AB doc AT team

[Sukin-kot (SVT)]

I decided to bump the idea that was brought on the forum several times since January. It would be cool balance and gameplay wise if AB could get a dedicated AT team. The updates showed that those squads fit into the gameplay very well (Sas and Canadian infantry), they kinda narrow the gap of infantry AT capabilities after coaxial mgs and HE received a huge buff.

Most of the people agree that current AT capabilities suck hard, recoiless is a joke weapon (even in Beta) and picking up 2 zooks with 82nd is a bad idea because with 4 Thompsons they are too weak against infantry. That leads to an absurd chain of actions like "unlock 101s and 82nd, drop 4 squads and pick up all the AT with just one 101s squad" this load out still barely can kill pz4 in one volley but puts you at risk of loosing all your at weapons from drops. It is plain stupid and extremely underwhelming in compare to all other docs, let it be SAS or Canadians with AT loadout, unlimited reg. 5 with schrecks that penetrates everything or inf doc with dozens of m36 zooks.

Another thing that hurts a lot is that AB infantry is by far the weakest out of all tier 2 and tier 3 inf units. Their damage output is extremely poor and occupying even one slot with AT decreases their chances to stand a toe to toe fight even further. I personally find 101s effective only with a loadout full of Thompsons or 2 Johnsons + Garands.

That being said, a 6 men 101s AT team with 2 zooks + 2 recoiless available in AB HQ would be amazing (limited to 2). Having the possibility to upgrade zooks to m36 rockets in the weapon center.

Ah and fix the goddamn size of the AB HQ please, it is ridiculously big and makes it difficult to build on most of the maps.

[Consti255]

i think it doesnt have to be so drastic.
You could just give the observer team a ability to drop 2 m36 zooks for 50-60 ammo and there for take the 2 free zooks from the 82.
This opens up more diverse unlocks because you dont have to go straight into 82. after unlocking 101st.

I have to agree, its always a mess to get your AT weapons rdy on a 101st sqaud and its really damn risky to send them in against the first tank to kill.
Once the AB infnatry reaches vet and have the CP upgrades rdy its basicly not risky at all sending them against tanks.

[Warhawks97]

You mean M6A3C missiles? AB 82nd zooks have M6A3C missiles by default.

Anyway, this is one idea. I was thinking about getting rid of weapon drops alltogether as we did with SAS.
Instead i would make use weapon packages as well. Not just because of AT weapons, but also because the loadout composition can be really weird with 3 different types of weapons.
Making an example of an recently observed 82nd squad, that one had Garands, lmg1919 and Thompson. By far the most weird loadout i could find.


Instead i would change the loadouts as follows:

101st:
Close quarter package: 3x Thompson. Can be Purchased twice. Each costs by default 55 Ammo.

AT Package: 3x RL Rifles. The weapon will be more accurate than schrecks/Zooks. Its already the case to some degree now.
Sticky can be thrown for very low cost and the Squad can use ambush techniques.

Assault Package:
Adds 2x 1941 Johnson that can fire while on the move and adds suppressive fire Ability. Costs 75 Ammo by default.



82nd Squad:
AT Package: 2x Zooks with M6A3C missile (+1x RL?). 120 Ammo. Sticky can be thrown for low cost.

Ranged combat Package: Adds 6x Garands to all soldiers as well as 1x lmg 1919. Costs 100 Ammo by default.


I would honestly change Infantry upgrades into packages and categories. There are many nonsense weapon combinations in a squad that are extremely detrimental to each other resulting in units being ineffective in all roles.

[Consti255]

You mean M6A3C missiles? AB 82nd zooks have M6A3C missiles by default.

Anyway, this is one idea. I was thinking about getting rid of weapon drops alltogether as we did with SAS.
Instead i would make use weapon packages as well. Not just because of AT weapons, but also because the loadout composition can be really weird with 3 different types of weapons.
Making an example of an recently observed 82nd squad, that one had Garands, lmg1919 and Thompson. By far the most weird loadout i could find.


Instead i would change the loadouts as follows:

101st:
Close quarter package: 3x Thompson. Can be Purchased twice. Each costs by default 55 Ammo.

AT Package: 3x RL Rifles. The weapon will be more accurate than schrecks/Zooks. Its already the case to some degree now.
Sticky can be thrown for very low cost and the Squad can use ambush techniques.

Assault Package:
Adds 2x 1941 Johnson that can fire while on the move and adds suppressive fire Ability. Costs 75 Ammo by default.



82nd Squad:
AT Package: 2x Zooks with M6A3C missile (+1x RL?). 120 Ammo. Sticky can be thrown for low cost.

Ranged combat Package: Adds 6x Garands to all soldiers as well as 1x lmg 1919. Costs 100 Ammo by default.


I would honestly change Infantry upgrades into packages and categories. There are many nonsense weapon combinations in a squad that are extremely detrimental to each other resulting in units being ineffective in all roles.

100% agree.
When you look at the SAS you can see how brilliant it turned out.
Also what is worth to mention and is a little bit forgotten, this weapons are so anyoing to pick up and also drop sometimes so unlucky that you have to go arround a bushline or what ever. It kills momentum and sometimes even the whole unit trying to pick up weapons. Paras should be a quick deployed unit and not turkeys on the way to pick up a weapon create miles away.

i somehow would say, that the 82. shouldnt get any AT package and should be a breakthrew/defensive range squad maybe even sabotage with boobytraps? (given to their abilitys like smoke,phosphor nades, fire up)
For that i would give the 101st the ability to get either 3 RL or 2-3 M6A3C Zooks. The zooks should stay behind a certain tier upgrade or maybe behind the special training 2 CP upgrade or even a WSC upgrade, but should have atleased more requirements. But i love the idea of getting the ambush ability.

The combat packages would also boost the reason behind the cheaper weapons uograde in the WSC.

[Krieger Blitzer]

just want to say that yesterday, i had a very disturbing 2 hours game vs 2x AB docs on High Valley, i was Propaganda and my mate was Blitz...
I would probably upload that at some point but not as public.. because the game actually didn't end until i had no time left so i dropped, although the battle kept going forever; Propaganda did fine with VolksStrum and Tigers + Puma AA but i have to say AB inf in late game are simply never-ending.

We also had AA everywhere but the planes were toooooo many.

[Consti255]

Yeah but thas the thing about AB.
If you are lucky enough to face prop doc and dont get overwhelmed you are allowed to get enough CP to make your troops actually viable. You dont heave threads like FsR5s,Gebirgs,Storms,Grens or assault grens.

I played against kwok yesterday and i got absolutely crushed early into the game.After getting some CP into my units i was able to push him and killed all his AA and stuff. AB is damn strong in the late game but as many people say, before it is a Sherman+Airstike doc, because 101st and even 82.are so weak early on.