Profile of Pearl

I'd say I would rather Relic first nail down the balance, and specifically focus on anti-blob balance, than a new faction, but at this point I think it is a lost cause so might as well wish for a new faction before Hearts of Iron IV takes up my time.

I personally think the Japanese are the best of the lot to fill a third faction. Any new German faction, I think, would just be pointless and arguably a "dick move" on Relic's part. Any and all new German units should go to existing German factions, preferably for free. I mean, take the Panzer III, that tank should have been in the game from the start.

The problem with the Japanese is that the popular notion of CoH2 is that the tanks are incredibly important. I would argue that tanks are kinda overrated in this game, but it still stands: MOST people care about the tanks when they get this game, and people would be pretty repulsed by the Japanese (though it is a case of "don't like it, don't get it", but it is a waste of resources on Relic's part). As for tanks themselves, I think they are very much overrated. I rarely build tanks as either the Allies or the Axis, though I admittedly play the Allies a lot and struggle with vehicle micro so I like infantry (no, I don't blob, before you accuse me of it, I MICRO infantry). Japanese infantry of the era would be pretty good, all being veterans with decent weapons.

Now, I won't make a suggested list of units, because plenty of people have made comprehensive equipment trees for a hypothetical Japanese faction that would be better than anything I can think of, but the Japanese should and would act very much like a mix between the Soviets and the Americans in play style. Otherwise, Japan had decent rifles and LMG's, they had AT rifles, they had paratroopers, their light tanks could be balanced to act like armored cars, and the only real question I have is if Japanese rocket artillery was bullshit historically or not. Limbered anti-tank rockets like in Men of War (IF and ONLY IF they aren't historically bullshit) should exist for heavy-tank crackers like the Tulip Rockets. Otherwise, just balance the 57mm AT gun to be like the American one, or if people don't care use the home-defense Type 99 AA 88mm cannon for heavy-AT to balance the fact that the Japanese cannot field heavies.

None of the above. The Comet is the sexiest of the sexy.

Sorry but this is plain wrong and not the way to deal with OKW.

Ambulance before captain can be okay, but it's still better to have it AFTER captain (or lt) and grenades are a big NO in the early game. 1. cost too much fuel, 2. cost too many munitions, 3. delays your tech towards capt/stuart or lt/m20. Apart from the fact that grenades are not even an option in the early game, how does this fix the double sturm problem that the OP has? Makes no sense at all...


Just use rifleman in green cover, they'll crush sturms if they have to engage you. and avoid kubel/sturm until you have a capt/stuart or m20. Rifleman in buildings is extremely strong against sturms aswell, but this won't always be an option.

I hope you read about me saying that this was the tactic I used in TEAM matches, not 1v1. Since I personally answer most problems with infantry I rarely need fuel at all in the match. The ambulance ensures I stay at the front at all times, and grenades work very well in light of how popular bobbing is. Me emphasizing team tactics comes in that my allies cap ground behind me and they end up fielding the vehicles whilst I focus infantry (since they can survive to fight most tanks with Zookas and rifle grenades).

Me holding the front line while reking their spioneers does delay my opportunity for vehicles, but also delays theirs, and I find it working almost every game.

A stupid tactic isn't stupid if it works. Your points might be true in 1v1 where I actually need to cap everything too (and I never 1v1), but this tactic can rely on even help from dumbass teammates.

Though SPioneers can be annoying I have a rollout that seems to work 90% of the time to prevent SPioneers from thwarting my plans. (bear with me, I play on team matches, not 1v1).

I "overextend" with my Rear Echelon and hold point somewhere in the middle of the map I want to focus on, closer to the enemy, behind cover. With the enemy guarenteed to show up within the next 30 seconds.

I have 2 riflemen queued up, and depending on how soon we get munitions I either queue up Grenades or an Ambulance (the most OP vehicle in game). My Rear Echelons kite the SPioneers keeping as much distance (since Rear Echelon are mid-ranged units) towards my oncoming Riflemen, who further cause more damage. At this point the SPioneers should be down to 2 men. If they stay when my 3rd rifleman 2nd Rifleman comes up, they are guarenteed to die unless RNJesus damns me. With the Grenades queued up I can then deal with any support Volks that come up, and with an Ambulance I never need to retreat early-game (just walk a few paces back after losing 2 men in a squad, since I can replenish while under fire as long as I am in uncontested territory).

Yeah, it took 3 infantry to take out 1 SPioneer, but if there are multiple, my other two Rifles should be able to force the other SPioneers to retreat (and they can't be spammed early game), and the amazing thing is that the Riflemen stay relevant all game (and farm some early EXP).