Moving forward, what factions / theatres do you want?

When WFA was announced I was pretty disappointed that Relic had for the second game in a row decided to make the alternative Axis faction "More Germans". I was hoping we'd get the alternate teams being a part of the war that allowed for two new nationalities. Moving into the future from here, though, it's not clear whether we'll get more factions - it's already hard to fix up the competitive balance with 2 factions per side. But whether it's for CoH3 or for the next major expansion, what would you like to see?

For me personally, I'd like a North Africa / Italian campaign, adding in the Italian army and British army. The British could get different commanders from the Commonwealth - Australian support, Indian support etc. There would be a couple of exclusively UK ones too. The Italians could be designed to get German support in the "late game" of their faction, but I'm not sure about how this would work organically really. Late-game British could include lend-lease US equipment. Maybe others will have better suggestions.

The other natural suggestion is Pacific theatre with USMC vs Japan. I'm not sure I'd be such a big fan. It seems like there's not that big of a place for armor in these battles and if Relic didn't want to split the player base, it may not work out so well trying to integrate these factions so heavily integrated with navies and island hopping with the base game. Then again if it was just "CoH3" that wouldn't matter so much.

CoH mechanics but in the homeworld universe

North Africa with Afrika Korps and a lot of what you said. Factions with longer early-mid games that are more complex.

Also, this means flak 88's. Im kind of tired of Europe.

I'm not well versed in Nord Afrika but is there any chance of getting a plausible Italian faction? I'm honestly not sure how much direct fighting they got involved in. Did they at least fight in conjunction with the Afrika Corps in '41 onwards?

AFAIK, Italy exited the war somewhere in 1944 or 1943 (Northern Italy still in the war, but i don't know how long they held for). I highly doubt you will see any late-war stuff from the Italians

We should have China vs Japan KMT + CCP vs Japan. One of the most forgotten parts of WW2

Commonwealth and make a similar "Germany's Allies" commander.

I honestly think the best opportunity for a diverse range of German allies has passed us. The Ostheer should have had several auxiliary support commanders representing Italians, Hungarians, Slovaks and Romanians on the Eastern Front.

I honestly think the best opportunity for a diverse range of German allies has passed us. The Ostheer should have had several auxiliary support commanders representing Italians, Hungarians, Slovaks and Romanians on the Eastern Front.

yes would be very interesting, but they all got lumped into ostruppen.

i would like more eastern front pls.

more soviet units that aren't featured, and german's elite foreign SS in the eastern front.

e.g. russian paratroopers, russian siberian and many oriental troops + SS Cossack division

No more Eastern Front thank you very much. It's too boring and isn't nearly as exciting compared to other theatres of war where the British Army despite being outnumbered, defeated heavily armoured and experienced German divisions in Africa, Europe and Asia. Also, the Romanians, Slovenians, Italians and etc are finely represented by the Ostruppen unit, so there's no need to introduce Romanian commanders and etc.

My answer is the British Army(Which includes Canadian infantry as a stock unit or as a commander) and the German Afrika corps.

I'm not well versed in Nord Afrika but is there any chance of getting a plausible Italian faction? I'm honestly not sure how much direct fighting they got involved in. Did they at least fight in conjunction with the Afrika Corps in '41 onwards?

Short Version:

Mussolini decided it was an excellent idea to kick the Allies while they were down and join the war in mid 1940.

His invasion of Egypt went very badly wrong and Rommel got sent to bail him out, nominally Rommel was under Italian command and the Italians provided most of the troops but lacked mobility - which is kind of helpful in the Desert.

He also decided to attack Greece, and got beaten until the Germans joined in.

He also sent an expeditionary force to Russia, which got destroyed during the Stalingrad campaign.

+++++++++++++

Unfortunately the Italians lacked the Industrial base to fight a modern war, so their equipment was sparse and often obsolescent.


In the 1944-45 meta that multiplayer is set in they'd be totally outclassed

I honestly think the best opportunity for a diverse range of German allies has passed us. The Ostheer should have had several auxiliary support commanders representing Italians, Hungarians, Slovaks and Romanians on the Eastern Front.

That would honestly be the best way to do it, as Commanders rather than stand alone faction


++++++++++++++++++++

The only significant faction that has cutting edge stuff in the 1944-5 meta would be the UK and Commonwealth - they would merit a faction by themselves

Most of the other interesting options (France, Poland) had their development stopped in 1939 to 40 so their equipment is not going to be competitive in 1944-5.


