Help countering fast PGrens

My early game on the Soviet side is pretty much Conscript spam. I try to follow that up in the mid-game with a quick T-34. I'm admittedly not a great play, but I'm able to win about 60% of my games with this strategy and manage to be competitive in most of the ones I lose...until lately.

I've been running into a German strategy that sacrifices early map control for a quick Tier 2. They only build two grens from Tier 1 and maybe one additional engineer. No support units (MGs, snipers, or mortars). In the very early game, I'm able to dominate the map, but at around the 6-7 minute mark (don't quote me on the exact timing), a couple PGren squads hit the field and manage to push me off the map. Maybe 6-7 minutes isn't that early for a PGren, but they seem to churn out 2 or 3 in no time, like they were saving up the manpower until T2 was built. By the time I get my T-34 out at around the 8-minute mark, one of the PGren squads is about to get shreks and there's a good chance they have a Pak on the way.

I think the obvious counter to this is Shock Troops, which I've tried. And maybe that is the right answer and I've just been outplayed (which is entirely possible). In one of the games, I think I was trying too hard to hold off the PGrens with my Conscripts and was draining manpower to reinforce them. As a result, I was only able to afford one squad of Shock Troops before the game was already pretty much over.

Any ideas on how to adapt my strategy once I see that early PGren squad? Or maybe I need a more versatile/flexible early build that will stand a better chance when this happens.

Flame/Sniper Clown cars + Guards / mines

Flame/Sniper Clown cars + Guards / mines

I usually skip Soviet T1, unless I see multiple MGs...in which case I get it for a clown car to run the MGs off the field.

Can you recommend a well-rounded early build order and commander choice that incorporates Soviet T1?

I'd say there's four keys to countering fast T2 PG spam:

1. Exploit the early game. Recognize their lack of MGs and start capturing, hard. Especially make sure to deny them both fuels, which should be easy since you'll have more units.
2. Build just enough units to do the job, and no more. If he has two grens and a pioneer, you need no more than four Conscripts squads and could possibly get away with three.
3. Put up a Fuel Depot with your excess manpower, to even further the fuel gap. (see #1, denying his fuel)
4. Figure out what you'll do with all that fuel. You could start with a T-34 and see how long it takes him to get an AT gun. If he busts out the infantry AT, follow up with rocket trucks and Doctrine artillery. Alternatively, skip the T-34 altogether (you can do this if you've denied both fuels, as he then literally has no chance at getting a Stug or stronger onto the field) and just get SU-76s and rocket trucks. The free barrages are insanely good against slow infantry.

Don't be afraid to get MG teams, either. PGs are really slow and expensive, and they're totally useless when suppressed. The fast setup and pickup times of the Maxim (vs. the MG42) makes it much easier to use against PGs.

Hope that helps!

edit: Shock Troops can go toe to toe with PGs, but the point here is not to fight to a draw. Spamming them will only give him more time to bring his tech to bear. Tech "ahead" of him, not to the same level.

Early T-70 counters PzGrens. Even if they get Panzerschreck you can easily kite them. (T-70 has longer range than schreck.)

build mgs

I was thinking that the newly buffed T-70 might be worth a shot. Especially considering I can probably get it out before the PGrens have upgraded to schreks.

I like the MG idea also, I'm still stuck in the Closed Beta mindset where the Maxim's cone of fire was comparable to a drinking straw.

Don't underestimate the maxim. The maxim has incredible killing power that most players haven't discovered.

instaly build t2, build 1 script, then spam 3 mg's, build a secound script. you know have a very heavy anti infantry force. which starts slow but really gives you controll.

Flame/Sniper Clown cars + Guards / mines

I use this strategy of fast Pgrens myself and I can tell you that the flame/sniper clown cars do not work.

I'll simply build a scout car to counter you clown car. And if you build snipers, I'll keep an unupgunned scout car to chase your snipers away. Guards get countered by Pgrens. But mines can work though.

Personally, I find when I use this strategy, I tend to have a lot more trouble from the Russki T2 than T1 although flanking with a HT and then dropping my Pgrens will tend to solve my problems against T2 anyway.

In any case, I find that the T2 start hard counters a russki T1 start (if you get your initial timings correct and esp if they're not great at retreating units).

You have many kind of choice.

T1 -> flamer in M3, sniper.
T2 -> MG (but sometimes it's not enough)
fast T3 -> T70(it's really effective, but it's mostly late.)

and PPSH+HtD conscript is useful.


Shocks is the best solution. but maybe almost you need Guards. (to against FHT or Scout car)

in addition, Pgrens can't beat Guards in M3. Scout cars too.

They have more longer range. and fast enough.