I still use guards and I've won 8/10 games with them. I think the button ability was overnerfed to the joke status of being called a 'button' ability.
I think the buttoned tank should have their main gun operational but the speed reduction is far too weak, it should almost completely stop. This way, the enemy unit can fight back - I would think twice about buttoning a tiger or an ostwind simply with guards, but it would mean I actually don't waste munitions on a useless ability that slows a tank down by 20% :/
But yes guards are still very useful...Know why? The PTRS is the enemy of all weapon teams - after about 10-15 shots from the PTRS a pak gun will explode, you just gotta keep hitting it. This is especially useful against OKW (with all those pesky racketens, Mg34s and inf support guns), but it's also useful killing Mg42s and Paks ( as well as the occasional mortar). So guards do not suck, but I think their button ability was over-raped. Also, it would be nice if guards didn't suffer from constant weapon drop, Relic. Thanks.
- a concerned guard spammer.