Viable UKF strats

I wonder how to play UKF to its full potential.

Seems to be quite hard as there are very view casts with UKF around, people seem to prefer US these days. I would like to start a discussion on viable UKF strategies, and what are current challenges to the faction.

Following OCF, the main strat seems to be to rush T3:
T1 IS - IS - Vickers
T2 Sniper - Engineer - 17 Pounder
T3 Centaur or Cromwell as shock unit

I observe now that everyone seems to expect this UKF play, with following counterplays
1. G43 spam (either on grenardiers or panzerfusiliers) to fight british infantry and sniper
2. LEIG or mortar spam to dislodge UKF team weapons in the mid game
3. rush to P4, hardcounter centaur together with PAK (OH), or Jagd-P4 followed by Panther (OKW)

What is the usual strat you try to pull off as UKF?
What counterplays do you face most often?
How do you adapt to these?

vickers - IS - Bolstersqad/IS - Bolstersqad/IS (fuel depending...)
asap t2 - Engineer - Atgun - Engineer - defensive placed mortarpit (somtimes)

more engineers/atguns (depending on what the enemy has on the field)

until enough fuel for t3 centaur/cromwell (depending on what the enemy has on the field) - Anvil

I know this is not the most efficient way to play earlygame, but I tend to lose snipers realy quick and engineers are nice for flanking.

Commander I take pretty much always is "Special Weapons Regiment".
I get atleast 1 AT-IS , because spotting the enemys Tanks/vehicles on the map is just priceless. When I lose normal IS I replace them with AT-IS.
Sometimes ,depending on the map I even get the halftrack.

Later in the game the offmap-artillery and "hold the line" are realy nice tools to turn the game in my favaour.
Croc is a nice bonus, but not allways a good choice. When in doubt I would rather get another cromwell.

Ost- players tend to go for mg42 - pio - t1 - gren - sniper/gren etc... into Pakwall - stug/ostwind and the inevitable Tiger.
Haven´t played against osttruppen so far.

OKW-Players tend to get a second or even a third S.Pio-squad and try to wipe out my IS or vickers early.

Before I get Bolstersquads and engineers I am in trouble and have to retreat early to prevent Squadwipes or too much MP-losses.
In some matches I was reduced to a few sectors before I managed to get hold on Fuel/ammo and atleast 1 VP.
Thats maybe because of my inability to use the sniper.

I never get a UC because it would delay Bolster/t2 and I am not sure If the UC could make the earlygame easier for me.

Pretty much every match I won so far I had a comeback (30-100 vps left, opponent 400+). Last match I had exactly 1vp left while the ostplayer had around 400 (very defensive player ostwind+paks+mg), I won because he quitted after loosing pretty much his whole army because of my desperate yolo-lastchance-attack.

snip

Replay please, I really want to see that and have a good laugh.

Replay please, I really want to see that and have a good laugh.

The replay
have a good laugh about my mistakes nextleveltactics and about the opponent.

With the flame +ISG nerf, emplacements are viable now, oh and Firefly is amazing vs heavy tanks.
My strat:
3 IS (Send the first IS to the enemy cutoff or nearest VP/fuel, preferably those points that building can overlook, 2nd IS cap 1VP than assist 1st IS if needed, 3rd IS cap point/fuel) than
MG if the other guy go Osttruppen/Gren/Volk spam
Else T2 => RE => Mortar Pit + Bofor (The order and placement is entirely dependent on you, the general rule is open space for Bofor, Mortar Pit behind shot blocker, place them so that Mortar Pit can cover 2 VP and Bofor can cover 1 VP and your cutoff, again highly dependent on map, veto shit like Minsk Pocket and Road to Kharkov, you can't destroy those annoying trees, seriously trees can withstand 290mm Spigot round wtf).
After that it really depends, get ATG if you think the other guy rush vehicle (you can also consider getting ATG before emplacements against strat like OKW Mechanized HQ or Stug E).

Hopefully after getting yourself a nice and shiny triplex of Bofor Mortar Pit and Forward Assembly (Don't dis this building, reinforce + Emplacements bonus is really good, do remember to use Bofor Barrage, it completely demolish blob and any heavy weapons in the radius).
T3: Cromwell if your opponent like to use PzIV or Ostwind, else goes Firefly or Churchill
Why Firefly? This tank have crazy pen and hax-acc (seriously the gun is like a hit-scan weapon), with 2 of these guys you can even kill Elefant from the front. Tulips is perfect for those big fat Axis heavies. In ultra late game, 2 Firefly + Hammer package (Speed + Tracking) and Axis player might forget about their armor.
Using Firefly: This tank is made for shoot and scoot, while the alpha is amazing, it has shit reload (unless it was vetted and/or command bonus) so just advance, shoot and reverse. Rinse and repeat until the Axis tank go away. Do not use it like a mobile 6-pounder, think of these guys as Sniper. Do it enough time and you can even bait the enemy into 6-pounder/Mines trap.

