Transport request?

[GottaLove88s]

Pip/Iain - When you final release open beta, would you consider increasing the number of transports that we can select? At the moment it's limited to 3 or 4 transports, depending on MP scenario. So far, the only way that I can take out a King Tiger is through multiple bombardment and sneaking around the edges of the map. That means we need 3 mortars (plus 3 transports) plus ideally another 3 transports to rapidly shift infantry as eyes & ears to accompany fast-moving Sherman 76s. PS. Iain, you're right that limiting to only 1 or 2 Tiger IIs, Panthers and Tigers is probably wrong, if you can achieve the same end-result through higher costs, keeping side selection fair while enabling genuinely different strategies. And the same rationale is also true for transports, which could enable really fast (and sneaky) combined armour/infantry/transport brigades. From losing a pair of Panthers to a US fighter-bomber and an M10, and from taking out my first few KTs, I'm actually beginning to believe you again. Now I want to see if I can kill 3 or 4 of the things! Thanks for an awesome game.

[IainMcNeil]

Yep - when we do the next batch of balancing I'll see if we can get more transports in. Can you add this to the list and we'll make all teh changes in one go.

Are we closer to a price point that feels balanced on the German Heavies yet?

[GottaLove88s]

Thanks Iain, You're right, 300 is too high. My current best estimate is 280 for a Tiger II, 240 for a Panther, 220 for a Tiger I (T1 isn't that much worse than a Panther given its strong AP and DEF stats, and we don't want Germans to switch to hordes of T1's just because they're too cheap). On that rationale, Germans could pick 5 heavies, 2 Wespe, 2 mortars, 2 transports and 7 infantry for 2,000 (Meeting Engagement budget). Every Tiger II chosen instead of a Panther means one less infantryman. Alternatively, Germans could pick fewer heavies, add some StuGs, and increase their infantry (for better scouting). From testing our earlier thoughts, I'd leave the price of a StuG at 105 because they can't see for toffee, and the shorter fire range leaves them vulnerable to similarly priced US tank destroyers. Assuming Allied costs unchanged, a US general could pick 2 Priests, 3 mortars, a Calliope, 4x 76s, 3x M36s, 3 halftracks, 3x 57mm AT guns, 4 rangers and 4 scouts for a numerical superiority of 3-to-2. Sure, the German player can still roll around the map in his classy, impenetrable armour, but the Allied player has more options to be clever (because he has to, otherwise he's toast). That might look too generous to the Germans until we all play around enough to learn that KTs aren't invincible. For experienced players, it might swing the other way, to be too generous to the Allies (although sitting here now, I doubt it). I'd be curious to hear what Enric and others think?