The team at Relic is very appreciative of all your feedback and support so far, and we hope you’re enjoying Company of Heroes 3! We’ve made the following balance changes in multiplayer and co-op. Some of these changes are in response to what we’ve been seeing, and some changes were long planned.
We’re aware that several issues are impacting multiplayer right now. We’ve implemented the following changes to address many of them and will continue to monitor and adjust balance as need be in the future. This patch may not address all balance concerns right now, as we want to make incremental changes and assess their impact. We’re currently testing and experimenting with changes for outstanding issues.
Our top priorities currently are to address exploits and reduce the power of certain strategies.
General
- Renamed the difficulty settings to make them more consistent and user-friendly.
- Campaign AI should venture into the player's territory to capture points or attack the player's companies more. An upcoming change is planned to improve the AI's aggression in the campaign.
Multiplayer Changes
EDIT: Our team is aware that some of the changes listed below were not implemented, or were not implemented as intended. We apologize for the inconvenience and hope to correct any oversights in the coming days. Enjoy the sneak peek of upcoming changes!
Universal Changes
Emplacements
- All emplacements now take damage when they are de-crewed
- Emplacements can be instantly destroyed if they are too low health when de-crewed
- Emplacements recrew at the same health as the neutral emplacement (no longer healing to full)
- Repairing damaged emplacements while crewed also repairs the underlying emplacement
Light Indirect-Fire - Mortars
- Recharge time from 15 to 30 seconds (known issue: smoke barrage unaffected)
- Mortar damage against emplacements doubled
Medium Indirect-Fire - Pack Howitzer, LeIG, Heavy Mortar
Medium Indirect-Fire has been reworked to be better against static defenses, more accurate and have higher area of effect against infantry.
- Recharge time from 15 to 30 seconds
- Crew size from 4 to 5
- Medium Indirect-fire damage increased against bunkers and emplacements
- Barrage and auto-fire accuracy increased
- Barrage and auto-fire fire more rapidly
Smoke
- Smoke duration from 40 to 30
Heavy Machine Guns
- All HMGs have had their suppression and area suppression increased by roughly 10-15%
Factions
US Forces
We’ve noted that the US Forces are struggling in all modes, particularly in larger team games. These targeted fixes are to address certain units that were underpowered within the roster, reducing tech cost and making the faction more competitive in the mid game where it was faltering. More changes are coming to address some outstanding issues facing the US Forces.
- Weapon Support Center manpower decreased cost from 160 to 120
- Motor Pool fuel cost decreased from 55 to 45
US Forces Units
Riflemen
- Riflemen health per model increased from 95 to 100
Bazooka Team
- Bazooka Team manpower cost from 300 to 250
M1 81mm Mortar
- Veteran airburst and Delayed Fuse barrage ability recharge times from 45 to 30 seconds
- Airburst and Delayed Fuse barrage costs from 35 to 20
- Delayed Fuse is more accurate and has higher Area of Effect
- Airburst area of effect damage has been adjusted
Sniper
- Sniper aim-time decreased from 2 to 1.5 seconds
M3 75mm Gun Motor Carriage
- Long-range accuracy against vehicles increased by 20%
M8 Greyhound
- Reload time between shots increased from 3.325 to 4.2 seconds
M24 Chaffee
- Long-range accuracy against vehicles increased by 20%
M18 Hellcat
- Reload time between shots from 6/6.5 to 4.75/5.25 seconds
M29 Weasel Reconnaissance Vehicle
- Mortar and Machine Gun weapon drop ability cost increased from 50 to 75
- Mortar and Machine Gun weapon drops now have a recharge time of 60 seconds
Sherman Whizbang
- Rocket barrage recharge times reduced from 120 seconds to 90 seconds
- Rocket area of effect damage distance from 0.75/1.25/5 to 0.75/1.5/7
- Rocket angle scatter from 12 to 11
- Rocket scatter max from 11 to 9
US Forces Battlegroups
Airborne Battlegroup
Paratroopers
-
Bazooka cost from 90 munitions to 75 munitions
HMG and M1 57mm Paradrop Abilities
-
Paradropped HMG cost from 300 to 250 -
Paradropped Anti-Tank Gun cost 330 from 250
Carpet Bombing Run
-
Cost from 200 munitions to 180 munitions
Special Operations Battlegroup
Smokescreen
-
Cost from 50 munitions to 40 munitions
Mark Target
-
Cost from 60 munitions to 50 munitions
Resupply Operation
-
Cost from 120 munitions to 180 munitions
British Forces
While doing better than the US Forces, the British Forces also struggles across modes and has more recently been heavily relying on Boys Antitank Rifles to keep up. We’re toning down the power of these weapons while bringing up to par many units in the roster that were under performing for their costs. Battlegroup units have received some love and will give Infantry Sections more competition.
