For more information about Talvisota, or if you want to ask questions, feel free to join the Official Talvisota Discord.
https://discord.gg/H2Xxcr6

For manual mod installation and the workshop page.
https://steamproxy.net/workshop/filedetails/?id=1758494341
Keep in mind, if you join a Winter War sever the mod will be downloaded automatically, albeit without voices of the soldiers.

Many players when they first begin playing Talvisota find themselves frustrated, confused, or flat out angry when they struggle to adapt to an older era of warfare. Here are some tips to help.

• Patience is a virtue

The large majority of weapons are slow to load, fire, and take out. The presence of a stamina system also will also slow down the pace of the game. As such it is important to be as patient as possible, taking time to do well anything. Make all your shots count, and try to drop your opponent in one shot. Hold your breath for most shots, the breathing may ruin your shot.

• Watch your Stamina

There is a stamina system present in Talvisota. Red Orchestra 2 players should be familiar with it, but some people are not. Upon sprinting, you will deplete your stamina. When it runs out, you will run at a much slower pace, albeit faster than walking. Walking will slowly regen stamina, to quickly replenish it, stay completely still and do not move. You regen stamina the same amount as if you are standing, crouching, or prone.

• Enable Manual Bolting

For the love of god just do it. It may take some time to get used to, but it is well worth it. It may allow you to get the drop on a surprise encounter with an enemy. Despite rumors, it will not increase bolt speed like in Red Orchestra 2. To enable manual bolting, go the Gameplay section of Settings and enable it.

• Your bayonet is surprisingly effective

The bayonet has more of a meme status in Vietnam, it is almost useless and simply adds more sway to your weapon. However, in Talvisota it can be the difference between life and death. It greatly extends melee range and damage, and because most weapons are rather slow, melee is surprisingly effective. If you feel you are about to enter CQB, you should put on your bayonet when applicable. When combat is ranged, you should take it off as it adds sway to your aim.

• You are going to die a lot

Just saying. Even if you are good at Rising Storm 2.

• Have some common sense

Self-explanatory.

Finland
The Finnish will typically wear distinctive White camouflage, making it difficult to see them in the snow. They will sprint with one hand holding their weapon.

Soviet Union
Soviet Soldiers are known for their Khaki uniforms that occasionally will have a white snowy hue. This makes it surprisingly hard to see them in woody areas. They will sprint with two hands on their weapon, with the exception of pistols and grenades. In the rare case, a Tanker is out of his tank they will typically wear a bright red or blue uniform.

Rapid Deployment
It works in the exact same as rapid deployment for Southern teams in Rising Storm 2. It will force respawn all dead players to their respective spawns.
Standard Artillery
Works the same way as Artillery in Rising Storm 2, it will cover a medium-sized area for several barrages. Soviet Artillery has more shells per barrage than Finnish Artillery and lasts five barrages.
Heavy Artillery
A different artillery form unique to the Soviets. It is a very long bombardment of a very small area with a large explosion. The shells come from the 203mm Howitzer, nicknamed "Stalin's Sledgehammers." The barrage is very long, lasting nearly 13 barrages, but its explosive radius is very small. Every time the shells hit, they will cause all nearby players, enemy and friend alike, to suffer from severe suppression, hampering aim for all. The suppression range is very large, keep in mind and very ♥♥♥♥♥♥♥ annoying. It is most useful to cut off a large entrance to a defended objective and force the Finns to take an alternate route.

Airstrike
Another unique ability to the Soviets. It cascades a long, horizontal area with bombs from two TB-3 Heavy Bombers. It is most useful when dealing with a very spread out Finnish force in open ground and when friendlies are nearby. However, it is not very useful overall. The TB-3s are very loud and slow to reach their bombing mark, giving the Finns plenty of time to get out of the way or to even shoot down the TB-3s. The bombs themselves also have a very small explosive radius, making it even easier to avoid.

