NationMaster - Encyclopedia: Company of Heroes

Company of Heroes (CoH) is a real-time strategy (RTS) computer game developed for Microsoft Windows by Relic Entertainment. It was announced on April 25, 2005, released on September 14, 2006, and was the first title to make use of the Games for Windows label. The game was released on Steam on July 17, 2007.^[1] Image File history File links Companyofheroes_pcboxboxart_160w. ... A video game developer is a software developer (a business or an individual) that creates video games. ... Relic Entertainment is a game development company that specializes in 3D real-time strategy games and has released a number of innovative PC games. ... THQ Inc. ... A game designer is a person who designs games. ... A game engine is the core software component of a computer video game or other interactive application with real-time graphics. ... Essence Engine is a game engine developed by Relic Entertainment The Essence Engine features all the next-generation graphical effects, including High Dynamic Range Lighting, dynamic lighting & shadows, advanced shader effects and normal mapping. ... In computing, a platform describes some sort of framework, either in hardware or software, which allows software to run. ... Windows XP is a line of operating systems developed by Microsoft for use on personal computers, including home and business desktops, notebook computers, and media centers. ... Windows Vista is a line of graphical operating systems used on personal computers, including home and business desktops, notebook computers, Tablet PCs, and media centers. ... Image File history File links This is a lossless scalable vector image. ... is the 257th day of the year (258th in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar. ... Notable events of 2006 in video gaming. ... Image File history File links This is a lossless scalable vector image. ... Image File history File links This is a lossless scalable vector image. ... is the 272nd day of the year (273rd in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar. ... Notable events of 2006 in video gaming. ... Further information: Game classification Video games are categorized into genres based on their gameplay interaction. ... A real-time strategy (RTS) video game is a strategic game that is distinctly not turn-based. ... In computer games and video games, single-player refers to the variant of a particular game where input from only one player is expected throughout the course of the gaming session. ... A multiplayer game is a video game in which more than one person can play the same game at the same time. ... A video game content rating system is a system used for the classification of video games into suitability-related groups. ... The ESRBs logo. ... PEGIs logo Pan European Game Information (PEGI) is a European video game content rating system. ... The British Board of Film Classification (BBFC) is the organisation responsible for film classification (see Motion picture rating systems and History of British Film Certificates) within the United Kingdom. ... The Office of Film and Literature Classification is a statutory censorship and classification body which provides day to day administrative support for the Classification Board which classified films, video games and publications in Australia, and the Classification Review Board which reviews films, computer games and publications when a valid application... The USKs official logo. ... DVD (also known as Digital Versatile Disc or Digital Video Disc - see Etymology) is a popular optical disc storage media format. ... Steam is a digital distribution, digital rights management, multiplayer and communications platform developed by Valve Corporation. ... A real-time strategy (RTS) video game is a strategic game that is distinctly not turn-based. ... Computer and video games redirects here. ... Windows redirects here. ... Relic Entertainment is a game development company that specializes in 3D real-time strategy games and has released a number of innovative PC games. ... is the 115th day of the year (116th in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar. ... Year 2005 (MMV) was a common year starting on Saturday (link displays full calendar) of the Gregorian calendar. ... is the 257th day of the year (258th in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar. ... Year 2006 (MMVI) was a common year starting on Sunday of the Gregorian calendar. ... Games for Windows is a marketing campaign by Microsoft that dates back at least to 2005, and has been revised in 2006, seemingly aimed at officially categorizing computer games that will work (possibly exclusively) with their Microsoft Windows products. ... Steam is a digital distribution, digital rights management, multiplayer and communications platform developed by Valve Corporation. ... is the 198th day of the year (199th in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar. ... Year 2007 (MMVII) was a common year starting on Monday of the Gregorian calendar in the 21st century. ...

A standalone expansion, Company of Heroes: Opposing Fronts, was released on September 25, 2007. is the 268th day of the year (269th in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar. ... Year 2007 (MMVII) was a common year starting on Monday of the Gregorian calendar in the 21st century. ...

Gameplay

Resources

The resource management in Company of Heroes retains micromanagement details such as reinforcing troops, which has the effect of creating a more tactical RTS experience.

Players must take control of certain points on the map. The more of these points a player controls, the more resources they acquire. This concept demands constant expansion of a player's territory. These points are connected like supply lines, and so, during the course of a battle a player can capture one point in the supply line, isolating the rest which had been connected to the base through it, therefore severely reducing the enemy's resource intake.

