. Then all u need to do is press Q hotkey and attack.

Do some guards as protection against armor.
Overall everybody who says maxim is shjit and mg OP shouls try to play tourney or high-high (not high ranked game sith epic 48% wn players) against USF+Soviet combo.

I consider the maxim, like all allied machine guns, garbage. I never build them in the early game, i find other soviet units to be more flexible.

However, what if I, god forbid, was wrong?? What is the forum opinion on the maxim, and, more importantly, how to effectively utilize it & what strategies are viable with it?

Maxim is one of those units that really benefit from bulletins, probably more so than any other unit in the game. Spray and Pray (5% Increased Suppression) may not seem like much but is enough to allow the Maxim to actually be useful. Combined with the Accuracy Bulletins, it can actually win vs Mg-42 early on or be somewhat useful.

Personally I always make at least one but never more than that and I use it to push with my infantry.

I don't think that the AoE suppression is as good as people claim, in my experience, the maxim only has enough time (outside of ability) to suppress a single squad, then it gets overwhelmed/axis infantry leaves arc of fire.
You'd be surprised, I saw plenty of maxims being stolen, which kinda shoots them in the foot, because it is far easier to kill a maxim than mg-42. The ability is nice, but imo idk if it justifies usage if you ever get the option of an axis mg

I'm not a hundred percent sure on this, but if my understanding is right, I think I can explain this and the reason why the allied machine guns are great on paper and trash in game.

It comes down to 2 factors that are present on your target. Yes, the issue isn't the gun, it's the target.

There are 2 default aspects of axis troops that make them difficult targets. Small squad size reduces the multiplier for suppression and small squad size reduces the area that suppression is effective on.

This gives an axis blob more time to spread out if they are playing like shit. If I'm not mistaken, the way the suppression is applied depends on the number of models in the target area, the target area also swells based on the area occupied by the target under the suppression effect.

What this means is the more models you have being fired on within a given area the faster they get suppressed and the greater the area that nearby models get suppression added to their own counters, even though they aren't the direct target.

tldr: allies have to spread out more than axis and have less time to do it if caught.



On top of ALL that, axis troops have high dps in that small squad size, so the consequence of a single squad escaping the suppression is greater as allies. It literally doesn't matter which machine gun you use, this will always be true.

This is why you will notice that if you capture an mg42, it will still get dropped as easily as a maxim. Unless your opponent is trash and insists on a single blob charging directly into the mg42 while you have 50 vision. They will lose.

I think this is why the maxim and the .50 had low pack up times, you are expected to have to frequently switch targets manually, unlike the set it and forget it nature of an axis held mg42. Any machine gun in axis hands inherently has an advantage due to allied large squad sizes spreading the suppression effect over a wide area. You are expected to micro, a lot.

Maxim is one of those units that really benefit from bulletins, probably more so than any other unit in the game. Spray and Pray (5% Increased Suppression) may not seem like much but is enough to allow the Maxim to actually be useful. Combined with the Accuracy Bulletins, it can actually win vs Mg-42 early on or be somewhat useful.

Personally I always make at least one but never more than that and I use it to push with my infantry.

Spray and Pray bulletin was nerfed and currently only offers 1% suppression (if I remember correctly) the description was not updated.

There are also other bulletin that help with suppression.

Spray & Pray bulletin is next to useless yes.

4% rate of fire and double +10% veterancy bulletins is the best bulletin combo

so the maxim strat is to simply blob conscripts and have a maxim right behind them, thanks, insightful forum posters
(a mg-42 does a better job than the maxim would doe)

Fist of all stop looking at maxim like its a MG42, it really helps, because its clearly not an MG42 and you SHOULD NOT use it like MG42.

Maxim shines in 3 situations:
1) When it garrisoned, without inderect fire or flame weapons its very hard to force it out of the buildings especially early on.
2) When it follows your inf, supporting your cons in the engamements they cant win by their own or when enemy is trying to push you.
3) When you scout a bit ahead and see whats coming.

Sustained Fire should be always used, it costs 15 muni but turns maxim into a minigun. But it wont work if you pop it when enemy is already near, you need to use it before enemy is in range

Also speaking of "overrated AOE", its not overrated. Its really stupid sometimes, when it can suppress even spreaded inf.

I woudnt suggest using attack ground with it also, since because of the nature of attack ground, all 5 models will be infront of the maxim. While it can provide additional vision range, when you face enemy squads which are in cover (and especially if they have LMGs) you will end up with almost instant crew wipe.

Not to mention that building to building maxim will always beat MG42, especially with Sustained Fire. If its Maxim vs MG42 duel, with both of them starting firing relatively at the same time and in equal cover, maxim will always pin MG42 faster.

