The future of COH2 post April / May patch

Here's my take on the future of this game. This is very opinion based, and i post this mostly because of that "balance" patch that is in the works.

Current state of the game is mostly fine. Ostheer is UP in 1v1s, so is UKF. USF is probably middle ground, with OKW and SU at the top of the pyramid.

There are several "cheeses" that need to be tweaked currently in the game: the USF BAR blob of death, the Volksgrenadiere Schrek anti armor blob, and the UKF emplacement "cancer" (let's call it that way). Would those 3 aspects of the game be balanced, we would likely reach perfect state.

Now i hold nothing against Miragefla and his mod, but i won't hide that i dislike those changes a lot. Not only does OKW get through a second entire re-design (bringing the faction to a third era of existence), but it doesn't achieve anything balance related. Allies get more options, several buffs, and mostly zero nerf (ok captain's zooks, but it is minor). Ostheer receives a very small adjustment in tiers' costs, a decent Brummbar buff, and Tiger I is nerfed, so relatively minor changes overall. OKW gets completely shot in the feet by not only removing their handheld AT altogether, but also an increase in what was before a "feature" of their teching. USF still gets free squads out of their tech costs. ESL brought us some numbers at high level of play of this game, and those numbers were all allied favored.

I understand OKW volks blobs of death were problematic in team games, yet i don't think they were that impactful on the 1v1s, to warrant such a removal. A simple nerf to the weapon's efficiency was enough, really.

Now to the main point: i think it will be a disaster for the game as a whole. OKW has been a shelter for axis players since quite a long time now, not because it was OP, but because it was more fun to play than Wehr. And for a multiplayer game to be succesful, you have to have players on both ends of the matchup. If the changes go live as is, it will spiral downwards to a state of non-existence.

1) OKW players try the new balance, realize that the faction is screwed
2) Most FotM players among them switch to allies (say hello to OP Penals blobs everywhere)
3) The remainder brave enough to still play as axis will return to Wehr, only to realize how weak and tedious to play the faction still is
4) Those players uninstall the game
5) Allies search 100%
6) ded gaem

I know this post will make our beloved allies lovers spill torrents of rage; i don't care about you guys. The game will be dead for you as well as for us, and you deserve it, while we do not.

Dear diary ...

TL;DR version:
*Volks should keep their Schreck update.

The tears on this forum...

Do you not remember literally less than 1 year ago when OKW received so many buffs that it had to be multiple hot fixed just to let other factions even have a chance to make it to the 15 minute mark?

Relax and leave constructive criticism so we can decide about the mod. COH2 is not ending, we are just in the midst of a major balance change.

Shrecke will be gone, that was the wish of the community. Either learn to utilitze the vast array of AT tools available to OKW or keep crying.

Kyle's quote: "Some of these changes may seem a bit radical but what better time to try radical ideas than during a Balance Preview Mod. Players should not expect all these changes to make it into the Patch."
Keep calm and wait the Balance Preview Mod.

ESL brought us some numbers at high level of play of this game, and those numbers were all allied favored.

This is rather misleading and false.

UKF had a negative win-loss-ratio even before the February patch. USF dropped below 50% after the patch. The only faction to perform over 50% win-loss-ratio for most of the tournament was soviets, which was mainly attributed to how maxims performed (fixed now).

Add to that the fact that USF and UKF were the two least played factions, because people go with the faction they think is strongest.

People dislike the changes for 3 reasons:
1. The seem radical
2. They reduce the power of blobs
3. They originate from a fellow player

My response:
1. Good: the game DOES need radical change. The devs are too timid to do it so they are trying changes from the community. I don't care where it comes from; any radical change is good to test.
2. L2p
3. You may think you're better that Mira, you may think you're worse... but relic didn't ask you for your changes. They asked Mira.

TLDR; dilute your salt in some more tears before offering up for consumption.

I love how another player steps forward to speak for the silent masses.

1.OKW was not a shelter for Ost players, Ost was played more than OKW in the ESL tourney.

2.Your options for Axis players on the bottom of your post don't include this option:
7)Everything will be fine and players will adapt as they have with every patch for the last 5 years.

3.I am a heavy OKW player(just look at my playercard) and even I get bored of running Shrek blobs every game. I am totally for testing out some changes.

4.This thread is overall pointless, the title is misleading, and all you are accomplishing is trolling by calling out fanbois and crying.

People dislike the changes for 3 reasons:
1. The seem radical
2. They reduce the power of blobs
3. They originate from a fellow player

My response:
1. Good: the game DOES need radical change. The devs are too timid to do it so they are trying changes from the community. I don't care where it comes from; any radical change is good to test.
2. L2p
3. You may think you're better that Mira, you may think you're worse... but relic didn't ask you for your changes. They asked Mira.

TLDR; dilute your salt in some more tears before offering up for consumption.

