First of let me explain what I mean with the topictitle:
It refers to the possibilities a faction has to kill enemy units in 1 single hit.
In games like CoH unit preservation is one of the most important aspects of winning a game. Mostly squads/units are lost due to a "sensory overload" by a player. This sensory overload means a player is in more simultaneous fights at one specific time than he can handle. This in turn causes him to overlook units in need of a retreat, and ultimately results in squadloss.
Generally speaking in CoH (especially in the early and midgame) causing your opponent to lose squads is the result of hard work. You keep trying to attack him from all directions at the same time, and this will hopefully result in him retreating one of his units too late resulting in the lovely "Enemy unit down" by the game commentator.
There are, however, exceptions to this rule. All those exceptions combined are what I refer to as the one-shot-wipe-potential of a faction (from now on Ill refer to it as OSWP).
If we look at the OSWP of the Germans vs the Soviets there are some glaring balance issues that need to be addressed. Now, before I proceed let me state clearly that I play both factions. I have absolutely no desire for any of the two factions to be stronger than the other. Now that I've got that out of the way let me point out why the Soviets are heavily advantaged over the Germans in regard to OSWP:
- Mines. Capable of one shotting a fresh, four man Panzergrenadier squad in one hit.
- Democharge. Capable of taking out an enemy squad in one hit. Sure, its 90 munitions, but I'd trade 90 munitions for a squadwipe any day of the week. Especially in the early to midgame.
- Precisionstrike. Both on the regular and 120mm mortar. Oneshots every squad that doesn't move for a bit.
- Heavy strafe. Even if you retreat right away when you see the flares you will more often than not have squads oneshotted on retreat. This can even take out damaged P4's.
- Guard grenades. Capable of stuff crazy stuff.
- Shock grenades. See above.
- IS2. Actually used in 1v1, and has a lot of OSWP.
- ISU-152. Actually used in 1v1, and has a lot of OSWP.
- Katushya Precisionstrike. Can snipe lone squads capping a flag at very high speed.
The German faction has pretty much non of this OSWP. Other than a lucky rifle grenade there is not much I can think of that one shot wipes. In my opinion stuff like this needs to be addressed because it's unavoidable damage. It takes away from the mechanic of causing sensory overload on your opponent, and getting profit from hard work. In my opinion one shot wipes need to be addressed, but I'm curious to hear what you guys think.
PS: If someone likes to point out German faction one shot wipes please do so for consistent OSWP-possibilities just as I did above. For instance, the german mortar oneshotting a conscriptsquad isnt a good example because it pretty much never does that.
Edit: Put in some more OSW-examples.
Edit2: Put in even more OSW-examples.
Since some people found it necessary to come into this topic and call me a German fanboy here is a link to my stats:
http://www.coh2.org/ladders/playercard/steamid/76561197972918936
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Alexandru
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