Company of Heroes 3
Company of Heroes 3

Class List & Basic Details

Master Company of Heroes 3's classes. Learn essential roles, gear, and strategies for each unit type to build a winning force on the battlefield.

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Class List & Basic Details

Welcome, Commander, to the tactical heart of Company of Heroes 3! Understanding your available classes and their fundamental roles is paramount to forging a victorious campaign. This section details each class, offering actionable strategies, essential gear recommendations, and tips for maximizing their potential on the battlefield. Mastering these units is the first step towards dominating the Mediterranean and North African theaters.

Infantry Classes

Riflemen

  • Role: Versatile frontline combatants, capable of engaging infantry and light vehicles.
  • Key Abilities:
    • Grenade Package: Unlocks the M2 Fragmentation Grenade. Essential for flushing out entrenched enemies or dealing splash damage to clustered infantry. Target enemy machine gun nests or mortar teams for maximum disruption.
    • Weapon Rack Upgrade: Grants access to the BAR (Browning Automatic Rifle) or the M1919A6 Light Machine Gun. The BAR is excellent for close-to-medium range infantry suppression, while the LMG provides superior sustained fire, ideal for holding defensive positions. Prioritize the BAR for aggressive pushes, or the LMG for static defense.
  • Strategic Use: Form the backbone of your early-game pushes. Use their grenades to dislodge enemy units from cover. Once upgraded, use BAR-equipped Riflemen to flank and overwhelm enemy infantry, or LMG-equipped squads to lay down suppressive fire and deny areas.
  • Recommended Gear: Start with basic M1 Garands. Upgrade to BARs as soon as resources allow, especially if facing heavy enemy infantry.

Engineers

  • Role: Support specialists, focused on construction, repairs, and anti-vehicle capabilities.
  • Key Abilities:
    • Repair Kit: Allows rapid repair of damaged vehicles and structures. Crucial for keeping your armor in the fight. Always have Engineers near your main battle tanks.
    • Mine Laying: Deploys Teller Anti-Tank Mines or S-Mines. Teller Mines are vital for denying vehicle access to key routes, while S-Mines are effective against infantry pushes. Place Teller Mines on common vehicle paths, especially near capture points or chokepoints.
    • Flamethrower Upgrade: Equips the squad with M2 Flamethrowers. Devastating against entrenched infantry, garrisoned buildings, and light vehicles. Use them to clear out enemy strongholds.
  • Strategic Use: Essential for maintaining battlefield presence. Use them to fortify positions with sandbags and barbed wire, repair damaged tanks under fire, and lay traps for unsuspecting enemy advances. Flamethrower Engineers are excellent for clearing out buildings and suppressing enemy infantry.
  • Recommended Gear: Flamethrowers are a high priority for offensive Engineers. Always ensure they have enough munitions for mine laying.

Machine Gun Teams (HMGs)

  • Role: Area denial and infantry suppression.
  • Key Abilities:
    • Suppressive Fire: Pins down enemy infantry, significantly reducing their accuracy and movement speed.
    • Sector Fire: Allows the HMG to sweep a wider arc, increasing its area of effect.
  • Strategic Use: Position HMGs to cover open ground, chokepoints, or approaches to capture points. They are vulnerable to flanking maneuvers and grenades, so ensure they have infantry support or good cover. Relocate them frequently as the frontline shifts.
  • Recommended Gear: No specific gear upgrades, but ensure they are placed in advantageous positions with clear lines of sight.

Vehicle Classes

Light Vehicles (e.g., M8 Greyhound, Panzer II)

  • Role: Early-game harassment, reconnaissance, and anti-infantry support.
  • Key Abilities:
    • High Speed: Allows for rapid repositioning and flanking maneuvers.
    • Machine Gun/Light Cannon: Effective against infantry and lightly armored targets.
  • Strategic Use: Use light vehicles to quickly capture forward points, disrupt enemy resource income, and engage isolated infantry squads. Be wary of anti-tank infantry and heavier vehicles. Retreat if heavily damaged.
  • Recommended Gear: None specific, but consider upgrading your vehicle production structures to unlock these units earlier.

Medium Tanks (e.g., M4 Sherman, Panzer IV)

  • Role: Main battle tanks, capable of engaging both infantry and other vehicles.
  • Key Abilities:
    • Main Cannon: Effective against most enemy vehicles and structures.
    • Coaxial Machine Gun: Provides anti-infantry support.
    • Smoke Screen (Sherman): Deploys a smoke cloud to obscure vision and provide cover for retreats or advances.
  • Strategic Use: Medium tanks are your workhorses. Use them to spearhead assaults, hold defensive lines, and support your infantry. Always try to keep them repaired with Engineers. Avoid engaging heavy tanks head-on without support.
  • Recommended Gear: No direct gear, but ensure you have a steady supply of fuel to field and reinforce them.

Heavy Tanks (e.g., Tiger, Pershing - late game)

  • Role: Breakthrough units, designed to withstand heavy fire and destroy enemy armor.
  • Key Abilities:
    • Heavy Armor: Significantly reduces incoming damage.
    • Powerful Main Gun: Capable of destroying most enemy vehicles with ease.
  • Strategic Use: Deploy heavy tanks to break through heavily fortified enemy lines or to counter enemy armor pushes. They are slow and expensive, so protect them with infantry and anti-air support.
  • Recommended Gear: Focus on keeping them alive with constant Engineer repairs.

Support Classes

Mortar Teams

  • Role: Indirect fire support, effective against entrenched infantry and static defenses.
  • Key Abilities:
    • Barrage: Fires multiple mortar rounds into a designated area. Excellent for dislodging enemy HMGs or infantry in cover.
    • Smoke Barrage: Deploys a smoke screen, obscuring enemy vision and providing cover for advances.
  • Strategic Use: Position mortars behind your front lines, out of direct enemy fire. Use them to soften up enemy positions before an assault or to break up enemy concentrations. Be aware of counter-battery fire.
  • Recommended Gear: Ensure they have sufficient munitions for sustained barrages.

Anti-Tank Guns (AT Guns)

  • Role: Dedicated anti-vehicle defense.
  • Key Abilities:
    • High Penetration Rounds: Deals significant damage to armored targets.
    • Camouflage (some factions): Allows the AT gun to remain hidden until it fires.
  • Strategic Use: Place AT guns on flanks, covering key approaches where enemy vehicles are likely to travel. They are vulnerable to infantry and artillery, so provide them with cover and supporting units. Relocate them if their position is compromised.
  • Recommended Gear: None specific, but ensure they are positioned for optimal firing arcs and protected from flanking infantry.

By understanding the strengths and weaknesses of each class, and by effectively combining their abilities, you will be well-equipped to face any challenge Company of Heroes 3 throws your way. Experiment with different compositions and tactics to find what works best for your playstyle and the specific mission objectives.