Halftrack Veterancy & Upgrades (M5 & 251)

Basically an non-upgraded halftrack from both armies can't vet effectively due to their weak weapons and being fragile to anti-tank weapons makes them even more dangerous to vet without weapon upgrades. This leads to their veterancy being hard to attain since they're meant to be behind the lines reinforcing. This also relates to their veterancy being "partly" worthless since each upgrade for both the halftracks no longers lets you reinforce either. Here are the veterancy stats

Suggestion for non-upgraded Half Tracks (excludes upgraded Half Tracks): Halftracks gain veterancy from nearby units similar to USF Officers. This would fit in their role of not engaging enemy forces and being behind the lines reinforcing. Not sure on the stats from earning nearby veterancy from units but it should be close as to have some risk involved.

Suggestion for upgraded Half Tracks: Once upgraded a halftrack with a weapon, it's veterancy will change to be more combat oriented. (Note: The M5 and 251 have okay veterancy even with the useless reinforce range increase since you can't reinforce.)

M5 Halftrack with Quad .50cal: M5 Anti-gun will gain increased anti-air capabilities and accuracy (optional) at veterancy 2 or 3. Considering it's the Ruskies only non-doctrinal anti-air, it should be able to pepper a aircraft down late game with limited difficulty once veted up.

251 with flamers: Increase burst length and reduce reload (optional) at veterancy 2 or 3.

Tbh not biggest issue in CoH2 but help with vanilla halftracks utility.

Yeah, I like this idea. I pretty much only get halftracks to upgrade them, so this would may add some more variety.

So when they get their vet out of combat, then they'd get to start off with their upgrades with further powerful bonuses? I would consider this considerable improvements to halftracks rather than simply changes.

Upgraded halftracks are quite powerful with their vet. Improving upon that while being able to acquire vet from safety first might be a bit frustrating.

Yeah, I like this idea. I pretty much only get halftracks to upgrade them, so this would may add some more variety.

I almost never upgrade 251. It loses its main function with its "upgrade".

Yes, ans they should add reinforcing and veterancy to the 250 halftrack as well.

Yeah, the current state of EF HT veterancy is a pretty big oversight, I can agree with all of your suggestions. If for whatever reason it's impossible for them to make the halftrack's vet change after upgrading, I'd say just to add more combat vet bonuses to the halftracks anyway - an unupgraded halftrack may get buffed as well from the additional combat vet bonuses, but it's a far weaker weapon platform so that effectiveness peters out by comparison anyway (e.g. Hypothetically, normal M5 does 7.4 DPS and gets reinforcing improvements + say, 60% more DPS from vet to get a package with reinforcing improvements and 11.84 DPS. Quadmount M5 does 23.2 DPS and get 60% more DPS from vet to get a package with 37.12 DPS. Clearly, both options have their advantages)

i'm very sure it's not possible to change the vet bonuses on the halftracks. i think a better way to deal with the problem is to make the vet combat oriented and leave it at that. as a reinforce point the halftracks don't benefit significantly from vet.

The few times I've had a vet 3 reinforcement ht it's been a real game changer. The improved radius is a great benefit but frustratingly hard to attain. I think this proposition is good, since it still rewards risking the ht in combat but doesn't make getting vet disproportionately hard.

i'm very sure it's not possible to change the vet bonuses on the halftracks. i think a better way to deal with the problem is to make the vet combat oriented and leave it at that. as a reinforce point the halftracks don't benefit significantly from vet.

The reinforcement radius vet was pretty damn good when it was actually obtainable and usable. It helps to keep it alive and easier to micro when battlefields get crowded with tanks - therefore, I think the concept of reinforcing halftracks earning vet from nearby units fighting is one worth trying.

The only way to make this happen would be to have 2 separate HTs available to build.

One would be the HTs as they are now, that can reinforce and receive self or area defensive or reinforce vet upgrades, with no upgrade option except perhaps in the field weapon drop (like a towed AT gun that deploys and can be crewed for a bit more ammo added price) or any commander specific upgrades (like OH anti-vehicle mines). You can let it gain vet for damage done, reinforcing, and leeching vet from nearby units to some degree, as others mentioned.

The other HT you can build is offensive to begin with. Give it a bit better initial dps weapon or better suppression of some sort and allow it to upgrade to the choices available now or even other variants like the ATHT of PE (which would help OH not be so static in its AT vs all the arty), etc. It gains offensive vet and can never reinforce infantry.

You lose some initial flexibility in your HT but gain all the advantages people have mentioned. Both variants could still transport troops until the offensive HT upgrades, of course, then there is no more room.

Seems like an easily, do-able 'fix'.

I wonder how feasible it would be for halftracks have an ability that costs manpower that instantly reinforces nearby squads. Like, for 100 manpower, like, 3 entities instantly reinforce nearby squads, or just a target squad.

Essentially be able to spend a higher manpower cost for instant reinforcement on an ability with a cooldown. It would allow for halftracks to run in and out of combat and perform a function, without having to make them tanks to be able to survive it.

Although, I also wonder if it is time for units inside the halftrack to be able to reinforce. Halftracks are flimsy, and the damage to the squads inside once they die is huge.

Although, I also wonder if it is time for units inside the halftrack to be able to reinforce. Halftracks are flimsy, and the damage to the squads inside once they die is huge.

I kinda fear there would be some sort of pathfinding issue with the models popping in the vehicles while it's moving. They already take ages to get inside when the halftrack is standing still

The reinforcement radius vet was pretty damn good when it was actually obtainable and usable. It helps to keep it alive and easier to micro when battlefields get crowded with tanks - therefore, I think the concept of reinforcing halftracks earning vet from nearby units fighting is one worth trying.

that's certainly one option but different vet versions are not.

that's certainly one option but different vet versions are not.

I'd be pretty sure not as well too. Just go with what I said, add the veterancy gain for reinforcing HTs from nearby units, drop the veterancy gain when they're upgraded with a weapon, add more DPS boosts to HT vet. Reinforcing HTs can then get vet 3 (and a DPS boost that no one will care about because they don't do much damage without upgrading), weapon platform HTs get a significant DPS boost from vetting.