Company of Heroes
Encyclopedia
Real-time strategy
Real-time strategy is a sub-genre of strategy video game which does not progress incrementally in turns. Brett Sperry is credited with coining the term to market Dune II....
computer game developed by Relic Entertainment
Relic Entertainment
Relic Entertainment is a Canadian game development company that specializes in 3D real-time strategy games and has released a number of unique PC games. Relic specializes in creative, visually appealing, and combat intense RTS games.-History:...
. It was released on September 12, 2006, and was the first title to make use of the Games for Windows
Games for Windows
Games for Windows is a brand owned by Microsoft and introduced in 2006 to coincide with the release of Windows Vista. The brand represents a standardized technical certification program and online service for Windows games, bringing a measure of regulation to the PC game market in much the same way...
label. A standalone expansion, Opposing Fronts
Company of Heroes: Opposing Fronts
Company of Heroes: Opposing Fronts is the stand alone expansion pack to Company of Heroes, a real-time strategy game for computers running the Windows operating system. It was announced on April 5, 2007. Opposing Fronts was developed by Canadian-based RTS developer Relic Entertainment, and...
, was released on September 25, 2007. A second standalone expansion, Tales of Valor
Company of Heroes: Tales of Valor
Company of Heroes: Tales of Valor is a real time strategy video game stand alone expansion pack to Company of Heroes. It was announced on November 3, 2008 and was released on April 9, 2009.-Gameplay:...
was released in April 2009. Company of Heroes Online
Company of Heroes Online
Company of Heroes Online was a free MMO real-time strategy computer game developed by Relic Entertainment and published by THQ. The open beta for the game started on 2 September 2010 and closed on 31 March 2011. The game has no link with the original Company of Heroes series multi-player system and...
, an MMO version of the game was released as a free-to-play, microtransaction based game in South Korea in April 2010. Company of Heroes: Online Open Beta ended on March 31st, 2011. According to Relic Entertainment, the reason for the servers being shut down is the developers' new unnamed RTS project which was to be unveiled in August 2011.
Company of Heroes is set during World War II. In the single-player campaign the player commands two U.S. military units during the Battle of Normandy
Operation Overlord
Operation Overlord was the code name for the Battle of Normandy, the operation that launched the invasion of German-occupied western Europe during World War II by Allied forces. The operation commenced on 6 June 1944 with the Normandy landings...
and the Allied liberation of France. Depending on the mission, the player controls either Able Company of the 29th Infantry Division, or Fox Company of the 101st Airborne's 506th PIR.
Resources
The resource management in Company of Heroes retains micromanagement details such as reinforcing troops, which has the effect of creating a more tactical RTS experience.Players must take control of certain points on the map. The more of these points a player controls, the more resources they acquire. This concept demands constant expansion of a player's territory. These points are connected like supply lines, and so, during the course of a battle a player can capture one point in the supply line, isolating the rest which had been connected to the base through it, therefore reducing the enemy's resource intake.
Players collect three resources: manpower, munitions, and fuel. Manpower is necessary to produce all units. Munitions allows players to upgrade individual squads or vehicles and use special abilities. Fuel allows players to purchase tanks and other vehicles, build base buildings and acquire global upgrades. The player can decide, at a manpower cost, to place observation posts on his resource points in order to increase his production by 40% and make them more durable against enemy takeovers, which means sacrificing resources in the short-term for a greater long-term intake. Resource points must also be connected as any unconnected captured points can not produce resources.
Buildings
Units can occupy a civilian building and convert it into a field barracks, allowing certain units or squads to be created by that building, thus allowing a forward unit production and reinforcement point.Medic stations can also be built on the field to house medics, who can recover fallen soldiers from the battlefield and return them to the medic station. When enough soldiers are recovered by medics (4 for Germans and 6 for American), they are formed into a combat ready squad by the medic station at no expense of manpower.
Infantry units can also occupy buildings and use them as cover or a garrison to protect against attack, but this limits their firing range because the infantry are a stationary, immobile target, rendering them vulnerable to sniper fire and easy to surround. Also, while garrisoned, infantry units can only shoot out of windows or holes blown into a building. Certain weapons are immensely effective against units holed up in a building; satchel charges or infantry-carried rocket launchers can demolish a building, tank fire can blast the building, and infantry or tanks armed with flamethrowers can literally set the building on fire and burn out the occupants, and finally artillery. However, there are advantages; infantry are well protected from small arms and most buildings are sturdy enough to stand up to limited tank fire before collapsing. Company of Heroes was one of the first World War II strategy games which introduced dynamic building destruction which took advantage of the physics engine used to make the game. For example, if a tank was concentrating its fire on one position of a building near the bottom, then the whole building (once its "health" was completely depleted) would collapse in that specific area first and then the rest of the building would follow.
