OKW Special Operations: Double Agent

Team games. With random teammates they can feel like a roll of the dice. Are your allies going to be strong enough for you to win? The number of enemy strategies is boundless. Chaos is inherent in these matches. Fear not though! This guide will attempt to give you wisdom and the best chance possible to preserve and carry your team to victory!

This guide is mainly focused on 2v2, 3v3 and 4v4 matches.



The build has changed significantly. For those of you who are interested in why, let's run it down.


The niche of the Walking Stuka, at the moment, is too limited. Before this was a decent tool to punish enemy weapon teams. The LEIG is so redonkulous right now though that it can serve our needs against enemy positions (and so much more)


The reduced price of this upgrade will change our priorities. Obersoldaten got a nice buff with their reduced reinforcement cost. STG Obersoldaten are effective at all ranges. These guys are pretty kingly as long as you back them up with good anti-tank.


Volksgrenadiers have gotten considerably weaker since this guide was written. Their Veterancy was nerfed a little but more importantly all blob counters have been getting steadily stronger and stronger. HMGs are better than ever at suppressing infantry. Pack Howitzers and light artillery are quite good right now. Flame tanks, like the KV-8 and Churchill Crocodile, wreck faces.

Okay. Let's go into the build!

Radio Silence is a really niche power that is practically useless in team games. In theory this power lets you overwhelm an opponent by attacking him at multiple points and disabling his minimap. This would cause the opponent to possibly make mistakes. In a 1v1 match your opponent only has two eyes. In team games you're fighting against multiple people who can focus their attention on a smaller part of the map. It is hard to sneak around. Not a good power for us.

A key power for our strategy. This gives Obersoldaten and Volksgrenadiers a new grenade power. Infiltration Tactics costs only 15 munitions. It throws one grenade for each member of the squad. The cool-down is long however.

Aiming this power can be tricky. The grenades almost always over-shoot the targeted location. The range of the power is a little less than the indicator. I suggest aiming the ability just in-front of the enemy you want to hit. It will let your Volks throw the grenades earlier and has a better chance of hitting.

Obersoldaten can use this but their DPS is so high that you should only use it to push units out of cover or buildings.

An exceptional upgrade. let you handle a great deal of annoying infantry. Commandos with good ambush tactics will have the edge but otherwise you can take many fights with this upgrade. The increased detection radius can be very scary for enemy snipers.

This upgrade is a high priority. When using the Obersoldaten try to stick to cover at medium range. When the enemy is weak or you need to take out enemy weapon teams don't be afraid to close the distance.

A shockingly valuable power. Use Artillery Flares to scout for your LIEGs or to make sure that your Command Panther is not being lured into a trap.

The Command Panther is an exceptional if expensive tank that we will attempt to get as quickly as possible. The command aura that this tank has will benefit all tanks on your team in a large radius. It will boost vision and movement range.

Use your Command Panther defensively. Do not chase enemy tanks into enemy territory. The Command Panther has 50 range so it out-ranges most enemy tanks. The Command Panther's vision bonus and excellent range allow you to engage enemy tanks from safe distance. Keep the Panther alive! Each level of vet improves the tank's aura with new bonuses and your entire team will reap the benefits. It is extremely powerful. Do not use it recklessly.

It's worth mentioning the Command Panther's special ability Coordinate Fire. This ability is very similar to the Soviet Mark Target Vehicle power. It is cheap and worth using when fighting armor. It boosts damage against enemy tanks. Combined with your Panther and Panzerschrecks you can kill armor extremely fast with the damage bonus.

Fuel is the lifeblood of battle. Never should you let fuel go to the enemy without giving them the toughest fight you can muster. Early game is it your sole priority.

In some team game matches I see players make mistakes when it comes to prioritizing fuel. I see players on Steppes go to the top and capture the munitions as well as build bunkers and defenses up there. This is not wise though! If you let the enemy take the fuel and build static defenses on victory points they will simply over-run you with tanks.