Ambush Deploy
Works the same way as the Ambush Deploy for Nothern Commanders in Rising Storm 2. It respawns all dead players around the Commander. When used properly for a push or to defend an objective, it can possibly change the game and is perhaps the most powerful ability a commander has. Keep in mind, you must be near an objective to use this ability.
Mortar Barrage
Works similar to Standard Artillery but is a little different. Mortar teams will fire nine barrages in a very large and inaccurate radius. This is very useful for clearing a large open area. However, you must be careful to avoid calling mortars when friendlies are nearby. Due to the random nature of mortars, it is likely that some friendlies will be caught in the crossfire.
Standard Artillery
Lasts for seven barrages as opposed to the Soviet's five. But there are less shells per barrage. Nevertheless, it remains an effective barrage when friendly soldiers are nearby.
Fighter Coverage
Similar to the Anti Air SAMs in Rising Storm 2. Finnish Fokker D.XXI fighters will take to the skies instead of missiles. They will intercept any TB-3 Bombers and recon planes and will bring them down. To take down TB-3 Bombers, the commander must call the fighters as soon as possible-perhaps as soon as the distinct engines of the TB-3 are heard. More often then not, the fighters will be too late and will shoot down the bombers only after they have dropped their bomb load.

Keep in mind for accuracy, the higher the number(MOA), the less accurate it is.

Mosin-Nagant 1891-30

-2.5 MOA
+Normal Bolting
+Attachable Bayonet

Standard Russian Bolt Action Rifle available to the Soviet Rifleman. The go-to choice for many, it seems to have the best stats of the two available rifles to a Rifleman. I recommend you pick this weapon.
Mosin-Nagant 1891

-5 MOA
+Normal Bolting
+Attachable Bayonet
Older version of the Mosin. I recommend you stick to the 1891-30 for its improved stats.

Mosin-Nagant 1891-30 Scoped

-1.5 MAO
+Normal Bolting

Essentially the scoped version the 1891-30. It has a 3.5x PU scope attached and lacks a bayonet.

Mosin Nagant M1938 Carbine
-5 MOA
+Fast Bolting
-No Bayonet

Fastest bolting in the west
This small rifle has the fastest bolt speed and reload of all rifles in Talvisota. It also draws to aim the fastest. However, you may have trouble hitting targets at a longer distance due to the shorter barrel. It is unique to the Soviet Elite Rifleman and Engineer.

SVT-38

-5 MOA
-Semi Automatic

One of the most powerful weapons in Talvisota due to being Semi-Automatic could very well be the one of the best overall weapons in the Winter War. It is effective for all sorts of distances but due to player psychology you may have to fire more than shot because you missed or hit a less-lethal area. It also lacks a bayonet. Its reload is rather awkward. When half empty your soldier will reload with a five-round stripper clip.

DP-28

-Must be mounted with bipod to aim.
-47 round pan


Standard Light Machine Gun for the Soviet Union during the Winter War and throughout World War 2. It gained a reputation for its ruggedness and simplicity. In-game it is the only fully automatic weapon the Soviets have. It is very accurate at long distances but its tracers could easily give away your position. Its large magazine capacity makes it ideal for suppressive fire. However all this comes at a cost, the DP-28 is too heavy to be shoulder-fired and must have its bipod deployed in order to shoulder fire it. Otherwise, you can only hip fire the thing, which is recommended only for short-range.

TT-33

-7 Round Clip


Standard Russian Pistol that still is seen to this day in combat. It is very weak with a small range and takes several shots to put a man down.

Nagant 1895

-7 Round Cylinder


It uses a somewhat different round which gives it some more punch and accuracy. But otherwise its extremely long and tedious reload ruins this weapon. When applicable, use the TT-33.

3kg Satchel Charge

-Kaboom




This explosive is only available to the Soviet Engineer. It produces a massive explosion that can clear out entire bunkers, but it has a very long 15-second fuse, and thus any Finn with a set of eyes can easily avoid it until it blows. It is also sticky and never bounces. If a Finn manages to get his hands on one of these, he can use it to destroy tanks.

F1 Grenade

-Smaller Kaboom


Standard grenade for a Soviet Soldier. Standard Riflemen gets one each and Elite Rifleman two. Use them wisely.