As it is MG42 is easier to use, since its just needs proper facing. Maxim requares a bit more understanding of its weaknesses\strengths but with proper execution\ability use its really good.

Fist of all stop looking at maxim like its a MG42, it really helps, because its clearly not an MG42 and you SHOULD NOT use it like MG42.

Maxim shines in 3 situations:
1) When it garrisoned, without inderect fire or flame weapons its very hard to force it out of the buildings especially early on.
2) When it follows your inf, supporting your cons in the engamements they cant win by their own or when enemy is trying to push you.
3) When you scout a bit ahead and see whats coming.

Sustained Fire should be always used, it costs 15 muni but turns maxim into a minigun. But it wont work if you pop it when enemy is already near, you need to use it before enemy is in range

Also speaking of "overrated AOE", its not overrated. Its really stupid sometimes, when it can suppress even spreaded inf.

I woudnt suggest using attack ground with it also, since because of the nature of attack ground, all 5 models will be infront of the maxim. While it can provide additional vision range, when you face enemy squads which are in cover (and especially if they have LMGs) you will end up with almost instant crew wipe.

Not to mention that building to building maxim will always beat MG42, especially with Sustained Fire. If its Maxim vs MG42 duel, with both of them starting firing relatively at the same time and in equal cover, maxim will always pin MG42 faster.

As it is MG42 is easier to use, since its just needs proper facing. Maxim requares a bit more understanding of its weaknesses\strengths but with proper execution\ability use its really good.

You've just described usage of every MG in the game xD and said "Don't look at maxim like it's MG42".
The only advantage the maxim has over any other MG is the AOE suppression. Period. So you build two and move them in unison and blob conscripts next to them in teamgames. In 1v1s you don't go maxims

You've just described usage of every MG in the game xD and said "Don't look at maxim like it's MG42".
The only advantage the maxim has over any other MG is the AOE suppression. Period. So you build two and move them in unison and blob conscripts next to them in teamgames. In 1v1s you don't go maxims

(ironically the mg-42 and even 34 work better as offensive MGs because the immediate suppression and wide arc of fire give the enemy less options)

it seems smart to utilize the maxim as an offensive mg, but the arc of fire just force it to be constantly repositioning tbh

You've just described usage of every MG in the game xD and said "Don't look at maxim like it's MG42".
The only advantage the maxim has over any other MG is the AOE suppression. Period. So you build two and move them in unison and blob conscripts next to them in teamgames. In 1v1s you don't go maxims

And its not true like at all. MG34\42 are defensive MGs, maxim is semi-offensive MG with Sustained Fire allowing it to actually defend something. But you realistically should always use sustained fire fire if possible, and you should do everything what is possible to have nessesery information to have maximum from it.

Maxim have advantages in terms of 6 models, the fact that cons can merge, good AOE, faster relocation, supperior damage and the fact that it wins 1v1 MG duels.

If you want to judge maxim by playing with it like its MG42 (place and forget) then for sure it will suck ass, if you will use it as it supposed to be used on its own way its a good MG with its own advanatages and disadvantages. If enemy is usuing MG42 offensively, it might be stronger, but you cant expect MG42 constantly rotating and moving during the fight, unlike maxim.

Use its mobility, other units (like mortars flares to see when to pop up sustain fire) and you will see that its not half as bad as forum warriors tend to present it.

But if you want to rant that MG42\36 is better then sure. MG42 is better and it easier to use, since most of the time its just possition and forget unless flanked\attacked by inderect. Does it mean that maxim is just unusable shit? No, not even near, you just have to use it differently.

And its not true like at all. MG34\42 are defensive MGs, maxim is semi-offensive MG with Sustained Fire allowing it to actually defend something. But you realistically should always use sustained fire fire if possible, and you should do everything what is possible to have nessesery information to have maximum from it.

Maxim have advantages in terms of 6 models, the fact that cons can merge, good AOE, faster relocation, supperior damage and the fact that it wins 1v1 MG duels.

If you want to judge maxim by playing with it like its MG42 (place and forget) then for sure it will suck ass, if you will use it as it supposed to be used on its own way its a good MG with its own advanatages and disadvantages. If enemy is usuing MG42 offensively, it might be stronger, but you cant expect MG42 constantly rotating and moving during the fight, unlike maxim.

Use its mobility, other units (like mortars flares to see when to pop up sustain fire) and you will see that its not half as bad as forum warriors tend to present it.

But if you want to rant that MG42\36 is better then sure. MG42 is better and it easier to use, since most of the time its just possition and forget unless flanked\attacked by inderect. Does it mean that maxim is just unusable shit? No, not even near, you just have to use it differently.

