Puma

Sd. Kfz. 234 'Puma'
A Puma on the prowl
Army	Wehrmacht Ostheer Oberkommando West
Role	Armored Car
Unit Cost	270 270 70 70 7 7
Upkeep per Minute	-10.5 −10.5
Prereq.	Mobile Defense Doctrine
Produced By	Kampfgruppe Headquarters
Primary armament	5 cm KwK 39 L/60
Secondary armament	1x 7.92mm MG 42
Primary armament damage	120
Primary armament penetration	160 (near) 80 (far)
Firing Range	50
Sight Range	50
Health	400 400
Armor	Front: 25 Rear: 12.5
Max. Speed	7.2m p/s
Abilities (3) Target Weak Point Loads and fires a Gr. 39 high-explosive anti-tank round that immediately stuns the enemy vehicle crew. Requires: Veteran 1 Cost: 35 35 Prioritize Vehicles Attacks vehicles freely, but holds fire against infantry and structures unless given an explicit order to fire. Toggle ability Panzer Tactician Conceals the tank in smoke, allowing it to avoid damage from enemy units. Doctrinal ability Cost: 30 30
Upgrades (1) Spotting Scopes Adds spotting scopes to the vehicle, doubling sight radius when stationary. Doctrinal ability Cost: 30 30

“Got that bastard!”

This advanced eight-wheel armored car has a high max speed but poor cross country capabilities. The 50mm cannon deals good damage to vehicles while the coaxial MG42 machine gun provides minor anti-infantry fire.

Effective vs. vehicles.

Overview

Unlike the variant used by the Oberkommando West, the Puma is a doctrinal unit available with the Mobile Defense Doctrine. Armed with a 5cm cannon, this unit sports fairly long range and good effectiveness against most vehicles, including tanks. This can be quite a menace in the right hands, similar in usage to the 222 Scout Car but better.

Weapons

5 cm Kampfwagenkanone 39 L/60

Info here.

Maschinengewehr 42

Info here.

Abilities

Target Weak Point

• Requires Veteran 1
• Cost 35 35 to activate
• Activation: Select Vehicle
• Cooldown: 30 seconds

Info here.

Prioritize Vehicles

• Activation: Toggle Ability

Waiting with text for the next patch where this ability is likely to change. Now it holds all fire, after the patch the main gun will hold fire but the machine gun(s) will still fire at infantry.

Panzer Tactician

• Requires Blitzkrieg Doctrine, Mobile Defense Doctrine, Elite Troops Doctrine, Festung Armor Doctrine, Fortified Armor Doctrine, Spearhead Doctrine
• Cost 30 30 to activate
• Activation: Direct
• Active for 8 seconds
• Cooldown: 30 seconds

The Panzer Tactician ability comes with quite some commanders and is automatically unlocked on (almost) all vehicles when the necessary command points are reached. Smoke can be a powerful tool, especially in defensive manoeuvres. One of the great strengths of this ability is that it doesn't need a lot of micro like the Mortar or the USF Sherman. When your vehicle is in danger, press the button and for eight seconds the vehicle will spew smoke out of its canisters and conceal your vehicle immediately.

Activation of this ability does not interrupt any move commands, so use it when the time is just right. Be aware that enemy guns can still use the attack-ground command and fire through the smoke. If the terrain is flat and the path of your vehicle doesn't change, enemy guns can still deliver the final blow to your vehicle this way.

Upgrades

Spotting Scopes

• Requires German Mechanized Doctrine, Jaeger Armor Doctrine
• Cost 30 30 to upgrade
• Requires friendly and connected territory.
• Upgrade time: 20 seconds

Two Commanders provide the the Wehrmacht Ostheer player with Spotting Scopes. The upgrade arrives in the mid-game at 5 Command Points, where your light vehicles (if kept alive) and the first tanks can start to profit from the extra sight radius it gives. The scopes doubles the sight radius on the vehicle that upgrades them.

Keep in mind that the scopes only grant extra vision when the vehicle is stationary. It can't even rotate in place, so try to support your vehicles that have a fixed turret.

The scout car has, due to its veterancy 2 bonus that gives +30% sight range, a ridiculous amount of sight when equipped with the scopes. This is likely to change with the upcoming Winter Balance Patch.

Tactics

Puma can poses a threat towards infantry and outmaneuver unguarded assault gun. Its fast speed, potent gun can send even the best armor to debris by constantly outmaneuvering them and hitting their weaker side and rear armor. It can also takeout HMG bunker/fighting position easily since it does not take much damage from them(still take damage, don't leave your Puma alone).

Veterancy

	Level 1 Veterancy: Unlocks the 'Target Weak Point' ability
	Level 2 Veterancy: +30% sight range +30% accuracy -20% reload speed
	Level 3 Veterancy: +33% damage +20% rotation speed +20% speed +20% ac/de-celeration