"A no brainer AT unit choice"? Than how should we call the raketenwerfer? A idiot's AT choice? I mean, if OKW is punished by having the raketenwerfer instead of a reliable ground AT, it should be punished even more with the Puma nerfing?
All these calculation you people made here will not reflect in real life where a soviet player will storm with several T34s against your 1 - maybe 2 nerfed pumas.
But changing all these (and/or Puma) what we will obtain? A faction that was designed on poverty because it has its elite units, will loose the word "elite", and it will have just units like the other armies, but with a resources handicap. Is that .... balance?!
Yes, it is a no brainer AT unit choice. If you have got the fuel to make a puma as OKW and your opponent has any form of vehicle on the field, then just make a puma. Even if he doesn't its still not a bad idea to get one out and vet it up early, especially since infantry can't really kill it anyway unless you make a serious error. A lot of the times you will find multiple pumas perform significantly better than the more fuel costly OKW armour. Not to mention the fact you will get them earlier.
I never said the rakentenwerfer was a poor unit either. It can easily deal with multiple armoured units with just with just shrecks support, especially on urban maps. However, if you can afford a puma it is always better since you get a range advantage and increase your armour kill potential.
Anyway, the other OKW strengths and weakness units are irrelevant in the context of this discussion, especially since we are discussing the puma. The puma is one of those units that can deal with anything with just some basic micro.
The puma has many strengths including:
- Range.
- Penetration.
- Speed.
- Accurate fire when moving.
- Vet1 = Instant win engagement.
- Reliable soft AI.
The few weaknesses it has (low armour, low health) are easily mitigated by its speedy forward or reverse action. Everything makes it pretty much a stand alone unit that all it requires in combined arms is a unit to scout for it so does not get in a unfavourable position.