1.7.02 Soviet Sharpshooters

[Otto Halfhand]

What do You'all think of the new Soviet Sharpshooter Squad. How do you use them?

I have started to fool around with the new and improved? sharpshooter squads. I have no problems using them as FOs but am uncertain wether or not they actually shoot well. I have not seen anything that is particularly impressive in this regard either on my own hook or from the comp. Now that the AI actually lays mines I find using Sharpshooters as cappers results in dead sharpshooter squad every time.

Do you find they are working better as skirmishers or garrisoned in buildings or just as expensive artillery strikes. I will not pretend to have any large amount of experience with these squads at this time but at 220 mp Conscripts make much more sense. The new AI code is written to allow Sharpshooter SPAMs so I reckon there must be some value to these squads early game. They seem to have tactics coded to operate deep in  enemy territory in groups of two or three, but again They seem rather ineffective and are easily retreated or blown to smithereens with mines.

[Pac-Fish]

Are u referring to the Observer

[Otto Halfhand]

Hey Fish! Yes I refer to the Sharpshooter/Forward Observer Squad. Sharpshooter appears to be the name of Squad. Description says two good riflemen trained for spotting. I can't seem to drop even one half health Pio. Seems odd.

[Pac-Fish]

I don't think they were initially designed to engage the enemy. I mean they can but its not really a standard tactic. Like a british lt. fighting a pio. You can do it but its risky and you are probably better off doing something else with your lt. IDK how 1.7 observers works but you can always use it to recon for real snipers + AT guns or just cap stuff you dont want to waste other units on. Or mine fodder

[Wekwekboris]

Hahaha...mine fodder. I find them like skirmishers. Being on the lookout for snipers and AT guns. Its large LOS also helps my tanks alot because of their abysmal LOS. 

[Otto Halfhand]

I have continued to play with the FO squad and am still not satisfied with its performance. 6 Cap is too much, the artillery attack is very costly and the rifles for the squad  pathetic. The Cap should be re-evaluated. Granted that the spotter function is useful but incurring the MP rate gain penalty associated with upkeep throughout the game is surely not what was intended.

On a slightly different note. It appears FO may have an accuracy buff against ATGs. I would like to see a rifle upgrade available. I do not have a problem if the weapons reserves is a prerequisate for this. The high Cap cost makes Weapons reserves more necessary anyway.

[krupp steel]

What the Observer REALLY needs is to be able to work with snipers better in some sort of way such as a range aura or firerate aura only for snipers and lowering their pop.  That would actually make them useful.

But then the squad has heroic armor along with the SVTs and they seem as tough as Elite Guards.  It still has trouble killing an MG crew upclose though when they flank.

[Otto Halfhand]

We agree on the lowered pop. I don't have an issue with your suggestion for sniper cooperation. I would really like to see Observers be able to hold off an advancing squad for a little while. Even with heroic armor and plenty of munis I can't stay on the field long enough to drop a artillery strike on an ATG position.

EDIT: If the squad indeed has SVT40s they aren't worth a damn at any range.

[Dann88]

Observers supposed to be work like Wher Officer, they don't have to be super-2-men-army with awesome SVTs or any other shits.
Their arty drop should be faster and their popcap should be lower that's all, maybe their flare should be increase a little bit. BUT the point is most of the time you should keep observers out of troubles!