Company of Heroes (2006): Complete Guide

A practical guide to Relic's original Company of Heroes on Steam: which version you own, the resource and sector system, all four factions and their doctrines, opening build orders, the campaigns, and how to play online in 2026.

Researched September 2026 — current as of the Steamworks "New Steam Version" (app 228200); a Definitive Edition is announced for early 2027. Live games change; check the linked sources if something differs.

Version note: Steam app 228200 is the 2013 re-release (often called the "New Steam Version") that moved multiplayer to Steamworks after GameSpy's shutdown. The older build is sold separately as Company of Heroes - Legacy Edition, which is where the Steam store now points for extra reviews and total-conversion mods. The expansions Opposing Fronts and Tales of Valor are separate purchases, bundled in the Complete Pack.

Coming soon: Relic announced Company of Heroes - Definitive Edition in June 2026 (64-bit, modern UI, grid hotkeys, customizable hotkeys, vehicle reversing, optional auto-reinforce, improved AI with a new "Ruthless" difficulty, 4K and widescreen, full mod compatibility, base game plus both expansions and 50+ maps). A September 15, 2026 update moved its launch to early 2027. Everything below applies to both, but check the patch notes once it releases.

Quick Start

1. This is a territory game, not a base-building game. Your income comes from capturing map sectors with infantry. The player who holds more ground, and keeps it connected, usually wins.
2. Three resources: Manpower (trickles in constantly, pays for units), Munitions (upgrades, grenades, abilities, mines), and Fuel (buildings, vehicles, tanks). Sectors provide Munitions or Fuel.
3. Sectors must connect to your HQ. A cut-off sector gives you nothing. Protect your supply line and cut the enemy's.
4. Victory Points (VPs) decide most matches. Holding more VPs than the opponent drains their ticket count. Annihilation mode is the alternative.
5. Cover is everything. Green shields mean heavy cover, yellow is light cover, red is negative (open ground). Squads in green cover win fights they would lose in the open.
6. Retreat, don't die. The retreat command (check the squad's command card for your hotkey) sends a squad back to base with reduced incoming damage. A saved veteran squad is worth far more than a replacement.
7. Reinforce instead of rebuilding. Squads can refill lost men near your HQ or forward reinforcement points, which is much cheaper than a new squad.
8. Pick a doctrine (commander tree) early. Around the first few minutes you choose one of three doctrines, which unlocks your faction's powerful call-ins and abilities with Command Points earned in combat.
9. Flank machine guns and anti-tank guns. Both have limited firing arcs; hitting them from the side or behind wins the trade.
10. Tanks have weak rear armor. Always angle to face enemies with your front armor and try to hit enemy tanks from behind.

Core Systems

Resources and territory

• Capture a sector by standing an infantry squad on its flag. Some units (like many vehicles) can't capture.
• Many points can be upgraded with an observation post for extra income and a little protection.
• Upkeep: the more units you field, the lower your Manpower income per minute. A huge army isn't free; trade efficiently rather than spamming.

Veterancy

Units gain experience (or veterancy upgrades, depending on faction) that makes them tougher and more accurate. Veteran squads are the backbone of a late game army, which is why retreating is so important.

Cover, suppression, and retreat

• Heavy cover (walls, sandbags, craters) massively reduces incoming fire. Light cover (fences, hedges) helps less. Open ground or roads are negative.
• Suppression: machine guns pin squads, first slowing them and then forcing them to the ground. Pinned squads can only retreat or crawl. Smoke, flanking, and grenades are your answers.
• Garrisoning: infantry can occupy buildings for strong cover, but buildings can be flushed by flamethrowers, grenades, and artillery.
• Destructible terrain: craters from artillery become new cover; walls and buildings can be destroyed. Engineers/Pioneers/Sappers can repair and build.

Commander trees (doctrines)

You earn Command Points by fighting. Spend them in the doctrine tree you picked to unlock abilities and call-ins. You can't switch doctrines mid-match.

Factions and Doctrines

United States

• Style: fast early infantry, good upgrades, flexible tank play.
• Key units: Riflemen (the core squad, with grenades and weapon upgrades unlocked through research), Engineers (build, repair, flamethrowers), Jeeps, .30 cal machine guns, mortars, anti-tank guns, M8 armored car, Sherman tanks.
• Doctrines: Infantry Company (artillery and infantry support), Airborne Company (paratrooper drops and air strikes), Armor Company (tank-focused call-ins, including the heavier Pershing).
• Opening idea: a couple of Riflemen and an Engineer squad, fast capping, then a Weapon Support Center or Motor Pool depending on what the enemy builds.

Wehrmacht

• Style: fewer, more expensive, more durable units; strong defensive options; the best heavy armor late.
• Key units: Pioneers (builders), Volksgrenadiers, Grenadiers, the MG42 heavy machine gun team, snipers, the Panzer IV, Panther, and the Tiger.
• Doctrines: Defensive (emplacements and area denial), Blitzkrieg (aggression and assault units), Terror (propaganda, V1 rocket, and the King Tiger).
• Opening idea: an early MG42 locks down key points, backed by infantry; tech into anti-tank before the Allies' vehicles arrive.

British 2nd Army (Opposing Fronts)

• Style: defensive, methodical, officer-led. HQ is mobile (trucks that set up as buildings), and territory is controlled from these forward points.
• Doctrines: Royal Canadian Artillery (creeping barrages and massive artillery), Royal Commandos (glider-borne troops), Royal Engineers (Churchill tank variants and engineering upgrades).
• Tip: Lieutenants and Captains buff nearby squads. Keep officers alive and close to the front.

