Thoughts on Encirclement Doctrine?

This weeks free commander tryout for OH is the Encirclement Doctrine. After playing through a game to test out the commander, it seemed a really solid choise.

The abilities are:

Close the Pocket
Artillery zeros in on isolated enemy units to destroy them. Automatically attack all cut off enemy territories and frontline territories.
- The extent of the bombardment is unclear, but it is great fordamanging defencive positions before moving in to finish off any stranglers.

Breakthrough
Slightly improves the speed of all vehicle units and allows them to decapture point very rapidly.
-Imagine a panther capping a point. Umad bro?

Break Supply Line
Send in a Stuka bomber to disable a targeted enemy point with a precision attack.
-Good for cutting off points and decapping VP's in a ponch.

Sprint
Allows German infantry to use the Sprint ability. Increaseing movement speed for a short period of time.
- basically this will be OH,s version of Hoorah, and might be a great asset in dodging Maxims.

Stormtrooper
Elite infiltration troops who are experts at disrupting enemy supply lines. These units can be deployed from any ambient building.
- Good description is longrange upgraded Pgrens that can be upgraded with Sturmgewehr.

Any thoughts about this commander?

I think its OK.

I like sprint, and Stormtroopers are decent although they kind of overlap with PGrens in terms of function. The ability to deploy from buildings is pretty cool for Ostheer as well.

All the other stuff is pretty much based around setting up a game-winning "Close the Pocket". I like this as a mechanic, but it is very map dependant, to the point where on some maps Close the Pocket is practically impossible to use.

I think whether or not it has a place in the meta depends on how the buffs to Ostheer T4 pan out. The lack of a Tiger or other late game unit would have been a fatal weakness pre-patch, but maybe now doctrines like that are more valid.

Breakthrough seems to be a waste of fuel, it wont replace the amount of fuel that you would deny or gain...

Sprint has a bug of showing as 0 CP...

This commander would be ok, but due to the high costs of sticking to stock teching (call ins are way too efficient for all sides) it's still far better to get doctrines that give tiger/elefant and smoke. Instead of buffing T4 or w/e, they should just tie teching to all call ins. Otherwise call ins will always be cheaper mp and fuel wise. It's a shame that unique/fun doctrines arent the best choices due to the call in meta.

-Imagine a tiger capping a point. Umad bro?

I would be mad if this commander also had the option of getting a Tiger.

I fink we need grande SturmGeschutz Ace 4 Kapping and all other needs in this doctrine, Wa u fink Sneakking

If sprint actually was 0 cp and not 2 for all units, this commander might be very interesting for me.
Right now however, im better of with just about any commander, since close the pocket and stormtroopers are quite map and match depedant and i rather go with something abit more allround.

That said, i do like the overall set-up of this commander

Personally loving the commander. It doesn't play out like most others though. I think pretty much all abilities only really shine through mid to late game. Lately as ost I tend to get pushed off the map frequently but I think unlike its name it really helps breaking out of base.

A very basic start with gens mgs then to pacs and build that force to slowly push out while using break supply when ever you can on enemy fuel to keep tanks sparse. Since close the pocket really is restricted to late game due to cost and difficulty I use sprint to flank mgs or get into buildings faster and breakthrough as a blitzkreig to get around paks or su 85s. Since there isn't a need to save fuel for heavy tanks since panther sucks atm I get a stug and a p4 and with a double pak front push and harass till I get full map control.

After some more games, I really like how this commander is set up. I think Sprint on all infantry is actually incredibly strong and opens up a lot of tactical opportunities late game. Stuff like smoke barrage + sprinting Grens to break defences e.t.c.

I also think Stormtroopers are really exceptional in a dedicated vehicle hunting role. That Katyusha bothering you? ISU being repaired on 10% HP? Spawn Storms from a nearby building out of LOS, and wait for Panzerschreck upgrade to complete. Then, use Armoured Vehicle Detection and go for it. Sprint ensures it won't get away. The STG upgrade is also pretty good, although I'm not sure how different from PGrens they are (anyone got the DPS stats yet?).

