Profile of Vipper

Guards Troops
We find the current version of Guards underwhelming. Part of the reason for this is that they are forced to carry PTRS rifles. With these changes, we aim to give players an active choice as to whether they want to specialise their squad for AI or AT; or dabble in-between.

Guards PTRS are restored to their pre-WBP versions (with faster aim time), since Guards can only have up to 2 slot items.

-Cost reduced to 320MP
-Mosin nagant moving accuracy from 0.75 to 0.6
-Spawn with no guns and can purchase up to two items (40MU per DP-28, 25MU per PTRS)
-Drop-rate for weapons upped from 0.1 to 0.33
-PTRS damage vs infantry restored from 20 to 27 (does not affect Penals)
-Grenade cost from 35MU to 30MU

Guards Hit the Dirt (Vet1 ability):
The purpose of the new Vet ability is to allow the squad to provide long-range firepower, especially with their PTRS rifles.

-Hit the dirt that only gives -25% cooldown bonuses (to help deploy firepower)
-Increases range by +2.5 (to avoid being picked off one by one)

The price is simply to high compared to Penals. This is unit that requires CP 2 yet it costs more than Penals although the SVT is better weapon than Guards mosin.

Lower price to 300.

In addition make "hit the ground" a timed ability not a toggle one it will be much easier to balance. Allow it to be broken with a move order. Maybe add some MU cost.

Finally break button into 2 separated affects vision/disable weapon can not be broken and a slow that can be broken as currently in live.

Change the vet bonus penetration since it will not of any use to lmg Guards.

Elefant
The changes to the Elefant will make it somewhat less efficient at countering medium armour (i.e., the Elefant’s intended counter). To compensate, and also give the Elefant (and its doctrines) more luster for 1v1 use we are increasing the AI and AT utility of the Elefant in other means.


-Now gains access to an HE barrage. The barrage can penetrate all world objects and fires with a small 20-degree arc

This more a historical than a balance comment. The elephant was using a high velocity gun and luck the elevation to fire barrages, thus a HE explosive barrage seems very unrealistic.

On the other hand the 88s (not sure if anyone tried with Elephant)where used in an AI Role but differently. Since the where AA munition with a timer to create AA barrage walls the same munition was used versus soft targets. The trick was to aim above the intended target and have the shell explode above it.

So one could implement a version of the UKF air-bust shells for the Elephant and it will a bit more realistic and unique.

M3A1
We are reintroducing the scaling-improvement changes we had trialed for the M3A1 during WBP. The goal of the changes is to allow the M3A1 to have a second lease later in the game.

In the future, we might consider having a look at the popcap of transport vehicles.

-Gains 1.2 Acceleration and Deceleration per veterancy rank
-Veterancy 3 also awards a 0.7 received accuracy modifier
-Health from 200 to 240
-Front armour from 5.4 to 4.5
-Rear armour from 4.2 to 3.5
-Gains Shared Veterancy

Some of the issues of the vehicle are:
High DPS from both HMG especial rear one which should have lower DPS than the frontal one.

The ability of passenger to fire. Reduce fuel cost to 5-0 and allow passenger to fire only with an upgrade or via veterancy.

General changes

Call-ins
Call-ins cost +25% more resources to summon if the appropriate tech has not been researched

Soviets
All call-in tanks (and heavies) -> T4

Ostheer
Stugs, Pumas -> BP 2
Command PIV -> T3
Tiger, Tiger Ace, Elephant -> T4

Imo the changes to calling should be a bit different so that the minimize the difference in CP/Economy across modes.

1) All call in units are priced as units with tech cost.
2) All call in units can also be built for a small premium from appropriate building
3) units can also be instantly called in for big premium if appropriate CP is reached
4) call in units receive a discount the more tech building are built.

These changes will:
as mentioned before help the CP/economy across factions
promote teching
Penalize player using call in commander for losing buildings
Help better balance unit since one will be able to build them at almost original cost

"The goal of our Conscript changes are to:
Allow Conscripts to scale well with their upgrades
Give vetted Conscripts a fighting chance against similar-cost upgunned infantry (at specific ranges), without unbalancing the early game
Make Conscripts more reliable as a defensive infantry (e.g., by trading damage for accuracy)"

1) Reduce Target Size to 1 adjust veterancy bonus if needed
Reason: it will improve merge.

2) Tone down the accuracy buffs but replace vet 1 ability with a timed ability that increases accuracy. Ability cost Mu and can only be used when in cover or garrison.
Reason: it will solidify Conscripts as defensive infantry and stop annoying spamming of tripwires.

3) Remove ourah from Conscripts. Replace molotov with a normal grenade increase AT range.
Reason: again solidifies conscripts as defensive infantry.
Alternatively:
Ouarh become an ability that scales with veterancy having defensive penalties at Vet0 that progressively diminish


4) Replace PPsh upgrade with SVT upgrade.
Reason: The combination of PPsh and improved mosin will make full entities Conscripts too good at all ranges while the will drop off long range DPS dramatically when start losing entities making their performance inconstant.
Alternative:
PPsh upgrade stay but gives 6 PPsh and ourah. DPS will have to go down a bit.
Reason the upgrade now change the role of the unit to purely offensive one.

5) Consider a Target size bonus similar to Tommies when in cover.
Reason: Solidifies them as defensive unit.

6) Change the near range of the Mosin to 10-15 so it's DPS no longer improves significantly at very close range.
Reason: This change should apply to all long range weapons (as bolt action/lmg) so that sorter range weapon should get a advantage they closer they move (which is not the case currently).

7) Merge now reduces the entities to 1. Consider merge providing a small amount of heal (5HP?)
Reason: Removes the chance of accidental loss of squad, second change increase utility.