Profile of EtherealDragon

Since you ask I will explain.
I simply placed a PTRS Penal and AT PF in sandbags set them invincible a and drove a PzIV and T-34/76 to them.

If one want in game examples one can watch the games themachince has linked and everyone can play the preview mode and get his own perceptive.

So similar priced units from two different factions with similarly priced AT upgrades killed similar medium battle tanks at a similar rate. Are you arguing that Penals are being over buffed because they perform similarly to PF?

I think it's fair to nerf the AI of PTRS Penals a little in exchange for them actually working as an AT squad now. In most game scenarios PTRS Penals are going to take the place of AT Guns as non-TD AT since most players aren't going to side tech to T2 unless this patch drastically shifts the meta- so PTRS Penals need to actually work as AT Units if they/T1 are ever going to actually be used. I don't see why they shouldn't function similarly to their closest Axis counterparts of shreked up PGs or Fusies. In that vein I think we can consider removing the AT satchel or giving Penals a weaker "Target Tread" type ability to replace it. After all PGs and Fusies don't have snares and Axis also have to build mainline infantry for snares. Having that "no snare" weakness is important to prevent Penal only cheese or over performing synergy with call-in support weapon commanders. I also think it would be nice if PTRS Penals and Tank Hunter Conscripts were somewhat differentiated

Penals are just an end result of legacy Soviet teching design, we can go in circles all day talking about game design and past balance decisions but at the end of the day this patch is about improving core armies and meta problems. As long as Penals are made a less obviously bad choice to full conscript builds without making them OP then that should be enough for this patch.

Unless you want to argue that late game utility buffs or PTRS changes push Penals into OP territory or that your changes achieve a better result in helping Penals function as a non-doc unit then we should stick to talking about the proposed changes because I doubt the balance team has the appetite to redesign Soviet teching just to solve the T1 or T2 only problem just to have "better game design"

Mortar Pits built by Infantry Sections using Advanced Emplacements Commander do not have access to the Heavy Mortar Barrage after unlocking Hammer/Anvil

Almost tempted to see what OP's 6 other posts were. Almost...

Codguy do yourself a favor and next time just post a "hey, what are good builds for UKF against OST" thread. Unit interactions are all relative with timing, generally speaking early 5 Men IS will give you a lot of map control before Grens get their upgrades because they can't hang otherwise. The fuel cost in negligible with the increased map income and only becomes a problem if they get light vehicles and push you off map before you can get AEC/AT gun out but that's usually a result of your bad play not balance.