Relic's Eastern Front sequel launched on 25 June 2013 with two armies and grew to five through standalone expansions. The base game ships the Soviet Red Army and the Wehrmacht Ostheer, The Western Front Armies adds US Forces and Oberkommando West, and The British Forces adds UKF. TrueSight line of sight, a three tier cover system and strict hard counters make it a slower, more deliberate real time strategy game than its unit counts suggest.
This walkthrough takes you from your first session to endgame content. Each phase has specific goals, priorities, and milestones. New to the game? Start with our beginner's guide first.
Quick Progression Summary
| Phase | Area | Focus | Build | Duration |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1. Start | Langreskaya | TrueSight line of sight basics | Wehrmacht Ostheer | 1-2 hours |
| 2. Early | Semoisky | Three tier cover system mastery | Wehrmacht Ostheer | 3-5 hours |
| 3. Mid | Crossing in the Woods | Commander loadout of three doctrines + gear | Soviet Red Army or Wehrmacht Ostheer | 5-10 hours |
| 4. Late | Kholodny Ferma | Build optimization | Soviet Red Army | 5-10 hours |
| 5. Endgame | Minsk Pocket | Min-max | Soviet Red Army or British Forces | Ongoing |
See our maps guide for detailed area breakdowns.
Phase 1: Getting Started (Langreskaya)
A classic 1v1 map split by a river, with fuel points out on the flanks. Contesting the central crossing early is usually a trap because both sides can cover it cheaply.
Level/Difficulty: 1v1, all skill levels Key Rewards: Flank fuel points and strong garrison buildings near the center
What to Do in Langreskaya
- Learn TrueSight line of sight. Units only see what they could physically see, so hedgerows, buildings and smoke genuinely hide an ambush rather than applying a vision circle. Spend your first session getting comfortable with this.
- Pick Wehrmacht Ostheer as your starting build. See our builds guide for why.
- Retreat squads at three surviving models, not one. Reinforcing a damaged veterancy 2 squad costs a fraction of rebuilding it, and veterancy never comes back once the squad wipes.
- Acquire your first equipment upgrade: MG42 heavy machine gun team or whatever's available.
- Clear all main content before moving on.
Phase 1 Checklist
- Understand TrueSight line of sight fundamentals
- Wehrmacht Ostheer selected and functional
- Langreskaya main content cleared
- Ready for Semoisky
Phase 2: Early Game (Semoisky)
A compact 1v1 map with tight lanes and heavy building cover. Machine guns and mortars dominate here more than on any other map in the classic pool.
Level/Difficulty: 1v1, infantry heavy play Key Rewards: Garrisonable buildings around the central fuel point
What to Do in Semoisky
- Work on Three tier cover system. Yellow cover cuts incoming small arms damage, green cover cuts more, and open ground or roads count as negative cover that makes squads easier to kill. This system becomes critical from here on.
- Farm for MG42 heavy machine gun team if you haven't already. It's the key upgrade for this phase.
- Cut off territory instead of chasing capture points. A sector disconnected from your opponent's base stops paying them income even while they still stand on it.
- Complete all objectives before pushing to Crossing in the Woods.
- Consider whether Soviet Red Army might suit your playstyle better than Wehrmacht Ostheer.
Phase 2 Checklist
- Three tier cover system integrated into gameplay
- MG42 heavy machine gun team acquired
- Semoisky fully cleared
- Ready for Crossing in the Woods
Phase 3: Mid Game (Crossing in the Woods)
One of the most played 2v2 maps in the game, a wooded field with limited vehicle lanes. Tanks funnel into predictable paths, so anti-tank guns earn their manpower here.
Level/Difficulty: 2v2 team play Key Rewards: Forest cover for ambushes and a heavily contested central crossing
What to Do in Crossing in the Woods
- Master Commander loadout of three doctrines. Before a match you slot three Commanders per faction, and during the match you commit to exactly one. This unlocks a new layer of gameplay.
- Start working toward Conscripts. It's the best equipment and becomes accessible around now.
- Anti-tank guns are ambush weapons under TrueSight. Set them behind a hedge or a building corner so the first shot lands before the tank knows where it came from.
- This area is the main skill check. If you can clear it, you're ready for late game.
