Character Skills - Company of Heroes 2

Character Skills – Company of Heroes 2

This guide covers every ability, skill, talent, and special move for all four playable factions in Company of Heroes 2. Company of Heroes 2 does not have individual hero characters; instead, 'character skills' refer to the unique abilities of units and commanders. Each faction has its own roster of units and a set of commander doctrines that grant active and passive abilities. Below, we break down every faction's core unit abilities and all commander abilities, including effects, cooldowns, upgrades, synergies, recommended builds, and optimal usage.

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1. Soviet Union

#### 1.1 Core Unit Abilities

##### Conscript Squad

Molotov Cocktail – Throws a molotov that ignites a small area, damaging infantry and forcing them out of cover. Cooldown: 90s. Upgrade: Can be upgraded to Moltov Cocktail Bundle (increases incendiary duration). Best used to flush enemy from green cover or buildings. Synergizes with Incendiary Barrage commander ability.

Build Sandbags – Constructs sandbag cover. No cooldown, costs 10 munitions. Essential for holding defensive positions.

Build Tank Traps – Creates a small anti-tank obstacle. Costs 20 munitions. Useful for chokepoints.

Molotov Cocktail – Same as Conscript but with higher damage per tick. Cooldown: 75s.

Cloak (Stalk) / Ambush – Allows the squad to go invisible while stationary. When they attack, they gain a damage boost for the first volley. Cooldown: 10s after decloak. Upgrade: SVT-40 rifles improve ambush effectiveness.

Satchel Charge – A large explosive placed on buildings or vehicles. Cooldown: 120s. Best used against garrisoned structures or heavy tanks.

SMG Upgrade (PPSh-41) – Replaces rifles with SMGs for close range. Cost: 60 munitions. Makes them deadly in urban fights.

Button Vehicle – Fires a focused volley that slows a vehicle for a short time. Cooldown: 60s. Often used to stop fleeing enemy vehicles or to pin recon tanks.

Thrown Grenade – Concussion grenade. Cooldown: 90s.

Cloak – Same as Penal Battalion.

Button Vehicle – Same as Guards.

Mine Cleaner – Activates a mine-sweeping effect, making the tank immune to mines but reducing speed slightly. Cooldown: 120s.

Self-Repair – Slowly repairs damage while stationary, costs munitions. Cooldown: 180s.

Smoke Barrage – Fires a smoke screen to block vision. Cooldown: 60s.

Commander: Counterattack Tactics

Mark Target (Active) – Designates an enemy vehicle to take 20% more damage from all sources for 30s. Cooldown: 90s. Best used on heavy tanks in combination with AT guns.

Defensive Tactics (Passive) – Infantry squads build faster and gain suppression resistance.

Support Barrage (Active) – Calls in a short artillery strike. Cooldown: 120s. Use to break up attacks.

For Mother Russia (Active) – All infantry gain +25% damage and -20% received suppression for 45s. Cooldown: 240s. Synergizes with mass infantry pushes.

Commander: Airborne Troops

IL-2 Loitering Attack (Active) – Two IL-2s strafe an area. Cooldown: 150s. Excellent against blobs.

Airborne Guards (Active) – Drops a squad of Guards with a light AT weapon. Cooldown: 180s. Great for harassment.

Passive abilities: +10% aircraft speed.

Commander: Armored Assault

Heavy Tank (Active) – Spawns a KV-1 or IS-2? Actually, Armored Assault unlocks KV-1. Cooldown: 240s.

Tank Riders (Active) – Infantry can ride on tanks. Cooldown: 60s.

Engineer Vehicle Repair – Tanks repair faster.

Commander: Urban Combat

Incendiary Barrage – Fires incendiary shells into an area, setting buildings on fire.

Close Assault – Infantry can ruthlessly clear buildings quickly.

Flame Tank – Unlocks the KV-8 flamethrower tank.

Mark Target

T-34/85s

IL-2 Loitering

Molotovs

2. Ostheer (German Army)

Grenade – Stick grenade good for killing infantry. Cooldown: 60s.

Build Sandbags – Similar to Soviet.

Blitzkrieg – Temporary speed and rate of fire increase. Cooldown: 90s. Upgrade via commanders.

Anti-Tank Grenade – Strong vs light vehicles. Cooldown: 90s.

Grenade – Same as above.

Panzerfaust – One-time use AT weapon that deals heavy damage but consumes the model. Cooldown: 120s. Best used to finish crippled tanks.

