26th Gvard. Strelkovy | Allied divisions in Steel Division 2 Steel Division 2 guide, tips
Last update: 14 August 2019
26th Strelkovy Gvard is the strongest infantry division of all battle groups on the Russian side. It has good and numerous infantry units, thanks to which you will flood your opponent with the same amount of infantry. Also, it has specialist equipment that is not available from other divisions or is only available in limited quantities.
Infantry is the main pillar of this division. You have access to as many as 10 infantry cards, with the first 6 costing only 1 activation point. The 26th Division offers a number of different and interesting branches. The basis are the Guard units, which will be used to fight against infantry and to hold a conquered territory. They only have anti-tank grenades, so they can destroy tanks from a distance of 100 meters. However, these are cheap units that you can summon in large numbers. Bomb squad is used to eliminate enemies in buildings, thanks to TNT. This explosive is destroying the building and suppressing the morale of an enemy unit. Avtomatchiki are used for short distance combat. They are armed only with PPSH-41 - a short range machine guns. They are suitable for fighting in forests and buildings, but in open terrain they are less proficient cause they have to approach the enemy.
Shtrafniki are a unique type of troops. This is the largest squad in the game - it has 20 soldiers! As many as three infantry men are armed with a lightweight DP machine gun. They are also equipped with a PTRD anti-tank rifle, which is effective against light armored troops. It is a fairly expensive unit, but very numerous. You can only summon inexperienced Shtrafniki troops, so use the support of some leader who will improve their level of experience.
Another unique infantry unit in this division is the Shturmoviki. This infantry division is equipped with a special armor, which makes them a bit more resistant to light weapon attacks. They are equipped with PPSH-41, DP rifle and TNT. This is an ideal assault squad that can threaten remote infantry units. Shturmoviki (LPO) is a unit equipped with as many as 2 flamethrowers, thanks to which it has a colossal influence on enemy morale and can melt down any defense of the enemy (if they manage to approach at the right distance).
Reconnaissance is not the strong point of this division, due to the small number of slots and the lack of recon vehicles. However, you can call Konnay Razvedek, a reconnaissance infantry unit with the number of soldiers typical for an average infantry team, to the battlefield. Thanks to this amount, he can take part in actions at the back of the enemy or support the attack from the seemingly safe side. Recon troops don't move the font, so the enemy won't expect any unfriendly units in his area. In addition, you can add sniper units that are long-distance killers to a battle group.
In this division, you have access to a small number of tanks. T-34E is the weakest version of tanks of this series among all divisions, but it will fulfill its role in the first phases of the game. The 28th Infantry Division has access to heavy KV-1E and KV-85 tanks that can face the enemy. Their cannons have quite good penetration and relatively good armor. It is best to keep these tanks in a group, because they are not too fast and you have very few of them.
In the category of support units, it is worth checking the two units that can be extremely useful on the battlefield. The OT-34 tank is an ordinary T-34 in appearance, but apart from the cannon and machine gun it also has a flamethrower. As the infantry with flamethrowers is an easy target, the tank can quickly and easily drive up to the enemy infantry and bring them some hell. The ISU-152 is a real beast. As an infantry support unit, it has a powerful cannon, strong armor and ammunition of HE and AP type. Its HE missiles have a huge range and a devastating effect on enemy morale. What's more, it also has a few AP ammo, so it can be used as an anti-tank cannon. This ammunition has a 165mm penetration, which will penetrate almost all of the enemy's front armor.
The last strong point of this division is the artillery. You have access to a wide range of artillery guns of different caliber. In this category you will find 82 and 120mm mortars, which are ideal for supporting infantry in the first phase. The Howitzers 76 and the mobile SU-76 cannon (equipped with a radio) will give you even more firepower than you need for phase B. If you need a really strong rocket booster, it's worth adding the BM-31 Andryusha. This launcher has 300mm rockets, where the Katyusha fires 132mm rockets! This is a powerful firepower that has a major impact on the morale of enemy units. The downside is the little "clip" of this cannon. After the fired volley, it must replenish its ammunition otherwise it will become useless.
The 28th Division has access to the strongest artillery guns in the Russian army - B-4 203mm and Br-5 280mm. Other nations may call in similar fire, but only from off the map. Here you have access to the howitzers you call directly to the battlefield. Both cannons have a long range and their missiles have a huge area of effect. Bombardment from this cannon can destroy and suppress morale of many units and even tanks. Be sure to use the support of artillery observers to maximize the power of these cannons and carry out accurate bombardments.
The biggest ailment of this division is the small number of cards, units and low number of anti-aircraft defense and anti-tank guns. Yes, you have access to SU-85, but other anti-tank guns can handle medium tanks, where most heavy tanks will come out of combat unharmed. Similarly, air forces are quite varied and have many types of aircraft, but their high price and other interesting squads in other categories put aviation in this division under question. Nevertheless, it's worth adding a few fighters and tank destroyers to give you more options to fight with armored units.