Players collect three resources: fuel, munitions, and manpower. Fuel allows players to purchase tanks and other vehicles, as well as global upgrades. Munitions allows players to upgrade individual squads or vehicles and use special abilities. Manpower is necessary for all units. The player can decide, at a manpower cost, to place observation posts on their resource points in order to increase their production and make them more durable against enemy takeovers, which means sacrificing resources in the short-term for a greater long-term intake.

Game units generally require a sizable amount of resources to produce. This separates Company of Heroes from other games in the RTS genre, where large amounts of massed units are a common sight.

Units

As the game takes place in World War II, the player can decide to fight as either the Allied or Axis forces, of which require very different tactics to play. Allied units tend to be cheaper, more numerous, and more versatile, whereas Axis units tend to be more expensive and fewer in number, but often more powerful in their role than their Allied counterparts. Combatants Allied powers: China France Great Britain Soviet Union United States and others Axis powers: Germany Italy Japan and others Commanders Chiang Kai-shek Charles de Gaulle Winston Churchill Joseph Stalin Franklin Roosevelt Adolf Hitler Benito Mussolini Hideki TÅjÅ Casualties Military dead: 17,000,000 Civilian dead: 33,000...

The main American army soldiers are riflemen squads, which can pick up certain weapons to give them the upper hand. Engineers can build defenses such as machine-gun nests, which are garrisonable by infantry units, and 105mm artillery guns, which can hit halfway across the map. The Allies can also deploy M4 Sherman tanks, along with M10 tank destroyers, and the Sherman Crocodile, which is equipped with a flamethrower. Allied tanks are more mobile than their Axis counterparts, but have weaker armor and firepower. With commander tree support, the Allies are capable of deploying the more superior M26 Pershing heavy tank, call in airborne units, which can be equipped with recoiless rifles, and rangers, which come equipped with two Bazookas and can be upgraded with Thompson SMGs. The M4 Sherman was the primary tank produced by the United States for its own use and the use of its Allies during World War II. Production of the M4 Medium tank exceeded 50,000 units, and its chassis served as the basis for thousands of other armored vehicles such... The M10 Gun Motor Carriage known as Wolverine in British service was a US tank destroyer of World War II. // Usage American doctrine planned for tank destroyers to engage enemy tanks while tanks were used principally to support infantry. ... The Heavy Tank M26 Pershing was an American tank used during World War II and the Korean War. ... Tank classification can be done either by weight or by role. ... M67 recoilless rifle. ... The 75th Ranger Regimentâ€”also known as the United States Army Rangersâ€”is an elite light infantry special operations force of the United States Army Special Operations Command (USASOC) headquartered in Fort Benning, Georgia. ... For other uses, see Bazooka (disambiguation). ... Tommy Gun redirects here. ...

The Axis Wehrmacht forces include infantry, like the conscript Volksgrenadier militia, and mid-tier infantry like grenadiers, Waffen-SS stormtroopers, or elite squads of soldiers awarded the Knight's Cross. Axis field operations can be supplemented by specialized equipment like the Nebelwerfer rocket artillery. Axis armor is far less mobile, but in direct combat generally superior, fielding equipment like StuG IV, StuH 42 assault guns, Panzer IV and Panther tanks. With specialized commander focus, Axis forces can deploy superior units, like the Tiger I tank or the "King Tiger" Tiger II tank. Volksgrenadier was the name given to a type of German army division formed in the Fall of 1944 after the double loss of Army Group Center to the Soviets in Operation Bagration and the 6th Panzer Army to the Allies in Normandy. ... Waffen-SS recruitment poster; Volunteer to the Waffen-SS The Waffen-SS was the armed wing of the Schutzstaffel. ... The penultimate expression of the award: the Knights Cross of the Iron Cross with golden Oakleaves, Swords and Diamonds. ... Six barreled Nebelwerfer The Nebelwerfer (German for fog launcher, a code name to obscure the real nature of the weapon) was a German towed rocket artillery piece, developed in the 1930s and used in World War II against light infantry targets. ... The SturmgeschÃ¼tz IV (Sd. ... Panzer IV is the common name of a medium tank that was developed in the late 1930s by Nazi Germany and used extensively in World War II. The official German designation was Panzerkampfwagen IV (abbreviated PzKpfw IV) and the tank also had the ordnance inventory designation SdKfz 161. ... The Panther ( ) was a tank fielded by Nazi Germany in World War II that served from mid-1943 to the end of the European war in 1945. ... Tiger I ( ) is the common name of a German heavy tank of World War II. The initial official German designation was Panzerkampfwagen VI AusfÃ¼hrung H (abbreviated PzKpfw VI Ausf. ... Tiger II is the common name of a a German heavy tank of the Second World War. ...

