Profile of comm_ash

All right, lets talk about the Schwerer. Other people have already pointed out why its a bit silly that it is free, but I am going to explain how it has such a huge impact in the game.

The Schwerer is a tech structure that also provides you with fairly reliable AA, fairly reliable light - medium AT, and amazing AI. It also costs no more to unlock than the T4 tech of other factions at 120 fuel.

First of all, it gives you access to a great combination of armor, which you would expect to see in an Ostheer T3.5 if such a thing existed. The best comparison would be the British final tier structure, which gives them access to medium armor, TDs, and a heavy medium for a small sidetech cost. OKW T4, of course, gives access to all units for no increased sidetech cost.

Second of all, it gives you an AMAZING area denial tool. The Schwerer gives you a fairly long range emplacement that can easily deal with all target types. This makes a Schwerer with a raketen nearby almost impossible to push without your entire army, and even then only after you have teched for armor or purchased multiple AT guns, which means that you have spent more resources to counter the Schwerer than your opponent as spent putting it up. Ad a forwar retreat point nearby, and you make a defensive position that literally cannot be pushed until you can get heavy indirect fire.

The fact that the Schwerer is so hard to push, allows the OKW player to concentrate on the other side of the map without worrying about harrassment. This means that his opponent cannot send harrassing units, and will be fighting a defensive battle until they can get a counter Schwerer force together.

For all these reasons, I believe that the Schwerer is definitely too powerful for the fact that it is free with tech, and needs to be changed.

I would propose a or two of the following:

-Add a side tech cost on OKW HQs which allows OKW to unlock the special benefits (should cost fuel).

-A flat increase in the tech cost of OKW HQs to compensate for their lack of side tech for upgrades (fuel)

-The Schwerer is now unable to shoot down aircraft and has less pen.

-The Schwerer has less vision, so that supporting infantry are required to make use of it's weapon.

The issue with the panzer we're is the same issue with the old b4. It relies on an immense alpha strike, which makes it very hard to balance. If it is overbuffed, it becomes like it is now, but if it gets nerfed, it could very easily become worthless due to its inability to area deny like the katyusha or calliope.

Just look at the b4, which could wipe vehicles and squads with impunity. As soon as it lost its reliability (and thus its ability to alpha strike), it became worthless because it became an rng cannon that didn't really fulfill any other role. It's current role is just to punishing to stationary units (support weapons and capping squads.)

If the panzerwerfer has to keep its current firing patern, it has to have higher scatter and/or lower aoe.

I would rather see its barrage become slower and happen over a longer period of time, with a loss of suppression and a little more scatter, so it can be an area denial tool.

(Calli also needs similar changes)

So basically the plane is there because crates of resources appearing in a sector out of thin air would be too silly even for this game?

pretty much, yeah. I don't see why they bothered. The soviet supply drop comes in an IL2

'Merica doctrine:

IR Pathfinders or mechanized artillery
M1919 weapon rack
Rangers (3 lmgs pls)
Calliope
Pershing

Has anyone tried using a "lend lease" ambulance or an m20 from a US player? I feel those would be the best command vehicles if they work.