Current Meta - useful commanders etc.

Hello there.
I have about 200h in Coh2, and most of them is singleplayer experience. I played CoH2 about 6-7 months ago for the last time. I reinstalled it to play some 2v2 matches with an old buddy from CoH1 - have to say whe played it alot, enjoyed it a lot and managed to get to the top (LVL16 most of the time).

To cut a long story short, we played 2v2 USF and SOV all the time because it seemed like everyone was on Krautaction this evening. We got WRECKED 8 times in a row. I am an above average focussed strategy games enthusiast, but I have no conclusion where to begin to learn and improve myself.

Im sure you guys have some advices for me - but please don't forget some dispassionate explanation

1. Commander choice
The commanders I used to use seem to work less effective now and nobody uses them any more... What are currently the most easy to use and probably most succesful commander choices? I've also seen some strange spams I've never imagined to face anytime - 8+ osttruppen etc.

2. What advantages does USF/SOV have against OKW/WM?
a) It seems that on some maps youre getting MG42+mine spammed and thats it because the maps consist of <4 choke points.
b) USF Tanks are still dog crap compared than the mighty tools of the germans - but still spendy.
c) I used both, first and second building with soviets and didnt find any way to beat a micro-wise equal or less skilled opponent.
d) How do USF/SOV survive lategame? One game we managed to create a lockdown and forced the enemy to retreat into their base +2-3 adjacent sectors for most of the game, but in lategame we couldnt make a good use of our higher resource income.
- How to beat lategame spams with Panzergrenadiers equiped with 1 shreck each? Panzerschrecks wreck T34s and are good enough to make a quick end to penals with flames...?
- Wehrmachts rifle nades are still highly effective even against troops with Veterancy and are almost undodgable when you have 50+ actions per minute on a large battlefield - while the allied grenades have a much higher chance to get dodged.
- Sov do not have any adaquate infantry anti tank weapon, the conscript at-nade does very little damage as far as i experienced.

3. Are there certain maps to avoid under all costs with certain factions?

4. Build order suggestions for Soviets with USF partner in 2v2

5. Do Allied Forces (in any combination) roughly have the same victory chances like Axis (any combination)?
I know this is very subjective, but I compared the Ladder statistics and it seems axis have some advantages, but this is just a quick thought. I personally hate OP-screamers, I prefer to be more dispassionate and compare, experience and do some research before judging this heavy.


Feel free to leave any help, it is well appreciated!

Not a 2v2 player, but should be applicable:


1) Shock Rifle and Airborne are probably the go to choices for Sov and US right now.

Guard Motor has the 120mm mortor that will ruin OKWs day

Counterattack is powerful if Axis don't have a B4 counter in their loadout


2) Rifles are the best early game infantry.
Right now I doing Soviet T1 clown car start to which OKW have no early counter

The Scott wipes stuff from distance and is a totally bitch to play against as Axis

Jackson has good, if not reliable pen

Sherman is a workhorse


Popping out of tanks to use the reduced population helps keep MP up


4) If against at least 1 OKW player try this:

T1 Penal Penal M3 M3

Then go Meds, T2, lock down the area with Maxims in every building backed up by Zis and wait for IS2s to unlock.

You can chase OKW off the field with that if you coordinate with your USIan and blow any truck setup on the field

OKW is such a powerful faction if allowed to run rampant and do what they like until their late game power comes.

They have very specific weaknesses, and you must keep a lot of pressure on them to keep them on the back foot. But to understand the weaknesses fully, its really best to play as them and find how vulnerable they CAN be.

Also its a lot easier to make a comback in coh2 than coh1, due to how pop cap and economy is changed.

USF loadout:

AB / Infantry / Rifle

Soviet loadout:

Guard Motor Coordination / Shock Rifle Frontline / Counterattack tactics


If there are no stuka doctrines in your enemies loadout (for example, double OKW), counterattack will give you the B4 which will be a HUGE boost to your late game. Not only does it help deal with blobs, it can snipe enemy tanks. The trick to using the B4 is to get a feel for where it's going to be needed next and aim the gun long before the enemy shows up there (it's not nearly responsive enough to turn and fire in most engagements so you have to already be turned the right way). Plan your engagements to take advantage of B4 fire, use your units to pin the enemy in position and hammer them. If they get used to this, take note of their weapon teams, then make them think you're about to hit their blob then snipe weapon teams one at a time. Total destruction of Raketen / AT gun / Mortar / MG in civilian building.

I just quit playing USF + Soviets, I really don't like USF in 2v2. As a Soviet player in 2v2 I generally go for the 3 conscripts + clown car (not always) + double snipers + guards cheese, into T34-85s. It's cheesy, but I feel like you don't have a lot of exciting different options.

