We are finalizing things at this point for internal testing so likely no 1.9. No major changes, though there is a discussion of possibly placing the Valentine to tech since it arrives so late to the field. Likely after Bofors/AEC tech and then figuring out if it's balanced appropriately.
If you're getting to the final stages I'll offer my time writing the tooltip strings if you want it. I'm fairly good at emulating Relic's style and making sure the ability text is properly informative.
Here's text content I offered up for DBP (some of which made it into the game).
https://www.coh2.org/topic/66636/december-patchnotes-bug-report/post/645773
And here's a set of tooltips for one iteration of the reworked Penal Battalion I posted on the official forums for the Winter Balance Patch in 2016.
Is it within the scope of your patching remit to edit the tooltips? I think the tradeoffs of the Penal upgrades need to be clear: the Flamer PPSH upgrade severely weakens their long range performance and the PTRS weakens their anti-infantry capability. Currently they're presented as upgrades rather than sidegrades so it's not immediately apparent that there are steep costs in other capabilities to players that haven't read the patch notes.
To illustrate here's how I'd personally do the tooltips for the Penal Battalion. I've included the short description from the build panel and the yellow italics unit information. If you like them feel free to use them and I'll happily do the same for the rest of the text content of this patch if it'd be helpful.
Penal Battalion
Anti-infantry squad equipped with satchel charge explosives. Can be upgraded with flamethrowers and submachine guns for close combat and clearing garrisons or with PTRS anti-tank rifles for light anti-vehicle duty.
Effective at all ranges against infantry.
Assault Package
Adds a ROKS-3 flamethrower and three PPSh-41 submachine guns for better close-range combat ability. Flamethrowers are deadly area-effect weapons but add a risk of explosive death to the Penal Battalion.
Improves effectiveness at close-range and against infantry in cover. Reduces capability at long-range.
Anti-Armor Package
Converts the Penal Battalion to an anti-vehicle squad, adding two PTRS anti-tank rifles and specialised anti-tank satchel charges. Anti-Armor Penal Battalions are a threat to enemy vehicles but have reduced capability against infantry.
Improves effectiveness against vehicles and structures at the cost of reduced anti-infantry capability. Replaces Satchel Charge ability with Anti-Tank Satchel Charge ability.
PTRS Anti-Tank Rifle
Adds a third PTRS anti-tank rifle to the Penal Battalion, further increasing its anti-vehicle capability.
Improves anti-vehicle capability. Requires Anti-Armor Package.
(In the interests of immediate clarity when it comes to upgrade paths I'd also consider putting the third PTRS ability in the third upgrade slot rather than taking the second after the 2x PTRS package is purchased. This makes the full upgrade path of the unit clear upon building it.)
Satchel Charge
Bundled explosives thrown at close range that deal heavy damage to anything else caught in their blast radius.
Effective against structures and slow or unmoving targets. Five second fuse.
Anti-Tank Satchel Charge
Specialised bundled explosives that stick to enemy vehicles. Anti-Tank satchel charges deal heavy damage to all targets in the blast radius and can cripple the mobility of vehicles.
Effective against vehicles. Inflicts Damaged Engine critical if vehicle is reduced below half hit points.
Relic Entertainment
cblanco ★ 
보드카 중대 
VonManteuffel 
Heartless Jäger 
