My ratings for currently available generals

UPDATED 9/29/2017 with all available commanders, updated ratings and ranked top 3 commanders for each primary role.

I've played through all the available scenarios and finished 1939 conquest. I've also spent a good amount of money on IAPs, and I've fooled around with most of the better generals. I thought I'd give my ratings. I have two caveats. First, it is hard to evaluate the value of air-oriented generals except as they relate to one another because it is not currently possible to unlock the two air abilities that affect damage, Air Force Leader and Carpet Bombing. The highest any air general has for either of these abilities is level 2. It will be difficult to really evaluate air generals until we can max out those abilities and get a real idea of damage potential. Second caveat is that I haven't done actual math on any of these. I'm basing this off what I've seen using various abilities.

Rating explanations:
A = Must have/top tier general
B = One step below top tier because abilities are not ideal or specialization is not as desirable (air/infantry)
C = Value is situational or as cheaper alternative to higher tier options
D = Questionable value, likely to be used only because you can't afford anything better
E = Hard pass, wait for better options

IAP Generals
Manstein: A-plus
Primary role: Tank
One of the top two tank generals available. Tank generals are still king. Non-tank ratings also make him valuable for task completion and to use as backup for other roles if you don't have better options abailable. Can put out massive damage numbers in excess of 400 if you give him the best available medals.

Zhukov: A
Primary role: Artillery
The best available artillery general along with Konev. Although he has two non-optimal abilities, his versatility is nice

Eisenhower: B-minus
Primary role: Naval/Air
His lack of Air Force Leader skill and inability to add it even when it is unlockable is disappointing. That said, versatility and abilities still make him a solid option for either navy or air.

Gold tier generals
Graziani: C-plus
Primary role: Tank
None of his three locked abilities are ideal. Because he only has two open ability slots and none of his locked abilities are the four best for tank generals, his value is limited. There are simply much better tank options.

Yamashita: B
Primary role: Infantry
Probably the best attack-oriented infantry general. Unfortunately, there simply is no infantry general who is not saddled with at least one less than ideal ability. Would prefer if Ace Forces were switched with Infantry Leader, Guerilla or Rumor.

Patton: C
Primary role: Tank
Inexcusable ability combination for such a legendary and expensive tank general. None of his abilities are among the five best options available. Given his cost, just not worth the investment.

Montgomery: B
Primary role: Tank
Decent abilities, but Elastic Defense is useless. Crossfire is situationally valuable. Lack of Panzer Leader, Armored Assault, Blitzkrieg or other damage boosting ability keeps him from being top tier.

Yamamoto: B-plus
Primary role: Air/naval
Best available air general, although air is not your top priority and it is still difficult to fully assess how good a maxed out air general might be because of the aforementioned inability to unlock best air abilities.

Guderian: A-plus
Primary Role: Tank
Arguably better than Manstein and best tank general available. All abilities are among best options. Pick your two favorite damage-boosting abilities and watch the damage output skyrocket.

MacArthur: C
Primary role: Infantry
Mobility is good, but lack of six star rating for his primary role makes his value limited, and Infantry generals aren't your best option in most circumstances anyway.

Rokossovsky: B-plus
Primary role: Tank
Shelter isn't the most useful skill, and I'd prefer Plain Fighting or Explosives to Tide of Iron, but he is still a solid tank commander. He is in the tier right below Guderian and Manstein.

Dönitz: A
Primary role: Naval
The best pure naval commander, and naval power is much more important in this game than in WC3. In addition to naval scenarios like Tora Tora Tora, many of the later exercises and battles in Domination mode will be easier if you have at least two naval generals. You will also need naval power to land units on the shores of powerful enemy nations in conquests. Choose Rumor for one of his free skill slots to give him even more utility.

Rundstedt: B-minus
Primary role: Infantry
His ability set makes him excellent for city defense, but you really shouldn't be needing a city defender much. This is still an attack-oriented game, and if you are going to use an Infantry general, Yamashita or Mannerheim are better attacking options.

