Call of Duty 2/The Battle For Caen

Note: This mission set is takes place after the American "D-Day" mission set chronologically, and therefore if you play the game linearly (not starting any mission from the Mission Select menu), you will be presented with "D-Day" right after finishing "Rommel's Last Stand", then go back to this set after that one is complete. However, since this is a British mission, it was listed directly under "Rommel's Last Stand".

Prisoners Of War

• Caumont
• 11 June 1944
• Difficulty: 6 out of 10

Same ol' squad, but different landscapes.

As this mission starts, MacGregor will lead a squad of troops down another path. Follow the others until you can see some German sentries walking around in the distance. You can get their attention one of two ways: you may fire at one of them or get near them. Either way, you'll start a battle; use the low walls as cover as you mow down the incoming Germans. You'll do this with a new weapon, the Sten submachine gun, which is weaker than the Thompson but is more accurate and holds more rounds per clip.

Get to the second floor of this house.

After the battle, go through the hedges and shoot the Germans in the house. An artillery barrage will start any time now, and you should get into the center house once it does. You'll next be treated to an unrelenting MG-42, but MacGregor's squad will come to save the day and take it out. Once the smoke clears get out into the open and get to the second floor of the partly demolished building.

This duty will take awhile to complete.

Kill the few Jerries up here, then use your rifle to kill the mortar crew down there and the large wave of enemies that come to the spot. This isn't easy, due to the fact that you'll get shot every time you try to aim on someone, but if you take cover often you won't die. When you're done, get back down and go through this house. Turn right and then left at the end of the alley, and the second mortar crew's hideout will be visible. Grenade the entrance and mow down anyone that comes out; then fight your way into the backyard of this house, where the mortar is. Pick up the two smoke grenades here if you've used some.

Hitler trains'em tough--enemies will crawl and shoot you with pistols once they're mortally wounded.

Don't follow the others out of the house just yet; instead, go upstairs and perch in the window facing west. There's quite an army of enemies in the area, and you can easily spend five minutes here picking them off. Also, be sure to take out the MG-42. When you think you're ready, go down and jump over all the low walls, taking out any Germans you missed; then continue out onto the street at the end of the map. Your destination here is the house on the southern end of this street, but first go into the second house from the end (use smoke if you can't bypass the MG-42 or can't shoot the gunner) and clear that one out. Then, go through this house's side entrance and enter the last house by the garage. Now, wait until Captain Price gets here and kicks the door open; you'll be faced with two surrendering Germans and some wounded Americans. Don't shoot/bunt/throw grenade at any of these men, as they'll result in instant mission failure.

How fortunate--a lorry ripe for the jacking.

Thought you were done, didn't you? Well, the Yanks need to be transported out, so you'll need a truck. Follow MacGregor out, and just keep on his tail until you see some soldiers coming out of the hedges next to the house with the mortars in the backyard. Take care of them, and you'll also notice some Germans springing up here and there; do the same to them. If you lose MacGregor at any time, simply backtrack to the VERY beginning of this mission and go a bit further (a section of the map opens up at this time). Although he knows a shortcut, you won't lose much time. When you get to the truck, hop onto the back and ignore the Panzerschreck for now; shortly after the private starts driving, a small counter-attack will begin, and you should be able to dispatch these guys pretty quick with a spray of a submachine gun. Try to kill as many of these guys as possible, because they'll shoot at you later when you're busy if you don't.

Give him a taste of this baby.

A short while later, an enemy tank emerges out of those hedges you passed earlier. You might be spelling "doom" in your mind, but don't give up just yet--you have a way to take it out. Remember that Panzerschreck you didn't pick up? Now pick it up, and shoot the tank three times with it to destroy it. Ammo isn't a problem here, as you'll automatically be given more if you run out, but time is. If you don't kill this guy quickly enough, you'll be blown to bits. Once the tank's history, just ride a bit more until you get to the prisoners and the mission ends.

The Crossroads

• Anctoville
• 12 June 1944
• Difficulty: 7 out of 10

There be the first target.