Panzer Elite (Opposing Fronts)

• Style: mobile and vehicle-heavy, no static defenses, lots of halftracks and light armor.
• Doctrines: Scorched Earth Tactics (booby-traps and demolition), Luftwaffe Tactics (air support and flak), Tank Destroyer Tactics (specialized anti-tank).
• Tip: Panzer Elite rewards fast harassment and precise micro. Losing expensive halftracks early is how Panzer Elite players lose.

The Campaigns

Campaign tips

• Missions reward medals for secondary objectives; do them for a fuller experience and harder challenges.
• Save often. Some missions (Omaha Beach is the classic example) are chaotic and punishing; a quick save before each push saves a lot of repetition.
• Veterancy and cover work exactly as in multiplayer. Use artillery and flanks instead of charging MG positions.
• Tales of Valor introduced direct fire (manually aim a tank's main gun), which the Tiger Ace campaign leans on heavily.

Multiplayer and Skirmish

Modes

• Victory Point Control (the standard): hold more VPs than the enemy to drain their tickets.
• Annihilation: destroy all enemy buildings and units.
• Tales of Valor modes: Assault (team hero-selection mode), Panzerkrieg (tank variant of Assault), and Stonewall (co-op defense against waves).
• Skirmish vs AI on any map for up to 8 players, a good way to learn build orders.

Opening rules of thumb

• Cap fast, cap wide. The first few minutes are about grabbing sectors and cutting off the enemy's.
• Scout early. Knowing whether you face infantry spam or early light vehicles decides your first tech building.
• Get one support weapon early (a machine gun or mortar) to anchor your key fuel/munitions points.
• Always have anti-tank before vehicles arrive. Losing to an early armored car or halftrack because you had no answer is the classic newbie loss.
• Spend your resources. Floating Manpower or Fuel means the opponent is outproducing you.

Economy management

• Upkeep matters: more units means less Manpower income, so trade efficiently and retreat squads rather than letting them die.
• Fuel decides tech timing: hold fuel points hard, especially in the middle of the map.
• Munitions are for impact: save grenades, mines, and weapon upgrades for where they swing a fight; don't let Munitions float forever.

Getting It Running in 2026

• Multiplayer runs through Steamworks on the New Steam Version, so matchmaking, lobbies, and friends invites are handled by Steam. Custom games and skirmish work normally.
• Modern resolutions: the original supports widescreen resolutions. Very high resolutions and ultra-wide can have UI scaling quirks; the Definitive Edition promises native 4K and widescreen.
• Mods: the Steam page points total conversions (large community mods) to the Legacy Edition page. Check each mod's page for which version it needs.
• Performance: it is a 32-bit 2006 game. If you see crashes on modern hardware, lower the model/terrain detail and physics settings and try running without overlays.

Common Mistakes to Avoid

• Treating it like a base-builder. You win by holding ground, not by building everything.
• Letting sectors get cut off. Losing one connecting point can disconnect a whole chain of income.
• Charging machine guns head-on. Flank, use smoke, or throw grenades.
• Leaving tanks rear-facing. A single anti-tank gun behind your Sherman or Panzer IV will ruin your day.
• Never retreating. Every wiped veteran squad is a free win for your opponent.
• Ignoring upkeep. An oversized army starves your Manpower.
• Going heavy tank without anti-infantry. Tanks need infantry support to avoid being flanked and to spot for them.
• Building everything. Pick the tech path that counters what you see.

Advanced Tips

• Line of sight wins fights. Scout with cheap units so your anti-tank guns and tanks get the first shot.
• Mines and emplacements on flanks. A few mines on a common approach route can ruin an enemy push.
• Bait machine guns. A cheap squad can draw an MG's arc while another unit flanks it.
• Use buildings carefully. Garrisoned squads are strong, but flamethrowers and artillery can wipe them in seconds.
• Retreat before a squad is pinned, not after. A pinned squad takes more damage.
• Time call-ins. Doctrine abilities are strongest at key moments, such as a fuel point battle or a VP flip.
• Watch the tickets. In VPC, a late lead can be protected by holding VPs rather than fighting for kills.

FAQ

Q: What's the difference between Company of Heroes and Company of Heroes - Legacy Edition on Steam? A: App 228200 is the 2013 re-release that moved online play to Steamworks; the Legacy Edition is the older build, kept separately and home to the total-conversion mods listed on Steam.

Q: Is multiplayer still active? A: Yes, through Steamworks. Matchmaking is quieter than in CoH2 or CoH3, so custom lobbies and community groups are the most reliable way to find games.

Q: Do I need the expansions? A: The base game has the US and Wehrmacht and the main campaign. Opposing Fronts adds the British and Panzer Elite plus two campaigns; Tales of Valor adds three short campaigns and new modes. The Complete Pack bundles everything.

Q: When is the Definitive Edition coming out? A: Relic originally said Fall 2026, then announced on September 15, 2026 that it will launch on Steam early in 2027.

Q: Which faction is best for beginners? A: The US. Riflemen are forgiving, the tech tree is straightforward, and Shermans are versatile.

Q: How do I stop losing to machine guns? A: Don't walk into their firing arc. Use smoke, flank from the side, and use grenades, mortars, or snipers.

Q: What should I play if I want more after CoH1? A: Company of Heroes 2 and 3 are the sequels. Relic also announced Company of Heroes 3: Final Stand (a standalone wave-defense mode) in July 2026.

Sources

• Company of Heroes on Steam
• Company of Heroes — Wikipedia
• Company of Heroes: Opposing Fronts — Wikipedia
• Company of Heroes: Tales of Valor — Wikipedia
• Steam news: Company of Heroes - Definitive Edition announcement (June 2026) and "A 20 Year Legacy" (September 15, 2026)