Profile of Omega_Warrior

@ Omega: Just because it's their only indirect support tool that doesn't mean it should kick everyone's ass. You also have the scot. Panzerwerfer arrives too late, when there are multiple m10, m36s eagerly awaiting its arrival.

I was just stating the obvious comparison to the ISG. Which is that there are non-doctrinal tools to that can easily counter the pack, while most allied factions lack non-doctrinal means to fully counter the ISG as easily. It doesn't matter if it's hard to access because at least the option is still there. No matter how much UKF spends in tech they aren't going to get access to a real heavy arty unit to counter the lieg.

So just comparing the pack to the ISG is useless if you aren't considering all the benefits the ISG has because of the faction it's in and the factions it faces.

Uh, Mech Artillery will almost kill an OKW HQ. Time on Target will do the same thing. On map artillery cannot do that much damage in nearly that amount of time. After testing it to take an OKW BG HQ down to 25% health like Mech did it took 3 Priest barrages on Average.

Yes exactly. They shoot flares that say "hey watch out I'm going to kill everything right her" and hit a huge but dodge-able blow. On maps have have a noticeable sound and then hit without warning, making them much more consistent tools.

Major arty doesn't hit hard, so why should it be a like what USF has plenty of, instead like the things they actually lack.

Because the Katyusha has a set range and cannot shoot at anywere on the map? I mean it wouldn't be all that problematic, it would just make no consistent sense.

Last time I checked the Majors range was nowhere near that of any of the rocket artillery.

All Artillery that lacks concrete warning or defined range should have flares. You can argue for buffing major artillery (I would like to see it buffed as well). But removing flares? Nah.

Just increase the amount of shells it fires.

Yay, more shells that are easily dodged.

The point is that the major's artillery should be an actual alternative to the on-map units they lack. Not just a weaker version of their doctrinal arties.

Major arty needs to change yes. Not sure about the brits though, I don't want the brits to have non-doc arty that's pretty good. That does not seem to be a good idea.

I put a bit there. To be honest I think being able to pre-target the guns would be a good buff to start with. I'm tired of waiting for that second arty piece to do a complete 180 before firing. Perhaps I can get a better feel for the ability if it wasn't so highly erratic.

Problems:

Rather then having a purchasable rocket artillery unit like the katyusha, stuka, and panzerwherfer like all the other factions, both USF and UKF instead have a munitions based alternative. Unfortunately despite being rather different, both these alternatives are largely unused in common meta due to lacking stats and inconsistent results.

USF's Major's artillery:


For the price of 2 bars the player gets the "amazing" ability of making their opponent move slightly over a few yards. Neither quick enough to hit mobile targets, nor hard hitting enough to significantly damage static ones, with a giant red sign that says "don't stand here", it's really hard to find any use for this ability. The somewhat hefty munitions cost is often spent on just about anything else.

With only the M8 (A glorified mortar on treads) to rely on instead, USF lacks the indirect firepower to make significant breakthroughs come the late game.


UKF's Base 25-pounders:

With a whopping 8 shells for only 40 muni, this ability sounds like a great way to make up for the fact that the british's only indirect unit is a static emplacement.

In reality, this ability has terrible scatter, bad damage profiles, and can be only activated within grenade range of it's target, making it quite useless despite it's low cost. Often times your oppponent often won't even need to move despite being in the center of it's effect.

Even worse, the time it takes to fire is wildly inconsistent thanks to the howitzers need to position after the ability is used.


Solutions:

USF's Major Artillery:

Removal of flares
Munitions cost lowered to 100
Major no longer gets veterancy passively(need to use the ability to get the 5 shells)
Off-map firing sound increased


If this ability is going to make up for not having on-map heavy indirect option, it needs to act like a heavy indirect option. And players aren't going to invest 100+ munitions into a small scale call-in that is so likely to miss. Removal of the flares allows for a more consistent effect on the battle. It's still not quite the hardest hitting thing out there and players should be able to tell it's being used, but as long as the flare exists and the ability is so easy to tell where and when it's being used, it won't see any use. Especially in high level games, where a player needs to be completely negligent to allow it to make contact.

UKF's base 25-pounder:

Added pre-target ability in base structure (Allows player to aim the artillery before the abilities use.)
Shells damage profiles made equivalent to LeFH's
Scatter slightly reduced
Flare range increased by 10
Cost increased by 20 munitions


While there is the obvious changes to make the artillery actually hit what you are aiming at and be effective when it does. The most necessary addition would be to allow the player to aim the artillery pieces before-hand to get rid of the ridiculously inconsistent firing time.

This ability still can be quite powerful, but without any mobile indirect squads, players need it to be effective since they lack many methods of fighting from afar. The flare changes being important to allow them to counter things like liegs and mortars if they get close or at very least act as area denial to let up pressure. And the ability should remains quite inaccurate to make up for it's high damage potential.

Hahaha this is hillarious. While crying rivers of tears about how broken is the ISG, you consider pack howie okish.
You are ridiculous.

I'm not saying the stats are perfect, but there is several factors that make the ISG harder to deal with then the pack.

1. Flaq HQ allows you to create a safe zone where the ISG can fire without worry of being harrassed as well as the medic HQ where they can be reinforced if counterbarraged.

2. Longer range makes them harder to reach and harder to fight with indirect units.

3. Gun sheild allows it some protection if it comes under fire (no such luck for the pack)

4. Especially strong vs. the brits who have a more static playstyle while lacking decent tools to counter it.