Eastern Front, German Faction

[Metternich]

Well, I thought I would get us started with a german faction for the eastern front expansion we are all expecting.  This is just the format I though worked out best, but again, is certainly not the required method of submission.

 BUILDINGS AND UNIVERSAL UNITS:
 
Tier I:
    Building: Auxiliary Barracks (200mp, 15f)
    Units: Pioneers (HQ, 130mp), Volksgrenadiers (280mp), Sd.Kfz. 250 inf. HT (240mp, 40f), Volkssturm Sergeant (170mp)
    Upgrades: MP-40 (160mp, 35f)
 
Tier 2:
    Building: Wehrmacht Command (220mp, 25f)
    Units: Heer Sergeant (280mp), Sd.Kfz. 251 HT (220mp, 20f), MG-42 HMG (260mp), Sniper (340mp), Panzerkampfwagen 38 (t) (320mp, 35f)
    Upgrades: Panzerfaust Increase (180mp, 35f), G43 (120mp, 35f)
 
Tier 3:
    Building: Assault Command (240mp, 35f)
    Units: Veteran Soldiers (350mp), Decorated Sergeant (390mp), Panzer III (380mp, 70f)
    Upgrades: Panzer Defense (200mp, 20f), Priority Front (220mp, 30f)
 
Tier 4:
    Building: Heavy Panzer Command (260mp, 50f)
    Units: Panzer IV Ausf. G (410mp, 80f), Panzer IV Ausf. F1 (400mp, 70f), Jagdpanzer    (370mp, 60f), Panther (640mp, 125f), Crew Commander (280mp)
    Upgrades: Veteran Commanders (200mp, 50f), Elite Commanders (300mp, 70f), Armor Skirts (200mp, 45f), Tiger Production  (300mp, 40f)
 

DOCTRINES:
 
Blitzkrieg:
 
Left Side: Battle Groups
 
Veteran Infantry (2): Deploy early veteran units to the field (330).  Same as the veteran Infantry that can later be produced, however, they are less expensive.
Kampfgrouppe (4): Deploy a battle group of 4 veteran Infantry squads in 2 Sd.Kfz 251 Half Tracks (800mp)
Armored Spearhead (6): Call in an a Tiger I tank and 2 Panzer IV tanks to lead an assault (2000mp).
 
Right Side: Support
 
To The Last Bullet (1): veteran Infantry squads fight more valiantly as they loose men.  All veteran Infantry become resistant to suppression (40a).
Air Srike (3): Call in a Junkers Ju. 88 Stuka dive bomber to drop a 500 lbs AT bomb or 2, 250 lbs bombs on a target.  Highly accurate, but vulnerable to AA fire (200a).  All infantry in the area of the attack are pinned due to the iconic scream of the dive bomber.
Surge (4): Exchange 200a and 100f for 2000mp.
 
Artillery Regiment:
 
 Left Side: Infantry Support
 
Observers (1): Equip all sgt.'s with binoculars.  Doubles sight radius of all sgt.s and squads with sgt.s attached.
Neblewerfer (3): An off map neblewerfer can be called in to join the fight (340mp).
Fire Base (4): Pioneers can set up an elaborate fire base in which up to 3 Stationary 105mm Howitzers can be built.  Provides protection from both light arms and artillery (200mp).
 
Right Side: Artillery support
 
105mm Barrage (3): Can call in a 105mm Howitzer barrage from off map (200a)
Stationary 105mm Howitzer (3): Pioneers can build the German 105mm howitzer.  Can be built in the field or in a Fire Base. (420mp, 60f)
Wespe (4): Can call in 105mm self propelled wespe howitzers. Limit of 3 (450mp)
 

Siege Commander:
 
Left Side: Urban Assault Forces
 
Urban Assault (2): Passive ability makes all infantry squads more effective against units in buildings and less prone to pin.
StuG III (3): Can call in off map StuG III assault guns. (340mp)
Sturmtiger (5): Call in an off map Sturmmorser Tiger.  Limit one per game. (1000mp)
 
Right Side: Siege Forces
 
Assault MG (2): Can call in an Assault MG team (260mp)
Siege Works (2): Pioneers can throw up siege works  that cannot be driven over and must be destroyed.  If built around an entire sector, they cut off resources from that sector (20mp per section).
Jagdtiger (6): An extremely heavy tank destroyer is called in off map.  Limit 1 per game (1000mp).
 

