Blizzards are one of the most highlighted features in
Company of Heroes 2. How exactly do they affect your troops? Are blizzards a bad thing? For veteran and new
Company of Heroes players alike, the new dynamic weather system can be a difficult obstacle to overcome. In this tip of the week, we'll focus on blizzard effects and how to prevent them from tormenting your operations.
Simply put, blizzards can take down an entire infantry squad if left unattended. Blizzards magnify the cold temperature modifiers while severely limiting visibility. Strong winds bring movement down to a crawl. Snow accumulates, providing patches of deep snow throughout any given map. Deep snow also slows down the movement speeds of all units to some degree.
Achtung! Blizzard conditions imminent!
Don't be so focused on your game that you miss the blizzard notification. The game provides both dialogue and a text pop-up as indicators.
Essence 3.0's dynamic weather system can drastically change the outcome of a game if players are unable to remain flexible and attentive. Missing the blizzard notification can be the difference between either winning or losing a match. But how can a player keep the match in balance with these adverse conditions?
Below are a few simple ways to keep your troops safe and warm during a blizzard:
- All intact buildings provide shelter from small arms fire as well as the harsh conditions.
- Placing your troops in cover brings freezing to a halt.
- Most capture points have a fire pit already constructed. These are revealed as the fog of war is lifted.
- Engineers can build fire pits to keep troops outside warm. Fire pits cost only 100 manpower and take a few seconds to build.
- You can monitor your squad's status by checking the squad's thermometer, when active. Blue indicates declining body temperature and a skull indicates the potential for a squad member to die from hypothermia.
It's important to remember that fire pits can be destroyed by heavy firearms such as anti-tank guns and mortars. Fire pits also have an area of effectiveness that can be seen by clicking on the item in-game. This radius is reduced during blizzard conditions. Similar to the blizzard indicator, you will also receive dialogue and text pop-ups for troops suffering from the harsh environment.
Waypoints, waypoints, waypoints!
When moving through a blizzard, setting specific movement waypoints can be the difference between success or failure. Queue up movement orders by holding left shift and sequentially right clicking anywhere on the map. Troops will move to their positions in the order you specify.
Although blizzards can be detrimental to your strategy, they can also be beneficial. The reduced visibility and movement can allow for unexpected offensive manoeuvres. Troops also receive extra time for capturing a point due to a player's reaction being hampered by blizzard modifiers. As of this tip's posting, fire pits cannot be built during blizzards. Make sure to plan accordingly on winter maps if you wish to conduct a surprise attack during a blizzard.
Have any comments, questions, or feedback? Do you have an additional tip for players struggling with blizzards? Be sure to join the discussion now!
