I stopped using 222's when I noticed they usually died if I took my eyes off them for a second, and never really got their value's worth in the end screen. It's better to just play T1 > T4 and crutch on OKW to do all the heavy lifting until I can get a Panther out to begin the counter-offensive.
222 just isn't what it used to be, I'd rather have an M20
Exactly what i do.I pick festung armor for smoke and pak43.I do go pzgrens for stopgap AT till panther .Rest just spam grens,initial mg,occasional mortar.Lay mines,occasional pak43.
Smoke and hull down makes panther a powerful offensive and defensive option though.
I used to go g43 and tiger in lightning war,had to give up g43 because i dropped tiger for panther because tiger i feel simply lack AT punch these days vs is-2 or jacksons and that doctrine lacks smoke which is crucial vs soviet at guns,jacksons and su-85.
My ideal doctrine would be elite troops which i'm hoping for as drop.Would give me both smoke and g43,plus other useful skills.TA bonus.
I stopped playing 2vs 2 and 1 vs 1 as ostheer because of total turtling meta,no choice but hope to survive until tiger.Hopefully someday they fix it the total ruin that is the tech structure.
The lesser said about 222 'armoured' car and its autofartcannon - the better.