Expanding on the cover system implemented in Dawn of War, units in COH automatically seek out cover (such as sandbags, walls, and destroyed vehicles) without orders from the player to give them an advantage over enemy forces. Units hiding in cover gain a defense bonus, making them more effective in combat. Green cover signifies heavy cover, while yellow signifies light cover. Utilizing cover effectively in CoH is essential to victory. The advanced AI is also aware of its surroundings and reacts realistically in certain situations.

Infantry units, such as an Allied rifleman squad, can pick up heavy weapons (Panzerschreck, M9 Bazooka), man heavy weapons like machine-guns, anti-tank artillery, or mortars, and pick up and use certain automatic weapons (examples are the Browning Automatic Rifle or for the Germans, the LMG variant of the MG42.) Panzerschreck (German: tank terrorizer; lit. ... For other uses, see Bazooka (disambiguation). ... The Browning Automatic Rifle (commonly known as the BAR; properly pronounced bee ay are) is a family of automatic rifles (or machine rifles) and light machine guns used by the United States and other countries during the 20th century. ... The M249 Squad Automatic Weapon, one of the most popular modern 5. ... The MG42 (shortened from German: Maschinengewehr 42, or Machine Gun 42) was a machine gun that was developed for and entered service with Nazi Germany in 1942, during World War II. The 7. ...

Unlike Dawn of War, squads of units must be near a headquarters (HQ), forward barracks, or half-track vehicle to reinforce (replenish) lost units within the squad. American airborne troops are exempt from this limitation as reinforcements are parachuted to the field. Some units can be upgraded, for example, a .50 caliber machine gun can be equipped for a Sherman tank, or Panzerschrecks for Axis infantry units. Certain add-ons or upgrades affect unit abilities, like the Sherman's crab flail which can clear mines and destroy enemy infantry, but reduces the speed of the tank while in use. Airborne Military parachuting form of insertion. ... This article is about the . ... Panzerschreck (German: tank terrorizer; lit. ... A mine flail mounted on a World War 2, Sherman Crab tank. ...

The game utilizes a physics engine, different types of cover are more effective against certain units. For example, some types of cover can be destroyed by tanks. A physics engine is a computer program that simulates Newtonian physics models, using variables such as mass, velocity, friction and wind resistance. ...

Buildings

Units can occupy a building and convert it into a field barracks, allowing certain units or squads to be created by that building.

Infantry units can also occupy buildings and use them as cover or a garrison to protect against attack, but this limits their firing range because the infantry are a stationary, immobile target, rendering them vulnerable to sniper fire and easy to surround. Also, while garrisoned, infantry units can only shoot out of windows or holes blown into a building. Certain weapons are immensely effective against units holed up in a building; satchel charges or infantry-carried rocket launchers can demolish a building, tank fire can blast the building, and infantry or tanks armed with flamethrowers can literally set the building on fire and burn out the occupants. However, there are advantages; infantry are well protected from small arms and most buildings are sturdy enough to stand up to limited tank fire before collapsing.

Occupied buildings can be destroyed after taking fire from enemy units or any other attack like artillery fire or demolition charges. Civilian buildings cannot be repaired or rebuilt. However, both the Allied and German forces can construct garrisonable buildings (the Allies can build a .30 caliber machine gun nest, while the Germans can construct bunkers).

Multiplayer

For Company of Heroes, Relic began using a new online gaming system called Relic Online. Previous Relic games used GameSpy Arcade or World Opponent Network services. This new system includes many features that the previous systems did not have, including a built in automatch and ranking system. Relic Online is a new online gaming system that Relic/THQ will be using for its new games, as a replacement for its previous use of GameSpy Arcade (Dawn of War) and WON (Homeworld). ... GameSpy Arcade is a shareware multiplayer game server browsing utility designed for the Microsoft Windows operating system. ... World Opponent Network or WON was an online gaming service, created by Sierra Games as the Sierra Internet Gaming System (SIGS). ...

This game allows multiplayer matches of 2-8 players via LAN or the Internet. Lan can stand for several things: A local area network Lan (airline) formerly LanChile Lan Peru LÃ¤n, a kind of administrative division used in Sweden Lan Mandragoran, a fictional character in the Wheel of Time fantasy series by Robert Jordan. ...

Company of Heroes allows you to fight as both the Allied and Axis forces when you play a multiplayer game. Image File history File links Download high-resolution version (1024x768, 125 KB) Summary A screenshot of the news section on Relic Online. ... Image File history File links Download high-resolution version (1024x768, 125 KB) Summary A screenshot of the news section on Relic Online. ...