Despite it being 6 men its wiped easier then other mg's. This is because:

It cant supress on time more often and gets naded frontaly far more often unless you feed it muni.
Its arc is smaller so it is flanked easier and needs to reposition more often leaving it vunerable.
The deathloop also makes sure that it gets wiped where other mg's get away. Its more like a 4 to 5 men mg tops. Merge helps ofsett this though.

Its mobility is only marganaly better and not enough to offset the points above.

Its damage is overated, i dont see it mowing down models as some claim it can. The only scenario it will drop models is if they try to nade it frontaly and the su player doesnt start retreating or another squad is also shooting the nading squad.

You are right that the maxim is usable just not in the same way as the mg42/34. But its not usable or better yet viable in other ways.
As you said use it in conjuction with other units works. This is good on paper. The flare you mentioned costs 40 muni and then onther 25ish muni for sustained fire, so thats 500 mp and 65 muni to have it work its its best without tech costs included.
The mg42 just requires it and a pio for 460mp to be at their peak wich is also a lot better and that for lower cost and lower micro.
Its just not economicly viable, you get to few in return for higher cost and higher micro.

If it was actualy more mobile or its damage was noticably higher it would be in a lot better place.

gosh, why couldn't they just slap 120 degree firing arc on the dshk and tell us to use that instead

gosh, why couldn't they just slap 120 degree firing arc on the dshk and tell us to use that instead

I for one would like to see the DSHK have a similar profile to the MG-42 as an Alternative. Picking a Commander with DSHK and then opening with Maxim's doesn't give you much incentive to pick up the DSHK as they are too similar in nature.

Spray and Pray bulletin was nerfed and currently only offers 1% suppression (if I remember correctly) the description was not updated.

There are also other bulletin that help with suppression.

Not sure why they didn't update the description, literally like 5 seconds of work.

Spray & Pray bulletin is next to useless yes.

4% rate of fire and double +10% veterancy bulletins is the best bulletin combo

The Double Vet Bulletins are great though im surprised it has been in the game for this long has not gotten nerfed being as they are one of the few bulletins in the game which are useful. Was hoping the bulletin system would get a full rework but that is unlikely at this point.



Anyway Maxim is a good unit but I would say is one of the few units in the game where bulletins actually matter and it needs to be used offensively. If you are camping and waiting for them to come to you like the MG-42 you are doing it wrong.

Generally speaking the best usage of Maxim (T2 Opening) is to grab as much territory as possible and quickly hit the CP points needed to call in Shocks/Guards followed by T-70 and constantly apply pressure the entire match. You have to be aggressive and use the Maxim in combination with your infantry. Most of the time people lose with Soviets because they fail to capitalize on the Mid Game Strength of the Faction.

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Not sure why they didn't update the description, literally like 5 seconds of work.
...

I do not either.

Actually there are many small things than need a clean up and the also includes bulletins.

And its not true like at all. MG34\42 are defensive MGs, maxim is semi-offensive MG with Sustained Fire allowing it to actually defend something. But you realistically should always use sustained fire fire if possible, and you should do everything what is possible to have nessesery information to have maximum from it.

HMG needs more careful positioning, while Maxim can be used more recklessly, especially early game, but that does not mean Axis MGs can't be used, or less effective as offensive HMG compared to Maxim.
I'd argue that is some situation maxim could a better defensive HMG, because of its mobility and be able to suppress both the bait and the flanking squad separately.

The HMG is quite crap. You get it only if you absolutely have to do it and you don't have a DShKa, or to annoy an OKW player xD

The HMG is quite crap. You get it only if you absolutely have to do it and you don't have a DShKa, or to annoy an OKW player xD

Idk, you can make it work and its not a complete waste of MP to begin with. It could have been better or maybe skipping it sometimes is a better chose.

Its not a "must have" or "always usefull" unit that for sure. But again, only MG42 is a must have and always usefull HMG in the game to begin with.

Idk, you can make it work and its not a complete waste of MP to begin with. It could have been better or maybe skipping it sometimes is a better chose.

Its not a "must have" or "always usefull" unit that for sure. But again, only MG42 is a must have and always usefull HMG in the game to begin with.

you can make it work and people are using it at almost every rank, but the inconsistency kills it.

I like HMG34, despite people hating on it a lot. In 2v2 I built it every game.
If I put all HMGs in descending orders my picks would be HMG42, DShKa, HMG34, .50cal, Vickers and the last would be Maxim for sure. The first two are excellent, 34 and .50 are good, Vickers is OK and Maxim is meh.