I have integrated the elite path into this guide. For players who wish to attempt the elite path, build all three ECs. Given the OPness of Ace Commander, it is now highly recommended to build all three ECs.
Early Game:
Your goal at this stage is to get Guderian (Berlin) ASAP with minimum additional spending.
For the first week, do not purchase any general if you haven't bought Guderian yet. Try as hard as you can without generals for the first 6 days and Sansonetti alone after you get him. You lose up to 2 medals per campaign imperfectly completed and there will be a one-time reward of 1000 medals after completing either WTO or NATO side, so one strategy is to complete a campaign with 1/2 star(s) in the first run, finish WTO 6 (easier than NATO 6), and come back to it later.
However, if you see Katukov showing up in your featured shop, get him.
After trying with Sansonetti, if you still think it's impossible to get Guderian without getting a general:
If you are coming back from a later easytech game or a WC3 veteran, know how terrain skills work, and believe you only need a tiny steppingstone on your way to Guderian, get Crerar (San Francisco).
If you are a beginner to easytech games, get Govorov (Moscow).
Mid Game:
Your goal at this stage is to have the must-haves of the academy, then get started on your ECs.
If you got Guderian without Govorov and Katukov, now it's time to get them.
After those three, you need another artillery general. You should build an eye-covered commander(EC) for that. The artillery EC might be temporary as you might convert him to tank later on.
The artillery EC should have 3 stars in movement (New York), level 3 Plain Fighting (San Francisco), level 2 Explosives (New York), and M General rank. He is a better damage dealer and has great endgame potential. If you aren't comfortable without artillery stars (Moscow) and/or Artillery Barrage (Moscow), give him 3 stars and/or level 2 max.
If you are confident in your skills or short of medals, start with Major for the ECs instead of M Generals.
Late Game:
Your goal at this stage is to complete your endgame squad before reaching Ace Commander (Paris), the most important skill for EC.
The minimum of a F2P endgame team consists of 9 generals, including 3 tank generals (tank EC, Katukov, second tank EC/Guderian), 2 artillery generals (Govorov, artillery EC/Sikorski), 1 infantry general (infantry EC), 2 air generals (2 out of Goring, Bittrich, Sansonetti, infantry EC), and 1 admiral (Mikawa/Sansonetti).
Now you should start building your tank EC. The tank EC should have 3 stars in tank (Berlin) and movement, level 3 Plain Fighting and Blitzkrieg (Berlin), level 2 Explosives, and M General rank. He is a good all-rounder with immense potential. If you aren't comfortable without Tide of Iron (Moscow), give him level 2 max.
For infantry, build an EC. He should have 3 stars in infantry (Istanbul) and movement, as well as level 4 Organization (Moscow).
Sansonetti will serve as one of your air generals. For the second one, you have the following options (you can also pick two of them and drop Sansonetti):
1. Goring (Berlin), who starts off with high rank but with limited combat ability. He also stands no advantage against the infantry EC you will build later on.
2. Bittrich (featured shop), the best airplane user for non-IAP players, but he is a worse missile user and starts off with much lower HP.
3. Your infantry EC, with better potential than Goring but also much more expensive.
You don't have to get another admiral because Sansonetti is good. But if you start to struggle with Sansonetti, the only recommended option is Mikawa (featured shop).
End Game:
You have completed your team, and you only have to upgrade it now.
For promotions, prioritize ECs. Then others as you see fit.
All your ECs should have Ace Commander (Paris).
Your tank EC(s) should also have Inspiring (San Francisco). Drop Tide of Iron (if given) to open up a slot. Give him level 2 Expropriation (from level 4 Assault + Legion medals).
For your infantry EC, add Plain Fighting and Explosives. For the last skill slot, consider the following options:
1. Bayonet Charge (Tokyo), to add more damage once the HP drops below half. It also goes well with Organization.
2. Shelter Expert (Nanking), to help him reduce airstrike and nuke damage when serving as air general and/or nuke magnet.
When you obtain your second set of level 2 Expropriation, you can consider converting your artillery EC to tank and buy Sikorski (featured shop). He will still be good on artillery since Artillery Barrage is the only difference. Sell Guderian if you think this EC will never go back to artillery again.
If you decided to go keep your an artillery EC, here are your choices for the last skill slot, but keep in mind that all of them are pretty marginal:
1. Anti-Armor (London), to increase damage against tanks.
2. Desperate (Istanbul), to give you an out-of-turn option when using field artillery.
3. Supply (London), the only survivability skill on artillery.
You can also upgrade ion cannon or get generals purely out of interest at this stage.