Game modes

Victory Point Control

Victory Point Control games have several victory points around the middle of the map. These victory points can be captured similarly to strategic points. When one side has more victory points under their control than another, the other side's "points" start to decrease. When one side runs out of points, they lose. Alternatively, the player can simply destroy all enemy buildings to win the game. Before the start of the game, the host can choose between 250, 500, or 1000 points. The point function in Company of Heroes works much like the ticket feature in the Battlefield (Series).

Annihilation

Annihilation games lack the victory points of the Victory Point Control game mode. To win, the player needs to destroy all enemy buildings. This does not include observation posts — only base structures, bunkers, and controlled buildings need to be destroyed.

Story

Company of Heroes is set during World War II where the player commands two U.S. military units during the Battle of Normandy and the Allied capture of France. Depending on the mission, the player controls either the Able Company or Fox Company, the latter being from the 101st Airborne, and the former being part of the 29th Infantry Division. Combatants Allied powers: China France Great Britain Soviet Union United States and others Axis powers: Germany Italy Japan and others Commanders Chiang Kai-shek Charles de Gaulle Winston Churchill Joseph Stalin Franklin Roosevelt Adolf Hitler Benito Mussolini Hideki TÅjÅ Casualties Military dead: 17,000,000 Civilian dead: 33,000... This article is about the assault phase of Operation Overlord. ...

Single player campaign

The single player campaign puts the player directly in some of the major American operations during the Battle of Normandy. This article is about the assault phase of Operation Overlord. ...

D-Day

The game begins with Able Company's assault at Omaha Beach during D-Day of Operation Overlord - Able must first breach the seawall, then take out German bunkers overlooking the beach, and finally disable the Flak 88 anti air guns. The game also introduces two of the game’s major characters: Captain Mackay and Sergeant Conti. Land on Normandy In military parlance, D-Day is a term often used to denote the day on which a combat attack or operation is to be initiated. ... Combatants United States Germany Commanders Omar Bradley, Norman Cota, Clarence R. Huebner Dietrich Kraiss Strength 43,250 Unknown Casualties 3,000 1,200 Omaha Beach was the code name for one of the principal landing points of the Allied invasion of German-occupied France in the Normandy landings on June... Belligerents Western Allies Nazi Germany Commanders Dwight Eisenhower (Supreme Allied Commander) Arthur Tedder (Deputy Supreme Allied Commander) Bernard Montgomery (Ground Forces Commander in Chief) Trafford Leigh-Mallory (Air Commander in Chief) Bertram Ramsay (Naval Commander in Chief) Gerd von Rundstedt (OB WEST) Erwin Rommel (Heeresgruppe B) Strength 1,452,000... German 88 mm guns were used in anti-aircraft and anti-tank roles. ...

Battle of Carentan

The next three missions are about Fox Company and their actions during the capture and defense of Carentan. Fox Company must first regroup after the chaotic airdrops at Vierville, which occurred several hours before H-Hour on D-Day, and also disrupt enemy operations in rear areas to open new drop zones and prevent the Germans from reinforcing the beaches. This mission includes destroying or capturing AA Guns and conducting an ambush to a German convoy. This does not cite its references or sources. ...

Fox Company is then tasked to capture the city of Carentan to secure a link between Utah and Omaha beach and to defend it against ferocious German counterattack, though they were bombarded by Artillery, Fox Company is eventually relieved when Able Company arrives at the city and the link between Utah and Omaha beach is finally secure. Combatants United States Germany Commanders Raymond O. Barton Theodore Roosevelt Jr U.S. 4th Infantry Division Karl-Wilhelm von Schlieben Dietrich Kraiss German 352nd Infantry Division German 709th Infantry Division Strength 32,000 ? Casualties 700 Unknown American assault troops move onto Utah Beach, carrying full equipment. ...

Battle of Cherbourg

Able and Dog Company form the spearhead of the Allied advance to secure Cherbourg and its deep water port. En route to Cherbourg, Allied supply route is threatened by elements of the Panzer Lehr division commanded by Hauptmann Shultz, and Dog Company is ambushed in the process. Able Company manages to drive the Germans back and defend the supply route for the "Red Ball Express" to pass through, but by doing so Able Company also becomes the nemesis of the Panzer Lehr division and Captain Shultz for the rest of the campaign. Combatants Allied Powers Germany Commanders J. Lawton Collins Friedrich Dollman Strength Unknown 40,000 Casualties 2,800 killed, 5,700 missing, 13,500 wounded 39,000 captured The Battle of Cherbourg was part of the Battle of Normandy during World War II, it was fought immediately after the successful Allied... The Panzerlehrdivision (also called Panzer-Lehr-Division), commonly known as Panzer Lehr, was a German armored division during World War II, one of the most Ã©lite units in the entire German army. ... Sign posted along the Red Ball route The Red Ball Express was an enormous convoy system created by Allied forces to supply their forces moving through Europe following the breakout from the D-Day beaches in Normandy. ...

