OKW has 7 different types of infantry filling literally all the possible roles multiple times.
Stripping STGs from volks all together and just locking weapon upgrades for them behind doctrines would be sufficient change that would do 4 things at once:
- discourage mindless volkspam and volkblobs
- encourage ose of multiple other infantries
- leave them with enough muni to use off maps more reliably
- allow cons to actually compete if relic remains with hard-on for not giving them anything late game
I think that is a bad idea, and one of the biggest proposed nerf to OKW I have ever seen without seeing anything that can compensate for it.
- Discourages mindless volkspam and volksblobs
It is a main line infantry. It will be used more so that others for obvious reasons. If volks spam is an issue then double BAR rifles or double bren Inf Section is also an issue.
Don't see you mentioning that though. See below for why "volks spam" is a thing as well.
- Encourage use of multiple other infantry types
Then make the other infantry types more accessible/ useful. FSJ at 3 CP, Obers arriving when tanks arrive does not make "using other types of infantry" easy. 2 CP Panzerfusiliers are nice, but locked to literally ONE doctrine. Same same with FSJs in ONE doctrine.
What if I dont want to use a Jagdtiger? Then I am stuck with Volksgren carrying my sorry ass all the way til at least CP3, or if I had a doctrine with no call-ins, until Obers.
The only two thing that arrives at 1 CP is JLIs which are overpowered as hell (with nerf coming in), and sturm officer which is limited to one, and does not even vet.
- Leave them with enough muni to use off map
This is one of the most retarded "filler" reason I have ever seen.
I can also leave Allies with enough muni to use off maps by removing BAR/ Zooks/ Bren/ PIAT pick ups.
You either dump your muni into weapons (Stgs, LMGs, BARs, zooks, Piats, pintle MGs), use abilities (Fausts, nades), use off maps or lay mines.
Sector arty, Sector assault, Zeroing arty, Rocket Barrage, airborne assault are all 200 muni off maps with very specific application/ uses. The next cheaper one is Salvage operation's 105mm barrage at 180 muni.
Valiant assault is the cheapest, and probably the most criminally underused ability. Not sure if it counts under your definition of off map.
In comparison the Ost Light artillery barrage, or sov Incendiary barrage is cheaper, and usable in many more situations, thus it is obvious why you won't see as much OKW off maps.
If I see a pak that can threaten my tanks as Ost or Sov, I drop incend or light artillery barrage on it to kill it/ make it move. As OKW though, I am not calling in sector arty to make a single pak go away.
Finally, OKW's commanders seem to like the "One commander, one off map" set up. If the commander is shit, then that off map will never be seen because no one would use it.
- Allows cons to compete
Probably the only argument I kinda agree with, but then again, PPSH cons that can repair your T-34-85/ KV-1 is also a thing.
There are also enough doctrines with PPSH cons package going around that makes it a non-issue if you want to go all-in on Conscripts. Some of which comes with T-34-85s (Advanced War), or KV-1s (cons support, and a bunch of others).
They also have penals easily accessible, and if penals or cons arent your thing, there are also guards and shocks at TWO CP generously sprinkled into almost every doctrine at 2 CP.
Of the 20 odd commanders, 7 does not have shocks, guards, or PPSH packages.
- Community Defence (lol)
- Partisans (2 unique call-ins and not really used?)
- NKVD (Commissar, tank deleting barrage)
- Tank Hunter (PTRS upgrades and stealth gives cons another use)
- Lend Lease
- Industry (KV-2 and KV-8)
- Armored Assault (T-34-85 and IS-2)
Taking away the meme community defence and partisan commanders, you have 5 doctrines which does not give you guards, shocks, or PPSH upgrades.
Tank Hunter gives your cons PTRS upgrade and turns them into a dedicated AT squad, with a different purpose in mind so you are supposed to use penals to cover them. So that leaves 4 doctrines where your cons have no utility, and no call-in infantry (shocks/ guards) to back them up.
I will not count the Lend Lease M5 assault group's token guards squad.
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7 infantry to fill all roles if they are accessible ))))
2 infantry type that can be main line - Volks/ Pfus
2 Elite infantry type that kills well, but bleeds heavily - Obers/ Falls
1 overpowered/ need nerf infantry - JLI
1 "officer" - Sturm Officer
1 Engineer/ Anti-Tank/ Psuedo-Assault/ Flamer infantry - Sturmpioneer