Build Fortifications – Can build bunkers, wiring, etc.

Flamethrower – Upgrade to clear buildings. Cost: 50 munitions.

##### Panzer IV Tank

Blitz – Increases speed and acceleration. Cooldown: 60s.

Smoke Screen – Deploys smoke. Cooldown: 90s.

Anti-Tank Shells – Upgraded AP rounds for better penetration. Cost: 40 munitions.

##### Panther Tank

Blitz – Same as above.

Overdrive – Temporary max speed but loses health if used too long. Cooldown: 120s.

Anti-Tank Shells – Upgrade.

##### StuG III Assault Gun

Mobile Camouflage – While stationary and in cover, becomes invisible. Cooldown: 10s after moving.

Purple Heart Lane – Actually StuG has Smoke and Blitz.

#### 2.2 Commander Abilities (Ostheer)

Commander: Close Air Support

Strafing Run – Ju-87 dive bombers strafe a line. Cooldown: 120s.

Supply Drop – Drops ammo or other supplies. Cooldown: 180s.

Bombing Run – Heavy bomb strike. Cooldown: 240s.

Commander: Mechanized Assault

Blitzkrieg (Active) – All vehicles gain speed and damage. Cooldown: 180s.

Emergency Repairs – Instantly repair a vehicle for small health. Cooldown: 90s.

Tiger Tank – Calls in a Tiger I. Cooldown: 360s.

Commander: Offensive Tactics

Tank Busters – Infantry get stronger AT grenades.

Incendiary Barrage – Howitzer fires incendiary shells.

Gas Attack – Debuffs enemy infantry in an area.

Commander: Defensive Doctrine

Bunker Buster – Upgrades bunkers with MGs.

Fortify – Faster build times.

Radio Silence – Temporarily halts enemy call-ins.

Use and combos: Ostheer relies on combined arms. Use Blitz on Panzer IV to chase down retreating infantry. Panzerfaust is critical for stopping Soviet armor rushes. Commander Mechanized Assault with Tiger is a common late-game finisher. Synergize Strafing Run with a push to break MG nests.

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3. US Forces

#### 3.1 Core Unit Abilities

##### Rifleman Squad

M1 Garand Grenade – Rifle grenade. Cooldown: 75s.

Build Sandbags – Standard.

Suppressive Fire – Upgrade to light machine gun. Cost: 40 munitions.

Smoke Grenade – Covers advance. Cooldown: 60s.

##### Rear Echelon Squad

Build Defenses – Can build tank traps and barbed wire.

Barbed Wire – Slows infantry.

Demolition Charge – Used to destroy buildings. Cooldown: 120s.

##### Command Squad (Lieutenant)

Artillery Flare – Marks area for off-map artillery. Cooldown: 90s.

Off-Map Mortar – Calls in mortar shells. Cooldown: 180s.

##### M4 Sherman Tank

Main Gun – Standard.

MG Upgrade – Improved coaxial machine gun. Cost: 30 munitions.

Smoke Canister – Fires smoke. Cooldown: 60s.

Sherman Bulldozer (commander) – Push obstacles.

##### M10 Wolverine Tank Destroyer

Ambush Camouflage – Stationary invisibility. Cooldown: 10s after move.

Overdrive – Speed boost. Cooldown: 90s.

##### M1 57mm Anti-Tank Gun

Camouflage – Stationary invisibility.

Takedown – Ability to instantly destroy a destroyed gun? Not really.

#### 3.2 Commander Abilities (US Forces)

Commander: Infantry Support

Suppressive Fire (Active) – Infantry MGs suppress faster. Cooldown: 60s.

Off-Map Howitzer – Call in 105mm shells. Cooldown: 180s.

Field Repairs – Engineer teams repair faster.

Automobile – Not relevant.

Commander: Armored Assault

Heavy Tank – Spawn M4A3E8 Sherman Easy Eight. Cooldown: 300s.

Tank Crew – If crew escape, can re-crew tanks.

Overwhelming Force – All vehicles do more ramming damage.

Commander: Airborne

Pathfinders – Drop sniper-like scouts. Cooldown: 180s.

Strafing Run – P-47 strafe. Cooldown: 120s.

Ammo Drops – Resupply infantry.

Ranger Squads – Elite infantry drop.

Use and combos: US relies on firepower and mobility. Use Smoke Grenade to cover riflemen advancing into MG fire. Artillery Flare plus Off-Map Howitzer devastates defenses. Sherman with MG upgrade is good against infantry; M10 Wolverine + Overdrive flanks armor. Commander Airborne provides strong early-game harassment with Pathfinders.

