I wanted to share my opinions and apprehension about the changes that are coming in the live version from the preview. I have played about 8-10 games on the preview as of yet and this is what I think on every change that affects the UKF faction directly or indirectly. Keep in mind that I am mainly looking at these from a 1vs1 and 2vs2 viewpoint.
1. Infantry Section
Infantry Sections are having their capture bonus removed to reduce British early game map control.
Capture bonus removal
-This change is pretty significant when combined with the sandbags nerf, the reason why tommies have increased capping power is because they are so bad at dislodging entrenched positions so that cap bonus allowed them to cap faster and get into a favourable position faster. Don't forget tommies have a penalty of +5% increased received accuracy when out of cover for some reason. That meant they would be able to hold their ground better.
The Raid package is being scrapped with focus being placed on other elements of the British arsenal to help take map control. Furthermore, their medical kits are being increased in price due to how efficient they are while Mill Bombs are having their fuse time increase to match other grenades.
Raid Package removed
Grenade fuse time from 1 to 1.25
Medical Supplies upgrade from 30 to 45
-Here is by far one of the biggest nerf for ukf. Removing the raid package is good and increasing the grenade fuse is also warranted. Increasing the ammo cost for the med supplies to 45 is just too brutal for ukf in the early game mainly vs wher. The first healing supplies arrive slightly later but the second and third supplies arrive much much later, making the ukf squads bleed A LOT, especially if you get pushed off temporarily in the early game. I would suggest reverting back the ammo increase for the med supplies completely when you consider all the other nerfs tommies are receiving already.
Sandbags
We are increasing the time it takes to build sandbags for a select number of units. This will make it more of a strategic choice to build sandbags, because building them in the early game will hinder the pace at which the map can be captured. This should encourage players to build sandbags only in vital locations, rather than putting them everywhere their line infantry goes to capture points.
Sandbag build time increased from 12 to 18 seconds for Infantry Sections, Riflemen and Volks
-This change affects all factions except for grenadiers and ostruppens sandbags but it is especially brutal for tommies because they struggle to take back entrenched position. They need cover much more than any other unit outside ostruppens, so the fact they will pretty much never be able to complete these sandbags in the early game means you will almost never fight from green cover position anymore which can be extremely painful vs squads that are better out of cover like volks or grens at mid range, On such maps as crossroads you used to be able to capture your fuel and build a sandbag on the bottom right corner from south spawn before an enemy squad would come up but now you can't do that. So now you basically have to forget building sandbags in the back points in the early game unless you want to severely limit your capping power because of the removal of the capping speed to tommies as well. And buildings sandbags on frontline territory in the early game means you will almost always get caught off and lose the fight horribly.
Trenches
The following change will make trenches easier to siege with non-indirect fire weapons and give players an option to destroy them during combat.
Target size from 2 to 17; target size no longer changes when garrisoned or ungarrisoned
- This change is warranted and fair, nerfing trenches by increasing the cost or something else would have been extremely punishing along that quite significant nerf. Instead of building 10-15 trenches to withstand indirect fire or hordes of axis infantry, you will simply need 20-30 instead.
2. Vickers
All Heavy Machine Gun Teams
The following changes should address some of the issues HMGs have when dealing with massed infantry when there is no cover available. By having two members of the crew forward, they will draw fire away from the gunner, allowing the MG to operate when under fire. Manual Reload has also been added to the unit to allow player input on on reloads.
Formation changes; when in the open, two of the crew members will now stand slightly ahead of the MG.
Manual Reload added.
All HMGs will now have an icon when using AP abilities
-This is a change affecting all factions but the vickers will be helped greatly by this because of the lacking suppression that can sometimes happen, the extra men dying before the gunner will most likely allow it to suppress larger blobs.
Vickers HMG Team
The passive bonus of the Vickers is being changed into a timed ability. This should allow the Vickers's veterancy 1 ability be more useful in the majority of situation.
'Take Aim' replaces veterancy 1 garrison bonus. Improves range by 7, accuracy by +15%, penetration by +6. Cycle a reload before activating. Can be used in garrisons. 15 munitions.
