Profile of Pip

I have made a thread on Obersoldaten's timing, so this thread doesnt get derailed any further.

https://www.coh2.org/topic/106777/obersoldaten-and-their-timing

Obersoldaten are a strong infantry unit, undeniably. When vetted and upgraded they can handily defeat most allied infantry units, struggling only with dedicated assault units that get a major drop on them, and perhaps with Paratroopers with 1919s. This is justifiable, given Obersoldaten's extremely high cost, and their inherent lack of any method of dealing with any sort of armour. (As well as their vulnerability to explosives, being a fourman squad)

The issue arises with their timing, and place within the OKW arsenal. Obers require two trucks to be placed, minimum, before they can be built. They then require the Schwere to be upgraded before they are able to get their weapon upgrade. This poses several issues: By the time you are able to build Obersoldaten you are almost necessitated to have built upwards of four Volksgrenadiers/Fusiliers. This doesn't leave an awful lot of room for Obers when combined with the light vehicles OKW are generally expected to build, the support weapons they may need, nor their later hopes for medium/heavy vehicles. OKW population issues are a seperate topic, however, as is their reliance on the Mechanised HQ and its offerings.


Your Obers, if you feel as though you can fit them into your army comp, also have the unfortunate experience of coming onto the field unvetted, and unless you want to delay them even further, unupgradable, and being expected to combat vetted allied elite infantry.

I'm suggesting that Obers be moved around within the OKW tech structure to make them a somewhat less awkward unit to field. I'm not sure where precisely would be fitting for them. Suggestions are;

Being available from the beginning of the game from the HQ truck, as an alternate option to Volks. This would be coupled with an adjustment of their veterancy, moving some of their vet-2 accuracy bonus to vet 3 or 4, so as not to entirely overpower allied infantry. Requiring a truck to have been placed before they are able to access their Bundle Grenade is another, similar suggestion. Perhaps increasing their received accuracy without vet, and providing a larger bonus through vet to make them less less powerful off the bat may also be in order. Their vulnerability to light armour, and lack of a grenade should keep them from being too oppressive early on, hopefully.

Second option: Allow them to be built as soon as a truck is deployed. This would necessitate fewer rebalances to Ober performance, given that they would still be delayed to approximately Panzergren timing, while fulfilling an entirely different role. Veterancy may still wish to be re-curved, but RA and Grenade changes would be un-needed.

In either case, I would also suggest that their MG-34 upgrade be available upon building two trucks, rather than requiring a Schwere with Panzer Auth. Both options would mean you are more free to mix-and-match your infantry build earlier on, without having to rely on losing squads of Volks to free up space in your army.

If you have any suggestions or criticisms let me know. I know It's rather a big suggested change, and that such an unit can be exceedingly powerful if available too early.

This is the major problem with Obers. (Coupled with the fact that you're usually already loaded on Volks by the time you can get them)

Obers need to be buildable much earlier, in my opinion. As soon as your first truck, honestly. You can get JLI or Fallschirmjager out by that time, and both of those (When the JLI are upgraded) arguably outperform non-LMG Obers.

How overpowering would they be if you could just buy them from the beginning of the game? I expect some of their vet 2 bonus might have to be pushed to vet 3 if that were to happen.

Have you played vs OKW yet?
Or 5 man gren meta?

5 man grens still retain the rifle grenade. An argument could be made for Fusiliers however.

Given that the Jackson is a turreted "Assault" TD (By virtue of being an USF vehicle, with USF moving accuracy and speed (I think?)) as opposed to the more static TD types that other factions use, has a range nerf to 50 been considered as part of a way to balance the Jackson, if avoiding it being a Firefly clone is so desired?

Or might that make it too vulnerable to the Panther? Perhaps 55 range?