On the balance of tier 2 and 3.

In the current version of wikinger,  a lot of games tend to be decided in the early game, or through multiple cheese/rushes, and it is starting to grind on many players’ nerves. A lot of it tends to do with specifically: US’s vulnerability to tier 0 kubels, Soviet tier 2 and three, and finally the imbalance between vehicles based mortars and infantry based mortars. So this post will have two parts: the first will deal with soviet costing and their tier 2 and 3, while the second part of the post will deal with other tier 2 early games, namly focusing on the US and germans. For the record, none of this applies to OMSBON with one exception.

The issue with soviets aside for some very nasty rush builds is that they are forced to rely on very weak AT units, and have, without question, the worst tank in the game as their tier 3. There are also issues with call ins and costing for multiple doctrines. I will suggest some changes here:

• • PTRS for the conscripts goes from 35 muni to 15-20: Ever since the nerf, the PTRS takes the following shots to kill various important axis light vehicles: Kubelwagen (5), 222 (8-9), Luchs (~16). While those seem bad, they really are not, it really just means that you need to have enough PTRS rifles. Right now, soviets lose the arms race of axis LV’s vs PTRS number. The 2 180 MP AT squads at tier 1 do help a lot, but conscripts need to be able to keep up. Right now, between grenades, maxims and everything else soviets need muni to force a good early game, it is hard to get PTRS early enough.

• Rifle guards get the 4 man PTRS squad from soviet armor: same reasoning as above.

• PTRS AT squads need a buff: This can either be in the form of a critical shot ability, or AT grenades getting cheaper for them, or just being able to throw 2 AT nades at a time. AT nades are unreliable and lack range, but it would help these squads actually pose a threat to axis medium tanks. I’ll leave that up to you.
• Buff the T-34. somehow: This is addressed in the post made by gamecks, but it needs to happen. This tank is, as of right now, terrible.

Regarding specific docs now:

• Rifle guards: 
• They need cheaper IS-1’s. Those cost way too much at the moment, as german heavies have little problem getting past it’s armor, while the 85mm gun usually needs to get close and APCR to pen the competition.
• • • Both of the call ins should probably be tied to tier: wolverines and the churchill (unless it gets an armor buff) should be tier 3, while SU-85’s and the shermans should be tier 4. This would make the doctrine more consistent. 
• Shock squads need a buff: For a squad that is supposed to charge into the enemy with primitive body armor, these squads are really way too squishy. Since rifle guards have suppression immune infantry to make up for their lack of a true heavy assault tank (IS-2, ISU-152, Whatever OMSBON manages to steal), these guys need to be able to fill the gap. 
• OMSBON:
• • The recovery ability needs to cost more fuel. 60 is just way too cheap for how annoying it is. I would suggest 120 fuel to start. 

Regarding other light vehicle balance, there are some glaring issues with both americans and mortar halftracks. I’ll address each one here before my suggestions: 

• US light vehicles: The main issue here is that the balance of certain vehicles is just off: the m15 is flat out overpowered, the greyhound is overcosted. The greyhound is more expensive than every other light vehicle, including more expensive than the m15, which is far stronger. The greyhound also requires a lot of investment to use: 50 muni for canister, 50 for 50. Cal, 25 for extra armor. 

• Mortar haltracks: These cost so much despite being inferior to infantry mortar teams in almost every way: Halftracks cost fuel, cannot be recrewed if you kill them, are very easy to kill (one tap from a tank, AT rifle nade, etc.). The incredibly strong soviet and british mortars cost (300/50/0) compared to the american mortar halftrack (525/20/30) and the german halftrack (450/20/25). The cost is overly prohibitive and does not reflect the usefulness of the unit. I need my bombardment units to be tough, not mobile.
• The M8 scott: This unit costs (560/65/75). This is got to be the most overcosted unit currently in the mod. The direct fire is terrible. The barrage is incredibly inaccurate. (like… toa comical degree). It takes 15 seconds to reload. This unit costs more than a sherman 75 (340/0/60) despite having no value. 

Here are my suggestions for the previous issues: 

• PTRS Cost goes from 35 to 15-20
• PTRS AT squads get the ability to throw another type of AT nade. 
• T-34 buffed at your discretion
• Shock squads get more survivability
• OMSBON salvage goes from 60 to 120 fuel
• IS-1 cost decreased (particularly fuel)
• Rifle guards call ins tied to tier
• M15 cost increased: was (250/30/35). Now: (350/30/45)
• M15 now requires both platoon and company command post
• M15 removed from airborne and replaced by M16. (they don’t need an autocannon)
• M16 damage vs infantry increase (this would buff soviets and allow the m16 to not be… useless)
• Greyhound cost decreased: was (280/45) now: (280/35)
• US mortar halftrack cost decreased: was (525/20/30) now: (300/20/30)
• German mortar halftrack decreased: was (450/20/30) now: (300/20/30)
• M8 scott cost increased: was (560/65/75) (!!!!!) now (400/40/40)
• M8 scott buffed somehow. Tighter spread on the barrage
• 30. Cal jeep gun improved (to compete with kubel)
• 221 MG improved (to compete with 222… at least a little)

As a short PS, rangers are also in a bad spot right now. They could use some help. I know you don’t want to do everything here, so out of everything here, the most urgent would be the M15 needing a nerf, the T-35 needing a buff, and the PTRS needing a cost decrease (I can work with the damage model)

• This topic was modified 4 years, 3 months ago by Death_Kitty.
• This topic was modified 4 years, 3 months ago by Death_Kitty.