Konev: A
Primary role: Artillery
Top artillery general in the game, arguably edging out Zhukov through more useful abilities. Has a wasted slot with Raider, but Artillery Leader and Accuracy are top flight skills. Suggest adding two damage skills like Expsives and Plain Fighting, or substituting Rumor for one of them. Both he and Zhukov are capable of hitting for 300 damage with medal boosts.

Rommel: A
Primary role: Tank
Third best tank general. Desert Fighting is not the best skill, but Crossfire is situationally a great skill. I'd still rather have Blitzkrieg or Panzer leader there, which keeps him a half step below Manstein and Guderian.

Nimitz: B-plus
Primary role: Naval/air
Not as good a naval commander as Dönitz, and not as good an air commander as Yamamoto or Eisenhower. If you can complete his missions and get his cost down, he makes a good second naval commander.




Silver tier generals
Leeb: B-minus
Primary role: Artillery
Abilities are good, but lack of six-star potential for primary skill makes him, at best, a third option for artillery generals if you don't buy Zhukov through IAP.

Chuikov: C-plus
Primary role: Tank/artillery
Max five-star skill for both tank and artillery means he's not great at either. He does have some versatility, though. His skills can be useful for either role. If you can't afford the gold tier general you want, he might be a cheaper option.

Halsey: C
Primary role: Naval/air
A cheap-ish option for a naval or carrier general. Not your primary option, but may be a stop gap until you can afford Dönitz.

Vatutin: B-plus
Primary role: Tank
High value for the price. He is in the tier right below Manstein and Guderian and could have been a Gold level general. His skills are good and he has six-star rating for tank attack. Solid option for second or third tank general, particularly if you want to save medals.

Sun L.R.: C
Primary role: Tank
His abilities aren't bad, but he's not a primary option. There are many better tank generals available.

Alexander: C
Primary role: Artillery
A second tier artillery general. His abilities are marginally useful, but he has decent mobility.

Leclerc: C
Primary role: Tank
A value option for a tank general with the ability to fill in as an artillery commander.

Govorov: B-plus
Primary role: Artillery
Only artillery commander other than Zhukov and Konev who has six-star artillery skill. If you aren't willing to spend real money on Zhukov, Govorov is your second artillery commander. His lack of mobility is noticeable, however.

Nagumo: B-plus
Primary role: Naval
I use him as my second naval general, and you will want a second naval commander for many scenarios, exercises and battles. Give him Rumor and pair him with Dönitz in stacked cruisers to quickly disable tough enemies and pound them into submission.

Timoshenko: E
Primary role: Tank
Simply not worth the medals. High mobility isn't that big a deal because tanks already get mobility boosts. Four-star tank skill means look elsewhere for a tank general.

Model: C
Primary role: Tank/infantry
Not a top tank general, but versatility might be useful if you are looking to save medals and plug him in as an infantry general when needed.

Mountbatten: C-minus
Primary role: Naval
A pure naval commander who lacks top-end naval skill. Might be useful as a cost-saving option if you don't want to buy a gold level naval general but need some help on naval missions.

Smigly: D
Primary role: Infantry
His infantry ability can be upgraded, but why waste the medals? Just Use them to buy a better general.

Kesselring: C-minus
Primary role: Air/infantry
Decent air and infantry skills with abilities suited to be a city defender/Air Force commander. It's just not a role you'll find yourself needing very often.

Zhang Z.Z.: C-plus
Primary role: Artillery
Decent artillery commander, but not as good as Govorov and more expensive. Might be worth a look if you want two artillery commanders but don't want to shell out the medals for Konev.

Vasilevsky: C-plus
Primary role: Infantry
Third best infantry commander, but you won't need three infantry commanders. Worth a purchase if you just really like him and are willing to sacrifice the better abilities you would get from Mannerheim or Yamashita.

