Company of Heroes RTS Preview Article by GameReplays.com

Kemita

**Thanks to Architect/Jace from www.gamereplays.com for this great review (I only limited myself to copy and paste everything in this post from www.gamereplays.com ; original URL source)



Overview:
Company of Heroes is a World War II game. If you are a fan of the WWII games then this is a MUST have, even if you´re not you will still be amazed. I can risk saying that this is the best WWII game ever developed till now. Notice that i didnt write RTS yet. CoH not only joins cutting-edge graphics/ detailed animations with an improved physics system but it joins them in a way that you can simply blow up evrything you see, even bodies.

CoH is a real-time strategy game, probably the most promising one in the nearest future before the release of the big 2007 RTS games. CoH brings toghether the gorgeous and beautiful graphics with what they call environmental strategy. There´s the felling while playing that evrything is touchable, useful and destroyable. Now definitely, you have dynamic experiences within morphing scenarios.


These screenshoots are the normal playing view. Not a trailer.

Environmental strategy/Tactics:
As i said before this is the most revolucionary feature that the game as to offer. Dynamic battfields, environmental strategy and great battles is what in the end we all RTS fans want. Good players will be able to adapt to the environment and use it in their favour, fail to accomplish that and you will be owned. Not even the helpful artificial intelligence will assist your needs. The adaptation to what the map has to offer (houses, walls, terrain advantages, etc) ads to this RTS game an excellent gamma of strategy moves/tricks. For instance, early game you can go for a fast sniper and put him in the tower of a middle map chapel and own his soldiers from the distance, while you gain map control and call a heavy machine gun squad to help cover the flank of that chapel.
At the end of each battle you wont recognize the battlefield anymore. Wreckage, blood, artillery holes, houses in pieces and pieces of houses will be the mid to long-term scenario. Structures have lots of destruction states, which means that you will probably never see the same animated destruction twice. Gravity, physics and realism, it’s all there in its best. If you are patient enough you can zoom in and see units picking/changing/recharging weapons, or notice by your stun some pieces of a dead body on the ground.
Its also part of your strat within the territory to build-up strategic points of defense like bunkers (with different upgrades to choose from), sandbags (nice to cover), wires (good to make the enemy walk in the direction you want), mine fields (it’s always a pleasure to see them fall in your trap) or anti-tank structures (that can be destroyed by a bulldozer). This buildings and the base structures are constructed by Engineers wich can be flamethrower upgraded (Allies) or by Pioneers (Axis).


Zoom and normal playing view.

Multi-Player/ Economy:
During the BETA I didn’t had a single game crash or Firewall/NAT problem. Multiplayer works smoothly, menus are very well designed and players are ranked. I didn’t witness any lag problems too, even in high-res. *my computer pwns tho*

A multiplayer map is divided by sections. Each one has an outpost flag wich you need to claim in order to gain a section. Each outpost flag gives you resources so early game is really a rush for a reasonable good map control. This happens fast and the more sections you have the better is your economy, but you need to maintain and dominate map control by using tactical tricks or you’re screwed. Then you must start pressuring the enemy, suppress, construct, balance your econ.
There are three types of resources (some more rare than the others) and each section flag = one type of resource. Manpower and Munitions resources are the easiest to get, while for example, Fuel is harder to maintain (e.g. only 3 sections in a 1vs1 map so th fight for it is hardest). Manpower is the main econ (like food in other games) and you use it to buy almost every unit, from infantry to tanks or power points. Munitions is the secondary resource along with Fuel. You will need it to buy infantry/ammo and vehicles, respectively. E.g. without fuel you wont be able to buy a Panzer or without Munitions you wont be able to use a special unit ability like grenades.
So a good economy is deeply associated with how you macro or gain map control and how you do all the strategic moves. Game makes you have a good micro and even sometimes heavy-micro. AI helps you cover and attack, but what really calls your micro are the numerous abilities, possibilities, power points, flank movements, repairing, driving (the good position of your tank can mean win or lose), positioning, long range/artillery infantry (mortars)/heavy machine gun placement, etc.
Economy of this game is definitely comparable with Dawn of War or AgeofEmpires. The warfare party reminds you ZeroHour, and its intuitive and easy-play of Bfme1 and 2. The way map control works by claiming flags might also remind you of BattleField 1942.
For the hardcore gamers: there is a fast scroll. It not right click button but it’s by holding scroll button and pan. Zoom & rotate use Alt button and scroll down/up. So the camera usage is very simple and easy/fast to get used to.


