Need help understanding OKW play (replay)

Greetings. I have recently returned from 16 month trip in South America and so I thought it was time I got back into COH2. I got the WFA factions in the recent Steam sale and have focused my attention on them. Im loving Amis and I've started to play OKW.

Despite watching loads of casts and following these forums I'm having trouble getting a sense of how they are supposed to perform. The faction seems really strange. I'm no stranger to the game mechanics (logged hundreds of hours) although my micro is incredibly rusty Im just not sure what to do with OKW and the following replay really shows this.

•  
  

  0

  VS

  lalayoyo

  Super King

  SuperKing (OKW) vs Sov - Langreskaya

  by: Peanut_juice map: Langreskaya

  4

  -

I start off scouting for the enemy with the truck, wiring stuff off and building cover as Ive seen in many casts. Clown car takes me off the field which I know i can deal with a shreck and sturms. For much of the game this guy is really in my face and im just so busy reinforcing and swatting him away that I cant expand myself, I thought an MG and Kubel would help me hold the field but I barely held on. Eventually Im confronted by a T-70 which wasnt micro'd so well and my ATG took it out. With this gone and Obers on the field I thought i could finally push out AND THEN THE IS2 COMES!

I thought "How in the Hell is this already here?" Just what am I supposed to do? Im miles off from a Panther. The Sov player certainly did own the map but I couldnt see how I could have stopped him really, so no fuel for me. As Wher I could have at least had some Paks.

After reviewing the replay I see that a chief mistake of mine was throwing too many nades before I had shreks. Some wierd pathing thing occured too with the small gap in my hedge when i wanted to take out the M3, it was like the volks couldnt decide which way they wanted to go.

I'm still awaiting my ELO rating for OKW (that was my 5th game) so I think my opponent was way outta my league but I just feel so lost that I had to post this up here. How do I hold the field? (even vs con spam I stuggle without kubel an MGs) Just what is going on here with this faction?

Thanks in advance for any help you give. I also want to add that after coming back after so long this game is super intimidating to new players so be nice to the noobs out there.

Well a few things:
1. You quit early , even though you still had 2 Obers, 3 Volks squads, and over 500 MP plus over 130 fuel.
2. You could have built some more Raketens and positioned them with the Volks/Shreks to the rear of the IS-2(the goal not being to destroy it ,but rather force it off).
3. You kept attacking from the same angle. I know that map doesn't have a lot of room, but you never moved up the north/left flank and harassed HIS fuel.
4. Late game Kubel is really underwhelming, but it is okay for putting on a flank and covering fuel from sneaky infantry.
5. You did throw too many grenades early, grenades become a nice luxury late AFTER you have gotten shreks on all your volks.
6. You could have rebuilt Sturms and put put mines on flank or in front of cut-off, since the opponent kept attacking the same area.

Here is a replay of me facing early KV-8 into IS-2s:

•  
  

  1

  VS

  Pet Sematary

  broodwarjc

  1v1 IS2s base rush

  by: broodwarjc map: Crossing in the Woods

  1

  -

My intention was to hold a group of territories for myself so I didnt really think to approach the other side of the map. I've dropped this mentality and I was a lot more flexible today and had way better results (managed to get a panther before the heavy call ins arrived.)

I like how you smashed up some buildings in the early game with the truck. I did that today on Langres and it saved me a lot of hassle later.

I've checked out your replay, be it in fast forward, but I think I can give you some tips.

My intention was to hold a group of territories for myself so I didnt really think to approach the other side of the map.

This. Lock down 1 fuel, 1 ammo and 2 VPs and play on defence. There might be players who play more aggressively, but in my opinion, OKW is a defence faction. On certain maps this can be difficult though. This doesn't mean you can't sneak a squad forward to cut them off or take their fuel/ammo.

Also, don't use the kubelwagen. Once again, many people use it with great success, but I'm not a fan. They lose value as the game goes on.

I saw you went for T2 first. I tend to go T3, T4 and I only get T2 in long games.

My build goes like this:

3x volks, get shreks as soon as possible. Don't use too many grenades until all three have shrecks.

