It's pretty much for the reason Satonir said! The Laser Tank was too good at too many things, we wanted it to be more of a close range thing with the walker more of along range thing.
Also:
I'm afraid we cannot really do any more balance things for this Hot Fix patch!
We have deadlines we need to meet with testing and things with our partners, so I'm afraid the deadline has been reached. We will obviously keep balancing things for the next update that we send out in a few months time.
I see okay. I believe its a symptom of simply players battling each other on small maps though. Unless your play data test includes all the map sizes? Because on enormous maps that I play on has a tendency to have me rush into laser tank asap for safety. Its a unit that can help vanguard's core units hold the line against the angry AI, even more so when I have like four or five attacking me at same time because of my starting location, bad luck + makes things more entertaining.
The walker is simply too far into the research tree to be even remotely relevant early on. This is simply a matter of fact until both laser tanks and walker switch positions on tech tree but then we'll see complaints of walker spam. And requests to nerf walker's missiles.
I'm very very concerned now on vanguard's ability to blast the high threat targets and bring them down. It's the long ranged alpha strike that makes laser tanks rather valuable asset in a vanguard's army. I like now have to use operations to compensate for the loss of 9 range punch that laser tanks brought to help initiate the battle.
Walkers only become relevant after I observe the AI's behaviors and then apply them as needed simply because they come after laser tanks. I do build the walkers but the laser tanks is just simply available first. Plus I like tanks. I never cared much for gundam and mechwarrior things, I remember the mech warrior dark age i was the guy that always brought tanks + soldiers and never a single mech.
Edit: The walker changes seems to be quite nice though, Makes them a whole heckuva more mobile and willing to actually move instead of creeping slowly to use their missiles. Not sure about the damage nerf but i'll see.
As for Mora secundas, my original strategy for that map was to expand as much as possible while holding onto territory and then get laser tanks out to support my cores and it worked wonderfully. As of right now I will not want to replay that battle without the laser tank's punch. Too terrified of facing giant autonom stacks with powerful t4 units because walkers isn't available as quick as laser tanks.
As for promethean mismatch, the player made a bad strategic decision and paid for it with his defeat. Even then, a Vanguard player or anyone that has a t3 that uses thermal as main damage channel is naturally going to be at a disadvantage against a promethean player no matter what. Its just like how goblins' blight damage vs dreadnought in early days of aow3.
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