Less pack, More Howitzer (buff the pack's barrage)

There are two types of indirect units;

Attrition based types: Like mortars and the M8, which rely on slowly and continuously harassing attacking forces or supporting assaults against support weapons with smoke and whatnot, as well as discouraging blobbing.

Barrage Based Types: Units such as rocket artillery or heavy artillery, who's purpose is to break up larger defensive groupings and defensive structures, as well as heavily punish blobs.

USF is notable for being the only faction to have two types of attrition based indirect, while being forced to choose a single doctrine if they want access to the only barrage type unit.

This empty role within the US's arsenal causes serious problems with USF's ability to combat defensive play. Especially in the 2v2+ games where multiple axis players lapping defenses can become near insurmountable for a US only team to effectively fight and harassing becomes much harder with enemies able to cover more space and reinforce further in the field. USF is forced to rely on single use artillery call-ins which are easily avoided by even the slowest of support weapons. The result is usually a US force that is unable do enough damage to a enemy fast enough to have any effect no matter how much resources they are willing to spend. Which leads to them getting quickly bled out as they struggle to maintain hold on key points or assault said defenses.

I am all for asymmetric balance, and by no means purposing an extra addition to fill this role. I simply want for the USF alternatives to function properly. There is no reason for both the pack and the M8 to cover the same roles, especially when one is obviously superior to the other.

The solution is simple, we need only to buff the Pack Howitzers barrage ability, so that it can effectively bridge the gap between an attrition weapon and a barrage one. Increasing AoE damage or accuracy while barraging will go a long way in making sure USF players can effectively adapt against defensive play and assure that the weapon actually lives up to the name Howitzer. Better barrage capabilities even if it needs to come at the expense of nerfing it's autofire is very important. And even though it might not pack the same power as a katyusha, combined with the aforementioned call-ins it should be enough for them to effectively counter defenses play.

I don't get this. Are you suggesting I wipe my tears with disinfecting wipes. That sounds horribly painful.

Fuck it, get rid of the pack howitzer, give it to a commander, and give the US a proper mortar. The pack howitzer isn't mobile enough to be useful in aggressive tactics, the US don't make an effective defensive faction so if your opponent is arsed enough they'll run it down, and as a weapon it is either as good as a mortar, nor as useful as a proper howitzer.



Because it's stuck in between the two, it does both jobs poorly.

agree, the barrage ability animation seems to have a big explosion but the AOE is actually not much better than the standard barrage imo. If need be, increase the cooldown on the barrage but double (well, maybe not quite double) the size of the AOE!

People tell me its a decent unit but I've never been able to make good use of it. Not being able to retreat an indirect fire unit really cripples it IMO, I would rather replace it with a more standard mortar.

The unit composition for USF and OKW are really fucking weird, I wish they were "more normal" instead of trying to be as different as possible

People tell me its a decent unit but I've never been able to make good use of it. Not being able to retreat an indirect fire unit really cripples it IMO, I would rather replace it with a more standard mortar.

The unit composition for USF and OKW are really fucking weird, I wish they were "more normal" instead of trying to be as different as possible

If you can defend it, it works good at stopping frontal assaults. Thing is the M8 can do this as well. Meanwhile the Pak 43 that's shutting your jacksons down will only be mildly tickled by the packs attempts to take it out and if the M8 attempts it it will get one-shot as it has the same range.

If you can defend it, it works good at stopping frontal assaults. Thing is the M8 can do this as well. Meanwhile the Pak 43 that's shutting your jacksons down will only be mildly tickled by the packs attempts to take it out and if the M8 attempts it it will get one-shot as it has the same range.

And getting the Howi closer is probably suicide since of course, people tend to defend their immobile slow-turning expensive AT gun with forward defenders.

And getting the Howi closer is probably suicide since of course, people tend to defend their immobile slow-turning expensive AT gun with forward defenders.

not to mention it has none of the survival benefits of the mortars. No retreat, and needs a 3 man crew to man it. Atleast the leig has a shield on it to give it's men cover.

no buff on that plz it is quite strong already i got multiple 1 shot sq wipe from it already, i can Blame them to RNG but if it become stronger it will like another 120mm or even stronger than 120mm ask pack howitzer is more accurate

no buff on that plz it is quite strong already i got multiple 1 shot sq wipe from it already, i can Blame them to RNG but if it become stronger it will like another 120mm or even stronger than 120mm ask pack howitzer is more accurate

The fact that you think a 400mp mortar is more powerful then a 480mp howitzer just further proves that it needs a buff.

use it like a constantly barraging zis gun not a mortar and watch it do work

not to mention it has none of the survival benefits of the mortars. No retreat, and needs a 3 man crew to man it. Atleast the leig has a shield on it to give it's men cover.

this is my problem with it. crews that dies so easily and 3 man minimum requirement. not to mention the ridiculous reinforce rate. get it to do work and get vet and get wiped so easily whilst 120mm survives with 1 man.

use it like a constantly barraging zis gun not a mortar and watch it do work

So i have to be within 60 range of whatever I'm barraging right?

I'm not debating it's effectiveness, but it's a decent mortar(maybe not worth 480mp) but it's a terrible light howitzer. It's the USF's lack of a non-doctrinal barrager that concerns me and I'm suggesting that the pack could be changed to fit that role.

The unit is a big hassle, and it really does not look like an appealing option for what it's supposed to do...

The fact that you think a 400mp mortar is more powerful then a 480mp howitzer just further proves that it needs a buff.

well 120mm right now is just broken as it is wipe sqs in 1shot and have a iwipe skill. pack howitzer's damage and accuracy is pretty good already it also wipe sqs but not as many. as u mention the price i think it is indeed overpriced for its performance. maybe lower the price is a good option i will think 360mp is a reasonable price for its preformance

To be completely honest I believe that the USF Howitzer's greatest ability is in it's versatility, however in an Army that oozes versatility it's really quite poor. I don't deny it's a good mortar however it's too expensive to be a mortar, honestly the developers should be expanding the USF and OKW Commanders and consider giving it to a support commander after buffing it and just giving the 80mm Mortar which is in the campaign to the USF.

The USF's hard counter to emplacements is meant to be smoke, not destruction. It's why they have it on nearly every unit they own. White Phosphorus is a kraut killer that SLOWS and damages enemy units while also screening your own allowing you to get right up in their grille... however the USF is never meant to let the Germans dig in as they are designed to stay mobile. While this is easier on 1v1's it can work on 2v2's.

The M8 and Pack howitzer are redundant yes but then again so is the entire Captains tree with the Majors tree. It's best you just spend the extra fuel on getting frag grenades for more smoke and don't let them dig in in the first place.

https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCKlnjwzT1IruAZFb0EA-5pQ

IB4 People asking for the calliope


If only the major artillery was good enough...

IB4 People asking for the calliope


If only the major artillery was good enough...

Why would they ask for a calliope?