"- Follow instruction here and download vc_redist x64; DOW II (15620) & Retribution (56400): https://gist.github.com/jrbergen/0ce746676c4fbcc2becd6054d1bba2ed"

Basically:

- Download the official vc_redist.exe here: https://www.microsoft.com/en-us/download/details.aspx?id=48145

- Extract its content by running in command like "cabextract vc_redist.x64.exe" for example for the 64 bits version

- Then extract the next thing: "cabextract a10"

- Normally you're supposed to move only 1 file, but just move everything into this folder (depends where you installed Steam/DOW II):

For Vanilla/Chaos Rising: [Steam install folder]/steamapps/compatdata/15620/pfx/drive_c/windows/system32

For Retribution: [Steam install folder]/steamapps/compatdata/56400/pfx/drive_c/windows/system32

it looks like this is more than good enough a protontricks for me:

protontricks 56400 d3dx9 win7 vcrun2005

It looks like installing vcrun2005 with protontricks somewhat impacted game performance negatively (albeit not so much). But so far I haven't experienced another game desync so maybe it's helping

I had to severely shorten my comment because Steam has a 1000 characters limit on comments

Here's the most stable settings for me on all 3 DOW II:

- Download Proton 6.1 GE-2 from Github repository: https://github.com/GloriousEggroll/proton-ge-custom/releases/tag/6.1-GE-2 but start with latest Proton

- Follow instruction here and download vc_redist x64; DOW II (15620) & Retribution (56400): https://gist.github.com/jrbergen/0ce746676c4fbcc2becd6054d1bba2ed

- If doesn't boot, add Steam option to generate log file:

PROTON_LOG=1 %command%

- I had this error: "terminate called after throwing an instance of 'dxvk::DxvkError'"

Bypassed Vulkan with:

PROTON_USE_WINED3D=1 %command%

- Games will boot but Retribution has black screen. Install protontricks and run in terminal: protontricks 56400 d3dx9 win7 d3dx9_42 d3dcompiler_42 d3dcompiler_43 d3dcompiler_47 vcrun2005 dxvk

↑ dxvk optional; don't install if you bypass Vulkan (game won't boot)

- Switch proton version to Proton-6.1-GE-2

- Once it works, don't touch Proton version for Retri otherwise permanent black screen.

Some other posts online suggest installing dxvk with protontricks, but when I do on my PC at least, my game doesn't boot. Even in the launch options, I have to include something to bypass Vulkan to boot the game.

After applying the previous protonticks, now my game feels a lot more stable (no more micro stuttering which I used to have ever since I upgraded my PC)

So I had to "pipx upgrade-all" to upgrade protontricks, uninstall my game, reinstall it, switch to proton version 9, run `protontricks 56400 d3dx9 win7 d3dx9_42 d3dcompiler_42 d3dcompiler_43 d3dcompiler_47 vcrun2005` then switch back to Proton-6.1-GE-2 because the protontricks command didn't work with Proton-6.1-GE and thus I was stuck with a black screen.

There's a thread which says the vcrun2005 improves stability for Soulstorm

Some useful links, haven't been able to put them to use yet:

https://github.com/ValveSoftware/Proton/issues/3481#issuecomment-2816343895
https://gtm.steamproxy.vip/sharedfiles/filedetails/?id=3335693007
https://github.com/Matoking/protontricks/issues/304
https://forum.winehq.org/viewtopic.php?t=35618

Today, despite using the correct Proton GE version and applying the desync fix, I got a desync on a Last Stand game that lasted too long.

Does it make the game more stable? Sure. But it doesn't make me immune to it apparently.