As such if you are playing a 4v4 then you should send two players to fight for each of the fuels.

For some maps this is impractical. Lienne Forest and Ettlebruck Station come to mind. That doesn't mean it isn't possible or it shouldn't be tried but for the Axis on such campy maps the better strategy is not to pressure the enemy fuel but to establish a strong front line.

We need to deny fuel if we can't hold it. Look for opportunities to cut-off the enemy if directly engaging them is impossible.

Knowledge is power. The enemy could be building Caches on their safe strategic points for bonus fuel. Whenever they mass-retreat you should try to scout them to make sure that they are not squeezing extra resources out of Resource Caches. Push aggressively whenever possible and take these out with Volks and leIGs.

Fuel is always important but as the game shifts into the mid and late game you should focus on holding the majority of Victory Points. If you have held your fuel and held enough victory points to stall the game then you should have an advantage late game as an Axis player. This has become less true with the introduction the the British Forces but the Command Panther's Coordinated Fire ability allows you to pick off and threaten even the heaviest of British Tanks. Churchills should fear that 35% increased damage taken.

Our core build starts with two Volksgrenadiers.

Let's talk basic early game tactics. We're playing a team game so we don't need to spread our forces our to capture a bunch of points. This is a huge advantage because early game OKW units need each other to survive.

The reverse is true as well though. The enemy will also concentrate their firepower early game and push at you. This makes your Sturmpioneers very squishy. They cannot pick on isolated units and are easy to focus down in large battles. Keep your Sturmpioneers back. Let them shield your Volkgrenadiers from dangerous close-range units. Put them behind green cover and keep them with your Volksgrenadiers. They will provide a support role.

Stick to green cover and try to pick the best battles early game. A two-volks build is going to be pretty vulnerable to high aggression plays. Just try to survive while holding some early ground.



As soon as your second Volksgrenadier is done you should build your Battlegruppe Medical HQ out on the field. Try to pick a safe position behind heavy terrain or buildings. If you play your early fights right (dodge HMGS, stick to cover, play defensively) you should fall back, reinforce and heal off of this early HQ truck when you can. Only retreat if there's no other option or you would lose too much manpower.

As soon as you can get an LEIG on the field and perch your forces in front of it. Play defensively and let the LEIG do damage to the enemy. It is exceptionally effective right now. When the enemy is pinned or suppressed by the LEIG try to put a little extra pressure on.

You generally want to try and get your retreat point up now and try to keep your troops healthy. If you decide to delay this upgrade then make sure you get it before the enemy gets their forward retreat point. This is most important against USF. Riflemen with a shorter retreat path than you will just overwhelm your forces.



Allied tactics usually involve a couple of really annoying light vehicles. These are threats to us: M5 Quad Halftracks, Stuarts, British Wasp Carriers. Having one squad with a Panzerschreck and a Raketenwerfer is very important as you enter this phase of the game.

If the enemy is instead investing in BARs, Pack Howitzers, British Emplacements, or other infantry upgrades then you can delay the Raktenwerfer. Get another LEIG or Volksgrenadier squad.


It is very important to get your Panzer Schwerer HQ as soon as possible. We get our Battlegruppe (medical) HQ very early as to get the next tech building 3 minutes later. It is very likely that you will be at, or very close, to 80 fuel when the truck arrives.

If upgrading your retreat point would delay this HQ building then delay your retreat point upgrade.

Place the building behind or near your Medical HQ. It is important to use it as insurance for your LEIG and to stop very fast light vehicles from overwhelming you.

We have our Panzerschwerer HQ. Now we can get our big play making units. Tanks. Obersoldaten. The good stuff.

No plan survives contact with the enemy. You should begin to change the build based on what the enemy is doing and how the battle is going. There are suggested units and options up ahead.

Our goal is to get two Obersoldaten with IR STGs. This is our core anti-infantry force. Obersoldaten with the IR STGs excel at short-to-medium range but are still a powerful long-range unit. Try to move your Obersoldaten and Volksgrenadiers in pairs. Volks in front, Obersoldaten just behind them. The two compliment each other's weaknesses well.

