Company of Heroes/Walkthrough

American Campaign
The American campaign brings you in command of Able company of the American 1st Infantry Division "The Big Red One". You will also be commanding Fox company of the 101st Airborne Division "The Screaming Eagles". The campaign takes place in the Allied invasion of occupied France from the D-day landings at Omaha Beach to the final battle for the Falaise pocket, and you will command your company across 15 missions to make sure that the invasion will be a success.

I am contributing this from my personal website www.cncguides.com and its related squidoo page. I know my formatting is not correct and this should be broken down by missions. In the past, I have been helped in this regard.

'''Mission 1. Omaha Beach - Written for the Hard Setting'''

Key Intel and Strategies:

So just getting started with Company of Heroes? Congrats! This is a great game! And the cut scenes to Omaha Beach have to be one of the most classic (and intense) in gaming history!

Let me just point out a few things on Mission 1 to help get you started.


 * Later in this mission, when squads fall below six, you can call in reinforcements to fill the vacancies. That's the big white "plus" sign you see once you choose a squad.
 * Storming the cliffs of Normandy will give you practice utilizing the grenade and satchel charge ability of your units. Once your engineers throw the satchel charge at the main machine gun emplacement at the top of the hill, the next cut scene will occur and lead to the next part of the mission.
 * Alternatively, there is a sniper you can utilize to neutralize many of the machine gunners in this mission. (It's very easy to overlook this sniper in the heat of battle!) When you first sight the sniper on the beach, turn on his invisibility function before moving him forward or he won't make it to the shingle.
 * IMPORTANT: Medals can be obtained for each of the 15 missions in Company of Heroes. You can view these medals obtained on the main screen under the subcategory Rewards. After you get more used to playing, you will look back and wish you had obtained more of these medals, so why not start focusing on them now?!
 * The medal on this mission can be obtained after the "big explosion" cut scene by clearing the western approach to/from the beach. Throw a grenade at the big AT/AA gun and then capture it. From here, you can blast away to clear the western path from the beach and obtain your first medal. Additionally, this AT/AA gun can be used to clear out a majority of the Axis defenses, including taking out the two 88 batteries on the ridge.
 * Achieve the secondary objective by clearing all four bunkers. The last bunker is hidden away to the far northwest corner of the map. I am not sure that the game "keeps track" of the accomplishment of secondary objectives, so it's not "that important" to acheive this particular one. Comments, anyone?

'''Mission 2. Vierville - Written for the Hard Setting'''

Key Intel and Strategies:

This is not a timed mission. Once territory is captured, it will most likely stay captured -- which won't always be the case in the future. This mission allows you opportunity to practice squad tactics.

Before or after playing this mission, it may help to watch one of the videos to see where one can make improvements and lower casualties. Here are a few possible pointers.


 * Make ample use of satchel charges and grenades.
 * Important: Use the FIRE UP ability in conjunction with satchel charges and grenades to speed up infantry movement. It really helps out!
 * Capture strategic points to raise unit cap and add to supplies. Every grenade and satchel charge costs resources.
 * Attack from two different locations to help divert enemy fire.
 * Machine gun emplacements only face in one direction. Attack from the sides!
 * Use cover to lower losses. Look for the green icon to indicate good over.
 * Build sandbags before the convoy comes down the road to protect your troops.
 * Pick up fallen weapons to add to your unit strength -- including the two anti-tank guns located to the east.
 * Upgrade your individual squad's abilities.
 * When you have the manpower, group two or more squads together. The large amount of fire power will cut down enemy units before they have a chance to do much damage.
 * Plant mines to destroy enemy convoys along the road.
 * After destroying a mortar squad, capture the mortar to make use of long-range attacks. This will save your men from having to rush enemy emplacements!
 * "Free" reinforcements can be obtained when clearing the northeastern side of the map and also the far northwestern part of the map. You can even go over your maximum unit cap with these squads!
 * The unit cap will go up to 30 before capturing the final road flag point. After that, it will increase to 34.
 * Squads that are flanked or approaching machine gun emplacements will be pinned down and the ground surrounding your squad will turn red. It will not be possible to throw grenades or satchel charges when your squad is pinned down!

