other things you can try this patch.
"M3's are amazing"
build t1 close to edge of base sector for reinforce stuff, etc etc.
1 con
1 m3
2-3 more cons
flamethrower on combat engineers asap
the key to this strategy is mostly to get early game pressure done with the m3, note that some maps have terrible unit pathing and you should avoid building an m3 on those maps/are too close quarters/too much green cover (EG. minsk, stalingrad) This build has some huge weaknesses to gren spam/fast AC spam if you don't know timings, also if you build an m3 and get no damage in your opponent is ahead. Remember to not be afraid to be aggressive right at the start of the game with the m3, go find his pioneers and shoot at them from medium/far range. Once you have flamethrower engineers, it becomes a game of finding either mgs, units in buildings, or single gren squads, make sure to charge them and toast them, also be sure to chase retreating units as much as possible in the early game with the m3/flamer. basically if you do well enough on most maps you should feel ahead enough to go for whatever tier you want, though i prefer to skip t3/t4 and save for t3485s, you do have to get at least t2 to support yourself with maxims/zis in the mid-late game when they can have stugs out while you just have guards and not enough cps to get tanks.
Basically with the m3 strategy I would 100% go guards because if you get enough damage in, you will have 2 cps before/just as they get to t2 and thus have guards ready to deal with the ac attempt to counter your m3, which guards commander you like is up to you.
"sniper's op"
build t1
4 cons
sniper
This is a build pretty common to see from what I can tell, it does well vs heavy gren spam and not so good vs mg spam into area denial tactics (smines etc) basically the job is to fight with sniper support at all times and constantly manpower drain your opponent, you want to get t2 with this build pretty quickly, or tech to t3/t4 depending on your preferences. The most important thing is to not lose your sniper vs the first ac.
Doctrine/commander choices, again this build is pretty heavily supported by guards, but if you tech to t2/t3 you can get either a zis with at nades or a quad (auto counters ac if you don't run into a pak) lend lease can also work but that requires good dshk positioning.
good/strong commander/doctrine choices if you can get to the callin spot.
Advanced warfare
Guard Motor Coordination
Mechanized support
Lend Lease
Armoured assaualt (only if you actually plan to try to get an is2 as well as 2 t3485s, otherwise get something with guards or shocks)
Tank distinctions:
Shermans are slightly worse then the t34-85 in several ways, lower pen, slightly lower hp and slightly higher scatter(makes them worse vs inf), however they have a faster top speed, faster acceleration, faster turret rotation, and faster rate of fire. They will pretty reliably beat a p4 1v1 and can actually circle a p4/panther/tiger faster then their turret can rotate to hit you.
t3485's are still very good tanks, being the best "medium tank" soviets can field this patch still, with high penetration compared to other non assault guns, also their anti infantry is considerably better due to a relatively low scatter.
t3476's despite the ram nerf, are useable, however, always support them with a zis in the late game, and never get more then 1-2
IS-2 I feel this tank has been buffed pretty heavily with a 3 second reload time reduction, making it more amazing at murder infantry, it still remains extremely tanky to almost all enemy tanks/at weapons, with the only weapon reliably penetrating the front armour being the elefant/pak43. It still is fairly mediocre, and should lose to a tiger on an rng basis.
ISU-52 the "beast killer" saw big changes this patch with pen increase, armour increase, hp increase, reload decrease (although on average the reload should stay the same since they are randomized) scatter decrease. This makes it even more dangerous at one shotting enemy squads and better vs tanks.
no comment on kv1 kv2 and kv8, since i have not used the first 2, and the kv8 is the same minus a little less hp |