Previews// Company of Heroes 2

Posted 17 Apr 2013 14:06 by
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With just a couple of months until it's long-awaited arrival, Company Of Heroes 2 looks like it's shaping up to be everything that fans of the first game are hoping for. I've only been able to play the multiplayer so far but it's lots of fun and forces me to strategise constantly.

In Company of Heroes originally the two teams were America and Germany. Now Russia has replaced the American team and taken on just about the same structure.

As Russia you need Pioneers to build a base for each kind of unit, then you can immedately start building the units when you have enough resources. Germany is still works as before, requiring only that you escalate the battle stage to unlock units, unlocking stronger types with each escalation.

Relic have brought some exciting features into the fray this time round that add more tactical possibilities through realistic thinking. These include the player's field of vision being directly affected by the vision of their units and the cold winter bringing new challenges to the table. They're pretty advanced, not just for their own games but for any RTS.

First, there's the realistic unit vision. Generally in RTS games like Company of Heroes and StarCraft 2 you can only see what is happening within a certain distance of any unit or building. This usually means perfect circles of vision regardless of any terrain, obstacles or gradient. In Company Of Heroes 2 though, you are able to see everything your units would realistically be able to see in real-time.

If you have troops taking cover behind a wall that's taller than them you are completely blind to what's directly on the other side. If a unit is approaching a corner that they can't see over you'll notice the fog of war clear around it as they advance, constantly keeping with their line of sight.

Some of the tanks even have abilities to alter their line of sight in various ways. With one you can have the driver look directly out of the front, resulting in a narrower but longer range of vision. With another you can have the gunner stick his head out of the turret, letting you see further all around but making the main gun unavailable.

The line of sight goes hand in hand with the realistic destructibility of terrain and buildings. Taking cover behind a tall wooden fence? Even though you can't see over it, neither can the enemy but they could crash a tank through it at any moment and you won't see it coming. Then after the tank is out of the way everyone is able to see and move through the new gap. Tanks don't have a problem mowing through just about anything, and what they can't crush they can more than likely shoot down!

Even grenades and RPGs can bring down walls and buildings. Explosions of any size can leave potholes in the terrain itself, making it increasingly difficult to traverse as the damage adds up throughout the battle. The most spectacular use of this is in the winter version of the maps where there are frozen lakes and rivers that are so deep you wouldn't be able to cross them on the spring version of the map.

When frozen in the winter, these act as solid ground that can let any units cross or camp on them. The ice can be smashed though, so a shortcut for an advance or ambush can easily be turned on it's head. This creates sharp variations in strategy on any single map. If you're a pro on the spring version a certain map, setting foot on the winter version will force you to rethink your entire gameplan.

The more weight you're carrying across ice, the easier it is for the enemy to smash it and sink you. If you have a tank wandering across, all it takes is a grenade from the enemy to bury it along with anything directly next to it. Getting around through these shortcuts bring a huge risk = reward factor.

Cold tech also brings weather and unit temperature. As if to take camping from gamespeak to a whole new level your Pioneers are able to build campfires just about anywhere. These are mostly useful every so often when the whole map becomes engulfed in a blizzard. Out in the cold your troops' temperature will drop, slowing them right down at first. If you don't get them inside a vehicle or near a campfire they'll start to suffer. One by one they'll freeze to death and before too long you can lose entire units.

This has caught me out many times, having a few infantry units grouped together out in the elements. It's hard to see through the storm and I always fail to send them to the nearest campfire. Since there already is one at each flag I also forget or just don't bother to build them in between or in useful places near strong cover. Luckily It warns you when a blizzard is imminent and lets you know exactly how long it lasts so that you can take immediate action. Or maybe you can just ignore it and keep making tanks!

Some of the units have had some improvements, like Conscripts. Poorly trained soldiers with not much firepower and a high chance of fleeing tough situations. On their own they're not very effective compared to heavier or better trained units but they can merge with any other damaged infantry unit to make them whole again. Thanks to this you don't need to keep sending loads of the same unit as backup, you only need a few and then keep making cheap Conscripts to replenish your numbers.

All of these mighty advances blend in together, creating an unpredictable environment that you have to realistically adapt to. They're all difficult to keep under control simultaneously and require a lot more thought than before, which overall makes it brilliant fun. It's like we all have to learn how to play Company Of Heroes all over again, and I for one am enjoying it so far.
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