-After multiple testing I realize this is a good ability, it allows you to inflict more dmg and suppress a little bit more while also being to deal with lightly armored targets when setup. The removal of sight in garrisons is a shame but the increase in pen and accuracy makes it up for it. I am not sure if it's supposed to be like that but the vickers needs to reload before AND after using these rounds, making it quite vulnerable after the ability runs off.
3. Medics/ Forward Assembly
Now have a healing aura that heals 7.5% of an infantry models health per second in an area of 5; does not stack on itself.
-That change is alright for the medics for ukf I guess but I still would never build them, because they cost 3 pop constantly and reduce your manpower income. It can be hard to even afford 3 pop in the late game as ukf. I would put them to 1 man 1 pop or attached to the hq costing 200 mp like soviets. The forward assembly could be reduced in manpower to 150 if the option of putting medics in hq is not possible. The fact you can't upgrade medics and retreat point at the same time is already bad enough.
UKF Medic squad
Due to the buggy nature of the squad’s automatic healing, it is being replaced.
Automatic healing removed
Replaced with ambulance-like AOE healing ability that locks squad into place and slowly heals units in proximity over time
-Good change in making the medics a pseudo ambulance when combined with the fact they will get aoe healing. They are still pretty bad though outside when you go for lend lease. 3 pop is not something you can easily afford as ukf in the late game.
Forward Assembly
The Forward Assembly is seeing a reduction in its build-time to present itself as an option as both a reinforce point and base healing structure.
Build time from 45 to 37.5
-Honestly this change is pretty insignificant considering it still takes ~40 seconds to build healing, and its quite expensive too, 200 manpower and 60 ammo compared to 150 mp and 60 ammo from wher for example. The huge size of it also does not help with base pathing. => Should reduce the cost to 150 manpower or include medics when built with the optino to upgrade to retreat point.
British HQ Structures
To make it easier to utilize other healing options, infantry will now retreat directly towards the HQ, rather than to the Platoon or Company Command Post.
Infantry will now rally towards the HQ Truck rather than to other base structures structures.
The following change should relieve some of the issues when there are too many models in the base which blocks the path of medics.
-Good change in helping medics or forward assembly build work a bit better but it also increase the vulnerability of ukf to leFH18 and rocket artillery to a certain extent.
4.Universal Carrier
The Universal Carrier is receiving a slight nerf by adding a fuel cost to the unit. Its effectiveness in the early game warrants a slight delay to British teching.
Fuel cost to 5
-While that nerf is fair and justified it is another indirect nerf to the aec timing making your UC even more vulnerable to 222 and the likes. I would recommend keeping this fuel cost while removing the increase in build time for the aec. The fact the aec basically gets 3 timing nerf is way too much. Removal of capping bonus, increase in build time and another indirect nerf with the 5 fuel cost of the UC which you usually need vs wher.
5.AEC
The AEC is seeing a build-time increase to push the unit back slightly to give other LVs more opportunities to roam before the unit appears. The sight is also being reduced to make it more difficult for the AEC to hunt for targets on its own.
Build time from 45 to 60
Sight from 50 to 42; veterancy 2 returns sight to 50
-This change on its own is fine but combined with the removal of the capping speed bonus for the tommies means the aec is getting triple nerfed in one patch. It will be pretty hard to deal with the 222 with the big timing nerf the aec got with these 2 changes. Meaning the UC will have to pull out much faster reducing it's efficacity. 222 will also be able to bully around sections much longer ~1min30/2min especially on close quarters maps since sections don't have snares like other mainlines.
AEC and Bofors Tech
AEC and Bofors tech will no longer be mutually exclusive. The resource cost needed for each already acted as a gate from the other being purchased, and given the AEC already being the prime choice due to its mobility, there is no reason to further punish the choice of Bofors.
AEC and Bofors tech will no longer lock each other out from being purchased
-This is a good meme and it will allow more 4vs4 newbies to use bofors along AEC.
