Katyusha “Creeping Barrage” vs. Stuka zu Fuß Barrage

To be completely honest, I don't use the Creeping Barrage ability too terribly often, but when I use it like I would a Stuka (I.E. line up the first rockets with a teamweapon, following it's retreat path) I find that the Katyusha is actually pretty effective in wiping squads.

I personally would say the Katyusha's C.B. is comparable only in wiping teamweapons on the first strike. The other rockets arrive way quicker from the Stuka so it's way better at wiping multiple MGs, mortars, etc.

It could just be my perception of it but i think the Stuka barrage hits considerably harder than either the creeping or the normal one from the Katyusha.

That said, i think you get a little bit more time to react to it when you first hear the launch, so it's easier to dodge... if you don't though, it hurts. Katy feels a bit less consistant with it's damage, unless its used like a shotgun.

The Stuka is definetly better, but the Katy is good enough that it is worth using against a single MG or AT as most players aren’t expecting it. I find that it works great at destroying PAK43 as multiple rockets will hit the gun directly

As someone who rather frequently uses the katy barrage ability;

compared to the normal katy barrage:
+Katyusha creeping barrages are more consistent than the normal barrage, their damage is more so concentrated into a wide "lane". Its also more accurate at longer ranges relative to the standard katyusha barrage
+very good in surgical strikes deep into enemy frontline, rockets are consistently going to kill, IF they land - they travel slowly across the ability path, infantry can run at the same pace
+EXCEPTIONALLY efficient in striking buildings, it is an AMAZING ability to attack OKW buildings and other emplacements
-creeping barrage advances slowly, this can and will become a problem if the initial rockets do not strike and the enemy is alert.
-the barrage costs ammunition (with multiple katy, you will feel this become an issue pretty soon)
-easier to dodge than an ordinary katyusha strike (though this depends on RNG)

Compared to the walking stuka:
-+Wider "lane" effect, thus wider field of damage.
+katy has stronger anti building damage, though the stuka doesn't lag far behind at all
-the walking stuka's barrage can be considered a bit more consistent, it also fires faster, meaning that its less exposed to counterbarrage and the rockets land easier
-both katy creeping barrage and stuka barrage can be dodged, though support weapons often cant do it in time

I'd say that neither are superior to the other though, both get to be spammed in team games anyway

+EXCEPTIONALLY efficient in striking buildings, it is an AMAZING ability to attack OKW buildings and other emplacements

Ooh. I'll have to try that out. Definitely sounds really good.

Ooh. I'll have to try that out. Definitely sounds really good.

the katyusha creeping barrage has more or less the same accuracy at all ranges, unlike the default barrage. The rockets land in a lane pattern, so okw buildings in particular can eat up most of them without relying on RNG to kill them all (very close range katy should use default barrage tho)

Katy is very rng reliant (IMO) on killing support weapons on range, but this ability can efficiently hit them at longer ranges. The barrage travels quite slowly, they can see the barrage and possibly dodge, but you can always aim for the first rockets to land at the support weapons and kill in the first volley



a rarer application of the creeping barrage is to do....creeping barrage tactics, lol. Seeing axis infantry formations advancing via recon? cut one of their advancing paths by using the creeping barrage, though this isn't exactly a good tactic due to how unreliable it is

As someone who rather frequently uses the katy barrage ability;

compared to the normal katy barrage:
+Katyusha creeping barrages are more consistent than the normal barrage, their damage is more so concentrated into a wide "lane". Its also more accurate at longer ranges relative to the standard katyusha barrage
+very good in surgical strikes deep into enemy frontline, rockets are consistently going to kill, IF they land'
+EXCEPTIONALLY efficient in striking buildings, it is an AMAZING ability to attack OKW buildings and other emplacements
-creeping barrage advances slowly, this can and will become a problem if the initial rockets do not strike and the enemy is alert.
-the barrage costs ammunition (with multiple katy, you will feel this become an issue pretty soon)
-easier to dodge than an ordinary katyusha strike (though this depends on RNG)

Compared to the walking stuka:
-+Wider "lane" effect, thus wider field of damage.
+katy has stronger anti building damage, though the stuka doesn't lag far behind at all
-the walking stuka's barrage can be considered a bit more consistent, it also fires faster, meaning that its less exposed to counterbarrage and the rockets land easier
-both katy creeping barrage and stuka barrage can be dodged, though support weapons often cant do it in time

I'd say that neither are superior to the other though, both get to be spammed in team games anyway

+1 Good summary.