UNITS
 
 
Pioneers: 2 men, armed with MP 40's.  Can build bunkers, Observation Posts, field defenses and other emplacements depending upon the doctrine.
Upgrades: NONE

Volksgrenadiers: 5 men, same as in vCoH, except that they cannot be upgraded with the MP 40 until after MP 40 has been researched
Upgrades: MP 40 (50a)

Sd.Kfz 250: Light HT, same as PE infantry HT, there must me a squad in the HT for MG to be manned.
Upgrades: NONE

Volkssturm Sergeant: When attached to squad, elevates to vet 1.  Armed with P08 Lugar unless upgraded to MP 40.
Upgrades: MP 40, automatic once base upgrade is purchased.

Heer Sergeant: When attached to an infantry squad, elevates to vet 2.  Armed with MP 40 unless upgraded to G43.
Upgrades: G43 (35a)

Sd.Kfz 251: Heavy HT, same as the standard wehr HT in vCoH.
Upgrades: Flamenwerfer (100a), Walking Stuka (200a)

MG-42 HMG team: 3 men, MP 40's and an MG 42 HMG.  Same as wehr.
Upgrades: NONE

Sniper: 1 man, armed with K98 Scoped sniper rifle.  Veterancy is gained by experience.
Upgrades: G43 Sniper rifle (automatic, once G43 is researched)

Veteran Infantry: 3 men, armed with 2 K98k's and one StG 44 unless upgraded.  Elite, heavy infantry.
Upgrades: StG 44 [whole squad] (75a), G43 [K98’s only] (50a), Panzerschreck [one K98] (75a)

Decorated Sergeant: When attached to an infantry squad, elevates to vet 3.  Armed with    a StG 44.
Upgrades: NONE

PzKpfw 38 (t): Light, fast tank.  Ineffective against enemy armor, but excellent against infantry and light vehicles.  Armed with a 37mm main gun and 2 MG’s.
Upgrades: NONE

Panzer III: Fairly light tank.  Weak armor and gun.  Effective against infantry and light vehicles.
Upgrades: Flamenpanzer (175a)

PaK 43: 88mm AT gun, effective against infantry and armor.  Immobile, but can turn 360 degrees.
Upgrades: NONE

Panzer IV G: Standard version of the panzer, just like the wehr, except different veterancy.
Upgrades: MG 42 Gunner (50a)

Panzer IV F1: Infantry panzer.  Same as the PE panzer.
Upgrades: MG 42 Gunner (50a)

Jagdpanzer: Tank killer, low profile, ineffective against infantry.  Powerful gun against armor.
Upgrades: NONE

Panther: Same as wehr tank.
Upgrades: MG 42 Gunner (50a)

Crew Commander: can be incorporated into a tank crew to reach vet. 1. Can be upgraded from the Heavy Panzer command to reach vet 2 and 3.  Armed only with a P08 Lugar.
Upgrades: NONE

Tiger: Same as wehr tiger.
Upgrades: MG 42 Gunner (50a)

Neblewerfer: Same as wehr.
Upgrades: NONE

105mm Howitzer: Slightly shorter ranged than the American howitzer, powerful, immobile, can be set up in fire base.
Upgrades: NONE

Wespe: fast moving, light armor.  105mm self propelled howitzer.
Upgrades: NONE

StuG III: Fairly light armor, low profile, powerful gun.  No turret
Upgrades: NONE

Sturmmorser Tiger (sturmtiger): Very powerful, very well armored, slow tank.  380mm mortar, capable of destroying most buildings in one shot. Long reload time, no veterancy
Upgrades: NONE

Assault MG Team: 2 men, armed with an MG-34 LMG.  Fast moving, no set up time.  Effective at pinning infantry ahead of a blitz assault or defending open positions.
Upgrades: NONE

Jagdtiger: Extremely heavy tank destroyer.  Only the heaviest of tanks are not destroyed in one or two shots.  Slow moving and without a turret, but heavily armored.  No veterancy.
Upgrades: NONE


