Morning fellas. Awake. First espresso pulled.
First, thank you for the critiques, especially one so in depth Hector. I have no problem comprehehending what it is you mean to say even where grammatically or contextually awkward as would be expected of a second language spoken infrequently. I am the similar with German and Schweizerdeutsch. I am not a native speaker but my cousins in Deutschland, Die Schweiz u. Ungarn naturally enough are. As for Magyarul!
General observations
Thank you for consideration of causing the foolish ego no offence, but it's unnecessary. I've been on the planet long enough to have no hesitation placing ego aside. Ego makes a necessary servant once recognised for what it is, but is a capricious self-serving master.
I've read the review and will give you some feedback on my thoughts so you comprehend why I did certain things as I did, or not.
Everyone makes mistakes. Denying that serves only the ego of the unwitting.
First. Although I can't help to be fiercely competitive in my play -aren't we all which is our raison détre for playing this game, but ultimately I play for fun. Although I do some map and other research/homework, treating it like my job to achieve a l33t playcard score isn't high on my agenda. I understand there's a learning curve, and while I've now got a grasp on Soviets and an even better one on Ostheer who are by far the most rounded and thus the easiest faction to play IME, OKW remain....confusing and lacking in comparison. I have briefly read through the OKW order of battle, guides etc, but ultimately, one can only get a feel hands on.
FTR last night I persevered with OKW and won 3 of the 5 1v1 autos played.
We all play differently, and must play to the strengths and natural temperament whilst having regard for idiosyncrasies of a faction and general strategic/tactic considerations as apply to any individual game. That said, as a general comment, I think one of the reasons I am not enjoying this game vs oCOH is that for all the hypothetical claims otherwise, in my observation in actual play it is actually
less tactical and strategic, not more so. It has descended to become an absurdly excessive clickfest with far to much individual unit nano-micro husbandry required exacerbated by a model where expensive squads or heavy tanks with rubbish AI pathing which take forever to get fuel for die in a nanosecond upon engagement after the "T" or "U" key is pressed yet before the keypress registers and the game effects retreat. On that note, I had a close friend sadly now dead (brain cancer at 39) who worked for THQ (AU) on vCOH who explained to me how the game was written with clever prediction to account for latency and bandwidth poor connections. This one doesn't appear to be so well optimised. It will be interesting comparison when I upgrade (imminent) to gruntier hardware to see what if any effect it has upon gameplay and aforementioned slow response. I suspect in the case of COH2, that it does, just as the type of mouse RR and wireless vs wired does too.
Know thyself
So that said, my natural playstyle in RTS is to play an offensive defence when I must play defence. By temperament, I am an opportunist offensive RTS player (Eagle to use the RTS vernacular) and don't like to play defensively unless situational or game idiosyncrasy require it. Ordinarily, I load my opponents up so they load shed and operate under duress, but find OKW opening forces simply don't facilitate that except vs the Brits, but can't capitalise upon it due a resource model induced plateau mid game leaving them only with 'paper and scissors, but without the rock'.
<snip> your opponent was really stupid
I concur. I had already deduced that as per my original comments upon submission. He lost the game rather than me doing anything tactically brilliant to win it.
Minute zero. You was dancin in your base with your sturmpioneers i dont know why , also it took you a bit of time to start making fisrt squad.
Brutal honesty. The dance. I was map sides disorientated for an instant. First squad delay was twofold. 1. MP. Just don't have the MP out of the gate to start build of an SP squad. 2. Indecision. Another SP or VolksGren? Advantages, and disadvantages to both. Double SP is powerful if your can catch individual Brit inf squads on the hop out of green cover. But they are expensive. Cheap Volks give more map (capping) coverage and redundancy per unit (5 man), and offer superiority of numbers (Clausewitz/Stalin 'quality' misquote) and ranged attack complimenting SPs short ranged hard hitting attack.
Re Raketenwerfers. Hmmm.. I am always loath to build them as any AT due to their susceptability to be overrun by initial opening, mobile and powerful Brit infantry if he chooses to go there. IME that initial BGC, flamen or not, can be dealt with by triangulated small arms fire, and a 'faust just cruels it.
you just sit on church with pios they donw return fight and you loose 2 models and thx to this you almost lose pios on retreat in minute 4 i think.
My reasoning behind placing those SPs in the church was that I -accurately- assessed my opponent would go an MG/s to pin and dominate 'centre court' opening. Had he done so earlier than he managed, with the game's pathing requiring endless megamicro to avoid squads transitting to/from base blundering within range of those MGs losing time and position to constant suppression/pin forced retreats, I would not have been able to dominate the field and resources as I did, and he would not have been preoccupied as he allowed himself to become deploying all that force trying to remove essentially what was initially a single SP squad, and subsequently a Volks squad.
