Profile of ZombiFrancis

I've said this in other threads before. T1 high risk/high reward was a thing from the past.
This concept died when soviet sniper (good thing they remove sprint but some changes overall should had been done) and the M3 were nerfed either directly or indirectly (pfaust on Volks practically killed any viability). T1 was dead till they re introduced Penals into the meta. And spamming Penals is not high risk at all.

I'm in favor of a T1 been purely AI, problem is for it to be viable either ALL units must be good or one has to be OP. Introducing either PTRS/M42 solves the problem but that's a change in the design of the tier.

It's not high risk because of Guards being able to bridge the gap to light vehicles (i.e. the first non-infantry thing to fight the increasingly powerful AI unit.) Penals compliment Guards well, but T2 still compliments itself AND Guards well.

Give Penals AT satchels. Make Satchels only usable after a 60 muni upgrade if necessary, or make Satchels unlock with AT nades or something.

At that point it is viable for the sniper team and the maxim to be swapped.

T1 maintains its AI focus while having a deterrent from being overrun by vehicles.
T2 supports conscript play while breaking the clear superiority over T1.

Penals and Maxims v snipers and mortars supporting cons. Think about it from an Axis perspective too: mortars counter maxims, but penals can beat grens. Against T2, grens can beat conscripts, but mg42s and snipers have natural counters available. Against OKW, a T1 maxim spam can hurt OKW starting out, but the Luchs becomes much more viable as a result of no quick ZiS. But a T2 start leaves indirect fire and snipers to contend with as OKW.

You see: actual gameplay. Choices that players can make that invites more cat-and-mouse build choices. Not: Build this unit until you get fuel for the first tank/vehicle. Which currently is how both T1 and T2 for soviets tend to exist.

I think it works better for 2v2s this way too.

If the ptrs is too strong it won't result in blobs, it will result in axis skipping light vehicles and rushing for p4s. Spending fuel in an attempt to have your opponent spend munitions just doesn't play out.

If I know my light vehicles are countered outright by a unit munitions upgrade I won't bother with light vehicles.

Deterrents like the at satchel don't undermine rushing for light vehicles but they do reduce their capacity for shock value and shutting down counterplay without directly having to edit vehicle stats.

You do realise that this change would heavily nerf 6-man infantry squads, support units, and light vehicles (Kubel, M3, UC, etc.) right? What problem do you think this will solve?

Vet should be earned.

Support teams are still just as survivable/wipeable regardless of their vet.

Light vehicles and infantry squads will still get vet. They just won't get boosts for every time they use an AT weapon, or walk into a mine.

The point is it slows down how much vet gets thrown around. I prefer that competent usage of a unit results in veterancy. Many units in CoH2 follow the rule of "using a unit results in vet, which makes it competent" which is rather backwards in my opinion.

But I know this is an unpopular opinion.

Thats they point, giving Tier1 ligh conter to vehicles at cost of harming penals AI.

Also most vehicles can kite penals because of their long aiming time (222 luchs) or simply set up, supress them kill them and pop panic smoke and escape if you screw it up (flaptrack)

We tested it and I have to say, penals PTRS are rather weak than strong in higher skill level

I see that it is very important that the time and energy put into implementing and testing penals PTRS be respected. However just because a lot of time has been sunk into testing PTRS penals doesn't mean it becomes any more valid or balanced an option on that virtue alone.

I get that the idea is to give Penal Battalions a sort of choice that mimics Panzergrenadiers'. That the unit must make a choice between built to fight infantry or built to fight vehicles.

The difference is that there is not a clear role change with Penal Battalions PTRS. A panzergrenadier squad with schrecks is an AT unit. It completely changes their utility.

A penal battalion with PTRS is not a strict AT unit no more than Guards are a strict AT unit. Even with AT Satchels penal battalions aren't an AT unit. It's not like panzerfausts make Grens or Volks an AT unit.

AT Satchels accomplish a very different function, which is extremely beneficial to the unit but also gameplay in general.

The AT Satchels serve two purposes. First and foremost they act as a deterrent to vehicles rushing point blank into the squad that most all other infantry have access to in some form. Obersoldaten are the only other stock unit that is (sorta) helpless against vehicles. (They have that smoke grenade, but I've never seen it used on vehicles.) Shock Troops and Assault Grenadiers are the doctrinal ones.

The second purpose the AT Satchels provides is as an actual anti tank device. It is only really feasible on damaged and disabled vehicles, else it is a suicidal charge/chase. (And imagine that for penals.) It's important to note that anything that allows the AT Satchel to be useful requires utilizing units from HQ or other tiers. Any number of PTRS isn't going to make a difference in the feasible functionality of AT Satchels.

And THAT is a worthwhile feature to keep around for Penals: an ability that helps safeguard against the more cheesier of gameplay tactics that requires combined arms or clever maneuvering and positioning to fully utilize.

Sure, so long as xp from dealing and receiving damage is throttled to something like 10%, if not outright removed.

Veterancy for kills.