With the flank secure, the Allies continue to advance onto Cherbourg. Able and Dog Company, supported by the 4th Cavalry and the USS Texas, are tasked with capture of the port facilities. Although Able Company successfully subdues the German defenders and captures thousands of prisoners, the port has been badly damaged and is unusable to the Allies. The United States 4th Cavalry Regiment was a United States Army cavalry regiment, whose lineage is traced back to the mid-19th century. ... USS Texas (BB-35), a New York-class battleship, was the second ship of the United States Navy named to honor Texas, the 28th state. ...

However, after the battle, Able Company found documents from an Axis bunker which shows a V-2 Rocket launch site near Sottevast. Fox Company has been called in to conduct an airborne assault on the V2 facility, while elements of Able Company rush to the site with armor support. For other uses, see V2. ...

Operation Cobra

American forces begin to approach the city of St. Lo and Able Company is arriving from the north. German defenders at St. Fromond hope to stop Able Company’s advance by blowing up the only bridge leading into the town. Able Company repaired the bridge under fire from across the river, and drove the Germans out of the town. German defenders regroup and organized several counterattacks with rocket battery support, but all assaults against Able Company are thrown back with heavy casualties. Combatants USA Canada Free France Germany Commanders General Omar Bradley, General George S. Patton General Philippe Leclerc SS General Paul Hausser Strength 8 infantry divisions, 4 armoured divisions 2 infantry divisions, 11 infantry battlegroups, 2 Panzer Divisions, 1 Panzergrenadier Division Casualties 1. ... Saint-Lô is a city and commune of France, the préfecture (capital) of the Manche département, in Normandy. ...

Charlie Company is destroyed by the defending Panzer Lehr division under the command of Captain Shultz, while attempting to secure Hill 192 at the outskirt of St. Lo. Able Company is assigned to take the hill. Hedgerows around the hill and hidden flak 88 batteries provided formidable defensive position against the Allies, but Able Company managed to break through by employing bulldozer equipped Sherman tanks to plow through the hedgerows and flank the Germans. For other meanings, see hedge. ... The M4 Sherman was the primary tank produced by the United States for its own use and the use of its Allies during World War II. Production of the M4 Medium tank exceeded 50,000 units, and its chassis served as the basis for thousands of other armored vehicles such...

German defenders at St. Lo decide to hold out against American forces by heavily fortifying the city center, but Able Company planned to surround and trap the German defenders at the city center rather than a head-on assault. Although the operation is successful, Some German units, including the Panzer Lehr division, manage to escape destruction. Able Company call in the 8th Air Force in response and the escaping Germans units suffered heavily due to carpet bombing. The Eighth Air Force was a World War II, United States Army Air Force unit, which carried out day-time bombing operations in western Europe from airfields in eastern England from 1942. ...

Badly reduced and under constant air attack, the shattered Panzer Lehr division is being chased by American forces, and Able Company managed to intercept what is left of the division at Hébécrevon. A raid is conducted with fast moving M10 tank destroyers against the Panzer Lehr division's positions, and almost all of Panzer Lehr division's armor strength, including the last 7 surviving Panther tanks, are completely wiped out. However, during the course of the mission, Captain MacKay is killed when he gets caught in the blast of a tank shell fired by a Tiger under the personal command of Captain Shultz. The M10 Gun Motor Carriage known as Wolverine in British service was a US tank destroyer of World War II. // Usage American doctrine planned for tank destroyers to engage enemy tanks while tanks were used principally to support infantry. ... The Panther ( ) was a tank fielded by Nazi Germany in World War II that served from mid-1943 to the end of the European war in 1945. ... Tiger I ( ) is the common name of a German heavy tank of World War II. The initial official German designation was Panzerkampfwagen VI AusfÃ¼hrung H (abbreviated PzKpfw VI Ausf. ...

