Profile of Carlos Danger

I know this topic has gone by the wayside, but I've still been screwing around with my PE mod and making changes. Some highlights and, after a bunch of matches with the AI, some thoughts:

In general, I feel the faction has become stronger with my changes. They're less gimmicky and less reliant on bullshit, but I think that you have a lot more flexibility now - more ways to approach the game. For instance, I think going T1 to T2 or T2 to T1 is actually pretty viable. Also, you aren't forced to tech to T3 or T4 immediately. You can play the first two tiers for quite a while into a match. Sort of like Wehr being able to sit on T2 for a whole game.

I gave some thought to how the PE should be able to deal with blobs and came up with two solutions, one of which will undoubtedly be super-controversial, but I like it. The first change is I gave the PE a new MG42-equipped Schwimmwagen at T2. It has an ability called "Overfire," which allows the vehicle to temporarily suppress enemy infantry (the ability works almost exactly like Riflemen Suppressive Fire). This second change I made was I got rid of the Panzer Grenadier Gewehr 43 upgrade an replaced it with an LMG42 upgrade. I changed the stats of the LMG42 and, among other changes, significantly increased its suppression. After two or three bursts, this weapon will now suppress enemies that aren't in cover (although it's not nearly potent as an actual HMG).

I really like how the Light-Anti Tank Halftrack works now. Its gun is way better against vehicles now - it will reliably penetrate virtually everything and does decent damage - but you can't use Treadbreak any longer. It will beat an M8 in a slugfest but is vulnerable to circle-strafing. Sort of like the current Marder vs. Stuart matchup. So you'd better use your micro skills.

Here's the current tech-tree, with a few notes, for those interested:

HQ

Units:

- Panzer Grenadiers (320MP) - Four guys, lots of health but low DPS without upgrades; gets health regen at Vet 1 (regardless of offensive or defensive choice)
- Kettengrad (150MP) - Caps stuff, can lay mines
- Logistiks Halftrack (250MP) - Secures sectors, can deploy Goliaths

Upgrades:

- Mechanical Training Upgrade (150MP, 10F)
Allows Panzer Grenadiers to repair damaged vehicles

T1 - Leichte-Panzer Kommand (220MP, 20F)

Units:

- Scout Car (250MP, 20F) - Can detect snipers when using "Recon Tactics" ability; can be upgraded with autocannon
- Mortar Halftrack (250MP, 40F) - Can now fire smoke rounds
- Light-Anti-Tank Halftrack (250MP, 20F) - Can fire Stielgranate 41 rounds, which are like super-Panzerfausts; no more Treadbreaker; gun much-improved

Upgrades:

- KwK30 2cm Autocannon Upgrade (150MP, 40F)
Unlocks autocannon upgrade for Scout Car; costs an additional 50 munitions per-vehicle

T2 - Infanterie Kommand (220MP, 20F)

Units:

- Schwimmwagen (250MP) - Can suppress infantry when using "Overfire" ability
- Infantry Halftrack (250MP, 25F) - Can now cap while garrisoned like Bren Carrier; gun slightly nerfed

Upgrades:

- Advanced Small Arms (150MP, 50F)
Unlocks MP44, MG42, and Panzerschreck upgrades for Panzer Grenadiers; LMG can suppress stuff
- Stick Grenades (150MP, 30F)
Unlocks Model 24 grenades for Panzer Grenadiers
- Halftrack Medical Supplies (150MP, 20F)
Allows the Infantry Halftrack to heal nearby infantry

T3 - Support-Panzer Kommand (220MP, 90F)

Units:

- Flakpanzer 38(t) (300MP, 30F) - Can lockdown for better reload speed and accuracy
- Marder III (300MP, 30F)
- Panzerwerfer 42 Rocket Artillery Halftrack (250MP, 50F)

Upgrades:

- Support Panzer Upgrade (200MP, 50F)
Unlocks the Panzerwerfer 42

T4 - Schwerer Panzer Kommand (220MP, 90F)

Units:

- Hotchkiss Tank (280MP, 45F) - Can now deploy defensive smoke; no more Walking Stuka upgrade
- Bergetiger
- Panther Tank (600MP, 110F) - Skirts and turret gun now purchased with munitions

Upgrades:

- Schwerer Panzer Upgrade (200MP, 50F)
Unlocks the Panther Tank

CoH1 had faction design issues too. Brits anyone? Plus loads of other stuff.

But yeah, you had more strategic flexibility in CoH1.

One thing I noticed you didn't fix was Volksgrenadier reinforce cost. Should be higher than 22MP I think. 28 sounds fair.

Non-doctrinal changes:

Moves Grens to HQ for starters. Make the Panzerfaust ability require at least Battle Phase 1. Make them better against Allied infantry at long-range (reviving old Volksgrenadier vs. Riflemen dynamic from CoH1). Maybe make them more expensive.

Buff Panzer Grenadiers or make them cheaper to buy or reinforce. Nerf their Panzershreck upgrade to one Shreck and reduce cost to 90 munitions.

Give the Sd.Kfz 251 a Walking Stuka upgrade after Battlephase 3 is purchased. Remove the Panzerwerfer and give it to the OKW. Remove OKW Walking Stuka halftrack.

Would like to see the return of the Motorbike from CoH1 also, but doubt that'll ever happen.

Point: Not every unit is meant to scale into late game.

First post in balance forums here. Completely disagree with that assertion. I think RTSs should at least attempt to provide useful roles for units through all stages of the game. Otherwise you're punished for having good unit preservation by being stuck with a bunch of useless units sucking up your population cap. Which is silly.

A good example of a unit that was given great scaling was the Sd.Kfz 251 halftrack in CoH1. After it ceased to be useful as a frontline combat unit, it could be rigged up with Wurfrahmen 40s and used as an artillery vehicle. Which was great because it meant you didn't have to suicide your vehicle for pop-cap after heavy vehicles hit the field.