I'd like to emphasize the range of the the katy creeping barrage. You can fire it from max range like the stuka with an additional 40% range and it is still 100% accurate to the target line. Can be fired from red ball base sectors to the mid VP (probably). Its range is absolutely massive.

Doesnt the vet 1 katyusha barrage also fire 20 rockets instead of 16?

Doesnt the vet 1 katyusha barrage also fire 20 rockets instead of 16?

It actually fires 24 rockets instead of 16

The katy creeping barrage is in most scenarios a lot better than the stuka;

The stuka advantage lies in that they all hit approximately on the same time, however that's twosided.
Even really good players dont expect creeping barrage, and thus they usually stand close enough to the initial barrage that subsequent barrages can be absolutely devastating from the katy, depending on how you align it. Its usually the first barrage that is the most important with the katy, and using creeping barrage you basically get *multiple* "first barrages" as it changes position, and it can be really hard to tell where its firing.

I've come to notice that people simply dont try to dodge the creeping barrage, as they dont expect it and usually just expect the ordinary barrage. They also vastly underestimate how many barrages it does, as it goes quite a bit further than a stuka barrage does.

The time from firing and landing is also way faster on the katy, and if you're really close shotgunning a creeping barrage will almost always instantly get you the kill compared to the normal barrage, as the rockets spread way less using creeping.
Comparatively, the stuka takes a huge time before reaching its target no matter distance.

as it goes quite a bit further than a stuka barrage does.

Comparison of stuka and katyusha creeping barrage:



As you can see the stuka barrage is stretched out a bit more, while the katyusha creeping barrage has more AoE to the sides.

Also worth mentioning that the katyusha rockets ofc land much closer together, thus making the "dead zone" bigger whereas the stuka rockets land kind of far away from each other, which leaves room for a squad to survive between the rockets.


And even with this I find it hard to determine which barrage performs better.. the katy creeping barrage is vet 1, costs 40 ammo and it has way less punch against vehicles. It's also harder to "snipe" bunched up stuff with the katyusha imo whereas with the stuka you always know the 1st rocket lands on the 3rd chevron

The big question mark for me is: Is it really worth the additional muni cost?

40 mun is not a "huge" cost, but you'll get the normal barrage for free. The first 2-3 salvos will usually land in an area that your opponent will vacate anyway once he knows where the barrage is aimed at, even if he thinks it were a normal barrage. And if he is looking at the front line and notices the Katy hitting unusually close to his troops afterwards, he might just dodge it alltogether.

I've always opted for the normal barrage and put those 40 mun somewhere else.

I rarely use creeping barrage on Katy unless I'm targeting OKW tech building. Use normal barrage in almost all other circumstances while trying to get as close as possible

Stuka creeping barrage is the better of the two CBs imo, but Katy does get more range which has to be said

The big question mark for me is: Is it really worth the additional muni cost?

If you are attacking the stationary building, yes. Otherwise, just use a normal barrage.

The big question mark for me is: Is it really worth the additional muni cost?

40 mun is not a "huge" cost, but you'll get the normal barrage for free. The first 2-3 salvos will usually land in an area that your opponent will vacate anyway once he knows where the barrage is aimed at, even if he thinks it were a normal barrage. And if he is looking at the front line and notices the Katy hitting unusually close to his troops afterwards, he might just dodge it alltogether.

I've always opted for the normal barrage and put those 40 mun somewhere else.

With blobs, shotgunning your Katy with the normal barrage is still your best bet, but the consistent long range accuracy of the creeping barrage is huge, and it can and will punish team weapon spam. I've noticed it can also consistently destroy or decrew pak 43s behind shot blockers, which can otherwise be a pretty big challenge without off maps.