I was playing a 4v4 recently where I had 2 IS-2s on the field backed by Jacksons and it was great fun. But considering the times I've been rolled over by Panthers and Tigers blitzing in with you having no hope of stopping them, I'd rather they went back a few years, had some of the older equipment and made things a whole lot more tactical. The KV-1 would be the biggest tank on the field and it'd be balanced by having a crappy gun, and being forced to face StuGs and P-IVs, each with the potent long barrel. Both side's tanks would be more equal, but with defining characteristics and the game would be far more about who played better then who stalled for heavy tanks, or who played the faction that performed well in XYZ part of the game. That stuff is rubbish balance.
Totally agree, an equal battle centred around the Stalingrad period say would have been a much better setting. Panzer IV F2s versus T-34s. Relatively similar equipment, no silly Tigers to ruin balance, AT rifles would have a place and Stalingrad would be an awesome centrepiece for the game.
North Africa as well would be great fun.
I think German big cats are one of the primary reasons balance is so screwed at the moment.
More factions could be an interesting departure, because we haven't seen CoH with more than 4 factions, that said, I doubt it'll be a particularly good thing for the game (considering the disaster that the WFA armies have been...)
CoH3 in North Africa sounds like the best options, lots of option for expanding the factions (to the French or the Yankees and the Italians and the Germans) an entirely new front and a new style.
Relic however needs to get over their obsession with German armour if the game is to succeed...
and Total Annihilation from 1997 had heightmap based sight. even CoH2's so called truesight doesn't do that, it just deals with LoS blockers. i'm sure we could dig up lots of examples, particularly if we get into unsuccessful games.
Whatever else was terrible about Rome II Total War, their line of sight system was truly superb.