You either provide a "historic option" covering 1939-41 (but that would lack most the "iconic" WW2 stuff (No Tigers, No Shermans)

Or

You extrapolate what the French Army would have looked like given another 4 years development and shamelessly buff their units better than what the design engine strictly says they should be like.

Hmm I don't think it has to be 44/45, I thought Ostheer was heavily based on '43 equipment. I'm probably wrong though.

If they added UK to the faction pool they'd feel the need to add an extra axis faction too and it just doesn't seem like there are any good options if you demand competitive '44 stuff.

Poland could theoretically be a sub-faction of Soviets, since there were multiple Polish "Armies" (corps sized units probably in reality) on the Eastern Front starting in '44. But this is really not an independent fighting force. But if we have OKW as "more Germans" then it would probably fine to have another variation on the USSR.

I think maybe Ita in the 42-43 period could be modelled against a similar British force. But the heavies would be Afrika Corps units. Maybe the Italians provide the base army and then various German support doctrines are available? Something like that. Not sure. Maybe it would have to be the other way around with Afrika Corps taking advantage of many Italian troops. But I just don't know enough about the historical OOBs and battles in Africa to say which would be preferable.

Ita did have its own tanks, really crappy stuff in '40 and eventually some "passable" mediums, but they don't get a truly competitive tank until they're practically about to surrender IIRC.

I'd go for Finns personally for an Axis faction. Lots of camouflage opportunities, cool looking imported hardware and the ability to steal tanks efficiently...

Can't understand why anyone would call the Eastern Front Boring...

I'd go for a late war Soviet list. Like a guards unit or something, with non-doctrinal T-34-85s, SU-100s etc... The current Soviet faction is awful.

AFAIK, Italy exited the war somewhere in 1944 or 1943 (Northern Italy still in the war, but i don't know how long they held for). I highly doubt you will see any late-war stuff from the Italians

Italy's participation pretty much ended in mid-1943 when Mussolini was arrested. The vast majority of Italian forces in Northern Italy pledged allegiance to the King, and were used as slave labourers. The remaining loyalists were put into a new Italian Army, which was very small and very short on manpower. They were mostly used for occupation and anti-partisan activities, the bulk of the fighting was still done by Germany.

I would certainly love to see Italian Campaign factions. While it is true the Kingdom of Italy surrendered shortly after the allied invasion in mid 43 the German army remained in control of the northern and central regions of the country through the Italian Social Republic. The Italian forces who remained loyal to the ISR were used as auxiliary and RE troops by the German forces. The Germans even pilfered a lot of Italy's leftover tanks and support weapons for their own use. In practical terms you could create a 43-44 German army that relies on some Italian troops and vehicles to fill gaps in it's roster. That way the faction would have an Italian flavor to it but still remain competitive vs the other late war factions. It could even add a little diversity to German game play by providing a faction that plays more like the allied factions with a focus on large durable infantry squads and numerous medium tanks instead of super tanks or elite infantry.

It would also allow the inclusion of the 44 Commonwealth, who by that time had most of their late war toys and would therefore be equally competitive with the other factions.

Greek Faction with WWI equipment kicking Italian a..
Just kidding.

More Eastern Front stuff and Africa setting. Desert maps with sandstorms. Gameplay mechanics like coldtech but in the desert it would be lack of water and maybe fuel. Or tanks would mve slower in the sand (like with the mud).This would be fun or extremely annoying for some players (like coldtech)

No more Eastern Front thank you very much. It's too boring and isn't nearly as exciting compared to other theatres of war where the British Army despite being outnumbered, defeated heavily armoured and experienced German divisions in Africa, Europe and Asia. Also, the Romanians, Slovenians, Italians and etc are finely represented by the Ostruppen unit, so there's no need to introduce Romanian commanders and etc.

My answer is the British Army(Which includes Canadian infantry as a stock unit or as a commander) and the German Afrika corps.

But what you're saying, it took three years to oust the axis army from Africa ( and the Americans have helped a lotif not, it took months before others to drive them from the mountains of Tunisia) ,
also having more men,supplies and means , and the commander montgomery was overvalued lot.
why add only the Afrika korps? the Afrika Korps is only German troops and you can not have three factions German, if you meant Italian and German units with the right name is Panzerarmee Afrika (end campaign africa)

Considering the other axis factions are barely an adequate choice other than ones that stem from 3rd reich.. not sure if new factions are really possible.

I do think Japanese vs USMC would be interesting but not sure if I want to see OST fighting USMC or Japanese fighting Soviets' "western front" army...