Mechanically, The Western Front Armies reflects that with technological superiority that comes at a high price. With the Third Reich quickly losing ground on all fronts, not even their spectacularly efficient heavy industry could keep their soldiers and armour properly supplied in the final stages of the war. In 1944, the German army was an elite, albeit resource-starved force. The sheer overwhelming number of US GIs means that they can more easily capture and hold supply points than the mobile but thinly stretched Germans or the more defensive Russians.ĭespite appreciating the attention given to the Americans' versatility, I personally found playing as the Oberkommando more closely matched my defensive play style in strategy games. Players instead need to play more tactically and use line-of-sight and flanking to their advantage, or simply scatter and reposition later. Most units have some kind of special ability that can help establish a defensive position or cover a retreat with smoke screens. The Americans aren't built for straight-on fights. Even the light Sherman tanks can fire on the move (unlike the heavy Tigers of the Germans or the medium T-34s on the Russian side).
But where the Russians excel at survivability through squad size and a more defensive focus, the US Forces are more mobile. On paper, the US forces are very similar to the Russians from the original game they both have a strong focus infantry. When playing as the US Forces, the keys are plentiful riflemen and the supply yards which help boost available manpower. Lacking the recent combat experience of the other combatants, the Americans had few highly-skilled, battle-hardened units at that point. After holding back for several years, the United States could afford to bring millions of fresh soldiers and new equipment to the war effort.
Weapon loadouts and cheap, plentiful infantry reflect the historical role of Americans in World War 2. Battlefield defensive lines like tank traps and barbed wire are as important as ever, and help stop an incoming assault in its tracks. Notice that your army's a bit too light on anti-vehicle weaponry? Call your riflemen back to base and get them some bazookas.
Instead of highly specialised units, the US riflemen can switch out weapons on the fly. Instead of quick mechanised units, the Americans are adaptable. The other new addition, the US Forces, are much lighter and cheaper than the hulking German tanks. It's a really clever way to mechanically reinforce the incredible speed of the German forces during World War 2 while bringing a bit of diversity to the game's play styles. At any point, a truck can be put back together and moved to a new point to help manage troops in the new area, or flee an endangered position. These command centres can function as forward retreat points or cover for your infantry as well as opening up unit conscription options. At the beginning of each game, instead of starting with standard headquarters that are upgraded and reinforced over time, they have a supply truck that can be broken down and repurposed as an impromptu command centre anywhere within your territory. The Oberkommando are mobile and armour-heavy.
Each helps balance out the original game's armies while bringing their own twist focused on their respective factions' role and abilities in history. With the Western Front Armies expansion - a standalone, multiplayer-only add-on - that design philosophy gets a bit of a boost with the US Forces and the German Oberkommando West. By building play around capture points over standard resource-accumulation, players can press weaknesses in an enemy line and can always have at least one option open for progression. Available from Steam and direct from SegaĬompany of Heroes is defined by these kinds of dynamic wins.£9.99 for each faction, £14.99 for both.