2v2 Team games: how do you escape tunnel vision?

When playing 2v2 Team games it happens again and again that me and my mate end up going complety separately against our enemies, completely without synergies of our forces.
Sometimes this works, sometimes not. However, it is NOT super effective and looks like this, Picture (1):


Then, if we coordinate a little more, we end up running against one front, but in waves. Pretty stupid as well, as you do not get the power of a fully synchronized attack. Especially against sim city like players.
This looks like that (2):



The solution pretty often would be pretty simple. Wait for each other, talk to each other and go for it, like that (3).



Far too often we fail to do this well.
Why?

Simply because the stress of our own fight keeps us busy. We do not take time to talk. We do not take time to wait for each other and so on. We have a super narrow tunnel vision on our small little war and do not see the whole picture. And often enough, if one player sees what is going on and even has a valid proposal, the mate is simply too stressed out to listen to him or to adapt his strategy to a coordinated attack.
This has been going for that for many years. So we are aware of this.
And usually we get one or two coordinated attacks in a game. But by far not on a regular basis.

My question to those of you who also experienced what I am talking about: Do you have any strategies that work for you and your mates to brake out of tunnel vision together and coordinate on a regular basis in a game?

Nice graphics :]

On a more serious note, the first thing you need is communication. i have no experience with randoms, the only game I played in 2v2 random was by accident: I thought I was searching 1v1 and the guy I got matched with said nothing. If you're doing random, you need to be able to talk fast, not necessarily lots, but enough to say "pak here" or "Flank coming" etc. if you're playing with a premade team, there is absolutely no reason to not use Teamspeak or Discord for voice communication.

The second aspect is strategic: spread your feelers. Recon, scouting, spotting scopes, anything to give vision, to provide both a literal map as well as forming a mental map of enemy forces so you know how to track them. Use probing attacks to feel for weaknesses on flanks, change a squad head in through smoke if you have to, just to get an idea of what they have. Now your brain has constructed a pattern: you know what is there, now to exploit it.

Keep your actions fluid. if your enemy expects you to attack head on, they reinforce head on. A lot of people avoid flanking because they fear that one MG that's waiting in a house. Most of the time, this only happens very early or late game, and it only occurs late game when the opponent float resources and think "Hmm, how can I better defend myself? I know, MG on the flank". The best defence is offense, keep them guessing. "Is he going right, left, forward?" They now have to defend multiple flanks, keeping them weak.

Next, smoke. Mortars have free smoke always, Ost doctrines may have Panzer Tactician or smoke bombs, Soviets have long range Heavy Mortar smoke, USF have smoke grenades, Brits have some doctrinal smoke, OKW have... err... Anyway, use smoke where you have it, if they can't see you they can't shoot you. They can attack ground, but this is limited and also costs them micro: if you can force an attack ground then AT guns will not auto-target vehicles unless told to, make use of it when flanking.

Don't get desperate. CoH 2 games take a long time, and when they're on 25vps and suddenly get the advantage, you get flustered fast. Always sit back, rebuild your forces after losses, and approach the game as if the playing field is equal. You have all the time in the world. Capture the VPs slowly, ensure your attack is enough to overwhelm them on that front before pushing on. You may get worried about them capping around: Don't be; capping means not fighting, not spotting, not repairing. They have taken the choice to divert resources elsewhere, so now you need to fight. Don't blindly purchase, wait to save for better investments: that PIV might look tempting, but in five minutes you may have a Panther, and it'll deflect AT gun shells and penetrate heavy armour much better. It's easy to resort to call ins too, and so the same applies in the other direction: That Tiger looks cool, but is it worth the cost? For that price you might get a Panzerwerfer and a Stug, both of which do two things to a degree of specialism, whereas the Tiger cannot do both at the same time... unless you have hacks.

Most importantly, don't get salty. The red mist descends when you start losing something you should win, but avoid raging. Keep a clear head and focus: you have a better chance of winning than they do because now they have a position you have the advantage in how you want to attack. Think about it: they must sit there, waiting for you, or risk pushing forward against your deeper positions. Most will wait, and this lets you play with them, but only if you're paying attention. BMing, shouting, slapping the keyboard, raging at your teammate, none of this helps you win, because when you're angry, you lose control. many games are lost by a salt inducing stalemate and believe me, if I noticed this situation arise when it does, I'd never lose a game, but I have lost a good many games to late comebacks.

And at the end of all that, you should have a recipe for salt free victory.

What it takes it some communication early on. Right when you see your teammate isn't afk, tell him "focus mid and north" or "mid and south" or whatever is easiest for your fuel and VP's. Work from there.

Something which is also very important is to keep an eye on his commander choice, or just ask him which one he's using. If you're double USF and both using Pershings, you're fucked when it comes to arty and that can lose you games.

Bottom line is it comes down to communication... That is easily the most important component to success.

Okay Swift, I'll just erase my post. :| Hahaha.

Okay Swift, I'll just erase my post. :| Hahaha.

No need

No need

Great post though!

Swift, thanks a lot for a very extensive answer! That is far more than I expected.

May be it helps even more if I add some:
99% I am with my mates on Teamspeak. And we do speak. And we both have an idea of what is going on on the field, where the enemy is and so on. That is all covered.

What we do not get to work on a regular basis is to break out of our own routines and coordinate. Far too often we end up playing two 1v1s in our 2v2s. Althoug we talk. And the reason for that is probably that the intense focus of our own little fight leaves not enough room to talk well or to listen to each other and really act as a team.
Does this seem familiar?

I have some idea.

