When I first made the video talking about PTRS Penals and I mentioned M42, I couldn't articulate my thoughts on it so I breezed over it. I have had a think about putting the M42 on Tier 1 as opposed to PTRS Penals and I have come up with the following issues, aside from the fact that its out of scope and probably not possible to get cleared by Relic anyway
- It's a boring overlap to just have a shitty version of the Ziss gun on Tier1, whether or not its got some gimicks to make it useful. PTRS Penals is a more unique approach that's completely different to the Ziss gun. This makes Tier1 actually feel unique instead of "It's Tier2 minus the Maxim." since you could argue that Sniper and Mortar fill a similar role. (dislodging and harassing static units)
- M42 won't scale into the late game where as PTRS Penals are mobile and still decent due to deflection damage. (Assuming that Penals can get a 3rd PTRS option later on in the game which we have coming for 1.3) If M42 gets deflection damage its then going to be the only AT gun in the game with deflection, where as all infantry-based AT weapons have deflection damage
- It will require the commanders with M42 on it to have a new ability, which will be more work and would put it even more out of scope of the patch
- PTRS Penals gives a lot of fun synergy with M3 and M5, which will help those units become more interesting because currently they're not very useful or at least one-dimensional. (M3 as Flamer Clown Car, M5 as Quad.)
- Having to build the M-42 instead of just upgrading PTRS to ward off light vehicles will make Tier 1 even weaker, and that's the opposite of what the concern is now of making people actually want to go Tier1 over Conspam and/or T2. Conspam gives better early game pressure and more AT utility, Tier 2 is more robust and gives better strategic flexibility (and Maxims are OP) Without Flamer Penals being so overpowered, and with Guards being nerfed, what reasons is there for players to want to go Tier1? The only real reason is the Sniper and better scaling of Penals compared to Conscripts.
- Whilst not necccesary buffing the anti tank of Soviets due to the heavy investment it requires, PTRS Penals give strategic flexibility to anti-tank in ways that all other factions have, since M42 will have the same counters and vulnerabilities as Ziss. In team games, Soviets can be in a very limiting spot late game if heavy Axis Tank destroyers nullify all their armour and Offmaps, Rocket Arty & Sturmtiger can constantly deny AT guns. With no infantry-based AT, Soviets have little options in these situations.
I watched your video and in the first part when you talk about why PTRS is a good solution, each argument can be used to justifie M-42 as well.
1. So you say M-42 and ZiS overlap but in the video you say that overlapping is not a problem and Penals+Guards won't overlap, huh? Well it overlaps with ZiS to a smaller extent than Penals and Guards. M-42 is way weaker but it's also more mobile and has way better RoF while PTRSes are excatly the same for Penals and Guards (in terms of AT).
2. Then make it scale by making vet ability which increases pen/damage/range + I belive I'm on of few with huge experience with M-42 (I played for months only with defensive tactics) and reaching 10k damage by single M-42 is not a problem.
3. How much more work it require to change M-42 for, let's say, PTRS Cons? How much time it takes to replace 2 ability slots? 5mins?
4. They also give feeling of blobbing and making only 1 type of unit against infantry and vehicles.
On the other hand M-42 gives what this game should be about - combined arms, not 1 unit with different upgrades.
5. How M-42 will make weaker T1 than PTRS? It's opposite. By upgrading PTRS you make your Penals very weak in terms of AI and very weak agasint late game tanks. From good AI you get something which is bad in both. M-42 gives you option to leave Penals without PTRS ergo they AI fully remain ergo you don't waste ammo and 1 squad just to keep at bay light vehicles which will turn in late game into useless unit.
6. Let's be honest. PTRS Penals are not AT infantry. They are here to keep at bay LVs, that's all and in late game they will be useless, unless you blob like 4 squads with PTRS.
By upgrading Penlas with PTRS you just make them useless, wasted pop cap. They will do the job by holding LVs but what's next? Third PTRS? Come on... It's like trying to make PTRS Penals great AT infantry by force becasue of lack of ideas. On the onther hand M-42 gives you option not to upgrade Penals, which won't be wasted pop in late game, combined arms, using different units, no blobbing and you still can use it in late game with some vet ability.
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