Profile of LoopDloop

I've been trying to pick up CoH1.

However, one thing that's vexxing me is that it is extremely difficult to predict how unit X performs against unit Y, until I've tried that combination.

For instance; are Rangers any good at all? If so against which units, and when (if ever) do you upgrade thompsons?

Which units deal damage most reliably vs 251 half-track and the Puma?

If I want to avoid using snipers, which weapons do I use vs Vet2 Grenadiers? Is this the same for Vet2 Volks?

Which units are bazookas good against; are they better than recoilless rifles at anything?

If somebody has a link to something that describes the target-tables in play here, I would appreciate it.

Thanks.

I'm not an expert on coh1 but I've also been playing it more recently. I can try to answer some of your questions based on my own experience.

Rangers are good against rifle infantry and team weapons (ofc) but will only trade with mp40 volks. They're also pretty good against pgrens as long as there aren't a ton of stgs. Remember that their bazookas will sometimes rng snipe inf models too.

Probably airborne, greyhounds, and tanks. Greyhound has a long ass reload time though.

IIRC when grenadiers get vet2 they get changed to the "elite" infantry type and take more damage from flamers, so flamer engis behind a rifle squad will usually beat a single grenadier squad. I guess you could make a croc lategame too. I think "elite" infantry also take more suppression, so mgs, bars if you have the muni, or a couple of shermans with .50 cals (bc everything suppresses if there's enough bullets) will do the trick too. Volks get different bonuses and are not changed to "elite" I think.

Bazookas are IMO generally inferior to recoilless rifles (but rangers are better against infantry). This is because zooks have lower accuracy and pen, meaning flanking at close range is going to be your best bet. I think they do more damage tho, and still perform against tanks. I sort of think of them like smgs but for tanks if that makes any sense.

I don't think it has like a spreadsheet with target tables but there's a lot of good information here (I linked the article on volksgrenadiers for no particular reason): http://companyofheroes.wikia.com/wiki/Volksgrenadier_Squad

There's also another site called cohreplays or something that has some guides and stuff.

It seems bugged to me. It sometimes provides yellow cover as ZombiFrancis tells us. Sometimes it provides a sight block. Nonetheless, this unit doesn't need this kind of ability. I rather see some kind of ability which improves upon their entire 'raid and run' kind of playstyle than the current vet 3 ability that simply enhance the 'run' aspect.

I would love the commandoes to have something like a flare that can scout ahead, thus helping in their secret raids behind enemy lines. Let's say a 35 munitions flare that can spot a smaller area than a mortar flare can, helping them in setting up better ambushes. I would also like them to lay down simple mines like the USF infantry mine, perhaps a little less powerful one at that, for lets say 35 munitions too? Making the commandoes a true behind the lines raid and run unit. This would of course see the need for the light gammon nuke bomb with the 10 milisecond fuse to be adjusted.

Vet 3 could be the flare and the mine unlock simultaneously, but they would have something like a shared cooldown, preventing insane op plays by commandoes. I would really like such a thing..

That would be insanely cool.

