Easy Eight

The main Problem with the e8 atm is that it is cheap,you don't need to tec for it, it's fast, has a higher armor than the normal sherman, a high rof, and good penetration. I had some games the last week where we didn't loose because the enemy was better. He just waited until lategame, build fuel caches and spammed the shit out of this unit, which ended in 15 e8 in a 3v3. The main problem is that coh2 isn't about skill and rng anymore it's just about mass and the e8 fits in this mass very well.

I don't think the problem is the actual tank. It's just an uparmored, upgunned Sherman, and in my opinion it, by itself, in a vacuum, is priced fine.

However, when you factor it into the rest of the Commander, it just barely tips that scale a little too much in it's favor.

I think someone else hit the nail on the head earlier, when they mentioned getting Elite Rifleman costs no fuel at all, compared to Elite Troops costing fuel on the Wehr.

Both are used (90% of the time) to gain an anti-infantry edge, but if the German player chooses to do that, it slows his progress towards late game armor.

The American player doesn't have to make that choice. He doesn't have to choose between having a substantial early infantry presence, and a decently timed powerful armor call in.

He can have 3-4 veteran, ass-kicking infantry squads, and 3-4 E8's well before a Tiger Ace.

Spammable, has radio net at Vet 1 and can stand up to any german tank thanks to it's speed, health and penetration. This with the whole doctrine is E.Z. mod.

Should be adjusted ASAP.

Yeah at vet 1 even better.It is indeed easy,i'll give them that.

I've got an idea.

Mirror its AoE and scatter to that of a panther.

Change nothing more.
No more "just an upgrade over normal sherman" but rather durable "tank hunter" akin to panther.

I've got an idea.

Mirror its AoE and scatter to that of a panther.

Change nothing more.
No more "just an upgrade over normal sherman" but rather durable "tank hunter" akin to panther.

Are you serious? Nobody would use it. People like to hit things with their units.

I've got an idea.

Mirror its AoE and scatter to that of a panther.

Change nothing more.
No more "just an upgrade over normal sherman" but rather durable "tank hunter" akin to panther.

lol, i see what you did there

Maybe a little too cost efficient but I think Americans need something like it since their AT with doctrinal tanks is very iffy. I would be fine with slightly increased cost and cp but not a lot. However, the overall American AT picture should be considered.

Jacksons don't listen to commands half the time and if you tell them to hit a panther in the distance they will blatantly ignore you and shoot at pioneers instead. This unit is supposed to be mobile but due to bad pathing or commands being lost in lag it is a coin flip as to whether they function as you intended or not. They also start turning 90 degrees at inappropriate times. I think an SU 85 is more mobile since it has no choice but to shoot what you point it at and doesn't start spinning circles like a bored child when ordered to just sit there.

I want E8s to stay as AT effective as they are since I feel Americans can't do solid consistent anti tank play with what they get in their ties now. Also considering the crap AT gun that freezes solid for no reason frequently. Increased cost or cp, sure.

Maybe a little too cost efficient but I think Americans need something like it since their AT with doctrinal tanks is very iffy. I would be fine with slightly increased cost and cp but not a lot. However, the overall American AT picture should be considered.

Jacksons don't listen to commands half the time and if you tell them to hit a panther in the distance they will blatantly ignore you and shoot at pioneers instead. This unit is supposed to be mobile but due to bad pathing or commands being lost in lag it is a coin flip as to whether they function as you intended or not. They also start turning 90 degrees at inappropriate times. I think an SU 85 is more mobile since it has no choice but to shoot what you point it at and doesn't start spinning circles like a bored child when ordered to just sit there.

I want E8s to stay as AT effective as they are since I feel Americans can't do solid consistent anti tank play with what they get in their ties now. Also considering the crap AT gun that freezes solid for no reason frequently. Increased cost or cp, sure.

l2p i have been using the jackson a lot lately and its the best tank destroyer in the game. but why use a combined arms when you can spam a generalist tank like a nab and throw every lesson you learned about combined arms out of the window. if it would be up to me i would not only increase the fuel cost of all medium tanks but decrease their AT as well.

Soviets and am have excellent TD's. but why use it when you can go the nab route.

l2p i have been using the jackson a lot lately and its the best tank destroyer in the game. but why use a combined arsm when you can spam a generalist tank like nab and throw every lesson you leared about combined arms out of the window. if it would be up to me i would not only increae the fuel cost of all medium tanks but decrease their AT as well.

Soviets and am have excellent TD's. but why use it when you can go the nab route.

Well that hasn't been my experience but if my Jackson's were functioning properly I would be a lot more open to encouraging combined arms instead of e8 spam. I can micro every other tank with the best of them but the Jackson just seems to be a clunky drain on my patience which greatly weakens my army. They work great until they decide to turn and try to drive away from a panther in a perpendicular line all on their own. A target armor function would work wonders.

