Profile of gbem

Good question. Is there a source for suppression values? Gbem doing one-off experiments isn't exactly data.

Fire arc vs set-up time is entirely subjective. I find set up time to be a lot more important than fire arc, because my squads can crawl up to an mg34 and grenade-wipe it easily. Doesn't work for mg42 because you'll get pinned way earlier. For 50 cal and Maxim you can actually dodge grenades, and continue to stay in the fight by packing up and re-positioning. MG34, once dislodged, will not have the opportunity to re-position and set up again.

The quick tear-down time also factors heavily into survivability. When I use 50 cals, it's very common to get Vet 3 on them, but MG34 crews face a much bigger risk of being wiped because they take so much longer to pack up.

you are free to test it out yourself aswell... use cheatmods and a timer... sample size of 5 is generally enough... both must fire without obstruction on a target without any cover... target must be at maximum range and in both cases a conscript squad

you know whats not subjective? 3 barifles vs an MG34 and 3 LMGgrens vs maxim.... those barifles will get suppressed in a frontal charge... yet 3 LMGgrens can solo a maxim frontally

you are correct about teardown time though... it is indeed very important... but the deathloop is far worse than long teardown times... and ive lost more maxims to the deathloop than MG34s to its teardown time

Lets clear some things up on why the maxim is the way it is. The deathloop which is not fixable is cushioned by the large 6 man team, giving it the best chance to recover from death loop since it cannot be fixed. The suppression is rather mediocre to prevent maxim spam of durable 6 man machine guns. If you raise the suppression or alternativly lower the price, you are pushing maxims farther towards the infamous maxim spam meta. The models per team is not lowered due to the existance of the deathloop.

If you have an alternative way to make the maxim respected in its own right, without creating an awful meta of machine gun spam, we're all ears.

that infamous maxim spam existed due to the lack of cost efficient non doctrinal infantry for the soviets... conscripts used to be shit and not scale properly and had no weapon upgrades to fight properly (which it still doesnt outside of doctrines)

therefore at that time i as a soviet player would rather use the maxim as frontline infantry instead since the maxim used to cost like a conscript squad yet perform far better than it... currently the problem of the conscript squad being weak is already fixed... if the conscript squad were to recieve a non doc weapon upgrade aswell...say a DP28 or 2... i as a player would rather choose the conscript squad which now scales in the long run over a buffed maxim... a small grenade wouldnt hurt aswell

maybe buff the maxim by giving it MG34 suppression and give the cons a DP-28 upgrade... that ways cons can duel with grens in the lategame non doctrinally... and not have to rely on a spam of maxims just to get the job done

ofc in tourneys ppl just go for penals guards instead but this buff at least opens the possibility of competitive t2 play over t1 or t1/t2 play

tldr... the old maxim spam existed because soviet players at the time had no alternatives... giving cons more tools like grenades (nobody gets the molotov) or upgrades gives soviet players an alternative making it safe to make the maxim decent again...

joke of the year

thats odd bcz when playing the soviets id rather steal the rak over the pak 40... 10 range and no green cover for superstealth ability to garrison buildings and retreat? hell yeah... 2 of these plus a volks can shreck a T-34 with ease in an ambush

More... Triple... Dots... there... are...too much... space... And... Not... Enough thoughts....

As said before, not only maxim have such kind of problem - that deathloop happens on every MG in-game. If you want mobile supression platform as Soviets - go for Meatgrinder upgrade and keep it away from grens.
Also, this is not a problem - this is a feature.
Also, maxim is rather cheap and easy to spam(rip maxim spam meta 2015), its setup-teardown time is small. It vet1 ability is useless at most time, but can help alot, if you are against giant blob of fgren/pzfusil/ other cheat and mass okw units - it does not only suppres quicker, but allows to do massive damage.

To counter ANY MG in game, you should flank it. To prevent flanking, you should position it in choke points/buildings/etc.
If your Maxim forced to retreat, then you doing something wrond(don't forget about conscripts ability to reinforce squads)

1. the maxim has such bad suppression that a triple LMG gren blob or a single volksgrenadier and a flame nade can solo charge it and win... is it intentional aswell for a triple lmg gren blob to solo an mg from the front without cover?

if that were the case then id love the mg34 and mg42 to be nerfed to the point where i can solo charge it with 3 barfles >.>

2. this "feature" makes what is objectively the worst MG ingame even worse

Worst MG in game is currently vickers which is basically 4 man maxim squad with wider firing arc. As weak as maxim is, at very least squad itself is durable enough to win engagements with enemy squads

Plus non-doc units wont be touched this patch (outside of brit snares)

the maxim does less damage than the vickers has less arc has less suppression at higher veterancies has more target size for the crew and most importantly...no deathloop... in exchange for 2 extra men and slightly faster setup time... id take the vickers over the maxim please