While we want to get two Obersoldaten inevitably there can be better options to get in the short term.



This build prioritizes teching very quickly. A fast Panzer II "Luchs" can be an excellent shock unit in the right circumstances:

• If you are behind and need an advantage to retake some of the map,
  
• If the enemy is British then fast light armor can create a headache for them
  
• If you are struggling to fight off a light vehicle such as the M5 Quad Halftrack or the M15 AA Halftrack
  

If any of these are true then consider rushing out the "Luchs".

Your core army is nearly complete. Only two pieces of the puzzle remain. You need to pick a piece of armor to support your troops. There are two major choices: The Panzer IV or the Jagdpanzer.


Both are powerful vehicles and both cost about the same in resources. Choose the one that is right for the situation:

Choose the Jagdpanzer if...

• You are fighting British. Their late game armor is extremely strong.
  
• You are having trouble with the USF M8A1 "Scott" HMC.
  
• The enemy has already gotten many tank destroyers to preemptively counter your armor.
  
• You built a "Luchs" earlier.
  
• The enemy armor is a bigger problem than their infantry
  

Choose the Panzer IV if...

• You didn't build a "Luchs" earlier.
  
• The enemy infantry is generally more of a problem than their armor.
  
• You appear to have a fuel advantage.
  

After you have this piece of armor your army should feel very powerful. Keep your armor safe and always move it together with infantry. Fuel is a rare resource for OKW so keep your infantry in the front and screen every assault. This is why that forward retreat point is so important.

If you get a Panzer 4 and the enemy counters with many Tank Destroyers then try to pick up an additional Raketenwerfer. Two Raketenwerfers can keep your tank safe.

Your core army only requires one more unit to be complete: the Command Panther. However saving up 200 fuel can take quite a while.

Spend excess manpower on units based on the situation:

• If the enemy is entrenching themselves with Pack Howitzers, HMGs, AT guns, and low mobility units then get another LIEG
  
• If you need more anti-infantry power then get Obersoldaten with STGs
  
• If you need more anti-tank power than get either Volksgrenadiers or Rakenwerfers. If the enemy is using flamethrower tanks or tank-destroyers then use Rakenwerfers as their improved range will make the difference against these tanks.
  

There's only one crowning unit left to complete the army. Save up fuel for your next purchase:



The Command Panther will round our force out. It can protect your support weapons from tanks. It can crush and use it's pintle mounted MG to scare off Shock Troopers. Always use this unit carefully. Never use it to chase enemy tanks into the fog of war. The command aura gives bonus vision and movement speed for all nearby tanks (even other allied players).

The Command Panther's strongest ability is the "Coordinated Fire" that it gets. Use the Artillery Flares ability to scout the enemy battle line. Look for any vulnerable tanks on the front of their line. Move in your Raketenwerferers, Panzer and Panther. Mark the target and then engage. The ability makes the enemy take 35% more damage from all attacks. Most tanks have 640 health. Most anti-tank weapons deal 160 damage. This means that you only need to hit a Sherman or other tank with three shots instead of four to kill it! If you can sneak your armor up to the enemy and attack from long range you can destroy armor before he can even react. Look for any opportunity to snipe those tanks! Coordinated Fire is cheap at 35 munitions. If your prey somehow escapes then just back off and wait for a better target. Don't play too risky.

While you snipe the enemy tanks your Obersoldaten can rush in and attack their infantry. Most players are relying on their tanks to counter your Obersoldaten. This combination is your bread and butter to taking good fights.

You will lose units. The battlefield is dangerous and you will need replacements. Veterancy is very important to the Oberkommando West so try to survive above all else.

If you lose your Sturmpioneers early game you should consider rebuilding them. You'll need the repairs. If manpower is low but you have some floating fuel then just grab the repair HQ truck. Don't do this if it would delay your mid-game armor units though (Jagdpanzer/Panzer IV).

