Faction + Commander Name:
OKW - Tank Destroyer Doctrine
Theme: partly based on vCoH's Panzer Elite "Tank Destroyer Tactics" doctrine, this new doctrine focusses on providing OKW with several new or alternative ways to fight enemy armor.
Unit and Ability Roster:
Slot 1: Teller mines.
- Now available to Sturmpioneers.
- Now available to Panzerjäger Heavy Anti-Tank Infantry.
Slot 2: Pak 40.
- Pak 40 now buildable at Headquarters.
- Same stats / cost as Ostheer version.
- Same veterancy as Ostheer version, but spread out over 5 levels of veterancy.
- Veterancy requirements - for vet 5 same number as Ostheer version's vet 3.
Slot 3: Panzerjäger Heavy Anti-Tank Infantry.
- 4 men squad (JLI models) with 2x Kar 98K and 2x Panzershreck (Call-in unit).
- Cost ~400MP. ~35MP to reinforce.
- Passive ability: Tank Awareness. Displays the location of armored vehicles within 80 range of their position on the minimap and on tactical map.
- Can lay down Tellermines.
- Veterancy somewhat similar to Panzergrenadiers at vet 1-3. Vet 4: ambush camouflage. Vet 5: passive sprint when out of combat.
Slot 4: Stuka Close Air Support.
- Anti-tank strafes, identical to Ostheer's.
Slot 5: Tiger I Ausf. E.
- Late war variant of Ostheer's Tiger. Same model.
- Comes equiped with Panzer Tactician and Panzer Commander as standard.
- If Tiger I Ausf. E is on the field, the King Tiger can not be called in.
- Veterancy 1-3 is the same as Ostheer Tiger I. Vet 4: turret rotation +20%. Vet 5: damage from 160 to 200.
Strategies and Rational:
This commander aims to fill some gaps in the OKW line-up. It's meant as a counter to Allied tank heavy strategies. It provides something OKW desperately needs: proper AT infantry and a good anti-tank gun. This enables OKW to better fight Allied Tank Destroyers, which is something they currently aren't very good at. Rakettens and Shreck Sturmpioneers die too easily late game and tanks naturally struggle versus their intended counters. It further amplifies anti-tank power with the Stuka Anti-Tank CAS strafes - but this ability creates a strategic choice between it and weapon upgrades or teller mines. As the cherry on the cake it gets the late war Tiger I Ausf. E to give OKW a more mobile and versatile late game AI/AT platform compared to the King Tiger. The commander has - by design - no anti-infantry abilities so it is vulnerable to infantry heavy counter builds.
Additional Context:
The doctrine is based on one of my favorite doctrines from the Original Company of Heroes, Tank Destroyer Tactics for the Panzer Elite; (
http://companyofheroes.wikia.com/wiki/Tank_Destroyer_Tactics).
Panzerjäger Heavy Anti-Tank Infantry are essentially the OKW version of Panzergrenadiers. To make up for the lack of some AI power (no STG or Bundled Grenade), they get Passive Tank Awareness to help them hunt enemy vehicles.
I originally wanted to put "APCR ammunition - passive penetration boost" in slot 4 but then I realised the commander wouldn't have any strategic munitions choices besides spamming teller mines and weapon upgrades. So I replaced it by Stuka CAS.
The Tiger I Ausf. E comes equiped with the Panzer Commander rather than the pintle to put emphasis on its anti-tank role and diminish some of its AI power. It's a good alternative for the King Tiger for OKW players who want a more mobile and versatile heavy tank. The cost is sightly higher than Ostheer's Tiger I because it gets the Panzer Commander upgrade for free and has two additional levels of veterancy.