Boredom-induced USF suggestion

I had a crazy idea when sitting around staring at the ceiling at work that the USF weapon rack pickups would add abilities to the units that pick them up, somewhat justifying their mediocrity. Implementing this would require stripping RE's of volley fire.

1. BAR would grant units the "Suppressing Fire" ability and the time until suppressed would depend on the amount of BAR's on the squad.

2. The Bazooka would grant the "Fire White Phosphorous Rocket" ability (yes, they existed). This would fire one or two rockets (depending on the amount of 'zooks in the squad). It would provide a nondoctrinal pseudo-flamethrower/building clearer/static weapon team disruptor to a faction that badly needs some more diversity.

3. The 1919 would provide the same suppressing fire/slow ability that paratroopers have as defensive stance is generally agreed to be too good.

Note that all of these would require munitions, thus hopefully balancing them somewhat while allowing usf to fight infantry battles without the massive reliance on vehicles.

Let me know if I'm completely crazy or not.

Cool idea.

I like this idea quite a bit, but I think that this would make rifles decent past mid game. And that's like, not allowed. :/

I like it.

Very nice idea!

Good ideas, but I think they might overshadow Volley Fire/ HMG and grenades.

Personally I think BARs should just give greater firepower boost to make them a worthwhile investment, sort of like adding LMG42/34 to Grens/ Obers. Not as much if you just had one, but if you fill both slots you make your Riflemen/ RETs unable to deal with vehicles.

The Bazooka ability could instead be used against vehicles, to slow them down and give slight stun, would be a hybrid of Button and TWP. Seeing as it's already munitions ability on top of 60-120 munitions just to buy the bazookas, I think this doesn't make it close to panzerschreck but allow for more useful strategies against vehicles besides human wave salute for Old Glory suicide runs

Good ideas, but I think they might overshadow Volley Fire/ HMG and grenades.

Personally I think BARs should just give greater firepower boost to make them a worthwhile investment, sort of like adding LMG42/34 to Grens/ Obers. Not as much if you just had one, but if you fill both slots you make your Riflemen/ RETs unable to deal with vehicles.

The Bazooka ability could instead be used against vehicles, to slow them down and give slight stun, would be a hybrid of Button and TWP. Seeing as it's already munitions ability on top of 60-120 munitions just to buy the bazookas, I think this doesn't make it close to panzerschreck but allow for more useful strategies against vehicles besides human wave salute for Old Glory suicide runs

I said that RE's would lose volley fire in order for the BAR's to provide it. Volley fire is kind of crap with the horrid received accuracy debuff RE's receive while using it. As for your other points, you must realize that all this would cost a decent amount of munitions, thus making it difficult to spam without investment into muni chaches. The BAR ability would be meant as a stopgap if you don't have the .50 unlocked and the WP 'zook round will help if you don't have indirect. As for replacing grenades, I doubt it since you have to sit in WP for it to do damage. It's more of a building/cover denial similar to Soviet Molotovs

The 'zook stun is kind of unnecessary because rifleman smoke grenades can stun vehicles.
Again, this is all just my opinion, but BAR's were nerfed in the first place because when USF came out because they had tremendous firepower (they use the assault rifle rather than the lmg profile) that would overpower just about everything. I hope to steer away from that and let them provide more utility.

While these are nice creative ideas, tbh if anything is to happen it's straight performance buffs-maybe like slight BAR rate of fire increase and Bazooka accuracy and pen buffs.

I would prefer a "walking Fire" slow moving assault ability for BAR's

I said that RE's would lose volley fire in order for the BAR's to provide it. Volley fire is kind of crap with the horrid received accuracy debuff RE's receive while using it. As for your other points, you must realize that all this would cost a decent amount of munitions, thus making it difficult to spam without investment into muni chaches. The BAR ability would be meant as a stopgap if you don't have the .50 unlocked and the WP 'zook round will help if you don't have indirect. As for replacing grenades, I doubt it since you have to sit in WP for it to do damage. It's more of a building/cover denial similar to Soviet Molotovs

The 'zook stun is kind of unnecessary because rifleman smoke grenades can stun vehicles.
Again, this is all just my opinion, but BAR's were nerfed in the first place because when USF came out because they had tremendous firepower (they use the assault rifle rather than the lmg profile) that would overpower just about everything. I hope to steer away from that and let them provide more utility.