Occupied buildings can be destroyed after taking fire from enemy units or any other attack, like artillery fire or demolition charges. Civilian buildings cannot be repaired or rebuilt. However, both the Allied and German forces can construct garrisonable buildings (the Allies can build a .30 caliber machine gun nest, while the Germans can construct bunkers).
The Americans can build a barracks and weapons support center to deploy infantry (foot soldiers), a motor pool and tank depot for tanks, vehicles and anti-tank guns. The triage center can heal nearby units that have been wounded from enemy fire. A supply yard is also required to be built before building a motor pool or tank depot which enables upgrades to reduce costs of infantry and tanks.
The Germans can build a variety of structures. The Wehrmacht quarters, Krieg barracks and Sturm armory lets players create infantry. The Wermacht Quarters and Krieg Barracks can build light vehicles and other infantry, while the Sturm Armory and the Panzer Command deploys German tanks at the player's disposal.
The Germans can also build Kampkraft Centre(s) in order to increase veterancy levels.
Combat mechanics
Combat includes controllable units that are recruited and ordered directly by the player (through the user interface at player-controlled buildings, or through a doctrine ability), as well as activated support actions, such as artillery bombardment or aircover suppression. Every controllable unit type, whether infantry or vehicle, has an associated construction cost and recruitment time, as well as a range of fighting abilities.Like many RTS games, the fighting units generally form a rock/paper/scissors hierarchy.
Vehicles and infantry can eventually be upgraded by researching specific capabilities. Upgrades generally improve the unit's effectiveness. Some upgrades are global, granting immediate benefits to all deployed units, while others must be purchased on a unit by unit basis.
In addition to units which engage in direct (line-of-sight) combat, both powers can build mortar and artillery units, which engage enemies at standoff distance through indirect fire. Indirect fire is characterized by a long time of flight to target, and low accuracy, but possesses a wide area of effect. It is particularly effective against massed infantry and light vehicles, but less hazardous to armored vehicles. A perfectly-coordinated artillery strike can turn the tide of a battle, while a poor one can inflict significant friendly-fire casualties.
Most combat takes place through direct, line-of-sight engagements. For small arms fire from infantry units, weapon accuracy and range are factored into the damage calculation. Cover, which can be gained from map terrain, occupying a building, or an adjacent armored unit (such as an anti-tank gun), factors heavily into the calculation. Cover does not provide any protection against most types of indirect attacks (grenade, mortar, artillery), or specialized anti-personnel weapons (accurate sniper fire, flames.) Vehicles also receive cover, though through much more complicated mechanics, usually resulting in survivability bonuses - not unlike their infantry counterparts. In addition to range and accuracy, the direction of fire also has a major impact on the damage a vehicle takes, especially if weak spots are targeted, such as the rear armour of a tank. A head-on shot into the glacis
Glacis
A glacis in military engineering is an artificial slope of earth used in late European fortresses so constructed as to keep any potential assailant under the fire of the defenders until the last possible moment...
of the tank will do much less damage than a shot to the side, or a direct shot into the rear of the hull. Although terrain cover does not offer the same protection for vehicles as it does for infantry, obscuring terrain increases the difficulty of scoring a target hit by reducing the target's exposed profile. Thus, combat outcome is as much a function of tactical deployment and battlefield terrain, and not just unit composition.
Crew-served weapons can also be manned by friendly troops or captured by enemy troops once the weapon's crew is killed ; this includes machine guns, mortars and anti-tank guns from both sides as well as German Nebelwerfers
21 cm Nebelwerfer 42
The 21 cm Nebelwerfer 42 was a German multiple rocket launcher used in the Second World War. It served with units of the Nebeltruppen, the German equivalent of the American Chemical Corps...
, 20mm Flakvierlings
2 cm FlaK 30
The Flak 30 and improved Flak 38 were 20 mm anti-aircraft guns used by various German forces throughout the Second World War. It was not only the primary German light anti-aircraft gun, but by far the most numerously produced German artillery piece throughout the war...
, Flak 88 cannons and American 105mm howitzers
M101 howitzer
The 105 mm M2A1 howitzer was the standard light field howitzer for the United States in World War II, seeing action in both European and Pacific theaters. Entering production in 1941, it quickly entered the war against the Imperial Japanese Army in the Pacific, where it gained a reputation...
. A few infantry weapons are also susceptible to be reclaimed or captured, including American BARs and German bipod MG42s. The high firepower of these weapons (and their elevated production prices) often make them prime targets for enemy snipers.
Allies
Represented by the Americans, this faction boasts cheap, versatile units. Veterancy is earned through the act of combat; units gain veterancy as they kill more and more enemy units and buildings. American infantry units are slightly more numerous than their Wehrmacht counterparts, but are generally less effective in a straight fight, and rely on upgrades and abilities to gain the edge in a fight. American vehicles and tanks, while lacking in raw power, are generally faster and capable of various support tasks. The Sherman tank for example, can clear mines using an obtainable mine flail.Companies:
- Infantry CompanyInfantryInfantrymen are soldiers who are specifically trained for the role of fighting on foot to engage the enemy face to face and have historically borne the brunt of the casualties of combat in wars. As the oldest branch of combat arms, they are the backbone of armies...
