Balance Preview Mod - Your Thoughts After Using It

Hello! I decided to dedicate this thread to your thoughts of the balance preview mod AFTER using the preview mod (found here: Balance Preview Mod), so I'd strongly suggest you'd try it out before you're post your thoughts. I'll go ahead and start by sharing my thoughts of the mod after using it for 3 or so hours (what I posted on the official mod feedback thread):

I found one bug so far: The Panzer IV Command Tank's aura doesn't seem to affect any units now, or
that's at least what I experienced when I used it. I was really surprised at how great this patch
is, and I really underestimated you guys (Both Relic and Miragefla). I downloaded the patch
expecting a vulnerable OKW, over-performing allied factions, and a same old neglected Wehrmacht,
but you very much proved me wrong. So far, I think this patch is a step in the right direction (in
terms of balance). I'm still sticking to the recommendation of you considering the addition of
panzerjäger to the OKW Medical HQ, which, in my opinion, would fit in very well with the rest of
the patch features. The volksgrenadiers are working great for mainline infantry that do an amazing
job of AI when upgraded with STGs (By the way, nice recycled infrared STG icon). The USF mortar
opens up new strategies for the USF as you said, and is a very nice fit in the faction. I never
thought I'd be saying this, but the T-34/76 isn't entirely useless now thanks to you! Penals are
performing great, and are in a really good position with their new buffs and price increase. Since
we're on the subject of soviets now, I'd like to bring up the conscript's AT grenade. Their AT
grenade, from what I've experienced, should have it's wind up time increased by a bit. At it's
current state in the patch, it's really a bit too sudden, and doesn't give vehicles enough time to
back up from the squad. I'd either suggest reducing the throwing range, reverting the wind up time
entirely, or increasing it to somewhere in-between how it is in the current game, and the mod's
version. I still haven't purchased the British faction yet (I'm not really that interesting in a
faction based around emplacements), so that just about wraps up what I had in mind about the patch
so far. Great job on the mod so far, and I'd like to thank you (the Relic Staff and Miragefla) for
the Hard work you put into this patch.

Sincerely,
Karbinder

Now, go ahead and post your thoughts if you wish to. The time for discussion has begun!

Too soon to say. Need at least 50 games to give Opinion.

but from what I have seen so far Its a gigantic leap in the right direction.

PS. T34s imo will be great at 1v1s, but I think they will still be a piece of pudding in team games, they are still too unresponsive.

Yeah you jumped the gun a bit. You should at least preface it by saying VERY EARLY PRELIMINARY THOUGHTS.

Yeah you jumped the gun a bit. You should at least preface it by saying VERY EARLY PRELIMINARY THOUGHTS.

As long as you've tried it for Relic's recommended time (a couple hours or greater), and you got thoughts, it's welcome here.

Too soon to say. Need at least 50 games to give Opinion.

but from what I have seen so far Its a gigantic leap in the right direction.

PS. T34s imo will be great at 1v1s, but I think they will still be a piece of pudding in team games, they are still too unresponsive.

?

They're 280 MP / 80 fuel this patch.

Just go Soviet x4 and build 5-10 each.

Need a few adjustments but overall fantastic patch relic!!

Glad to see the community adopting it!!!

The biggest change Shreck Cancer is gone!!!

It IS definitely premature, but as long as I preface it with that I can tell you my preliminary thoughts. It works better than I thought it would for okw. It is a real challenge to stay abreast of teching and in the at dept but I do like challenges and it feels rewarding. I still think raketen needs range buff and back teching to med then having to buy meds is a bit much. But yeah the stg volks are pretty badass. That and the non doc mg open up a whole bunch of other non-meta doctrines since you don't need elite call ins or mg call in. Problem is that medium tanks take much longer now since any sensible fellow will buy a puma then need meds too which now costs fuel. I seriously recommend a change to the side tech costs, at least for something so important as medics. On the other hand I was awash with munitions for Sturm med pacs. That just feels a bit clunky to rely on past early game though.

Only played one game as usf. Seemed like a weird choice to go mortar that early so I stuck with rifles and grenades for the game. Pak Howie will always be more deadly.

Haven't played other factions yet. Looking forward to the new brummbar though.