6.Royal Engineers
Royal Engineers are being moved to the HQ to encourage different builds from the British, help provide map control over the more expensive Infantry Section, and provide a cheaper supporting unit. A number of their abilities and construction options are being pushed back to avoid having a significant impact in the early game.
Now trained in the HQ rather than the Platoon Command Post
Destroy Cover, Heat Grenade, and Forward Assembly require Platoon Command Post
Medics
Given the changes to Royal Engineers and the timing of most healing options for other factions, Medics are being moved into the Platoon Command Post.
Now trained at the Platoon Command Post rather than the HQ
-This is a decent change, I feel like royal engis should be able to use destroy cover in the early game since it's so hard to build your own sandbags at that time. Making medics comes in the platoon is alright.
Sappers and the Assault Officer are having their capture rate to help increase the UKF's map control in the later stages of the game.
Capture rate from 1 to 1.25
-This feels like nothing but a band-aid to try and give back some of the original capture rate to really bad units at that role. Royal engis have more tasks to do than try and cap on the sides of the map. And the ass officer cap rate increase is nice I guess.
Royal Engineers are having their speed debuff from their Heavy Engineers upgrade removed as it prevented them from zoning out and punishing vehicles with their HEAT grenades.
Heavy Engineer in-combat speed debuff removed
- Good change in hopefully making anvil more attractive because as it stands now it's really bad when you upgrade your engis with that and you equip piats on them to prevent dives from panthers and the likes.
7.Churchill Infantry Tank
The Churchill is seeing the reversion of its population increase due to the British generally having higher than usual population. Furthermore, improvements to its main gun and the addition of a tank commander should make this tank - and Anvil - a better option.
Tank commander upgrade added
Reload from 6.125/7 to 6.125
Population from 19 to 18
-This is a very good change for the churchill which is quite pathetic in the current version, this should allow it to engage tanks more easily and for it to not take as much pop in your composition. The regularization of its reload is also nice vs infantry.
The Churchill is having its rear armor reduced to make it more vulnerable to being flanked by medium tanks, while still retaining higher than usual values due to the Churchill's damage sponge role. The unit is also receiving a pintle machine to increase its firepower against infantry.
Rear armour from 180 to 150
Veterancy 1 now grants a Vickers K pintle; weapon follows the rotation of the turret
Pintle DPS at 0/10/15/20/25/30/35: 8.07/5.90/4.99/4.15/3.38/2.71/2.14
The Churchill is having its population change reverted. If the unit receives additional changes, it will be to make the unit more potent individually.
Population reverted to 19
-Honestly pretty good buffs to the churchill, the tank commander and the pintle provides noticeable increase in dmg to infantry even if it's low. Rear armour nerf is pretty sad on top of the revert to 19 pop. I don't think giving tank commander and a 2 dps pintle at long range is scary enough to remove the 1 pop buff it was going to get. It still has a vet 1 requirement for its grenade lol. Also the vickers pintle upgrade can't fire at planes for some reason.
8.Cromwell
The Cromwell is receiving a new veterancy 1 ability to aid its role as a mobile tank that excels at hunting down injured or lightly armoured vehicles.
Veterancy 1 smoke recharge replaced with the 'Hunt' ability; detects vehicles in the FOW up to range 60 and improves moving accuracy by 20% for 30 seconds. 25 munitions.
-While this is a slight buff I would recommend putting the duration to 30 seconds because it is currently only 20 seconds which is incredibly short, and its quite expensive for this short ability. I still feel the cromwell aoe is so bad so it should at least have that ability lasting 30 seconds.
9.Comet
The Comet is having its fuel cost increased to better reflect its current performance. The WP ready aimtime is also being increased as it activated too quickly previously.
Fuel cost to 185
WP ready aim-time from 1 to 2
-Good nerf, anymore than this without really buffing the cromwell would be really bad for the ukf tank arsenal.
10.Centaur
The Centaur is seeing increases in its mobility and speed. Previously, it was too slow making the unit difficult to use with its average survivability.