I planned and executed the tradeoff of reinforcement of three SP men and three Volks men plus the
cheap MP cost of the loss of that one Volks (hadn't planned to lose them totally nor so quickly, but that's how it goes) for time and freedom of unopposed manoeuvre to cap with resultant resource domination as occurred. I considered it an acceptable trade of resource for MP as lack of the former is one of the several Achilles' Heels of OKW as I perceive it. The second reason was that I wanted to occupy centre to delay him from doing so. I knew ultimately it would only delay his occupancy subject to his his building of a mortar pit -which he didn't surprisingly. Other than going Luft and only after achieving 1 CP to obtain MGs, I knew it was merely a stalling tactic serving the greater strategy. The third reason is pursuant to the second. If one's Brit opponent in the particular does occupy centre on Kholodny Ferma with MGs or other inf and subsequent support, Bofors and or Mortar pit nearby, any retreated OKW units being only 4 men to kick off with in most cases, will usually be down to a single or at most two men. They will more frequently than not cross centre or near centre into that fire zone during retreat often resulting in their complete loss. Do this a few times against a more capable opponent and the MP bleed ends up with massive IMBA just as happened with my opponent in this game, albeit for different reasons.
Church has only 1 window poiting on direction where 2 mgs were
Yes something learned here re the window, and noted for future ref. But, the anomaly is, note how long the SP squad lasted in that same building, yet all 5 five Volks died within moments, quite literally. The game is erratically random.
You would have better if you retreated your pios and then flank those mgs.
If I could have pulled it off successfuly, yes.
My reason for not doing so is that that move even had it been possible with limited available fielded troops at that time without pulling them away from their capping, is a too high risk all or nothing what if for me gamble in opening. Lose it, and he is in the power position and I am further behind the eightball with what is already a faction armed with glass cannons. I had already intercepted his infantry squad (intended) catching him by surprise causing him to retreat them. Clearly the double MG with one covering the other was intended to avoid me doing that to him again on them in their subsequent transit to occupy those buildings. I anticipated he wouldn't allow himself to be caught short like that a second time, and at that juncture of the game it was yet unrevealed that his play was to turn even more Gumby than mine it subsequently did.
A win or fail move in
those circumstances, flanking takes time and a lot of attention. At that time, I simply didn't have the infantry fielded to cap, occupy those vital centre buildings
and execute a flanking manoeuvre. Had I used the occupant SPs to attempt that, his MGs would not have been in the open or those positions by the time I arrived via a map world tour, but in the buildings. Did you see how quickly he moved the moment he thought that Church was unoccupied when I exited and retreated that suriving SP from it but before the Volks squad actually reached it to reoccupy it, but knowing they would beat him there -just. Chancy, but a risk I decided to take to preserve the expensive SP squad for reinforcing if I could.
Also you lost a important house
Inevitible in my assessment of how OKW play. Correct me if you believe it errant, but OKW just don't have MGs without Luft, and then not in opening until earning 1CP. Nor do they have infantry firepower to hold them against Brit brute force. IMV gettng drawn into an attritional battle OKW can't win in opening is only contributing to ultimate defeat.
Why you went in 7 minute to mechanized hq when you never used it until end game ?
Noted. Reason. Unfamiliarity with OKW and the practical logistics of their resource model. Same reason I set up all the trucks bar one in HQ territory in that game. Too many times I've blundered with an OKW truck too far forward which when destroyed, becomes a major setback. Better play it safe. Ferma isn't a big map.
you shoudl have wen for flak hq and go fast luchs , it would have completely defeat him becuase he even lost his at gun.
Love
supported Luchs, especially vs Commando players. Dilemma I am struggling with is low resource income and fuel in the particular.Awaiting fuel just for Luchs
or, not Luchs
and was the why I didn't build it in this instance. I really wanted a jack of all trades PzKpfw IV Ausf J for just in case insurance, and spending on Luchs would have delayed that. A Pz IV can deal with a Centaur or Crom, the latter in particular which will chase OKW inf from the field. A Luchs can't. Build the Luchs and lose it to a Crom = game over. Build the Pz. IV is the safer move to maintain control of the field and fuel allowing subsequent build of a Luchs as req. That sits better with me as I have seen Brits get out Croms with me scratching my head wondering how did they ever get sufficient fuel for that?!!! And it only takes one. On Luchs, I have built Luchs first in other games to advantage, but generally won't unless I am certain it will have an useful operational window prior to arrival of a hard counter.