- Team Weapon Training and Light Vehicle Training costs decreased from 200 manpower and 30 fuel to 150 manpower and 20 fuel
British Forces Units
Infantry Section
- Bug: Boys AT Rifles are performing significantly worse than the intended nerf below.
-
Bren Gun long-range accuracy increased by 15% - Boys AT Rifle damage against buildings reduced by 50%
- Boys AT Rifle damage against cover objects reduced by 75%
- Boys AT Rifle AOE damage removed
- Boys AT Rifle no longer gains small-arms accuracy bonus against Team Weapons
Foot Guards
- Manpower cost fixed/increased from 399 to 400
- Submachine gun lethality increased by 25% at short range
Commando LMG Section
- Manpower cost increased from 320 to 350
- Now significantly more lethal at all ranges
Commando Section
- Lethality increased by 25% at short-range
Indian Artillery Gurhkas
- Bren Gun lethality increased by 15% at long-range
- Thompsons lethality increased by 25% at short range
CMP 15cwt Truck
- Cost decreased from 260 manpower and 25 fuel to 240 manpower and 20 fuel
- Mobility increased
-
Polsten AA Gun cost from 90 to 60 munitions.Polsten cost is 75. - Polsten AA damage reduced
- Polsten range from 40 to 45
Heavy Mortar
- Weapon traverse speed from 25 to 40
- Barrage range from 120 to 150
Humber
- Manpower cost from 260 to 240
- Received weapon overhaul and is significantly more lethal against infantry.
- Mark Area ability cost removed.
- Mark Area can now be used in the Fog of War
- Smoke Launchers range decreased from 65 to 45
M3 Stuart
- Unlock cost decreased from 150/40 to
100/25100/30 - Fuel cost decreased from 45 to 35
- Reload time between shots from 4.5/5.5 to 3.5/4 seconds.
- Cannon penetration from 65/50/40 to 120/100/80
- Commander aura bonus from 20% to 10%
- Smoke Canister ability cost removed. Smoke recharge time to 120.
Bishop
- Unlock cost decreased from 125 manpower and 25 fuel to 100 manpower and 25 fuel.
- Barrage recharge time from 60 to 30
- Direct Shot is now able to target all enemy and neutral units
Matilda
- Armor increased from 260/150/100 to 300/200/100
Grant
- Steady Assault speed and rotation rate penalty reduced from 50% to 25%.
AA Crusader
- Fuel cost from 50 to 70
- Accuracy increased by roughly 50% across all ranges
- Area of Effect increased and damage increased
- Weapon Penetration to 40/35/25
Churchill Black Prince
- Armor from 300/220/150 to 340/240/150
- Speed from 3.8 to 3
- Damage from 160 to 240
- Range from 45 to 40
- Reload from 4.75/5 to 6
- Area of Effect radius from 0.5 to 3.25
- Area of Effect damage increased
- Penetration from 300/250/220 to 300/275/240
Wehrmacht
We’re toning down parts of the Wehrmacht’s mid and late game power. We will be making further changes to Emplacements in the next hot fix.
