Fixing UKF: Remove bolster?

The problematic UKF faction requires a subtle hand in addressing its weaknesses without upsetting its core mechanics and its overall balance.

What I propose is to make all UKF infantry units start as 5 man squads, but Infantry Sections take a 10-20% nerf in damage output and add in a slight cost increase to UKF teching in order to account for no longer having to unlock the 5 man upgrade.

Now all UKF infantry start as 5 man squads so they don’t have to be balanced as a weak 4 man squad or an op 5 man squad, they can simply be reworked into a decent and balanced 5 man squad that doesn’t start too weak or scale to be too strong.

Other impacts of this would be an increased use of BREN guns in order to compensate for reduced late game performance and a very slight buff to Royal Engineers who would always be a 5 man squad and not suffer a penalty to firepower ( but probably should add a 10 manpower cost increase to the initial build cost of the squad to account for getting the 5th man for free without the upgrade.

UKF already has plenty of interesting side tech choices like grenades, weapon racks, Bofors/AEC and Hammer/Anvil. Losing bolster infantry sections would make balancing the faction significantly easier and not remove too much from the faction to render it less interesting to play.

Thoughts?

They could have pushed 5 man after either unlocking AEC or Bofor tech. Or even after T3 tech.

I always thought it was timing problem because for everyone it was their first upgrade.

I'd rather take the revert and delay the 5man. Or keep the dps curve and remove the RA negatives.

I don't think Bren Guns are weak. I think Piats are weak although I don't have the stats fo back it up. (apprently they don't have good accuracy or something?)

They should 100% remove bolster, but it was proposed and relic said no so I doubt it will happen.

bolster thing is good, IMO this should also be added to the rest of factions, also similar to 7 cons squad upgrade, brits after all require like a faction redesign, they lack like everything, no indirect fire (mortar pit sucks), no CCQ unit, no real legit light vehicle to counter infantry, tanks in overall are somewhat weak

without upsetting its core mechanics.

It's core mechanics are what's BS and it it would be a treat to change them

It's core mechanics are what's BS and it it would be a treat to change them

Well, that isn't going to happen in CoH2 as the faction would have to be scrapped and built anew.

Even OKW retained its core mechanics after economical redesign, but with how brits are I doubt that's possible.

They lack too many units to fill the niches that would require filling if their faction gimmicks were removed.

And we've seen that again and again, each time UKF had a crutch unit nerfed without compensation of equal strength somewhere else, they have instantly fallen out of competitive level.

Maybe default 5 men squad,but always have debuff,5 men squad change to unlock in cover buff？

You could make them default 5man squad with 1 bren slot and medkit or pyrotechnics, then maybe have a bolster upgrade available for individual squads for 6man squad without weapon slot or medkit/pyrotechnics.

The problem is NOT the performance of the tommies. They are still the toughest mainline. They still terrorize with double brens.

The thing they need is an assault infantry and non-doctrinal mortar. Nothing else. Other than those they are as complete as OST.

Edit : Maybe then we can adjust them like other mainlines.

Maybe default 5 men squad,but always have debuff,5 men squad change to unlock in cover buff？

They would require a nerf to their DPS via a rate of fire nerf, damage nerf or a combination of both. The idea is simply a squad that has the durability of the current 5 man squad with the firepower of the current 4 man squad. The cover bonus to brits has to remain since its part of some doctrinal abilities like advanced cover combat. It would be janky if you had to use a side tech in order to make use of part of your doctrine.

More importantly, the cover bonus for brits is a core part of their faction design more than any of their other gimmicks. I’d like to see it removed completely in future CoH games, but I don’t see it going anywhere in CoH2 without a total faction redesign.

With my suggestion I’m trying to suggest small changes that get incremental gains.

Doubled LMG 5 men unit should be limited in the game. The DPS drop off is simply too low.

If you take away 5 men from tommies, you will have to completely redesign them. If you redesign tommies completely, you will have to completely redesign Brits as they basically are the crutch of the UKF faction as whole. It can't be done with Relic's current priorities.

Removing bolster and making tommies 5 man but worse will kill UKF late game.

Delaying bolster makes snipers cripple te early game.

Brits as a faction are still suffering from their awful design, but the last thing they need is people trying to redseign their mainline.

Bolster isn’t the issue, it’s indirect fire and assault infantry.

How about this: mortar at T0, Vickers at T1 anvil and buffed, Assault sections at T1 hammer.

Problem is how tough tommies are and how little they bleed

280mp 4 man squad with only 28 reinforce cost is really good, but combine that with bolster (25% survivability and DPS bonus), free on the move AOE healing and which means their models are always at 100% health and trenches and sandbags means they have HUGE staying power.

I actually like the frontline healing, it makes them feel very tanky and defensive. I feel like the AOE and moving parts are too much.

Regarding bolster, I’ve already commented my thoughts that it should bring them up to par with other mainlines instead of making them more powerful, and the lower early combat power would compensate them starting with one mainline infantry squad

Problem is how tough tommies are and how little they bleed

280mp 4 man squad with only 28 reinforce cost is really good, but combine that with bolster (25% survivability and DPS bonus), free on the move AOE healing and which means their models are always at 100% health and trenches and sandbags means they have HUGE staying power.

I actually like the frontline healing, it makes them feel very tanky and defensive. I feel like the AOE and moving parts are too much.

Regarding bolster, I’ve already commented my thoughts that it should bring them up to par with other mainlines instead of making them more powerful, and the lower early combat power would compensate them starting with one mainline infantry squad

Pretty much my point.

Current 4 man tommies are too weak.

Current 5 man tommies are too strong.

Revised 5 man tommies as suggested will still be able to get BREN guns to boost their DPS up to an almost current level of power in the late game but still require weapons racks as a way to scale.

Right now weapon racks are unnecessary since current 5 man tommies are so good.

Remove the bolster, but make Tommies 5 men by default with a reduced DPS per model. Now tommies start a little bit better, but don’t get a huge boost in the mid game.

bolster thing is good, IMO this should also be added to the rest of factions, also similar to 7 cons squad upgrade, brits after all require like a faction redesign, they lack like everything, no indirect fire (mortar pit sucks), no CCQ unit, no real legit light vehicle to counter infantry, tanks in overall are somewhat weak

+1

Sections are fine, now that they're gone as a crutch unit almost everything else in the faction sucks and that's what needs to be looked at.