Which IAP should you buy:
Elite Pass alone can afford 2 fully promoted academy/featured shop generals or moderately built ECs, in addition to ample resources and HP experience boost. Depending on your intensity of farming, it can save you anywhere from 3 weeks (5 medal collections per day) to 3 months (1 collection per day) of farming.
Manstein is class in both tank and artillery. His VIP privilege is also the best among the three; its value increases with the amount of time you farm.
Zhukov is much better after the buff and can beat Govorov with the support of medals, but Eichelberger is just much better while also having a lower cost. However, you can still consider Zhukov if you struggle with an endgame squad in operations.
Eisenhower is born for challenge conquests. His survivability allows him to be a nuke magnet in the challenge conquests and his privilege speaks for itself.
Hoth is the cheapest IAP out of everyone. However, he is unable to make the endgame squad now since Katukov exists.
Spaatz was one of the top air generals in the game. However, Hartmann busted him in this version and Eisenhower is becoming competitive.
Both Balck-Nenonen pack and Marshall-Juliusz pack contains a good, but not great general, and a general that is just average. Marshall is the best of the 4 but Balck is more useful in early game. None of them can make the endgame squad.
Vasily is an infantry general that requires skills, but has good potential if used correctly. You have to evaluate between moving into a better position or staying in spot to maximize damage.
Wittmann is on the same tier as Guderian and Katukov ability wise, but much more demanding for skills. He can break into the endgame squad but is more replaceable than others.
Eichelberger remains the best artillery general in the game. He can also be a supportive general by having Group Army to give other generals chance for a free hit.
Hartmann-Kretschmer pack has the best air general and admiral of this version. Hartmann alone makes this pack stand out, given the increasing need for an air general.
So here is my order of recommendation, if you are certain about getting an IAP:
Manstein (4-5 collections per day) > Elite Pass (doesn't farm) > Eichelberger = Hartmann-Kretschmer > Manstein (doesn't farm) > Spaatz > Eisenhower > Zhukov > Vasily > Wittmann
What to do if you bought an IAP:
Any IAP pack should allow you to go straight to Guderian.
Manstein: capable as both tank and artillery, ranked behind the EC on tank and Eichelberger and EC on artillery.
Zhukov: he will be one of the artillery generals, ranked behind Manstein.
Eisenhower: he will be one of the air generals, ranked behind Hartmann and EC and roughly the same as Spaatz.
Hoth: Hoth cannot make the endgame squad.
Marshall-Juliusz Pack: Marshall and Juliusz cannot make the endgame squad.
Balck-Nenonen Pack: Balck and Nenonen cannot make the endgame squad.
Spaatz: he can serve as one of the air generals, ranked behind Hartmann and EC and roughly the same as Eisenhower.
Wittmann: he will be one of the tank generals, ranked behind Guderian and Katukov. Cannot make the endgame squad without Eisenhower and/or Zhukov.
Eichelberger: he will be one of the artillery generals, ranked top.
Vasily: he can serve as infantry, ranked behind EC. Cannot make the endgame squad without Eisenhower and/or Zhukov.
Hartmann-Kretschmer: Hartmann can serve as one of the air generals, ranked top. Kretschmer can serve as the admiral, ranked top.
What medals to put on generals:
Tank EC: Expropriation (Assault + Legion).
Artillery EC/Sikorski: Fire Suppression (Artillery + Combo).
Eichelberger: Fire Suppression or Group Army (Combo * 2).
Guderian/Manstein (tank): Expropriation, if you have spare ones after the tank ECs.
Tank EC/Manstein, when deployed on artillery: Fire Suppression or Building Fortifications (Artillery + Defense).
Govorov: Artillery + Marching.
Katukov/Wittmann: Camouflage Coatings (Armored + Defense).
Infantry generals with combat tasks: Camouflage Clothing (Infantry + Defense) or Cooperative Defense (Defense * 2)
Air generals: Radar Station (Air + Defense), Aviation Fuel (Air + Combo), or Carpet Bombing (Air + Assault), according to the situation.
Admirals: Navy * 2. Admirals aren't worth the 300 series.
Substitute with the corresponding attribute medals if you don't have enough of the 300 series. NEVER use Strike medals.
Feel free to comment, I'll edit it if necessary.