The smoke entity dropped is the same as used by:
abilities attributes\abilities\british\modal_ability\infantry_smoke_grenade_resposition ability_bag\action_list\start_self_actions\timed_action\subactions\spawn_entity\entity_blueprint
abilities attributes\abilities\west_german\modal_ability\flak_halftrack_concealing_smoke_mp ability_bag\action_list\start_self_actions\timed_action\subactions\spawn_entity\entity_blueprint
ebps attributes\ebps\projectile\aef_m4a3_sherman_m3_smoke_mortar_mp extensions\explosion_ext\on_detonate_actions\spawn_entity\entity_blueprint
ebps attributes\ebps\projectile\british_88mm_smoke_artillery_base_mp extensions\explosion_ext\on_detonate_actions\spawn_entity\entity_blueprint
ebps attributes\ebps\projectile\british_88mm_smoke_artillery_mp extensions\explosion_ext\on_detonate_actions\spawn_entity\entity_blueprint
ebps attributes\ebps\projectile\british_valentine_canister_smoke_mp extensions\explosion_ext\on_detonate_actions\spawn_entity\entity_blueprint
ebps attributes\ebps\projectile\brit_3_inch_smoke_round_slot_1_mp extensions\explosion_ext\on_detonate_actions\spawn_entity\entity_blueprint
ebps attributes\ebps\projectile\brit_3_inch_smoke_round_slot_2_mp extensions\explosion_ext\on_detonate_actions\spawn_entity\entity_blueprint
ebps attributes\ebps\projectile\m7b1_priest_smoke_105mm_shell_mp extensions\explosion_ext\on_detonate_actions\spawn_entity\entity_blueprint
ebps attributes\ebps\projectile\m8a1_hmc_m89_smoke_round_mp extensions\explosion_ext\on_detonate_actions\spawn_entity\entity_blueprint
ebps attributes\ebps\projectile\officer_smoke_artillery_mp extensions\explosion_ext\on_detonate_actions\spawn_entity\entity_blueprint
ebps attributes\ebps\projectile\russian_hm_38_120mm_mortar_smoke extensions\explosion_ext\on_detonate_actions\spawn_entity\entity_blueprint
ebps attributes\ebps\projectile\russian_hm_38_120mm_mortar_smoke_mp extensions\explosion_ext\on_detonate_actions\spawn_entity\entity_blueprint
ebps attributes\ebps\projectile\smoke_50kg_bomb extensions\explosion_ext\on_detonate_actions\spawn_entity\entity_blueprint
ebps attributes\ebps\projectile\smoke_50kg_bomb_mp extensions\explosion_ext\on_detonate_actions\spawn_entity\entity_blueprint
ebps attributes\ebps\projectile\smoke_grenade extensions\explosion_ext\on_detonate_actions\delay\delayed_actions\spawn_entity\entity_blueprint
ebps attributes\ebps\projectile\smoke_grenade_mp extensions\explosion_ext\on_detonate_actions\delay\delayed_actions\spawn_entity\entity_blueprint
ebps attributes\ebps\projectile\smoke_mortar_round extensions\explosion_ext\on_detonate_actions\spawn_entity\entity_blueprint
ebps attributes\ebps\projectile\smoke_mortar_round_mp extensions\explosion_ext\on_detonate_actions\spawn_entity\entity_blueprint
ebps attributes\ebps\projectile\smoke_tank_shell extensions\explosion_ext\on_detonate_actions\delay\delayed_actions\spawn_entity\entity_blueprint
ebps attributes\ebps\projectile\smoke_tank_shell_mp extensions\explosion_ext\on_detonate_actions\delay\delayed_actions\spawn_entity\entity_blueprint
sbps attributes\sbps\races\british\soldiers\brit_officer_squad\air_support_officer_squad_mp extensions\squad_retreat_ext\actions\requirement_action\action_table\spawn_entity\entity_blueprint
sbps attributes\sbps\races\british\soldiers\commando_squad\commando_squad_mp extensions\squad_retreat_ext\actions\requirement_action\action_table\spawn_entity\entity_blueprint
sbps attributes\sbps\races\british\soldiers\commando_squad\commando_squad_piat_mp extensions\squad_retreat_ext\actions\requirement_action\action_table\spawn_entity\entity_blueprint
sbps attributes\sbps\races\british\soldiers\commando_squad\infiltration_commando_squad_mp extensions\squad_retreat_ext\actions\requirement_action\action_table\spawn_entity\entity_blueprint

I do not think is is the smoke is the problem, I thinks it maybe from them being very close and in the middle of the engagement zone.

Huh.

Commandos get the following bonuses at Vet3:
- Smoke bomb, which acts like normal smoke
- Passive regeneration out of combat (equal to Volksgrenadier healing; aka 50% faster than Tommy heal)
- -75% received accuracy on retreat

It's quite a decent bonus. Too bad Commandos scale so bad.

Yeah, it is a pretty decent bonus. Too bad it only helps with running away. The problem I see is that they get no RA bonuses and only one accuracy bonus, which are the mainstay of veterancy for most other units.

They're still really good at holding points in 1v1 though, between demos, cheesy camo nade, and ambush.

I don't really know Brits well, but I believe the smoke they spawn isn't sight blocking, but functions as spawning yellow cover instead. More akin to vCoH smoke.

You're thinking of the vet1 thrown grenade I think. It does do what you described, but the vet3 bonus for commandos is self healing and dropping a smoke grenade on retreat.

Does it actually do anything besides take up veterancy bonuses? Because it seems like units will still often shoot at commandos when they retreat and drop their smoke grenade.

I completely agree. The community have been supporting Relic for years via DLC purchases and especially skin purchases. Not to mention providing and improving maps for them. Which frankly is a major part of the game and something you'd usually expect the actual company to do themselves (it was especially insulting when they released them with known bugs that hadn't been removed when added to the game).

I know the '5 year plan' wasn't exactly a contract, but it still feels a bit insulting and short sighted to stop now. When we have a decent patch virtually ready to be added.
It wouldn't make the game perfect, but it would improve a lot of units, and most importantly make 4vs4 less of a blobfest due to changes to FHQs.

It would have been great (and shown respect to the community) if when making their announcement, they had confirmed if they will be producing any more patches for the game. If not then this is a really grim way to end support for the game, and one they will probably become infamous for.

Yeah it does seem that relic/sega is spitting in our faces hard. Oh well, not much more could be expected from them honestly.