Hands on Western Fronts Armies

I have CoH2 WFA pre ordered already so i'm hoping this expansion will rekindle my interest in the CoH franchise. I have more than 2000 hours of playtime in CoH1 and I was in the top 10 2v2 ranked leaderboard, yet I only have 30 ish hours on CoH2, so it says a lot about the game when a veteran like myself has more time invested into the first CoH than the second one.

I'm not really looking forward to the Americans but the new German faction looks fun. The only thing that would make CoH2 perfect is if they added the French and British Army, but they can do that later on down the road since they're going to be releasing this expansion in 20 days or so.

They have a 5 year plan. dont worry

I wonder if this '5 year plan' is self-effacing?

The only thing that would make CoH2 perfect is if they added the French and British Army.

The problem with that is a lack of variety. The French used British and American equipment. The French would probably be better off as a doctrine for the British. And of course another problem is the counterpart faction, if they do another German faction, people will complain (look at people already complaining about the Panzer IV being in OKW), and if they don't do a counterpart, people will complain.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_World_War_II_weapons_of_France

Contrary to popular belief, France did make their own weapons, tanks, uniforms and airplanes. It wasn't until after the Battle of France that the Free French Forces were forced to borrow American and British guns, so seeing as CoH2 is a game rather than a simulator I don't see the problem with adding the French Army with their tanks, weapons and equipment from 1939-45.

Here's a fun fact, did you know that the French Char B1 was considered the best tank in the world? It was strong enough to engage German panzers head on during the Battle of France. Their main infantry rifle which was the Fusil MAS36 was considered the primiere bolt action rifle in WW2. While the Lee Enfield, Mosin Nagant and K98 were excellent rifles, the MAS36 was extremely accurate and very powerful. One thing was for certain; the French troops could rely on the MAS36 in a tough battle.

Aside from the fact that the French did have their own artillery, tanks, airplanes, pistols, machine guns, rifles, equipment, uniforms and etc the French would make a good addition because of a few reasons:

A) The new US and German faction look really good, wouldn't you agree? Relic maanaged to make these factions extremely unique and not just copy-paste factions, so I imagine they can do the same for the French. I personally welcome more variety in factions and i'm not in any rush to have Relic add any factions any time soon since they're going to release two factions in 20 ish days.

B) I'm of French ancestry/blood and it would nice to see Relic give the French Army their due credit. The French fought the hardest in WW1 and the French Army fought with valour and courage in both World War's. While the French Army(Official Government one) got defeated in the Battle of France, they never stopped fighting and eventually defeated the Germans and won WW2. It's only right if Relic would add the French Army.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_World_War_II_weapons_of_France

Contrary to popular belief, France did make their own weapons, tanks, uniforms and airplanes. It wasn't until after the Battle of France that the Free French Forces were forced to borrow American and British guns, so seeing as CoH2 is a game rather than a simulator I don't see the problem with adding the French Army with their tanks, weapons and equipment from 1939-45.

Here's a fun fact, did you know that the French Char B1 was considered the best tank in the world? It was strong enough to engage German panzers head on during the Battle of France. Their main infantry rifle which was the Fusil MAS36 was considered the primiere bolt action rifle in WW2. While the Lee Enfield, Mosin Nagant and K98 were excellent rifles, the MAS36 was extremely accurate and very powerful. One thing was for certain; the French troops could rely on the MAS36 in a tough battle.

Aside from the fact that the French did have their own artillery, tanks, airplanes, pistols, machine guns, rifles, equipment, uniforms and etc the French would make a good addition because of a few reasons:

A) The new US and German faction look really good, wouldn't you agree? Relic maanaged to make these factions extremely unique and not just copy-paste factions, so I imagine they can do the same for the French. I personally welcome more variety in factions and i'm not in any rush to have Relic add any factions any time soon since they're going to release two factions in 20 ish days.

B) I'm of French ancestry/blood and it would nice to see Relic give the French Army their due credit. The French fought the hardest in WW1 and the French Army fought with valour and courage in both World War's. While the French Army(Official Government one) got defeated in the Battle of France, they never stopped fighting and eventually defeated the Germans and won WW2. It's only right if Relic would add the French Army.

