When and why are you getting tanks?

I'm asking for examples and experiences from people here rather than a general answer.
Seeing how tanks are a major part of any COH2 game, the timing of when you get the building where you can get tanks from and you actually building your tanks is important as well.

So I'm looking to hear (read) some stories about when and why you escalated to tanks, be it to catch your opponent unawares, or because you were slow on the uptake and need to catch up. Anything really that's related to the topic in the title above. Needless to say, details about the game like how many players were involved and the factions playing would be useful.

I know watching replays is probably the best way to answer this question but there's only so many 30-60 minute replays i can watch in my lifetime.

Honestly it's not so much about tanks as it is about fuel. If you've got the fuel advantage or are at an equal footing, players usually get a light vehicle to press their advantage. It forces your opponent (usually) to get a hard counter like an AT gun. Some light vehicles counter each other (T70 soft-counters Luchs; Puma is a hard counter to light vehicles) and some players rely on their superior micro to keep vehicles at bay (Aimstrong's heavy T1 ostheer strat that ignores T2).

On the other hand, it can be hard to get a tank because you're constantly low on manpower. When that happens, you should pick different engagements and/or save your manpower for a tank. The latter is risky because your opponent can cap the map and push you when you have little to no forces on the field.

I've played games where I'm on the backfoot and my opponent gives up on building armour because -- due to my skill and their mistakes -- I quickly destroyed any armour they brought on the field.

To answer your question specifically, it really depends on the faction, the map, and build orders (yours and your opponents).

Light vehicles are good to press advantages. Sometimes, you see competitive players double up on light vehicles against weaker opponents to close a game faster (double T70, Stuart, etc.). Oftentimes as Ostheer if I've had my fuel cutoff and/or know that my opponent has had a high fuel income, I will go for a StuG III rather than a P4. I almost never go for an Ostwind; maybe if your opponent is nearly base-pinned an Ostwind is appropriate.

As soviets I like to get a T70 for its anti-infantry capabilities. Sometimes I will opt for an Su-76 instead to deal with armour. Sometimes, even, players forgo T3 altogether and rely on AT guns (true to many factions) and call in vehicles due to low fuel incomes. This is because it is often cheaper to wait for a call in tank than it is to tech up, build the base building, and build a mediocre tank. Why get a P4 when you can get a Tiger 5 minutes later while successfully holding off enemy armour?

If you want some specific feedback, I'd recommend uploading some replays or even timestamping a YouTube link in a strategy section of the forum and ask why a player did this or that.

edit: I'm drunk and proud of myself for writing this while inebriated. Pls hi-five me.

You can have my High five,

fuel investment into a unit that you may be used for different purpose that is stick to your strategy through tactical play or directly to counter play of your enemy

Well, you try to get your tank as fast as possible, the reason behind this is because like in real life, they are a powerful and armored unit

Well, you try to get your tank as fast as possible, the reason behind this is because like in real life, they are a powerful and armored unit

And an essential part of an army. Honestly, the only time you don't want to build tanks is if you are playing allies and they have a jagdtiger or elefant.

the only time you don't want to build tanks is if you are playing allies and they have a jagdtiger or elefant.

And have your infantry do all the jobs and win the day for you against superior Asix armors and blobs of death? Sorry I don't think it's fesiable.

In COH2, armor is required to win games, regardless of Asix or Allied. Given equal skill, your armored force would need to be better/stronger than the opponent to win.

And have your infantry do all the jobs and win the day for you against superior Asix armors and blobs of death? Sorry I don't think it's fesiable.

In COH2, armor is required to win games, regardless of Asix or Allied. Given equal skill, your armored force would need to be better/stronger than the opponent to win.

You ever try to use tanks while the enemy had a jt or elefant? It's a bit hard when they get two shotted (3 for advanced mediums) from over 1.5x their range.

Unless you build a fuck ton of mediums/advanced mediums (like at least 4-5 with other players in support) and pull off an epic combined arms flank against a completely incompetent team, you won't be using armor in that situation.

Always build tanks when you have fuel to do so. Tanks are better in every aspect than their infantry counterparts.

They cost roughly the same manpower as infantry, do not bleed any manpower, can harm any target, are faster, pack a bigger punch and are generally harder to fight off than infantry.

I do not see any reason to not build tank when you are chosing between tank and infantry, only maybe when you a) do not have any squads to cap left b) enemy has too much sources of anti-tank (but even then I think mobile artillery is better than core infantry squad)

build tank asap, which one depend of the situation. u may want to skip on fuel based upgrade such as nades or weapons but it's not necessarily good.

With ukf i often tech 5man squad or weapon before getting any tank (maybe both depending of my ammo income or mp float). it's true dat it's 25 to 60 fuels making tank come in 1-3 min later but it ensure your infantry do not get rekt. after all if can't sure fuel income you won't get any tank anyway.

Same with usf, on some game u gon need nades earlier than anything else, on others u may not tech it b4 yer 1st medium.

i guess with soviet if u play penal there is no reason to not rush a light tank. u won't take nades upgrade and u are forced to build t3 anyway.
it may be different if u t1 then t2 if u need mortar or zis.

I play this game with historical interest in WW2, so I try not to mix tank types that were not part of a same unit in WW2. In addition, I do not like fielding more than two tanks at the same time as it looks unrealistic in the constrained areas of CoH2 maps.

This means I go for specific tanks, and specific numbers of them, in nearly every CoH2 match.

With the Ostheer, I usually aim for the Panther, which means I need something to hold out until then. This normally means pairing my AT weapons with a StuG (as having the Target Weak Point is important against superior Allied armour numbers);

Playing the USF it is a bit of an exception, as I mostly like going for E8s and you need two or more of those to work/flank efficiently. So I just keep adding them as soon as I can in the game, stopping at two if the battle does not require me to field a third one;

As the UKF I usually go for the Comet due to its universal AP and AT performance plus speed plus the smoke utility. Usually I pick a Cromwell before I can reach the Comet, however sometimes I might find myself forced to go Firefly before reaching the Comet.

I do not play OKW and the Soviets anymore, so nothing to add from those perspectives.

You ever try to use tanks while the enemy had a jt or elefant? It's a bit hard when they get two shotted (3 for advanced mediums) from over 1.5x their range.

Unless you build a fuck ton of mediums/advanced mediums (like at least 4-5 with other players in support) and pull off an epic combined arms flank against a completely incompetent team, you won't be using armor in that situation.

Of course I did. I have won games using Su76s and T34s as Soviet against Jtiger and Elefant and I see people do it all the time, while I have never seen Jagdtiger or Elefant being killed by infantry and AT guns without armor support, ever.

Of course, they are powerl and armored units!
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