Obtaining the medal for this mission.

You want to obtain these medals where possible. It's a matter of pride! This can be accomplished quite easily on this mission by destroying the initial convoys that roll down the main road. Pick up a few of the panzerschreks and place them behind a sandbag barrier you build toward the road. Place as many mines as you have time for along the road. Sit your men behind the sandbag barrier and start blasting away once the convoy arrives. Once the medal is obtained, it will be displayed on your screen.

Destroying the final convoy.

After capturing the final road segment at the north of the map, you will be given time to set up a defense before the final convoy rolls down the road. Delay capturing this final point if you want extra time for the preparations.

Bring up the anti-tank gun(s) if still available, although they are not necessary to win. Place your men in the bunkers and behind sandbag barriers. Place mines along the road. Have fun. It's a great fireworks show!

Mission 3. Carentan - Written for the Hard Setting

Summary:

This mission basically is composed of two parts: Approaching the church and then approaching the town hall.

The area around the church must be cleared using your initial troops and limited reinforcements. These reinforcements will come in two groups, each consisting of two squads of paratroopers. After this, you must capture the church with these limited forces or the mission will be lost.

The approach to the town hall will be more complex. Use caution! Destroying walls and blasting through barbed wire will allow multiple directions of approach!

Key Intel and Strategies:


 * Important: The squads remaining at the end of this mission will carry over to the next mission, Carentan Counterattack! Having a few snipers in reserve might be helpful!


 * Clearing the area around the church should be mainly accomplished by satchel charges while using the "fire-up" ability. Structures cleared and not destroyed will be reoccupied by enemy troops.


 * To receive the medal on the hard setting, you must have 40 kills by your snipers. (50 on expert, 30 on medium.) To help achieve this, there are two "smooth" walls that can be blasted through with satchel charges to the east to access more victims.


 * There is an "archway" to the east while approaching the church to give you other areas of access in the early part of the mission.


 * Seek cover for your men so that the green icon is showing while moving toward the church area.


 * Some garrisoned structures will take two blasts with a satchel charge in order to be destroyed. Consider having two squads of paratroopers attack simultaneously with satchel charges. Your call!


 * The church will be converted to your headquarters during this mission, and additional troops will become available. This basic concept will carry forward on the remaining missions.


 * The initial flag point encountered will be "protected" by mortar fire. Consider taking out this threat before capturing this munition point.


 * Once the barbed-wire obstacle to the north is destroyed by satchel charges or other means, you will receive a moderate counterattack. Be prepared!


 * The mission will end once the armored vehicle is destroyed near the front of the town hall. The remaining enemy troops will flee the area.


 * Direct progress to the town hall due north will be easier if the "street" to the west is cleared first. First the barbed wire barrier will have to be cleared heading to the west and a sniper dealt with. Have your own sniper(s) head up this street to clear the way and have paratroopers capture this western munitions point. Have paratroopers clear whatever buildings it can reasonably reach with satchel charges heading up this side street toward town hall, including the one with the machine gun squad. Not trying to overburden you with info, but taking out that machine gun squad really helps out!

Mission 4. Carentan Counterattack - Written for the Hard Setting

Key Intel and Strategies:

This is the first mission that you may begin to think, am I going to be able to finish this game?? Yes, you can!

On the hard difficulty, the wrong approach or attitude can make this mission literally impossible. With a few words, hopefully a lot of the anxiety for this mission can be resolved.

The key is: Don't expect to hold off the enemy forces at the forward headquarters or at the bridges. These positions will be overrun!

It will be necessary to make a "strategic" retreat to the church to finish off the mission once the off-screen rocket attacks (marked with the red smoke flares). These attacks will begin with eight to nine minutes left in the countdown.

