Commander Update Beta 2021 - OKW Feedback
Posts: 163
Posts: 5279
OKW is too dependant on Volks, and as the unit got worse the faction 1vs1 viability also got worse. Maybe the best solution isn't replacing volks with bandaid upgrade volks but start tackling the actual issues.
thats exactly what something like mp40 volks allows. right now you WILL get STG volks, always. because its all they got and there is no downside. no reason not to. i would propose something like:
rifle volks- sandbag, flame nade, snare. 2 weapon slots
mp40 volks- smoke nade, HE nade, better RA, close range dps takes up 2 slots
STG volks- could be something new, doctrinal or maybe another bonus for a full tech (say gives 2 STgs like now, but for free to all volks, making both versions better and helping with the scaling issues without having a massive power spike there are a number of potential directions)
If Sturmpioneers struggle with combat tasks (something I consider true, even after the veterancy requirement nerfs), then they should receive proper buffs in their scaling, first of all by frontloading some combat buffs instead of a grenade ability, for example by replacing their stgs with Panzergrenadiers stgs by vet 1, and since OKW infantry AT stock department is so lacking, give Sturms the ability to remove their engineer skills completely to have 2 shrecks
sturms are fantastic tbh. their remain powerful in combat, but require flanking. this is a fine role, especially since they are not intended to remain a frontline combat unit forever, they have engineering shit to do.
Mp40 volks are more viable in late game because the unit gets an extra RA boost and the poor veterancy resonates better with the 5 men mp40 squad than with 2 stg44 and 3 kar98k. Rebalancing the STG upgrade by itself means inevitably leaving the unit veterancy as lacking. It's a wrong process and is going to bring issues in the long term. First we should look at what needs to change to improve the unit in late game, and if it has to be dps bonuses, durability bonuses or reinforce cost reduction. Only after that we could discuss replacing Stgs
a vet rework goes hand in hand with STGs. you cant have a unit that scales like god while also peaking in the time it takes for some players to load into the game. a more focused upgrade (IE, not a
BAR type upgrade that the only consideration is if you have enough munitions) gives a missing dynamic. with an OPTIONAL upgrade (vs the obvious one in game) you can put new abilities as a trade off, as above, you could try something like swapping out the snare for smoke- something OKW sorely lacks, but sionce the trade off is their snare you will want to blend upgraded and non upgraded infantry. improved vet is an absolute must for many okw units, but volks most of all and aghain a big part of their probvlem is that the STG tries to make them rifles lite instead of their own unit with their own army. volks are meant as a holding unit for the more elite elements, not as a core combatant (more like cons than rifles, but still a cross between them both to a degree)
Posts: 1660
thats exactly what something like mp40 volks allows. right now you WILL get STG volks, always. because its all they got and there is no downside. no reason not to. i would propose something like:
rifle volks- sandbag, flame nade, snare. 2 weapon slots
mp40 volks- smoke nade, HE nade, better RA, close range dps takes up 2 slots
STG volks- could be something new, doctrinal or maybe another bonus for a full tech (say gives 2 STgs like now, but for free to all volks, making both versions better and helping with the scaling issues without having a massive power spike there are a number of potential directions)
You seem to be confused
If the map fits it, Mp40 volks are much better than stg volks in late game. Their smoke and grenade alone makes them much better, and when they are vetted their extra RA bonus makes them an actually durable mainline. Not only that but mp40s scale better. The problem is not that mp40s aren't good or stg44 are too good, the problem is that OKW isn't coh Wehrmacht and doesn't have Grenadiers with double mg42 right after volks.
Also what you proposed is for stg44 to have even a bigger powerspike by removing the muni dump
Posts: 17914 | Subs: 8
okw needs more nerfs so people only play ostheer
Given OKW win ratios across all game modes, they most certainly do.
Posts: 1660
Given OKW win ratios across all game modes, they most certainly do.
You mean across resource inflated 4vs4 and 3vs3 gamemodes that were never meant to be competitive?
Posts: 556
You seem to be confused
If the map fits it, Mp40 volks are much better than stg volks in late game. Their smoke and grenade alone makes them much better, and when they are vetted their extra RA bonus makes them an actually durable mainline. Not only that but mp40s scale better. The problem is not that mp40s aren't good or stg44 are too good, the problem is that OKW isn't coh Wehrmacht and doesn't have Grenadiers with double mg42 right after volks.
Also what you proposed is for stg44 to have even a bigger powerspike by removing the muni dump
Aren't Obersoldaten literally beefed up Grenadiers ?
