Profile of Gladeus-Ex-Machina

Don't forget that bunkers and fighting positions don't cost fuel though, and don't take up as much popcap as a squad, or any in the case of the bunker (IIRC the fighting position has a negligible pop cost but I could be totally wrong).

True, but to weaponize the bunker or fighting position, it requires 60 munitions. Normally I'd say that 60 Munitions is actually more valuable than 30 Fuel, but then take into account the Additional 150 Manpower and 15 Fuel to unlock Bofors and the AA emplacement would still be in a decent spot.

Well, I guess if they operate like USF crew garrisons, the infantry would have a separate population cap compared to the crewed vehicle/emplacement.

Then the only difference is that an upgraded bunker retains its full utility regardless of whether a squad is inside, whilst a fighting position still requires a unit inside for the sight bonus. So yeah actually, somewhere within the 100 to 125 Manpower range is probably still fair for what the defence ties up.

Oh, and the fighting position doesn't have a population cost, but it dies so fast to AT gun, costs way more than a trench, and 60 munitions seems far more important to USF weapon racks than OST honestly.

So yeah, to preface, I don't play this game competitively against players. Besides keeping my heart rate low, I get enough satisfaction from Hard or Expert AI, with friends, or just clutching against a drawn out end-game. But here are my ideas on minor doctrine changes, and workable new doctrines.

Here we go.

New Joke Doctrine: Australian Regiment. Use dogged infantry and General Monash tactics to slowly advance with defensive actions and combined arms advances.

0) Aussie Digger Section; 4 Man Infantry Section that can dig trenches 50% faster, spout aussie slang, and can throw improvised tin can grenades (Rear Echelon rifle grenade damage) for 5 Munitions. Can be upgraded with OWEN SMGs, letting them camouflage in Mud and Cover.

3) Kangaroo Carrier; Back from the Opposing Fronts past. Armored like a M4A3 Sherman, one LMG, carries up to 2 squads and lets 4 boyos shoot out. 270 Manpower, 40 Fuel, 6 Population Cap

4) Concentrated Artillery Barrage

7) Matilda Heavy Tank; Basically a Valentine in terms of overall stats, but with no auxillary abilities, making it basically only useful for taking damage. 280 Manpower, 75 Fuel, 9 Population Cap.

8) Hold The Line


......Okay, now that's out of my system...


Soviets:

Anti-Infantry Tactics: Replace Fear Propoganda or Incendiary Artillery Barrage with the DshK Machine Gun

Partisan Tactics: Partisans get an extra man to maximum squad size for each tech building (to a maximum of 6). Partisans spawning from your base call-in come in as a full squad (to help on maps with few buildings, or the end of the game where all the buildings have been collapsed). At T4, Partisans can upgrade with DP-28s or an additional Panzershrek.


Wehr:

Fortified Armor: Give vehicles in Hull Down the Spotting Scope effect, maybe only in the frontal 90 or 180 degrees. (A change to Hull Down in general really)


USF:

Heavy Cavalry: Move Combined Arms from a Commander Ability to being a vehicle activated buff. Slightly reduced cost.
Give the Pershing a vehicle crew repair.

Armor Company: Make the Elite Vehicles Crew be passive, granting one member the Thompson SMG. Grants an additional Thompson for each additional Veterancy Star the crew has, and increases repair speed while a Lieutenant, Captain or Major is nearby.

Allow the M-10 Wolverine to be built from the Company Command Post (Captain building), provided the Platoon Commmand Post (Lieutenant building) has been teched to.


OKW:

I ... actually have no idea what to meddle with here.


UKF:

Artillery Regiment: Switch early Warning to 2. Make it allow Infantry Sections to upgrade to Recon Sections, giving them the same vision as Pyrotechnic InfantryS, but also giving two of the squad members scoped Lee-Enfields (similar to their previous Vet 3) that functions like Pathfinder/Wehr Jaeger Light Infantry G43s. Takes up two weapon slots, but allows one additional weapon to be picked up when squad size is bolstered.

Give the Valentine Tank the Command Vehicle designation by default. Sure, the observation and aerial recon is overlap, but one is mobile, gives extra sight and costs munition. Also allows the Valentine to act as a command vehicle for the units actually fighting. Drop the Population cap to 10.

Change the Sexton so it can fire like a LeiG or Pack Howitzer. Add a Hold Fire so it won't give away its position if stealth is necessary.

Tactical Support: Allow Recovery Engineers to secure resource territories, allowing them to generate munitions or fuel (depending on the sector) for their player while stationary in the sector (ala Cargo Truck).

Maybe push the Forward Observation back to 7 CPs. Make the Forward Observation Post have doubled sight range while a unit is garrisoned. Allow units to reinforce from FOP. Allow other Forward Assemblies to use the additional off-map options while you have a standing FOP. Allow the FOP to use the Coordinated Fire (Base Howitzers) within its range.

Aight, have at it. Look forward to the comments.

Just my two cents:

Fortified Armor: Besides the spotting scopes still in the description text, I ... I dunno, should a Wehr doctrine have vehicle crew repairs?

Anti-Infantry Tactics: I feel like there's way too much overlap with Terror Tactics. Maybe add the DshK to it instead of one of the off-map artillery options.

USF: Admittedly, I don't play a lot of USF, but I feel like Heavy Cav has this huge divide between getting Rangers and getting the Pershing. I know Rangers are good for several reasons, but I often can't take them over the Riflemen I get at the start of the game. And if I pick the Pershing, I'm usually banking on one or two tanks (one that I can't decrew and repair either) and possibly be facing down 'cheaper' Panthers, Stugs or a Tiger of some sort. Again, I don't play USF often, so I have no idea how you could remove an ability and add something else in to make it better.

Elite Armored: I reckon this has some nifty upgrade abilities, but the Sturmtiger you might be banking on is really a gamble. I typically don't play this, so like USF, I'm not sure what's missing.

UFK: I play UKF the most, and Tactical Support Regiment and Commandoes Regiment the least. For the most part, Tactical Support is really munitions heavy, even if you can recovery wrecks (and not get your engineers picked off and just bleed manpower).

I will say that for Royal Artillery, I think it could be interesting to make the Valentine a Command Vehicle by default - historically and utility wise.