How to deal with new Penals

Talking about 1v1 in general.

Seriously every match they just steamroll me - rushing Luches seems like the obvious choice but I find that the early map control that Penals give usually just means a fast T70 which soft counters the Luches (and going Luches means getting a Puma puts you even more behind fuel wise). The flamer splash damage also necessitates healing (goodbye another 40 fuel) its just one long endless match of being on the back foot.

I don't want to say Penals were overbuffed (but they certainly feel that way right now to me). Ideas?

As far as I played them, I noticed they suck at long range. You can just play safe hold your ground and get fast forward healing (he will lack mortars or at gun to take it down).

Then I recommend forgotten flaktrack (he went penals, so he cannot snare it and it still deal great damage and supress, oh godly mobile supresion). Just be ready to t70 and prepare with mines and raketen and maybe even 1 shreck, it still get 2 shotted with at guns if it does not do self repair (that meams one less flametrower for russian player).

Also he invest 300 mp each squad + 160 for building so you can always have 1 more squad until you tech medics.

And one last think, elite infantry like stg or lmg obersoldaten or JLI with some support or maybe even panzerfussilier spam may work if you still manage to get flaktrack in time (dependant on mp cost).

And in the late game you can steamroll him, just by your armor supriority (he will have to invest another mp for tier 2 if he want some supression platform or at gun).

Hope I help you

Last hint - build order : starting spio, 3x volks, battlegruppe, mg34, flaktrack, at gun and some mines and shreck, medics, flakHQ, obersoldaten, p4 another obers and maybe tiger 2 or panther.

Also dont forgot to updrage your volks once you place lot of mines.

And remeber to play safe until you get flaktrack and then slowly gain ground and prepare for t70