Operation Lüttich

After losing their commander, newly promoted Lieutenant Conti is taking command of Able Company. Able Company is taking a break from the war, and has been reassigned to Mortain to relieve Dog Company at Hill 317. Unfortunately, on that night, Mortain becomes the focal point of a German counterattack against recent American successes. Surprised and outnumbered, Able Company is forced to hold the hill until reinforcements can arrive in the morning. Combatants Allied Powers Germany Commanders Omar Bradley Hans von Kluge Strength 5 infantry divisions, 3 armoured combat commands 3 Panzer Divisions, 2 infantry divisions, 5 panzer or infantry battlegroups Casualties N/A N/A Operation LÃ¼ttich was a counterattack launched by German forces on the left flank of the... Mortain is a small town and commune in the Manche dÃ©partement, France. ...

Dog Company arrives the following morning with armor support and Able Company begin to dig in and consolidate their positions. German forces renew the counterattack in force after their surprise night attack has failed to take the hill, but all attempts are beaten back. Able Company successfully force the Germans to retreat after inflicting heavy losses, including the destruction of a Flak 88 battery.

Falaise Pocket

The last section of the single player campaign deals with the destruction of German forces in France. After suffering a string of defeats, German army is forced to retreat in order to avoid encirclement. Allied forces are racing to trap the German army before it can escape. Baker Company is assigned to shut down one of the escape routes at Autry, but Captain Shultz's Panzer Gruppe, which escaped the destruction of the Panzer Lehr division, annihilated them. Able Company rushed to the scene with M26 Pershing support and destroyed Captain Shultz's Panzer Gruppe in return. Captain Shultz's Tiger is among those tanks destroyed in the battle, and Captain MacKay's death has been avenged. Combatants North: United Kingdom Canada Polish forces South: United States Free French Nazi Germany Commanders Omar Bradley Harry Crerar Philippe Leclerc StanisÅ‚aw Maczek Bernard Montgomery George Patton GÃ¼nther von Kluge Walter Model Strength ~at least 500,000 Casualties Canadian: 1,470 killed Polish: 325 killed ~50,000 killed... The Heavy Tank M26 Pershing was an American tank used during World War II and the Korean War. ...

Chambois becomes the German Seventh Army's last hope for escaping the Falaise Pocket. With heavy air cover, Canadian, Polish and American forces, led by Able Company, secure all bridges around Chambois and close the Falaise Pocket. The German Seventh Army attempts to break free, but they are met with heavy aerial bombardment and are forced to surrender. Chambois is a city in France, and was part of the Falaise pocket. ... The German Seventh Army (German: ) was a World War II field army. ...

The campaign ends with the caption that Able Company had suffered 80% casualties at the end of World War II.

Distinguished characters

Development

Graphics

Company of Heroes is Relic's first title to make use of a new type of engine, known as the "Essence Engine". This engine was designed and coded from scratch by Relic in order to make use of special graphical effects, including high dynamic range lighting, dynamic lighting & shadows, advanced shader effects and normal mapping. Image File history File links American_Troops+M10_"Tank_Destroyer".jpgâ€Ž Provided by MadCatChiken This is a screenshot of a copyrighted computer game or video game, and the copyright for it is most likely held by the company that developed the game. ... Image File history File links American_Troops+M10_"Tank_Destroyer".jpgâ€Ž Provided by MadCatChiken This is a screenshot of a copyrighted computer game or video game, and the copyright for it is most likely held by the company that developed the game. ... The M10 Gun Motor Carriage known as Wolverine in British service was a US tank destroyer of World War II. // Usage American doctrine planned for tank destroyers to engage enemy tanks while tanks were used principally to support infantry. ... Essence Engine is a game engine developed by Relic Entertainment The Essence Engine features all the next-generation graphical effects, including High Dynamic Range Lighting, dynamic lighting & shadows, advanced shader effects and normal mapping. ... To meet Wikipedias quality standards, this article or section may require cleanup. ... Shaders are a set of different technologies. ... Normal mapping used to re-detail simplified meshes. ...

COH is rendered in 3D with intricate detailing on the infantry, vehicles and structures while still retaining a solid frame-rate, without, Relic claims, the need for a high-end gaming system. It claims that there are nearly 2,000 different animations for a basic infantry unit alone.

