ISU152

I have no idea how to tackle this guy.

Between getting constantly squad wiped, the screen of gaurds and ridiculous heavy armour I have no clue how to deal with him.

1v1, 2v2, 3v3, or 4v4? Also If the Soviets got to ISU-152 how did they get other armor? You might need to fight for the fuel more. Otherwise flanking works the best, try to draw it out and then swarm it with volks/shrecks and puppenchan from the sides/behind.

Do you have a replay which we can watch, please, sinthe? This often helps.

I can't figure out how to post a replay

Just frustrated. Generally, with soviet call ins. I've figured out how to handle most of the big stuff. It's just the ISU152. A racketen was squad wiped, I had 4 volks with schrecks lost, blobed Guards ate my flanking pumas, and my Jagdpanzer couldn't hit it anywhere but head on and most of the shots didn't pen.

If I expect this should I hold out for the Jadgtiger? OR go for a king tiger?

Also 1v1

Well, usually, you will want to put on the pressure and win before he gets the isu-152, if he is saving up for one, it should be fairly obvious because of no tanks, and 260 fuel is very expensive. So use your armor and infantry to crush him before he gets the ISU-152. If he does end up getting one, a MASSIVE , all out assault needs to be made. Infantry and tank coordination are key here. Some effective off map to break his support weapons is also very usefull (for example fallshirmjager + stuka strafing run ability). Do not bumrush the isu-152 just with tanks. Always support with infantry.

I understand that I need to keep them off fuel, it's just not always an option as OKW.

The squad wiping is what was hurting the most with it's range. I was trying to keep guards at bay with mgs, Squad wipe. trying to ensare/damage engine with a fallsch, Squad wipe. attack with a JagdP while running up schrecked volks. lost 3 squads of volks to the tank and screening guards. Losing my flanking pumas was my fault, I didn't know the guards had that much DPS. On top of that really heavy frontal armour makes it difficult.

I have no issues with IS-2, KV-8 or KV-1.

I can't figure out how to post a replay

..........

Try this

http://www.coh2.org/replay/upload

I'll upload when I get back on Monday.

Don't get me wrong, I'm not screaming ISU152 is OP. I have very little experience this commander. I knew he was going for it because I looked at his commanders prior to the game. I just thought I could tackle it like a IS2.

if I think he's going guard should I bother with pumas?

would fusiler and the Le IG be a better start to maintain map control?

IMHO, in 1v1, the best way to beat that heavy bastard is to sneak into defense & heavy flank it with puma's, target weak point his fat ass and watch it burn ! However, you can choose Breakout doctrine & try to counter it with Jagtiger ... Last luxuary option : rush for KT.

Hey,

I truly hate the ISU but here's some of the things I do to handle it (some of this has been said already in the thread)


Best doc is probably fusiliers, then you have the option of a Jagd. But it's possible without.

1. Build a panther (I know it's not so simple)
2. WHen ISU comes, avoid the part of the map he is in. Pull back, go to the sides, stay out of his range where possible. This will: A- reduce squad wipes, B make him move his ISU further forward
3. Once the ISU is out of position and his guards are not so close, move your infantry in from behind. Fusiliers with G43 will help you sight it.
4. When the ISU turns around to target the infantry behind him, run in the panther (have the units in groups for easy control). The anther will be able to get close to circle strafe without taking a shot to the face. And his rear armour will be exposed.
4.5: when he turns back to face the panther, run your fusiliers in and throw as many AT nades as possible to get an engine crit.
5. When his guards come over to button, have a second group of inf (volks) come in with grenades. drop as many nades as possible on the guards. They will have to move and cancel button or get wiped.
6. A puma is a nice option here too, IF you can keep it alive with vet until this stage. If guards appear, keep it back in a defensive role until the inevitable ISU.
7. If you can also save up for an arty strike to drop at the same time, it could be useful. Use it if he's retreating backinto his own sector so the arty will drop on his ISU and support units. The smoke that follows will also help for a second assault
8. If you're not sure you can close in and get the kill, retreat and hold on for another vehicle. It'll be a while before he can repair, so get some mines down, cap the map back and prepare for another attack!

Also, as someone pointed out, you may be making some mistakes early on if he's able to get out an ISU and keep all his support units. BUT that's not for sure. Take a look at your early game too to see if you can improve it and make the late-game easier.


It can be a horrendous unit to fight, I wish you luck!

Holding out for a KT can work but you will need shreck volks for AT support, Obers to clear out enemy Mg/AT gun's and maybe even a Stuka to help soften up the MG's/AT guns.

While holding out, try to go where the ISU isn't if you can pull it one way with your Obers and flank with Shreck volks it can go down quite fast.

you have to prepare for heavy tanks throughout the game. you do this by:

1. unit preservation

2. wiping enemy squads

the more units you have alive when the ISU152 hits the field, the easier for you to deal with it. Shrek'd volks are cheap, durable, and have an AT weapon. You should try to keep 3-4 squads alive through the game. By the time the ISU152 hits they should be vet 3-5. Raketens are also good, but are easily killed by the ISU, but its good to have one or two for the extra tank hunting power. having high vet raketenwerfers will allow you to deal mroe damage and logner range and with greater chance to penetrate.

to get rid of the guards screen you are facing, you'll want to try to wipe squads before the enemy even brings in their heavy armor. Chase after retreating squads with your units to get that last second retreat kill, use fallschirmjager and JLI to cut off retreating squads and cut them down etc. squad wiping in general is very difficult with the Axis but its possible.

If youre still dealing with enemy infantry by the ISU hits, you'll want a stuka and obers to deal with them. to a combined attack from multiple directions, use your stuka and obers to force the guards off, while your volks and raketenwerfers + any armor you might have attack from two different angles to surround and destroy the ISU. Volks shreks actually deal pretty good damage against the rear armor of the ISU, and with 3-4 squads it only takes a few volleys to bring it down.

Jagdtiger, or be ready to suffer wipe after wipe.

Remember that it has no turret, its biggest weakness. Most people's micro of it makes me laugh when they need to move it defensively.

You should have your own jagd or a KT to deal with it. Guards are not very good DPS even with DPs and obers or fusiliers are more tailored to deal with them than volks.

And as others have said, if you lose the early game so badly, with ANY faction, your chances of winning are always slim. Soviet heavies can get them out of a bind, but US has no Pershing or anything to come save the day for sucking early on, so use that to your advantage.

You just need a jadgepanzer + some other AT source like a puma. I've seen good players use this effectively.

It has 60 range, good penetration, and the ISU can often miss at that range

If your jadgepanzer gets hurt, you can quickly reverse to a repair truck, and repair more quickly and safely than the ISU.

The superior vet system of OKW also means that trading off hits / stalling will favour you. Your tank will only get much better.



Rushing for KTs or Jadgetiger isn't viable. An ISU can come out at 20 mins, even if you manage to harass his fuel. However, if you can manage a KT at a reasonable time, it's a good choice, better than the jadgetiger since it can also deal with AT guns / infantry.

http://www.coh2.org/replay/21730/isu152--multiple-squad-wipe--surrender

Just some notes:

-I was definatley out played by my oppenent
-I was expecting soviet industry so i went for fast puma
-Should have been laying mines way earlier
-My unit preservation sucked
-Lost my Pumas to guards trying to catch an SU85 of guard
-Should have went t4 instead of back teching

I just had a chance to watch the replay. It would seem that the rear armour is extremely thin and flanking would be devestating to it.