[2.601] AC rush (lvl 9 PE vs. lvl 10 US)

[Speed]

I've been trying different PE strats, and I've seen this one used against me effectively, so I decided to give it a try.

I took a gamble and did a 2 ketten start to get a resource advantage. Wrecked train is big enough that I thought I could keep them out of trouble.

I felt like this strat lost me too much map control early. Any tips on something I might be doing wrong there? Thankfully the ACs were able to push him back and I regained the map after. I knew he was going M8 when I didn't see BARS. It was fun to bait that M8 into a mine; I wasn't sure it would work but I had to try since I didn't have any other AT just yet.

Tips always welcome. I'm trying to find a good solid PE strat vs. US.

Replay Name: kick butt
Map:
Filename: 2p_wrecked_train.2010-08-11.00-44-55.rec

players: racist N00BALICIOUS

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[valenciabest]

its hard to believe a us lvl 10 player dont think to get a m8 before (delay 10'), it seems like he is a quite noob, didnt get doctrine in that game... maybe he was a month without playing...

[BlackOmne]

I don't have time to review the replay, but exactly how did you begin this "2 ket" start? Was your initial build after starting ket, 1 ket then 1 or more pgrens?

I always use two kets but this way:
1) Inital ket is ordered to take either the closest med/high fuel to US base as long as it isn't too close (eg, Semois med fuel point adjacent to base) OR an easily guarded cut-off strat sector (eg, like those adjacent to bases on Angoville). After capping the first sector the 1st ket continues to cap sectors near to the US base. This has the benefit of doubling the time for the US player to cap these adjacent sectors to his base, greatly impacting his access to the rest of the map for resources and increases in pop cap. If the ket comes under fire, unless the ket is very close to finishing capping, move to cap another sector near the US base (preferably on the other side of the map where hopefully there are no US units). This forward capping also has a benefit of greatly disrupting the US resource income because after the US player caps an area and leaves, the ket can come along and change control again or at least neutralize its ownership.
2) Meanwhile, build two pgrens. Upgrade the first to G43s. Send both immediately to harass US units leaving the base, guard the sectors the initial ket capped and repair the initial ket when necessary and when the pgrens are idle. Don't have pgrens face rifle squads one on one. Either use both pgrens to attack a single rifle squad or have one pgren shadow the rifles and only attack when the rifles are vulnerable while capping. Ignore the rifles if they're not capping sectors adjacent to their base or their closest fuel sector. The first two pgrens should not be used to build nor should they be used to cap (unless idle because the US player is sitting in his base and then only to cap quick-to-cap cut-off strat sectors). Have them constantly roam outside the US base looking for US units leaving it - harass those units if they try to cap sectors adjacent to their base.
3) The third unit produced will be your 2nd ket. Have it first connect a medium/high fuel point to your base and then either connect other medium/high resource sectors or connect to the sector capped by the 1st ket. Like the first ket, if it comes under fire, have it cap elsewhere unless very close to finishing a cap. Preserve your kets because they will do ALL of your capping. All other units will attack the US units and prevent the US player from accessing the rest of the map.
4) Build your third pgren and keep it in base long enough to build your first building. It's usually safest to build the Kampfgruppe Kompanie first, but if the US player goes with a WSC start (you ought to know which way the US went by this point by seeing which kind of units are leaving the US base), a Logistics Kompanie with the SCs (that can detect snipers in the beta) might be more useful. After building your first building, have the third pgrens assist the first two.
5) Your fourth unit will either be a pgren or a vehicle depending on the situation.

Build on this hyperaggressive start by continuing to deny the US player access to resources, especially fuel, and access to the entire map (limiting pop cap can hurt big time by the time you reach the mid-game). Again kets cap - everything else attacks and denies the US player access to the rest of the map. Once IHTs and ACs are built they can be used to harass any US cappers acting away from US base adjacent sectors (ie, trying to disrupt your resources). Once these stragglers are sent packing, they can be bottled up in the US base.