How to deal with this Ostheer strat?

So this is the first game I've played against Ostheer that wasn't a cakewalk. I think this Ostheer strategy is very strong against US. While I managed to win the game, I felt like if my opponent had microed a little better or got a little luckier he could have won. My opponent went sniper first then got 2-3 grens and an mg. After winning the early game I had pretty much the entire map for most of the game and made more than 7 shermans at late game. And even with that I couldn't end the game. Just 2 pak 40s and fausts which vet up incredibly fast held off 4-5 shermans at a time.

Replay attached.

•  
  

  2

  VS

  Kyouma

  stevebud

  Kyouma(US) vs Stevebud(Ost)

  by: S73v0 map: Kholodny Ferma

  9

  -

I feel pak 40s overperform against the flimsy armour of US, and there is little counter to the sniper. I was kinda at a loss on how to end the game while playing even though I had most of the map. How does others deal with pak 40s? How would one counter a sniper as US without being incredibly lucky or catching it on a flank? Would pathfinders counter an Ost sniper?

Constructive critique is appreciated.

A heavy T1 + T2 strategy by the Wehrmacht player is one of the only ways to compete. It can compete quite well!

Strategies like this are one of the reasons I suggest investing in the M8A1 early rather than a Sherman as long as you are confident that you won't get rolled over by a Panzer 4.

The M8A1 Howitzer Motor Carriage can dismantle Pak40s pretty reliably as long as you can find the Pak40s with your infantry. Pathfinders are extremely useful here because they give you good vision. Other commanders will have to get their hands dirty and put their men in harms way usually. If you have an advantage against an Ostheer player they will often try to bet on heavy Tier 2 play to stay in the game and then call in heavy armor or tech. The M8A1 will punish Tier 2 play pretty well.

One must be careful though because Pak40s have good range so they will sometimes try to turn the tables on the M8A1! Make sure to use your M8A1's smoke screen power if you get Vet1.

Get at least one M8A1 before you get a Sherman if you're seeing those Pak40s.

Pathfinders are okay against Ostheer snipers as their long range accuracy is quite good but they don't have any bonus detection range. The Pathfinders also have only four men so the fight can turn against them quickly. I've little experience against snipers but I would guess the best answer is if you see a Sniper to go an extremely fast M20 Utility Car. Ostheer has no answer for a Utility Car + Armored Skirts early because Panzerfausts are often useless against US armor. The M20 can kill the sniper early or just zone it out later when more dangerous Pak40s are lurking around.

I can't actually watch the replay right now so I can only respond to your general analysis.

Yeah, even though I had a slight fuel advantage the panzer 4 came out at the same time my sherman came out because I invested in an AA halftrack. In hindsight I got a little too sherman happy after the first 3 shermans killed the panzer 4. I should have gotten an M8A1 at some point but I was expecting to roll over a fuelless Ostheer player with 5-6 shermans. Yet everytime I went in I barely escaped with the skin of my sherman teeth XD

Hey, I'd recommend in this situation getting a second RE. It would be good because:
1) Absorbs sniper rounds. Every death of a RE entity saves you 8 mp versus a rifleman.
2) Distracts MG. MGs in buildings can be tricky to micro, with the time it takes to switch windows and whatnot. You could potentially have a riflemen squad slip past it while your REs retreat to your major/base.
3) Build stuff. On Kholodny, tank traps by the south muni make any armored attacks in the south easier to stop and riskier for him (due to a longer vehicle retreat path). Also, early game, getting a fighting position and putting an RE in it is good, especially if it is in range of the center buildings. It can lob decent grenades over hedges as well.

MGs in buildings can be tricky to micro, with the time it takes to switch windows and whatnot. You could potentially have a riflemen squad slip past it while your REs retreat to your major/base.

In old CoH, it flat wasn't possible to micro units in buildings; is it different in CoH2? I haven't noticed any difference, and the old "First unit in a building to distract the MG, second can run right in without being targeted" tactic still seems to work fine.

Vs the same guy with the same strat. Sniper was uncounterable, and pak 40s prevented any type of armoured rushes. Even if I flank the pak 40 I just get fausted and lose the sherman

•  
  

  1

  VS

  Kyouma

  stevebud

  Kyouma(US) vs Stevebud(Ost)

  by: S73v0 map: Minsk Pocket

  2

  -

Imo the sniper changes the dynamic of the Ost vs US matchup completely in the favour of Ost :/

I told this many times and i will remember it: German OKW has some OP Tactics

In old CoH, it flat wasn't possible to micro units in buildings; is it different in CoH2? I haven't noticed any difference, and the old "First unit in a building to distract the MG, second can run right in without being targeted" tactic still seems to work fine.

By micro I just meant pick targets/use abilities while in buildings. I always thought I had to select the unit in the building, then order it to shoot at the unit I wanted it to shoot at, but my MG would always leave the building. But one only needs to select the building, not the unit. I was thinking the opposite of your last sentence; two units on the ground can split the MGs fire. You can send an RE first, followed by a rifle squad from a different direction that can slip past the MG using heavy cover and shot blockers.

By micro I just meant pick targets/use abilities while in buildings.

Right, me too. Units in buildings don't seem to change targets the way I want them to, regardless of how I select them. I'll try again in the next game I play.

If it *is* possible to select targets with units in buildings, then there doesn't seem to be any good way to use two squads to slip past, unless you do a full flank outside their firing cone as you would against an MG in the open.