Slitherine

Well, a consistent "silhouette" in 2D will always be more recognizable than a 3D model which can be viewed from many different angles.

Though I have to admit my limited knowledge of WW2 hardware might have a part to play in this too. I've been playing this type of game for over a decade and am still learning.

To simulate the classic 2D isometric mode the developer could lock the camera tilt and rotation at a fixed angle and the unit models to display only from a side (facing left or right). A simple in-game option could do this.