Wehrmacht Units
Panzer Kompanie
- Panzer Kompanie manpower cost from 200 to 300
Concrete Bunkers
- Health decreased from 960 to 720
- Armor decreased from 40 to 35
Kettenkrad
- Communication cables upgrade cost increased from 25 munitions to 35 munitions
Nebelwerfer
- Barrage recharge time from 90 to 70 seconds
- Fires more rapidly
- Incendiary Rocket area of effect far damage from 0.2 to 0.25
- Incendiary Rocket area of effect distance from 0/1/3 to 0/1.5/5
- Incendiary Rocket scatter max from 12 to 10
- More accurate firing into fog of war
Wirbelwind
- Accuracy decreased from 30% at long-range; 15% at short-range
- Area of Effect damage reduced by 10%
- Long-range cooldown between burst increased by 50%
Panzer IV
- Cost increased from 430 manpower and 90 fuel to 440 manpower and 100 fuel
- Population cost from 12 to 14
Wehrmacht Battlegroups
Luftwaffe Battlegroup
2cm FlaK 38 Emplacement
- Now requires either Luftwaffe Kompanie, Panzergrenadier Kompanie, or Panzer Kompanie.
- Cost increased from 200 manpower and 25 fuel to 250 manpower and 35 fuel
88cm FlaK 36 Emplacement
- Cost from 310 manpower and 40 fuel to 380 manpower and 45 fuel
- Time to Construct increased from 30 to 40 seconds
Luftwaffe Combat Group
- Cost increased from 3 to 4 ◆ Command Points
Luftwaffe Infantry Reserves
- Cost increased from 3 to 4 ◆ Command Points
Deutsches Afrikakorps
The Afrikakorps has arrived with great fury and is steamrolling the competition. They’re a bit overtuned across the board, and we’re taking steps to reduce their power in the early and late game.
Fire Support Elements
- Cost from 125 manpower and 35 fuel to 150 manpower and 45 fuel
Support Armor Elements
- Manpower cost from 125 to 100
Afrikakorps Unit Changes
Panzergrenadier
- MG 34 Light Machine Gun long-range lethality decreased by 15%
Assault Grenadiers
- Lethality increased by 25% at short range
Panzerjager Squad
- Squad size from 5 to 4
- Panzerbuchse 39 AT Rifle decreased rate of fire at long-range
-
MG 34 Light Machine Gun can no longer fire on the move
Kradschutzen Motorcycle
- Build time from 20 seconds to 35 seconds
250 Light Carrier
- Manpower cost from 260 to 280
- Lethality decreased by 25% at short range
- Lethality decreased by 50% at long-range
2.5 Tonne Medical Truck
- Manpower cost from 150 to 200
Flakvierling Half-track
- Cost from 260 manpower and 35 fuel to 280 manpower and 40 fuel
Recovery Half-track
- Cost from to 280 manpower and 30 fuel to 250 manpower and 40 fuel
Walking Stuka Rocket Half-track
- Area of Effect damage from 1/0.175/0.075 to 1/0.2/0.1
- Scatter max from 20 to 15
Guastatori
- Manpower cost from 400 to 440
- Flamethrower cost from 80 to 90
- Armor from 1.5 to 1.25
Afrikakorps Battlegroups
Italian Combined Arms Battlegroup
Bersaglieri Bolster
- Cost decreased from 2 to 1 ◆Command Points
Breda Model 30 Light Machine Guns
- Cost from 2 to 3 ◆Command Points
Carro Armato M13/40 Light Tank
- Cost decreased from 2 to 1 ◆Command Points
Pact of Steel
- Cost decreased from 3 to 1 ◆Command Points
Bug Fixes
- British Rifle Grenades now have a minimum range of 15
- Medical CMP 15cwt Trucks and Medical Half-tracks can now tow team weapons
- 250 Light Carrier can now tow 88mm Flak 36 Anti-Tank Guns
- Fixed an issue where the Sherman Whizbang rockets area of effect could miss targets
- Fixed an issue where the British Mortar had less range than other mortars