Counter system:
There will be be no whittling; this game prefers authenticity over realism. A rifle shooting 100 times to a tank wont do anything, or a tank wont kill infantry so easly without an heavy machine gun upgrade. Hitting a tank in the rear with a bazzoka is not the same if it hits the front or sides. Rear is much weaker in terms of armor. Sometimes tanks miss because they are bad positioned (e.g. half tank is inside an hole so the front isn’t aiming so well).


Tech trees:
This game has only two factions (at the moment; some say there will be an expansion pack). Only one match up possible: Allies vs Axis. How can that not be boring? Simple. Each faction has three types of tech trees that adds dynamic and which creates completely different strategically approachs. Also both factions are quite different from units to concepts.


Allies has three Companies (3 types of power point trees):
-Infantry Company that focuses on defenses, off-map artillert, an heavy infantry ranger, ideal for defensive players.
-Airborne Company. You can use it to drops things from the sky, paratroopers, supplies, and hell fire from P-47 bombing runs, ideal for recon and raiding.
- Armor Company. Slow to build up strengh, it rewards you with the most powerful allied tanks in the game.

On the other hand, Axis have Doctrine trees:
-Defensive Doctrine that helps you fortifies your front lines and bombard enemy positions with artillery strikes.
-Blitzkrieg Doctrine includes strong assault reinforcements and production bonuses, help promote a strategy of aggressive expansion.
-Propaganda Doctrine, inspire courage in your troops as well as inspiring fear uin your enemy.

You can only choose one type of Company or Doctrine per game. Imagine a 2vs2 (always 2 Allies vs 2 Axis) where a player can go Airbone and the other teammate Armor. Other tech routes will be efficient too if well adapt to your overall strategy.


Base:
As I mentioned before, each map is divided by sections and each player starts with his own main section witch includes an HQ where you can make Enginneers (Allies) or Pioneers (Axis); call for reinforcements (like in other games if you lose this building you cant use tech tree power points); upgrade phases (for Axis). In this same map section you will construct the buildings which creat units (e.g. Vieirg Barracks), upgrades (e.g. Kampfkraf Centre) and tank/artillery/special unit buildings (e.g. Sturn Armory; Panzer Command). Its also possible to upgrade almost to change any city building in the map into a Forward Barrack.


Single Player:
You will lead a Company and fight in the Normandy campaign. Single player will be based and accurate to history (events, weaponry, etc) but some details will be fictional like objectives or locations in order to adapt as best as possible to a RTS game, without limitimg too much creativity.


Critics:
In my opinion there´s lack of air control. There are air power points as explained before, but you do not control them.
No sea warfare, at all. At least from what ive seen. Maybe in the single player campaign somethings appear but i dont see the player being able to control the sea unit.
Sometimes especcially as a begginer, you will find yourself trying to distinguish units, mortars from riflemen or a enginner from a grenader. Quite hard since they are very graphically alike, but with some practice you begin to distinguish things better.
In the long-term only two factions might not be satisfying. At the moment i think its the best thing to do since it will promote good balance and still have that variety using the different tech tree, but an expansion pack with other factions would be amazing to see. Factions like the Japanse, British or the Russians could be included.


Developer:
Company of Heroes is a RTS game developed by Relic Entertainment, Canada.
Relic created games like Homeworld 1 and 2 launched in 1999/2000 and 2003 respectively. Also created Impossible Creatures and the critically acclaimed RTS,
Warhammer 40,000: Dawn of War.
Company of Heroes was named the Best Strategy Game for the Game Critics Awards: Best of E3 2005! Soon to come in September 11th, or soon in a public BETA.
Closed BETA* ended last Saturday, July 15th.

More info/Links:
IGN
GAMESPOT

Videos:
Video1
Video2
Video3
Video4
Video5
www.companyofheroesgame.com
Compilation of Released Videos of Units by a fan with backround music


*Needs FilePlanet one month subscription to download. File with 1.4G.
Thanks IGN for the Screenshoots.



**Thanks to Architect/Jace from www.gamereplays.com for this great review (I only limited myself to copy and paste everything in this post from www.gamereplays.com ; original URL source)