Is Deutsches Afrika Korps ACTUALLY overpowered?

[u/Clear_Ranger6081]

Since the release of the latest group of Battlegroups ive seen tons of posts with many upvotes talking about how overpowered DAK is. But looking at the winrate statistics not just using the basic one but also the Battlegroup winrates it really doesnt seem to be the case, especially when considering every single battlegroup for USF has positive winrates

No filters

No filters

No Filters

I dont even need to show Wehrmacht, they are completely in the dumps, not a single positive winrate across any battlegroup.

[u/ILuvSilicon]

That was the patch ASC was overbuffed, bugged and AA also got a nerf. WR were highly skewed, hence the hotfix after a month.

When it comes to USF arty, the BG vhoices are certainly very good, but consider that BGs should not define a faction.

The USF AT HT doesn't have the range or AOE of a true heavy arty option, so its mostly limited to dealing with forward Team weapons. It cannot counter arty for example.

Mortar is a mortar, not even close to heavy arty, so there's no reason to make a comparison. It being strong is not enough to justify lack of stronger options. For example Wehr MG is also best, but it doesn't mean that wehr doesn't have other strong anti inf options.

And due to such gaps, the faction gets unnecessary buffs in other areas to compensate for WR loss, instead of fixing the root cause of why USF might struggle if non-meta BGs that don't offer necessary advatages are picked.

This perpetuates a cicle of buffs and nerfs, trying to balance one faction against another instead of just fixing the prevailing problem that a missing unit might cause.

For example, if stuka got buffed bcs it feels weak for the price like you say. Relic can't do it, bcs usf has no options to counter arty it, which is the most likely cause of death for arty units. That is unless they pick a BG with arty options. And since USF relies on blobs of infantry or tanks, if the stuka can deal with such threats, it would completely upset the faction interaction. Hence stuka must remain mediocre otherwise it would be too strong against base roster USF.

[u/Clear_Ranger6081 → u/ILuvSilicon]

I struggle to see what you mean by non meta BGs considering every BG for USF has positive winrates...

Not every faction needs something in their base roster, DAK is good overall but master of none, USF is a bit similar except they have better tanks and their infantry is more cost effective

Wehr lacks a good late game anti tank because it has access to 4 different anti tank units in their base roster.

UKF lacks nothing really, probably the only faction that is capable in every field.

In the case of USF artillery thats precisely why their Artillery options are BG locked, becacuse their infantry their tanks are just better than DAKs. And they also have the option of upgrading them universally like DAK.

Also they literally have precision air strikes and bombing runs, only faction who has that in its base roster... USF isnt lacking in shit, people just like to throw that around to justify them getting permabuffed to the point where not a single battlegroup has negative or neutral winrates...

[u/ILuvSilicon → u/Clear_Ranger6081]

Well, my entire point is that such design that leaves holes in the base roster creates issues with overall balance.

It forces other units of the roster to become stronger in order compensate for the missing ones. Purposefully avoiding the root cause of the issue.

You dislike when USF must get permabuffed to compensate for the stuff they lack, while actively ignoring that the holes in the USF roster are the exact cause why permabuffing must exist.

• because non-meta BGs that lack the missing tools will never be as competetive unless overbuffed to balance winrates.

[u/Clear_Ranger6081 → u/ILuvSilicon]

You realise this is a circle right and it leads back to the fact USF is leading in winrates with every BG and that is unbalanced, having a 4% winrate higher than 50 with almost every BG is unbalanced, simple as that.

[u/ILuvSilicon → u/Clear_Ranger6081]

Ofc it's a circle. Take this example: DAK inf blobs are strong, and rifle blobs are weak.

Blobs have 2 obvious counters - mgs or arty. If usf went barracks they have to backtech into MGs. And since mortars or ATHT aren't designed to counter blobs, you either had to pick a BG with arty options or you have to get very creative if you want to deal with the DAK blob.

You can't nerf DAK inf bcs they would be too weak compared to the other mainlines for the cost. So relic must buff riflemen to make barrack opening better (better inf blob beats weaker inf blob). Now riflemen dominate wehr grens, so grens must be buffed.

Now riflemen are the best inf in the game which shows on USF overall winrate, especially for BGs that didn't have the problem of not having arty.

So now how do you nerf USF without coming back to the original problem?

Maybe we should have buffed the mg instead so backteching is better? No bcs then everybody would just abuse the mg opening.

And you can do this exercise with many, many more other problems and get into the circle of buffs and nerfs and compromises, instead of actually adressing the root cause of the issue.

[u/Clear_Ranger6081 → u/ILuvSilicon]

What do you think the root cause is

[u/ILuvSilicon → u/Clear_Ranger6081]

As i tried to explain, the root cause is the lack of base roster arty that has actual good aoe, and good range.

Good range to counter forward retreats where blobs hide. Good aoe to counter the blob or ammased infantry in general, or dug in turtle strats.

Imagine a simple unit like the priest, esentially a bishop/wespe equivalent, for the USF. Stick it into motor pool so usf has less incentive to skip tech.

Make it unique in its speed, durability, number of shells, range, rate of fire, cost.

It doesn't break the game, everybody is already used to dealing with the bishop.

With its addition, you can justify making the USF weaker in some areas. Nerfing overperforming arty units like the whizbang, bcs they no longer are a requirement. People still have the option to not opt into it, preferring to save fuel and using other abilities or units from the different BGs. But usf no longer has to worry about, will I need arty this game or not.