And yeah, B4 is a beast in 2v2, I always go for that when I see double OKW, but you need to have a teammate who gets some early form of AT since you won't have guards and no AT guns if you're going snipers (which you should). The tricky thing about allied 2v2 is the late-mid/end game really. It's not too hard to dominate early game with stuff like the clown car and US riflemen, but if Axis is able to hold ground (doesn't have to be 50%, just enough to hang in the game), their schrek blobs and heavy tanks will be a real pain.

If MG42s are really causing you trouble, just A-move them with 5+ squads. It seems to be the meta these days.

Thank you very much, guys. This input is exaclty what I hoped for, thumbs up!

My Problem both in 1v1 with SOV and 2v2 as SOV supported by USF are antitank capabilities - especially when fighting against double Wehrmacht (Ost).
The USF Pak is comparably in-effective, the USF bazookas can get the job done, but are very mediocre.
As I'm a veteran from CoH1, I loved to play USF and sometimes entirely jumped from rifles to shermans, because the sticky bombs were a 100% engine damage. I really find the Soviet anti-tank infantry options very lacking.

Just compare those situations:
a) You have a Zis3 , and an enemy P4 appears. The P4 wont eat more than two hits before he managed to circle strafe the at-gun. The Conscripts are damned to watch this fight going because their at-nades don't harm heavy tanks.
b) you have a zis3 supported by at least somewhat capable anti-tank / Multipurpose infantry, (like it was in COH1) the enemy p4 has to rely on his support too in order to break the enemy resistance - either the PAK has to be eliminated or the infantry support has to be weakened in order to break through succesfully.

Just my thoughts, I'm continuing to get more practice. -9 Strike with Soviets in 1v1 and 1-6 in allied 2v2. It can't get worse hehe
Thanks for your help guys, this community again proves to be pretty nice

In 2vs2, 3vs3 and 4vs4 as Soviet, I think a new player in COH2 would be more comfortable with something like maybe 3 cons start and then T2, Maxim, mortal, AT gun, call in tanks or T3/T4 if you have the advantage. Soviet mainline infantry can't match Axis one so you have to rely more on support weapons and call in. Late game get Katyusha to counter the blob.

Oh and COH2 is very different from COH1. In COH1 you can counter the heaviest armors with just rifles and AT gun but in COH 2 tanks are more formidable, AT guns shoot much slower, and Con's AT nade is not very reliable against vetted tanks. So tanks of your own is pretty much required.

Soviets:
1-You either
A)Con spam (3-5) into T1 clowncar (this is a bit better on 1v1) or T2
B)maxim spam
C)T1 builds (double snipers, clowncars or mix).

2-You transition into
A)
T3 > T70/T34 to mantain aggro
T4 > Katy for indirect
B)
Direct call ins.

3) Commanders:
-Guard Motor (85s, Mark, 120mm, Guards)
-Shock Rifle (Shocks + IS2)
-ISU152 (either Shocks or Guards)
-Counter attack (B4 + KV1 + FMT)

Then you have SITUATIONAL commanders with which you can succeed but is more difficult
-Urban defense (on certain maps and buildings)
-Shock army
-Terror
-Armored Assault
-Etc

USF:
1-Opening
2-4 Rifles. 2 can go with a Paras build, 4 specially if you go Elite/Infantry

2-
A)LT for some light vehicle
B)Cpt, specially as a counter to mechanized OKW openings

3-Rush a sherman
If you don't make use of HE and wipe squads, you are better playing SU.

4-Commanders
Airborne = Infantry > Elite > Recon > Rest

My Problem both in 1v1 with SOV and 2v2 as SOV supported by USF are antitank capabilities - especially when fighting against double Wehrmacht (Ost).
Just compare those situations:
a) You have a Zis3 , and an enemy P4 appears. The P4 wont eat more than two hits before he managed to circle strafe the at-gun. The Conscripts are damned to watch this fight going because their at-nades don't harm heavy tanks.
b) you have a zis3 supported by at least somewhat capable anti-tank / Multipurpose infantry, (like it was in COH1) the enemy p4 has to rely on his support too in order to break the enemy resistance - either the PAK has to be eliminated or the infantry support has to be weakened in order to break through succesfully.

You have options:

Conscripts with AT Grenades are one option to get engine damage that slows their movement and stops them warp blitzing out of there. Will work, though not necessarily reliably, on heavy tanks


Get another Zis and have them cover each other


Mines are your friends. They really are.

As someone who plays 2 vs 2's predominantly and usually as OKW, what I find the most annoying is an early clown car, try and focus down the shreked up Volks as they retreat with a flamer inside, the loss of that first shrek is a major setback for any OKW player. Ontop of that, if they choose to go for a medic HQ try and keep constant pressure on it. Allowing the OKW player to bunker down their medic HQ with a schwer will essentially make that area a no go. It's all about keeping the Axis on the back foot, if you allow them to get a foothold and hold it early game to mid game you're going to have a lot of trouble dealing with their late game units.