Posts: 1660
Aren't Obersoldaten literally beefed up Grenadiers ?
No, Grenadiers are a mainline unit, Obersoldaten reinforce cost and time, as well as their timing, means OKW is forced to have 3-4 volksgrenadiers throughout the match as their mainline. Volksgrenadiers late game performance is horrible, they just can't trade, and are overexpensive, and no amount of deflection with Obersoldaten can change that they need a buff or reinforce cost reduction, and regardless, their veterancy need to be looked at.
There's people asking to turn COH 2 factions in COH 1 factions, but largely disregard key differences and the issues that COH 1 factions already had, which brings completely new issues to COH 2 (see CalliOP and Pershing before they got nerfed)
Posts: 5279
You seem to be confused
If the map fits it, Mp40 volks are much better than stg volks in late game. Their smoke and grenade alone makes them much better, and when they are vetted their extra RA bonus makes them an actually durable mainline. Not only that but mp40s scale better. The problem is not that mp40s aren't good or stg44 are too good, the problem is that OKW isn't coh Wehrmacht and doesn't have Grenadiers with double mg42 right after volks.
Also what you proposed is for stg44 to have even a bigger powerspike by removing the muni dump
The problem with current STGs isn't so much the spike, it's the timing of the spike and how that combination holds volks back.
The idea with my proposal is that the STGs help both packages as well as takes some late game weight off of JUST vet, which withiut volks are quite weak.
The point of the MP40 is exclusively to make an actual thought process involved in picking upgrades. Even in an open map, having smoke would be attractive, so you will want to mix at least one in for assaults.
Wirhout volks being walmart riflemen they could have their cost and pop reduced again freeing up more room for obers and what not.
Changes to making okw more pleasant has to start at making volks less stupid
Posts: 178
I genuinely would consider removing Heavy Fortifications from Luftwaffe Ground and having a three way swap replacing Heavy Fortifications with the 221, replacing the 221 in Elite Armored with the Opel Blitz, and finally replacing the Opel Blitz in Firesturm with Heavy Fortifications.
I could see Firesturm gaining a lot from the ability for Volks to wire off cover and Sturms zoning area with flak emplacements/S-Mines to make MP40 Volks stronger on approach to units in the open or weakened while trading the Opel Blitz pseudo-ambulance won't intrude on the Le.i.g from Battlegroup anymore and it's incendiary Munitions (Which I think need to be buffed vs things that aren't emplacements but digression aside.)
Furthermore, The 221 holds a weird spot in Elite Armored. Generally you want to go Mechanized so you have Heat Puma's since they can punch up into mediums, but the 221 requires you to build an early truck and sit it around until then which just feels awkward if you want to build this. Adding the Opel Blitz is just a natural fit for what this doctrine already wants to do since it provides you with the Ambulance you need to go Mechanized and not waste Munitions spamming medkits.
In one fell swoop we slightly nerf Luftwaffe Ground with the underwhelming 221, while buffing Elite Armored and Firestorm and providing them resources that fit the gameplan of their doctrine while removing the contradictory resources that worked against the doctrines itself.
Posts: 1660
Also, Luftwaffe Ground is already one of the most popular OKW Commanders due to Valiant Assault, Falls, and the smoke recon run and now it's even getting buffed with the Heavy Fortifications change (which imo it really didn't need.)
It did and fortifications is still a meme because the flak doesn't even vet up
I genuinely would consider removing Heavy Fortifications from Luftwaffe Ground and having a three way swap replacing Heavy Fortifications with the 221, replacing the 221 in Elite Armored with the Opel Blitz, and finally replacing the Opel Blitz in Firesturm with Heavy Fortifications.
I could see Firesturm gaining a lot from the ability for Volks to wire off cover and Sturms zoning area with flak emplacements/S-Mines to make MP40 Volks stronger on approach to units in the open or weakened while trading the Opel Blitz pseudo-ambulance won't intrude on the Le.i.g from Battlegroup anymore and it's incendiary Munitions (Which I think need to be buffed vs things that aren't emplacements but digression aside.)
Furthermore, The 221 holds a weird spot in Elite Armored. Generally you want to go Mechanized so you have Heat Puma's since they can punch up into mediums, but the 221 requires you to build an early truck and sit it around until then which just feels awkward if you want to build this. Adding the Opel Blitz is just a natural fit for what this doctrine already wants to do since it provides you with the Ambulance you need to go Mechanized and not waste Munitions spamming medkits.