Get in the back of the line. There are several other factions that people wrote the same paragraph for.

I would like to see a second Soviet faction. Call it 'Forward Detachment (Peredovoye Otryad)' or something like that.

It'll be basically the PE version of Soviets with better units than the Soviet faction (from Soviet mechanized corps.)

I would like to see a second Soviet faction. Call it 'Forward Detachment (Peredovoye Otryad)' or something like that.

It'll be basically the PE version of Soviets with better units than the Soviet faction (from Soviet mechanized corps.)

Soviets have numerous important vehicles remaining, and there is no way to add them on to the current faction. I, myself, was imagining something of a Guards division where it isnt about quantity, it is about the soviet soldiers and equipment that functioned best. Basically your suggestion.

Agreed, that would be cool. And they could add a Romanian Faction for the Axis as a counterpart. Even though they would still use mostly Germany vehicles and rely on Germany Commanders.

Again, the variety problem... Germany just didn't have any allies that it didn't more or less bankroll their armoured forces and even weapons.

A lot of Soviet units have not been used (or have been intentionally left out)

Frontoviks (veteran infantry) and Tank riders (veteran infantry w/ PPSHs and DP)

Assault Engineers

Spetznaz

Naval Infantry

Airborne

BA-64 armored car

50mm mortar

57mm Zis 2 (high velocity, even better than zis 3)

SU-100

ISU/SU-122

37mm AA Gun

B-3 100mm AT gun

BM 240mm Rocket launcher

Doctrines: Soviet Artillery Division, Soviet Airborne,Soviet Naval Infantry

Shock Troops are Assault Engineers, also Penals should have been Frontoviki, I wish they were.

Also Frontoviki in campaign were misused, Frontoviki means "Veterans", but in campaign they're used as throwaway infantry. T1 Penals are more like Frontoviki since they are armed with SVT's and are better than Conscripts.

I was thinking of a Finnish faction to counter these better Soviets. The Fins used a mix of German, Soviet, as well as their own equipment. They take a beating and wont back down. Someone suggested this on the CoH2 forums http://community.companyofheroes.com/forum/company-of-heroes-2/wishlist/50519-finnish-faction
It would make a bit more sense to me, as many of the countries of east Europe that were fighting the Soviets were foreign armies of Germany, while Finland was influenced by Germany, but they themselves were the ones that fought for themselves; their own country.

Finland wasn't on the German front though, and Romania contributed more troops to the effort than anyone except Germany itself.

Finland wasn't on the German front though, and Romania contributed more troops to the effort than anyone except Germany itself.

vCoH2 is centered around the Soviet Union, not Germany. Finland was on Stalin's mind, and would make an interesting combo. And Ostruppen practically represent those extra foreign army troops. Which means Romania wouldn't be that unique...

Osttruppen in Campaign represent them, but not in Multiplayer. Multiplayer's Osttruppen are Eastern Troops, specifically the Russian Liberation Army.

http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-0qt__k7NmD0/T6f4VwwfwfI/AAAAAAAABXQ/-1u1_vtX7Is/s1600/101I-297-1704-10.jpg

http://puu.sh/7oIAf


(image tags aren't working for some reason)

Osttruppen in Campaign represent them, but not in Multiplayer. Multiplayer's Osttruppen are Eastern Troops, specifically the Russian Liberation Army.

http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-0qt__k7NmD0/T6f4VwwfwfI/AAAAAAAABXQ/-1u1_vtX7Is/s1600/101I-297-1704-10.jpg

http://puu.sh/7oIAf


(image tags aren't working for some reason)

Very unfortunate thing was the Winter War was early war... but what new perspective could the Romanians have? Loads of oil fields on base or something?

Just give the link of the website.

This game heavily focuses on the late war, which means we could offer as many ideas as possible, but the main factions of late are Germany, the Soviet Union, and the Allies (Americans, Britain, Canadians, etc). France's core army was defeated, and you need a core army to base a faction off of. Though a seperate early war Afrika campaign of the Allies vs Rommel's troops would be cool.

