I think it's important to keep team games in mind too. Anti air is a lot more important in team games, as is indirect fire.
Could you guys maybe change PACK howi already?
T0 mortar makes it irrelevant, so does T3 scott.
Could you just remove auto fire, increase barrage shells to 5-7 and make it into a proper USF mobile arty this way?
Obviously, barrage performance would be as it is now, just remove auto attack and add some more shells so its worth considering the unit, adjust cost if needed.
It would finally provide USF a cooldown only, non doctrinal barrage weapon that all the other factions have that wouldn't be awkward major arty.
PACK howi atm is not needed and irrelevant, 2 more cost efficient units make it irrelevant and it doesn't serve any unique role in USF army.
My point is simple:
Either full implement similar faction now and start re-balancing.
or
Balance each faction according to individual strengths and weakness.
But PLS stop redesign the game every 6 months.
Each faction used to be balanced like that.
It was unbalanced, because it can't be balanced when different factions have different strengths at different game stages and these "unique strengths" are impossible to be made all game lasting (how is USF strong early infantry presence going to transfer into late game? Why should Ost have armor advantage, letting them close the game against USF just by outlasting them? etc.)
If redesign is needed to keep the game AND ALL the factions relevant, then so be it.
The redesigns happen, because what we had previously DID NOT WORKED.
I'd rather have redesigned and balanced game, then do your beloved "stick to old, irrelevant, proven in action not working design".
Stop clinging to old, obviously broken and not working solutions.
I for one welcome very much this new USF half tier structure, it worked perfectly well for PE in CoH1, it allowed for varied build orders and its flexible enough to adjust unit timings or combinations easily and most importantly, its unique in CoH2 as closest to that tech is what UKF has and UKF still is unique enough with powerful but exclusive options.