Build T3

Get an MG call-in

Get another MG and a Flak Half-track. If you have relative control over the area you want to lock down, go for MG first. If not, go for the half-track first.

If all your volks have shrecks, transfer munition to fuel. Keep your volks close together, centralized and group them, so you can react fast to incoming armor.

From this point onwards get the following vehicles: Panzer IV and Stuka half-track.

In between, get either Obersoldaten or Fallschirmjägers. Personally, I prefer the Fallschirmjägers. Hide them somewhere behind a wall or bush in the battlefield and suprise your enemy when he attacks. They are also great for "behind enemy lines missions"; guide them down small pathways and jump your enemy from the flank or from behind. Do as much damage as possible and retreat. Having two squads of Fallschirmjägers work together can cause massive damage on the enemy, especially against AT guns, mortars and the like. Also the Fallschirmjägers have the ability to use a panzerfaust, which can come in handy since the shreks your volks have don't do engine damage. Don't get me wrong though, Obers are devastating as well and which one you choose is up to you, the situation and the map. You can also get both obviously.

This is my main frame for OKW. Do note that you have to keep your eyes open and your head focussed. Adapt to the situation as the game unfolds. Just check my signature

Good luck on the battlefield!

PS: I'm going to upload a replay if you want, but with the new patch, I only have 2 replays, both of them against unskilled players who blobbed their infantry and attacked in very obvious ways. I'm going to play some more tonight though, so maybe I'll be able to upload a decent victory later on.

Thankyou!

I wasnt really understanding them because with other factions im reluctant to pump out hordes of infantry but OKW doesnt seem to have much else going on. Building a tech structure and then not building anything from it also confused me. I suppose one must think of them as the thing you want (healing/repairs/flak) kinda like the CPT, LT and major for the USF.

1) Early game, good micro of truck push + SP and/or kubel is key to win. On open maps OKW need a truck push to close in with SP otherwice use the truck to destroy important buildings and cover that can be used against you.

2) Mid game OKW first fuel unit should be either flak HT/luchs to carry volks or obers/falls/fusilier to carry your AT tanks/puma. Remember volks cant carry a puma alone (suicide against a good con spam) so OKW either have to get flak HQ first for obers or falls/fusilier. In team games OKW can get away with stuka first but that to risky in 1vs1 without PAK43/Pak40 support.

3)Late game its KT/panther micro perhabs supported by a stuka if OKW can afford it. Pak43 is good against soviet because KV1/IS2/KV8 are slow and many of the popular doctrines dont have any good arty until 12 CPs to destroy the PAK43. Even with B4 it takes some time to get vet for precision strike. To counter B4 play btw, be mobile and save all fuel for KT because you need two stuka to destroy B4 which is not viable. Also with KT play, you can abuse the fact that OKW can get one of the best repair speed in the game.

Other than this;
1) Dont get anything from medic truck if you can avoid it. Going medic first save manpower yes, but saving fuel early-mid game for flak or AT are more important and with mech+flak HQ OKW can play both reactive and pro-active. Going medic first have a few advantages going for a luch or panther rush, but both of those only work good against certain strategies so its a gamble and not a "safe build". Imo, medic first are more suited as a tournament build where you know the opponents play style.
2) Never use grenades until you have enough shreaks
3) Place your 30 munition mines defensively against USF tanks. Mid-late game mines are great vs soviet because pioneers suck without flame upgrades and it'll slow down their cap speed/mobility.
4) Pay attention to where soviet pioneers are and send SP to clear mines/demos there when possible. The truck can also be used to clear mines and then salvage it for free fuel.

OKW might seem easy win on the surface in team games but imo in 1vs1 its quite balanced and map dependent. All factions have abusive tactics to use on certain maps and to win against higher 1vs1 players its all about playing abusive or be "abused", sad but true. Sure there are a few anti-meta players that dont play like this but thats kinda rare. Ofc there are players that like to claim they dont abuse the game but most of those are not beeing honest with themself.
Personal, I dont look down on players for abusive tactics except game breaking abuse like the recent Para speed abuse etc. Ofc the gameplay (more combined arms, less spam) would improve if Relic balanced the game/maps (or removed the unbalanced maps) as there are to many units that are kinda useless on certain maps which are a shame.