If you need anti-infantry then you should build additional Obersoldaten or an LEIG. If the enemy is using more weapon teams than infantry squads then bring out the LEIG.

If you need anti-tank then choose Volksgrenadiers and Raketenwerfers. Volks are best if the enemy is not using high-powered anti-infantry tanks like Crocodiles, Centaurs and KV-8s.

Replacing armor is exceptionally hard. Play it safe and let your manpower army go first into any engagement.

Our strategy is well rounded and can tackle most challenges. We have some of the best anti-tank possible with the Command Panther and supporting troops. We have high-damage shock Obersoldaten. We have light artillery with our LEIGs. You can tackle nearly any threat given enough time.

However the Allies have exceptional units and tactics too. This section is dedicated to the most dangerous units in the game right now.

Any British player worth his/her salt will rush this tank. It's just plain broken right now. Long range anti-tank is your friend. Try to get a Jagdpanzer out promptly. Until then you need to protect your Raketenwerfer with Volksgrenadiers. Keep the volks in front and retreat whenever they're in danger. Just scare it off until your armor arrives.

There's a video below that shows a match against the British Centaur. Centaurs are scariest when they are backed up by 2 6-pounder AT guns. Assaulting enemy AT guns behind a Centaur is almost impossible with Obersoldaten so it all comes down the LEIG to bombard these guns.

Once the Command Panther arrives you should just combo the tank with your Coordinated Fire ability. It should go down pretty easy to a Jagdpanzer+Command Panther combo.

Edit: The centaur is still dangerous but has been patched to do 30% less damage and a bug-fix for garrisoned damage. It's still dangerous and often rushed so you should be prepared but it should be easier to deal with.

Flamethrowers tanks are really good right now. They be scary!

If you suspect the enemy is going to use one of these monster tanks then make sure you pick up a Jagdpanzer rather than the Panzer IV. Soviet Shocktroops can be a harbinger of the KV-8. You should get the Jagdpanzer against most British players anyways.

Mines are important against flamethrower tanks. They love to rush in and burn everything to the ground. Plant as many mines as you can and try to keep your Rakenwerfers safe behind your armor.

The Pack Howitzer is exceptional because it can potentially shut down any frontal assault by infantry. This weapon is a mix between an HMG and an artillery piece right down. You would think that our Obersoldaten could just run these guns down but any assault on them has a very good chance of going very badly.

When the enemy is spamming Pack Howitzers you have only one real option to counter it: grab some extra LEIGs. The LEIG out-ranges the Pack Howitzer. You should try to match his number of Pack Howitzers. Fire from maximum range to ensure less chance of a counter-barrage. Don't be afraid to use your Artillery Flares to spot his Pack Howies when you are not sure where they are. Your fire will be 25% more accurate when you have vision of the target so the flares can act as an accuracy boost as well.

If you can decrew an enemy Pack Howitzer keep pounding it with LEIGs. Try to use your Obersoldaten to assault the position and then use an anti-tank weapon and destroy the gun. It would be best to take the weapon if you can... but don't be afraid to just destroy it with an attack command. You should have plenty of artillery already.

Before we finish, here are some resources for you to use.

Here's some videos of the build in action:




I will update this section with some additional videos as good games with the strategy become available. If you executed the strategy particularly well then PM me with the replay/video. I'll check it out and maybe feature it here!

Here is the build in rough order:

• Volks
  
• Volks
  
• Battlegruppe Headquarters
  
• leIG Infantry Support Gun
  
• Panzerschreck Upgrade
  
• Raketenwerfer
  
• Panzer Schwerer Command
  
• (Situational Alternative/Optional): Panzer II "Luchs"
  
• Obersoldaten
  
• IR STG Upgrade
  
• Obersoldaten
  
• IR STG Upgrade
  
• Jagdpanzer IV OR Panzer IV
  
• Command Panther
  
• Freestyle!
  

Good luck and I hope you enjoyed this guide! If you liked the build or have questions leave them in the comments below!