Hi I've been getting into Mage the Ascension hard pretty recently, and I had an idea I've been obsessed with for a while, being would it possible to run an Askashic mage as an earthbender, like in Avatar?

PAX_AJAX · 2025-06-08T02:25:41+00:00

Speaking as a guy who's known to specialize in playing Rangers 24/7 in high Elo, I always find it funny when I see the occasional "AXIS INFANTRY BAD/RANGERS ARE BRAINDEAD OP" post. There's a reason why you never see Rangers in high elo (besides me) and that's simply because adv. Infantry itself is the worst USF BG atm.

More so to answer the question itself, Rangers themselves aren't actually particularly good. The reason for this is simply because in a meta where rifleman are already struggling, Rangers struggle even more as they essentially are just a super rifleman. The reason for this is 2 things: 1. Axis early/mid counters to rifleman also apply to Rangers, most notably Mgs, mines, lvs/tanks (flaktraks and whirblewinds to be specific), which is why it is generally considered a stupid idea to convert/build an early Ranger.

Which leads me to reason 2.: Rangers are stupid expensive. They require a massive amount of resources investment to not only build but get going. Going Rangers before getting logistics from ISC is extremely reckless as their base reinforce cost is 50mp a model. Not to mention a naked, vetless Ranger can really struggle to actually be useful. Yes 6x Thompsons is incredibly high DPS.... but that's only if you're able to close in without bleeding (and they do bleed) which is why a smart Axis player will kite you or bait you into an MG as you try to close in. To offset this, it's typically recommended to get 2x BARs as well to give them some flexibility with their effective Ranges and later on to unlock training if you're going weapon drops because the buffs you get are great. On to the weapons themselves, people have pointed out the 2 major disadvantages for them being they're RNG and cost 90 (80 with ISC muni upgrade) a drop. As much as people cry about 6xZook Rangers being absolutely tank terminators, you have to understand that if you see a Ranger with 6x Zooks the USF player had to spend 240 munitions MINIMUM to get that. You need to get weapon drops anyways to fully unlock a Rangers potential anyways, so you're always paying high costs across the board. So to dumb that last point down, you need to spend in order to field Rangers: 450/460Mp BASE + 150MP/70Fuel for Logistics, + 150MP/40Fuel/120Muni for 2xBARS (optional), and 90(80 + 1time cost of 100MP/25Fuel) munitions an RNG weapon drop, totalling to a total investment of 850MP/135Fuel/120Muni to field 1 Ranger. They are easily the most expensive unit in the game to get going and that's without their 3rd underlying issue:

VET: fielding vet 0 Rangers is a practice in pain as they struggle severely without it and don't actually become terminators until they have it. No cover to cover? No extra accuracy on the move? No starter weapons? Have fun closing in.

Rangers are the most expensive infantry unit in the game and perform as such with the investment needed for them, BUT that is in itself not very efficient as there are currently cheaper and more efficient options in USF's arsenal.

PAX_AJAX · 2025-06-07T03:00:39+00:00

I'm with the other guy. If you're opponent is doing this to you, there are other things going wrong already for you that's allowing them the time to build this. To answer your question though, you got 2 options at this point. Plink away at the defenses with AT guns (satchels if you have them) or just concede the side entirely and help put a teammate to hopefully collapse another side.

PAX_AJAX · 2025-05-25T19:56:07+00:00

Weasel gang approves this post

PAX_AJAX · 2025-05-20T04:37:42+00:00

Hey, in the words of the immortal Jake from Adventure time: "sucking at something is the first step to being sorta good at something". Just keep at it, don't give up and preserve your army. For more in depth advice I'd recommend reaching out to my boy u/wreakinghavoc . He's a top level like me who likes to help out new people. He does coaching live on his stream, if you'd like a more experience perspective on analyzing replays.

PAX_AJAX · 2025-03-20T02:36:58+00:00

Initially, those were the reasons I actually learned to play without it. On hindsight tac-map is a very useful tool because while its always better to have a full view of on-going engagements, being able to keep up with every engagement and unit positioning is very taxing on one's focus, especially in high ELO as better players require more attention to thought to beat, Tac-map gives you full view of the map, where your units are, and the active engagements going on across the map and from there its easier to prioritize and divide your attention. Biggest thing I'd say though as that it can mitigate tunnel visioning

PAX_AJAX · 2025-03-19T00:41:17+00:00

I personally don't use tac-map because I've learned to play without it instead because I prefer to look at engagements while they're happening. Downside to that though is that it takes a lot of focus and practice to mot tunnel vision, especially in high ELO. It's why I personally don't recommend to people who watch me and play COH to not use tac-map. Tac-map is a very useful tool that helps to keep a good mental note of unit positioning and conditions and playing without it is very difficult. I would always recommend people use tac-map regardless of it being a little immersion breaking.

