While the factions inCompany of Heroes 3are relatively balanced, each has its own advantages and disadvantages. The introduction of new settings, Italy and North Africa, means that new factions are available that have never been seen before in theCompany of Heroesseries. Each faction is made up of Buildings, Units, and Battlegroups, with a variety of Abilities and Upgrades for each one. This makes each faction very diverse and open to a variety of different play styles.
Buildings enable the creation of units as well as offer various upgrade options for the units they produce. Units come in various forms: Infantry, Vehicles, and Weapons Teams. Infantry usually comprises the bulk of a force and includes all foot-based troops from engineers to snipers and elite grenadiers. Vehicles can range from scout cars and motorcycles toheavy tanksand mobile artillery. Battlegroups provide special units and bonuses at the expense of Command Points and include most of the game’s top-tier units.
4Wehrmacht
Representing the bulk of Germany’s force inWorld War 2, the Wehrmacht is a versatile and powerful force with solid units across all areas. Primarily excelling in defense, there are a number of units with engineering capabilities that can be of great value in the early game, enabling players to create strongholds around key areas with bunkers and firing positions. The Kettenkrad Recon Vehicle is also useful as it enables the Wehrmacht to move quickly across the field and capture points early. Although this unit will be vulnerable as it does not have any guns, the Kettenkrad can still deploy mines, making it a nuisance to enemies at all stages of the battle.
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The Wehrmacht’s Jager Squads are very effective infantry and can be upgraded to carry Panzerschrek anti-tank missiles or a useful Recon Package containing scoped rifles and flares. The Marder III M Tank Destroyer is effective against vehicles, while the elite Stoßtruppen are one of the strongest infantry units inCompany of Heroes 3. This faction tends to be stronger in the mid-to-late game, as many of its stronger units demand a lot of resources to produce. Once available, however, the heavy tanks in combination with strong defensive units make the Wehrmacht a difficult force to contend with.
Wehrmacht Battlegroups:
3US Forces
Thestrengths ofCompany of Heroes 3’s US Forceslie mainly in their versatile infantry units and range of useful upgrade options, which will promote them to relative superiority compared with their opposing counterparts. Upgrades can be accessed via Support Centers (Infantry, Vehicles, and Air Support) and unlock a range of effects and abilities for their respective units.
This makes the US Forces one of the most flexible factions in the game, as they are able to adjust and adapt these upgrades to suit the way the battle is panning out. Specialized infantry troops such as the Bazooka and SSF Commando Squads enable the US to compete with most targets on the ground, but Scout Squads are slower and weaker than some rival units, containing only three base soldiers.
The US Forces possess some of the strongest air support units and options in the game, but the standard vehicle units can be weak in comparison with forces such as the Wehrmacht in the late-game phase of play. Once upgraded, however, these vehicles can be tremendously powerful and produced at a high rate thanks to various Battlegroup options.
US Forces Battlegroups:
2British Forces
The British Forces are perhaps theeasiest faction to use inCompany of Heroes 3, especially for beginner players. They are a well-balanced force, strong in all areas and with a variety of powerful Battlegroups to call upon. The Battlegroups primarily focus on artillery bombardments, but the British Forces also possess some strong Infantry units in the versatile Footguards Section and the various Paratrooper squads available. The lighter vehicles tend to be weaker than their adversaries, but the British do wield considerable power in the Churchill IV and Churchill Black Prince heavy tanks.
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Given their all-around capabilities, the British Forces will match up well against all other factions, particularly in the mid-to-late game. The availability of elite units, such as thehistorically significantGurkha Rifles Sections, enables this faction to dominate.
British Forces Battlegroups:
1Afrikakorps
A brand-new addition to theCOHfranchise is the German Afrikakorps. Famously led by “The Desert Fox” Commander Erwin Rommel, this faction unsurprisingly specializes in the use of fast-moving elite vehicles. The Kradschützen Motorcycle Teams are particularly effective in the early game as they can travel vast distances quickly and are able to capture checkpoints.
These and the 250 Light Carriers are available from the Headquarters immediately, allowing the Afrikakorps to pit light vehicles against enemy infantry very early. While this faction can betricky for newcomersto master as it requires a high pace of play, when used correctly they can be near-impossible to defend against.
The Flakvierling Half-track is very effective against its rival light vehicles, as is the Marder III H Tanks Destroyer, and a range of upgrades and Battlegroups are available to bolster vehicle stats or unlock new weapon slots. The Afrikakorps also possess a strong set of defensive and support units such as the unarmed Medical Truck and 18-Tonne Recovery Halftrack. This allows the Akrikakorps to sustain attacks and keep the momentum moving forwards without having to wait for lengthy production queues.
