UKF Hammer/Anvil rework suggestion.

So with all of the recent talks about bolster and the UC tweaks I wanted to pitch in an old idea of mine for a possible British tech rework of sorts for the next balance patch, similar to the USF one in the commander revamp patch.

In essence the idea was to put the Anvil/Hammer "site-tech" in the HQ (T0), thus allowing the player to choose from the very start what they wanna do exactly, be mobile and aggressive or static and defensive.

This however eliminated the Bofors and AEC side techs in T1 but I'll get to it in a second. Also the current T0 upgrades like Grenades and weapon racks would either be combined as a single, 3rd side tech or moved to T1.

Bolster would be integrated into Anvil and Hammer.

Now to get to the jist of it, what I imagine this would do is a sort of Offensive/Support side tech for the Eastern Germany Army from the Eastern Front mod for the original CoH where each side tech allowed the player to choose what they wanted to go based on the units and abilities they needed or planned around.

So I roughtly translated it like this for the Brits in this game -

T0 - HQ

IS
Vickers MMG
UC

Hammer/Anvil side tech
Possible 3rd combined unlock upgrade for the Grenades and weapon racks, maybe medics instead?

T1 (Based on choice)

Sappers (non-dependent on choice)
Sniper (non-dependent on choice)

AEC (Hammer)
3-inch Mortar team (Hammer) - Using the Ostheer GrW 34 model.

Bofors (Anvil)
Mortar pit (Anvil)

Possible Grenade and Weapon racks unlock side-tech upgrades.

T2 (Same as before)

Cromwell
Firefly

Cantaur (Hammer)
Comet (Hammer)

17 Pounder emplacement (Anvil)
Churchill (Anvil)

As you can see here the most dramatic change would be for T2 and Hammer/Anvil themselves where I at least would change up a bit their added abilities where they provide specific tool kits and bonuses.

So for example in my mind it goes something like this -

Hammer, unlocks agressive abilities and units, focus on Infantry Sections.

Anvil, unlocks defensive abilities and units, focus on Sappers.

Now since I'm integrating Bolster into these 2 what I'm thinking is that it should be tailored to each choice. So for example Anvil would make Sappers a 5 man squad and also give them the ability to build trenches and sandbags, while Hammer would instead make the IS a 5 man squad but they'll only have access to sandbags and maybe lower their debuff when out of cover because they will need to be more aggressive.

Apart from that, the Recon Sections upgrade for the IS will replace the War Speed upgrade in Hammer since the focus will be more on them rather than Sappers who are the only ones able to apply it to vehicles. Heavy Engineer upgrade will also allow you to over-repair your vehicles again like in the first game. Maybe the Sappers could also get their Flamethowers from Anvil?

I was thinking of Hull Down for the Brits in Anvil as well and maybe some more/different abilities based on your choice but I think it would steer off too much in the radical direction as this is more like meant to be in a similiar manner to the USF tech rework instead of a fully-fledged redesign of the Army. Point is I'm not so sure how to make Anvil be viable and not have Hammer be an automatic choice every match.

Feel free to discuss it here, cheers.

I have suggested similar changes a long time ago.

Actually the hole anvil/hammer option could help balance the faction.

For instance one could remove the cover mechanism and make it available to anvil only while hammer would get a 5 member.
Hammer could give access to bren with assault rifle profile while anvil vickers K with Lmg profile.

Emplacement could be more durable and/or have less pop with anvil and so on.

Sounds interesting

I have suggested similar changes a long time ago.

Actually the hole anvil/hammer option could help balance the faction.

For instance one could remove the cover mechanism and make it available to anvil only while hammer would get a 5 member.
Hammer could give access to bren with assault rifle profile while anvil vickers K with Lmg profile.

Emplacement could be more durable and/or have less pop with anvil and so on.

Yeah but the cover mechanism would need to become a flat bonus/improvement and not act like a debuff when the section is out of cover for it to make sense and not have the 5 man squad be a superior choice to it.

And my idea for emplacements was just to altogheter lock them behind Anvil for whoever wants to use them, to me they should be a choice and not forced upon the player like in the mortar pit's case.

I mean yeah they're there if you would like to use them and you got that option but we're not gonna force you to and then wait 3 years to release a commander with a mobile mortar team.

UKF need nerf but this is ruining UKF

just nerf bolster upgrade(put in company command post) and mils bomb(cost 25->30, minimum range 0->5)

also add top mounted MG upgrade in hammer tactics

thats it

Don't make things more complicated

T1 (Based on choice)

Sappers (non-dependent on choice)
Sniper (non-dependent on choice)

AEC (Hammer)
3-inch Mortar team (Hammer) - Using the Ostheer GrW 34 model.

Bofors (Anvil)
Mortar pit (Anvil)

Possible Grenade and Weapon racks unlock side-tech upgrades.

T2 (Same as before)

Cromwell
Firefly

Cantaur (Hammer)
Comet (Hammer)

17 Pounder emplacement (Anvil)
Churchill (Anvil)

and like this anvil is dead, lietrally

T1 (Based on choice)

Sappers (non-dependent on choice)
Sniper (non-dependent on choice)

AEC (Hammer)
3-inch Mortar team (Hammer) - Using the Ostheer GrW 34 model.

Bofors (Anvil)
Mortar pit (Anvil)

Possible Grenade and Weapon racks unlock side-tech upgrades.

T2 (Same as before)

Cromwell
Firefly

Cantaur (Hammer)
Comet (Hammer)

17 Pounder emplacement (Anvil)
Churchill (Anvil)

and like this anvil is dead, lietrally

That's why I mentioned hull down and other stuff for Anvil in order to make it viable and not have Hammer be the go to choice for literally every game.

Altho Anvil will probably be more of pick for team games where you need to be the meatshield for your team who will be much more mobile and hard hitting than you.

The solution to emplacements is to overhaul them, not to lock good units behind emplacement builds.

Interesting,I like this

Brits are already strugglinng with their lack of stock units to fill certain roles

Splitting the brits into two half armies with even less choice is not going to help.

Not to mention that under that proposal nobody is ever going to use anything but hammer.

IS Bolster, the near mandatory AEC, a non doc mortar, the entirity of the centaur? Literally no point to pick anvil.