I think all the Close the Pocket, economy harassment stuff should be seen as super-luxury, rather than the core of the doctrine.

This weeks free commander tryout for OH is the Encirclement Doctrine. After playing through a game to test out the commander, it seemed a really solid choise.

The abilities are:

Close the Pocket
Artillery zeros in on isolated enemy units to destroy them. Automatically attack all cut off enemy territories and frontline territories.
- The extent of the bombardment is unclear, but it is great fordamanging defencive positions before moving in to finish off any stranglers.

Breakthrough
Slightly improves the speed of all vehicle units and allows them to decapture point very rapidly.
-Imagine a tiger capping a point. Umad bro?

Break Supply Line
Send in a Stuka bomber to disable a targeted enemy point with a precision attack.
-Good for cutting off points and decapping VP's in a ponch.

Sprint
Allows German infantry to use the Sprint ability. Increaseing movement speed for a short period of time.
- basically this will be OH,s version of Hoorah, and might be a great asset in dodging Maxims.

Stormtrooper
Elite infiltration troops who are experts at disrupting enemy supply lines. These units can be deployed from any ambient building.
- Good description is longrange upgraded Pgrens that can be upgraded with Sturmgewehr.

Any thoughts about this commander?

Frikkin' ace,actually (until the inevitable nerf, when enough people have paid for the Arty equivalent of the original Tiger Ace)

Ps Looking at the title of this thread: are you Irish?

I would be mad if this commander also had the option of getting a Tiger.

Yes, now that you mention it I guess I'm too used to the assault grenadier doctrine. Fixed.

Looking at the title of this thread: are you Irish?

Actually I'm norwegian

I would be mad if this commander also had the option of getting a Tiger.

HAHAHA

Actually I'm norwegian

Nice

In 1v1 i find the only useful ability is sprint, which is amazing. Sprint + German sniper is proving to be effective for me, but the rest of the doctrine is meh.

I immediately thought of the blitz doctrine from vCOH.

Only a few games with it so far but good success going from t1 to t3 using the storms as the antitank till I can get a stug or p4 out. Storms have camo so having an ambush for a pesky vehicle is quite easy too. The STG44 option is just a bonus.

Quick note as ooorah lasts longer than german sprint, so you still have to be quite careful if your sniper is getting chased.

Close the pocket I honestly think is ridiculously OP. Having 250 munitions I stukad his cut off and activated the arty and all his tanks and infantry got absolutely annihilated within seconds. I though it would be something like sector arty from CoH1 but this artillary is way too good.

After some more games, I really like how this commander is set up. I think Sprint on all infantry is actually incredibly strong and opens up a lot of tactical opportunities late game. Stuff like smoke barrage + sprinting Grens to break defences e.t.c.

I also think Stormtroopers are really exceptional in a dedicated vehicle hunting role. That Katyusha bothering you? ISU being repaired on 10% HP? Spawn Storms from a nearby building out of LOS, and wait for Panzerschreck upgrade to complete. Then, use Armoured Vehicle Detection and go for it. Sprint ensures it won't get away. The STG upgrade is also pretty good, although I'm not sure how different from PGrens they are (anyone got the DPS stats yet?).

I think all the Close the Pocket, economy harassment stuff should be seen as super-luxury, rather than the core of the doctrine.

My thoughts exactly. A much better commander than new Soviets commander IMO. Sprint is now 0CP too

Love this commander, though I find it works best on Minsk pocket. haven't lost one battle on Minsk Pocket using it.

Love this commander, though I find it works best on Minsk pocket. haven't lost one battle on Minsk Pocket using it.

Minsk Pocket doesn't have particularly harsh cut offs or many buildings. Good on you for winning, but there are way better maps for this doctrine than Minsk Pocket.

So, now that the initial hype is over, do the old statements still stand? Is the Encirclement useful? How does it compare to Tiger docs or Mobile Defense?