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4. British Forces

#### 4.1 Core Unit Abilities

##### Infantry Section

Rifle Grenade – Similar to US. Cooldown: 75s.

Build Sandbags – Standard.

Bren Gun – Upgrade to LMG. Cost: 50 munitions.

Smoke Grenade – Same.

##### Royal Engineers

Build Defenses – Can build trenches and sandbags.

Lay Mines – Anti-personnel or anti-tank mines. Cost: 30 munitions each.

Demolition Charge – Cooldown: 120s.

##### Universal Carrier

Transport – Can carry squads.

Vickers MG – Upgrade for better suppression.

Wheeled – Faster on roads.

##### Churchill Tank

Smoke Shells – Fires smoke. Cooldown: 60s.

Heavy Armor – Passive high armor.

Shell Shift – Faster turret rotation.

OFC (Oil Fire) – Actually Churchill has Oil Canister to leave a slick? Not standard. For the Churchill Crocodile variant: Flamethrower.

##### Centaur AA Tank

Anti-Air Mode – Tracks aircraft. Cooldown: 30s switch.

Bofors Burst – Rapid fire vs infantry.

##### 17-pounder Anti-Tank Gun

Camouflage – Stationary invisibility.

Ambush – Damage bonus on first shot from cloak.

#### 4.2 Commander Abilities (British Forces)

Commander: Royal Artillery

Concentrated Fire – Off-map heavy artillery. Cooldown: 240s.

Smoke Barrage – Smoke screen. Cooldown: 90s.

Artillery Observer – Passive faster call-in.

Commander: Commando Tactics

Commando Squad – Elite infantry drop. Cooldown: 240s.

Sabotage – Place demo charges on buildings. Cooldown: 120s.

Sten Gun Upgrade – SMGs for Commandos.

Commander: Tank Hunters

PIAT Upgrade – Infantry get better AT grenades.

Firefly Tank – Spawn a Sherman Firefly with 17-pounder. Cooldown: 360s.*

Vehicle Camouflage – Tanks get stationary cloak.

Commander: Fortress

Gun Emplacements – Build Bofors or 25-pounder defenses.

Recruitment Drive – Faster infantry reinforcement.

Churchill

Smoke Shells

17-pounder

Ambush

Concentrated Fire

5. General Strategies by Role

Infantry Support: Use smoke grenades, grenades, and suppression to take ground. Soviet Conscripts with Molotovs, US Riflemen with Smoke, British with Bren LMG.

Tank Destroyer: Ambush, camouflage, and anti-tank grenades. German Panzergrenadier Panzerfaust, US M10, British Firefly.

Artillery: Call-in barrages from commanders. Soviet Airborne, US Infantry Support, British Royal Artillery.

Base Defense: Build bunkers (Ostheer), trenches (British), sandbags (all). Combine with upgraded MGs.

6. Synergy Table

Faction	Infantry Synergy	Armor Synergy	Commander Pairing
Soviet	Conscripts + Penal	T-34/85 + Commissar	Counterattack
Ostheer	Grenadiers + Panzergrenadier	Panther + Tiger	Mechanized Assault
US	Riflemen + Command Squad	Sherman + M10	Airborne
British	Infantry Section + Royal Engineers	Churchill + Firefly	Royal Artillery

7. When to Use Each Skill – Quick Reference

Molotov/Smoke: Use to flush enemies from buildings or cover before assaulting.

Blitz/Overdrive: Activate when chasing down retreating units or escaping an unfavorable engagement.

Panzerfaust: Save for when a tank is about to escape or when you need a quick AT punch.

Mark Target/Loitering Attack: Use on high-value targets like Tiger or Panther.

Artillery strikes: Use to break static defenses or punish enemy concentrations.

Camouflage/Ambush: Position ambush units defensively; use when you have time to set up.

8. Recommended Builds

Soviet Urban Combat: Conscript spam with flame KV-8 and Incendiary Barrage.

Ostheer Mechanized: Early PzGrens, rush Panzer IV, then Tiger.

US Airborne: Pathfinders for vision, then Riflemen with BARs, finish with Easy Eight.

British Fortress: Build emplacements, support with Churchills, and use Royal Engineers for mines.

This guide covers every unit and commander ability in Company of Heroes 2. Adapt your strategy based on the enemy faction and map. Experiment with different doctrines to find your playstyle.