Profile of Maret

Ram as a doctrinal ability is an awful idea because the very nature of the ability is to not use it. It's opportunity based not something you build around, this is in part why rapid conscription and relief infantry are so hard to make useful.

As for cap it actually makes sense on t34s as since they are supposed to be numerous it helps widen soviet map control.

If no one will be used this ability in special doctrines, it means that ability is badly designed. Right now we are already see bunch of posts about Il-2+Ram. The real answer about this ability - "the very nature of the ability is to not use it". I want that t-34 have good vet1 ability to use. Not cap point, not this awfull Ram that used once in blue moon. Why such powerfull vet1 ability as cap point almost never used? WHile blitz, almost every game. There are situational abilities, like Merge, Tactical assault, Smoke shot from Cromwell. They are good. WHile cap point is useless. Ram is almost useless if you don't have special commanders with offmaps. I saw numerous games on Dane channel - all players try to save their T-34, even when its health only 160 hp. Ram is so narrow ability outside some commanders, that compare to blitz or smoke from usf, looks like statistical misscalculation.
And i even don't speak about T-34/85. Who in sane would be use Ram for it? Or cap point?

I made for initial post about T-34 Ram some research and then drop it. But you can look on some statistic (only 13 from 20 games). I tried choose games where soviets build more than 1 t-34:

Some info:
Success Ram - enemy armor was hitted by ram from T-34
Failed Ram - T-34 died while trying to do ram

Success Blitz - armor make successful escape from battle while blitz active or blitz wasn't interrupted by snare.
Failed blitz - blitz was interrupted by snare or armor died while blitz was active.
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To me it a really cool ability adding really nice flavour to the game. It would be a shame to lose it.

I'd give 50% chance to deal additional main gun crit if it attacked from the front or 50% chance crit engine if it rammed the enemy from the rear. Vet t34 would get 18% more chance for crits for every vet level.

Put it in some commaders and ability will stay in game. Like tactician smoke and heat rounds. But suicidal ability for default - bad gamedesign.

But if you timed such ability right you would make Ur opponent lose a much more expensive tank. Also Your t34 could be always repaired if U are lucky.

You can count on your fingers how often you repaired your own T-34 after succesfull ramming. With broken gun, disabled tracks adn engine - 99% cases t-34 will be dead. The most real case - you are rammed enemy armor on your own base, or near. Than you have chances.
And again - how Ram fit to gamedesign "Save your units"?

OK let's take a look:

My suggestions:

T3:
SU-76 changes:
1. Su-76 - HE barrage replaced by "Smoke shot" - like Cromwell have.
2. SU-76 have stock 140 damage.
3. Vet2 +20 damage is removed.
4. "Tracking" is removed and replaced by passive ability "Vehicle Tracking" from M-42 (Vehicles, hitted by M-42 45mm Anti-Tank Gun will be temporary visible for 10 seconds, even in the FOW.)
5. Global 7-th cons upgrade is locked until T4 deployed.

T-70:
1. Switchable rounds like M-42 have.
2. Fragmented rounds - lower ROF, bigger AOE, less damage.
3. AP rounds work as the current. AI decreased.

T4:
1. Cost changed from 240/90 to 160/50.
2. In T4 T-34/76 available. After T4 deployed SU-76 unlock passive ability "Improved AP rounds" (+20 damage). Global upgrade 7-th cons become available in T3. M4C sherman and t-34/85 available.
3. Upgrade "Guard army": 160/60 - Unlock Su-85, Katy and heavy tanks. Free unlock 7-th cons.
4. Katy cost -10 fuel to make it available slightly sooner.
5. Heavy armor get -10 fuel cost to make it available slightly sooner.

Its how it could be look. Main idea made T-34 available sooner and make from SU-76 dedicated anti-medium TD. It will help make power gap between T3 and T4 shorter, as 1-st crucial unit (T-34) available sooner.
SU-85 will become premium TD against heavy targets. SU-76 with 160 damage will be good against mediums, while early t-34 will help to defend it against enemy pushes and will provide field pressure.
Now if you go to T2 and T-70 you can get early T-34. While if you go to T1, your SU-76 have enough AT to defend you from enemy pushes, especially when T4 will be deployed. It also make T1 "AT issues" less heavy.
This tier design more flexible and easy to balance through cost. Early medium SU spam (if someone skip T-70 and make fast t-34) can be counter by pak walls (without katy killing team weapon not so easy), stugs, P4.

Some additional thoughts:
With that changes i think SU-85 could be convereted to anti-heavy armor TD like (It's just concept):
1. Damage from 160 to 200.
2. ROF decreased by 25%
3. Cost + 15 fuel +40MP
4. +90 hp

I don't know what this should achieve.
Option 1 is you generate a big pay gap between stage 1 and 2 to enforce building a SU76. This does not help for unit variety and playstyle for Soviets, while simultaneously screwing important unit timings as you already mentioned.
Or Option 2 is you do not generate a big pay gap to keep the total tech cost stable, but then it does not achieve much. Unless you introduce a long tech timer to delay the SU85, but I don't know why that should be desirable.

Stage 1 will not enforce build su-76, but make it more desirable as medium counter if you make upgrade. Right now you don't need su-76 to counter mediums, su-85 do it much better. T-34 give you enough field pressure, while possible su-76 will give enough AT. But it don't mean that you need SU-76 (it just give it role as dedicated anti-medium unit), you still can play through T2+t-70 and get t-34 sooner than now. But without su-85 you must rely only on zis as AT. Want premium TD, make Stage 2.

At least in such position SU-76 have role as anti-medium and SU-85 as premium TD against heavy targets, not "build to counter all armor unit". Su-76 and earlier t-34 can play together. While in current design, when T4 deploy all T3 units lost their potential immediately.

Also with new design, builded su-76 don't delay all your T4 units. You can get early t-34 and play them together. You make Stage 1 and get access to t-34. The first crucial unit of old t4 is unlocked.