Aforementioned weaknesses of OKW by other posters in this thread are key, OKW is a very powerful faction but with very specific weaknesses. In mid game they will have to sacrifice something in order to obtain something, what I mean by that is if they go for Obers to counter your infantry they'll usually be lacking sufficient anti armour, eg a JagPanzer or Puma. Always be weary of the shrek blob!

And thanks again, guys.

I counted and I have lost 25 matches in a row - only playing soviets and USF.
I just checked my "old" ranked stats, they were 14-5 with Sov and 14-7 with usf. Just to let you know im not complete retarded (have to admit I'm not sure all the time )

There are some things that bother me:
- Stug3 E is insanely strong against Soviets and still deadly enough against USF - where is an allied counterpart to this tool? I already mentioned my thoughts on AT-weaknesses of allied infantry...
- USF cant use mines without a certain commander, yea thats because of realsim isnt it ??? Does this make sense? Or am I too dumb to find them?
- USF Armored Commander, combat pioneers can put down mines which should be good against vehicles (if the description was right). Actually they explode and refuse to do any damage at all. Neither infantry, nor vehicles (puma) nor tanks (panther) seem to take any relevant damage from them. That's cool... not.

Again, this is just my humble opinion after playing these matches - and I have to admit that I lost most of them because of MY own mistakes, personal failure and worse tactics and build orders than the enemy... still:

Early game:
Allied have some advantages, but imho they are so small that they only have a decisive influence when both players are 100% equal in terms of tactics and micro.

Mid Game:
First Problems for Allied since their infantry starts to drain manpower very quickly but it's about even now.

Late Game:
Yea, gg.

Guards motor is probably one of the easiest ways to play sov Vs Werh.


You have the guards to assist against early vehicles, but they are a very soft counter to medium tanks, think of them as flank protection to your ZiS.

Once you can get enough CPs, spam the very formidable T34/85s. Combined with mark target they are the second best counter to a tiger after an ISU152.

Find some replays to see how people best pull it off.

^You don't really "spam" t34-85s But yeah, Guards Motor is one of the best commanders probably.

@RightNow: The Stug-E is OP, but it's probably the only OP thing Wehr has at the moment (Wehr is currently considered to be the weakest faction, which may surprise you since you're struggling so much as Allies). It's not too hard to counter though, AT nade + Guards, or preferably an AT gun will do the job. I agree that Allied AT is not as good as Axis AT, but it's not as bad as you seem to think it is.

PS: If you wanna win as Allies, play games as Axis. Play in the style that worked against you, and see how other players counter it. It's good to know your enemy.

By spam I just mean dont build other armour

Building structures aids in collecting CPs, so get a cache or two.

@RightNow - you might get even more useful feedback, if you posted one or two of your losses.

@RightNow - you might get even more useful feedback, if you posted one or two of your losses.

Geez give the man a hard time, with there being so many to choose from!

Sorry bout that back on topic the tips here are all worth listening to you...all I will say is try, try again and learn from your own mistakes, watch your own replays to find them and see what you could/should have done differently....and sorry bout the previous comment I meant no offense

Good luck and Have fun!

If you have issues with tanks as soviets you playing wrong, there at nades are very effective especially vs stugs. Instead of throwing at the front armor, throw them at the back when it passes your infantry or tries to circle you at gun, also if they can get a heavy tank before you get a single tank then your probably been loosing anyway and that was just the final nail.

@Stug3-E Topic: Yeah I just got steamrolled because I never expected them to be so good, I remembered them to be almost useless crap.

@Changing Sides: This is an effective approach to my problem, but since I'm stubborn I couldnt overcome myself to change faction But yeah I'm going to have to try that.

@MajorBloodnok: That'd be great, I will save a typcial replay next days.

@Mirage: No Problem mate, im asking for help and some patter is always welcome

@EvilAdventurer: Yeah but its not that easy when 2-3 Stug3-E are one-shot-killing your conscript squads But I will keep that in mind whenever the situation is similar.

I really appreciate your advices so far, thanks.

I have tried and tried to make airborne work for me...I just can't do it. It's so good on paper but it just doesn't work for in-game. Rifle used to be my go-to but starting the game with a cool-down on a 0CP ability? What's the point of a 0CP ability then? Stupid.

I go Armour mainly and maybe Infantry if the situation is right.

Hey guys, its going to get better. Played 3-1 in 3v3AT and 3-1 in 2v2AT with Soviets, allied with 1/2 USF. Your input really helped me alot.

I have one last question: I used to choose "Lend Lease" often because I really liked the Dshka, which allowed me to play with T1 instead of T2 and still field some Machineguns if needed.
Did this baby get some serious nerf? It seems like it refuses to pin anything, its just good to do light vehicles some damage - but this is a bit niche, isnt it? As far as I remember, it had supression like the maxim but with significantly better damage.

Regards.