Profile of ZombiFrancis

Contrary to popular belief, a multitude of abilities (and therefore combinations) do not result in more dynamic commander play. Years of metagame have shown us this. If we focus on streamlining a number of abilities, a level of consistency can be brought to the Soviet commander pool that has never been previously enjoyed.

I am encouraged that Relic is exploring merging Defensive Fortifications (Tank Traps) into Entrenching Tools (Barbed-Wire, Sandbags, Trenches), especially after integrating Hit the Dirt into into Guards and conscript PPSh. This is exactly the sort of changes that the EFA commanders need to become more competitive, dynamic, and balanced. I offer my thoughts and ideas on addressing the Soviet faction's commander pool and the metagame.

There are a number of soviet doctrinal abilities that could (or should) be merged together to provide a more consistent set of doctrinal abilities without robbing commanders of their flavor.

Merge the following doctrinal abilities:

Conscript Repair Package
PMD AI mines (And allow conscripts to lay them)
PMD AT mines

Form these into a new "Conscript Engineer Package" at 3-5CP. (Distinctly lacking flamethrowers/sweepers, the two roles actual combat engineers upgrade into. Only reason I suggest 5CPs is that is the current requirement for conscript repair. I think 3 is appropriate.) All instances of these doctrinal abilities are exclusive to each other, so each instance could be replaced with this merged passive without requiring new replacement abilities.
Advanced Warfare, Conscript Support, Shock Motor, and Soviet Reserve all see the addition of laying AI or AT PMD mines. Defensive Tactics and Tank Hunters each gain conscript repair and better mine laying capabilities. None of these are major meta commanders, especially Defensive Tactics.

Another set of abilities that should be merged are Armored Vehicle Detection and Anti-Tank Ambush Tactics. Although ATG ambush is 2 CP and armored vehicle detection is 4 CPs, a merged "Anti-Tank Tactics" ability would be still be appropriate anywhere at 2-4 CPs. (I don't know if anyone gets much use out of a cloaked ZIS at 2 CP.) Though the proposed M42 cloak would overlap with this combination, it wouldn't need to be affected if it had the superior cloaking ability anyway.

Armored Vehicle Detection is in Urban Defense and Shock Motor. Anti-Tank Ambush Tactics is in Mechanized Support, Shock Rifle, and Soviet Combined. (Tank Hunters has its own special variety that affects vehicles, but Armored Vehicle Detection should totally be combined or added into Tank Hunters.) The merged ability would give soviet players better ability (sight) to actually lay an ambush, and would only provide more utility to some underused commanders. It doesn't create the need for any replacement abilities either.

Finally, and most simply: Merge (replace) the KV-1 with the KV-8. This improves the Counterattack, Conscript Support, and Guard Rifle commander.

These proposed combinations would improve nearly a dozen off-meta (and one on-meta) commanders. I don't think there's any more or less overlap after these combinations.

The tally of commanders buffed:
Advanced Warfare +
Conscript Support ++
Shock Motor ++
Soviet Reserve +
Defensive Tactics +
Tank Hunters +
Urban Defense +
Mechanized Support +
Shock Rifle +
Soviet Combined Arms +
Counterattack +
(Guard Rifle +)

More ambitious point about KVs
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How to overhaul Partisan Tactics:

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Ideas for incorporating doctrinal abilities into the core faction:

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Necessary new doctrinal abilities:

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The 5 man squad size for a call-in RE makes them suitable candidates for recrewing weapons as well. With salvage they'd very much be equipped to operate effectively away from the front lines.

In this event Rifle company would/should likely drop RE flamethrowers for riflemen field defenses. (I find it crazy that commander doesn't have one of the most crucial riflemen passives.)

Swap out Assault Engineers for Rear Echelons as call-in units.

Make REs 5 man squads that come with a free minesweeper. One could even try giving this version the slot item rifle grenade upgrade that miragefla tinkered with. Or adjust minelaying capabilities around too. Potentially worth allowing them to salvage wrecks, even.

A call-in minesweeper has a very specific utility that can support a player at virtually any stage in the game.

Just offering some ideas that's not making them a rifle squad variant.

Actually the game is the most balanced it has been for many years, with the healthiest commander diversity we've seen in ages, and 3 (maybe 4) factions being viable.

OKW doesn't actually have any counters to blobbing either - if you want to describe it that way. Only Ost has the excellent mg42, everyone else has got to make do.

I refute your statement about healthiest commander diversity.

Right now, yeah a lot of stuff seems to be up in the air because a bunch of stuff may get tossed in a blender and it'll shake things up. That certainly can create an atmosphere where people are trying to come up with new metagames for when the current one is dumpstered with a patch.

But at the same time, one of the significant reasons there's a push for this is because the commander pool is just as stagnant as it has been the entire life of CoH2. Example: Ostheer uses Mobile Defense all the time, which has been deemed irredeemable and it's likely going to be changed. Tournament players weren't even putting in other commanders in their loadout.

We have never achieved healthy commander diversity, and we've never once achieved 5 balanced factions. A 3, maybe 4, balanced faction scenario is where we've been since WFA.

I will freely admit though, that at various times in CoH2's history, there was a mostly balanced, highly enjoyable matchup between two factions: Ostheer and Soviets.

If a 4 man squad is going to be operating behind enemy lines they need to be able to deal their damage efficiently (as in, from cover, long range, ideally with a grenade option). That squad also needs to at least be able to have some combination of: creating its own cover/shot blocker, cloaking, and sprinting. These could be after some upgrade or with vet.

I figure it might be worth a try giving Storms scavenge and medpacks that they can use on themselves. Either passively or as an upgrade: making them an Ostheer version of JLI. (That hopefully still can choose to get StGs.)

Though I am serious that Stormtroopers should have their rifles adjusted to match Obers. It'd be nice to have a unit that doesn't absolutely need some slot item upgrade. Additionally this allows Storms to enjoy some synergy with a panzerschreck, and also makes the x4 StG option a true tradeoff that doesn't give the squad awkward and inconsistent ranges of effectiveness.