2v2 Help

I usually prefer 1v1 and I know that 2v2 balance will always be somewhat off, so I'm not whining about balance, but my cousin and I have really been struggling against Ostheer lately. Here's how our games usually roll...
- we go 2-3 conscripts/flamer M3/T1/T3/T34's....
- Ostheer struggles with map control for first 7-10min
- All of a sudden two PIV or a PIV and a Panther show up and we're screwed
- They roll our army and we try to fight them off eventually picking one or two off only to have two more already on the way. Meanwhile our fuel is tanked and we have little AT
- They start using constant strafes and have panthers and tigers all over, gg....

We need work on early game, not losing squads and transitioning better to armor/at, but even so we usually dominate the first ~10min and then tend to get rolled. What are we missing? One thing we have noticed is that there tends to be 2-4 blitz trucks which may be somewhat broken in 2v2's with shared resource income.

Go for SU-85s instead of T-34s.

I recommend that one choose 1(Special Rifle)->3(Tankoviy Battalion) build and the other 2(Support Weapon)->4(Mechanized Armor). Use SU-85 against PZ4 and try to hunt cargo truck with t-70. You'd better select tank destroyer bulletin, which can be easily unlocked in an AI match, because 10% increased range for SU-85 is huge difference.

I play mostly 2v2's, and a lot more Ostheer because I like their playstyle. Far from excellent at this, but here's how I "read" my opponents in 2v2, it may help you udnerstand how your Ostheer opponent will react to you.

Early Game
There's basically three basic soviet strategies, with a couple of variations between them right now (each player will choose one of these, or go heavy on the same):

1)Conscript heavy
2)Scout Cars
3)Maxim Rush

If as Ostheer you DONT see conscripts early on, then you are almost guaranteed the other two. Most likely scout cars, so as a Soviet, expect an Sdkfz 222 from germans, so the player supporting scout cars needs AT nades pronto.

If you went Maxim, then you can 100% expect them to come with flamer HT. Guards and T2 Zis can help put it out of its misery, but HIDE that ZiS so the germans get careless with the Flamer HT.

Mid Game
Basically, in order to stay competitive in 2v2, the germans need both PGrens and PIV's, so expect those will come in good numbers. Here's why:

PGrens with shreks are the only viable counter to SU-85 in 2v2, I feel. A PIV needs to go around it, and a well micro'ed SU-85 will not be facing this situation, especially on such big maps where soviets swarm.PIV's, on the other hand, FORCE the soviets to go T4, because frankly, T34's will lose the war eventually.

An SU-85 bring fear to any PIV user, even in pairs if supported with AT nades or even a ZiS. The solution to PGrens? Shock troops win almost every time, and if the KV-8 rolls in, the maintenance for Ostheer players have to pay to reinforce PGrens pay back for it fast. Either you or your teammate NEEDS shock troops on the field, one way or another to prevent PGrens from rolling you.

Late Game
Late game is almost a dice roll, if it hasnt been decided by now. if you guys have an ISU-152, one to one, it will beat their heavy tanks and infantry. if they have managed to lock themselves down though, you simply won't steamroll the germans as easy because they have more armored versatility.

Heres the most important part:

FORGET fuel in the early game. Try to secure it, its important, but the priority should be munitions. Without munitions, they cant bring their Flamer halftracks, their shreks, their fausts, and that gives you the advantage in the early war, which helps you secure fuel and obviously the game.

A lot of this stuff sounds basic, and it is. I am by no means a good soviet player, but even when I do play, I keep the things I do as Ostheer in mind, to counter them. It usually works okay. The advantage soviets have in 2v2 is that you can choose two points in the map, and deny them early on. There's very little chances the german player has to win those early engagements.

Very good write-up, thanks Combat!

No problem, hope it helps you.

I'm sure there's other, more advanced strategies other people use especially depending on maps and team synergy.

Try put some guards in a scout car and hunt down the trucks if you are having problems with them.

thank you combat and Kuruz, im having the same problem, you put some good ideas in my head!