what time period is the most even for US vs USSR?

[PlasmaKrab]

Originally Posted by Imp

Agree with Andys comment a campaign works well & can continue a bit further as first Abrams is not that effective suffering from a common problem you will notice with the US.
If talking tanks US generaly has better Fire Control but a pea shooter for a gun so cant capitalise much of the time. One sides praying for a hit the other for it to penetrate & the US forgot to install Giros so attacking can be a problem. Good fun as a campaign as it swings back & forth.
If you keep going unless patch has changed you reach a point where both sides have trouble destroying the others tanks as armour outraces firepower for a while.

True, that's why I find more interest in playing against Soviet opponents around the late-70s-early-80s. Take e.g. 1983, you have the first Abramses in Germany (supported by lots of TI ATGMs), sporting measly 105mm guns which severely degrade the spotting advantage against new-model T-64s and the early T-80s. What good is spotting your target 3km away when your rounds bounce off until they are 1.5km closer?
The opposing T-64/80 have the opposite problem at that time with excessive firepower and lower-grade FC and vision.
Of course this ends tarting 1986 with the M1A1, which can make short work of any opposing armor.
This is only for tanks, but I have found the supporting elements to be more or less matched, give or take a few years.

But if you want an equal game, I agree that you should look at the early 60s or earlier still.