In one fell swoop we slightly nerf Luftwaffe Ground with the underwhelming 221, while buffing Elite Armored and Firestorm and providing them resources that fit the gameplan of their doctrine while removing the contradictory resources that worked against the doctrines itself.
The issue of healing should be solved non doctrinally. OKW teamgames player can rely on Ostheer ultra cheap bunkers as healing but forcing to an 1vs1 a backtech of 35 fuel for healing is one of the many issues that causes imbalance between faction viability in 1vs1 vs teamgames.
On the other hand, Opel Blitz allows to have their cake and eat it too and whatever doctrine will have it will be extremely popular, not on the merits of a good synergy between units and abilities as it should be but because of the one key unit that lets you skip 15 fuel
Similarly, incendiary munitions doesn't mean that Feuersturm need to "fit" Battlegroup builds. Incendiary munitions was a terrible idea and needs to be bundled with something more than a single secondary ability for an uncommon unit sitting in a specific tier.
Like I proposed for example, an Obersoldaten toxic smoke shell for the Panzer IV similar to the Cromwell smoke shell, since it would extremely benefit OKW Mechanized builds that can't count on leIGs
I do agree with changing Airborne Assault, and that Luftwaffe doesn't need further buffs, but I'll always say that every single slot must be useful to a certain degree if the commander is reworked
Posts: 178
It did and fortifications is still a meme because the flak doesn't even vet up
Doesn't surprise me. Doctrine is basically designed to fail and it has to hold up to Breakthrough in teamgames which is never going to happen.
The issue of healing should be solved non doctrinally. OKW teamgames player can rely on Ostheer ultra cheap bunkers as healing but forcing to an 1vs1 a backtech of 35 fuel for healing is one of the many issues that causes imbalance between faction viability in 1vs1 vs teamgames.
For what it's worth, I don't think the Opel Blitz is meant to solve OKW healing in 1v1, but to provide some relief to the muni price of medkits and give reason to go mechanized if you're someone more comfortable with Battlegroup. I think it's fine personally, just could use some shuffling around to provide players a gameplan when picking doctrines as previously stated.
On the other hand, Opel Blitz allows to have their cake and eat it too and whatever doctrine will have it will be extremely popular, not on the merits of a good synergy between units and abilities as it should be but because of the one key unit that lets you skip 15 fuel
Not, necessarily. OKW has significantly more pressing needs than a lategame 15 Fuel boost in a fake ambulance. It's a nice boost for sure but not backbreaking by any means. As discussed in the thread Volks are what need looked at primarily for this faction.
Similarly, incendiary munitions doesn't mean that Feuersturm need to "fit" Battlegroup builds. Incendiary munitions was a terrible idea and needs to be bundled with something more than a single secondary ability for an uncommon unit sitting in a specific tier.
Like I proposed for example, an Obersoldaten toxic smoke shell for the Panzer IV similar to the Cromwell smoke shell, since it would extremely benefit OKW Mechanized builds that can't count on leIGs
I'm torn on this in particular. On one hand, Incendiary Munitions is an absolutely garbage ability on it's own. But when we start playing lego with every ability in the game it becomes difficult to discern doctrine identity as we start stapling random shit to doctrines outside the scope of what's intended to be changed, or we end up with ridiculous situations like Mechanized having 8 or 9 abilities in a single doctrine because everything comes bundled together. This also runs into the problem of power creep which is an incredibly difficult beast to tackle, especially when there's a very hard limitation on what specifics can be changed. This gets very tricky.
As for a P4 smoke shot. Considering how infuriatingly powerful Panzer Tactician is, I don't think we should be giving P4J fast access to any sort of smoke on their own. Honestly I would just opt to move the Le.i.g to the HQ truck and limit it in a similar manner to the MG34. Battlegroup already provides your primary source of healing and the Flak Trak which are both powerful tools. I see no reason to limit the Le.i.g there too. Perhaps it's a relic limitation or just something that hasn't been fully considered yet.
I do agree with changing Airborne Assault, and that Luftwaffe doesn't need further buffs, but I'll always say that every single slot must be useful to a certain degree if the commander is reworked
I don't actually agree with the notion that every slot needs to be useful, or more specifically, the ability for every slot to be useful. Inherently in any system with multiple options by virtue of there being a limited number of ways you can go about something, or the situational use of abilities, or the things you need to answer, or the skill of the players behind the abilities, etc there are going to be things that are just more or less powerful based upon external or even intentional factors that can't be balanced around reasonably. We only see the face of it and not the dirty work behind it all, sometimes mistakes happen, sometimes things need to be bad to not be oppressive or lock out other options, sometimes the thing that's "bad" just doesn't fit your playstyle or needs. Balance is hard because it's this massive intertwined system that all interacts with itself and every change brings about 100 ripples elsewhere.