Soviets have numerous important vehicles remaining, and there is no way to add them on to the current faction. I, myself, was imagining something of a Guards division where it isnt about quantity, it is about the soviet soldiers and equipment that functioned best. Basically your suggestion.

There are still a lot of things that can be used for a new faction:
scouts, marines, paratroopers
T-34 with additional armor, T-34-57, SU-76i, BT-7A

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I never played the campaign.

I find Shock troops and penal squad designs to be muddled. I'd like it like this:

Assault Engineer: 6 man squad with ppsh, 1 flamethrower 60 muni, satchel charge, mine sweeper

Soviet veteran infantry: 6 man squad with SVTs, DPs, smoke, molotov, AT grenade

Penal Squad: 6 man squad with mosin, molotov, multiple grenade throws (like AG), multiple AT nade throws.

Of course, all will have appropriate costs, require munitions or teching.

The idea with my penal squad is to use them to do suicidal things like attack P4s or infantry blobs with close contact. They only have mosins, and have to rely on explosives tossing.

Soviet veteran infantry is the typical good tactical squad (comparable to US veteran infantry).

Shock Troops are Assault Engineers, also Penals should have been Frontoviki, I wish they were.

Also Frontoviki in campaign were misused, Frontoviki means "Veterans", but in campaign they're used as throwaway infantry. T1 Penals are more like Frontoviki since they are armed with SVT's and are better than Conscripts.

I never played the campaign.

I find Shock troops and penal squad designs to be muddled. I'd like it like this:

Assault Engineer: 6 man squad with ppsh, 1 flamethrower 60 muni, satchel charge, mine sweeper

Soviet veteran infantry: 6 man squad with SVTs, DPs, smoke, molotov, AT grenade

Penal Squad: 6 man squad with mosin, molotov, multiple grenade throws (like AG), multiple AT nade throws.

Of course, all will have appropriate costs, require munitions or teching.

The idea with my penal squad is to use them to do suicidal things like attack P4s or infantry blobs with close contact. They only have mosins, and have to rely on explosives tossing.

Soviet veteran infantry is the typical good tactical squad (comparable to US veteran infantry).

Any form of guards or the use of PTRS? Even though the PTRS sucks, they could accumulate over time throughout the game and perhaps become useful. Guards, as we all know, are soldiers credited for heroic actions and therefore have access to the best weapons in the soviet arsenal. Would be cool if the vehicles had distinctions like flags, showing a battalion of higher status. Perhaps a 4-5 man guards squad with regular mosins, but can upgrade to either PPsh's, 1-2 D-P's, or multiple PTRS, one upgrade locks out the rest. This squad would be the elite squad. Tough as rocks, but cost a lot, like 340 mp. Wonder if Zis-5 logistical trucks could have some use?

As we said, all these squads would be expensive to field, expensive to reinforce (makes total sense, its much harder to find veteran distinguished troops than picking up random conscripts). They will also have several muni options and not rely on tank spam as much; they are also given high end vehicles that cost a lot. (T34-85 would be nice, but presumably no. However, what about prototypes like the KV-85 and the likes?)

Consider lowering down to 5 man squads.

Also random facts. In CoH2, Shocks and Guards are generally separate, and Guards are considered a special unit. In real life, Guard was an honorary title assigned to a unit, and Assault Engineers (Shocks) were often a part of Guards Armies (and thus Guards Infantry).

Also random facts. In CoH2, Shocks and Guards are generally separate, and Guards are considered a special unit. In real life, Guard was an honorary title assigned to a unit, and Assault Engineers (Shocks) were often a part of Guards Armies (and thus Guards Infantry).

I also thought that was really strange. Either way, they are all Guards. Was thinking the Guards should get their respective tank forces and artillery.

Edit: IS-2's and t34-85's would fit Guards more, but i forgot one important thing. Guards divisions were given the lend lease tanks. We also have options to choose from British lend lease tanks, or anything else American.