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Company of Heroes 3: 5 Best Tips for Beginners

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tips for beginners

Company of Heroes 3 is the latest title soaking up the spotlight in the RTS genre right now. This time the tactical strategy sandbox is taking our wartime skills to the Mediterranean fronts of Africa in WWII. The battlefield has never been more diverse, and the arsenal of units and infantry at your disposal has never been more varied. As a result, there is a lot for newcomers to digest in Relic Entertainments' latest RTS. Especially considering the last entry in the franchise was over a decade ago. Nonetheless, don't flee in the face of battle, but rather get your front line prepped and ready with these five tips for beginners of Company of Heroes 3.

5. Learn Using Tactical Pause

Tips for Beginners

Company of Heroes 3 includes two campaigns as well as a PvP mode. While it may be tempting to jump right into online play and put your skills to the test against others, you're undoubtedly sending your troops on a death mission. That's because, when it comes to competitive play in any RTS game, the online community tends to be, to put it mildly, competitive. That's why one of the best tips we can give for beginners is to learn the basics of the gameplay from the game's two campaigns.

One major reason for this is the Tactical Pause feature, which is available in single-player but not multiplayer. This is your greatest aid in learning the ropes of Company of Heroes 3's strategic gameplay. Because, as you might expect, war is a game of quick decisions, and when you're in command of an entire battlefield, it can feel like you have to make a million actions in a single breath. But, by pressing spacebar you can enable Tactical Pause, which lets you pause the game. You can, however, still openly view the battlefield and issue commands which will take effect once you resume the game.

This allows you to take a breather and weigh your options without the pressures of the battle breathing down your neck. The more you get a grasp of what to do in each situation, you'll lose the training wheels and be making imperative wartime decisions in a split second.

4. Victory Points and Supply Points

tips for beginners

Once you think you're ready, you can step into the game online PvP. Essentially, you win PvP battles in Company of Heroes 3 by capturing Victory Points. These are marked by the star icon on your map, and every Victory Point you hold will take one ticket away from your enemy every three seconds, with each team having a total of 500 tickets. That's why one of the biggest tips for beginners is to seize as many Victory Points as possible early on; however, holding them is a different story.

Of course, maintaining a Victory Point throughout the game will require a number of units and, in general, firepower. In order to get units and infantry you need to control smaller, supply points that will earn you the game's two resources, Munitions and Fuel. Munitions allow you to create ground units, whereas Fuel allows you to create heavy infantry, such as tanks. But due note that these supply points need to be connected in a chain back to your HQ in order for you to receive the supplies. If the chain is broken or disrupted, you will not earn Munitions of Fuel from it. Keep this in mind though, it's also a pesky but strategic move to hinder your opponent from getting resources themselves.

3. Cover and Retreating

tips for beginners

You should always have your units set up and protected behind a wall or area of cover. Any units that are fighting out in the open will get picked apart in no time. As far as tips for beginners go, this one might sound a bit like a no-brainer, but we can't stress the importance of it. Especially at the points and other areas of the map under your control.

Similarly, if you know you're losing a battle, it's always better to retreat your troops and rally them with other reinforcements than to abandon them. You can recall any number of selected units by pressing “R” (the Recall hotkey).

Many times, players will accept their losses and move on to the next plan of attack. However, if you notice that you're losing a fight and consequently the troops and infantry in it, recalling them early on will benefit you in the long run by strengthening your next wave for your next push. So, don't count your losses, instead count on them in the next fight.

2. Learn Hotkeys

Speaking of Hotkeys, you'll eventually want to add them to your skillset. That's because one of the best tips for beginners of any RTS is to start learning and using hotkeys. The reason is, hotkeys are much more efficient than using your mouse to command every action. And when it comes to RTS games, speed is the ultimate key to outplaying and performing your opponent.

At first, hotkeys can feel overwhelming and take some getting used to, so don't feel like you have to master them right away. Slowly start adding one after the other, until you're comfortable using a handful of them. Then before you know it, using hotkeys to train and command units will become second nature.

1. Battlegroups

Battlegroups are one of the most important tips for giving beginners an advantage on the battlefield. Essentially, Battlegroups are special units, high-powered infantry, air attacks, and even passive abilities that can turn the tide of a battle. You can find the Battlegroups at your disposal on the right side of your screen, and each faction has three to choose from; however, only one can be activated during the match, so choose wisely.

You unlock Battlegroups using Commander Points, which you earn passively throughout the match. Once you've unlocked your desired battlegroup, you can use it at any time and at any location on the map.

So, what's your take? Do you agree with our Company of Heroes 3 tips for beginners? Are there other tips and tricks that we should know about? Let us know in the comments below or over on our socials here!

Riley Fonger is a freelance writer, music lover, and gamer since adolescence. He loves anything video game-related and grew up with a passion for story games such as Bioshock and The Last of Us.