: Centered around defense and infantry support, this doctrine allows players to train infantry and build defenses faster, employ heavy artillery, and call in reinforcements such as the elite US Army Rangers, or a randomized group of units with the "Battalion Reinforcement" - Airborne CompanyAirborne forcesAirborne forces are military units, usually light infantry, set up to be moved by aircraft and 'dropped' into battle. Thus they can be placed behind enemy lines, and have an ability to deploy almost anywhere with little warning...
: Centered on air support, this doctrine allows players to deploy paratroopers, call in recon planes, and enjoy the destructive capabilities of the P-47 ThunderboltP-47 ThunderboltRepublic Aviation's P-47 Thunderbolt, also known as the "Jug", was the largest, heaviest, and most expensive fighter aircraft in history to be powered by a single reciprocating engine. It was heavily armed with eight .50-caliber machine guns, four per wing. When fully loaded, the P-47 weighed up to...
fighter-bomber. - Armor Company: Centered on vehicles and armor support, this doctrine is slow to gain strength, but boasts powerful abilities, such as improved vehicle production, vehicle field repairs, the Sherman CalliopesT34 CalliopeThe Rocket Launcher T34 was a tank-mounted multiple rocket launcher used by the United States Army during World War II. The launcher was placed atop the Medium Tank M4, and fired a barrage of 4.5 in rockets from 60 launch tubes. It was developed in 1943; small numbers were produced and were...
and the powerful M26 PershingM26 PershingThe Heavy Tank M26 Pershing was an American heavy tank briefly used in World War II and in the Korean War. It was named after General John Pershing, who led the American Expeditionary Force in Europe in World War I....
heavy tankHeavy tankA heavy tank was a subset of tank that filled the heavy direct-fire role of many armies.Heavy tanks have usually been deployed to breakthrough enemy lines, though in practice have been more useful in the defensive role than in the attack...
.
Axis
Represented by the German WehrmachtWehrmacht
The Wehrmacht – from , to defend and , the might/power) were the unified armed forces of Nazi Germany from 1935 to 1945. It consisted of the Heer , the Kriegsmarine and the Luftwaffe .-Origin and use of the term:...
, this faction employs a wider range of units than the Americans. Wehrmacht units are generally more expensive and powerful, but also more rigid and ill-equipped beyond their intended roles. For the Wehrmacht, veterancy is not earned, but "bought" at their Kampfkraft Centre. Wehrmacht infantry range from simple Volksgrenadier militia to elite Knight's Cross Holders. Their armor, likewise, also gives players the choice between Flak Panzers
Ostwind
The Flakpanzer IV "Ostwind" was a self-propelled anti-aircraft gun based on the Panzer IV tank. It was developed in 1944 as a successor to the earlier self-propelled anti-aircraft gun Wirbelwind....
, the Panzer IV
Panzer IV
The Panzerkampfwagen IV , commonly known as the Panzer IV, was a medium tank developed in Nazi Germany in the late 1930s and used extensively during the Second World War. Its ordnance inventory designation was Sd.Kfz...
or the powerful Panther Tank
Panther tank
Panther is the common name of a medium tank fielded by Nazi Germany in World War II that served from mid-1943 to the end of the European war in 1945. It was intended as a counter to the T-34, and to replace the Panzer III and Panzer IV; while never replacing the latter, it served alongside it as...
. Their force is rounded out by a few more specialized tanks and powerful support units such as officers and Nebelwerfer
Nebelwerfer
The Nebelwerfer was a World War II German series of weapons originally designed to deliver chemical weapons. They were initially developed by and assigned to the Wehrmacht's so-called Chemical Troops ...
rocket batteries.
Doctrines:
- Defensive Doctrine: Centered on artillery and defense, this doctrine allows base structures to defend themselves against Infantry, offers bonuses for defending infantry, and allows players to call in rocket barrages and deploy the powerful Flak 88 cannons.
- Blitzkrieg DoctrineBlitzkriegFor other uses of the word, see: Blitzkrieg Blitzkrieg is an anglicized word describing all-motorised force concentration of tanks, infantry, artillery, combat engineers and air power, concentrating overwhelming force at high speed to break through enemy lines, and, once the lines are broken,...
: Centered on speed and offensive operations, this doctrine allows players to speed up their military and economy, and allows players to deploy powerful assault units such as StormtrooperStormtrooperStormtroopers were specialist soldiers of the German Army in World War I. In the last years of the war, Stoßtruppen were trained to fight with "infiltration tactics", part of the Germans' new method of attack on enemy trenches...
s and the Tiger ITiger ITiger I is the common name of a German heavy tank developed in 1942 and used in World War II. The final official German designation was Panzerkampfwagen Tiger Ausf. E, often shortened to Tiger. It was an answer to the unexpectedly formidable Soviet armour encountered in the initial months of...
