Profile of Katukov

I am all for a late-game volksgren buff if soviet penals get access to doctrinal LMG upgrades


Why? it would be funny

The update is very dubious with what it tries to achieve, the update basically nerfs alternative playstyles for factions like SOV, but buffs meta playstyles
Some points that i have an issue with:

The IL-2 strafing run- this ability is completely worthless. There is no upside to this ability. The ability practically does zero damage to both tanks and infantry, and it costs an enormous amount of munition. The patch states that it will boost damage, but even then, 115 munitions is too expensive for a SINGLE strafing run. This is basically more than half of the cost of the IL-2 loiter. To add insult to injury, the two counterpart abilities, which cost less or equal, outclass it: German AT strafe threatens tanks, this does not, and the stuka anti-infantry strafe pins infantry immediately, this doesn't suppress even on a direct hit. Buffs aren't only recommended, but badly needed, as several doctrines lost good abilities to have a F tier ability.

IL-2 rocket run: this nerf seems like it came out of nowhere. the ability was fine, my theory is that a developer has lost their heavy tank to a T-34 ram and rocket strafe rush. Unfortunate nerf.

Partisan "changes" This doctrine has needed reworks for quite some time, and this is not it. This doctrine has been used mostly in team modes, so this perspective will be taken. The PPSh partisans were a niche unit, fit only to completely fuck over the wehrmacht in the early game. you immediately lose against pgrens and anything similar, so your window of opportunity isn't that large. AT partisans were okay, funny way to get rid of dying tanks. I can understand these changes, even if they suck completely for such a weak doctrine already. Since you cant cheese the axis anymore, they probably wont ever be used. IF they are used, they will be spammed on mass. partisans drop models incredibly fast, so please re-add the partisan survival package to help them bleed less manpower.

I am not going to analyze the whole list, that would take too long, so i will cut corners: the B-4 is essentially ruined, and LIKELY useless, since all it was useful for was the one-hit potential it could bring, why was this changed? who knows

UKF special weapons regiment no longer being able to give weapons to Soviets: Very sad to see this go, this wasn't game breaking and it ruins the utility of the commander, which is hurting your own AI in exchange of buffing the soviet AI. No, the PIAT is not a good anti tank weapon.
Soviet assault guards being added is nice, but it seems like they're inferior shock troops, the zookas are nice but unreliable

The soviet infantry repair package, the PPSH conscript package, (doctrinal) bunker, are all nice QOL changes, but i don't feel like they justify the nerfs of seemingly random things (those that i mentioned)

Opinions and suggestions: The off map artillery and the ZIS-6 trucks are also nice additions, although i would like to see a special ZIS-6 supply version that fulfills the now-gone purpose of the UKF M3, essentially letting penals and conscripts utilize DP-28s and PTRS-41 rifles. There is no reason why the soviets shouldn't have a commander to do this, since the DP-28 isn't a ground breaking OP LMG, i don't see a reason why not. Even osttruppen have a LMG upgrade, many commanders exist that cover a faction's weakness.

For partisans, please lower the ambush strike accuracy bonus to veterancy 1, or even zero, solidifying their role as ambush infantry, rather than cheap shock troop cannon fodder.
and for assault guards to have cheaper thompsons, why would you pay 70 munitions for half of a traditional shock squad?

Can the developers please consider buffing the scatter of the IS-2? the tank costs identical to a tiger, but it visibly performs worse than a tiger 1, only because of this stat. Hell, even a rework (increasing the fuel cost and performance) to become the SOV's king tiger would be a viable solution. Funnily enough, axis tanks like the panzer 4, tiger 1 and especially tiger 2, have excellent anti infantry capacity,

Final note: I have lurked on the forums for a long while, and I always saw the community citing how asymmetrical balance was a thing, but this update clearly shatters the illusion of that, since some factions got what other factions already had, but what i am sad to see is how alternative, cheesy and non meta playstyles got completely and utterly fucked over, at least a lot of SOV faction's cheese is gone, but hey, shock army isn't a noob trap anymore