Company of Heroes

Until now, most real-time strategy games were knitted according to a pattern: The player builds up his troops and goes into battles marked by mission scripts. If no script is provided for a player's action, the AI reacts little or not at all. Whole regiments can be taken down by a sniper, and targets stoically hold their position during artillery fire. In Company of Heroes it is different. Both enemies and their people have a high degree of intelligence and will to survive. When soldiers come under heavy fire, they seek cover and are difficult to convince to advance further. If units suffer excessive losses, they flee. And if a sniper takes gun crews under fire, for example, the soldiers leave their posts and even call in allied units to help track down the attacker. As brilliant as the single-player mode is, after about 15 hours, most players will have completed the 15 missions of the campaign. But don't despair: Besides skirmish games against artificial intelligence, Company of Heroes offers exciting multiplayer battles. Here you can also take up arms on the side of the Axis Powers and show the allies what a Tiger tank can do. A total of 15 maps are included, providing space for two to eight players. If there are no comrades-in-arms, fill the open positions with AI commanders. At the highest level of play, the computer opponents will heat your game! The only regret is that there are only two parties. In multiplayer games, however, you choose between three types of command on either side. The Allies choose - as before - between infantry, paratroopers, and tank companies. On the German side, you choose the fortress, blitzkrieg, or terror doctrine. This way, both factions can be played in three very different ways. There are only two game modes: Extermination and Victory Points. While in the first mode, you have to wipe out all enemies completely; in the second mode, you fight for flags. If you hold more flags than the other party, their score will decrease. If the enemy's score is empty, you win.