Option one seems like a no brainer straight upgrade over the current system. The only problem I can see related to that is being able to "scout" for changes in the retreat path, literally seeing things in the FoW that change unit pathing like the enemy actively placing barbed wire. I don't expect that to be entirely significant, but it's worth thinking about potential ways this system could be abused.
Option 2 seems too difficult to implement. Imagine how you have to explain to new players how this system works, and then have them learn on each individual map how this is going to impact pathing differently. The retreat system is simple to understand, gtfo back to base as quick as possible. Most of the issues this would solve would already be fixed by implementation of option 1. This solution would add more complexity and frustration than just dealing with some poor pathing on certain areas of maps, which can already be fixed with map layout changes anyway.
Option one is the clear way to go here. Giving the player more information to play with is always better.
Which could have been put at the end of the Soviet campaign in CoH2 but it wasn't for very obvious reasons that there would be an even bigger uproar from the Russians as they only want to be portrayed as heroes in media.
The series is called Company of Heroes, not Company of War Criminals. Russian outrage was justified.
the only way to implement p3 is like the valentine, a T3,5 callin - Unit
That's incredibly uncreative. You literally cannot think of a single way to implement a weaker tank into the stock roster? We have light tanks, we have medium tanks, God forbid we have a lighter medium tank.
Coldtech was an interesting idea but poorly implemented, and instead of tweaking it Relic decided to remove it outright.
For this to work there needs to be no RNG involved. Start the countdown timer at the beginning of the match so you know when the storm is coming and can prepare for it. With coldtech both sides just hunkered down and waited because there was no time to prepare any serious movements before all your troops started freezing to death.
Katyusha. Good enough barrage at long range to destroy support weapons and pak wall, very accurate at close range to wipe infantry. It's the best at everything.
Interesting to see that there is the normal German faction but also partially an Afrika Korps. No Italians, but there is an Italian tank. They may have just not started working on the Italians at all. I really hope they don't have 2 German factions again.
DAK ROMMELBOI
This is obviously Deutsche Afrika Korps, Rommel. What could the BOI mean? Possibly it's only a campaign faction if they make a second Rommel in Africa campaign.
So an African/Italian expansion for either CoH or CoH2 is possible and it makes more sense because a larger part of the team is probably working on AoE4, or so I assume at least.
I want to see side armor, new garrison mechanics, new commander system (or whatever replaces it), and a better resource system closer to CoH1. That's really all I would need from a sequel.
If I had to guess they will start with the Italian campaign and add Rommel and the Brits later. Will be weird when the new factions are suddenly 2 years more out of date.