Close the pocket

CTP is one of the few abilities (together with stuff like Combined Arms) that are actually well designed in the sense that they can be really powerful but have a set of requirements in order to be activated. Much better than all the click-and-forget abilities like airplane strafes.

It's quite easy to prevent CTP by building caches and even if the enemy pulls it off it's quite easy to avoid it by quickly retreating your army (targeting is slow so nothing or barely anything will get hit) and take the cut-off back as soon as possible. I'd say the only real problem is that many players simply don't know how the ability works or what it does and don't recognize it when it's being used, but there's not much that can be done about that.

I'd love to just have 2-3 panicking voice lines stacked at once when it triggers. Would alert AND feel good to know the enemy should be freaking out.

I'd love to just have 2-3 panicking voice lines stacked at once when it triggers. Would alert AND feel good to know the enemy should be freaking out.

All cut off territory flashes on the map and there's text ("Close the Pocket Active. Reconnect Territory!") spawning at every flag every few seconds when CTP is activated, besides a very loud audio cue of rockets and artillery being fired before it starts firing. Should be enough of a warning.

All cut off territory flashes on the map and there's text ("Close the Pocket Active. Reconnect Territory!") spawning at every flag every few seconds when CTP is activated. Should be enough of a warning.

You're right, its just no one expects CTP, I've never actually seen it used.

Close the pocket is one of those abilities I think should have never been added to the game, just in principle; but the difficulty of actually using the ability to its full effect almost completely offsets its insane power level.

On one hand, you need to successfully neutralize at least two points at the same time without your opponent stopping you, which that can easily be stopped by caches or other things, and you need to keep those two points neutral (or cap them) for the entire duration of the ability... but on the other hand, it's a 1-click, self-spotting, "arty the entire map" ability.

Realistically, as OP pointed out, it only works against "low skill" players. Case-in-point, I think I've seen the ability used exactly once (successfully) in games where the players were all in the top ~250.

However, without completely changing the ability, I'm not sure how you make this ability fair (to both sides) while keeping its theme. Perhaps lower the cost, but have it only affect the front-line sectors which are cut-off, instead of every cut-off sector? Or maybe change it so that it only work on the neutral sectors themselves, but at a much lower cost?



It's sort of like adding a call-in called the "Turbo Tiger"; It costs 1,000mp and 1,000 fuel, takes 50 pop, and can only be built if you have no other vehicles, but has 70 range, the armor of a JT, and is faster than an M36. It's crazy OP, but you'd never see it.

You're right, its just no one expects CTP, I've never actually seen it used.

Havnt you been filling the thread? It happens frequently and not just frequently but often enough there's 4 players using it at the same time against noobs. That's why it needs changed!

Havnt you been filling the thread? It happens frequently and not just frequently but often enough there's 4 players using it at the same time against noobs. That's why it needs changed!

You are the one who hadn't read the thread.

The whole ability is obvious to counter and the commander itself is useless aside the ability. So crushing noobs doesn't make it a balance issue, otherwise blobs/mines/bofor ect... should be remove from the game.

CONCLUSION: A noob is meant to lose, this is how we learn to play, and something a noob lose against isn't a balance issue.

...and there's text ("Close the Pocket Active. Reconnect Territory!") spawning at every flag every few seconds when CTP is activated

This warning repeats 2-3 times in a row, text lay over another text and become unreadable. Also, message is really long for time you can see it, in addition to text colour. Inconveniently.

You are the one who hadn't read the thread.

The whole ability is obvious to counter and the commander itself is useless aside the ability. So crushing noobs doesn't make it a balance issue, otherwise blobs/mines/bofor ect... should be remove from the game.

CONCLUSION: A noob is meant to lose, this is how we learn to play, and something a noob lose against isn't a balance issue.

Maybe Google sarcasm. I know it doesn't translate well in text but I don't think I was being terribly subtle....
I disagree however that the commander is useless without CTP. CTP is the icing on the cake. Storms are really good, and being able to get blitzkrieg on your vehicles that also caps territory is awesome. Break supply line, while less flexible than a stuka nuka, it can be used in the fog of war on points and costs less meaning you can be an absolute pain in the ass. Not everything has to be about raw killing power. The commander is fun, off meta, because it requires actual effort to get the most out of but it's a far cry from bad.

Maybe Google sarcasm. I know it doesn't translate well in text but I don't think I was being terribly subtle....
I disagree however that the commander is useless without CTP. CTP is the icing on the cake. Storms are really good, and being able to get blitzkrieg on your vehicles that also caps territory is awesome. Break supply line, while less flexible than a stuka nuka, it can be used in the fog of war on points and costs less meaning you can be an absolute pain in the ass. Not everything has to be about raw killing power. The commander is fun, off meta, because it requires actual effort to get the most out of but it's a far cry from bad.

Oupsi, I haven't understand your sarcasm, I must apologize.

However the commander still don't have "raw-power" ability aside CTP and at some extend, stormtroops, which makes it a non-meta commander in high elo. Taking it is renoncing to a lot of other usefull stuff (Heavy tank, LefH ect...) and result in a gamble: if you are not able to CTP, then your commander choice will impact your whole team.

Oupsi, I haven't understand your sarcasm, I must apologize.

However the commander still don't have "raw-power" ability aside CTP and at some extend, stormtroops, which makes it a non-meta commander in high elo. Taking it is renoncing to a lot of other usefull stuff (Heavy tank, LefH ect...) and result in a gamble: if you are not able to CTP, then your commander choice will impact your whole team.

Its all good friend.

Its like that though for many commanders. If the enemy is equipped to counter say a big arty. You pooched yourself. At least ost can make up those muni elsewhere. Plus CTP barrages Frontline sectors with mortars iirc so even if not cost effective you might still get use out of it even if you don't manage an actual cut off. Another thing, it doesn't HAVE to be the whole front. You can slice off more manageable sectors that are strong points if need be and rain hell on those. Less reward but and less risk but still the same full undiluted fuck you