Limited time Game Mode: “Realistic Battles, Eastern Front”
Played exclusively on Eastern Front maps, excluding Berlin maps. Soviets vs Germans. (Future events can cover other theaters and factions)
Battles are fought using a pre-set Event lineup consisting of 3 infantry squads, 1 APC squad, 1 Tank squad, and 1 Aircraft squad. Squads have pre-set squad members and equipment loadouts (players can swap handgun, grenade, backpack, melee weapon, flask, and mine/tnt slots as usual) that fit the Eastern Front theater, as well as a couple of unique squads for each side.
Soviet squads:
Light Rifle Section (9 Soldier Rifleman Squad)
- 1x Section Commander (Radio Operator II) w/ PPSh-41 Note: PPSh is much more appropriate for both a Section Commander and a Radio Operator, and Event rarity should allow for a Radio Operator to carry one.
- 1x Deputy Section Commander (Engineer I) w/ Mosin 91/30 and hammer
- 1x Light Machine Gunner (Machine Gunner II) w/ DP-27
- 1x Assistant Machine Gunner (AT Gunner I) w/ Mosin M1938 Carbine and PTRS 41
- 5x Riflemen (Rifleman I) w/ Mosin 91/30
UNIQUE Submachine Gun Section (9 Soldier Assault Squad) Note: This would be one of 2 obtainable Soviet Event Squads.
- 1x Section Commander (Radio Operator II) w/ PPSh-41
- 1x Deputy Section Commander (Engineer I) w/ Mosin 91/30 and hammer
- 1x Light Machine Gunner (Machine Gunner II) w/ DP-27
- 1x Assistant Machine Gunner (AT Gunner I) w/ Mosin M1938 Carbine and PTRS 41
- 3x Submachine Gunners (Assaulter III) w/ PPSh-41
- 2x Submachine Gunners (Assaulter II) w/ PPS-43
UNIQUE Assault Engineer Section (11 Soldier Engineer Squad) Note: This would be the other obtainable Soviet Event Squad, and Engineers in this squad have access to MG Nest, AT Gun, AA Gun, and Ampulomet builds.
- 1x Section Commander (Radio Operator II) w/ PPSh-41and SN-42 breastplate
- 1x Deputy Section Commander (Engineer II) w/ SVT 40, hammer, and SN-42 breastplate
- 2x Light Machine Gunners (Machine Gunner II) w/ DP-27 and SN-42 breastplate
- 2x Assistant Machine Gunners (AT Gunner II) w/ Mosin 91/30, Panzerfaust 60, and SN-42 breastplate
- 5x Assault Engineers (Engineer I) w/ Mosin 91/30 and SN-42 breastplate
GAZ AAA Transport (6 Soldier Transport Squad)
- 1x Driver (APC Driver II) w/ PPS-43
- 1x Submachine Gunner (Assaulter III) w/ PPSh-41
- 1x Light Machine Gunner (Machine Gunner II) w/ DP-27
- 1x Assistant Machine Gunner (AT Gunner I) w/ Mosin M1938 Carbine and PTRS 41
- 2x Riflemen (Rifleman I) w/ Mosin 91/30
T-34 1941 Medium Tank (4 Soldier Tank Squad) Note: Maybe give it an appropriate camo for the Event. That would be cool.
- 1x Tank Gunner (Tanker II)
- 1x Tank Driver (Tanker II)
- 1x Tank Commander (Tanker II) w/ PPS-43
- 1x Tank Machine Gunner (Tanker II)
IL-2-37 Ground Attack Aircraft (2 Soldier Assault Pilot Squad) Note: Not sure which was more common between this one and the 2M type 3, but either one can fit here and be historically accurate.
- 1x Pilot (Attacker Pilot II)
- 1x Aircrew Gunner (Attacker Pilot II)
German squads:
Rifle Squad (9 Soldier Rifleman Squad)
- 1x Squad Leader (Radio Operator II) w/ MP40
- 1x Deputy Squad Leader (Engineer I) w/ MP40 and hammer Note: MP40s were all but standard issue amongst NCOs, especially on the Eastern Front.
- 1x Machine Gunner (Machine Gunner II) w/ MG34
- 1x Assistant Machine Gunner (AT Gunner II) w/ Kar98k and Panzerfaust 60
- 5x Riflemen (Rifleman I) w/ Kar98k
UNIQUE Heavy Machinegun Squad (11 Soldier Machine Gunner Squad) Note: This would be one of 2 obtainable German Event Squads, and Engineers in this squad have access to the HMG build.
- 1x Squad Leader (Radio Operator II) w/ MP40
- 2x Deputy Squad Leaders (Engineer I) w/ MP40 and hammer
- 3x Machine Gunners (Machine Gunner II) w/ MG42 100rd
- 3x Assistant Machine Gunners (AT Gunner II) w/ Kar98k and Panzerfaust 60
- 2x Riflemen (Rifleman I) w/ Kar98k
UNIQUE Assault Pioneer Squad (9 Soldier Engineer Squad) Note: This would be the other obtainable German Event Squad, and Engineers in this squad have access to MG Nest, AT Gun, AA Gun, and Ampulomet builds.
- 1x Squad Leader (Radio Operator II) w/ MP40
- 1x Deputy Squad Leader (Engineer I) w/ MP40 and hammer
- 1x Machine Gunner (Machine Gunner II) w/ MG34
- 1x Assistant Machine Gunner (AT Gunner II) w/ Kar98k and RPzB. 43 Ofenrohr
- 2x Flamethrower Pioneers (Flametrooper II) w/ Kar98k and Flammenwerfer 41
- 3x Assault Pioneers (Engineer II) w/ MP40 and hammer
Sd.Kfz. 251/1 Half-Track Transport (6 Soldier Transport Squad)
- 1x Driver (APC Driver II) w/ MP40
- 1x Submachine Gunner (Assaulter II) w/ MP40
- 1x Machine Gunner (Machine Gunner II) w/ MG42
- 1x Assistant Machine Gunner (AT Gunner II) w/ Kar98k and Panzerfaust 60
- 2x Riflemen (Rifleman I) w/ Kar98k
Pz.Kpfw. IV Ausf.G Medium Tank (5 Soldier Tank Squad)
- 1x Tank Commander (Tanker II) w/ MP40
- 1x Tank Gunner (Tanker II)
- 1x Tank Driver (Tanker II)
- 1x Tank Loader (Tanker II)
- 1x Tank Machine Gunner (Tanker II)
Bf 109 F-4 Fighter Aircraft (1 Soldier Fighter Pilot Squad) Note: With an appropriate payload of 4x 50kg bombs.
- 1x Pilot (Fighter Pilot II)
Soviets get an authentically massive boost in the SMG and Assaulter departments, while Germans get asymmetric and equally authentic boosts in the MG and Anti-Tank departments. The obtainable Event squads also bring asymmetry to the normal battlefields through having larger squads with unique compositions, with a trade-off in the way of firepower (Mosins/PTRS and Kar98s/MP40s in high BR)
And that’s it! I think this, as a limited time Event game mode would be both a ton of fun and an excellent way to test the viability of this type of asymmetric balance. Obviously, it’s not perfect. So let me know what you might change, for authenticity or balance reasons.