Company of Heroes also utilizes the Havok 3 physics engine, giving it a more realistic physics system than previous RTS games. Parts of buildings can be destroyed by grenades, satchels or mortars, and tanks can drive through sections of walls or other barriers. Smoke created from explosions is programmed to behave as realistically as possible and can even be influenced by wind. Debris is also influenced by explosions; a blast can send barrels flying and shower troops in dirt, whilst leaving behind a large crater. When infantry are bombarded by artillery, body parts sometimes detach and are dispersed over, and some units even getting thrown about in the immediate area. Bridges and buildings can be destroyed by engineers using demolitions. This article is about the physics engine. ... A hand grenade is a hand-held bomb, made to be thrown by a soldier. ... Two improvised satchel charges along with SidolÃ³wka grenades, as used in the Warsaw Uprising A satchel charge is a powerful, man-portable explosive device used by infantry and airborne forces. ... US soldier loading a M224 60-mm mortar. ... The US M1A1 Abrams tank is a typical modern main battle tank. ... A bombardment is an attack by artillery fire directed against fortifications, troops or towns and buildings. ... For other uses, see Artillery (disambiguation). ... A massive crane is used to demolish this tower block in northern England Demolition is the opposite of construction: the tearing-down of buildings and other structures. ...

On May 29, 2007 Relic released a patch for Company of Heroes that included a new DirectX 10 rendering mode with enhanced terrain, additional world objects, and improved shadows and lighting. This patch made Company of Heroes the first commercial video game to support Direct3D 10. is the 149th day of the year (150th in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar. ... Year 2007 (MMVII) was a common year starting on Monday of the Gregorian calendar in the 21st century. ... DirectX is a collection of APIs for easily handling tasks related to game programming on the Microsoft Windows operating system. ...

Receptions

Reviews

The game received highly positive reviews from critics. On the review aggregator Game Rankings, the game had an average score of 94% based on 61 reviews^[2] — making it the third highest rated game of 2006 and highest rated PC game of 2006. On Metacritic, the game had an average score of 93 out of 100, based on 55 reviews — considered "universal acclaim" by the site.^[3] Currently, it is one of the highest-rated real-time strategy games. Game Rankings is a website which keeps track of video game reviews from other sites, and combines them to present an average rating for each game. ... Metacritic is a website that collates reviews of music albums, games, movies, TV shows, DVDs and books. ...

Games for Windows gave Company of Heroes a 10 out of 10, and featured it in their "Tom vs Bruce" section. Games for Windows is a marketing campaign by Microsoft that dates back at least to 2005, and has been revised in 2006, seemingly aimed at officially categorizing computer games that will work (possibly exclusively) with their Microsoft Windows products. ...

PC Gamer UK awarded Company of Heroes 94%, the second highest they have given an RTS (behind Red Alert which received 95% in 1996). They also gave it a "Must Buy" tag. PC Gamer US gave Company of Heroes a 96% as well as an Editor's Choice award, their highest score given to an RTS ever, and later named it game of the year for 2006. PC Gamer is a magazine founded in 1993 devoted to PC gaming and published monthly by Future Publishing. ... PC Gamer is a magazine founded in 1993 devoted to PC gaming and published monthly by Future Publishing. ...

PC Zone in the UK awarded Company of Heroes 93% in Issue 173, meaning it was awarded with a Classic award. The game is also at the top of their Buyers Guide list for Strategy games, marking it with a Must Buy! PC Zone (founded in 1993) was the first magazine dedicated to games for IBM-compatible personal computers to be published in the United Kingdom. ...

Edge, a UK publication, awarded Company of Heroes a score of 9 (out of 10) in Issue 167. Edge is a multi-format computer and video game magazine published by Future Publishing in the United Kingdom. ...

GameInformer gave Company of Heroes a 9.5 out of 10. Game Informer (often abbreviated to GI) is a United States-based monthly magazine featuring articles, news, strategy and reviews of popular video games and associated consoles. ...

Online, Company of Heroes has received a score of 9.0 from GameSpot[1] (original score was an 8.9, revised because 1.2 Patch fixed SLI problem^[4]), a 9.4 from IGN [2], 5 out of 5 stars from GameSpy [3], 10/10 from Eurogamer[4], and a 10 out of 10 from 1UP.com[5]. GameSpot is a video gaming website that provides news, reviews, previews, downloads, and other information. ... IGN - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia /**/ @import /skins-1. ... GameSpy, also known as GameSpy Industries, is a division of IGN Entertainment, which operates a network of game Web sites and provides online video game-related services and software. ... Eurogamer homepage Eurogamer is a Brighton-based website focused on video games news and reviews. ... ...