I don't think RETs should lose Volley Fire, especially if the result is mini-HMGs for both Riflemen and RETs. It also means giving BARs to officers or other units won't grant them this ability, so doing so would seem wasteful for a slot that could be used for, say, LMGs or panzerschreck. Plus, this means you never need to upgrade 2x of each weapon since it's really about unlocking abilities than increased firepower, which means "doubling up" on each weapon is entirely redundant.
I think, like the above guy said, making Volley Fire a timed ability that allows the unit to move might make it more effective and not require being locked behind an upgrade.
I'm sort of against the idea of weapon pickups giving new abilities, since units that pick up dropped weapons don't gain those abilities. Which is also one of the fundamental problems with Weapon Rack upgrades. IMO weapon upgrades should just be a matter of firepower, and upgrades that unlock abilities should be done through the classic unit upgrade scheme (which remains superior and more flexible than weapon racks).
I'm also sort of against the idea that USF infantry needs to muni spam, especially when the design you have requires them to unlock suppressive fire for T0 whereas HMGs provide it without further investment.
Making these weapons stopgap measures mean they become obsolete once you reach the other tiers- weapon upgrades would first and foremost be weapon upgrades, not inferior replacements for later units.
I also didn't know that rifle smoke grenade "stuns" enemy vehicles, was this a new addition? Tried it recently, and while it does what it does, it also blocks LOS meaning you can't really exploit this advantage.

TLDR: I do think USF needs more utility stuff, but I don't think doing it thorough weapon rack purchases is the way to do it. Plus, the weapon rack as a mechanic presents problems to the ideas, rather than the other way around.

another idea i would like to pitch in is making the MU cost for the smoke grenade ability for the riflemen free because since axis can now pump out MGs a lot faster. concealment is absolutely paramount when facing against that kind of firepower but it is useless within the first 5 minutes of the game because you can't afford it. keep the cool down as it is of course but just make the specific ability free. in matches against human opponents i've seen axis players bring in 2 MGs(uberwagons included) making an easy shutdown for USF since they lack MGs of their own early game

another idea i would like to pitch in is making the MU cost for the smoke grenade ability for the riflemen free because since axis can now pump out MGs a lot faster. concealment is absolutely paramount when facing against that kind of firepower but it is useless within the first 5 minutes of the game because you can't afford it. keep the cool down as it is of course but just make the specific ability free. in matches against human opponents i've seen axis players bring in 2 MGs(uberwagons included) making an easy shutdown for USF since they lack MGs of their own early game

The op was asking what you thought of his idea, not for you to re-post yours in yet another thread

I wouldn't mind rifleman smoke being free. That would be awesome.

I think the riflebro upgrades need some kind of buff since Relic designed the faction to do riflespam every game which is proving tough against the new Axis buffs.

I think suppression on BARs might be a little much. I just wish volley fire didn't suck.

Why not just nerf defensive stance instead of removing it completely? It used to have a recharge time and a requirement for the squad to not be in combat in order to activate it. Giving defensive stance both of those things would make using it require a bit more thought.

Besides that, nice ideas.

I think the riflebro upgrades need some kind of buff since Relic designed the faction to do riflespam every game which is proving tough against the new Axis buffs.

I think suppression on BARs might be a little much. I just wish volley fire didn't suck.

I wish the whole faction didn't suck, but that's asking too much probably.

Yeah there's very little reason to play USF when you can just be the Soviets and MDK everything's

This is an outstanding idea my fellow comrade. But as for the supressive fire ability or volley fire. it SHOULD NOT have the received accuracy debuff to the squad.

Relic need to take baby steps when doing balance and not use their bats. RE already are squishy and them using the ability is instant death. If this is not applied to the rifles then that would be great.

I wish the whole faction didn't suck, but that's asking too much probably.

For Company of Wehraboos yep probably asking too much.

Oh boy, its a neo nazi conspiracy huhu right guys? RIGHT!?!?!