If Axis decides to play PzIV horde, go Churchill, Firefly has trouble trading hit with a Puma, while Churchill, well a Churchill + ATG wall + command vehicle and might as well told them to 'Come at me Bro'.

In general, playing Brit is about unit preservation and map control, always keep at least 1 VP because without Mortar/Sniper Support IS sucks at attacking.

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  vietnamabc

  japas64

  My UKF strat

  by: vietnamabc map: Angoville

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  vietnamabc

  powermonkely

  Firefly Ace

  by: vietnamabc map: Angoville

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  vietnamabc

  PanzerGeneral

  Firefly strikes again

  by: vietnamabc map: Langreskaya

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Counter: usually I lose due to Volks or Gren + Sniper argressive game play, Axis player vs UKF is like Soviet vs OH: multiple Volks/Gren attacking from different direction: disrupting the UKF, do not give them room to establish emplacements. As long as you can build a nice triplex, everything is replaceable. Brit is most vulnerable in midgame when establishing emplacements, after that it's like playing in ez mode.
Just my 2 cents after 50+ game as UKF, any feedback is welcomed.

Another replay vs OKW, Mortar Pit reigns supreme in the indirect fire department, even LeIG abuse is no match.

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  vietnamabc

  SexPistole

  Mortar Pit pwnage

  by: vietnamabc map: Arnhem Checkpoint

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Replay please, I really want to see that and have a good laugh.

If I find anyone having "a good laugh" when a poster asks for help over a replay, there will be hell to pay.

If I find anyone having "a good laugh" when a poster asks for help over a replay, there will be hell to pay.

My, my, I meant I'd laugh at the moment his enemy's heart breaks after losing all his troops having 1 vp left to win.

I'd also like to know how to counter panzerfusilieres with G43 without a vickers, and OKW's Leig, as they always get one as soon as I finish my mortar emplacement.

My, my, I meant I'd laugh at the moment his enemy's heart breaks after losing all his troops having 1 vp left to win.

I'd also like to know how to counter panzerfusilieres with G43 without a vickers, and OKW's Leig, as they always get one as soon as I finish my mortar emplacement.

Against panzerfusillers, Vickers are really needed or if you don't have it, try to engage them under mortar pit range, it slaughter blob. Against LeIG Brit have no counter, the best is to go Royal Engineer and tough it out, on the plus side, LeIG means less volk/panzerfusiller so you can run around cap his points.

Thanks, these are great suggestions.

Do you always go Royal Enginerr when playing emplcement heavey? Or are other commanders complementing this strategy as well?

Alternatively, Special Weapons compliments defensive playstyle very well. AT IS if Axis go light vehicle focus, Hold the line and your IS can tank for your emplacements and Croc is always good.

Hmmm, I soo would like to establish a stronghold with a forwardretreatpoint, bofors, mortarpit and a commandvehicle to buff them all...
But aren´t there too many counters to that? I mean like WalkingStuka, leig, mortar and offmap artillery or close air support...

Also, since my snipermicro is nonexistant, would it make sense to put a sniper into the bofors? In theory the sniper inside the bofors would give it increased sightrange + he could cripple any vehicle that trys to attack, or maybe put a unit with piats inside of it?

Thanks, these are great suggestions.

Do you always go Royal Enginerr when playing emplcement heavey? Or are other commanders complementing this strategy as well?

Commandos are a good choice with this playstyle imo. Smoke raid operation is ideal for maintaining map control, since you'll have much less units building multiple emplacements.

Commandos themselves also complement it.

Special weapons regiment is also good. A couple squads of tommies in the halftrack can be a brutal defense force, and tank hunters synergize extremely well with the 17 lber since they detect vehicles on the mini map.

Being able to skip weapon racks is also nice, since you can drop vickers lmg's from the halftrack.

I've found this sort of strategy works really well, since the 17lber 2 shots medium tanks (and has surprising range, which catches players off guard. ) It can lock down half the map sometimes, and when backed up by vickers/bofors it's really hard to kill.

Here's some replays where I do this in 1v1.

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  Dullahan

  IIEXITIIITemplariusz

  Emplacement Strats in 1v1

  by: Dullahan map: Crossing in the Woods

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  Dullahan

  GhostEddy

  Brit vs Ost- Emplacement Strats

  by: Dullahan map: Road to Kharkov

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  Dullahan

  SkyGrenadier

  Brit Emplacements vs Double ISG

  by: Dullahan map: Road to Kharkov

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