The issue is even if you are behind a shotblocker you can't escape from him in time (and not every map has shot blockers...) because the Pwerf has extremely poor pathing and acceleration.
Yeah, me too, because the amount of "Allied bias" is very high on these forums. I almost understand the whinings about OKW (though some of them are exagerrated) but Ostheer??!? Get a clue about this game allready!
anyway, the problem with panther in team games is same with problems with mostly german tanks with superb stats that are locked behind a high cost. this system works somewhat in 1v1 and 2v2(?) i guess, but if you go higher, cost is much lesser problem due to all the damn caches.
so what used to be a superb tank that costs fortune becomes a superb tank that cost marginally more. i think ostheer panther is perfectly fine in 2v2, but panthers in 3v3+ are still ridoncolous.
i dont get why some people just cant get over the fact that you have to get close. especially seeing how most maps have clusters of shot blockers that allow you to do that freely as long as you are aware of one or two flanks.
once ostheer t4 becomes more viable, i really think 10 sec reduce in barrage rate would be enough.
Except the Pwerfer used to be used at exactly the same range the Katyusha was until it had it's rocket amount lowered and it's ability to hit at range decreased.
This isn't asymmertrical balance; it's idiocy. Why should a 85 fuel + teching cost HT that dies in 1 hit have to be used in closer ranges than mortars are used to be effective at all?
And the AT gun or infantry blob can simply move as well, since the area you will be hitting will be rather small. The Kat is able to bombard a larger area and do more damage over a larger area allowing it to deny territory and break up defensive formations. You can't move your AT gun back into line until it stops firing.
With the Pwerf once you dodge it that's it, it doesn't break up any defensive lines because once you dodge it that's it, you can move right back to where you were.
self spotting... an ability that is considered so invaluable that it was nerfed on focus sight for su85/isu/ele. and tracking for su85/su76/zis. and take aim(?) on 57mm.
of course, command panther bend the rule under the banner of "command" on top of the bonuses it already brings.
i think panther definitely have a place in 2v2+. sometimes they are more suitable than tiger and KT. for ost, still hard to get it in timely manner, if allies lead early game but whateve.