. - Terror Doctrine: Centered on psychological warfarePsychological warfarePsychological warfare , or the basic aspects of modern psychological operations , have been known by many other names or terms, including Psy Ops, Political Warfare, “Hearts and Minds,” and Propaganda...
and destructive power, this unusual doctrine provides players with die-hard infantry and the ability to routRoutA rout is commonly defined as a chaotic and disorderly retreat or withdrawal of troops from a battlefield, resulting in the victory of the opposing party, or following defeat, a collapse of discipline, or poor morale. A routed army often degenerates into a sense of "every man for himself" as the...
the enemy, be it with propaganda, devastating V1 rockets, or a single, powerful Tiger Ace (which has since been replaced in patches by the King Tiger tank).
Multiplayer
For Company of Heroes, Relic began using a new online gaming system called Relic OnlineRelic Online
Relic Online is an online gaming system that Relic/THQ uses for matchmaking in some Relic Entertainment games, replacing its previous use of GameSpy Arcade and WON . Relic Online was developed by Relic/THQ and Quazal, and is completely separate from any gamespy/WON systems...
. Previous Relic games had used GameSpy Arcade
GameSpy Arcade
GameSpy Arcade is a shareware multiplayer game server browsing utility. GameSpy Arcade allows players to view and connect to available multiplayer games, and chat with other users of the service. It was initially released by GameSpy Industries, a division of IGN Entertainment, in early 2000, to...
or World Opponent Network
World Opponent Network
World Opponent Network or WON was an online gaming service, created by Sierra Games as the Sierra Internet Gaming System . WON was used by games such as Homeworld, Half-Life, Star Trek: Armada, Soldier of Fortune, Dark Reign 2, Silencer, ARC and online versions of casino games as well as early...
services. This new system includes many features that the previous systems did not have, including a built in automatch and ranking system.
This game allows multiplayer matches of 1-8 players via LAN
Län
Län and lääni refer to the administrative divisions used in Sweden and previously in Finland. The provinces of Finland were abolished on January 1, 2010....
or the Internet.
Company of Heroes allows players to fight as both the Allied and Axis forces in multiplayer matches.
Victory Point Control
These games focus on controlling several victory points around the middle of the map. These victory points can be captured similarly to strategic points. When one side has more victory points under their control than another, the other side's "points" start to decrease. When one side's counter runs out of points, they lose. Alternatively, the player can simply destroy all enemy structures to win the game. Before the start of the game, the host can choose between 250, 500, or 1000 points. The point function in Company of Heroes works much like the ticket feature in the Battlefield series.Annihilation
Annihilation games lack the victory points of the VPC game mode. To win, the player needs to destroy all enemy buildings excluding observation posts on points.Single player campaign
The single player campaign puts the player in some of the major American operations during the Battle of Normandy.D-Day
The game begins with Able Company's assault at Omaha BeachOmaha Beach
Omaha Beach is the code name for one of the five sectors of the Allied invasion of German-occupied France in the Normandy landings on 6 June 1944, during World War II...
during the D-Day of Operation Overlord
Operation Overlord
Operation Overlord was the code name for the Battle of Normandy, the operation that launched the invasion of German-occupied western Europe during World War II by Allied forces. The operation commenced on 6 June 1944 with the Normandy landings...
. Able Company must first breach the Atlantic Wall
Atlantic Wall
The Atlantic Wall was an extensive system of coastal fortifications built by Nazi Germany between 1942 and 1944 along the western coast of Europe as a defense against an anticipated Allied invasion of the mainland continent from Great Britain.-History:On March 23, 1942 Führer Directive Number 40...
, then take out German bunkers overlooking the beach, and finally disable four 88 mm Flak 36 guns shelling the beach. The game also introduces two of the game's major characters: Captain MacKay and Sergeant Conti.
Battle of Carentan
The next three missions are about Fox Company and their actions during the captureBattle of Carentan
The Battle of Carentan was an engagement in World War II between airborne forces of the United States Army and the German Wehrmacht during the Battle of Normandy. The battle took place between 10 and 15 June 1944, on the approaches to and within the city of Carentan, France.The objective of the...
and defense of Carentan
Carentan
Carentan is a small rural town near the north-eastern base of the French Cotentin Peninsula in Normandy in north-western France near the port city of Cherbourg-Octeville. Carentan has a population somewhat over 6,000 and is now administratively organized as a commune in the Manche department...
. On the night before D-Day, Fox Company must first regroup after the chaotic and hectic airdrops at the crossroads near Vierville, then disrupt enemy operations in rear areas by opening new drop zones, prevent the Germans from reinforcing the beaches by securing the road link, and destroying a convoy from the 91st Grenadiers.