I also wish they'd fix the goofy puma pathfinding. 360 spins look like Buster Keaton is driving.

this patch is actually kinda funny, played about 8 or 9 games on stream. from a 2v2 perspective OKW seems a lot stronger now.
prepatch, volks would really struggle to hold the line against vet/geared/specialized allied infantry, but thanks to the STG they can actually be pretty aggressive and will beat unupgraded allied infantry. allies basically HAVE to invest into bars,lmgs,ppsh, or specialized CQC infantry to actually stand a chance. okw used to have a dip in relative powerlevel in the mid game, and then spike again in the late game, but now its a pretty smooth ride thanks to the fact that volks can hold their own and even aggressively defeat infantry.

light vehicles arent that much more of a problem actually. you still cant go balls deep into volks since they can just chain faust you or faust + raketen and your light vehicle is done for. the shrek change only really affects volk vs tank combat, but by the time allied tanks roll out you should already have a tank of your own to deal with it.

t34 spam is borderline op, the hull/coaxial mgs are actually really strong right now and can drop models at a good pace. that and combined with the fact that theyre barely more expensive than a t70 means you can have a lot of these and never stop building them

penals are on the op side imo, their weakness to vehicles can really be covered up by guards and AT partisans, i feel like their role overlaps with shocks too much.

also i highly recommend using the USF mortar smoke barrage, the crew fires it really quickly compared to other mortars (this is undocumented but intended) so you can create a nice smoke screen pretty quickly.

The biggest change Shreck Cancer is gone!!!

T-34/76 spam is now a viable tactic. One cancer goes, another comes to take it's place.

also i highly recommend using the USF mortar smoke barrage, the crew fires it really quickly compared to other mortars (this is undocumented but intended) so you can create a nice smoke screen pretty quickly.

Good to see US has exactly zero reason to spend munitions on smoke with all their other abilities then.

Good to see US has exactly zero reason to spend munitions on smoke with all their other abilities then.

They still have a reason to spend munitions on other forms of smoke. Other smokescreens can be much more convenient, or in some cases, more effective. It's kind of like saying that there's no reason to use a panzerfaust now that I have a tank destroyer/panzerschreck.

They still have a reason to spend munitions on other forms of smoke. Other smokescreens can be much more convenient, or in some cases, more effective. It's kind of like saying that there's no reason to use a panzerfaust now that I have a tank destroyer/panzerschreck.

Also they might not want to invest in mortars. grenades are a half measure, always have been. Mortars are a full counter.

They still have a reason to spend munitions on other forms of smoke. Other smokescreens can be much more convenient, or in some cases, more effective. It's kind of like saying that there's no reason to use a panzerfaust now that I have a tank destroyer/panzerschreck.

I think my point is more that there's a reason that USF pays for smoke. Giving them a mortar gives them a cheap and effective tool for dealing with their counters in the early game, and in the mid game munitions limited how frequently USF could use smoke to set up attacks with units like the Sherman or M8A1.

It also discourages the grenade upgrade, because mortar is marginally more expensive in terms of manpower yet doesn't cost a minute of fuel and will do the job better.

I think a big consequence of STG volks is considerably imporoved team weapon clearing. Getting close to MG's and mortars seems to punish the Allies more, especially since the volks can then steal the abandoned weapons. This is definitely a change for the better and encourages more flanking/aggression.

mg42 call in need to be changed to tank buster squad with panzerschreck.
overall changes are cool. t34 is overbuffed. penal is fine.

I think my point is more that there's a reason that USF pays for smoke. Giving them a mortar gives them a cheap and effective tool for dealing with their counters in the early game, and in the mid game munitions limited how frequently USF could use smoke to set up attacks with units like the Sherman or M8A1.

It also discourages the grenade upgrade, because mortar is marginally more expensive in terms of manpower yet doesn't cost a minute of fuel and will do the job better.

You are acting like there is a mortar added into current US builds. The truth is that it is a totally different build where a mortar replaces a rifle squad.

All that changes is that USF has more options to approach the a MG heavy situation. And both options have their benefits and faults. The mortar is in no way superior to grenades like you are making it out to be.

I think a big consequence of STG volks is considerably imporoved team weapon clearing. Getting close to MG's and mortars seems to punish the Allies more, especially since the volks can then steal the abandoned weapons. This is definitely a change for the better and encourages more flanking/aggression.

...but both sides can do that already just fine.

Though with StG Volks, it'll certainly be much easier for OKW to do so instead of having to use the expensive Falls/StG Obers/Sturms for the task.