Four PM 1910s welded together.


It's literally four machine guns that are wrapped together. Seen as a fixed machine gun emplacement on some maps. It has the firepower to shoot down TB-3 bombers and recon planes if you ever get the chance. Its reload is also very long.



Dyakonov Grenade Launcher

The Dyakonov is an interesting weapon. It is unique to the Soviet Grenadier. Its grenade launcher uses live rounds to launch the grenade, as it has a large hole in the center of it. Your rifle functions normally when shooting an empty grenade launcher or when the grenade launcher is off. To attach your launcher, press "C." To load a grenade, press "X." You are now ready to shoot your grenade and the aim sight will be a little different. This whole process is rather long, so make sure you are in safe cover. Aim it like an M79 or a MAT-49 rifle grenade. Keep in mind, the grenade does not explode on contact, it takes five seconds to explode. You can also ricochet the grenade off walls and other hard objects. You get a maximum of five grenades and they cannot be replenished.

Mosin-Nagant 1891
-5 MOA
+Normal Bolting
+Attachable Bayonet


It has the exact same stats- as a matter of fact, its the exact same weapon as its Soviet counterpart. It is more useful to the Finnish side due to its faster bolting and attachable bayonet when compared to its counterpart the M/27 Mosin.

Mosin-Nagant 1927
-1.5 MOA
-Slow Bolting
-No Bayonet

If guns were an art, this would be the Mona Lisa
The most accurate and powerful rifle the Finnish have. Don't let the shorter barrel fool you, this is the most accurate rifle in the whole mod! However, this masterpiece of gunsmithing comes at a cost, it has a very slow bolt speed and reload, and lacks a bayonet, making it poor for close-range engagements. Simo "Simuna" Häyhä used the Mosin-Nagant 28-30, a more modern variant of the M/27.

Mosin-Nagant 1891-30 Scoped

-1.5 MOA
+Normal Bolting

Exact same as its Soviet Counterpart.

Suomi KP/31

-Full Auto SMG
-40 Round Drum
-Semi or full auto

BBBBBBBBBBBBUUUUUUUUURRRRRRRRRRRRRPPPPPPPPPP
The 9mm predecessor of the PPSH-41. The Shredder of Soviets as I call it is an absolute beast in CQB with unparalleled power. But as soon as you cross the fifty-meter mark you're going to have a tough time hitting anything. Make sure to choose your fights wisely with this weapon. Individual shots are also rather weak, so spray several shots at foes to kill them.

Lahti-Saloranta M/26

-Full and Semi-Auto Light Machine Gun
-Can be shoulder-fired
-20 round magazine


Historically, the LS-26 was unpopular among its Finnish operators, citing its low magazine capacity, difficult maintenance, and weight. But was appreciated for its accuracy and reliability in the cold conditions. In-game, it is the most accurate of the two Light Machine Guns and can fire in full or semi-automatic. But it only has a 20-round magazine, making it a poor choice for suppressive fire. Due to the ability for it to be fired without the support of a bipod, it is a great weapon of choice for CQB, but at longer distances, it is difficult to control the strong recoil of the weapon without a bipod. Thanks to all these stats, you should probably treat the LS-26 like an automatic rifle like the BAR as opposed to a machine gun.

L-35

-8 Round Magazine






Its shape makes it obvious it is based upon the P08 Luger. Weak and has a strange recoil animation that hits you in the face whenever you fire it. Stick to your primary.


M/32 Grenade

-Small Kaboom




The Finnish made M/32 is based upon the notorious German Stielhandgranate. It is like any other grenade in-game. Like the Type 67, you do not need to press the MMB to remove the handle and it will begin cooking as soon as you pull the pin. It is only available to the Finnish Assault Class, and not to Riflemen.

Improvised Kasapanos

-Despite the appearance, it is not a Popsicle.




It is essentially an M/32 Grenade wrapped in several blocks of TNT. It produces a massive explosion, capable of destroying tanks, which is its main function. It is only available to the Finnish Engineer. If a tank is not nearby or has already been destroyed, feel free to use it against enemy infantry, as its massive explosion and short fuse time makes it difficult to avoid. We will get to its main use as an anti-tank weapon later.