After D-Day, Fox Company is then tasked to capture the town of Carentan to secure a link between Utah
Utah Beach
Utah Beach was the code name for the right flank, or westernmost, of the Allied landing beaches during the D-Day invasion of Normandy, as part of Operation Overlord on 6 June 1944...
and Omaha Beach and to defend it against the expected German counterattack. Though constantly bombarded by artillery and under siege by the 6th Fallschirmjager Regiment and elements of the 17th SS Panzergrenadiers with StuG assault guns, Fox Company is eventually relieved when Able Company with elements of the 2nd Armored Division arrives at the town and the link is finally secure.
Battle of Cherbourg
Able and Dog Companies form the spearhead of the Allied advance to secure Cherbourg and its deep-water port. En route to Cherbourg, Allied supply routes are threatened by elements of the Panzer Lehr Division commanded by Hauptmann Schultz, and Dog Company is ambushed in the process. Able Company drives the Germans back and defend the supply route for the Red Ball ExpressRed Ball Express
The Red Ball Express was an enormous truck convoy system created by Allied forces to supply their forward-area combat units moving through Europe following the breakout from the D-Day beaches in Normandy. The term "Red Ball" was a railroad phrase referring to express shipping...
to pass through, but earns the enmity of Schultz and the Panzer Lehr for the rest of the campaign.
With the flank secure, the Allies continue to advance onto Cherbourg. Able and Dog Companies, supported by the 4th Cavalry and the USS Texas
USS Texas (BB-35)
USS Texas , the second ship of the United States Navy named in honor of the U.S. state of Texas, is a . The ship was launched on 18 May 1912 and commissioned on 12 March 1914....
, are tasked with capturing the port facilities. Although Able successfully subdues the German defenders and holds thousands prisoners, the port has been badly damaged and is unusable to the Allies.
Despite the empty victory, Able Company finds documents from an Axis bunker which shows a V-2 Rocket
V-2 rocket
The V-2 rocket , technical name Aggregat-4 , was a ballistic missile that was developed at the beginning of the Second World War in Germany, specifically targeted at London and later Antwerp. The liquid-propellant rocket was the world's first long-range combat-ballistic missile and first known...
launch site near Sottevast
Sottevast
Sottevast is a commune in Normandy in north-western France.-Bombing of Sottevast in World War II:Sottevast was a Nazi Germany storage and servicing bunker for V-weapons. The site was captured by the 504th Parachute Infantry Regiment ....
. Fox Company has been called in to conduct an airborne assault on the V2 facility, while elements of Able Company rush to the site with armor support. The site is destroyed but Fox Company is seriously depleted.
Operation Cobra
American forces begin to approach the city of Saint-LôSaint-Lô
Saint-Lô is a commune in north-western France, the capital of the Manche department in Normandy.-History:Originally called Briovère , the town is built on and around ramparts. Originally it was a Gaul fortified settlement...
and Able Company begins approaching from the north. German defenders at St. Fromond
Saint-Fromond
Saint-Fromond is a commune in the Manche department in Normandy in north-western France.-Heraldry:-References:*...
hope to stop Able's advance by blowing up the only bridge leading into the town. Able Company is able to repair the bridge under fire from across the river, and drives the Germans out of the town. German defenders regroup and organize several counterattacks with Nebelwerfer
Nebelwerfer
The Nebelwerfer was a World War II German series of weapons originally designed to deliver chemical weapons. They were initially developed by and assigned to the Wehrmacht's so-called Chemical Troops ...
support, but all assaults against Able Company are thrown back with heavy casualties.
The Panzer Lehr mauls Charlie Company while attempting to secure Hill 192 at the outskirt of Saint-Lô. Able Company is assigned to take the hill. Hedgerows around the hill and hidden Flak 88 batteries provide a formidable defensive position against the Allies, but Able Company breaks through by employing bulldozer-equipped Crocodile Sherman tanks
M4 Sherman
The M4 Sherman, formally Medium Tank, M4, was the primary tank used by the United States during World War II. Thousands were also distributed to the Allies, including the British Commonwealth and Soviet armies, via lend-lease...
to plow through the hedgerows and flank the Germans.
German defenders at Saint-Lô decide to hold out against American forces by heavily fortifying the city center, but Able Company plans to surround and trap the German defenders at the city center rather than a head-on assault. Although the operation is successful, some German units, including the Panzer Lehr division, manage to escape destruction. Able Company calls in the 8th Air Force in response and the escaping German units suffer heavily due to carpet bombing
Carpet bombing
Carpet bombing is a large aerial bombing done in a progressive manner to inflict damage in every part of a selected area of land. The phrase invokes the image of explosions completely covering an area, in the same way that a carpet covers a floor. Carpet bombing is usually achieved by dropping many...
.