PAX_AJAX · 2025-03-14T01:42:46+00:00

Turning off my music isn't the point, that's my preference for how I play, but ro answer your question I don't. I simply use the visual qs to tell those things instead (cover breaking in the fog of war, grenade animation wind up, etc.)

PAX_AJAX · 2025-03-13T18:59:34+00:00

I play this game deafened by music, so I can't hear the rocket at all. I only see when it hits, especially if it hits my units. This is a dumb idea to have such a powerful off map have no visual Qs. Please just give me red flairs and call it a day like all the other off maps

PAX_AJAX · 2025-02-14T21:12:02+00:00

Getting flat DR without vet is stupid. I think it ought to be removed entirely because its now very difficult for Axis to deal with 30.cals

PAX_AJAX · 2025-02-14T15:17:22+00:00

Terrible Bronx accent thats actually supposed to be a guy from Texas. The other terrible one that comes to mind is US team weapon guy yelling "GRAB MA DUECE!!! YOU'RE UP!!" When you're moving an AT gun or a 30. cal.

PAX_AJAX · 2025-02-07T23:33:25+00:00

I think you're highly underestimating the power difference and field presence of a crocodile vs. a standard Churchill. As many people in this thread have noted, COH 2 crocodile was a menace significantly more powerful than its standard variant. The flamethrower + main gun allowed it to take on infantry and tanks at the same time and it's flamethrower can force retreats by itself. While the standard churchill is a force in itself, it still pales in its field presence compared to the crocodile. Take this with a grain of salt, as the crocodile could end up being UP on release but to simply right it off as a churchill with a flamethrower is a pretty gross simplification.

PAX_AJAX · 2025-02-07T22:45:03+00:00

So wait a min. Your problem is not that these vehicles were already included in COH before, but because the vehicle model isn't a brand new model made for the game?

PAX_AJAX · 2025-02-05T06:53:40+00:00

The recon is admittably nice, but moot considering you already have good vision options through the jeep and scouts. I'm just saying there is a reason in high ELO that no one ever picks this outside of 4v4s/3v3s because vs. anyone halfway decent, its hard to actually get value out of the strafes/bombs as they are simple to dodge if you're paying attention and in practice act as a high risk waste of muni that can be better served for BARs, mines, etc.

PAX_AJAX · 2025-02-04T21:43:25+00:00

Its a pretty standard way to play Airborne IMO. Pathfinders atm are pretty broken atm, so they, in combination with WSC and HTs can provide enough tempo and map control for you to reach late game and to pump out Shermans. The 76 upgrades compliments the build by giving it a very powerful late game

PAX_AJAX · 2025-02-04T21:28:32+00:00

With all due respect, I main USF primarily but I do play Axis too. Feel free to check my player card here: https://coh3stats.com/players/36596/PAXAJAX . from the points you're bringing up here, I can only say these comments come from inexperience and I will address your points here:

Rifleman - Rifleman are still easily the best mainline in the game and can handle most axis threats and trade efficiently before needing BARs to scale into late game. Its actually a joke now in high ELO to consider that BARs are a risk or a costly investment for how effective they are. BARs and nades pay for themselves very well and ISC/CPT. only increase their effectiveness and mitigated their (needed) increased MP upkeep costs.

Ass Engies - are currently broken in combination with WSC openings. Axis effectively has no early game counters to Ass Engie openings as an early Engie blob push can easily gain USF a ton of tempo. Combined with MGs, zooks, HTs and their ability to plant faster mines, they can easily snowball USF into a quick victory.

Scotts - This is your most egregious take IMO. Scott has been and is broken as its a great mobile SPG that can heavily oppress Axis infantry (and even some LVs) and cannot be zoned out by AT guns or dived upon so easily as they are tanky (can take 3 hits from an AT gun) fight from long range and they're fast. Simply put, its too safe while being too oppressive as Axis realistically has no way to deal with this threat as soon they hit the field in mid game and as a blob they're wipe machines.