UPGRADES:

MP-40: Allow the volksgrenadiers to be upgraded with the MP-40 smg (50a).  Issue volkssturm sergeants with the MP-40.
Panzerfaust Increase: When Panzerfaust ability is used, two squad members fire a pfaust instead of just one.
G43: Allow Heer Sergeant/SS Infantry to be upgraded with the G43 (35a/50a)
Panzer Defense: Allows pioneers to deploy the PaK 43 (450mp, 70f).
Priority Front: Decrease pop cap requirement of all vehicles and tanks by 25%
Veteran Commanders: Crew commanders reach vet. 2.
Elite Commanders: Crew commanders reach vet. 3.  Requires Veteran Commanders.
Armor Skirts: Upgrades all Panzer IV varients, Panzer III, Panther, Jagdpanzer, and StuG III are fitted with armor skirts with make them much less vulnerable to infantry based AT weapons.
Tiger Production: Allows up to two tigers to be called in from off map (900mp).  Long cool down time.

[colep]

nice setup but wheres the anti tank?, like a AT gun or something

[Metternich]

Good point : P

I did include the PaK 43, but it is more like an 88 than a mobile AT gun.  I suppose a PaK 38 should be put in T2 or T3 for 310mp.

[Hezs]

There are some nice suggestions, but it's just too similar to coh wehrmacht. I'll make some suggestions and ideas when I have more time.

[CommanderHolt]

Well from the way it looks.... Relic next axis faction would probably be very defensive like the British since the Axis already have a slightly defensive faction (Werh) and a highly offensive faction (PE). So I think most likely the next Axis faction would incorporate parts of the Axis satellite troops (ie. Italy, Finland, Romania....)with skillful German defenders.

[colep]

Thats a good point holt, but honestly who would play as the lame ass Italians? I mean what would there Doctrine be? Switch sides? Lol

[Catastrophe_2]

Well the Spanish Azul Division and the Scandinavian Viking division both put up more than a honorable fight IIRC...

Well you don't have any AT in Tier 1 or 2 (or you have to spend all munitions on Panzerfausts?)...

Otherwise, Snipers will murder this fraction's infantry because the have really small squad sizes (3 man squads?). Pretty ironic since it looks like a fraction excelling in urban combat...

[Metternich]

Indeed.  I agree that I should have put an AT gun in T2 or T3.  And their squads will be susceptible to sniper fire, although the backbone of the force should be the volksgrenadiers supported by a few veteran infantry squads.  Their plethora of armored fighting vehicles should aid them later in the game.

[dArCReAvEr]

That's what I would suggest for an Eastern Front German Faction,
the above seems too unbalanced tbh. And Volks don't fit in the
Eastern Front, since they were recruited due to a big lack of new
soldiers, especially on the Western front.

Some weeks ago I bought a book named "Wehrmacht - Eine Bilanz",
which gives some stats and facts about "Operation Barbarossa".
At the start, the German troops covered about 3000 km frontlines,
about 3 million soldiers fought against the russian.
The German army had 2000 planes, 3300 tanks + LOAD's of PaK's etc.
That's why I decided to make support-troops at least 4 men  and  normal squads 6,
several prototypes and units were only available to the Eastern Front,
so I decided to make them call-ins, like Sturmtigers.

German troops earn veterancy by fighting and are pretty expensive, but damn_tough guys. Buying vet wouldn't fit in the system
since vetted troops in CoH are called from the Eastern Front like said in the Kampfkraft-centre.
Their units have a wide range of abilities, which all have a pretty high cooldown (but still lower than PE's, about 30-45 seconds), which can only be reduced by using Munitionspanzers and doctrine-specific abilities like 'Assault'.

