Profile of The_Courier

I like the vast majority of the suggestions, but I do think it changes too much stuff at the same time. Big batches of changes are nice in theory, but some could create further imbalances down the line. I'd settle for about half the list, then see where things go from there. Even half of these changes would probably change the meta in a big way.

For me it seems tanks only obey the reverse command if they feel like it. Several times I had them sloooowly turn around and expose their rear, usually getting turned to scrap as a result. Especially when trying to micro extremely fragile things like the Jackson, or ponderous behemoths like the ISU or Tiger, it's endlessly annoying.

Hi guys,

Long time lurker first time poster. Just wanted to express my opinion about the current state of balance and issues plaguing the game. Please feel free to add your opinion to any of my points:

Soviets:

- Not a whole lot can be said about soviets. They are the strongest Nation in 1v1 by a considerable margin. They have a diverse set of units and strategies that can be used. Units are extremely powerful and they have multple armor options. T-34 85, IS2, ISU, KV8

- Zis3 barrage a bit too effective for price. Especially when combined with maxim. Perhaps increase price to 80 muns?

- Soviets do need a few issues addressed however. Balance is generally good. However i believe now too many people are exploiting the over performing nature of the MAXIM. It is extremely durable and difficult to dislodge added to the fact the soviets can merge and its combined suppression and damage makes it far too effective. Particularly vs OKW.

- I believe IS2 heavy tank has slightly too much Armor a little too difficult to penetrate

- Shocks and guards need an armor nerf in the same way Obers have JAegers have and decrease incoming accuracy the same way in line with relic viewing the game.

- Partisans, no idea what this unit is really for. Has no real place in the game. Please give it a unique ability.

- ISU 152 sigh*

- Soviet sniper. I believe there has been enough discussion on this. So wont add to it.

OH

Definitely has outstanding issues:

- Extremely susceptible to US infantry blobs and soviet Call in units.

- Grens and PGs desperately under performing vs US forces and to a slight extent vs soviets. They need some love. PGS need a desperate armor buff and grens need one too 4 man squad is already a huge detriment to have esp for demo charges and mines.

- OH T4 is none existent and not feasible at all. Too expensive and units are under performing or too expensive.

- Flame HT, when will this ever be made viable or feasible ?

- MG42 needs a moderate damage buff and slight durability increase.

- Assault grens are virtually extinct something needs to be done to improve effectiveness.

- 222 needs some attention. Comes out a bit late in its current state to be effective. Needs HP and damage increase.

OKW

- Panther too expensive, lack of adequate counters vs blobbing and extremely susceptible early game

- Volks are pretty trashy. The problem is Cons can Oorah in close and the the long range advnatage is negated almost instantly.

- Early game suffers tremendously vs Soviets and US forces.

- Flak HT is the same price as US AA track yet cant move, does less damage and has a 3 second set up time ? While US AA has a mobile 50 cal ? No idea what is going on here.

- Make MG34 availabe as normal Unit.

US

Boy where do i start..

- Lack of options really. Rifles are simply too powerful and there is little need to deviate from spamming them. So why go for anything else? Add a m1919 and watch the enemy cry in fear. Add two, and well..its goodnight.

- US AA, basically gamebreaking atm. Especially for OH. Mobile death factory.

- Need at least one heavy armor option on a free to use commander.

- Jeep call in to CP1

Thanks

You make a good effort, with a few good points. US AA HT needs a nerf. Dodge should go to 1 CP. Ostheer T4 needs love. US could use a heavy tank and lacks early game options. Maxims could use a bit of a damage nerf.

Apart from that... Sorry, but your list reads a bit like ''buff Axis, nerf allies''. Many of those buffs (Volks, OKW Panther, MG42, Grens) are completely uncalled for. Several of these nerfs (ZiS, Shocks, Guards) are also puzzling, especially since Guards have no armor anymore, ZiS barrage is very short anged and obvious, and Shocks struggle enough as it is against elite long ranged infantry.

My apologies, but your bias is showing. Your changes would crush Soviets underfoot. Especially since you demand a nerf to many of their core units as well as a boost to many Axis core units. That's just extremely poor balance.

I do agree that the WFA meta is blob-tastic, but I think it's more of a design problem for those factions than anything.

OKW has very sturdy and powerful infantry(Volks + fusilier blob is the most common I see), and their fuel shortage means they rely less on vehicle play until late game. Blobbing into KT/Jagdtiger with maybe a Puma or jagdpanzer as support seems almost like the faction's intended design.

USA is even worse, since they can't even build anything else than rifles until they spend 50 fuel (which gives them another infantry unit) and apart from the AA HT early game, their vehicles have relatively high micro requirements, being all made of paper apart from dozer sherman and E8. Given how powerful 1919s are, it's also easy to scale your rifles into killing machines without spending a drop of fuel.

Another thing that doesn't help is the sheer prevalence of infantry with long range DPS. It was fairly rare in vanilla CoH2, being limited to upgraded Guards and Grenadiers, but it exploded in WFA with all the 1919s, Paras, panzerfusiliers, jaegers, Obers and such. This means that you can simply a-move your blob, and their LMGs or carbines will chew right through anything that isn't as elite as them. Whereas elite infantry with SMGs must close the gap, meaning they 1) need more micro not to die before doing damage and 2) make themselves more vulnerable to anti-infantry weapons.

I'm not sure what would solve the problem that is feasible by Relic. A received accuracy bonus for blobbed (3+ units within like 10 meters) infantry could work. But we don't need to increase general infantry lethality either. I've also been in favor of adding suppression to some artillery pieces, but I'm not certain how it would work in the game proper.

First of all, I never mentioned a cost differential. Anywhere. So dunno where you got that from.

Second of all, t2-3 build would result in ZiS/SU76/T34.

Third of all, a doubled potential for indirect fire, and who even cares about T34, when you instead just callin T34/85s, as usual, and as is the case now. The ZiS/SU76 combination is far more versatile than a ZiS/T34 combination.

You aren't thinking hard enough about the meta repercussions.
The change has enormous repercussions. Its not a small simple change. Its a huge difference.

My point is that, whenever it's in T3 or T4, the SU-76 costs the exact same. This mythical SU-76/ZiS combo of yours would already be used all over the place, if it was actually any good, since you can access it right here, right now, at the same cost as if the SU was in T3. Yet, I haven't seen this combo used once, I've never seen a replay of it used, I haven't heard of it in in-game chat, I've not see anyone on the forums complain about it, except you.

It's just a bad combo. The ZiS need 60 ammo for each barrage, which has a short range and is easily avoided after the first volley. Situationaly useful, but nothing more. The SU-76 is not even built because it just sucks, especially comparative to its tier. You fork out fuel for a ZiS-3 on wheels with no good vet 1 ability that dies to any AT weapon and doesn't even have a firing arc so it's worthless against anyone with a minimum of micro. If a decently microed P4 comes knocking, your setup is useless, while a T-34 backed by a ZiS has a good chance of winning as wel las being much more reliable vs infantry. The barrage is also short ranged, inaccurate, and just not worth it at all when 35-40 more fuel gets you the Katyusha.

I actually thought your point was that a SU-76 and T-34 combo would be good, which is possible albeit unlikely. But you dismiss the T-34/76, so really, pretty much nothing changes by making the SU-76 in T3 regarding the combo of doom you made up. Yet suddenly it will become so OP as to shake the meta because, uh, you believe it?