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It target a single unit, comes with debuff and cost more (if I remember correctly).
Posts: 17914 | Subs: 8
I am under the impression of that "Forced Retreat" from sturm officer is much worse than "Fear Propaganda" from Commisar.
It target a single unit, comes with debuff and cost more (if I remember correctly).
Sturm Offizier
The boosts to hostile squads near a unit that has been affected by Forced Retreat is being removed. This better reflects the ability's high cost and will make it easier to use this ability.
Forced Retreat no longer improves the performance of hostile infantry near the retreating squad.
Posts: 1660
Doesn't surprise me. Doctrine is basically designed to fail and it has to hold up to Breakthrough in teamgames which is never going to happen.
So I don't see the issue. Bundling as much stuff together is the only chance to try to give it some situational uses
I still wouldn't suggest my worst enemy to waste fuel on the stationary flaks
For what it's worth, I don't think the Opel Blitz is meant to solve OKW healing in 1v1, but to provide some relief to the muni price of medkits and give reason to go mechanized if you're someone more comfortable with Battlegroup. I think it's fine personally, just could use some shuffling around to provide players a gameplan when picking doctrines as previously stated.
But the blitz DOES solve the healing issue, healing issue that sturmpioneers med crates were supposed to solve and utterly failed to because 3 aoe healing abilities for the cost of infinite ukf healing upgrade never had a chance to work
Not, necessarily. OKW has significantly more pressing needs than a lategame 15 Fuel boost in a fake ambulance. It's a nice boost for sure but not backbreaking by any means. As discussed in the thread Volks are what need looked at primarily for this faction.
A main weakness of the faction is later timing of its medium, especially if you don't cut yourself from the meta light vehicle phase. Having faster healing with almost no setup time for 15 fuel and 120 mp cheaper is a significant boost. Switching the opel blitz (which should have never made in an overglorified ambulance) around would just shift the 1vs1 commander pick meta
I'm torn on this in particular. On one hand, Incendiary Munitions is an absolutely garbage ability on it's own. But when we start playing lego with every ability in the game it becomes difficult to discern doctrine identity as we start stapling random shit to doctrines outside the scope of what's intended to be changed, or we end up with ridiculous situations like Mechanized having 8 or 9 abilities in a single doctrine because everything comes bundled together. This also runs into the problem of power creep which is an incredibly difficult beast to tackle, especially when there's a very hard limitation on what specifics can be changed. This gets very tricky.
Not really, burning smoke shells perfectly fit the doctrine theme, I couldn't think of a more fitting ability imo.
I don't see how that would make a power creep. Feuersturm balances itself through munition consumption. Like you said you can't use everything, so having multiple options allows to always find something useful, while in live version incendiary munitions is simply a trash slot
As for a P4 smoke shot. Considering how infuriatingly powerful Panzer Tactician is, I don't think we should be giving P4J fast access to any sort of smoke on their own.
Panzer tactician is an ostheer ability that was nerfed and a smoke shell won't make the slot OP.
M4a3 assault package grants a similar shell, an upgrade of armor and health.
The upgraded dozer Sherman costs 130 fuel and has slightly less armor, more health, better penetration and better AI performances, other than normal Sherman smoke and WP smoke shell. That a smoke shell for the PIVJ would be broken as doctrinal ability is just a theory that could be tested, far from a truth
Honestly I would just opt to move the Le.i.g to the HQ truck and limit it in a similar manner to the MG34. Battlegroup already provides your primary source of healing and the Flak Trak which are both powerful tools. I see no reason to limit the Le.i.g there too. Perhaps it's a relic limitation or just something that hasn't been fully considered yet.
No, it's just that Battlegroup has barely a reason to exist. It would be easier to make it become a cheap OKW healing station with free medics and possibility to upgrade for FRP and switch the flak ht in Mechanized if you move the le.IG to HQ, WHICH BTW would be a great change for 1VS1 OKW, but incendiary munitions would still be a shit ability and should be bumndled with something else like Urban Assault kits and Advanced Infantry Equipment were
I don't actually agree with the notion that every slot needs to be useful, or more specifically, the ability for every slot to be useful. Inherently in any system with multiple options by virtue of there being a limited number of ways you can go about something, or the situational use of abilities, or the things you need to answer, or the skill of the players behind the abilities, etc there are going to be things that are just more or less powerful based upon external or even intentional factors that can't be balanced around reasonably. We only see the face of it and not the dirty work behind it all, sometimes mistakes happen, sometimes things need to be bad to not be oppressive or lock out other options, sometimes the thing that's "bad" just doesn't fit your playstyle or needs. Balance is hard because it's this massive intertwined system that all interacts with itself and every change brings about 100 ripples elsewhere.
and that's why less impactful abilities are being bundled together instead of trying to tune each single piece of ability/call in/upgrade into equal usefulness, so I don't see how that's a problem in THIS specific case.
