It's not cancer, it keeps allies in the game, just like Pwerfer and Stuka can one shot squads/weapons. The trick is to predict the movement of your enemy and you can have a massive impact with any of the mobile artillery unit. What these units excel at is blob control + static emplacements/units. So no, Callie isn't the problem here lethally, it's to do with its survivability.
Calliope is way better than any other rocket artillery and just slightly making its survivability worse is not going to be enough. It's basically impossible to use anything but vehicles once USF got its obligatory 1-2 Calliopes out because there is just not enough time to retreat after hearing the sound of the rockets. Even instantly retreating is often not saving multiple units from getting wiped.
This really reminds me of the discussion about the Jackson. The balance team basically thinks the Jackson needs to be the by far best TD because USF can't deal with tanks otherwise. Conveniently ignoring that the M1 ATG is the best ATG as well as easy access to handheld AT as well as doctrinal medium tanks that beat P4s. Then you have ridiculous things like triple elite zook Rangers with smoke and sprint.
USF also has Scotts, Priest, Mortar HT, regular mortars and Pak Howitzers + plenty of off-map abilities even non-doctrinally. Why does the faction also need the by far best rocket artillery unit?
Meanwhile, UKF has WAY less indirect fire and the only rocket artillery they have is the LM which is stuck in a mediocre doctrine. LM is pretty bad but still gets the job done as an area denial weapon which is also what the Calliope should be like just with more mobility. So reduce cost and lethality and make the Calliope something that you can use to break up team weapon walls just like the cheap but harder-to-use LM.
I get that USF needs some sort of rocket artillery for late-game team games BUT it doesn't need to be that incredibly powerful. It should be more area-denial than just wiping all infantry and team weapons by driving a Calliope towards the middle of the map and clicking the barrage button. On top of the flexible pop cap and also having 300+ penetrations Jacksons this is just retarded.
Germany
Relic Entertainment
