USF out of Meta for a while.

I started to develop a theory about how Relic devs were managing balance stuff around COH2 in another post but I would like to make a proper topic about it since there are a lot of nerf/OP OKW topics are popping up those days.

I'm a USF player, love that faction since vCoH so I'm mainly impacted with the current meta. On side, I'm also IRL analyst and work a lot on quality processes so it helps me to develop some ideas around the state of the actual balance.
Balance is like process, you've got 4 factions and each faction must be equal with the 3 others. So in definitive you need 4 balances process inside the game.
Sov vs Ostheer
Sov vs OKW
OKW vs USF
USF vs Ostheer

My theory is simple:

To make it simple, let's say Relic is enough satisfy with the Sov vs Ostheer balance and USF vs Ostheer one. Its obviously need some more tweak for heavy late game units but it isn't something that affect the overall balance in those cases if you only consider 1vs1 balance. And this point is really important, what only matter today is 1vs1 - Not that I'm happy about that - this is just a fact, what Relic says.

So what more? OKW isn't balance with any faction. Probably because his own meta break a lot the balance concept lying inside the game. Forwarded building, only elite infantry excepted volks, highest vet etc...

As a quality rule in order to improve a process, it is better to go one step per one. You identify the biggest issue in the process/game and you solve it. What is the biggest issue in term of balance? Sov cheese strat only reliable to fight OKW faction.
Why the biggest, why first and not USF first?
Simply because if you try to solve it last, the patch can simply negate all other changes you've made to balance OKW vs USF. So Relic wants Sov vs OKW not being anymore only based on cheesy strats.
How to?
Since Sov vs Ostheer is enough well balanced, it is difficult to change Sov stats units. Because it would impact Sov / Ostheer match-up. So Relic plays with OKW values to break Sov cheesy strategies.
The Kubel is the perfect example. Let's see why it has been improved, to counter Sniper cheesy strats and it works not that bad. And collateral damage for USF aren't important, what is important today is to balance Sov OKW match-up.
This is also why Assault Engineer squads had been hotfix in a couple of days after the last major patch and the Kubel only after a week. Because AE squads were breaking the USF / Ostheer match-up when the Kubel was showing interesting stats vs Sov. A week later, Relic decided to smoothly nerf the kubel and OKW faction. Probably the release a bit of pressure from the player community and maybe because the Kubel was a bit overperforming vs Sov, but nothing around USF vs OKW match-up.

So this is where we are. Relic will probably bring couple of others tweaks to OKW faction only to balance the match-up vs Sov. It can take a bit of time, probably until November.

One reason for that: The release of Ardenne Assault pack. At this time, it will be more than necessary to balance the game with USF.
A side idea can also be that Relic isn't happy with USF build order. There is a gap of unit design between USF and other factions. Each other faction can easily access to 4-5 units in the 2 firsts minutes when USF only has 2 - one being only dedicated to cap&repair. The AA pack could be the opportunity to bring that change in the meta. Another reason for Relic to not touch USF faction balance till then.

It is just an idea, a theory, if you have another one, share it.

USF won't be a balanced faction until the secret end game tier that only germans (and soviets with doctrines) get, is equalized with non-doctrinal soviet and US stock units. And I doubt that that is going to change any time soon.

But I do think we can expect some big changes to multiplayer when the campaign comes out. Most likely new commanders.