Bingo! Once the red flares drop, do a wholesale retreat of all forces to the church.

(In fact, it may be best to withdraw right at the nine-minute point, as once the red flares land, you may not be able to withdraw your troops in time to save them from the artillery barrage.)

In a moment I will describe the simple defensive perimeter you can establish at the church.

First, let's begin with the defense of the bridges for the countdown from 15 to 9 minutes or so.

Generically speaking, sandbag defenses for your troops will be of assistance on all three bridges. They can be placed to the side diagonally or directly across the front of the bridge.

Barbed wire may also help slow down the enemy a bit, but it seems to get destroyed rather quickly in the heat of battle. NOT NECESSARY to win the game.

The mission can also be won WITHOUT placing mines. Don't get too carried away with them, as engineers will come in and clear them off. If you place mines, place them near your side of the bridge so engineers can be sniped that try to clear them!!

For all three bridges, you can use the same basic defensive layout, with a few exceptions, which will be mentioned momentarily.

The westernmost bridge will receive the least amount of traffic and can be basically ignored once basic defenses are established. The two easternmost bridges will need more interactive attention.

The basic defense of each bridge should consist of: (1) A machine gun unit. (2) A machine gun emplacement. (3) A sniper. (4) An engineer squad upgraded with flamethrowers. (5) An anti-tank gun.

Pretty simple!

Important: The middle bridge should have a secondary anti-tank gun set back a ways. You will need it! The easternmost bridge could use for a second machine gun squad. Lots of infantry in that area! The same for the middle bridge, if you have the manpower.

Have the Jeep parked by the headquarters to take care of any infantry that slip through, which will probably happen.

Have a few paratroopers available, upgraded with recoilless rifles, to help protect against tank intrusions and to jump on any weapons abandoned by lost souls. Any spare mortar teams can be positioned between the two easternmost bridges to help things along.

Be aware that these paratroopers are quite handy against tanks. They will come in handy for that "one" tank that always seems to slip through.

Strategy upgrade that makes a BIG difference: Every time a tank starts rolling across the bridge, click on the "armor piercing shells" upgrade on the anti-tank guns. This is much quicker than the off-screen howitzer attack and costs only 50 munition points versus 150 for the howitzer.

Strategy bonus 2: Don't put the snipers in buildings. It helps the enemy spot and target them. Plus, in your mass withdrawal to the church, you don't have to micromanage their retreat!

It may be a bit messy, but hopefully this will get you through to the nine-minute marker when the off-screen rocket attacks begin.

One of the biggest threats may be enemy engineer units with flamethrowers. Anti-tank guns don't work well when their crews have been burned to a crisp. Use caution!

A secondary threat is a mortar crew that appears near the middle bridge. Use your own mortar teams to target them, if possible. By then, though, it's almost time to retreat!

It's worth mentioning that the munitions point on the northwest of the map can be easily captured by a squad of engineers and is definitely worthwhile. The munitions point to the east is heavily defended and it is not necessary to capture this in order to win the mission. In fact, it can be quite disruptive while focusing on your initial defenses.

The second part of the mission revolves around falling back to the church.

(1) Have three machine gun emplacements aimed in different directions around the church. Four is better.

(2) Have three anti-tank guns similarly situated to protect the three approaches to the church. Four is better.

(3) Have three machine gun squads positioned in the same way. Four is better.

The above units are a good base, but it's better to add to the mix.

Engineers with flamethrowers and surviving snipers will come in handy for the overflow of infantry that will hit in the last three minutes. Again, Axis engineers may be the biggest threat to your base.

The final few minutes will indeed be hectic. You may be able to win the mission even with zero units left if you get close enough to zero in the countdown. Don't let the fat lady sing too soon!

If you survive the countdown, reinforcements will arrive and the remaining forces can easily be eliminated. This is just bonus Nazi hunting!

Have fun!