Badly reduced and under constant air attack, the shattered Panzer Lehr division is chased by American forces, and Able Company managed to intercept what is left of the division at Hébécrevon
Hébécrevon
Hébécrevon is a commune in the Manche department in Normandy in north-western France.-See also:*Communes of the Manche departmentHebecrevon was a critical battle leading to the Allied victory of the St. Lo campaign in July 1944....
. A raid is conducted with fast moving M10 tank destroyers
M10 Wolverine
The M10 tank destroyer, formally 3-inch Gun Motor Carriage, M10 was a United States tank destroyer of World War II based on the chassis of the M4 Sherman tank. It was numerically the most important U.S...
against the Panzer Lehr's positions, and almost all of its armor strength, including the last seven surviving Panther tank
Panther tank
Panther is the common name of a medium tank fielded by Nazi Germany in World War II that served from mid-1943 to the end of the European war in 1945. It was intended as a counter to the T-34, and to replace the Panzer III and Panzer IV; while never replacing the latter, it served alongside it as...
s, are completely wiped out. However, during the course of the mission, Captain MacKay is killed by a Tiger I under Schultz's personal command.
Operation Lüttich
MacKay's death puts newly promoted Sergeant Conti in command of Able Company, which has been put off the line and reassigned to relieve Dog Company at Hill 317 near MortainMortain
Mortain is a commune in the Manche department in Normandy in north-western France.-Geography:Mortain is situated on a rocky hill rising above the gorge of the Cance, a tributary of the Sélune.-Administration:Mortain is the seat of a canton...
. Unfortunately, the respite is only short, as Mortain becomes the focal point of a new German counterattack. Surprised and outnumbered, Able Company is forced to hold the hill until reinforcements can arrive in the morning.
Dog Company arrives with armor support and Able Company digs in and consolidate their positions. German forces renew the counterattack in force after their surprise night attack failed to take the hill, but all attempts are beaten back. Able Company successfully forces the Germans to retreat after inflicting heavy losses, including the destruction of a Flak 88 battery.
Falaise Pocket
The last section of the single player campaign deals with the destruction of German forces in the region. After suffering a string of defeats, the German Seventh Army is forced to retreat in order to avoid encirclement. Allied forces are racing to trap the Germans before they can escape. Baker Company is assigned to shut down one of the escape routes at AutryAutry
Autry is a commune in the Ardennes department in France.-Population:...
, but Schultz's Panzergruppe, which escaped the destruction of the Panzer Lehr division, annihilates them. Able Company rushes to the scene with an M26 Pershing
M26 Pershing
The Heavy Tank M26 Pershing was an American heavy tank briefly used in World War II and in the Korean War. It was named after General John Pershing, who led the American Expeditionary Force in Europe in World War I....
tank and destroys Schultz's Panzergruppe in return. Schultz's Tiger is among those tanks destroyed in the battle.
Chambois
Chambois
Chambois is a commune in the Orne département in north-western France. The city is remarkable for its Norman keep and was part of the Falaise pocket in 1944.-Norman keep:The Norman keep or Donjon was built in the 12th century...
becomes the Seventh Army's last hope for escaping the Falaise Pocket
Falaise pocket
The battle of the Falaise Pocket, fought during the Second World War from 12 to 21 August 1944, was the decisive engagement of the Battle of Normandy...
. With heavy air cover, Canadian, Polish and American forces, led by Able Company, secure all bridges around Chambois and close the Falaise Pocket. The German Seventh Army
German Seventh Army
The 7th Army was a World War I and World War II field army of the German land forces.-Origins:The 7th Army was activated in Stuttgart on August 25, 1939 with General Friedrich Dollmann in command. At the outbreak of the war, the 7th Army defended the German border and manned the Westwall in the...
attempts to break free, but they are met with heavy aerial bombardment and are forced to surrender.
The campaign ends with the caption that Able Company had suffered an 80% casualty rate by the end of World War II.
Distinguished characters
- Captain John MacKay
- The commander of Able Company. He appears to be an Army Ranger by his character model, although he commands a regular infantry company. MacKay is killed when hit by a tank shell fired by Hauptmann Schultz.
- Sergeant (later Lieutenant) Joe Conti
- The game's narrator, served as the second-in-command of Able Company under Captain MacKay, and is a close friend to MacKay ever since recruit trainingRecruit trainingRecruit training, more commonly known as Basic Training and colloquially called Boot Camp, is the initial indoctrination and instruction given to new military personnel, enlisted and officer...
. Conti is almost killed alongside Captain MacKay, and commands Able Company for the rest of the game. Joe Conti survives through the war.
- Hauptmann Joseph Gunter Schultz
- A German tank captain commanding the "Tiger Ace" from the Panzer Lehr division. He serves as the personal antagonist of Able company. He commands the Panzergruppe that attacks the Red Ball ExpressRed Ball ExpressThe Red Ball Express was an enormous truck convoy system created by Allied forces to supply their forward-area combat units moving through Europe following the breakout from the D-Day beaches in Normandy. The term "Red Ball" was a railroad phrase referring to express shipping...
