Profile of Vipper

Mortars aren't for entrenched positions, and that's the fundamental flaw in their game design. Mortars are for breaking up concentrated attacks in open terrain where the shrapnel can fly everywhere. The chances of landing a mortar shell in a trench is quite difficult, and will at best only affect a few soldiers since trenches are built with curves etc. The only time you would expect mortars to affect an entrenched enemy is if you've got an unlimited number of shells, and all the time in the world.

On the contrary. Trenches offer protection from direct fire weapons.

Mortars are indirect fire weapons specifically designed to hit target behind obstacles. Trench warfare was there bread and butter.

WWI was a war of artillery after all.

Wiki
Show Spoiler

Show Spoiler

AT is inexplicably worse against certain targets like infatry...
AT hand held weapons are inexplicably worse against certain targets like infatry...

Mortar is real life are designed to counter trenches and earth bunkers, in this patch the mortars life will suddenly become inexplicably worse against trenches than ATG that in turn useless vs trenches in real life.

From a design point of view if one wants to create diversity in builds one has to make certain units worth buying to counter the enemies stragies

The sort answer is that one should not expect to make T1 viable by making 1 unit (Penal in this case) cover everything.

Show Spoiler

Ok let me give the simplest version while being as close as possible to ver 2.

Track cost cost 70/15
same as now unlock flame grenades as now.

Truck set up both T1 and T2 cost 150 manpower and 10 fuel
(same as ver 2) gives access to HMG (T2 set up slightly cheaper)

HQ now has an upgrade named "weapon upgrades" cost 50/10
half of what the cost "Battle Group Upgrade" in version 2 )
Unlocks ST44/PF regardless if one choose T1 or T2

Might require truck set up to keep the times the same with ver 2 or truck build for slightly earlier access but doubt with will make much of difference

"Battle group upgrade" for T1 now cost 50/10
(for the same total cost of as in ver 2)

"Battle group upgrade" for t2 now cost 100/45
(for the same total cost as in ver 2)

So things basically cost the same and arrive around the same as in version 2 but:
Both truck cost the same to set up
(consistency)

Hmg access at the same time regardless of t1/t2 choice
(consistency)

Weapon access is no longer tied to vehicles access allowing better fine tuning of vehicles timing with out messing with weapons timing especially of the panzerfaust.
(better tools for fine tuning the timing of OKW vehicles)

Upgrades are now more player friendly and inline with other factions being available in HQ

Is more consistent is design between T1 and T2 since in version 2 T1 has side grades and T2 does not.

Is this more clear?

- Fixed an issue where the Commissar's revolver did not have the same effective range as other pistols.

This change does not seem to be enough since the Revolver does not seem to in line with other Pistol damage wise and should probably be buffed.