Barbarossa tactics and strategy Options

[ScrapyardBob]

(because I can't sleep at the moment)

So let's talk about the odd, the crafty, the nifty, and the common sense of the Barbarossa map. Focusing primarily on "base assault" mode, although the map is also well suited for CTF. (Definitely a favorite map of a lot of folks.) Apologies in advance if I get long-winded and please try to keep it civil. There's a lot of opinion when folks talk about tactics and just about any idea works at least part of the time. If you don't like a tactic, please explain how you would beat that tactic rather then deriding the poster.

First off, my impressions of the bases.

Russian #1 (N flank)
- Moderately difficult to defend. German attack is usually through the W pass, but sometimes they come up the river valley to the south. Or, if Russian #3 has already fallen, germans can swipe tanks and attack along the back road. Germans also tend to slip into the house on the SW side where the anti-tank weapons are stored. The tank parked near #1 is a prime theft target.
- This base tends to be ignored by most allied players, making it more difficult to defend, but easier to attack.

Russian #2 (S flank, forward position)
- Moderately to extremely difficult to defend. The germans can attack this base from the S riverbed, through the town that is downslope, from the hilltop pass to the NW, or from the N flank. Tanks have to be rushed forward (on a constant basis) from the rear to protect this base.
- Strategically, only worth defending if you are behind on points. Same problems as German #1. Only inexperienced players attack this base first (or plant bombs here first). Smart players leave this base alone, forcing the enemy to spawn at a base without any nearby tanks.

Russian #3 (SE flank, rear position)
- Easiest to defend, unless everyone is playing offense and nobody is minding the store. Germans can sneak in through the houses or sneak in via the right flank into the russian spawn area.
- If the germans fail to destroy this base before the other 2 bases, the round typically ends up as a stalemate (or loss).

German #1 (S flank, forward position)
- Difficult to defend. The russians have multiple approaches to the base (south riverbed, the town bridge, down the hill from the hilltop pass, or up the valley from the N bridge).
- Strategically, only worth defending if you are behind on points. Same problems as Russian #2. Only inexperienced players attack this base first (or plant bombs here first). Smart players leave this base alone, forcing the enemy to spawn at a base without any nearby tanks.

German #2 (S flank, rear position)
- Moderately easy to defend, but only if actively guarded. Russians either sneak through the tank park, attack via the N road, or sneak up the S road.
- A lot of players ignore this base until it's too late. They won't start defending it until it's open and has been planted once. An early russian offensive on this base typically results in a win for the allies. Leaving this base for last usually results in a stalemate or loss.

German #3 (N flank)
- Moderately easy to defend. Attacks are typically from the N bridge, the hilltop pass to the SE, or russians sneaking up the back road or past the bush at the german anti-tank gun.
- This is a strategically important base for the germans. Guarding #3 also allows them to guard their N flank. Losing #3 typically results in germans forgetting to watch the N flank, allowing the russians to attack the german spawn.

[ScrapyardBob]

Satchels - always carry a satchel!

There are numerous spots around the Barbarossa map that contain satchels. The german side of the map is a bit spare on the satchel spawns. In no particular order:

- The house nearest to the Russian #3 base.
- The house near to the Russian #1 base.
- In the covered portion of the trench near the Russian #2 base.
- In the bunker by the north flank 45mm (near Russian #2 base along N road).
- At the cluster of houses by Russian #2, the building fartherest away (down by the river with 2 dead cows outside), it's on a stack of hay bales inside.
- At the cluster of houses by Russian #2, the SW corner house (in the room with the anti-tank weapons).
- The house by the north bridge (near German #3).
- The house by German #3.

There are a few popular satchel tactics:

1) Deadman switch. This can be used as a last ditch defensive tactic or as a way of buying time against the enemy defusing your bomb. It works best in enclosed areas like the bunker basements. When the odds are getting long, lay down on the floor of the bunker near the bomb, then prime the satchel by pressing and holding the left mouse. When you are killed, the satchel will be released and will go off after a few seconds. This will kill the intruders / defusing team and possibly make the critical difference if they can't get reinforcements there in time. If you survive, hit any of your other weapon keys (1, 2, 3) to switch away from the satchel.

Why lay down? I've had the enemy walk into a bunker where I'm laying stationary on the floor by the bomb. They assumed I was dead and began to plant. They were very surprised to find out that I wasn't dead but was merely resting. In a defusing situation, this would have bought me an additonal few seconds on the clock before I killed the defusing team.

Hiding behind a smoke screen as you hear the jeeps pull up may also help. It will require the enemy to spend precious seconds finding you in the smoke while you dance around with a primed satchel.

2) Clearing a bunker. As you run up to the bunker, prime the satchel then start cooking it for a second or two. You'll want to master the art of cooking because if the enemy hears you prime a satchel, they may rush out and try to kill you. Toss it down the stairway (it must land on the floor below to have maximum effect). Best toss is either from over the right wall or the right-rear window. It will almost always kill anyone actively planting, but someone hiding against the wall fartherest away from the stairs will live. Satchels that go off in the basement will harm/kill people upstairs as well, make sure you're not inside the bunker walls when yours goes off.

Note: When clearing a bunker, you should generally assume that the enemy has rigged a deadman switch. That means that any defusing team should leave at least one member outside the bunker walls in case the enemy left a satchel behind.

My personal tactic when there are multiple of us storming a bunker is to be the satchel tosser. I then count to 5 after my satchel goes off before entering the bunker. But if there's not enough time left on the clock, I'll storm in right after my satchel goes off.

3) Other tactics include room clearing (using the satchel as a very powerful grenade), tank / jeep killing and bunker / stationary gun destruction.