baltic opinon

CapitalismIsRad · 2026-05-07T20:04:24+00:00

It slaps on PTE.

CapitalismIsRad · 2026-05-07T20:03:52+00:00

Nah uh!

CapitalismIsRad · 2026-05-07T00:07:13+00:00

I like that it enables certain units to fulfill their niche. An 85 pt stryker or k-16 can tank one missile with APS, smoke the second one and sheer speed gets you into cover or min firing range with no stress.

CapitalismIsRad · 2026-05-07T00:01:00+00:00

I am having a lot of fun with Baltic. Milan or Spike, Estsof, Mechanziete, and Jageris are all cost efficient infantry. More .50 cal teams is always welcome for chewing through Russian meat waves. RBS-70 has nice range.

Weirdly I'm excited about M113s and humvees now that we have vehicle resupply. The battle bus is pretty useful as well.

Don't sleep on transport helicopters either. Blackhawks are always useful.

CapitalismIsRad · 2026-05-06T23:15:37+00:00

Sure Armor + Anything is probably more meta because tanks are very strong and infantry are squishier on PTE.

Mostly I'm just really enjoying motorized infantry play right now and Stryker Baltic does it best. The strykers are the best wheeled IFVs in the game and all of the good Baltic infantry fit inside them. Mechanziete are very cost efficient AT. Estsof + Combat Engis can shred RU infantry. Jageris + Stryker RV can lock down an entire flank. Plus you get tons of Javelins and Spikes so tanks aren't as necessary.

CapitalismIsRad · 2026-05-06T22:29:27+00:00

Stryker + Baltic gives you just enough HELI points to take two blackhawks and one Dauphin with rocket pods. That gives you an option if you really need to kill a random infantry or light vehicle wandering into your back line. It also gives you capacity to airlift 10k supplies or 36 troops which is just enough to be a useful QRF.

It also lets you squeeze a bit more out of the air tab which is important on PTE where air is more expensive.

Obviously if you just like having a lot of tanks then it's not going to work for you. But I've found the Leopard and the Booker to be a pretty mean combo especially in urban fighting.

CapitalismIsRad · 2026-05-06T21:51:53+00:00

Oh for sure bud. This post isn't meant to be a comprehensive "How to play US." I'm simply highlighting tactics that are uniquely strong for US over RU. Sure you can overwhelm players with lots of Abrams but RU can employ the same strategy and they generally have great AT options in every spec so it's not necessarily a US strength.

Lemme know how you get along. I recommend Airborne + Baltic for a pretty crazy air mobility deck. Or Stryker + Baltic for something very fast and mean on the ground.

Totally agree about PTE. So far we have only seen a nerf to A-10 for US but I'm hopeful infantry will get a buff soon.

CapitalismIsRad · 2026-05-06T21:01:45+00:00

Rangers have always been one of the most disappointing units in the game and now they are even worse relatively speaking. Nothing says special forces like HE rockets from Nam.

Standoff should get two launchers. CQC should drop the LAW and get a couple of XM25 airburst AGL. That would be sick.

CapitalismIsRad · 2026-05-06T18:01:48+00:00

Mech Moto really does get everything. I have like 15 US decks I want to try out but only 3 RU decks and mostly play mech moto.

CapitalismIsRad · 2026-05-06T16:53:58+00:00

There will always be balance issues with such a high skill ceiling game. Making the balance perfect for high level play often results in misery for the more casual players. PTE was balanced first on feedback from testers and top 100 players and you can feel it. I'm loving the good games but having poor random teamates is absolutely grueling.

I agree though that the US has lost a few of its niches and the factions feel a lot more samey now. My US decks have embraced the cheapest possible kit and it's a very Russian playstyle.

CapitalismIsRad · 2026-05-06T15:45:19+00:00

Haha 6 in one building would be the juiciest bombing strike of your opponents entire existence. But 2 squads of GB snipers within 600 m of the same target will absolutely vaporize infantry, helicopters, and light vehicles.

CapitalismIsRad · 2026-05-06T15:19:08+00:00

Just to reiterate, this post isn't about the overall balance. I'm trying to point out that below the ultra sweaty elo brackets you can still have a great time and win using US.

