Company of Heroes: A Revolution in Real Time Strategy Games

By Lyle Roser

Company of Heroes is a revolutionary game in the real time strategy (RTS) genre. For so many years the formula had not changed, so by comparison, Company of Heroes is a breath of fresh air. This well crafted PC game will surely become an instant classic thanks to its fantastic gameplay and emphasis on strategy.

Company of Heroes takes place in World War II. The single player missions start with the D-Day invasion and end with the allies closing the Falasie Pocket. Through out the single player missions, the American Army deals with all kinds of terrain and all sorts of missions. Cities, hedgerows, even a German V-2 rocket base all appear, and each one requires its own strategy. The objectives range from encircling German forces, taking out several tough Panther tanks, to taking a heavily defended hill. One of my favorites is defending a hill from attack for a certain amount of time and then going on the offensive in the mission after it. They are so varied I was always wondering what the next mission would hold.

RTS games have not changed for years and Company of Heroes fixes this trend. It cuts out all of the fat in the system and leaves in the best parts of every RTS. First of all, there are no gatherer units in Company of Heroes. There are three resources: manpower, munitions, and fuel. They are given to the player over time as a trickle, which he must carefully manage. To increase the resources per minute he gets, players must capture and control points on the field. I greatly prefer this system to the alternative. At lets the player focus on combat, not on economy.

Also, this game puts the strategy back into real time strategy. For what might be the first time, cover actually matters. It saves your infantry from damage and lets them out fight superior troops. The days of rushing blindly are over too. A smart player with an inferior force can always beat a player who just tells his troops to attack with no strategy. Like in real war, numbers help, but superior strategy is better.

Another dimension which is added to combat in this game is suppression. Heavy fire will make your troops hit the dirt and fight poorly. If the lead continues to fly, they become pinned, which makes them completely useless in combat. However, there are ways to break it. Stop the source of the suppression and they will eventually recover. If you can not do that, then hit the all important retreat button. It makes the troops race back to your headquarters and allows for an easy escape from even the worst situations. If you are going to lose a squad in any situation, this will save your boys. Because troops train in squads, it is easy to reinforce the squad at the HQ, if they lost anyone, and then send them back out to fight again.

Tanks are also handled in this game very well. Like in real life the thinnest armor on the tank is in the rear, so it is important to protect your tank from flankers. Also, clever players will quickly find out that protecting infantry with a tank, and vice versa, is an excellent strategy. Tanks are far from invincible and are expensive to field, so keeping them in play is a must.

The Company Commander Technology tree is a great addition to the game. For both the American and Wehrmacht Army there are three choices, all of which force you to play that army a little differently to get the maximum effect. As you fight you gain experience which turns into points. You then spend those points on the tree, which gives you unique units, technologies, and abilities. It only has two sides, but you have to get the tech at the top before you can get the tech below, and of course, the coolest techs are at the bottom. The biggest tanks and most powerful technologies are found there.

While the single player missions in Company of Heroes are only as the Americans, the Wehrmacht army is playable in skirmish and online. Instead of being a clone of the Americans, they have a completely different gameplay structure. They rely on expensive, but powerful units, so strategy is a must. Also, the player has more choices of units, so he has to decide what he should field in that particular game.

The American Army has its benefits too. Their standard infantry, riflemen, can adapt to most situations. The number of men in a squad is always higher for Americans as well, which makes it is easy to build up a large army to overwhelm the Axis. Sherman tanks are also good at adapting to most situations if used properly. However, both armies are very well balanced and each has their charms.

Company of Heroes is a must have for RTS fans. It takes the tired, old RTS formula and streamlines it. It has an amazing depth, but still remains accessible to everyone. Savvy players will be able to keep peeling back the layers and find new ways to defeat their enemies. However, anyone can pick up the game with no experience, as the tutorials and campaign prepare the player well. If you want a fresh and highly polished RTS experience, look no father then this gem of a game. Its huge innovations will surely affect the RTS genre and change how these games will be made in the future.