The Germans should have 3 tiers:

Tier [1] = basic starting-tier, Wehrmachtquarters (220 mp, 15 fuel),
builds Grenadiers (400 mp), mg42-Squad (350mp), Scharfschützen(Sharpshooter) (400mp) and 81mm-mortarsquad (350 mp) (after upgrade).
Tier [2] = Skirmish Escalation, Kampf-Kompanie (200 mp, 25 fuel),
unlocks officer (200 mp, 15 fuel), builds Panzer III (after Upgrade) (400mp, 60 fuel), halftracks (220 mp, 20 fuel) and the Pak 40 (300mp) aswell as some kind of Bergepanzer (300mp, 50 fuel).
Tier [3] = Assault Escalation, Sturm-Kommand (200 mp, 40 fuel),
requires officer, builds units like Panthers (600mp, 100 fuel), Pumas (260mp, 30 fuel) and Stormtroopers (450mp).
Waffenkammer, buildable at tier [1], it's similar to the Kampfkraftcenter and provides global upgrades, for example enables mortar's, Panzer III's, and 2 upgrades which are only available if you choose a specific Operation:

Assault Operations: Enables an upgrade for Stormtroopers to be armed with Stg's44 instead of mp38 (1) and veteran-officers which improve Infantry's fighting-capacities (2) [reducing supression and lowering veterancy-requirements] .
Defensive Operations: Enables building Flak88s (1) [for a load of ressources] and allows to mount mortars in modified bunkers  (2) [ better protection from enemy fire].
Tank Operations: Enables your Pak's to use their ability 'Treadbreaker' - immobilization with low range (1) [good to stop an enemy tank trying to rush your PaK] and the ability to upgrade Panzer III's with 'Skurzen' (and a heavier maingun)(2) [increases survivability against heavier tanks].

Units out of Headquarters:
- Combat-Pioneers (4-man-squad) (240mp), upgrades: Flamethrower, improved repairs, Minedetector,
builds buildings, tanktraps and mines etc.
- Officer (hardcap 1,200 mp, 15 fuel): adds, depending on picked doctrine,
specific abilities, improves nearby units stats.
- Kettenkrad, scout and similar to the bike.

Units:
- Panzergrenadiers (6-man-squad), upgrades:
Panzerschreck, Lmg42 (or another weapon like mp 38)
can ONLY throw grenades when upgraded with mp's or panzerschreck!
- Heavy 81mm mortar-troop (1 mortar per troop, 4-man-squad)
(2 for the mortar, 2 defenders with mg38)
- MG42-squad (4 men, 1 heavy mg42)
- Sdkfz 251 Upgrades: Sdkfz 251/17: 2 cm Flak, Sdkfz 251/22 - 7.5cm PaK40 L/46, can carry PaK's (lowers their speed and let them take more damage, but also doubles PaK-speed)
- Panzer III
- Panther
- Puma, upgrade: 50mm main cannon
- 7,5 cm PaK-40
- Stormtroopers (4 men), elite Infantry used for assaults,
can cloak and starts armed with mp-40's and panzerfausts.
Sniper, armed with a Kar98.
Doctrines:

Assault-Operations:
(Officers become armed with Stg44 and get an ability to focus artillery- and mortarfire on a certain point, regardless of eventual cooldown, increases damage-output for nearby grenadiers)

Right side: Artillery Support

- Mortar-Training: higher range & rate of fire, mortar production-speed is raised by 100%, troops start as vet 1 (2 points)
- Heavy Offmap-Artillery: Gustav artillery or 155mm offmap. (2 points)
- call-in of the Hummel-selfpropelled artillery(hardcap 2) (4 points)

left side: Urban Warfare

- Assault-Grenadiers: Upgrades grenadiers to throw better grenades over longer range (1 point)
- Assault: Available for vetted troops, breaks supression, increases speed and
reduces grenade-cooldown by 75%), but assaulting troops take additional damage. (2 points)
- Call-in Sturmtiger(1 time). Modified Tiger I armed
with a massive Mortar which shreds buildings and enemy infantry. [Each shot takes munitions, if needed to balance it out].[ (4 points)

Hold the Line-Operations
(enables troops to retreat to the Officer like brits to the captain, adds life-regeneration to units and
gives defensive boni in own territory)

left side: Defensive-Operations

- Hold the Line!: Ability that increases units' rate of fire, increases armour and reduces supression. Only usable on your territory.(1point)
- Scorched Earth: disable strat-point until its repaired, enables grenadiers to lay mines, wire, sandbags and tanktraps. (2 points)
- Reinforcements: 2 Panzer-III's + grenadiers arrive on the battlefield, alternative: 1 Panther + grenadiers. (5 points)

