I spent some time to play Contra, SW, ROTR and some other popular mods. From them I observed one critical shortcoming, in addition, it is visible even from original Generals and Zero Hour. This problem is "Infringement of rights" of infantry class. I mean that all other classes are more effective in terms of usage to combat enemy. In addition, Infantry have to much enemies. To somehow overcome this problem (since it is not fare to live it as it is) I've decided to boost up infantry by following:
1. ALL infantry from now will be stealthed while not attacking or using abilities. It is to compensate comparatively low mobility and vulerability to aritllery and anti-area weaponary. Stealthed infantry will be hardly detectable. Base defense will detect them on smaller range than before, however, certain units will be capable of detecting infantry from further, for example - Troopcrawler.
1.1. In addition, infantry will be stealthed while garrisoning a building.
2. Basic Infantry (a.k.a. Rebels, Redguards, Rangers amd their modifications if any) will be additionally equiped with Molotov Cocktails, Rifel grenades, grenade launchers and so on to be able to inflict more damage to light-armored vehicles. For example, 3-4 redguards will be capable to take out empty Humvee.
2.1. Additionally, such troops as Tunnel Defenders, for example, will be more effective against "light-armored" buildings.
3. Now to enemies of infantry. Quad Cannons, Gattling Tanks and other planned-as-anti-air units will be extra-vulerable to infantry attacks. As you remember, one or two quad cannons in vanilla Generals were capable to take out tens of Tank Hunters/Missile Defenders or tunnel Defenders, but now 5-7 of them will take out Quad Cannon for sure. Additionaly, AA-units will never be equiped with only very short-ranged infantry detectors if they will be equiped with any.
However, old planned-as-anti-infantry-but-nearly-never-used units such as Dragon Tanks, Toxin Tractors and Microwaves will remain very effective against infantry since it is fair.
I hope this will be enought to restore infantry class in it's rights.
Well, yes. I agree about problems with infantry. But do you really have to implement all these 3 paragraphs? I guess it will make infantry rather OP. It's better to choose something one. I propose to try 2nd paragraph only and here is why. Experience of playing such game as Sudden Strike proved: no matter how easily they could be killed by tanks/vehicles/artillery, all infantry was deadly against tanks, because they had AT grenade launchers, AT rifles, common grenades (depends on their specialization) etc. And yes, I repeat, all infantry could be easily killed by single shot etc, and this fact didn't make infantry less dangerous against armored vehicles. In addition you can decrease their price and recruitment time. By making this you, of course, will destroy Generals' idea of "mg only against infantry" and "AT only against tanks" but at the same time you shoot 2 hares: make infantry much more useful and make giant step towards realism.
I agree with you
Do as Cold War Crisis. Implement secondary weapons and a prone position. Having infantry stealthed while standing is surely unrealistic. However, if they are to be stealthed inside a building you might as well remove the flags and fortifications, otherwise it is obvious they are there, right?
That's a really good idea! I love it!
Why do I have a feeling this is going to make Infantry super OP.
'cause before infantry was a castrated class on battlefield
Not really, I use em all the time and they are great, and will be even better in ROTR version 1.7 with their changes, I recommend talking to those guys for some hints on how they will do things with infantry.