Peng D.H.: C
Primary role: Infantry
Great mobility, but he's a second-tier infantry commander who isn't quite worth the price.

Mannerheim: B-minus
Primary role: Infantry
Yamashita is a slightly better option, but Mannerheim is a legitimate alternative choice as your top infantry commander. Of course, you won't need an infantry commander in conquests, but you will want one for some scenarios, invasions, exercises and battles.

Bradley: C-plus
Primary role: Tank/artillery
Not the best at anything, but he has versatility you might want. Can even be used as a naval commander in a pinch.

Arnold: C-minus
Primary role: Air
A good air commander/city defender, but you don't really need that role. Not much of a reason to keep one on your roster.

Dowding: C-minus
Primary role: Air
See above. Solid air skill and abilities, but just not a role you are going to find useful in most circumstances.

Bronze tier generals
Tito: E
Primary role: Infantry
Infantry generals are a lower priority. The truth is, you can use a tank general like Messe in the infantry role for invasions until you can afford a top-flight infantry general like Mannerheim or Yamashita. Tito has unremarkable abilities in a role you don't need you are low on medals. Wait for better options.

Terauchi: C-plus
Primary role: Artillery
Decent value for the price, but Badoglio is better and only slightly more expensive.

Kuribayashi: D-minus
Primary role: Infantry
He is reasonably priced, but you just don't need a low-level infantry commander.

Crerar: D-minus
Primary role: Infantry
Dirt cheap, but not very useful. He can be upgraded with decent tank skill, but you would be better off buying an actual tank general.

Bagramyan: C-minus
Primary role: Tank/infantry
Can be upgraded for decent skill, but you have better options in bronze tier

Messe: B-minus
Primary role: Tank
An excellent option for your first general. He has good tank ability and versatility. Can be used in infantry and naval roles until you can afford better options.

Badoglio: C-plus
Primary role: Artillery
Entry-level artillery commander with solid skills and abilities. Decent option for your first artillery general. Very good value in the bronze tier.

Auchinleck: C-plus
Primary role: Tank
Another solid choice for your first general. He has good skills and abilities. Abilities are more tank-specific than Messe's, but he lacks some of the versatility.

Kuznetsov: C-minus
Primary role: Naval/air
Has decent abilities, but with only four star skill level, you can wait for better options.

Blamey: E
Primary role: Artillery
He has good mobility, but mobility isn't as useful as if he had better primary skill rating. Badoglio is better and cheaper as a budget option.

Heinrici: E
Primary role: Infantry
Similar issue as Blamey. Great mobility, but only four stars for his primary skill. There are just far better options.

Bock: B
Primary role: Tank
Good value. Only has three ability slots, but all three are solid tank skills. Excellent tank option until you can afford Vatutin or a gold tier tank commander.

Fletcher: C
Primary role: Naval
Decent skill and ability, but he isn't much cheaper than the superior Halsey in the silver tier. Worth a look if you need naval help but can't afford better options.

Nasser: E
Primary role: Infantry
Not an important role, doesn't have great skills and abilities and he's also expensive for his level. Pass.

Slim: D
Primary role: Infantry
One of my favorite real-life generals. Unfortunately, because all of his abilities are terrain-based, he can only ever use one at a time. You can wait for a better infantry commander.

Tassigny: E
Primary role: Infantry?
His skills and abilities are all over the map. He's not great at anything. Don't waste your medals.

De Gaulle: C
Primary role: Artillery/air
Has some use as a cheaper artillery option who can be used for air attacks.

Zhu D.: D
Primary role: Infantry
Has decent skill and abilities, but a bit expensive for what he is. Just save up for Mannerheim or Yamashita and use a tank general with some infantry ability until then.

Top 3 Generals for each role
Tank
Guderian
Manstein
Rommel

Artillery
Konev
Zhukov
Govorov

Naval
Dönitz
Nimitz
Nagumo

Air
Yamamoto
Dowding
Arnold