Right side: Zeal

- Improved defenses: bunkers gain additional health, troops can reinforce at bunkers. (2 points)
- Zeal: adds 1 additional mg42 in mg42-troops, squads start as vet 1, troops fight better when loosing units. (2 points)
- call-in 2 Wespe medium Artillery(hardcap 4). (2 points)

Tank-Operations
(enables officers to reveal parts of the map via binoculars and to call in Luftwaffe-Bombardments)

Left side: Logistics:

- fast deployment: increase Productionspeed for tanks by 200% for 60 seconds (costs munitions). (1 point)
- Improved-AT-munitions: enables PaK's and tanks to fire improved shells which penetrate more often. (2 points)
- call-in Munitionspanzer III:  decreases cooldown between shots for nearby tanks, Artillery and grenadiers.
Also able to lay mines and spawns Goliaths.(2 points)

Right Side: Blitzkrieg!

- Crew-Training: tanks start with vet 1, mg-gunners are automatically added to the tanks. (2 points)
- call-in Ferdinand Tank Hunter. (3 points).
- call-in Jagdtiger (1 time).(4 points)

[Metternich]

Nice. 

I think that some of the abilities are too much of a copy (grenade assault) and the ferdinand/jagdtiger are basically the same thing, just jagdtiger is more powerful.  Other than that, I like it.

[colep]

I honestly think the Eastern German Faction should just be a wher with battle exp (like PE) but with dif doctrines

[MausGMR]

I've been thinking about the 2 army suggestions you put forward m8 for a few weeks before seeing these posts. I like the idea's youve put forward they seem good and very similar to the ideas I had.

I have a few rough suggestions that i'd like to hear opinions to.

I'd personally say the Stuh would be more suitable than the Stug for the siege specialists.

Id also suggest a unit of combat engineers/heavy assault infantry, which compromises of a good sized squad, 4-5 men, with a mix of stg44's and mp40's or kar98k's, and one flame thrower. This squad was present in the close combat games and I feel fits very strongly with either the siege doctrine or the whole army. It would give the eastern front germans a good combat unit that stood apart from the rest of the infantry units in the game.

Also maybe some kind of sniper specific abilities for one or both factions, like the ability to tag a sniper onto a squad in a similar fashion to officer tag on for brits. Maybe removing his stealth but giving him a more rapid firing rifle? Or maybe let them set up some basic booby traps?

Also the 120mm mortar for the germans I believe would be an interesting addition, again a unit present in the close combat series, this mortar required transportation on a wheeled chassis (similar to an AT gun) but would prove devastating against infantry and possibly damage light vehicles.

Youve got some great idea's anyway m8 and I hope to see an expansion from relic with these ideas featured, I especially like the sturmtiger, will be interesting to see one of those in game.

[Panzerlehrdivision]

Nice. 

I think that some of the abilities are too much of a copy (grenade assault) and the ferdinand/jagdtiger are basically the same thing, just jagdtiger is more powerful.  Other than that, I like it.

theres a big difference between a Jagdtiger & a Ferdinand.
* A Jagdtiger was a heavily armed monster with a 128mm high velocity cannon (same as the one in the King Tiger) but very slow. also, its not a tank but an Assault Gun (gun is fixed to carriage, tank needs to rotate in order for gun to change direction)
* the Ferdinand also was an assault gun, also heavily armored (but not comparable to jagdtiger), also very slow but with the same gun as the Tiger I, namely an 88mm gun.

both tanks had very poor anti Infantry capacities but were near invincible in a head on shoot out with enemy tanks.

basically, they are heavy anti tank guns with tracks underneath them.

[Metternich]

Yeah, like I said.  It would be like having the blitzkrieg commander able to call in an StuH, StuG IV and Jagdpanzer IV.  There is a qualitative difference between the three, and they are ultimately intended for slightly different roles, but in game, they are not going to do anything other that replace eachother.  In something where space is as valuable as in a doctrine tree (only 6 slots to make something game changing and fun without being OP) putting two units that will have nearly identical uses and similar qualities just doesnt make sense.

[colep]

Well in that case u might as well take out the Stug and the StuH cause they are both terrible