Awards

PC Gamer is a magazine founded in 1993 devoted to PC gaming and published monthly by Future Publishing. ... Computer Games Magazine is a current computer gaming magazine. ... GameSpy, also known as GameSpy Industries, is a division of IGN Entertainment, which operates a network of game Web sites and provides online video game-related services and software. ... GameSpot is a video gaming website that provides news, reviews, previews, downloads, and other information. ... IGN - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia /**/ @import /skins-1. ... EÂ³ logo The Electronic Entertainment Expo, commonly known as EÂ³, was an annual trade show for the computer and video games industry presented by the Entertainment Software Association. ... The Game Critics Awards are a set of annual awards held after the Electronic Entertainment Expo (EÂ³) since 1998 to current. ... GameSpot is a video gaming website that provides news, reviews, previews, downloads, and other information. ... IGN - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia /**/ @import /skins-1. ... Chess is one of the most well-known and played strategy games of all time. ... A stylised illustration of a personal computer A personal computer (PC) is a computer whose original sales price, size, and capabilities make it useful for individuals, intended to be operated directly by an end user, with no intervening computer operator. ... A stylised illustration of a personal computer A personal computer (PC) is a computer whose original sales price, size, and capabilities make it useful for individuals, intended to be operated directly by an end user, with no intervening computer operator. ... GameSpy, also known as GameSpy Industries, is a division of IGN Entertainment, which operates a network of game Web sites and provides online video game-related services and software. ... EÂ³ logo The Electronic Entertainment Expo, commonly known as EÂ³, was an annual trade show for the computer and video games industry presented by the Entertainment Software Association. ...

Technical

With the release of Opposing Fronts, CoH owners were given a comprehensive 1.7 GB patch to version 2.101, required if they wish to continue playing through Relic Online. The patch unifies CoH with its stand alone expansion pack regarding the game engine and art assets allowing the two to play with each other online. A patched installation of the original CoH does not include the unit speech for the two new factions, while Opposing Fronts includes all content from both games. As Opposing Fronts contains both games the original will be uninstalled, if detected, during the installation to merge the two products

Content in both games is unlocked through online verification and CD keys. This created a small controversy as although the Company of Heroes box clearly says one set of discs is required per computer for multiplayer games this was not enforced until the release Opposing Fronts and the large patch for CoH which retrofitted this activation scheme into the original game.

Users of both games are required to log into Relic Online if they have an active internet connection, even if they do not wish to play online matches. Without an active internet connection CoH will fall back to traditional physical media verification. Also, forum posts from Relic employees have confirmed that both games now send various statistics back to Relic, without the possibility to opt-out.(Citation needed)

Patch 2.102, released on October 12, 2007, revealed that the preceding 2.101 patch introduced a requirement of having the game patched up-to-date if the user has an active internet connection. If the user disables their internet connection the game will not be able to automatically download a patch and will run as it did previously.

Patch 2.202, released on March 05, 2008 attempts to update from the incumbent 2.201 version. When the game auto retrieves the patch from the servers and attempts to update, the following message is displayed: "This patch updates CoH version 2.201 but you appear to have version 2.101 installed already. To download the latest patches, run CoH and login to Relic Online. (Error code 10244)"

Patch 2.300, released on March 17, 2008 addressed numerous balance complaints and fixed outstanding bugs such as allowing the Assault Grenades ability to target units in British trenches. The application of the patch also adds features to Relic Online, most notably the Team Automatch capability, which allows players to invite friends to team up for a ranked game.

For a genuine owner of Company of Heroes to be playing online before the 2.202 patch, he must already have updated from version 1.xxx to 2.101, and then from 2.101 to 2.102, and so on. Hence the idea that the problem that prevents 2.201 from being patched, is that "version 2.101 (is) installed already" is an oxymoron. In relation to the previous controversy, as the game is now outdated with regards to Relic Online, and because the game will not allow you to proceed any further until you have an active Internet connection and patched to the most current version, the genuine owner of the game is locked out from any further activity, which includes watching replays, continuing the single player campaign, etc. This is easily fixed by reinstalling the game.

Contents

Gameplay

Resources

Units

Buildings

Multiplayer

Game modes

Victory Point Control

Annihilation

Story

Single player campaign

D-Day

Battle of Carentan

Battle of Cherbourg

Operation Cobra

Operation Lüttich

Falaise Pocket

Distinguished characters

Development

Graphics

Receptions

Reviews

Awards

Technical

See also

References

External links

Contents

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Resources

Units

Buildings

Multiplayer

Game modes

Victory Point Control

Annihilation

Story

Single player campaign

D-Day

Battle of Carentan

Battle of Cherbourg

Operation Cobra

Operation Lüttich

Falaise Pocket

Distinguished characters

Development

Graphics

Receptions

Reviews

Awards

Technical

See also

References

External links

Gameplay