[Winter Balance Update] General Changes

All Heavy Machine Gun Teams
The following changes should address some of the issues HMGs have when dealing with massed infantry when there is no cover available. By having two members of the crew forward, they will draw fire away from the gunner, allowing the MG to operate when under fire. Manual Reload has also been added to the unit to allow player input on on reloads.
- Formation changes; when in the open, two of the crew members will now stand slightly ahead of the MG.
- Manual Reload added.
- All HMGs will now have an icon when using AP abilities

All Allied Transport Half-Tracks (M5 Half-track and M3 Half-track)
A feature update to encourage the usage of non-upgraded transport half-tracks by acting as an alternative source of healing for the player, similar to the 251.
- USF M3 and M5, and Soviet M5 Half-tracks can now heal infantry in their hold when out of combat.
- M3 Medical Crate ability removed

All Snipers
The intended change is to make Sniper less capable of operating on their own when they do not have veterancy. This will force the player to have forward spotters to fully utilize the range of their sniper or move the sniper closer to their intended target. Quality of life implements have also been added.
- Cost from 360 to 340
- Sight from 45 to 40
- Will no longer auto-target vehicles.
- Veterancy 2 +20% sight bonus to +25%; total is now 50 from 54

All Plane Crashes
Plane crashes have received an adjustment to clear any frustrating issues they cause. Their instant death critical is being removed.
- No longer deals an instant death critical to infantry
- Near AOE from from 1 to 0
- Damage against infantry reduced by 66%

All Mortar Teams
To encourage the use of mortars without boosting their offensive potential, smoke is being decoupled from the barrage cooldown.
- Smoke Barrages no longer share a cooldown with the primary barrage

Formation Changes
A number of units have received formation changes to better distribute fire among their squad members the current V-formation causes certain squads to quickly lose a member when they enter combat. Some squads have also been adjusted so their support/slot weapons are placed at the front of the squad to increase responsiveness.
- The following squads have had their formation changed to the Infantry Section formation: Assault Officer Squads, Pathfinders, Grenadiers, Partisans, Vehicle Crews
- Heavy weapons - ie Panzerschrecks - now go to the front in V-Formation: Panzergrenadiers. Stormtroopers

Trenches
The following change will make trenches easier to siege with non-indirect fire weapons and give players an option to destroy them during combat.
- Target size from 2 to 17; target size no longer changes when garrisoned or ungarrisoned

Infantry-Based Flamethrowers
This change will allow flamethrower units to demolish structures much more quickly, allowing easier denial of key garrisons.
- Number of bursts needed to set buildings alight from 30 to 15.

Sherman M2HB (All Variants)
This change is to standardize all the Sherman MGs amongst the vehicle family for clarity.
- Upgrade time standardized to 35
- Cost standardized to 60
- Damage profile of 76mm 50cal standardized to standard M4A3 75mm 50cal

Panzer V Panther (OKW and Ostheer Variant)
Given the Panther's lackluster veterancy 2 bonuses and the unit's reliance on accurate shots over rate of fire, we are improving the accuracy of Panthers that have gained veterancy.
- Panther accuracy from 0.06/0.045/0.035 to 0.065/0.05/0.04
- Veterancy 2 now provides a +10% increased accuracy

Sandbags
We are increasing the time it takes to build sandbags for a select number of units. This will make it more of a strategic choice to build sandbags, because building them in the early game will hinder the pace at which the map can be captured. This should encourage players to build sandbags only in vital locations, rather than putting them everywhere their line infantry goes to capture points.
- Sandbag build time increased from 12 to 18 seconds for Infantry Sections, Riflemen and Volks

(can we pin this since it will be easier to debate these changes here?)

All Snipers
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How about making the extra vision of snipers a timed ability or to kick in after staying immobile for 5 secs allowing to operate vs HMG but not infatry?

All Mortar Teams
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Suggest that greatly reduce set up times/flight time in smoke barrage so that smoke is delivered faster


Trenches
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Suggested changes:
Can now be dismantle by engineers process similar to build.

Now cost 50 manpower and can not only used by owner. Can now be captured changing owner.

Infantry-Based Flamethrowers
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Replace by the in game ability


Sherman M2HB (All Variants)
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Since you are standardizing Shermans bring the vet bonuses of the 76mm in line with other versions since it get superior vet bonuses than other Shermans (closer to very strong T-3476 bonuses).


Sandbags
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Suggestions:
Include conscripts (at least 7 men conscripts) and Ostturppen

Increase build time for tank traps, change cover to yellow, increase HP or add resistance to ballistic weapons, decrease target size.

What is the sense of this thread at all? we have offical threads about it.
Can i lock it down?

What is the sense of this thread at all? we have offical threads about it.
Can i lock it down?

The a section in the notes that is general changes that affect all faction yet there is no feedback thread for those changes so I created this one. Else feel free to add the specific changes (for instance time to built sandbags for Vg to the corresponding thread )

The a section in the notes that is general changes that affect all faction yet there is no feedback thread for those changes so I created this one. Else feel free to add the specific changes (for instance time to built sandbags for Vg to the corresponding thread )

https://www.coh2.org/topic/106980/winter-balance-update-general-discussion