Watching this is optional because half of these episodes are details about tanks, details that not everyone may like. As far as I'm concerned, I'm not a tank enthusiast so the details given go over my head. Thus, it's understandable that some people may not be keen on it.
This I find to be a shame. These two episodes are well made even if you tune out of the details of the tanks involved. Other than the tanks, these episodes provide background information on our favourite characters. If these details were to be included in the main series, each episode would have been longer and perhaps bogged down the pacing of each episode.
They also include key scenes necessary for a recap episode. It's a fun watch, and it provides some break before you watch the next episode of the series.
Conclusion:
These two episodes may be optional, but if you're a fan of GuP, you may as well watch them. They're not boring even if the details on tanks should be boring.