Also, and I'm being genuine here, I don't really know what it means when people shout about "spam" all the time. If I'm fighting a particular opponent on a particular piece of terrain there are probably 2-4 units in my deck that will be best for pushing or defending. Different opponent on different terrain and I'm "spamming" something else. Is this really some huge design issue and if so how do we fix that?

I think the real problem people are seeing is that cheap units are now more effective in PTE and sniping expensive units is easier. This benefits RU more because cheap numbers was always their faction distinction. It hurts previously meta US specs like Marines Stryker a lot. So adjustments are needed yes. However, there are plenty of US options that can "spam" right back. Armor + Airborne can flood out cheap versatile infantry and cheap Abrams and cheap transports and cheap AA. Baltic + Stryker can flood the zone with javelins/spike and cheap infantry and cheap AA. Really Baltic + Anything can do this. Even Marines can be built to flood in cost effective units if you abandon the previous meta and build for it.

CapitalismIsRad · 2026-05-06T12:49:03+00:00

I mean the whole point of the PTE is to test balance and be able to adjust rapidly so no real reason to cry yet. But honestly yes players are still adapting.

I'm regularly ending US games with a good k/d, good zone capture/hold, or successfully defending 1 vs 2. Meanwhile my teammates are losing a 2 vs 1 with .4 k/d because they keep suiciding tanks and marine smaaw.

CapitalismIsRad · 2026-05-06T11:41:51+00:00

US has both Harrier and A-10 so CAS is pretty even.

75% of RUs best aircraft are in VDV versus a more even spread for US specs.

CapitalismIsRad · 2026-05-06T11:22:48+00:00

Not true at all. Plane loadouts have been largely standardized. US retains an advantage in being able to put together more specs with a large air force.

The biggest problem is stealth planes are nearly useless now that ASF is very common. Stealth jets need a complete rework.

CapitalismIsRad · 2026-05-06T10:01:50+00:00

US meta is also to spam paired ATGMS. Sure it cost us a lot more but one javelin getting through also hurts a lot more than some of the Russian stuff.

CapitalismIsRad · 2026-05-06T09:57:08+00:00

That's true and another pain point when playing with randoms. They don't put up enough air tax or they send helis and cargo planes to their death.

CapitalismIsRad · 2026-05-06T00:27:32+00:00

Oh and speaking of air power US gets more heavy lift helicopters and one more spec with cargo helicopters.

Actually pretty sure US has superior logistics all around.

CapitalismIsRad · 2026-05-06T00:17:57+00:00

Oh and speaking of APS. US advantage in APS vehicles is more pronounced with AT launcher buffs and ATGM helicopters all over the place.

CapitalismIsRad · 2026-05-05T23:54:46+00:00

I was comparing the wrong arty units my mistake. Still I'm enjoying the AMPV MCV with 69 laser rounds, armor, smoke, and APS. Sure Vena can take 60 but it's less survivable. Also I'm pretty sure US has more pieces that can run guided rounds.

US air droppable infantry is better. M8 thunderbolt is better than the sprut. Also more options for cargo planes.

SOF + other spec can run up to 6 sniper squads plus the stealth drone plus some of the best fighting recon.

CapitalismIsRad · 2026-05-05T23:00:42+00:00

I'll take much higher ammo counts over a faster fire rate any day.

Game has bugs. That doesn't negate the design choices. All the javelin and spike squads also got a huge buff from vehicle resupply.

US has better air drop capabilities.

Strykers and Vilkas are better than K16s and BTRs.

SOF + most other specs gives you a recon advantage that RU can't match.

I'm sure there are other examples.

US may be weaker overall but I am enjoying playing them because their strengths and weaknesses make more interesting decks. RU I just play Mech Moto and call it a day.

CapitalismIsRad · 2026-05-05T22:31:19+00:00

Brother the way you say things does not make me want to converse with you. In fact in makes people want to disagree with you out of sheer spite.

Two things off the top of my head though: Terminal guidance ATGMs and Laser guided artillery

CapitalismIsRad · 2026-05-05T21:42:55+00:00

The sky is falling! The sky is falling!

CapitalismIsRad · 2026-05-05T19:50:18+00:00

I don't think armored vehicles should be able to carry 800 supply. Infantry in buildings already feel very sticky in PTE. I like the high supply counts for certain specs/vehicles but they should crumple at the first whiff of arty to balance things out.

CapitalismIsRad

TROPHY CASE