You make a good leigt howitzer and then even second one agains those mgs it was really useful.
They turned out useful, but that was more opportunism of my opponent's absence of aggression than anything else. I do NOT play them well at all, especially in this game. I need to pick up on my understanding of their capabilities and very much so on my abysmal micro of them.
There at 7 minute you have power of one pio and one volk you should have attacked thaht house and use those infiltration grenades to recapture your house.
Again unfamil being the culprit here, with the various nade types, although OKW nades are rubbish. Did you note the
bundled nades I threw into houses and how unimpactful they were at times? I confess to being constantly infuriated at this in comparison with USF's AMRAAM seeker head guided and ranged tactical nuclear warheaded Übernades. Also, and I will have to rewatch, if the units were just standing inactive, I was overloaded and load shedding preoccupied with micro elsewhere. That will become better as I become famil and more becomes acquired knowledge and reflex.
I do not find OKW a naturally intuitive faction to use.
Choose commander only when you know why are you choosing him and use abilities he have
Acknowledged and concur. Completely unfamiliar with all of the OKW commanders except Luftwaffe in practical execution. Time and exposure will self solve that. Should experiment and rehearse in AI comp stomp, but CBF.
Youve had a lot of manpower.
Yes, I did. That is uncharacteristic of me ordinarily in vCOH or playing as either Soviets or Ostheer in COH2 where I am constantly floating close to zero, but I find myself constantly floating obscene surplus MP when playing as OKW. I've noted this and deduced it is for two reasons. 1. Without being able to spend on field armour due to lack of fuel, or other support weapons like mortars, arty or MGs due their unavailability, I am indecisive what to what to spend it on. 2. Due to the excessive micro in this game of whom I find husbanding OKW the most difficult to the point of nightmarish, I am overloaded, the usual most general reason any player floats excessive manpower. It is a significant flaw I need to address urgently by knowing the faction sufficiently well to spend immediately but wisely putting effective forces in the field ASAP.
Also if you went flak hq you should hav build some infrared stg obers their really nasty agains buildings and mgs.
Straighforward case of not knowing that unit's abilities.
But you have only 3 members pios (3 memebers of unit are used to grab a weapon) sso you just grabed that at gun with pios , lost em and get at gun (pios cost 320 mp at gun cost 270) . You should have scavenged it after you have decreved it not loose squad to get it.
Again, totally at fault for being unfamil with SP unit abilities and questionable decision making under duress of either or and do something rather than nothing duress of time. At that time I had no armour and only the one Raketenwerfer as hard AT, so the sacrifice of the remnant SP squad seemed a more than fair trade for a hard hitting longer ranged Brit AT gun to supplement the short ranged Raketenwerfer should he field a Centaur or fast moving Cromwell.
Also you should have scavenged second mg that you managed to kill but you just let him to get it back becuase you dont grab it or scavenged it.
Oh I wanted it after I naded it, believe me.
I just wasn't prepared to risk getting pinned by his base MG and subsequently forced to retreat or killed by his infantry possibly on the way to there in attempting to retrieve it, as I wanted to use those surviving Volks to cap the points they did, and I already had a captured MG I was using to cover them and those points. It hurt to leave that MG there for him to retrieve it, but it cost him the a replacement crew and time to retreat and bring the contributing squad back to full strength AND I managed to achieve the objectives rather than achieving neither had I gotten that squad pinned. Only afterwards when I watched the replay did I see the MG was far enough from the base MG ian attempted retrievel would likely have been successful.
11.45 you have 1000 mp in your stocpicle USE IT
Acknowledged. Comments noted.
14:00 still no fast luchs even if you have your hq set up Also it was set up rather badly.
Acknowledged, recommended setup location on Ferma noted.
How to attack houses with mgs
I'm familiar with flanking technique and execute it successfully all the time in COH, but admit to finding the excessive micromanagment and pace of the COH2 game frantic less time faciliatative of tactical manoeuvre. Exposure, practice and map familiarity will overcome I expect.
retreat your pinned units they are easy target you lost squads due such easy mistake
Yes those two 'shrecked Volks squads made me want to cry in the replay. But, it happens. With attention prioritised elsewhere, that was THE perfect example of a player load sheding.
