Russians on Western Front? Really?

I don't care for realism. I really don't. This game is already very unrealistic in many ways. Who cares if it's some what unrealistic, I'm worried that balance would be completely screwed in the future.

Well adding Italians won't make balance any better or worse regardless of portrayal, so I'm not sure why you come in here with that.

You'd have to sacrifice quite a bit of historical accuracy if you want Italy as a competent faction in CoH2. Italian equipment and vehicles were low quality compared to the Allies, and very poor quality compared to Germany's. Italy's primary tank, portrayed accurately, would struggle against the current T-70. Their strongest tank was on-par with modern (1944) medium tanks, and was never very rare and not used by them.

Not only that, but by the time the game takes place (1944), Italy was in a state of civil war, with the fascist side (including their military) propped up entirely by Nazi Germany. By this point, German Soldiers considered the Italians useless for anything but anti-partisan duty.

Eh...I would venture to say that the German's opinion of them was probably correct, unless we're talking about Alpini or Paracadutisti.

The Italians would probably be more at home as a new commander with support options rather than a whole faction...unless we want to start flinging soaked cardboard-armored and 47mm cannon-armed tanks at the Soviets.

What about Romanian or Hungarian units? Though ofc they're be useless for the Western germans...

Who cares as long as it is fun i dont care if russians didnt fight in Ardennes in reality.

We do.

How about simply changing skins for Allies when they end up with US/Russian armies mixed ? Just like America's Army, where you always see yourself and your teammates as "the good guys", Russian players could see their US allies with Russian skin, and vice-versa for the US players. You know, something like T34 <=> Sherman, US Riflemen <=> Conscripts, etc..., only skin and speech accent could be affected.

How about simply changing skins for Allies when they end up with US/Russian armies mixed ? Just like America's Army, where you always see yourself and your teammates as "the good guys", Russian players could see their US allies with Russian skin, and vice-versa for the US players. You know, something like T34 <=> Sherman, US Riflemen <=> Conscripts, etc..., only skin and speech accent could be affected.

I actually think that would be really cool, but it wouldn't work for things like Maxims.

Campaign will be focused on American/Germans western front.

There wont be any campaign.

On Topic:

Yes mixed allied factions is a horrible in my opinion. Ostheer and the OKW fighting together can make sense but will probably OP if US/Sov teams are not possible so mixed german factions will have to be taken out as well.

Relic stated a lot of times that they are trying to create a somewhat authentic (not necessarily realistic) experience. "Immersion" has always been part of Relics idea for the game (at least I did read that in an interview a while ago as far as I remember). This will utterly destroy that immersion.

The solution is simple but will split the playerbase (and will have an impact on the leaderboards): Let players choose if they want to be matched up against mixed teams or not.

For me there are things that im okay with concerning authenticity:

- Rare vehicles roaming the battlefield (Ostwinds)

- US forces fighting on soviet maps/soviet forces fighting on western front maps (though some kind of mechanic that replaces t34 wrecks with sherman wrecks and vice versa depending on which factions are involved would certainly be great)

-Ostheer fighting Americans/Soviets fighting the OKW

-Ostheer+OKW team fighting American-only team OR soviet-only team(though probably too unbalanced to allow for automatch)

-Obviously the unrealistic gameplay mechanics

But having IS2 tanks fighting alongside US Airborne rangers? That is too much imo. I dont need a perfectly authentic game but something that I feel has still something to do with the actual WW2.

How about simply changing skins for Allies when they end up with US/Russian armies mixed ? Just like America's Army, where you always see yourself and your teammates as "the good guys", Russian players could see their US allies with Russian skin, and vice-versa for the US players. You know, something like T34 <=> Sherman, US Riflemen <=> Conscripts, etc..., only skin and speech accent could be affected.

While certainly a great idea I see quite a few problems with it:

1) It will cause confusion for a lot of players ("Is that a conscript-conscript or a riflemen-conscript now?")

2) Its a lot of extra work for Relic

3) Some units cant be easily converted. Katyusha-> Calliope?

I dont get what all the fuzz is about. The expansion will be great, I am sure about that. I think that many people that complain about Soviets and Americans teaming up, simply don't like the Soviets. They think Soviets are "evil" and that you can't match something "evil" with something "good". These people just take the historical accruracy as a pretense.

I can't wait for the two new factions joining the battlefield.

I dont get what all the fuzz is about. The expansion will be great, I am sure about that. I think that many people that complain about Soviets and Americans teaming up, simply don't like the Soviets. They think Soviets are "evil" and that you can't match something "evil" with something "good". These people just take the historical accruracy as a pretense.

I can't wait for the two new factions joining the battlefield.

what? Are you insane?

No, i don't like sovs+ americans because its completely ahistorical.


I'm also excited for the new factions. I can't wait to play as soviets againts the new german faction.
What im not looking forward to is sovs+ americans in one team game.

There wont be any campaign.

On Topic:

Yes mixed allied factions is a horrible in my opinion. Ostheer and the OKW fighting together can make sense but will probably OP if US/Sov teams are not possible so mixed german factions will have to be taken out as well.

Relic stated a lot of times that they are trying to create a somewhat authentic (not necessarily realistic) experience. "Immersion" has always been part of Relics idea for the game (at least I did read that in an interview a while ago as far as I remember). This will utterly destroy that immersion.

