Profile of Strummingbird

T34/76 and T3 in general is good vs OKW- playing against the luchs without a mobile counter on larger maps is a quick way to lose the game. Usually followed up by floating for IS2/ISU- the other player on the team tends to go T4 -> katyusha -> call-ins as well. T3 is less useful the narrower the map is, though, I think- so vaux, moscow/winter, rzhev, lieurenex being better, rails, minsk, kharkov being worse. Teching is also good if you're ahead, or CPs are rolling in slowly.

Leaving aside all the justifications that the panzerwerfer has a machinegun, fires more rockets in one go so it deserves a shorter range, and all the countless tit-for-tat arguments.

I think the most important thing is, how often do you see a panzerwerfer being used in a remotely competitive 2v2 game, compared to the Stuka and the Katyusha? I put it to you that for every one time the werfer is used effectively, you'd see ten or twenty katys and stukas. And for those arguing that 'oh the stuka is so much better so the ostheer player doesn't need to build one', even double ostheer don't build werfers. Mixed axis where the OKW doesn't go stuka, the ostheer doesn't go werfer either. And it's not because the werfer is some 'overlooked hidden gem', it's because it's rubbish.

Even if the werfer and the katy were absolutely identical and cost the same techwise, the katy would be better- by virtue of the axis being the defensive (campy) faction more reliant on team weapons, in theory. Add to that the fact that the werfer costs a huge amount to tech to, needs to get within AT gun range to actually hit targets, and has an awful vet1 ability compared to every single soviet indirect fire piece, and you get appalling heap of junk that it is.

The command panther is quite possibly the single best tank hunter/destroyer unit in the game- better than even the Ace, I think.

It costs 25 fuel more than a regular panther- and IMO the ability to self-spot while maintaining full mobility, something no other vehicle except the tiger ace and the puma can do, would justify the price increase alone.

It has a ridiculous mark target ability- and the justification that it 'only lasts 20 seconds' is silly. With it enabled, the panther alone can two-shot jacksons- which takes less than 7 seconds, assuming you mark before your first shot. All medium tanks except the T3485 die in 3 shots, or 14 seconds. The cmdpanther can very easily take an IS2 head-on with the ability active. And it costs a grand total... of 35 munitions. You can quite literally use it in every single engagement. Seriously if you're buying so many shrecks that you can't afford to use this ability, which costs less than a bundled grenade and is ten times as gamechanging, you're doing something wrong.

And of course there's the aura. I don't have much to add about it, because in 1v1s and 2v2s there isn't usually a whole lot to buff (though elefant + scopes + cmdpanther mark target is pretty hilarious).

I'd say the command panther is let down most by the doctrine it comes in, which isn't really so useful in 1v1. The unit itself is incredible, really. The odd thing is, there's a perfect historical command panther that would fit the same mould as the ostheer command P4- weaker gun but chassis of the same strength.



Schwere Panzerjägerabteilung 653 operated a panther used in the command role, with a panzer 4 turret and gun, on the eastern front in 1944. OKW is technically the western army, but this would be far more unique than just the reskinned superpanther that it is now.

Just my two cents.

AAaa you were playing agasint each other in F1... Sorry Did not notice

Any alternate opponents, or do I just not play in this fixture?

Referring to this:
https://docs.google.com/spreadsheets/d/1kzY9-UwZSQ19_EL3LTZoBHjMCwD1ZaDrEtedjKap4wM/edit#gid=1422017161

and the thread for it:

http://www.coh2.org/topic/31396/vehicles-%26-veterancy-statistics-spreadsheet