16:00 Dont be afraid to end game , just build panzer 4 and luchs to kill him and baserush him
He have no mapcontrol = no fuel = no tanks
Problem was, I had built a Panther. I learned yesterday in an earlier game that OKW Panthers even with cupola mounted MG upgrade are useless for base r@pe. They can't over-run crush, nor apparently does their 75 LL have HE. Can't kill even blobbed infantry for sh1t. That's what I mean about OKW.
but instaed of this you went at gun (uselles becuase of his no map control) and panther (the same as at gun - useless)
I take on board your comment in hindsight, but still think the first was a necessary precaution at the time I produced it. Needs to be on the field at the moment it is required rather than build ordered after armour appears. But the second choice, acknowledged subsequently redundant. As for useless, I am unsure of its capabilities as yet, but instinct says safer vs either Crom or Firefly than PzKpfw IV. I will go and look at the hit and penetration tables vs the Pz.Kpfw IV Ausf J mit Schürzen. The Panther is very single purposed.
Even if you have build bad tank you can still use it again infantry wiht turet mg , just dont make that tank idle attack hm everywhere with him only if tank have less than 40 = of hp get away of fight.
Noted. This is a case of knowing he had AT guns, but not where -yes I should have used flares- and knowing how bloody quickly stupidly pathing don't know which way to turn death dancing armour dies in this game before it can be reversed.
You make stg obers - good , but after one fight you just put thme in house.
At that time, they weren't required elsewhere. He had no forces on field and I owned it
all already. However, he had used that house to garrison an MG which I had just removed. Wasn't going to allow Mr MG that opportunity again. In hindsight, would have been preferable to use Volks for occupancy, but that's how it goes. Then I got distracted (loaded) which is why they sat there.
they are short range unit
Standard Obers come with Kar98s default and so are long ranged AFAIK? Similiarly with MG34 upgrade. The doctrinal descriptive spiel refers to Laser StG equipped Obers as still
long ranged. Being doctrinal, I haven't used them sufficiently to know the fact of practical deployment. Ostheer PzG StGs are best medium ranged. Not good up close vs e.g. Shock PPsh. I find the Laser nonsense rather too CoD for my liking btw. This is supposed to be sometime before 1945, not 2015. Another SEGA appeal to recruit from the FPS demographic.
20 min. attack his hq he is weak to tank attack him destroy hq mgs and then attack with infantry.
In hindsight and unhampered by FOW, I would.
Aso use your howitzers more agresively not so pasive.
Acknowledged 100%. My tactical deployment of them was/is generally, atrocious.
Ok i will give you here some good coh2.org guides whitch can learn you a lot - for further reading
Noted all. Thank you.
ALso be agresive agains brits Be defensive agains USA , your tanks are superior in late game , just survive until they come
USF are my OKW nightmare. They are infuriating because no skillset at all appears actually required. Just mindlessly produce a mega BLOB and steamroller what survives tactical nuclear 'nades. Everything OKW dead, total map domination achieved, game over.
And harrass enemy points agains soviets and prepare for early vehicles agains them (mines at gun)
Early Scout Cars with flamed Pios followed up by Guards seems to be current invariable vogue from everyone playing reading the same 'how to' guide. FWIW I find OKW easiest to defeat myself when playing as Soviets, and seldom lose to them. Kind of says something about the current glass cannon state of OKW. Much easier than versing Ostheer. Mines you say? With OKW's resource model? Hey I like mines, really I do, but they are passive and so very map dependent depending upon resource control and probable vehicle routing path prediction. Muni spent on mines in opening is something I'd rather not do until I have at least that first Volk Panzershreck upgrade unless it's to lay them on a most obvious narrow pathway like the chokepoints on Semoskiy. Even then that's with risk. SPs take so long to lay them, it's probable they'll get caught on the hop by an advancing inf squad and not complete it, so that's muni down the drain for nada. Staying to complete it is probably just going to throw away MP as well?!
Also if you dont like obers you can try panzerfusiliere spam its easy strategy and strong just upgrade then with g43 and park jp4 behind em.
Thanks for the sugggestion. I will look into it and try it out.
Also fie a look to coh2.org guide section it can learrn you lot of thinks pasivly
Already have, and of course, will again, and again, and again. Because there's just so much to take in and that's going to take time to assimilate. However, the problem is OKW
even with my neophyte play of them. Been playing RTS long enough to note when a faction is nobbled to the point of difficult to play and disadvantage. Reminds me of Panzer Elite (COH) and Eldar Warhammer (DOW).
And im very happy that you are not afraid play hardest coh2 mode (1 vs 1 ) and show us you game and mistakes.
Thanks. Sure Hector. I love 1v1 and AT 2v2 (with voicom). Dislike the mayhem and random chance that is auto 2v2 although I will play and accept what comes with the territory without complaint. I'm realistic in 1v1. Can't expect to win all the time try as one might, and of course, it's my opponent's intent to win too. Generally I remain sportsmalike regardless, although I confess to finding USF blob play vs OKW infuriating.
See you in game
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