The Jackson is wicked unreliable. Look at the changes it was getting before the patch was scrapped to "unforseen circumstances". Far to unforgiving of a unit for how reliant the US are on it (unless you go armor). The sherman is great, but when you compare US final tier to the rest in the game it is clearly the worst.
I'm not even denying how big a problem Armor Company is. But call-in abuse is in no way a one-sided issue. And there is no argument to defend how god awful of an ability thompson crews is, US is the most muni-hungry faction in the game and its not at all worth it to drop that on that crew.
Jackson wasn't unreliable, it was m10 on steroids that nobody wanted because m10 is good enough and jackson requires a tier.
The changes made in FBP (which i btw support completely as usf being my "second" main) were aimed towards giving usf jackson a DIFFERENT role from m10 of sniper rather than kiting vehicle in a way it doesn't overlaps with m1.
The FBP version doesn't come from a buff, but an overhaul, costed more but got more staying power against vehicles.
It's a good change because it gives usf a tank sniper like other factions, rather than a hit and run vehicle, but by no way it means jackson now is "bad", especially if you look at 20 fuel difference over same gun.
Thompson given to vehicle crews are extremely good and make those usf sturmpios.
Problem is that double bar doesn't require a braincell to be in activity.
Fact that people consider bad a unit that is basically core in 2 factions for a faction that has all kind of smoke to support such cqb units just show how stupid is the concept of mainline fullfilling any ai role against any threat.
I wished you cared to explain how a unit that cost you nothing but 200 mp to recrew, outdps dedicated cqb units and can exploit only starting bad RA with smoke is bad..
And you still need to find me an axis doctrine that can provide you ai/at call ins abd eventually avoid teching like lend lease and armored company do, because if i call stug e/command panzer but than tech to stug g/panther the problem doesn't exist.