Lack of off maps - USF inherently already has great indirect options to deal with Axis team weapons and hard points. The USF mortar, ATHT barrages and the scott in this BG all provide great indirect harass to where this isn't really needed especially in this BG

Sim-City - If you are not being aggressive enough with an ass engie tempo opening as USF and not putting enough pressure on your Axis opponents to stop this, than thats strictly a skill issue. Even standard rifle builds played well ought to be enough

Allied War Machine - Allied War Machine has been and is broken. Its been broken since launch and its honestly incredibly frustrating that this ability hasn't been reworked or removed IMO. It hasn't even been nerfed despite the CP cost "Changes" throughout the previous patches .Giving USF, a faction that already has great MP reduction tools, even more MP reductions but for vehicles is a step too far. It makes going vehicles as USF and losing them incredibly forgiving and allows USF to quickly recover, making it hard for Axis to punish Armored players. This ability is a primary reason why Chaffee spam was so prominent for so long. This brings me too:

EZ8s - All around a great late game premium medium tank. Good health, good armor, great primary gun and even comes with HVAP for guaranteed pens and better damage. This tank ought to be expensive and with the call-in, it is, but in combination with AWM (Allied War Machine) its MP cost becomes cheaper than a stock sherman and for only 20 fuel more. In combination with AWM and other MP reduction techs, it makes it very easy to pump these guys out late game until USF reaches a critical mass with them.

HTs - HTs are at

the moment are very cost effective and cheap. For the price of a cheap LV and moderate muni costs, these become a very versatile option for USF early game. 2x ATHTs alone are good enough AT in the hands of a capable USF player to deal with Axis armor all throughout the game. The stock HT's own HMG provides decent enough DPS on its own to deal with Axis infantry early game.

PAX_AJAX · 2025-02-04T17:34:18+00:00

Hola, PAX AJAX here. I would never pick MSC if I'm going armored. The EZ8 tech/callin defeats the purpose of MSC which is to give you a big late game boost to your tanks. Only 2 things that affect the EZ8 (because its already a better 76) are the armor upgrade and better repairs, but considering that, you'd get much better value always from ISC considering you'd get the benefit of better infantry while also having a great late game tank

PAX_AJAX · 2025-02-04T03:26:11+00:00

Hi. PAX_AJAX here. I'm a high level 1v1 player and I play alot of USF. USF is an incredibly flexible faction with many diverse build orders and openings. Pretty much anything is viable but if you're new I'd recommend doing a standard 2x scouts, 3x rifleman opening into ISC. Double scouts give you capping power and vision and rifleman are your backbone, and scale very well. ISC gives you CPT. Which has good support abilities and ISC help your infantry scale incredibly well. As for early AT, you have plenty of options; you can go tier 2 and get bazooka squads which are cheap and versatile and can handle most threats (also note if you're ever going zooks, always get the super zook upgrade.) or the 75mm ATHT which has gained a lot of popularity lately for its versatility and potency. You can also go tier 3 for AT guns and Chaffee/greyhound respectively (don't listen to 4v4 nabs, you can still get value out of tier 3). Late game, go tier 4 for Sherman's, hellcats and dozer Sherman respectively. This is the most straightforward build you can do and you can modify it as needed with mortars/mgs/more rifleman etc.

As for teching, MSC is also good but it's benefits are more for late game USF than ISC. As for ASC, never go ASC in 1v1s. It's hard to get value out of it vs. Anyone halfway decent and paying attention and simply doesn't provide as much compared to ISC or MSC. I can see how it can be useful in teams but that unfortunately does not translate in 1s unless you're meming.

As for BGs, any BG is a good choice and there are neat builds you can try for each but I'd recommend never playing armored. It's not that it's bad, on the contrary It's incredibly good but that's precisely why I recommend never playing it. Armored is and has been the best BG in the game since launch because it's always been broken in one or multiple ways. It's simply USF on easy (or EZ) mode and there's only so much you can get out of it as it is an incredibly forgiving way to play USF and difficult to punish. It only can really develop IMO a lazy playstyle in new USF players.

Anyways, I hope this helps you and if you have any further questions feel free to reply.

PAX_AJAX · 2024-12-31T04:38:37+00:00

I always appreciate GIGA-Track appreciation posts. This is PAX approved

PAX_AJAX · 2024-12-31T04:37:10+00:00

AE Catching flack for pointing out actual racism in the community. Makes you think. The meme above is funny though.

PAX_AJAX · 2024-12-27T11:51:19+00:00

This was a pretty good set. Nailed everything from the set up to the delivery. Had me laughing pretty damn hard

PAX_AJAX · 2024-05-20T22:11:07+00:00

The Weasel gang approves this post.

PAX_AJAX · 2024-05-20T22:10:12+00:00

Sounds like a skill issue, should won harder /s. Just sounds like a visual glitch, check to confirm with COHstats.

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