Profile of nee

I just thought of a way to make the IR halftrack more balanced while also giving it some micro-based utility:

copy the way Starcraft 2's Sensor Tower detects units- units detected are just exclamation marks on the map, so you don't know what it is. All you know is that it's there, and it's either moving or it is not. In that game, you have that intel, but you still need to guess if it's just building, a unit, or a Creep creature roaming around.
You can then justify being able to adjust where the searchlight goes, it's beam can be targeted to a particular location and stay there, and with it's relatively narrow cone it cannot possible cover every angle, not unless you invest in multiple IR halftracks. The back-and-forth sweeping can still be an alternate toggle.

What you have then is an OKW unit that can scan without being threatened by nearby enemy units, but also cannot identify what's being scanned. Balance.

I'm here to play contrarian again by saying I'd much prefer infantry upgrades be differentiated by range weakness much like the PPSh-41 upgrade! Make players not auto-upgrade LMGs when it makes infantry trash as close-range!

But what's the point, I know that's not going to happen...

I agree, if there are upgrades it needs to have a tactical trade-off, luckily many already do, but some are just clearly must-have upgrades that do nothing but trade munitions for permanent benefit/ improvement; right now it's a no-brainer to upgun Grenadiers with LMG42, even if the penalty is one guy doesn't fire on the move as a result. I believe back in CoH1, Grenadiers moved slower when they upgraded to this weapon, the same should apply to Grenadiers. Would at the very least encourage half-track transportation, though I'm not suggesting the movement penalty be that drastic.

Which leads me to suggest that the Conscript Ppsh-1 upgrade should also make the Conscripts move a bit faster, not enough where Urrah! is redundant, but maybe perhaps some sort of passive 5-second sprint bonus when they are attacking to encourage being used in the assault role that they are made for. Shocks have armour and grenades, Conscripts when they upgrade should boast economy and speed.

I mean by comparison, G43 upgrade also allows Interrogation on top of better weapons. Conscripts intead get SMGs and a slap in the face. Hell if anything, Penals should have been the ones to get the SMG upgrade, their satchel bomb would be more useful in the assault role.

Not map-hacking, but defending map-hacking or any sort of exploitation by arguing that since it's in the game, it is legit.

5)artillery

4)artilliry
2)halftrack
3)medical bunker

I got an idea too:

1) Infantry
2) different infantry
3) more of the above infantry
4) a tank with stuff
5) I dunno, artillery

I think you underestimate the firepower of the lt squad. Don't forget it also has a Thompson in the squad as well. There actually isn't an axis squad at the time frame it comes out that can tackle the lt squad head on, you need to rely on Mgs or multiple squads to take out an lt. Once lmgs come out you have a better chance, but a smart usf player would try to establish munitions control with the lt so they don't get an opportunity to get lmgs.

Plus if you don't get any light vehicles in lt tier, you can get a captain out pretty fast, and if you REALLY need to deal with vehicles you can always give your RE bazookas after a 15 fuel unlock.

This made me think up a way to make LT more attractive: first, LT can have a non-doc upgrade to get all Thompsons to form a shock squad, could really help make up for lack of late-game by being terrific short-ranged AI squad to deal with infantry to help force an early advantage.
Second, all three officer squads could give a discount to things like T0 unlock costs, and getting LT gives a slight reduction to things like upkeep for CPT units, and vice versa. This means you still have dilemma of choosing between tiers, but over time you will gain access to both tiers, as well as becoming more able to field both as late-game comes around. This also encourages combined arms by giving discounts and reduced training times for your stock units, so USF players are rewarded for getting all officer squads out on the field.