Profile of Hannibal

The following numbers are assuming you are teching directly for it. In a 1vs1 this won't happen, but you can assume both players will spend around the same number of fuel on side techs (Soviet/OKW), optional T1 and T2 building (Ostheer) or vehicles and light tanks (all). So we can take the numbers as an orientation for timing. In bigger game modes it is a common tactic that one or two players in the team are teching as fast as they can to get a shock unit asap.

Ostheer (BP = Battlephase):
BP1 = 40
BP2 = 90
T3 building = 15
PZIV = 120

Alltogether 265 - Starting fuel of 10 = 255 fuel
(StuG III G comes at 225 fuel)


Soviet
T1 building = 10
T3 building = 85
T4 building = 90
KW-1 = 145

Alltogether 330 - Starting fuel of 20 = 310 fuel
(T34/76 comes at 255 fuel like PZIV)


I didn't compare to OKW in my post, because there it is much harder to compare. Are we playing a 1vs1 where OKW is dependend on salvage only or are we playing a 2vs2 with an Ost mate who builds the caches while OKW still can salvage. This is a huge difference that really makes any comparison very hard if not obsolete. Your numbers are correct with the exception of the medtruck that costs 25 fuel instead of 35 fuel.

You did not talk about OKW, but for the balance of the KV1, timings against OKW are important as well. Timings in team games are a bit more difficult, but 1) I think we should look at 2v2 at max, everything above is a huge unplannable black box where are factors are probably more important than the fuel cost and 2)unless they try a special strat, teams only tend to build 1-2 caches, and unless both Axis players play OKW, both sides have the possibility to do so. So it can be a rough estimate. Also I would not call them obsolete, as the difference to the first tank is about 20-30 fuel at max, depending on when the cache was build. And the calculation of the fuel for Ostheer is misleading in my opinion, since the only possibility to skip both grenadiers, mortars and a PaK is playing the Osttruppen Commander with Osttruppen callins and the supply drop. For the sake of comparability in 1v1 and 2v2 modes, the building costs should be added.

The KV1 comes at approximately the same time as Axis mediums. If it got better AI, it probably would also be alright to come slightly later than Axis mediums, since it is the better tank in medium-vs-medium warfare.

I do think that the KV1 is slightly UP, I just don't agree with the statement that the timing of the KV1 is the parameter that makes it UP.

For tommies - yes, that's their DPS in cover.
For osttruppen, most certainly NOT for LMG as their LMG in cover should be dealing 75% of what gren LMG does. Their rifle accuracy also seems like it has the value in cover, because they most certainly do not have 50%+ accuracy out of cover, but I'm not vouching for that.

I thought Osttruppen get their ROF doubled or tripled or something? But also not sure about that

But it is a Tier4 heavy tank that comes a lot later than a PZIV and especially way later than a StuG III G, which is a way bigger thread for it. Actually KW-1 comes halfway between PZIV and Panther.

It was good as it is as it was a call-In. In that days you skipped T4 and used the call-in to put the tech cost directly into the tank. That way the first KW-1 was pretty cheap. After putting the unit in tech it just got a bad timing space in T4. Ostheer PZIV and T34/76 both come out 55 fuel earlier, both have greater shock value for opponents infantry and are a lot more flexible.

So again. A buff of the MGs to T34/76 level is surely not too much to ask for. Some utility ability like a smoke shell or a infantry suppression ability would help to use it as a breakthrough or defensive tool (choose your liking).

I do have the feeling that it is a tiny bit underwhelming, but that does not mean that it would be uneconomic against mediums. It's bad against heavier armor where it can't really deal damage. And it can't really kill mediums unless your enemy is asleep due to relatively low speed (The only Axis tanks that are slower than the KV1 are also stronger) and low pen. KV1 vs P4 will just lead to an endless battle of two tanks slugging it out while bouncing at least half of the hits. This means that a big investment of the SOV player is not suited to really deal killing blows, since everything can retreat away from it, even infantry. So now it's in a weird spot. It's role is driving up and soaking damage, but the enemy is probably better off just focussing all other units except the KV1. A Churchill can deal decent damage on it's own if it's too close due to an okay-ish gun, MGs and hand grenades. KV1 is a bit worse in all categories, so ignoring it as long as needed is probably the better choice.

To your timing point:
Does it really come that much later (please correct me if I'm way off in the fuel costs below)?
OKW:
15 truck, 35 med base, 15 truck, 120 Panzer HQ, 140 P4
=325 fuel (likely +15 fuel for medics)

SOV:
15 T1, 85 T3, 80 T4, 145 KV1
=325 fuel

I think I'm somewhere off in the building costs, but not by far (maybe 10 fuel or so). SOV T2 build will come around 25 fuel later with side tech. OKW T2 build is the same 340 fuel.
Can't say much about OST since I really can't remember the building costs. I just know that BP1 is 40 fuel and BP2 is 90. Buildings were relatively cheap with around 20(?) fuel each, so 60 for the buildings, 130 for BPs, 120 for the tank would be approx. 310 fuel.

Sry, i stand corrected.

In space there is no up, no down, no buff, no penalty (?

The problem with the wording is that players who compare the performance (for example on coh2.org or something) see that the Tommies are already good against other infantry, and then "they will become even better when in cover", which is not true.

For all other players the wording is irrelevant.

Its certainly not slow. Have you seen the Churchill for example?
The kv-1 is quite quick given its durability and price point.
It'll 1v1 anything below a panther with ease, and even a panther it can be of use if supported.

Not quite. Economy wise, the KV-1 is no better than the Axis P4s (slightly better than OST, a bit worse than OKW, both cost-corrected) in tank on tank warfare if you compare a fight between KV-1/P4. I mean that would be alright, but it lacks in other compartments like mobility and AI as well as utility (P4s get at least Blitzkrieg and can doctrinally get smoke). Also, the KV-1 performs worse against high-armor tanks due to lower penetration, while P4s can "better" fight high armor vehicles.

So basically, the KV-1 is economically balanced if you use it to fight mediums. If you need it to do something else, buy something else.

More specifically to your post:
1. You can almost always find a slower tank. That does not mean the not so slow tank is "quick". The KV1 is neither slow nor quick, but lies somewhere in between mediums and real heavies, which is fine.
2. Tanks with similar durabilities (e.g. Pershing and Comet) are faster than the KV-1. Even Tiger is (a tiny bit) faster. Costs is not a good determinant for speed.
3. See the main post. Only true if you do not consider the costs of the respective units.