Molotov

-The man, the myth, the legend.
-The flame lasts for around ten seconds.



A Finnish soldier is nothing without his trusty Molotov. Scorching Soviets, Tanks, and more, this simple glass bottle filled with kerosene is one of the most effective weapons ever produced, being made in mass numbers to this day by rioters and paramilitary groups. Every Finnish Rifleman has a Molotov, meaning that nearly every Finn can destroy a tank. We will discuss its Anti-Tank Role later. For standard use, you should attempt to directly throw at your opponent, behind their cover or a corner. Be careful of missing your mark, hitting say, a roof, wall, or tree, the surface it hit will be set alight, so try to directly hit your mark on the enemy. Its long flame duration can also be used to cut off an entrance to a small doorway and many can cut off an entire road from enemies going through. If you see one of the ground and you lack one, pick it up, ♥♥♥♥♥♥♥ pick it up, just do it.

Maxim M/32-33
Finnish standard heavy machine gun. It is a fixed machine gun emplacement seen on some maps. It has a shield which obscures vision heavily, but also provides protection from being shot as the shield is bulletproof.

Note: All squad leaders will get two RDG-1 Smoke Grenades, a choice of a sidearm, and a pair of binoculars. All roles but Rifleman have limits, and some roles will be unavailable on certain maps.





Equipment

Mosin-Nagant 1891-30
Mosin-Nagant 1891
1x F1 Grenade




Equipment

SVT-38
Mosin-Nagant M1938 Carbine
2x F1 Grenade






Equipment

DP-28
Nagant M1895





Equipment

Mosin-Nagant 1891-30 Scoped
TT-33
Nagant M1895




Equipment

Mosin-Nagant M1938 Carbine
2x 3kg Satchel





Equipment

Mosin-Nagant 1891-30 w/ Dyakonov Grenade Launcher
5x Rifle Grenades





Equipment

SVT-38
Mosin-Nagant 1891-30
TT-33
Nagant M1895
1x RDG Smoke Grenade
Binoculars




Equipment

TT-33
Nagant M1895

Note: All squad leaders will get two RDG-1 Smoke Grenades, an L-35, and a pair of binoculars. All roles but Rifleman have limits, and some will not be available on some maps.





Equipment

Mosin-Nagant 1891
Mosin-Nagant M/27
1x Molotov




Equipment

Suomi KP/31
2x M/32 Grenades




Equipment

LS-26
L-35





Equipment
Mosin-Nagant 1891-30 Scoped
L-35






Equipment
Mosin-Nagant M/27
1x Improvised Kasapanos
5x Anti-Tank Mines




Equipment
Suomi KP/31
Mosin-Nagant M/27
L-35
1x RDG-1 Smoke Grenade
Binoculars

Talvisota features Tanks, unlike the Vanilla game. Many players are not used to playing around or with tanks, so here are some refreshers. Tankers on some maps can make the difference between victory and defeat. Tanks are only available for the Soviet Union and there are three different models.


T-26
The driver port is the same with all tanks.
The T-26 is the most common tank in Talvisota. It is a light infantry tank that is designed to support infantry with its 45mm main gun and DT secondary gun. It fires armor-piercing and explosive shells and is crewed by two men, a driver and a gunner. It has a max speed of 30 km/h


HT-26
The HT-26 is a flamethrower variant of the T-26. It replaces the 45mm main gun with a flamethrower, making it a flame-tank. Sounds cool right? Well in combat, it honestly sucks. Its gunsight lacks crosshairs making it difficult to aim its secondary machine gun. Its main armament is its biggest downfall, you must get very close to the enemy to use the flamethrower because of its small range. This is obviously a very bad idea since it takes one grenade or Molotov to take you down. If possible, avoid this tank like the plague.

