Radar SAMs in this game are unable to control their radiation/signal strength, which results the exposure of the location of the unit to opponent frequently during the game. Any experienced player can maximize this weakness. Shells/SEADs will punish, and AA cover will be broken. Endless "rage" from the sky will follow. Manpads can do some damage, but their range and accuracy are incomparable to radar SAMs. It is impossible to defense all the air threats with only manpads.
Very first thing I do is, change the OB of the radar SAMs to be under the highest HQ, then move them continuously until the end of game. Well, you can't escape from resupply but move them as much as you can. Of course SAMs should be placed in proper positions, here and there. In some scenarios, survivality of AA/AAAs governs the result of the game.
Soviet airstrike is very powerful and deadly as well as the NATO counterparts. Usually NATO units are consist of smaller numbers, which means that the successful airstrike would easily wipe out the entire unit. M1A1s are powerful, but M1A1s without AA cover will be a piece of cake for the PACT pilots. And the result will be devastating.
2) Mistakes are unforgiving, especially when playing PACT
Any mistakes in this game are deadly and will be punished harshly, but if you commit a mistake when playing PACT, the result will be devastating. Against the lethal NATO weapons and thermal sights, a single turn will be enough to take everything out from your command, if you forgot to hide your tanks, or if you mistakenly set up the waypoints to the wide open. Anything other than T-80Us (and even T-80U is not indestructible) will be melt down within 10~20 min if exposed to fatal strike from TOW/Apache.
3) Map analysis
Most of the case, Pickett-style frontal charge will be the worst command that any PACT commanders could possibly issue. In the wide open, smoke shells will not cover you from the thermal sight, and TOW/Hellfire/FASCAM/DPICMs will easily rip apart the armor of your tanks, in massive scale and dramatic manner. Trust me, watching and listening the fireballs after TOW shot is not fun at all, and it looks quite dramatic. (and you will be executed by KGB officer after epic fail XD)
Playing PACT is very map-dependent. Any PACT player should spend enough time to analyze the map very carefully in detail manner. You need to check the LOS and chance to be observed for all hexes of your planned attack route. (Remind that the most of scenarios have PACT attack / NATO defense opening) Frontal assault can be the answer time to time (depends on scenario), but don't rely on it too much.
(Does 89' soviet army issued IR-blocking 152mm/122mm smoke shells to their arty? I'm not sure, some told me yes, but some told me no. )
4) Recon, recon, and recon.
At the early stage of game, use all of your firepower to kill opponent's recons/ATGMs in your planned route. A single observation by the opponent recon is enough to ruin your entire battle plan. If your major route/intention is exposed, FASCAM will follow. And you will lose the tanks for free.
On the other hand, try to save your recons as much as possible, as they are the eye of your forces. They will figure out where the opponent's ATGMs and tanks are located. If you have good idea of NATO defense, the chance of successful flanking will be increased. I know it is hard but try to save recons, and use them wisely, don't just throw them into fire.
5) Flanking, unpredictability and deceiving are the key to success for PACT.
For PACT, proper maneuvering is the key to success. Use anything to deceive your opponent and hide your major assault route. Hide your major intention. Try to be friend with the woods. Regard your soviet forces as Elven army in the forest. Using the riverbanks/valley as assault route can be dangerous, but also can be great way to backstab your opponent, as they reduce the chance of being observed, and reduce the chance of exposure from NATO long-range weapons. This depends on the scenario and the map. Remember, you need to fight with short-distance infighting style.
As a PACT, the basic idea is circumvent the NATO killzone, and drown the NATO forces with your Red tide. To achieve that, you need to close the distance, engage within 1000m or closer. Proper maneuvering is key to accomplish such objectives.
Those hints also can be applied for NATO players. To me, playing PACT is more challenging than NATO in PBEM match, but it is really fun, fight and win against the odds. Again, this depends on scenario. Some scenarios are very PACT-favor.
Now I need to work for my Korean war mod, but my works and a little boy don't allow me the time for it
Making excel sheet is very difficult than I expected.... [X(]
