Too much emphasis on artillery

I want to put a disclaimer in front of my post just to get sure no one gets this wrong: I'm not complaining that artillery is op. I'm claiming that it has been changed in a bad direction for all factions. With that, off we go.

As others have pointed out, too, the Western Fronts expansion put a new emphasis on artillery and other weapons that can instantly kill a squad, building or vehicle, and not to the benefit of the game style. I have experienced this with all four factions (which, at least, is testament that it's intended and not just a random balancing issue):
1) The Ostheer's Nebelwerfer and the Soviet's Katyusha rocket thrower (and, to a lesser degree, the OKW's Stuka zu Fuß) are both much stronger in their initial salvo than they have been before. This makes them pretty strong against infantry blobs (provided you hit them), which in general is a good thing because infantry blobs are much too prevalent, too. But the problem I experience is that you get hit deadly by the first attack without much of a chance to react. This makes it feel very random to me.
2) The problem is even worse for the US and the OKW, because their strongest artillery functions are tied to Commanders: the OKW Scavenger Commander (is that his name?) and his insane sector artillery and the US Mechanized Commander (the one with the Jeep at 0 Command). Both of these artillery are pretty cheap for their effect and tend to deal a ridiculous amount of damage. In two games in a row I destroyed a OKW flak truck with one artillery salvo for 180 ammo, which is just too much in my opinion, and in other games, saving up ammo and then unleashing hell with the Scavenger guy's sectoral artillery ruined games as well. This might be less of an issue in 1v1, but in team games, where several people can combine this for maximum effect, it can destroy the experience and let the whole game degenerate into a artilleryfest.

Now, it's totally possible that I just don't have enough skill to find the proper counters to these tactics. If so, please give me some advise. Games won and lost that way just aren't the same as the ones you win because you position your stuff right for a deadly ambush or in which you push at the right moment at the right place.

Katiusha was nerfed to the worse state it was before buff(same damage, much longer cooldown), so you are already wrong here.

Also, you want to see less arty? Blob/camp less, because this is why people get arty in the first place.

Mobile, scattered armies counter artyspam, because he wastes lot of munitions/cooldowns for low attrition.

It was just the general feeling that the first salvo of Katyusha is more deadly than before. Mayhaps I'm wrong.

About the more mobile play style, I know in theory, but it's always hard to do in practice.

Artillery is a very complex variety in CoH2, and I think each "form" should carry its strengths relative to its weaknesses.

Lets run thrhough them, and I will place them in order of direct dmg effect:

1) Offmaps: The king of artillery. You cant kill it, ypu can only hope to avoid it. Costs being what theyr are on different versions, these generally telepgraph themselves well in advance, and though small changes are always welcome, I think are alright, especially in the interbalance of callins and abilities associated with the Commander you choose to field.

2) Field Artillery: Imo seriously overshadowed by the following forms of artillery in this list. Generally immobile, they are vulnerable in all kinds of ways that other artillert arent. My perception may not be popular but I think these fkers should hit very hard. In the interbalance of different artillery forms, for these, Id recommend a very long range (potentially more than now), a longer, but slower, barrage and a better overall AT/AI profile, depending on which one we are talking about. And especial care to building destruction, keep it within reason. We dont want this decimating bases too quickly.

3) Kat/Stuka/Pwerfer went through the roof in previous patches but has been returned to a level I havent tested enough to comment on. Ideally, as a compromise for mobility, I recommend a reasonable burst, with differential AoE profiles, but overall inferior to proper field artillery. I seriously think the mobility difference to field artillery needs to be considered in the output of these units. For flavor and asymmetric design:
-Kat: Larger more random template with less AoE, less penetration and and a slightly shorter CD than PWerfer.
-PWerfer: A more concentrated smaller template, more penetration but less AoE.
-Stuka: This really needs a longer period between impacts. The template is so narrow, that it is murderous for retreat kills. The missiles need a slower impact difference. There is no time to react on a frontline parallel align, and its more or less a given retreat kill due to the speed of the impacts, on a predicted retreat path.

4) ZiS/SU76+equivalents: Largely ok as they are. Avoidable, slow.

5) Mortars: Fine, except for 82mm. I recommend a lateral improvemebt to add a Suppression factor (which, ironically, iirc, is actually missing from ALL indirect fire/artillery, which personally chafes me for a degree of historical accuracy. When you are being shelled, ypu hit the motherloving dirt) . MHT incendiary...ngghhh right on the line. Its an enormous template, but at cost, and considering general opposing unit size, it probably needs it to try and score some flame crits, thoughbthe template really is tbh quite enormous. I consider it a reasonable Commander specific compromise especially to Sovs otherwise core indirect options like ZiS/SU76 barrage, but its an edgy balance there.

all arty is borderline useless. All offmaps = completely useless except the light arty barrage and incendiary strike. All onmap arty = useless, because they are very innacurate and cost alot and are a huge waste of resuorces. All rocket arty = useless except stuka zu fus, because they dont kill anything EVER.

All rocket arty = useless except stuka zu fus, because they dont kill anything EVER.

What do you mean by "kill anything EVER"?

Are you talking about model losses or about full unit wipes?

What do you mean by "kill anything EVER"?

Are you talking about model losses or about full unit wipes?

model losses.

My experience is that the static field artillery simply sucks. Compared to Priests or Stuka zu Fuß, they are usually killed after one shot (reconaissance flight and some off-map-arty) and are neither exact nor deadly enough to be worth the dough. Any other experiences?
Regarding off-map artillery, my problem is not with it per se but with the general emphasis on artillery in general. It's the combination that kills, IMHO.

This is becoming ridiculous. Every other game I play is decided just by artillery. Helped by the atrocious pathfinding, artillery just starts demolishing everyhing everywhere. I win with this as much as I lose, but both times, it's not really fun. It's more and more feeling like Command and Conquer Generals.

When these units fire, they are revealed on the minimap.

Drive on over and shoot them with a light tank.

Katiusha was nerfed to the worse state it was before buff(same damage, much longer cooldown), so you are already wrong here.

nice white lie. you forgot to mention the 50% extra AoE since buff/renerf

nice white lie. you forgot to mention the 50% extra AoE since buff/renerf

Couple that with reduction to AoE profile that all AoE weapons recently got.

It's funny, when this game was first released a lot of people were complaining about how the artillery wasn't as strong/prevalent...

To those people I say...you wanted your The Scheldt attrition fest...here you have it.

I think the arty is a bit too effective but it does help prevent blobbing play.

I just think the cost trade for arty is too effective versus certain units.

I mean, the difference between wiping 2 squads of Obersoldatens vs wiping 2 Airborne squads upgraded with LMGs is a significant difference if you're factoring muni's.

My experience is that the static field artillery simply sucks. Compared to Priests or Stuka zu Fuß, they are usually killed after one shot (reconaissance flight and some off-map-arty) and are neither exact nor deadly enough to be worth the dough. Any other experiences?
Regarding off-map artillery, my problem is not with it per se but with the general emphasis on artillery in general. It's the combination that kills, IMHO.

Indirect Artillery Fire is not anywhere near "under powered" as you think, i.e. 7.5cm inf support gun or 75mm pack howitzer.

A lot of the times simple gun emplacements like these can turn the tide on early small(or large) infantry battles, punishing blobbing of units in cover and what not.

In no way do I see units like these losing their combat value or importance in the battlefield.