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.
Your choice of equipment defines your damage output and playstyle. This guide ranks every major option, explains what makes each one strong, and tells you which builds they pair best with.
Equipment Rankings
| Equipment | Tier | Best For | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| Conscripts | S | Early map control and absorbing losses | The Soviet six man line squad, cheap to build and cheap to reinforce, with Molotovs and anti-tank grenades unlocked from a tier upgrade. |
| MG42 heavy machine gun team | A | Locking a chokepoint or a road against infantry | The Wehrmacht heavy machine gun, with a wide arc, long suppression range and a slow setup time. |
| Panzer IV | A | Mid game pushes against infantry lines | The Wehrmacht workhorse medium tank, strong against infantry and adequate against light armor. |
| M36 Jackson tank destroyer | B | Killing Panthers, Tigers and King Tigers at range | The US answer to heavy German armor, with long range and high penetration but paper thin armor of its own. |
| Churchill infantry tank | B | Leading a slow push into a defended position | The British heavy with enormous frontal armor and an unremarkable gun. |
S-Tier: Conscripts
The Soviet six man line squad, cheap to build and cheap to reinforce, with Molotovs and anti-tank grenades unlocked from a tier upgrade. Individually weak, which is the entire design.
| Attribute | Detail |
|---|---|
| Tier | S |
| Best For | Early map control and absorbing losses |
| Key Mechanic | TrueSight line of sight |
| Recommended Build | Soviet Red Army |
How to get it: Available from mid-game onward. See our walkthrough for the exact progression point.
Best builds using Conscripts: Pairs naturally with Soviet Red Army thanks to how their stat scaling lines up.
A-Tier: MG42 heavy machine gun team
The Wehrmacht heavy machine gun, with a wide arc, long suppression range and a slow setup time. It shuts down a frontal infantry push and folds instantly to a flank.
| Attribute | Detail |
|---|---|
| Tier | A |
| Best For | Locking a chokepoint or a road against infantry |
| Key Mechanic | Three tier cover system |
| Recommended Build | Wehrmacht Ostheer |
How to get it: Accessible in the early-to-mid game. Check our maps guide for the location.
Best builds using MG42 heavy machine gun team: Pairs naturally with Wehrmacht Ostheer thanks to how their stat scaling lines up.
A-Tier: Panzer IV
The Wehrmacht workhorse medium tank, strong against infantry and adequate against light armor. It loses to dedicated tank destroyers, so it wants infantry and an anti-tank gun escorting it.
| Attribute | Detail |
|---|---|
| Tier | A |
| Best For | Mid game pushes against infantry lines |
| Key Mechanic | Commander loadout of three doctrines |
| Recommended Build | US Forces |
How to get it: Accessible in the early-to-mid game. Check our maps guide for the location.
Best builds using Panzer IV: Pairs naturally with US Forces thanks to how their stat scaling lines up.
B-Tier: M36 Jackson tank destroyer
The US answer to heavy German armor, with long range and high penetration but paper thin armor of its own. A single stray mortar round hurts it badly.
| Attribute | Detail |
|---|---|
| Tier | B |
| Best For | Killing Panthers, Tigers and King Tigers at range |
| Key Mechanic | Squad retreat, reinforcement and veterancy |
| Recommended Build | Oberkommando West |
How to get it: Found in later areas. Our walkthrough covers when you can access this.
Best builds using M36 Jackson tank destroyer: Pairs naturally with Oberkommando West thanks to how their stat scaling lines up.
B-Tier: Churchill infantry tank
The British heavy with enormous frontal armor and an unremarkable gun. It exists to absorb anti-tank fire while your Infantry Sections advance behind it.
| Attribute | Detail |
|---|---|
| Tier | B |
| Best For | Leading a slow push into a defended position |
| Key Mechanic | ColdTech weather on winter maps |
| Recommended Build | British Forces |
How to get it: Found in later areas. Our walkthrough covers when you can access this.
Best builds using Churchill infantry tank: Pairs naturally with British Forces thanks to how their stat scaling lines up.
Equipment Progression Path
The order you should acquire equipment as you progress:
- Starting gear → Enough to clear Langreskaya
- MG42 heavy machine gun team → Your first real upgrade, available early
- Panzer IV → Mid-game upgrade with good scaling
- Conscripts → Best-in-slot, aim for this by late game
- Upgrade to max → The power spike from max upgrades is enormous
Equipment Tips
- Always upgrade your primary equipment before diversifying. One strong option beats three mediocre ones.
- Match your equipment to your build's stat priorities for maximum scaling.
- 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.
- Check our tier list for how equipment rankings affect overall build effectiveness.
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 Walkthrough
- Company of Heroes 2 Beginner's Guide
- Company of Heroes 2 Tips & Tricks
- 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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