The solution is simple but will split the playerbase (and will have an impact on the leaderboards): Let players choose if they want to be matched up against mixed teams or not.

For me there are things that im okay with concerning authenticity:

- Rare vehicles roaming the battlefield (Ostwinds)

- US forces fighting on soviet maps/soviet forces fighting on western front maps (though some kind of mechanic that replaces t34 wrecks with sherman wrecks and vice versa depending on which factions are involved would certainly be great)

-Ostheer fighting Americans/Soviets fighting the OKW

-Ostheer/OKW fighting Americans OR soviets (though probably too unbalanced to allow for automatch)

-Obviously the unrealistic gameplay mechanics

But having IS2 tanks fighting alongside US Airborne rangers? That is too much imo. I dont need a perfectly authentic game but something that I feel has still something to do with the actual WW2.

This, precisely. I would still play it, but I'd have preferred more Eastern front armies.

I dont get what all the fuzz is about. The expansion will be great, I am sure about that. I think that many people that complain about Soviets and Americans teaming up, simply don't like the Soviets. They think Soviets are "evil" and that you can't match something "evil" with something "good". These people just take the historical accruracy as a pretense.

I can't wait for the two new factions joining the battlefield.

Thats a pretty heavy accusation youre making there. I wonder where youre getting that idea from to be honest.

Furthermore its not like the people who complain about mixed factions dislike the expansion as a whole. i cant wait for the expansion either but I simply dislike this aspect/this design decision.

Its obviously not a problem for everyone, wether a change concerning this "issue"is necessary simply depends on the amount of people who hate it.

what? Are you insane?

No, i don't like sovs+ americans because its completely ahistorical.


I'm also excited for the new factions. I can't wait to play as soviets againts the new german faction.
What im not looking forward to is sovs+ americans in one team game.

Relic said you can even make a match soviets vs USA............

There wont be any campaign.

On Topic:

Yes mixed allied factions is a horrible in my opinion. Ostheer and the OKW fighting together can make sense but will probably OP if US/Sov teams are not possible so mixed german factions will have to be taken out as well.

Relic stated a lot of times that they are trying to create a somewhat authentic (not necessarily realistic) experience. "Immersion" has always been part of Relics idea for the game (at least I did read that in an interview a while ago as far as I remember). This will utterly destroy that immersion.

The solution is simple but will split the playerbase (and will have an impact on the leaderboards): Let players choose if they want to be matched up against mixed teams or not.

For me there are things that im okay with concerning authenticity:

- Rare vehicles roaming the battlefield (Ostwinds)

- US forces fighting on soviet maps/soviet forces fighting on western front maps (though some kind of mechanic that replaces t34 wrecks with sherman wrecks and vice versa depending on which factions are involved would certainly be great)

-Ostheer fighting Americans/Soviets fighting the OKW

-Ostheer/OKW fighting Americans OR soviets (though probably too unbalanced to allow for automatch)

-Obviously the unrealistic gameplay mechanics

But having IS2 tanks fighting alongside US Airborne rangers? That is too much imo. I dont need a perfectly authentic game but something that I feel has still something to do with the actual WW2.

Honestly, i don't think soviets fighting the new OKW ruins immersion. I mean they are just germans, however sovs+ americans does.

Love the idea, game just got a lot more interesting for me but I'm never been one for complete historical accuracy. Kinda find that idea a bit too stiff and stale to work with.

How about simply changing skins for Allies when they end up with US/Russian armies mixed ? Just like America's Army, where you always see yourself and your teammates as "the good guys", Russian players could see their US allies with Russian skin, and vice-versa for the US players. You know, something like T34 <=> Sherman, US Riflemen <=> Conscripts, etc..., only skin and speech accent could be affected.

I like the idea, would simply be soviet leand lease comander. Rifle men could be strelki with M1 Garnads getting replaced with Svt-40's and bazookas being simply lend lease bazookas. Without stat changes. Same could be done with maps Semoski getting some of its building replaced to look like Semois.

Tho it would be alot of work, so its probably not going to happen. So the only option will be US Army + Red army vs Ostheer + Westheer. Or they go 2 US vs 2 Westheer, and 2 Soviet vs 2 Ostheer, since 2 Soviet or 2 US-Army vs Ostheer + Westheer would cause a lot of complains.

Imo it would have been better if they would have just added one new faction the US-Army. And kept a new Wehrmacht fraction for a next expansion. Btw OK West should be renamed to Army Group West or Westheer imo.

don't ruin the realism just because u want bigger player base

CoH doesnt come near realism, therefore, exchanging some of the historical accuracy that is still part of the game for additional players is a valid compromise. As long as it remains Axis versus Allies, there is enough realism to uphold it as a WW2 rts.

Relic said you can even make a match soviets vs USA............

Yeah, in a custom match. You can already play Soviets vs Soviets if you make a custom match. Do not panic, they won't do Ami's vs Soviets in automatch.

While were at it, wheres the love for the canadians! hahaha.. yeah you can guess i don't like the back to western front idea..

Honestly, i don't think soviets fighting the new OKW ruins immersion. I mean they are just germans, however sovs+ americans does.

Oh I think I caused a missunderstanding: I totally agree: Im fine with OKW vs soviets and Ostheer vs US as well.