You start inside a house. See that pistol lying in the table next to the wall? If you're a total newbie, don't worry about it; but this is the only chance you get to use this ultra-powerful pistol in the singleplayer campaign, so it's worth trading in your rifle for this if you're an advanced player. This thing can kill in just one torso shot, so it's very good to have for close-range encounters.

Where ma money at!?

After picking a weapon, walk out into the distinct sound of an MG-42 ripping the air. You really can't do much about this other than throw a smoke grenade, but if you can just run past it without dying, don't waste one. Run into the house with the open door and shoot everyone in there. Then, come right back outside and dash for the opening in the backyard or something of an house right across the street. There will be additional enemies to kill here, and when you're done, the enemy tank will start blasting your squad's positions. Price will tell you to find an Anti-Tank and destroy the thing. You're looking for a Panzerschreck, and it's on the second floor of the house across the street. Kill everyone in your way, trade in your pistol or rifle for the Panzer, kill anyone you missed (it's fun to press the melee attack key/button with the Panzerschreck and watch what happens) and blast the tank twice to destroy it.

If you keep your bazooka, you can find some creative uses for it.

Go back to that house the tank was shooting at. There should now be a hole in the wall that you can climb over. Go ahead, and clear out the house directly in front of you (yes, both floors). Stay on the second floor long enough to take out the MG nest and most of the enemies in other houses, then proceed.

That's the house to hide in--the one being pointed at.

Eventually you'll get to a street leading up to the crossroads (Captain Price will say so once you're there). Wait until a brave Private comes with a bazooka and destroys the tank up in the street (aka hide behind the wall), then pick up said weapon once he drops it. It'll come very useful for killing those Germans both at the crossroads and on the street. Once you're out of Panzer rounds, throw a smoke grenade near the enemy's positions and go to the house on the far side of the street. There's another Panzerschreck here for you to pick up, and instead of going back to wherever you were, stay inside this house. You can shoot through the window, crouch safely from enemy fire when reloading, and any grenades they throw should be able to be dodged while remaining inside. Additionally, there's a Bren support rifle in the house that you should pick up once the Panzer really runs out of ammunition. Stay inside and pick off the Germans one by one.

The barn Germans won't go down without a fight.

That'll be the radio to destroy.

After an arduous fight, the Krauts will retreat. Follow everyone else into the gate of the farmhouse; once Price kicks it open, rush inside. Don't go for the front door; instead, go around and into the back door, and you should be able to catch a few enemies by surprise. Clear this entire house like you've been doing, then go to the barn area and pick Germans off. Don't go inside the barn just yet--stand near the windows and kill as many of them as you can from there. When you feel confident enough, barge in, kill the remainder, and shoot/bunt/nade the radio.

Expect some sense-shocking moments as you defend the barn.

Here comes the fun part. Man the MG-42, and wait for the huge enemy waves to start. They'll come from virtually every direction except behind, but you should be able to kill most of them. As the six waves of troops come, mow down any unlucky enough to get within your range. If any German manages to get inside the barn, your buddies will probably kill him, so only get off the gun if someone really hurts you from behind or the side or a grenade is thrown in. There's even a tank coming to get you later, but the RAF will take care of that. Just follow the mission compass once this objective is complete to finish the mission.

The Tiger

• St. Louet
• 12 June 1944
• Difficulty: 9 out of 10

There are many factors that make this mission one of the most difficult in the game. For one, it's very long and the save points aren't in very convenient spots; additionally, the map is very dark (takes place on such a day) and combined with the unrelenting rain, visibility comes down close to zero at certain points; finally, there are enough Germans on the level to single-handedly conquer a sparsely populated state.

As you start and follow your squad, notice how a fence has been run over on your right. A few seconds later, a monstrous Tiger tank will emerge out of the town you're going for and blow your own support tank to shrapnel without suffering a scratch. At this point, go over that run-over fence and clear the house directly in front of you; then, get back out and clear the next one (advance carefully, because you can get killed easily here).

Get out of this house, and the mission really starts.

The Brigade Box

• Amaye Sur Seulles
• 14 June 1944
• Difficulty: 9 out of 10