Our Year-1 Anniversary Update (1.5.0) will be released on Tuesday, February 27th at 10 am Pacific Time. In commemoration of this milestone, we are revisiting and updating classic Company of Heroes maps from both Company of Heroes 1 and 2 and integrating the first two community-made maps into the official map pool. Additionally, this update introduces new customization options for Player Profiles, multiplayer balance adjustments, subtle Battlegroup modifications, and an experimental call-in feature.
It's important to note that this summary does not encompass everything new in the Year-1 Anniversary Update. For a comprehensive overview, refer to the complete patch notes, watch the anniversary livestream here or tune in tomorrow for our Balance Discussion Livestream.
New Content and Features
Maps
This update introduces a variety of new maps, catering to different player preferences and strategies. Classic favorites like Semois and Faymonville make a return, now meticulously restored for 1v1 battles.
Explore the war-torn landscapes of Elst Outskirts, Montherme, Sangro River Crossing, and Sousse Stronghold, each crafted to provide distinct challenges in 2v2, 3v3, and 4v4 scenarios. Additionally, community-contributed maps like Steppes & Faymonville offer fresh environments, reimagined for diverse gameplay experiences across various modes, including Automatch, Co-op vs A.I., Skirmish, and Custom games.
Faymonville (1vs1)
- Community remake of the classic CoH2 map by AE and Kpen.
- Quick Match &Custom Game
Semois (1v1)
- Official remake of the competitive CoH1 map.
- Quick Match & Custom Game
Elst Outskirts (2vs2)
- Remake of Monolithicbacon’s CoH2 map.
- Automatch & Custom Game
Montherme (3vs3)
- Official remake of the CoH1 favorite.
- Automatch & Custom Game
Steppes (4vs4)
- Community remake of the vast CoH2 map by Sphinx.
- Automatch & Custom Game
Sangro River Crossing (3vs3)
- Variant of the map Day 101
- Coop vs A.I. & Custom Game
Sousse Stronghold (4vs4)
- Variant of the map Sousse Wetlands
- Coop vs A.I. & Custom Game
Features & Improvements
Profile Customization
Profile Customization brings a new dimension to personalizing your Player Profile. Access the "Profile" tab in the Loadout panel to customize your Badge, Title, and Banner, visible not only in your Player Profile but also throughout the game.
Explore themes like unit symbols for badges, Banners draw inspiration from significant moments in our official trailer, and diverse titles ranging from military ranks to even ones that are more humorous. As a bonus for our Anniversary, players receive four badges, six titles, and two banners. This marks the initial release, and we plan to enhance and expand this feature in future updates.
We have also planned a community event kicking off Feb 27th, during which all players will collaboratively unlock a unique badge, banner, and title designed specifically for this occasion. Keep an eye out for more details on our social media channels.
Replay Improvements
Following the launch of Replays in the Steel Shepherd update, we're introducing two new features to enhance the experience. Alongside various bug fixes for improved consistency, the Playback Panel can now be faded out in "Collapse and Hide Player Elements" mode, like Cinematic Mode. Additionally, a new "Reveal Map: All Players" option in the Playback Panel, widely appreciated in competitive RTS and MOBA games, unveils all players' vision. This enhances the replay-watching experience by retaining fog of war in unexplored areas, adding anticipation and excitement. Stay tuned for more refinements to the replay experience.
Multiplayer Balance Changes
With the Year-1 Anniversary update, our primary objective is to enhance the strategic diversity of the British Faction. Notable adjustments include significant improvements to underused units like the Humber and Grant, aimed at boosting their effectiveness. Core upgrades, such as the Bren Gun and team Weapon/Light vehicle training, have also been refined to enhance the performance of essential army units.
Additionally, we're reshaping two battlegroups to bolster their overall viability. The German Mechanized Company undergoes restructuring, and an experimental change introduces an alternative option to build the Panther from the Panzer Kompanie. Similarly, the US Armor Battlegroup is seeing a revamp, with an experimental change allowing the Easy 8 to be built from the final tier building.
Beyond these changes, expect several general balance adjustments across all factions, aimed at improving and revitalizing the overall meta!
The Company of Heroes 3 Anniversary Update is releasing tomorrow for PC on Steam at 10am PT! Prepare to revisit iconic battlefields from the franchise's history. Join discussions on the official forums or Discord to connect with fellow players, share your thoughts, and delve into the update details. Don't forget to catch up on the Anniversary Deep Dive livestream from last week and be sure to tune in for our Balance Discussion with the team tomorrow as we delve into the patch notes.
