Suggestion: Partisan Squad Rework

Partisan are generally one of the less popular commanders in the game due to the fact the skill set provided is entirely support based. Combined with Soviet stock units being generally less reliable in comparison to other factions, it makes adopting Partisans a very difficult challenge unless given certain conditions (4v4 and maps with decent number of ambient buildings).

I’m not saying that the Partisan skill set is bad, in fact I would say it works splendidly with proper teamwork. However even so I cannot help but feel the Partisan Squad (one of the main attraction of the doctrine) is quite lackluster compared to the rest of the skills. I’m talking solely about the normal Partisan squad, not the Tank hunters that perform perfectly for their price.. I’ve previously suggested that allowing weapon choices for squads would be a possible method to improve the reliability of the Partisan squads. Most folks seems to agree that it would was a good idea. After a few more games against both AI and players, I’ve come to think even if the weapon set is pick-able, it would not make the Partisans a attractive unit.

I would like to compare the Soviet Sniper Scouts with the Partisan in regards of their purpose to give an example of Partisan Squads being out-performed by other units:

Scouting: Both Partisan and Scouts can do so. Partisan have a chance of escaping ambushes while the Sniper does not. However the Sniper’s sight range gives it a chance to avoid running into traps.

Taking out weapon crews: Sniper can decrew vehicles crews safely from a distance. Partisan requires a building nearby and unless RNG provides a PPSh squad or there is a molotov upgrade, the decrewing speed is not faster than snipers. Snipers are vulnurable to mortars when decrewing weapon crews. Partisans are endangered by any unit that may be covering the weapon crews.

Ambush: Partisans hop out of buildings and throw molotovs as well as shooting. Partisan can use barbed wires as well as laying down mines. Snipers can hide themselves and hold fire, providing a good sight of enemy front lines and can cherry pick units to shoot when given the chance.

Though the Scout Snipers are much more expensive in price, they are generally more reliable due to their definite chance of hitting their target. Partisan’s low accuracy makes their performance very unreliable. The added fact that they are highly likely to be squad wiped in seconds does not help. Snipers are actually much less of a manpower drain as Partisans are, this is because Snipers (unless ambushed or flanked) are likely going to escape from danger since they are usually far away from the thick of the fight. Partisans are not as lucky.

My proposition for the Partisan squad are two different paths. One way is to make them simply a perfect ambush squad, the other is to make them much more capable in the scouting department.

Scouting Proposition:
Swapping firepower for stealth, Partisan squads are reduced to 3 men, have cloaking when they are immobile behind cover. Other than this, they will give up their SVT rifles, PPsh, LMG42 instead for Pistols (the old videos I watched when I was a kid always depicted Partisans with pistols instead of rifles) for 2 and a single nagant rifle for 1. They will perform terribly in straight up combat, but will be compensated with utility skills and greater sight range to make them a very effective recon and disruption unit.

Skills:
Defensive Preparations: Partisans can still build mines and barbed wires.

Hold Fire: For hiding purposes.

Trip wire flare: Self explanatory

Assassinate: Cost 15 ammunition and has a 10 second cooldown and needs 1 second to aim. The maximum range is at 50 and skill will be canceled upon target leaving range. Partisan will snipe the designated squad, taking out the target of highest priority. High priority targets are the models in squads that are likely to be the highest threat. This includes the gunner of the MG squads, the holder of the LMG in a grenadier squad, the officer of the Sturm Officer, etc.

Spying: Partisan can occupy a building and remain hidden inside, causing the building to appear ambient even though it is occupied. Their sight range is reduced to 30 and will hold fire. If the building is occupied by the enemy while the Partisan is still inside, the Partisans will instantly be squad wiped (and gives exp to the squad that wiped them).

Ambush Proposition:
This changes the Partisan to become a pure guerrilla assault force. They no longer have the accuracy disadvantage, but give up their defensive preparations abilities. They can only half-cap points and have only PPsh as their weapon. This effectively limits their purpose to engaging enemies in a ambushing manner (instead of camping in a house with a LMG squad).

Skills:
Molotov: Still needs teching to acquire
Oorah!: Self-explanatory

Additional Explanations:
This is still a very vague concept I have, but what I’ve proposed above appears to be a much more attractive version of Partisans compared to the current version. Though I doubt that Relic Entertainment would be working on small details like Partisans to be their first priority, I hope to receive some form of encouragement or discouragement from the community so that I may know whether this idea can be suggested in the future when Relic have the time.

For me it would be enough if they had effective weapons.

But I don't have delusions about where relic wants soviets to be(wide variety of ineffective gimmicky doctrines, cheeze or loose, ineffective stock army), so unless they will drop PQ off the balance team, the chances for buffing most underused and weak units are slim if none.

For me it would be enough if they had effective weapons.

This.

I personally wouldn't see Partisans as a unit that dominates straight up encounters, but why are their weapons so much worse? Zero point in paying for a glassy unit that doesn't come with a little bit of cannon.

As for OP suggestion of Partisans: If improving the weapons and DPS of the squad is out of the question, then this is the least Relic could do to make the Partisans slightly more attractive. The scouting option in particular sounds interesting. Watching a full army retreat by an OKW blob after an officer assassination would be gold.

Although, in the grand scheme of the Call-In Meta, I still don't think you would see Partisans much more than now regardless of improvement.