Speed from 5.2 to 5.6
Acceleration from 1.8 to 2.2
Rotation rate from 28 to 32
-Decent changes for a unit that is badly in need of help in the live version when compared with the ostwind. I still feel that it's too hard to use when at guns are present on the maps because it does not have blitz or some kind of escape, so you usually only want to build this when facing planes abuse and after you teched hammer so you can actually escape.
11.Valentine Mk IX
The Valentine must now be built from the HQ as a delay mechanism. Previously it could arrive too quickly for the amount of damage it could cause.
Now needs to be built in HQ after being unlocked at 5CPs
50 Second build time.
-Really good change sorely needed, the state of the valentine now reminds us of the mobile defense days when you could call in pumas, only difference was that it is limited to 1 and deals way more infantry dmg.
12.Firefly
The Firefly is having its turret rotation improved. Its current turret rotation speed makes it track slower than most case-mate tank destroyers. The unit's speed with veterancy is also being improved. These changes should make the unit feel more responsive.
Veterancy 1 now grant a speed boost of +10%
Turret horizontal and vertical traverse speed from 18 to 22
Veterancy 2 Turret traverse speed bonus from 1.35 to 1.15
-Good changes for a subpar tank destroyer, pretty much only usable reliably vs heavy tanks. I still feel that vanilla state is firing way too slow, maybe increase the reload by a little bit at vet 0 and scale back the reload at vet 2 so it keeps the final current fire rate. I feel that it should receive either a bit more reload at vet 0 or gain a small amount of penetration with vet. Nothing feels more awful than boucing with a firefly.
13.Mortar Emplacement
The Mortar Emplacement has received a number of changes to make it more usable by being cheaper to initially put down. By granting only one mortar to the player, the UKF player does not need to expand a large amount of resource to get access to basic indirect-fire. The addition of the heavy mortar barrage will give the British a long-range late game artillery unit in the core.
Cost from 350 to 250
Now starts with one mortar active.
2nd Mortar can be activated by upgrading the Emplacement for 100 manpower. 20 second research.
Can now fire a Heavy Mortar Barrage up to range 180 once Hammer or Anvil have been unlocked.
Heavy Barrage fires a total of 8 rounds into the target area with a 120 second recharge; affected by veterancy.
-This is a good change for the pit but I still feel it should be 240 mp initially considering it can't move. The reduction in range of the heavy barrage is good because it seemed very abusive in 1vs1 maps especially.
14. 17 Pounder Emplacement
The 17 Pounder Emplacement's world piercing rounds are being reduced in cost to better match their
performance.
Piercing Rounds from 90 munitions to 60 munitions
-Very good change, allowing the 17 pounder to roleplay as a pak 43 for 30 seconds for cheaper. 90 ammo was just too expensive
15.Bug Fixes
Forward Assembly and Glider
The UKF Forward Assembly and Glider disappeared in the Fog of War after having been spotted, unlike other structures. This made it harder to remember their exact location, for example to target them with indirect fire. This has been brought in line with other structures.
Forward Assembly and British gliders now correctly appear in the FOW when spotted, like other structures.
-Very good change
Fixed an issue where the Land Mattress' reinforce value was set to 1 rather than 0.5
-No longer will the land matress cost 45 manpower per model to reinforce, finally.
Fixed an issue where the Churchill had less gun depression than other tanks
-This is a very good change because the churchill could not use attack ground near itself because of the way its current gun work at the moment. It would just sit there and do nothing.
Hold the Line should now trigger on friendly sectors controlled by Allies
Hold the Line now highlights sectors for all players when active
Fixed an issue where the Land Mattress; veterancy 2 was not applying correctly.
Fixed an issue where the Officer Recon Sweeps for the British were invulnerable and had no entity.
Fixed an issue where the Vicker K LMG had an unreasonably long reload time at 8/9 seconds; value changed to 6.
- Good that hold the line is finally fixed and that land matress now has a vet 2. Good fix on the officer recon and good thing that the vickers k which is one of the worst weapon in the game is getting slightly buffed. Still too expensive with the racks and half track requirements though.
Thanks for taking the time to read this everyone and have a nice one