Profile of Fortune

No, I have seen many times that Panzerfaust deals no damage, not to mention engine damage. Check http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ldvxRdk8DEA 9:10 and http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cgASgQCDdKI 9:30.

And I know that balance is more important than historical accuracy. But it is nice to pretend to be realistic, especially in WW2 games. I just want that Panzerfaust have a little longer range than RPG-43, probably 20m as in the last version. Currently, it is nearly impossible to stop Soviet's early map control with clown cars. 20mm AC delays Panzerschreck so much and you cannot deal with T-70 follow-up after the patch. (Pak40 is not a counter to T-70.)

In the current game, do not get the 2cm on the SdKfz. The default weapon is far superior, as it will kill the sniper aswell as the M3. Properly microed, the SdKfz 221 will beat an M3 everytime unless it has Penals/Guards riding along, as the SdKfz has both superior armor aswell as superior close-range firepower, coupled with a 360 degree turret versus 2 narrow angled turrets of the M3.

I've been using the SdKfz 221/222 quite a bit, and have incorporated it in most of my builds. Here's my take on it based on a couple hundred hours' worth.

The upgraded 2cm is completely worthless what with the cost reduction to the StuG and the German factions natural capability of fielding combined arms without issue in resources.
The 2cm is a weaker version of the 35mm Flak of the Ostwind, and in my view serves to fulfill that function in earlier-tier gameplay, allowing the Ostheer player the ability to hold out longer with T2 units to potentially buy time for the Panther/Panzerwerfer to make an appearance, forcing the Soviet to counter the presence of Scout Cars with Guards and possibly T-70s.

That said, the 2cm is *effective* at killing any vehicle at equal fuel cost, but this only holds true for Light Vehicles, up to T-70s.
However, one is left wondering why you would get the 2cm to counter vehicles to begin with, when the fact of the matter is that this weapon is equipped on a chassis that can barely deal with rifle fire, combined with accuracy that serves to make the 2cm AC a -downgrade- in terms of Anti-Infantry capability.

One should not overlook the 2cms Anti-Air capability outright, but as of yet the Soviets have very little if any counterable Air Cover. The 4x50kg bombing strike requires the AA to be positioned before the impact zone, and as the maps as of yet are far too linear to allow for flanking manouvres of this element, this only leaves the NKVD Terror Tactics Scout Plane to be countered.

TL;DR the Scout Car is a lightly armored vehicle with strong AI capabilities, with the current 2cm being a downgrade to AI capabilities but allowing a (pointless) Anti-Air damage source with (equally marginal benefits of) Anti-Light Vehicle damage. The Scout Car is extremely susceptible to infantry, a single AT grenade spelling its immediate demise. Not to mention the Penal Batallion's Anti-Light Vehicle Rifles (yeah, whatever happened there) letalone Guards' PTRS which can take out a Scout Car with just 3-4 hits.

The (current) role of the Scout Car as defined by its statistics and strengths, is a Medium-to-Long Distance source of Anti-Infantry Damage. It cannot afford to let infantry get in range of AT grenades, focused rifle fire, and even with Vet 2 armor upgrade it will be completely outmatched by a single squad of Penals or Guards.

In resolution and in my humble opinion, the major element that the Scout Car allows for, is the ability to detect Infantry on the minimap from a safe corner/location on the map where the Scout Car can hole up. For 10 munitions it can detect roughly 2x its LOS radius, without in any way being hindered by TrueSight. Coupling this with Mortars in T0-T2 allows for a strong field presence indeed, always having the element of surprize on your side. Afaik the Soviets have very little that is similar to this mechanic, I know of ZiS DFGs having a similar, arguably better mechanic for detecting vehicles, and I believe the SU-85 has a better version of this ability allowing both extended LOS and Minimap detection, but these are both much more expensive to use, and play part much later in the game.

Another strength of the SdKfz 221 as noted by someone else before me, is the very quick Vet Gain. Killing an M3A1+Sniper combo aka Clowncar provides the SdKfz 221 with an immediate Vet 2, though as noted the armor upgrade is marginally beneficial, and still leaves the vehicle susceptible to any softcounters.

Read at your own discretion, this is merely my opinion, though I feel it is based strongly on practical application.