+1

People dislike the changes for 3 reasons:
1. The seem radical
2. They reduce the power of blobs
3. They originate from a fellow player

My response:
1. Good: the game DOES need radical change. The devs are too timid to do it so they are trying changes from the community. I don't care where it comes from; any radical change is good to test.
2. L2p
3. You may think you're better that Mira, you may think you're worse... but relic didn't ask you for your changes. They asked Mira.

TLDR; dilute your salt in some more tears before offering up for consumption.

I'll +1 that as well.

People dislike the changes for 3 reasons:
1. The seem radical
2. They reduce the power of blobs
3. They originate from a fellow player

My response:
1. Good: the game DOES need radical change. The devs are too timid to do it so they are trying changes from the community. I don't care where it comes from; any radical change is good to test.
2. L2p
3. You may think you're better that Mira, you may think you're worse... but relic didn't ask you for your changes. They asked Mira.

TLDR; dilute your salt in some more tears before offering up for consumption.

This seems very generalizing and fallacious to me.

While I like some, if not most of the changes when taken individually, the complete package seems lacking and/or unbalanced to me.
That's because if you compare it to the changes in the competetive mod there's quite a lot of them missing:

While in the mod OKW gets compensated with a buffed Raketenwerfer, they get nothing in relic's version.
Or all the heavies get a rear armor nerf, while only the Tiger I got it initially in the preview (this is changed now)
Same with Battlegroup HQ which gets buffed ISG and FHT and again, nothing in relic's version.
And the list goes on.


I'm no magician so I cannot divine how these changes actually play out, but it's my and any other players good right to voice any scepticisms one might have, just as the rest can voice their content with the changes.

This seems very generalizing and fallacious to me.

While I like some, if not most of the changes when taken individually, the complete package seems lacking and/or unbalanced to me.
That's because if you compare it to the changes in the competetive mod there's quite a lot of them missing:

While in the mod OKW gets compensated with a buffed Raketenwerfer, they get nothing in relic's version.
Or all the heavies get a rear armor nerf, while only the Tiger I got it initially in the preview (this is changed now)
Same with Battlegroup HQ which gets buffed ISG and FHT and again, nothing in relic's version.
And the list goes on.


I'm no magician so I cannot divine how these changes actually play out, but it's my and any other players good right to voice any scepticisms one might have, just as the rest can voice their content with the changes.

Don't bother, they don't want to hear the truth. Let's just wait and see the apple rot. As for the other replies: the usual allies bandwagon steps in and +1, nothing to add, you are dead to me since years already.

@broodwarjc: i know i spoke for the silent masses, but trust me on that one, massive uninstall wave is incoming. Not unlike you, i'm ok with testing the new OKW, and see how it goes, but i am SO sceptical that i'll work with half Miragefla mod implemented, that i feel i'll uninstall too in the coming weeks. There are plenty other good games out there, why bother if this one gets frustrating ?

Don't bother, they don't want to hear the truth. Let's just wait and see the apple rot. As for the other replies: the usual allies bandwagon steps in and +1, nothing to add, you are dead to me since years already.

@broodwarjc: i know i spoke for the silent masses, but trust me on that one, massive uninstall wave is incoming. Not unlike you, i'm ok with testing the new OKW, and see how it goes, but i am SO sceptical that i'll work with half Miragefla mod implemented, that i feel i'll uninstall too in the coming weeks. There are plenty other good games out there, why bother if this one gets frustrating ?

Please don't misinterpret me. Just because I do not share their opinion it does not mean I share yours.

Please don't misinterpret me. Just because I do not share their opinion it does not mean I share yours.

I'm not misinterpreting anything, i'm just warning you that you are engaging in a lost cause. You are entitled of your own opinion.

I don't understand some people on this forum, Relic decided to make radical changes for old problem - which is good, made preview patch to test it - witch is also good. In current state state there isn't important good or bad those changes are, what important that Relic ready for those kind of changes. Will this patch solve all problems - no, could it be mistakes in this patch - yes, but it isn't end of the world, it is just first steps in new direction, of course some decisions will be wrong. In almost every patch something is UP and something is OP and people still play, still adapt. It will take more than one patch and 1 month complete those changes, and it will scare only those who are not interested in the better game.

... and it will scare only those who are not interested in the better game.

I agree with you that it might be the first step out of many to come, and that the overall idea is good. But that last sentence i disagree with, people who will uninstall the game will probably just be fed up with frustrating balance. I'm not saying noone will try to make it work, i'm saying that a lot will give up after doing so. Relic aren't wizards and can't predict the future, i am not a wizard either, but odds are really stacked for a disaster in the making.

Anything brought up as concerns for the OKW seems to be met by other players with " oh you have tears and salt." Such apathy.

basically your mad that your going to have to place some effort behind your wins, well get with the program

basically your mad that your going to have to place some effort behind your wins, well get with the program

If that was the only concern, i would be happy with it. I rather fear for the faction's potential to get ANY kind of win, across all modes. But whatever, i knew i'd drew hate by creating this thread, be my guest and go on