1) You two not young persons.

if so then

2) You have reached to your both multitasking limitation.

if so then you cant improve this skill anymore

So if your opponents have better multitasking you cant do nothing against them in case that situation has place in more than one screen

I have one (watched to many 2v2 streams ).
To be sure that you are going to work together you should adjust your build orders. One goes more against infantry and the other against Tanks so you kinda have to work together.
Example: Wehrmacht > You build PIV and your mate goes for Panther. Or you go more support weapons and your mate more infantry.
Soviets > you go for T34s and Katusha and your mate goes for SUs
You get what i mean i hope

yea, got it, enforcing teamplay. A painful approach, and possible, why not

Yeah, and another thing to bear in mind is you need to judge your own and your allies engagements.

After engagements, watch the minimap. if you're struggling, get your unengaged ally to help, and if they're struggling, do what you can to help them. If they look like they lost territory, ask if they can help. if you're making a push that goes deep, after a cut-off say, ask for assistance. Teamwork need not be constant, but where you can work it in helps your overarching play as well as conserve bleed.

...
My question to those of you who also experienced what I am talking about: Do you have any strategies that work for you and your mates to brake out of tunnel vision together and coordinate on a regular basis in a game?

i think the most important thing is to learn how to let it go. just let it go. This happens to us most when we think we are just about to break our own opponent. we think "next wave, ill push this guy off and help". but of course the enemy has its own reinforcement and after 3 cycles, you made no progress and lost 200 vps. sometimes you just have to give up or 'tactically retreat' without actually being devastated.

when i am trying to coordinate attack with my bud (on his side) I move to middle unbeknownst to my dude. with a "feeler" left behind so we don't get outflanked out of nowhere.

one of the most successful games i had was when we were the ones setting up the tempo by swinging together and the enemy just simply could not keep up. one of the most devastating games i had was when the opposites are true.

I play with mate without mic, so we both write in chat waht we see, type of units, what truck OKW go if see, docs, where are some type of units of opponents, where thay move. I like play together, its better to make untis combinatons, its more fun, i really feel very good after some units combinations, pushes, like maxim/penals/snipers + rifles (tommies) push (its not work on some maps, coz sometimes better play in you flank). Its okey to send unit to help each other.
Show Spoiler

Basically, focus BOTH of your forces on the middle of the map/key point, have a defensive structure there and fight together around that area, from there you're able to push other parts of the map with ease. This also allows you to deal with enemy attacks effectively since your units are in the middle and easy to transfer where they're needed. Depends on the map a lot

Also focus on the minimap just in case your teammate Pings something etc so that you're able to react appropriately

If you are unable to communicate with your partner for whatever reason, my best advice is to attempt to duplicate strategies as little as possible. Pay attention to what they are doing.

If you both follow the same strategy, your opponents will only have to counter one strategy.

Utilize faction specific units as much as possible. For instance, if you are Ostheer and your partner is OKW, building snipers is almost always a good decision.

I have some idea.

1) You two not young persons.
2) You have reached to your both multitasking limitation.

I must confess: You do have a point here

I must confess: You do have a point here

Don't worry though.

This game doesn't demend such a insane Asian micro like Starcraft. Coh2 is more about tactic (very often cheese one ), strategy thinking, even more in a teamgames. I never count myself as a high skill micro player but with my mates we managed to get to the top of the top and beat many top-notch teams. Why?

1. Cooperation

2v2 is a team mode, it means you have to coop with your mate BUT It doesn't mean you have to always dp a scenario nr 2 or 3. Sometimes it's wise to go with your first scenario. Split, work on your sides, wait for perfect moment (keep talking to your mate, describe situation, what forces your opponent has on your side) to make suprisingly flank few sec later.
Best example: hunt down stuka/werfer/katiusha with your tanks or use flare and AT strafe behind enemy lines while you push with all your army.

2. Build order

More cheese strat you both make, bigger chance for victory. But being serious, before you play with your mate, think about your build orders. From the first min of the game to the last. For example as double okw 1 goes mech ->p2->stuka->command panther and second player goes med->t4->jp4/p4->KT/Sturmtiger/JT. Point is that your join army has a counter play for everything.

3. Maps

Sadly as i said it 1000 times maps are horrible, the worst in whole game. There are certain moves on certain maps you have to do to even survive to mid game. If you don't you loose map control, you get surounded, short speaking you loose.


Good idea is to watch replays or twitch games of high skill players. Look what they do in specific situations, try to copy it, implement to your strat.

I wish i helped

i always tell my teammate where i put my bofor & mortar.
after that, i'm too busy micro-ing the bofor to communicate, but sometimes i will put another bofor somewhere else and then tell him about the new bofor.

And finally, when comet goes out, i tell him i'm going to rush base ennemy.


i love communication

Lots of good advice here. You're right in that you want to avoid fighting side by side 1v1s, but if you focus too much on only one thing a good team will exploit that.

Here's the approach we take:
Look at the map and opponent army makeup, discuss where to focus at start.
Discuss likely build order (if I go lt my buddy will build aec, etc).
Double check enemy base to confirm enemy location.
Report initial enemy contact and activity.

After that it's about updating each other on what you know your partner can't see... Enemy tech, at guns, snipers, commanders, etc. As your tactical focus shifts from cutoffs and fuel to vps you need to talk more to make sure you're on the same page.

Also, think about your play style and keep your initial goals reasonable. You can't expect to win everywhere, but if you win your first engagement you can then expand, harass, or support your teammate.

Finally, keep in mind that 2v2s mean less spread than 1v1s, which makes flanking more difficult and risky.

Dont trust Stark, once he give advise for me too.