, where his unit first met Able Company. Suffering from heavy losses, he watches Captain MacKay from afar while his unit is busy retreating. He later crosses paths with Able Company while commanding the forces defending Saint-Lô, but manages to escape encirclement by Able Company. He kills Captain MacKay when his unit is destroyed while retreating from Hèbècrevon. Schultz later defends the Falaise PocketFalaise pocketThe battle of the Falaise Pocket, fought during the Second World War from 12 to 21 August 1944, was the decisive engagement of the Battle of Normandy...
from encirclement, attempting to delay the attacking Americans as long as possible. Able Company manages to surround his Tiger tank and destroy it.
Game engine
Essence Engine
Essence Engine is a game engine developed by Relic Entertainment for video game Company of Heroes.-Features:The Essence Engine features many new graphical effects, including High Dynamic Range Lighting, dynamic lighting & shadows, advanced shader effects and normal mapping...
". This engine was designed and coded from scratch by Relic in order to make use of special graphical effects, including high dynamic range
High dynamic range
High dynamic range is a term generally used for media applications such as digital imaging and digital audio production...
lighting, dynamic lighting & shadows, advanced shader
Shader
In the field of computer graphics, a shader is a computer program that is used primarily to calculate rendering effects on graphics hardware with a high degree of flexibility...
effects and normal mapping
Normal mapping
In 3D computer graphics, normal mapping, or "Dot3 bump mapping", is a technique used for faking the lighting of bumps and dents. It is used to add details without using more polygons. A common use of this technique is to greatly enhance the appearance and details of a low polygon model by...
.
Company of Heroes also utilizes the Havok
Havok (software)
Havok Physics is a physics engine developed by Irish company Havok. It is designed primarily for video games, and allows for real-time collision and dynamics of rigid bodies in three dimensions. It provides multiple types of dynamic constraints between rigid bodies , and has a highly optimized...
physics engine
Physics engine
A physics engine is computer software that provides an approximate simulation of certain physical systems, such as rigid body dynamics , soft body dynamics, and fluid dynamics, of use in the domains of computer graphics, video games and film. Their main uses are in video games , in which case the...
, giving it a more realistic physics system than previous RTS games. Parts of buildings can be destroyed by grenades, satchels
Satchel charge
thumb|right|250px|Weapons used in [[Winter War]]. The original Finnish satchel charge at left.A satchel charge is a demolition device, primarily intended for combat, whose primary components are a charge of dynamite or a more potent explosive such as C-4 plastic explosive, a carrying device...
or mortars
Mortar (weapon)
A mortar is an indirect fire weapon that fires explosive projectiles known as bombs at low velocities, short ranges, and high-arcing ballistic trajectories. It is typically muzzle-loading and has a barrel length less than 15 times its caliber....
, and tanks can drive through sections of walls or other barriers. Smoke created from explosions is programmed to behave as realistically as possible and can even be influenced by wind. Debris is also influenced by explosions; a blast can send barrels flying and shower troops in dirt, whilst leaving behind a large crater. When infantry are bombarded
Bombardment
A bombardment is an attack by artillery fire directed against fortifications, troops or towns and buildings.Prior to World War I the term term was only applied to the bombardment of defenceless or undefended objects, houses, public buildings, it was only loosely employed to describe artillery...
by artillery
Artillery
Originally applied to any group of infantry primarily armed with projectile weapons, artillery has over time become limited in meaning to refer only to those engines of war that operate by projection of munitions far beyond the range of effect of personal weapons...
, body parts sometimes detach and are dispersed over, and some units are thrown about in the immediate area. Bridges and buildings can be destroyed by engineers using demolitions.
On May 29, 2007 Relic released the Company of Heroes patch v1.70 that included a new DirectX 10 rendering mode with enhanced terrain, additional world objects, and improved shadows and lighting. This patch made Company of Heroes the first commercial video game to support Direct3D
Direct3D
Direct3D is part of Microsoft's DirectX application programming interface . Direct3D is available for Microsoft Windows operating systems , and for other platforms through the open source software Wine. It is the base for the graphics API on the Xbox and Xbox 360 console systems...
10.
Reception
Reviews
Upon its release the game received wide critical acclaim. On the review aggregator Game RankingsGame Rankings
GameRankings is a website that collects review scores from both offline and online sources to give an average rating. It indexes over 315,000 articles relating to more than 14,500 games.GameRankings is owned by CBS Interactive...
, the game had an average score of 94% based on 61 reviews — making it the third highest rated game of 2006, the highest rated PC game of 2006 and the highest rated Real-Time Strategy
Real-time strategy
Real-time strategy is a sub-genre of strategy video game which does not progress incrementally in turns. Brett Sperry is credited with coining the term to market Dune II....
game of all time. On Metacritic
Metacritic
Metacritic.com is a website that collates reviews of music albums, games, movies, TV shows and DVDs. For each product, a numerical score from each review is obtained and the total is averaged. An excerpt of each review is provided along with a hyperlink to the source. Three colour codes of Green,...
