2v2 is the most popular form of the game at "Pro level". This is unusual in competitive gaming as usually 1v1 is considered serious games and team games are for fun in most other RTS. In Red Alert however the game mechanics often mean that 2v2 is a better style of game. 1v1 can be very monotonous base trade or Q style games with little room for creativity. Maps such as Keep off the Grass or HJK6 are exceptions to the rule and offer fun styles of game. Ford did an article on top 10 maps in general here. This, however, is a post centred around the best 2v2 maps so I shall not digress too much.
I shall try to be objective as possible in defining the top 5 "most pro 2v2" maps and not choose my personal favourites (for example I have always enjoyed playing Pico 2v2 but it obviously doesn't make the cut as it is considered a gimmick map). Such things shall be considered in the ranking to make it as objective as possible: Popularity, Skill ceiling, Range of tactics (can allies and soviets both reasonably be played?), Teamwork, Map fairness (money balanced?).
Firstly I will get it straight off my chest and say that Ribbon Isle does not make the cut, despite its huge popularity. Neither does 4c Niklas. Ribbon Isle can become a stack off cluster fuck in the middle of the map, where often cruiser laming will decide the game. The map also has the problem of money imbalance. Germany also generally has a huge advantage for most players so the map is one dimensional. 4c has the huge problem of not being able to fit all 4 cocks through the hole at the bottom - this means that 4c can often become a lottery in terms of who takes North money first - therefore the skill level is lower than other maps. 4c is an amazing map, but it is a 1v1 map in my mind.
V7 doesn't make the cut because it is a map which is fairly easy to defend and spam so therefore the range of skills required is not as high as other maps. You can pretty easily go 10 cy tesla spam or 6 war medium spam without much harassment on this map so it lacks the early game defensive skills required on the maps which did make the cut.
5) Z Canuta Ore
The only ore map on the list. This is a solid map created by NastyNate which requires good tanking, scouting and money efficiency. It's not as highly ranked as some other maps on the list because it is true that ore maps are fairly limited in their range and diversity. You simply don't have the financial resources to execute the sort of tactics you could deploy on other maps. Also tanking is the overruling method of play on this map. You cannot 10 cy build for example. Yes you can potentially hybrid however overall it is a fairly one dimensional map type. Regardless, it definitely merits inclusion on the list as it strongly tests a specific skill set in Red Alert and is popular on the pro scene. I think Z Canuta is the best of the ore maps.
4) Crush's Basement
At number 4 we have Crush's Basement. This is a hugely popular map created by Ford around 2017. Ford made the map after he was malding he lost to me 1v1 on HJK6 playing as Germany vs Russia so he wanted a map which focused on tank battles. This is a hugely popular map at the pro level and tests players' GQ/SGQ ability to the max. Russia can play here but in generally Germany will have a huge advantage and win the majority of the time. The reason it is not higher on the list is because it is limited in terms of its range of tactical options. It is fairly easy to block the gate and so rushing is pretty rare. Spam tanks and battle is pretty much the optimal option. There's also the problem that trucks do become chaotic once the inside money depletes and so the money situation holds the map down a bit. Still, this is a good solid map often seen in pro 2v2 games and deserves its status on the list as it is the best raw tanking map.
3) Spacecraft
Yes it might seem arrogant to include a map I personally created on the list but it is for good reason. Spacecraft has quickly become one of the most popular maps on the 2v2 scene. It offers the challenging aspect of having to control your trucks manually to harvest gems instead of ore, this automatically raises the skill level required as you cannot just spam like a robot. You are also forced to fight for the middle and use your money efficiently to maximise production speed capability. It's a very fun and skillful map which sees many good games. Tanks and teslas can be a potent combination and often choosing the right moment to pop out a couple extra CYs can swing the game. Rushing is also possible so you need to be able to defend to a high level and scout the map well. Overall this is a very skillful map and it deserves its 3rd place ranking.
2) T-Dawg
Credit where it is due. NastyNate may be best known as the guy who always ducks 1v1s, but he is also now known as a premier map creator in Red Alert. To date, this is his finest creation. T-Dawg has become a staple pro 2v2 map. You can choose both Soviets or Allies and have a strong chance of success. The "fight for the middle gems" which the map demands creates some extremely fun and exciting games. Teamwork is also incredibly important on this map as allocating resources to securing sections of the map can be the defining factor. There's also a plethora of tricks you can do on this map such as transporters, thieves, helis, migs, as well as plain old light tank rushes. This is a very diverse and highly skilled pro map and absolutely deserves its ranking.
1) P4 [2k12 Rashowdown]
This might come as no surprise. I don't personally enjoy playing P4 all that much because it can become a stamina contest. There is no denying, however, P4's status in the 2v2 Pro scene. At one point Red Alert literally became 2 separate games. You had P4 players, and you had Path/gem map players. That's how powerful and meaningful P4 was in Red Alert. It became a game on its own. P4 even to this day remains one of the most popular maps in all of Red Alert and has been that way for 20 years. Most average pros will be seen playing P4 2v2s as the "go to" game of choice. It's true that P4 is very fair in terms of money for either side (unlimited ore), and the speed and accuracy required on P4 trumps other maps. Raw production speed is extremely important on P4. Scouting well and defending are very important skills in the early game (often engineers need to be micromanaged well). You can also choose either Soviets or Allies. In the early game, Germany can be very strong with their spam of medium tanks and can later branch out into chronospheres and heli spams. Soviet players can nader aggressively or bunker and go for a 10 cy-v2 style game. There's a massive range of options you can choose from in your style of play. While it's true you might see the top players playing T-Dawg, Spacecraft or Basement more often these days, this isn't enough to dethrone P4's status as the overruling Pro 2v2 map.
Hope you enjoyed reading. I would urge all casual players to play these maps as you will develop the skills necessary to one day compete with the "Pros"
CrushyBoo.
