About the game

USSR Commanders

Ivan Nikolayevich Banov

Commander of Special Operations

Description

BIOGRAPHY

Ivan Nikolayevich Banov was the son of a peasant family. Before World War II began, he completed two years of agricultural school and then military infantry school.

When the war came to his motherland, he attacked the enemy’s rear, organizing several isolated partisan squads and later uniting them into a large battle group. 

In Belarus and Poland, the partisan fighters under Major Banov’s command decimated one enemy garrison after another, destroyed hundreds of troop trains and dozens of train bridges, and accumulated a large amount of priceless intelligence.

In 1942, Ivan “Chorny” (“Black”) personally directed raids on German forces.

“Chorny’s scouts,” wrote L. K. Bekrenev, one of the leaders of the Soviets’ military reconnaissance division, “were the first to report on the new tanks and self-propelled vehicles heading towards the Eastern Front: the Tiger, the Panzer, and the Ferdinand. They relayed tactical and technical information about them and observed them as they made their way towards the key areas of the Front.”

For his service, Ivan Banov received many awards, including the Hero of the Soviet Union with the Order of Lenin and Gold Star medal.

EFFECTIVENESS ON THE BATTLEFIELD

Banov’s partisan fighting experience taught him to rely on tactics and skill rather than strength and numbers. In offensive situations, he relies on snipers, light vehicles, and anti-tank artillery, supported by infantry and assault infantry. When defending, he relies on light and mobile squads with anti-tank rifles, mortars, and anti-tank guns.

Specializations

  • Light Vehicles
  • Tank Destroyers
  • Snipers
  • Paratrooper Squad
  • Large Smoke Screen
  • Anti-Tank Rifle
  • Anti-Tank Gun
  • Mortar

Talents

  • Paratrooper Squad
    A squad of assault paratroopers will land in a random location on the map.
    Paratrooper Squad: Supply Points required: less by 2
    • Paratrooper Squad
  • Large Smoke Screen
    Prevents attacks within a certain range.
    Large Smoke Screen: Supply Points required: less by 1
    • Large Smoke Screen
  • Competent Scout
    New binoculars and corrected firing tables increase the sight and hitting range of snipers and light vehicles.
    Light Vehicle, Infantry: +12 Sight range
    Light Vehicle: +10 Shot range
    Infantry: +10 Shot range
    • Light Vehicles
    • Snipers
  • Foreknower
    Early area reconnaissance allows light vehicles and tank destroyers to move with increased speed.
    Tank Destroyer, Light Vehicle: +2 Movement speed
    • Tank Destroyers
    • Light Vehicles
  • Explosive Behaviour
    The Commander orders the delivery of ammo using a new method to pack explosive materials. These increase the damage from tank destroyers and light vehicles. When exploding, tank destroyer shells can temporarily blind enemies.
    Tank Destroyer: +25% Damage to infantry, Damage to vehicles; +25% Chance to damage optics
    Light Vehicle: +25% Damage to infantry, Damage to vehicles
    • Tank Destroyers
    • Light Vehicles
  • Master of Camouflage
    Competent use of the terrain allows this general to effectively hide mortars, AT guns, and AT rifles from enemy scouts.
    Anti-Tank Rifle: -20 Tracking range
    Anti-Tank Gun: -20 Tracking range
    Mortar: -20 Tracking range
    • Anti-Tank Rifle
    • Anti-Tank Gun
    • Mortar
  • A Heavy Gift
    Modified mortar and anti-tank gun shells are more likely to contuse enemy troops and vehicle crews.
    Mortar: +20% Chance to stun
    Anti-Tank Gun: +20% Chance to stun
    • Mortar
    • Anti-Tank Gun
  • Preventive Fire
    Intelligence data on enemy movements helps anti-tank gun and mortar crews to better home in on their targets, which is greatly conducive to dealing maximum damage.
    Mortar: +25% Damage to infantry, Damage to vehicles
    Anti-Tank Gun: +25% Damage to infantry, Damage to vehicles
    • Mortar
    • Anti-Tank Gun