, the game had an average score of 93 out of 100, based on 55 reviews — considered "universal acclaim" by the site. As of 2011, it remains the highest-rated real-time strategy game.
In June 2011 the game was ranked #51 on IGNs Top 100 Modern Games.
Awards
- PC GamerPC GamerPC Gamer is a magazine founded in Britain in 1993 devoted to PC gaming and published monthly by Future Publishing. The magazine has several regional editions, with the UK and US editions becoming the best selling PC games magazines in their respective countries...
: Game of the Year 2006 - Computer Games MagazineComputer Games MagazineComputer Games Magazine was a computer gaming print magazine. It was formerly Computer Games Strategy Plus, and before that, Strategy Plus, which had been founded as Games International in the UK in 1988. While its initial focus was on strategy games, it covered a wide range of game genres...
: Game of the Year 2006 - GameSpyGameSpyGameSpy Industries, Inc., known simply as GameSpy, is a division of IGN Entertainment, which operates a network of game websites and provides online video game-related services and software. GameSpy dates back to the 1996 release of an internet Quake server search program named QSpy. The current...
: PC Game of 2006, Best Sound, Best PC Strategy Game, Best PC Multiplayer - GameSpotGameSpotGameSpot is a video gaming website that provides news, reviews, previews, downloads, and other information. The site was launched in May 1, 1996 by Pete Deemer, Vince Broady and Jon Epstein. It was purchased by ZDNet, a brand which was later purchased by CNET Networks. CBS Interactive, which...
: Best PC Game 2006, Best Strategy Game - IGNIGNIGN is an entertainment website that focuses on video games, films, music and other media. IGN's main website comprises several specialty sites or "channels", each occupying a subdomain and covering a specific area of entertainment...
: PC Game of 2006, Best PC Strategy Game, Best Use of Sound on PC, Best Online PC game - Game Critics AwardsGame Critics AwardsThe Game Critics Awards are a set of annual awards held after the E3 video game conference since 1998. The awards are given to products displayed at E3 with the title Best of E3 of their category. The nominees and winners of the awards are chosen by individual judges representing 35 major North...
: Best Strategy Game - GameSpotGameSpotGameSpot is a video gaming website that provides news, reviews, previews, downloads, and other information. The site was launched in May 1, 1996 by Pete Deemer, Vince Broady and Jon Epstein. It was purchased by ZDNet, a brand which was later purchased by CNET Networks. CBS Interactive, which...
: 2005 Best PC Game of Show; Best Strategy Game of Show; Best Overall Game of Show - IGNIGNIGN is an entertainment website that focuses on video games, films, music and other media. IGN's main website comprises several specialty sites or "channels", each occupying a subdomain and covering a specific area of entertainment...
: Runner-up, Best Strategy GameStrategy gameA strategy game or strategic game is a game in which the players' uncoerced, and often autonomous decision-making skills have a high significance in determining the outcome...
(PCPersonal computerA personal computer is any general-purpose computer whose size, capabilities, and original sales price make it useful for individuals, and which is intended to be operated directly by an end-user with no intervening computer operator...
), Runner-up, Technological Excellence (PCPersonal computerA personal computer is any general-purpose computer whose size, capabilities, and original sales price make it useful for individuals, and which is intended to be operated directly by an end-user with no intervening computer operator...
) - GameSpyGameSpyGameSpy Industries, Inc., known simply as GameSpy, is a division of IGN Entertainment, which operates a network of game websites and provides online video game-related services and software. GameSpy dates back to the 1996 release of an internet Quake server search program named QSpy. The current...
: Best of E3 - Interactive Achievement Awards: Strategy Game of the Year
- Mod DB Hall of FameMod DBPlayer's Choice*Best Indie Game: Tremulous*Best Released Mod: Point of Existence 2*Best Unreleased Mod: Black Mesa*By genre-2005:*-2004:*-2003:*-2002:*- External links :* *...
: A modification, Europe in Ruins, earned a spot in the Mod DB hall of fame.
Company of Heroes: Opposing Fronts
Company of Heroes: Opposing Fronts is a standalone expansion pack. It contains two factions; the BritishBritish Second Army
The British Second Army was active during both the First and Second World Wars. During the First World War the army was active on the Western Front and in Italy...
and the German Panzer Elite. Owners of Opposing Fronts will be able to play against owners of Company of Heroes and vice versa, although only using the armies from the game they own. Owners of both games will be able to play all four armies in multiplayer. Opposing Fronts was officially announced on April 5, 2007 and was released on September 24, 2007. Opposing Front was later rereleased along with Company of Heroes as Company of Heroes Gold and later as part of the Company of Heroes Anthology (together with Tales of Valor).