Imho Maxim is already a problem in all game modes. It's so dull and annoying to face Maxim Spam in every damn game I play against Soviets. If anything Maxims should be made harder to use and spamming them should result in a loss. A buff or an additional suppression unit for Soviets will in my (limited) perspective brake the faction.
I'm shure there is the need to give Soviet infantry something to compansate but I don't claim to have any inside of what that should be. I'm still a novice when it comes to the hard facts of the game (Rank 5 OST and OKW).
Well, it more and more looks, like USSR was designed from very start to use maxim spam as main tool. Just like Riflespam is mostly only real tool for USF or Volksspam for OKW.
I think problem about maximspam itself goes from stupid idea of making "offensive HMGs". If it is offensive, and more powerfull than your mainline infantry, it means that you will spam it instead infantry.
Look at all other factions, they mostly don't spam HMGs? Why? Because:
1. They are all defensive and doing crowd control work good in small numbers + some factions have alternative HMG - bunkers. For to hold same number of soldiers, that can hold 1 MG-42 at once I need 3 maxims (!), compare their arcs of fire. Looks like a reason for spam for me. At least, that's why I spam them.
2. Mainline infantry of ALL other factions is not so disgusting and weak, like soviet. Seriously, conscripts are awfull, penals even worse... People saying "conscripts are fine, penals awesome, storms OP, bla-bla...". Really? Imagine, that instead of Grenadeers or Volksgrenadeers axis factions should use for mainline infantry only and only Osttrupens. And no Obers for you, no Panzergrenadeers - today they are all in few doctrines. Imagined? Now you understand how bad situation with infantry in USSR.
I think, USSR's infantry should be pretty like vCoH USF's infantry. Riflemans there were also 6 man squads with unlockable grenades. But... they also had 2 BaR upgrade, that could scale them for late, their AT grenades were OP as hell and they could be buffed by that strange building upgrades for to eat less popcap, get veterancy faster and reinforce cheaper.
I have an idea - maybe USSR should have those "med-buildings" from vCoH, that could "repair" injured soldiers and give you free squads back? Looks pretty reasonable and looks nice with design of faction.
What do you think about it?
P.S. And let Maxim MG then be deffensive as all others - with wide arc of fire and good AoE supression and long setup/packup time. Guess, it will stop spamming of it.
Relic Entertainment