- Start investing in Squad retreat, reinforcement and veterancy for the tactical depth you'll need going forward.
Phase 3 Checklist
- Commander loadout of three doctrines mastered
- Conscripts acquired or in progress
- Crossing in the Woods fully cleared
- Ready for Kholodny Ferma
Phase 4: Late Game (Kholodny Ferma)
Farmland that ships in Summer and Winter variants, with the winter version bringing ColdTech snow and blizzards into the fight. Community automatch data has both versions running below average win rates for the aggressor.
Level/Difficulty: 1v1 and 2v2 Key Rewards: Farm buildings as garrisons and open fields that punish careless movement
What to Do in Kholodny Ferma
- Finalize your build. You should be running Soviet Red Army or Wehrmacht Ostheer with optimized gear.
- Conscripts should be your primary. If you don't have it yet, prioritize getting it.
- Every tank has weaker rear armor. Circling a heavy with a medium is a real tactic, and a Jackson or an SU-85 sitting behind a Tiger beats it outright.
- ColdTech weather on winter maps optimization starts here. Small improvements compound into massive advantages.
- Farm this area for the resources needed to push into Minsk Pocket.
Phase 4 Checklist
- Build fully optimized
- Conscripts upgraded to max
- Kholodny Ferma fully cleared
- Ready for Minsk Pocket
Phase 5: Endgame (Minsk Pocket)
A popular 2v2 map with a long open middle and cover along the edges. Statistically it favors the defender, so early aggression straight through the center rarely pays off.
Level/Difficulty: 2v2 team play Key Rewards: Edge cover routes plus side fuel and munitions points
What to Do in Minsk Pocket
- Minsk Pocket tests everything. Come prepared with your best build and gear.
- Machine guns lose to flanks and grenades, never to a frontal charge. Send one squad wide while a second pins the gun from cover.
- The endgame loop: run Minsk Pocket, optimize gear, push harder content.
- Experiment with British Forces for a fresh take once you've mastered the standard builds.
- This is where ColdTech weather on winter maps mastery separates good players from great ones. See our tips guide for advanced strategies.
Phase 5 Checklist
- Endgame content on farm
- Best-in-slot gear acquired
- Minsk Pocket fully cleared
- Ready for challenge content
Common Progression Mistakes
- Charging a set up machine gun from the front. Suppression pins the squad in the open and the follow up mortar round finishes the job.
- Letting squads walk along roads and across fields. Open ground counts as negative cover, and squads evaporate under sustained fire there.
- Massing a single unit type. Counters are strict, and ten Riflemen with no anti-tank gun lose to one Panzer IV.
- Forgetting to reinforce after a fight. A four man Grenadier squad costs most of the upkeep of a full one and delivers half the firepower.
- Buying the base game and expecting all five armies. US Forces, Oberkommando West and British Forces all come from separate standalone expansions.
Key Tips for Smooth Progression
- Retreat squads at three surviving models, not one. Reinforcing a damaged veterancy 2 squad costs a fraction of rebuilding it, and veterancy never comes back once the squad wipes.
- Cut off territory instead of chasing capture points. A sector disconnected from your opponent's base stops paying them income even while they still stand on it.
- Anti-tank guns are ambush weapons under TrueSight. Set them behind a hedge or a building corner so the first shot lands before the tank knows where it came from.
- Every tank has weaker rear armor. Circling a heavy with a medium is a real tactic, and a Jackson or an SU-85 sitting behind a Tiger beats it outright.
- Machine guns lose to flanks and grenades, never to a frontal charge. Send one squad wide while a second pins the gun from cover.
For more advanced strategies, see our tips & tricks guide.
More Company of Heroes 2 Guides
- Company of Heroes 2 Company of Heroes 2 Overview
- Company of Heroes 2 Best Builds
- Company of Heroes 2 Tier List
- Company of Heroes 2 Beginner's Guide
- Company of Heroes 2 Tips & Tricks
- Company of Heroes 2 Weapons Guide
- Company of Heroes 2 Combat Guide
- Company of Heroes 2 Boss Guide
- Company of Heroes 2 Maps & Locations
- Company of Heroes 2 Crafting Guide
- Company of Heroes 2 Classes & Characters
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