Profile of miragefla

I still think that the cost for the officers should be lowered by about 5 fuel to allow them to be fielded as the 3rd unit, to offer a meaningful alternative to the 3 riflemen builds. The to counter balance the issue of both officers and then mayor being too cheap, at least one unlock can be required, which is exactly the 20 fuel difference.

Your officer should still be arriving as the third unit if you're rushing for it. You might float a bit of MP, but you can also immediately build a team weapon off the bat, just delayed, which we found as a fair thing.

You want map control/early combat power: you go with the 3 rifles. You want a slower, but more diverse start, you go LT then .50cal or have your Captain fast build delayed units. Or build an extra RE instead during the delay.

Since this stuff mainly pops up due to Volksgrenadier StG 44s and Penal SVTs that I had worked on and designed, I'm just going to leave this here on why I said these things were to be done:

Penal SVTs: The whole point of making them having a relative linear curve is to give Soviets an effective anti-infantry squad that can pick their fights, while still being effective at the range role thanks to veterancy and their good DPS. Unlike other squads who have weapon upgrades, however, Penal Troops need to rely on a good base weapon and veterancy to suceed.

The other reason for having good rifles at the start is because they are not only deployed from a specialized building which takes away map control, but also their high cost. Yes, you will still beat Grenadiers and Volksgrenadiers at range, but given the lose in capturing power and the fact you are outnumbered, you need to be able to win engagements quickly which means closing some distance. And the more time your Penals are spent in a shoot-out, the more time they're not recovering the map control you lost via tech choice.

Short Answer: Opportunity Costs, Soviets lacking a combat-focused non-doctrinal squad, no weapon upgrades.

Volksgrenadier StG 44: This, as Jae has said, is to allow Volksgrenadiers to pick their fights. OKW did not need more long-range squads packing LMGs. Yet, the StGs were never meant to be supreme weapons. They were meant to allow Volks to hold their ground depending where they fight vs certain threats. StG 44s also fit OKW's more offensive orientated nature over Ostheer. A decent enough weapon for all situations.

Could StG 44s possibly be done better? Possibly. But that is another issue. Making them OKW Conscripts would mean a change or shift in how OKW teching works or you would just overrun them with upgraded infantry which puts an even heavier emphasize on relying on doctrines to have competent infantry, i.e: Old Soviets.

Short Version: Less LMGs, a unit that can pick its fights to keep them relevant.

Last thing I will say, opportunity cost also plays a factor as to what weapons squads will get. Its why Obers can club Riflemen, who carry semi-automatics, with just their bolt-actions rifles at all ranges. Rifles, sure will do much better at short, but you're still going to lose the majority of the time unless you get the BAR which is another weapon that does decently at all ranges, require tech, etc.

I would personally rate the Guards ability as one of the most powerful vet one ability in the game.

Except you won't use it all the time using this in a very good spot where you expect the enemy to try and just get in a shoot-out with Guards, there are counters to the ability. Being immobile is a major drawback, especially against grenades and if you break the ability, you're not going to be able to use it again in the fight.

It also does not protect them from suppression unlike Conscript Hit the Dirt, so you cannot use it to assault HMGs which are a strong counter to a unit that needs to be still to use all its weapons.

The lack of cooldown for exiting Hit the Dirt is so the squad can at least try to reposition and remain in a fight, rather than needing an instant retreat from the many grenades Axis squads carry.

On the Guard squad themselves, I would not mine if they specialized into either AT or AI, me and Smith had that set in a mod prior to DBP, but that never came to pass. They are not the most broken unit, though, nor do I consider them one. The main thing which makes them good is versatility, allowing them to put pressure on LVs and infantry.

I just tried the fragmentation bomb from German Infantry Doctrine. It does very little damage to a Bofors, even if the computer doesn't brace. It looked like it would take something like 6 of these bombing runs to take out a Bofors. For 200 munitions, it seems like it should take between 1/3 and 1/2 of the emplacements health if not braced, and may half of that even if braced. Short of improving that, this commander won't be that useful if playing against UKF in a large team game. The other units/abilites, seem okay. I like being able to heal without retreating to base.

Fragmentation bombs aren't meant to take out fortified defenses. The ability excels at destroying infantry clusters and disorientating the odd tank in the area thanks to how quickly the plane arrives.

Other notes on the behind the scenes build that is in progress and will be sent to Relic:

-221: Arrives after first truck. Armour is going down to 4 from 9 and health from 320 to 240. Build time will be moved to 40 seconds. Upgrading the radio will give you back the old armour and health, but it requires a truck to be deployed into one of the HQs.

-Cavalry Riflemen will need the Grenade Package for smoke.

Dozer, KV-2 and KV-8 are getting +160 health instead of a 0.8 modifer.

-KV-8 45mm reload change reverted; penetration to 140/80/60

-Tommies have their mines removed.

-Valentine available at the start. Requires AEC or Bofors. 60 second build time. Armor to 80/50 from 120/80 (Stuart)

-Anti-Armour Overwatch: Speed doubled from 45 to 90. Radius from 45 to 50. Damage from 160 to 120. (Drive do not stop)

-Concrete Bunkers are automatically made as Repair Bunkers; Manpower to 380

-Grenadier Squad Leader no longer icnreased squad accuracy. G43 rifle now transfers.

-Booby Traps of all kinds now cost 40 and match the Soviet version in damage. Previously they used the demolition charge profile.

-JLI veterancy requirements from 660/1320/2240/3520/4400 to 520/1040/2080/3120/3970; reinforcement time to 6

The issues of the Sturmtiger's projectile detonating prematurely, the Pak 43 remaining pretty useless if not behind shotblockers, the Recovery Sappers unit being a bit overlapping and underwhelming as well as it's icon and description being wrong, the Soviet FHQ model remaining to be finalized Osin mentioned and as Vipper said the veterancy of the units still remain.

Not to mention Overwatch still being all over the place with the Jaegers and Lefh.

I will rephrase, when I mean finalized, it's the completion of the main changes outside minor edits and bug fixes.

Sturmtiger projectile, I do not believe can be made to crush obstacles in the way. If it needs adjustment, it would be a slightly higher arc with increased projectile speed.

Pak 43s can at least be demolished when their initial shock value is done. They are not going to be 17pdr clones.

Icons and descriptions are part of clean-up. New icons are not included in the mod itself to keep it small and easy to build.

Soviet FHQ I am waiting for someone to get back to me. If not, the current tent will gain some additions to be bulkier.

Veterancy can be looked into.