USF needs more AT options.

Yes and all of your hypothesis is subject to players skill and usage of two abilities. Also there are enough video of gameplay showing Puma is actually a counter for the Stuart and not the opposite, shell shock or not.
Now, the same way a 222 can catch off guard a M15 and kill it, a Stuart can do the same with a Puma which is good for the balance.

A 222 beating an AAHT is unlikely unless the AAHT player screws up hard. Stuart vs Puma is a much more even fight.

If the Stuart advances then the Puma reverses, popping smoke when Shell Shock is used. If the Puma advances then the Stuart advances back. At close range the smoke won't save the Puma because the Stuart can drive through it before Shell Shock wears off.

The Puma wins the chase. The Stuart wins the joust. The defender chooses which it is.

It's a much more interesting matchup than the RNGfest of AEC versus Puma.

The problem is the Stuart may be able to fight the Puma, but you can never really finish it or lay chase. Nobody wants to dive their Stuart to kill a Puma when Raks are invisible and can easily finish off a Stuart from stealth.

The stuart isn't great AI, nor is the Puma. They both basically exist to counter one another on the field....

However what put the USF at a disvantage in this fight is the fact A)

Volks all have fausts as well as Sturms can (if they care to) upgrade to Shrecks in the field.

Puma has superior range on a Stuart

Raks can go camo and a Puma + Rak is a dead stuart.

So what's the USF got to counter that early, light vehicle play? Well you got rifles, the 57mm AT gun which should keep the Puma at bay. You got a Captain who's really good at giving Volks veterancy... uh.. but if you want any AT you have to retreat back to your base and re-equip, pay some fuel (which is so little fuel I'm surprised people think that giving a free weapon rack would be the end of us all ).

The USF AT options are fairly weak, and they show their colors in team games more than 1v1. The fact you can have late game tank engagements, and the Jacksons are at a distinct disadvantage by being Open topped because ARtillery is decimating them is a big problem right now.

Maybe Riflemen squads should have their rifle grenades fixed. And by saying fixed, i mean change the animation, because it takes so long for the Rifleman to load the projectile, aim and shoot it. Not to mention that as casual Americans, they yell "HIT IT WITH THE RIFLE GRENADE!" which is a signal for your vehicle to reverse to safety so that it won't get hit.

The only thing I would like changed is allowing the 57 mm to be build from the HQ building if you go LT or Captain, similar to the MG-34 for OKW. Other than that, Weapon Racks should be side tech since 2x Bars and 2x Zooks would be to good if you didn't have to pay at all for the sidetech. Maybe tie the 50.Cal and 57mm Paradrop into one ability for the Airborne Doctrine so the commander doesn't become redundant.

I like this suggestion. The AT gun should come from main building

I like this suggestion. The AT gun should come from main building

IMO the better solution would be to rearrange the tech. Captain tier would be extremely unappealing without an being the sole provider of at guns while still lacking suppression. It’s bad design that the .50 cal and AAHT (suppression platforms) are in the same tier while the at gun and Stuart (at options) are in the same tier and both tiers lack what the other has.

I would be fine with the 57mm being in LT Tier to make the M20 more appealing and the 50.Cal being moved to Captain tier just to make it slightly more appealing to go for Captain in some situations. I also kind of wish Nades were just slightly cheaper. Maybe 15-20 fuel instead of 25.

I would be fine with the 57mm being in LT Tier to make the M20 more appealing and the 50.Cal being moved to Captain tier just to make it slightly more appealing to go for Captain in some situations. I also kind of wish Nades were just slightly cheaper. Maybe 15-20 fuel instead of 25.

Let's be honest.

If you put together HMG + ATgun, the tier getting Will be the get to go and the other one left forever. With that you can stale until T3 without spending much fuel. If Captain get M15 + Stuart, that's mean you need to spend 100 fuel to use both of them, and both of them are easily countered/kept at bay by Axis PUMA. 100 fuel Will put your waaay behind on the late game.

If you put together HMG + Stuart and M15 + Atgun, people Will most likely choose HMG + Stuart because the Stuart hold better early armored vehicle than M1 and has enough AI to cover flank and HMG suppress well enough in comparison to the M15. Thus making the tier having them the get to go, again.
If the Stuart joins T1, the decision to go Captain will be more on using the pak than M15/ATgun.

In other words, mixing AT and Suppression is all we want but would completely break the faction. Or including a strong remodeling of both Stuart and M15 to give them strong abilities that worth the price.

Was gonna make a topic of its own to ask this, but how do you deal with early luch/222/flame HT even as USF in 1v1 ? Seems like you have no options unless youre straight up much better and cheese something.

Was gonna make a topic of its own to ask this, but how do you deal with early luch/222/flame HT even as USF in 1v1 ? Seems like you have no options unless youre straight up much better and cheese something.

LT vs OST: AAHT beats both single 222 and flametrack
CPT vs OKW: AT gun for luchs, stuart is "ok" but its pretty risky. Doesn't deal enough damage fast enough to get a luchs because it'll be backed by a rak unless it overextends or takes engine damage.