Profile of Hannibal

I completely agree with OP.

Converting AoEII fans to AoEIV was a huge achievement and showed that Relic can still give to RTS.

I trully trully wish that this treatment is reserved for COH3. WW2 is a huge genre, and few RTS ever got it right.

COH for me got it the best.

They didn't really convert the AoE2 base though. The DE version has only slightly decreasing player numbers. It does not explain where those ~20k AoE4 players come from. These must, for the most part, be players that are either new to AoE or older gamers that decided to pick the game up.

I think CoH2 will remain after CoH3 is released. I think the Mediterranean theatre is interesting, but probably not as widely known as the western and especially eastern front.
CoH3 however has quite an advantage over AoE4 though. AoE4 had to somehow outperform a VERY highly acclaimed and polished AoE2. CoH3 on the other hand has to outperform "only" CoH2, which still lacks a lot of features and fixes.
That's were CoH3 can really shine. I hope Relic realizes that.

You'll answer yourself this question, when you sit for a moment and contemplate on how allies counter ele and JT.

That's quite nonsense.
If the ISU had great AT, even via a timed ability, you remove one of he few weak points it has.

7 per squad

This stolen ISU really seems to haunt you...

I've decided to edit graph a bit to better represent current AI performance of the Concrete Piercing shot. Keep in mind that that the regular shot has 60 max range vs 70 and concrete piercing round has no scatter.

That's also what I mean.

Against tanks, the ability is not really that helpful, because either there is no slow heavy on the field or you keep your ISU out of the way (JT/Ele). Situational at best, but the main use is probably infantry.

Against infantry, you pay 60 mun for 10 more range, no scatter and an okay buff to OHK compared to the normal shell. All this is okay, but is it really worth that much? The normal shell really isn't all that different.
A little bit less damage than the normal HE shell due to scatter, but against MGs, mortars and even PaKs, they perform similarly overall.

The ability isn't outright bad, it is just really mediocre and boring due to it using a very similar AoE profile compared to the normal shell. It is basically 60 mun for shooting an improved HE shell through a wall.

And there is context, I was replaying to a claim that the ability "practically useless" which you agree it is not.

So in sort you confirm that you posted just to disagree with me.

Please don't make it a personal thing, it helps no one and nothing and just drifts the discussion off topic.

I simply returned a facepalm because if one reads this without knowing anything else:

one would think the ability can no longer wipe squad and team weapon and can only be used vs Super heavy vehicles which is simply false.

His further context is 3 posts above the one you quoted. We're also still on page 1 and people are going to read OP's post. There is enough context.

The ability is very difficult to hit medium speed moving target unless they are driving directly into the barrel of the gun.
In AT role it is designed to be used vs those slow big heavily armored targets like KT/JT/Ele.

In addition since the ability can fired and score hits in the FOW and even behind certain shot blocker one can use it with impunity. Retailed from JT/Ele is not even guaranteed unless their gun is facing in the right direction

One can even combine it with mark target for extra damage.

So no I would not say that the penetration buff negligible
nor
that ability is useless.

Mark target etc are not part of this. They're a different ability for which you pay extra and not available with all ISU commanders.

I agree that the ability is meant for slower units. As I said before the whole setup of this ability is VERY situational, especially since the ISU is quite immobile, so driving it behind shot blockers and then facing the actual target takes a while and requires a long setup.
The overall damage buff regarding the penetration is negligable. The ability has become slightly more reliable. In terms of DPS, not much though. Serealia says the deflection damage previously was ~80, normal damage is 240. We can debate how much sense "DPS" makes in single shot abilities, but e.g. against an Elefant your chance difference to deal those 160 damage between old and new ability is 25%, or 40 damage.