Affe is making a lot of sense IMO.
That said, if it was a US marines vs IJA only expasion, maybe they could make it work, and I would be interested on it, but no way they could balance it vs the regular US army, Brits(with late war european teather equipment) or Soviets...
There is the next Problem the western front armies can also fight against the eastern front armys.Relic said that they want to make mixed Teams to give the Players all Options.Sp that OKW can fight against the soviets and Ostheer against the US Army.
The Idea of a IJA vs US marines only expansion doesn t fit to relics policy in that case.
Japan Had Bazookas (type 4), 75mm AA gun, aka German Flak 88 (Type 88), great Tank Destroyers like Ho-Ni's (gun caliber same as Type 88), magnetic mines (mine - Type 99, unit - kamikaze), AT rifle grenade (Type 2), "Panzerfaust in Japanese" edition which was nearly same as German panzerfaust but the owner of it died
Dude in the actual game german PGrens with Shrecks and paks getting shred to Pieces by the ISU-152, IS-2, KV-8 or KV-2.If relic would go on with your ideas they would Need to make some "Superman-magically-Japanese-Infantry" that could withstand shots from the ISU-152 and that would be completely unrealistic or relic would Need to nerf all soviet heavy tanks and that would destroy the Balance against the german factions.
And about the Ho-Ni tank destroyer:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Type_3_Ho-Ni_III
Combat record[edit]
Although the Type 3 Ho-Ni III were assigned to various combat units, most were stationed within the Japanese home islands to defend against the projected Allied Invasion. As the surrender of Japan occurred before that invasion, there is no record of the Type 3 Ho-Ni III ever being used in actual combat.
Same goes for the Ho-Ni II.
And if you talk about the Ho-Ni I:
That Thing had paper thin armour.
It would be Japans "Super-Heavy-late game-special-Wonderweapon-call in tank" as the ultimate weapon of destruction from the IJA army.
I m sorry to tell you but i think this Thing is not going to match something like an ISU-152.