Profile of Switzerland

The unit is relevant to all the stretches on history the devs made on fictional depictions and representations of units for the sake of gameplay and balance. They discuss that in their own commentary on the new game.

It indeed may or may not be stranger but as the devs said in their own stream they weigh these choices such as for the way the KT and JT saw representation for the sake of said gameplay. The fact its a design based decision weighted to add to the game. Id call the unit not much stranger than the potential for a KT and JT to attend every MP match in COH2, whereas both units compatriots on COH1 required doctrine choices. I'm glad they're putting the same design reasonings used to make fictional representations of units or history to the products benefit.

You can be obstinate to the point a few people are trying to express you if you wish, but relic have essentially admitted they know that their IP contains a lot of fiction. Such as the rarity of the KT and Jagdtiger however to improve gameplay and make a fun product they are a franchise staple of common appearance. They go on to state that this chapter isn't any different.

I mean id love to see the drone b17 bombers that were meant to blow up targets remotely, they did poorly but since they were used once it meets the threshold for inclusion that some are making. Since its ok to fictionalize the units performance it would be above the mark, even though they never once hit a target.

Just as there is very poor performance on the tactical history of the strumtiger but it was used in that role poorly or not and its been given a fantastic gameplay place, regardless of being highly fictional.

That is the point I find funny, if we can fictionalize units operational lives to the point of reinforcing myth and this is the camels back broken in two, its funny.

Since at a point it was mentioned that the BP wasn't about gameplay. Or that this is not authentic. Thought id see what Relics thoughts on the subject were. North Afrika Recap 32 minutes in. Just some excerpts from it below but obviously listen to understand their take on the product.

"We also have to make some choices about representation of units that you know, there are things may be from a timeline perspective you feel, do we want to emphasize gameplay over like pure authenticity? And people can im sure can remember this from uhhh earlier games with the Kingtiger Jagdtiger or units vehicles that in the real world were extremely rare. We want to include that stuff in the game but we have to be a bit careful about it and decide, is it worth it for the gameplay to do this?"

Sacha Narine

"We think about authenticity vs accuracy a bit differently."

John Tabbernor

"Company of Heroes the whole franchise and legacy is that we do, were not just concrete on historical accuracy. We do kind of blend into this world of like you know these are just cool toys and at the end of the day wed like to just get them into the game for players to make use of. Uhhh you know Sacha has already eluded to some of the previous games and this series its no different.

Matt Philip

So they have mentioned the liberties on the Kingtiger and the Jagdtiger were done for Gameplay, and look its the same intent for the Black Prince. I didn't see pitchforks about Stock KTs though. Again, numbers and specific history never mattered to relic. Invincible stukas in abilities, pin point accurate STs are just the beginning of a list that shows how a suspension of belief was already present in the game.

They make alot of mention of toys in the toolbox, and admit they don't think it saw deployment, but are quick to mention that they weren't shy to over represent units that are now franchise hallmarks despite rarity.

Most people would agree yes that the Relic has taken generous liberty on history. the always on point part though is a huge nope.

They aren't trying to wreck anything, they are as for 3 games now trying to make something interesting in the gameplay to attract players old and new.

They've got enough on their plate I'm sure and just up and removing the thing isn't a solution, and adding more units isn't either. They've balanced the current product around its presence so just being up in arms to have it pitchforked out, id be concerned for the balance side of things.

I do see how the points of the history was on point and that the Sturmtiger had an interesting combat record would align for some concerningly. But the reality was its performance was pathetic and it was a last gasp deployment, and its representation is a fiction.

Being unable to concede that this game has had extremely generous fictions to create game interest and now suddenly this extra one is the straw that broke the camels back is very eyebrow raising. When you are losing you are much more inclined to use anything you can whether its proven, unproven or not being used for its designed task. So we saw IR halftracks, guns and so on that saw such limited use but for a simple reason, it was cool.

If we are going to start to tailor where and what fiction is permitted in coh3 can start with not adding invincible aircraft again. Personally I think with the timeline to launch id be more concerned about changing it right now beyond a model swap with identical stats.

Well it seem to me that what you are saying is you have no problem with the Black prince being added for the allies but you would have one if the Mouse tank was introduced for the axis.

Pls try to move beyond axis and allies since this not an issue of sides but an issue of introducing prototype units to the game.

I don’t see many people doing that, as has been brought up by multiple people now it has been the German factions that have benefitted greatly from slanted takes on authenticity, historical accuracy whatever label you want to put on it plain fiction. If we can’t have the discussion on the acknowledgment that this occurred I do hold my point that it seems more like Gatekeeping of relics product direction that didn’t occur for questionable axis inclusions.

Bergetigers weren’t some magical unit that made all wrecks brand new again and that will pretty poorly represent the axis tank availability in the desert, and yet for a fun game they’re adding it to the franchise a second time.

We have an ability with involves invincible JU87s, I mean that’s kinda easy to call fiction

We have stock king tigers

We have a luftwaffe that can make great difference on the field post Bodenplatte, and if we can’t acknowledge the memoirs of their own commanders saying it was the end of their strategic ability to influence any further battles I’d call That fiction too.

Again all of these decisions added up to the board room meetings relic had “How do we attract people to our product” not “authenticity” not fact, we got a fun historical fiction as breaking your panther by moving, constructing purpose bridges to cross your jagdtigers wouldn’t be fun.

I think it’s nice to see that there are more than afew folk in the camp that it’s eyebrow raising that this seems like the sky is falling to some and an outrageous fiction when the game more than slanted many axis abilities for the sake of fun.

Hopefully relic does the right thing and either launches with it to prevent balance issues or at most models a smaller gun but retains the potency. Just listening blindly to the tailored ideas I’ve seen here suggests remove it and have this myth of German superiority in all fields.