I'll make a point about USF balance in 2v2.
The reasoning comes from first hand experience and from watching actually good players like dirty finisher. I like to watch his streams despite his unwillingness to build M20 and spitting into a bottle all the time. Nobody is perfect though. Here is the stream which shows several games vs same pre-made pathfinder spammers, I highly recommend watching it:
https://www.twitch.tv/videos/1446278623
TL;DR: Pathfinder as a unit is not OP, but the Airborn build order of 4x Pathfinders, into echelon zooks, then .50 cal and a forward ambulance
is an early-game horror for axis. This is only a valid strategy when all these units are together and never split.
Why it's a problem:
1. Wehrmacht is spotted all the time which makes the MG-42 play almost impossible. Due to large target size and high long range DPS of pathfinders, HMG dies very easily when focused by this blob. Grens on the other hand also drop models very easily max range due to pathfinders excelling in these engagements and trading favourably before wehrmacht can even get their weapon upgrades. On top of that, pathfinders vet very quickly and have a weapon range increase to 40 at vet3 which can be deadly in early transition to late game with 4x zookfinders + 2-3x scotts. It only works if the scott timing is decent so no LV on USF side. Well-played zook echelons in the early game can defend the pathfinder blob from any ostheer LV. It's a win-only strategy vs ost that is so unfun to play as or play against, it feels like cheating.
2. If OKW tries to counter pathfinders with kubel or multiple kubels, it doesn't work as pathfinders deal surprisingly high damage to kubelwagen. Early 221 can still take a lot of small-arms fire and can't stay in combat for too long until it's upgraded to 223, but then the zook-echelons usually counter it, so it's a micro heavy fight that can end both ways, but we're talking here about good usf players that takes advantage of well positioned ambo and doesn't overextend. Against OKW there might be some early-game struggle from USF side if OKW player decides to spam loads of infantry as not all pathfinders are on the field yet, however with .50 cal and forward ambo usf can retake the territory and still pump out scotts at decent timing. I have not seen much of P2 being played against pathfinder spam, but I think it could work as P2 has great AI at any range and good mobility, so echelon zooks wouldn't be too effective against it.
None of the above would be a problem if there was any drawback in a transition to mid- and late-game, however equipping 4x vet3 pathfinders with double zooks each turns them into 40 range and highly accurate formidable AT blob. If you try to push them off the field with your infantry you will get shot a lot by 2 scotts that will autofire at you all the time. You need several squads to make a push and it only makes it easier for scotts to hit something. If you have not bled dry as axis till this point, your ATG will get countered by long range scott barrages and any P4 dive will end up with a damaged or lost P4. As USF you get a huge synergy if your teammate applies the same strategy... even more scotts firing makes it easier to score wipes on the enemy squads.
So many top ranked 2v2 USF players play pathfinders only, that it without a doubt is the strongest USF strategy atm for arranged team 2v2.
Suggested solution:
Removal of both weapon slots from pathfinders would make them scale worse to late game and prevent the abuse. Building pathfinders in the early-game would still be worth it due to enemy model drops and the vision they povide in the early- and late-game, but without them being a new USF mainline that allows for cancerous strategies. Just repurpose them to be a good addition but not a replacement to riflemen.
Other opinions:
Other than that, I think that stock early-game USF options need to be looked at. M20 still taking years to build, despite 221 doing exactly what unarmoured M20 could be doing but 2 minutes earlier. Lt and Cpt still taking years to build... Building only 2 rifles before the officer makes you lose a game and the third rifle is mandatory before you tech to Lt or Cpt, which makes the build order stale. Also if you swap places of M8 Greyhound and Stuart and then buff the stuart to have an actual AI, you could have this unit be viable, something like a valentine. Greyhound is a good vehicle as is with both AI comparable to 222 and is on par in a duel with both 222 and p2, but the timing on it is garbage at 4CP. Atm the only good USF light vehicle for its timing is AA HT. Also mortar > pak howie, change my mind. USF feels like the most out of place faction of all, especially in early- and mid-game, BARs having focus fire set to false deal damage but don't drop models unless you blob your infantry. 60MU per BAR is very expensive and makes you choose between planting mines, throwing grenades or actually upgrading and having good infantry. This again is not a problem with pathfinders that are good even without weapon upgrades. Stock USF early game is not attractive. Stuart could at least get an optional upgrade of pintle machinegun for 60MU, this would both help its horrible AI and be historically accurate
or it could just use higher MG dps or something to make it worth getting outside of 1v1 matchup against OST. USF ATG is both great and bad due to being a massive muni sink just to maybe penetrate, which makes Jackson and stolen ATGs the only reasonable AT for USF.
Also why TF did soviet Mechanized and ost Jaeger Armor lose their bombing strikes (good change), but Breakthrough kept its bollocks strong half-map size artillery strike? Was it not meta enough that it dodged the commander nerf?
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