There’s even loadouts that you can setup your favorites for quick and easy deployments. There’s four factions to utilize in the online: US Forces, Wehrmacht, Afrikakorps, and British Forces. Those same maps are also shared for the co-op to fight with or against AI, starting with 2v2, 3v3, and finally 4v4 skirmishes. The campaign is deep and varied, but other series and genre-staples appear here such as Multiplayer for 1v1, 2v2, 3v3, and 4v4 battles across 14 maps. It always keeps you on your toes, and really sets the tone.

There are primary and secondary objectives, with most of them happening organically, or changing to fit the needs of the mission. You can reinforce capture points to make them harder for the enemy to retake, and some points can be converted into aid stations to be used as checkpoints for reinforcements or a fallback position for your squads to retreat to. You’ll have to maintain three primary resources: manpower, fuel, and munitions. The act of playing Company of Heroes 3 is centered around territory control and capture points. You can even revisit the tutorial if you forgot a concept or wanted to do better. There’s also a skirmish mode to play with any faction, on any map. There’s four difficulties to select from: standard, tough, veteran, and fearless – each offers a confident challenge, regardless of skill level. The singleplayer mode contains two campaigns, the Italian Campaign and North African Operation to tackle in any order you see fit.

After that’s completed, you’ll be presented with the entire game, able to jump into any mode you prefer. The prologue mission that introduces you to the game its mechanics is easy compared to what you’ll be doing in the campaign, but it’s been a long time since there’s been a Company of Heroes game, so I appreciate the way Relic eases players in. Company of Heroes 3 is full of bright colors and dark tones, and Relic really pushes the series forward in several meaningful ways that is wholly exciting. With the introduction of a dynamic campaign map where every decision and strategic element is left up to you, and the establishment of tactical pausing, there’s a deep and rewarding game that awaits you. Company of Heroes 3 is another great example of this innovation, as Relic gives the third entry of their RTS series with a whole new direction and drive. Relic Entertainment has re-imagined and dominated the real-time strategy genre for twenty-five years now.

Company of heroes 2 tutorial mission