The more I think about this, the more I feel the issue is that Americans don't need a Major to get this unit.

The cost is fine on its own, but being able to skip a 90 fuel investment on your way to getting it is broken.

The more I think about this, the more I feel the issue is that Americans don't need a Major to get this unit.

The cost is fine on its own, but being able to skip a 90 fuel investment on your way to getting it is broken.

Well, considering how good major is and M8 motor carrige as well, I don't really see a logical reason why anyone would want to skip it. That 2nd faster EZ8 isn't work loosing the utility of forward retreat point/reckon planes/emergency arty and actual infantry killer which M8 motor is.

I've got an idea.

Mirror its AoE and scatter to that of a panther.

Change nothing more.
No more "just an upgrade over normal sherman" but rather durable "tank hunter" akin to panther.

Yep.I'll take that.Just add same accuracy as panther to the above.And then watch the whine.
When E8 has to flee from a shreck squad or at gun and misses randomly then allied players will get a taste of what it feels like.

Yep.I'll take that.Just add same accuracy as panther to the above.And then watch the whine.
When E8 has to flee from a shreck squad or at gun and misses randomly then allied players will get a taste of what it feels like.

The day the easy eight becomes non doctrinal.

The Elite Riflemen Company week is now over.

The day the easy eight becomes non doctrinal.

The Elite Riflemen Company week is now over.

I'm ok with that once it loses its AI,jackson would far better for that anyway because of dmg.And then they would have to tech for it.Ofc USA teching is laughably easier than poor wehr.

Ah, the E8. I will miss it when the free weekend is gone.

As far as skipping the major...I never did that. First, the major is too good to skip. Second is that I don't think I ever have enough CPs to call it in by the time I can afford the major anyway.

Oh well, everyone will be seeing a lot less of it because they can't get doctrine drops

Hm. Lots of generalisations thrown about in this thread. Let's have an actual look shall we?

Easy8
Hitpoints: 640.0
Armor: 215.0
Rear armor: 95.0
Max speed: 6.1
Cost manpower: 380.0
Cost fuel: 135.0
Penetration: 175.0/165.0/155.0
Scatter angle: 5.0
Scatter distance: 5.4

A straight comparison to a normal sherman is not viable. The easy8 has significantly better armor, penetration and accuracy due to tighter scatter profile. It is, however, insignificantly slower.


VS Panzer IV (Ostheer)
Both need four penetrating hits to destroy one another.
The Easy8 is significantly more accurate.
The PanzerIVs penetration chance: 55.8%, 51.1%, 46.5%
Easy8s Penetration chance: 97.2%, 91.6%, 85.1%

Conclusion: Due to significantly better accuracy and slightly better mobility of the easy8, it is doubtful whether even 2 PIV's will reliably win versus one easy8. They can win, but not reliably. A single p4 is not a threat. The high penetration of every easy8 shot even at far range is the deciding factor.

Quoting for truth, although I did fix some some numbers (AshFall accidentally used 170 as the Panzer IV's armour, when it's actually 180). Regardless, as Ash said, for just 30 manpower and 10 fuel more, you get a tank that is significantly better than the Panzer IV. They're really not even in the same league. A T-34/76 has a higher chance of winning a slug-fest against a Panzer IV, than a Panzer IV has against an Easy Eight!

The Easy Eight is also priced the same as the M4C Sherman, to which it is also superior. The M4C has 160 Frontal Armour, and 140/130/120 Penetration. The E8 has 215 Armour, and 175/165/155 Penetration. For 10 fuel less, the Panzer IV has 180 Armour and a pitiful 120/110/100 Penetration.

I think performance of this tank deserves separate topic.

My biggest issue it's the ability to spam them.
As I don't play US at all can someone provide me with some details regarding its cost and upkeep?
It looks like that on average you can easily afford to get at least 3 of them in an equal match up.
In my opinion that's a bit too much to handle but I could be wrong and perhaps it's cost is ok and it's simply its performance that needs to be tweaked.

Or maybe this tank is perfectly balanced and I am being delusional?

I think performance is fine. Just needs a cost increase and move to CP10

As a mainly OKW player, I was really surprised to see easy eights get one shot squad wipes against 2 Volks squads I had, it only had to fire twice too. One shot per squad, consecutively.

Something I really only expected from the IS-152, now the E8's as well...

A bit OP considering no German medium tank does the same.

As a mainly OKW player, I was really surprised to see easy eights get one shot squad wipes against 2 Volks squads I had, it only had to fire twice too. One shot per squad, consecutively.

Something I really only expected from the IS-152, now the E8's as well...

A bit OP considering no German medium tank does the same.

You do realize that can happen only if all models decide to go conga line?
Easy 8 doesn't have AoE to one shot german squads if they aren't humping each other.