9/9 Balance Patch

Is it Christmas already?!
No observer mode ok.....
But the exact balancing changes I would have made myself, the game is getting closer and closer to its mighty predecessor, and I really enjoy playing it. It only needs a little more fine tuning, and perhaps in the near or distant future the observer mode
Relic keep it up!
+1 totaly approved!

There is already a big thread discussing this patch, so folks may want to check that out before posting in here: http://www.coh2.org/topic/23804/patch-september-9th-2014

designations and coloring of the Soviet equipment wrong, I hope it will be useful
http://wio.ru/tank/oz/oz-en.htm

Patch day always happy day

Indeed, great news!

For those like me who need help deciphering the whole patch , our friend atr3uh made a nice video explaining it here

Hi, about Sturmpios changes (how do they feel ingame):

Before, the best use was in cover, efficient from middle to close combat and still doing "some" damage from far distance, while being in cover all/most of the time.
The problem now is that we have to learnn using them like shock troopers closing them to hug distance in order to kill efficiently.
What I cand tell you about this is:
1 - STG 44 is not a SMG. It's an assault rifle. It's stupid to impose sturmpios to be used in this way.
2 - If you wanted them to be used in this way, they should have modified the values that grant them a more efficient defence. The received accuracy modifier it's not enough.
3 - They are an expensive unit. In addition, takes alot of time to reinforce. So, there is a verry big contradiction between their highest efficiency range and the way they should be used. I mean: before, because to reinfoce them was costly and took forever, they where used from mid distance alot and even from far distance in order to minimize losses. Loosing to quickly 1-2 models from squad was not the way to play them because of facts presented before. Now, while none of these facts changed (reinforcing time and cost), I am obliged - in order to have the old efficiency - to close to my opponents troops at face punching distance, loosing models at a higher rate. Suddenly, I can tell you frankly, they don't worth it.

The result: If you are playing without additional units like fallschirmjager or jager infantry, that means untill T4 you will have no efficient AI infantry which is verry bad against early allied blobbing, especially now, when (remember?) the mg34 was toned down alot. That shouldn't be a problem for Ostheer, but OKW has the fuel problem and it cannot compensate through AI vehicles like sdkfz AA in the same manner as Ostheer. Any vehicle build, equals to donating an organ. Costly and with consequences in future (Bad consequences if you have bad luck losing it quickly or if you build the wrong vehicle).

That is the problem actualy. Sturmpios changes are contributing to overall okw infantry handicap increase which, in my view, is highly unrecommended given the resources situation.

The problem now is that we have to learnn using them like shock troopers closing them to hug distance in order to kill efficiently.

That is not true.
The Sturmpios are still as effective at mid range as they used to be. In green cover they will still dominate any not upgrades T1 infantry and lots of higher tier and upgraded T1 inf. They just can't charge in over open ground without cover and win vs infantry not in green cover this way anymore. Wich was pretty much BS befor.

Now they are counterable with T1 inf. Wich is how it should be. If a unit wins a fight depends on wich player makes the better decisions.

The MG34 hasn't been tone down a lot. It has been changed. Actually it got more acurate at short range and the reload time is reduced. Wich is a buff.
The set up time is a bit slower, the supression is a bit lower and the long range effectiveness is a bit lower. So its performance as such has changed. Its not a MG42 with a different skin anymore. Its a different weapon.
Since its a doctrine unit as such its not a reliable or go to solution anyways.

For blob controll the Kübelwagen works pretty good now. Since it has been changed and is much more usefull. A K'wagen and two Volks can stop a blob. A K'wagen and two Sturmpios can "de blob" if the the supressed units don't retreat.
Wich again is how it should because now the OKW has access to a usefull supression weapon without having to pick a certain doctrine.

As far as I can tell now its very much like in CoH1. Neither for the US or SU nor for the Wh or OKW blobbing rally works anymore. For example on of the preferred Wh tactics of simply spamming Assault Grenadiers is allmost an auto loss now. With a little micro and the wonder of focus fire this can be kept under controll until the first armored unit hits the field. Since Assault Grens have zero AT capability this usually means gg. A single Maxim or Dushka and the blob is flat on his belly.
Same the other way round. A single supression weapon and its either retreat you blob or get deblobbed.
Blobbing is not really an effective strategy. Its just a unimaginative brute force approach with minimum skill requirement. Now flanking and maneuvre and combined arms beats it every time.