T-28
I'm in awe of the size of this lad, absolute unit.
The T-28 is a monstrosity of a heavy tank that is only seen in the map "Mannerheim." It is a massive tank, its large height makes it difficult to hit with a Molotov. It also is the only tank with access to five smoke shells which should be used as a smoke grenade. It can house up to five crewmen, the driver, the main gunner, and up to three secondary gunners. Two secondary gunners man their own turrets on the front sides of the tank, while the third is behind within the turret, making the third turret pretty pointless. However, it is slowest of all tanks, only traveling at 20 km/h. Its turret is also very slow, turning at a snail's pace. As such, it is very easy to sneak up on and should always have infantry around it.

T-20







The T-20 is not actually a tank, it is more of a utility vehicle. It has a secondary machine gun and a driver. You do not have to be a Tanker to operate the T-20, anyone on the Soviet team can use it. It has four external seats on the sides, which are used to carry squads worth of soldiers. Keep in mind, the machine gunner and driver are completely protected, but the external seats are not. Anyone in those seats is vulnerable to gunfire. The T-20 should only be used for transportation and as a mobile cover. It is only available on the Supremacy map Tolvajarvi.










Basic Tank Driver Tips

• Work as a team, all tankers should have microphones and should listen to their crewmembers. The driver should always listen to the gunner of a T-26 as they are most likely to spot enemies. Likewise, if a driver spots an enemy in front of him he alerts his gunner and stops the tank.
  
  • Play nice, there is no tank driver role or tank gunner role, only tankers. Take turns playing driver and gunner.
    
  • Keep a safe distance from the enemy, they can only destroy your tank if they get close.
    
  • Play around with your infantry, they will protect you from any unwanted Molotovs and Engineers, likewise make sure you give them proper cover. Your visibility and your gunner's visibility is limited, remember.
    
  • Ask friendly Engineers to scout out an area or to hang around with you to spot mines.
    
  • It is possible to command a whole tank by yourself, but this is difficult, some people prefer to do it this way, however.
    
  • When your gunner says "Stop" or "Turn back," YOU ♥♥♥♥♥♥♥ LISTEN TO HIM
    
  • Avoid downed trees, tank traps, and foxholes. They can easily get your tank stuck. Most trenches can be crossed with a tank but you should still be careful.
    
    
    
    
    
    Basic Tank Gunner Tips
    
    • Order your driver on where to go and give him proper guidance, agree to take turns driving and gunning when you die.
      
    • Your gunsight is very basic, lead targets properly and aim upwards for faraway targets. Your sight cannot be zeroed like in Red Orchestra 2.
      
    • Do not use AP shells, they are almost useless as the Finns do have armor. Press "X" and fire a shot to switch to your HE rounds.
      
    • Use MMB to fire your secondary machine gun. It will have to be reloaded after around fifty shots. It also has limited ammo like your main gun, so shoot wisely.
      
    • When operating the T-28, use your smoke shells to make a smokescreen on an objective, use the shots wisely as you only have five shells.
      
    • When successfully hit by a Molotov. A prompt will display on your HUD that announces your tank has caught fire. You and your driver have twenty seconds to exit the tank.
      
    • If you hear a metallic clank that sounds like a grenade, an Anti-Tank grenade may have just attached to your tank. But you can't be sure that the grenade landed in a good spot or its just a normal grenade.
    
    
    

The Finnish have virtually no armor to speak, small amounts of anti-tank guns which are virtually obsolete by now, and virtually no Air Force to airstrike those tanks.

So they adapt.

It is vital to keep the enemy Tankers in the respawn menu as long as possible to win as the Finnish team.

Molotov

The most numerous and common way to destroy a tank is with a Molotov. Since most Finnish Soldiers have a Molotov, this means that nearly every able-bodied Finn can destroy a tank. But it is by far the most difficult and inefficient way to destroy a tank.





I'm just going to say this once.
DO NOT RANDOMLY THROW YOUR MOLOTOV AT THE TANK
Hitting the tank on the front or sides, or not hitting it all, will not do anything to the tank! It will just anger it and alert it of your presence!!




Don't do this!





Do this!



See that thicc engine block? Hit it with the Molotov.














The tank should burn like this when you score a successful hit.