Posts: 13496 | Subs: 1
Sturm Offizier
The boosts to hostile squads near a unit that has been affected by Forced Retreat is being removed. This better reflects the ability's high cost and will make it easier to use this ability.
Forced Retreat no longer improves the performance of hostile infantry near the retreating squad.
That is simply irrelevant to what I have posted.
Posts: 17914 | Subs: 8
That is simply irrelevant to what I have posted.
You have posted about forced retreat.
I have posted in replay about changes to forced retreat.
It couldn't be any more relevant, regardless of your mental gymnastics why it wouldn't be.
Prop arty is:
-delayed
-unreliable
-now comes with flares
Officers forced retreat is instant. Don't expect such powerful skill to come without any downsides, it already got pretty hefty buff.
Posts: 13496 | Subs: 1
You have posted about forced retreat.
Actually no, I have posted a comparison between "force retreat" and "propaganda barrage". In the patch "propaganda barrage" is simply more cost efficient, so you original post was irrelevant.
I have posted in replay about changes to forced retreat.
Actually no you have cherry picked only the buff to force retreat and "forgot" that is also received a nerf and that "fear propaganda" also got buffed.
"When activating Forced Retreat, the Officer receives +20% Received Accuracy for 10 seconds."
It couldn't be any more relevant, regardless of your mental gymnastics why it wouldn't be.
That is what you do and not what I do.
Prop arty is:
-delayed
-unreliable
-now comes with flares
The ability got buffed and become more reliable.
Even if the Commissar version come with flare is make very little difference you can hear the arty falling before it lands
Officers forced retreat is instant. Don't expect such powerful skill to come without any downsides, it already got pretty hefty buff.
It already comes with downsides since it more expensive than propaganda barrage and propaganda barrage can be be more powerful since it has AOE.
If there a need for a downside there should also be one for "fear propaganda"
Posts: 773
+1 I've even considered making a thread about this. Playing a fair amount of 2v2s I feel like Overwatch is VERY popular largely because of this ability. It's pretty insane that in the patch now you get an additional Anti Infantry strafe for just 25 munitions more compared to Stuka CAS. The end result is an anti-everything strafe that guarantees map control even with AA because there are so many planes than it's impossible to shoot them all down without at least 1 pass ruining your day. It'd probably be more balanced if it worked like Hold the Line or Sector Artillery/Perimeter Overwatch so you can't use it super offensively to get map control or pin someone in their base due to the size of the area of the ability. Otherwise increase the cost to 275~
I tried making a thread about it but it was locked because "there are faction specific threads/locked"
So it just gets lost in the sea of arguments.
Posts: 1890 | Subs: 1
The ability got buffed and become more reliable.
If there a need for a downside there should also be one for "fear propaganda"
Well the downside is that the Forced Retreat isn't 100%. Most of the time you use it you're hoping to force some retreats - there is still a chance that you'll get bad RNG and just get other effects or no effect. In those cases it's not too hard for your opponent to just ride out the propaganda. The Sturm Officer changes were more a lateral move IMO going from buffing opponents infantry to increased Racc on officer. At least now your opponent has to micro and focus fire your officer to get any benefit instead of just getting a free buff for munitions YOU spent. (In that regard I don't know if Officer really needs a penalty given how expensive the ability is)
Posts: 13496 | Subs: 1
Well the downside is that the Forced Retreat isn't 100%. Most of the time you use it you're hoping to force some retreats - there is still a chance that you'll get bad RNG and just get other effects or no effect. In those cases it's not too hard for your opponent to just ride out the propaganda.
No effect is no longer possible.
The probability of not effect from all shell in live is extremely low.
The Sturm Officer changes were more a lateral move IMO going from buffing opponents infantry to increased Racc on officer. At least now your opponent has to micro and focus fire your officer to get any benefit instead of just getting a free buff for munitions YOU spent. (In that regard I don't know if Officer really needs a penalty given how expensive the ability is)
Glad that you see my point.
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