Profile of GI John 412

Jump back to quoted post19 May 2018, 18:17 PMLago

Volkbags being moved to the Sturmpioneer's building menu could be interesting. Personally I'd like to see everything shuffled around a bit to get rid of STGs and possibly lavanades entirely.

For example:

• Assault Packages in Feuersturm replaced with Panzerfusiliers.
  
• Sturmpioneers gain the Feuersturm flamethrower upgrade as a stock option.
  
• Repair boost moved from Panzershreck to minesweeper.
  
• Sturmpioneers can upgrade minesweepers even when upgraded with a flamethrower or panzershreck.
  
• Volksgrenadier flame grenades are replaced by the MP40 package's standard grenade.
  
• Volksgrenadier STGs replaced with MP40s. This upgrade also gives them a closing tool such as the smoke grenade or Sprint.
  

No more lavanade, but OKW still gets a garrison clearing tool. No more good at all ranges STG upgrade: Volksgrenadiers now transition to CQC in the late game, replacing Sturmpioneers. They are replaced in the long range role by Obersoldaten.

Jump back to quoted post14 May 2018, 13:06 PMferwiner

I think the importance of building counters is largely overestimated in ballance discussions. People seem to expect countering better positioned opponent with only one squad and a cheap ability. That only supports blobbers more and more.

The truth is, that even though there are some units and abilities that excel against buildings, the game is designed so that you don't really need them to fight garrisons. There are multiple mechanics that support players fighting against garrisons:
1. Firepower of garrisoned squad depends on the number of windows. It is the attacking player that chooses the side, so it is safe to say that it is equal to the number of windows in a side that has least of them, varying from 0 to 2.
2. Garrisoned squad members have a chance o being hit that doesn't depend on their position inside building. That means you can hit them through the walls. Together with 1st point, it means full health squads closing to buildings often lose less models than the ones inside.
3. Finally, garrison cover is worse than green cover at ranges over 10. Which means, that if you put your men in cover nearby a house, they will win the fight sooner or later. The first point often can make that process even faster.

To conclude, good positioning and local numerical advantage are the main anti-garrison tools that every faction has at their disposal. Anything beyond this is a factional benefit and should not be considered as required for a faction to stay competitive.

Some of the ideas that came from that mindset were wery damaging to ballance of infantry engagements. A volk granade is a prime example of ability that completely breaks the rules of infantry combat for the sake of countering garrisons. All that while sturmpios with high dps have always done just find against them.