Tank crews struggle to see what is around them as the visors inside render it hard to see. So flanking it is easy, but be wary of any infantry that is around supporting it. When you score a successful hit, the back of the tank should swell up with flames. Keep in mind, the tank will continue to function normally for twenty seconds, after twenty seconds, the tank will finally explode, killing anyone inside and around the tank. During this time, the tank crew may flee the tank and will attempt to kill the person who set it ablaze, so if possible you should try to sit a fair distance away from the tank and kill the crew as they exit the tank.

For the T-28 Tank, it is a bit more difficult to hit it due to its large height, make sure you have a good angle to throw your Molotov. For the T-20, it is easy. Simply hit the back and it will once again catch fire.



Grenades
They do nothing. Stop throwing them at tanks. You may even teamkill someone who actually trying to destroy the tanks.







Improvised Kasapanos






















By far the most efficient weapon the Finns have access to when it comes to destroying a tank, it is only available to the Engineer. But using it is a little more difficult than you think. The best way to score a kill with a Kasapanos is to make the grenade land directly on top of the tank and make it so it lays on top of it. This guarantees a kill on the tank when the grenade explodes. Otherwise, if the grenade lands around the tank, it may actually kill it, but this is unlikely as its very unpredictable of whether or not it will kill the tank. More often than not the tank driver will likely back away if he hears the familiar clank of a grenade.

Another thing, the grenades are not very sticky. If you throw the grenade too hard against the tank it may actually bounce off. If you hit the side of the tank, it may stick for a second, but will then fall off. So try to get the grenade to stick on top of the tank!



Anti-Tank Mine

Another weapon that is unique to the Finnish Engineer.



The Engineer can carry a maximum of five mines and can deploy up to eight. They are buried into the ground and function much like North Vietnamese booby traps. When the tank goes over the mine, the mine will explode and will disable the tank. Keep in mind the word "disabled." The tank will not be destroyed, but its treads will break apart, rendering the tank unable to move, but it can still use its gun. This makes the tank almost useless, but in some situations, it is still a threat. When a tank is disabled, it leaves it extremely vulnerable to a Kasapanos or a Molotov, so use those to finish it off. Try to place them areas where you think a tank will go. Like bridges, roads, entrances, etc.

There are a couple of things to keep in mind with mines.

• Since they have heavy pressure plates, mines cannot be activated by infantry, only tanks.
  
• Mines can be detected and defused by Soviet Engineers, only Soviet Engineers can see and defuse them.
  
• Mines will have a grey patch in the ground where you buried them. But only Finnish Engineers can see these patches. The only exception is when a Soviet Engineer detects them.

Soviet 3kg Satchel
The perfect infantry Anti-Tank weapon.





The 3kg Satchel is completely sticky and will not fall off a tank, making it by far the best Anti-Tank weapon....

...if the Finnish had it. The only way you can destroy a tank with these items is to loot some from a dead Soviet Engineer. In the rare case, you find one and a tank is nearby, you must get very close to it as the 3kg satchel cannot be thrown very far.


Artillery and mortars


Probably the best and most efficient way to destroy a tank is to bombard it with an artillery strike. The tank will be caught by surprise and will have no time to get away before it is destroyed. Either mortars or artillery will work. If a tank is too far away for infantry to deal with it, or is being protected too much by enemy infantry, you may want to call artillery on its position. Generally, you should not call artillery on a coordinate just to destroy a tank, only do so when it can help protect or take an objective like most artillery strikes.














Anti-Tank Gun


Currently, Anti-Tank guns are scheduled to be released in the future for the Finnish. It is likely going to be a deployable Bofors 37 mm Anti-Tank gun that Engineers can deploy.

Well, honestly I don't need to say much. A video was already made about it!

There will be more official videos like this from the developer team coming soon.

TD;LR, don't be an idiot when using skis.

This guide was created to accrue more interest in Talvisota and to teach newer players basic and advanced tips. It is not an official guide.

Head over to the official discord once again.
https://discord.gg/H2Xxcr6


Hyvää taistelevaa sotilasta!
I honestly have no idea if that is correct Finnish.