Company of Heroes 2: German Army Overview and Strategy

Welcome to the Wehrmacht!  Today you will learn the strengths and the weaknesses of the German Army.

Pros:

• Pound for pound, better than the Russian army in almost every unit type.
• Most specialized units are arguably better than the Russian equivalent (MGs, mortars, snipers, tanks, etc.)
• Very durable infantry and armor.
• Units all deal more damage than the Russian counterparts.
• Grenadiers and Panzergrenadiers maintain their effectiveness through to the end of the game.

Cons:

• In general, a very slow-moving army.
• Expensive units.
• Slow-building units.
• Small squad sizes makes capturing armor and weapons difficult.
• Bad at capturing points quickly due to an overall smaller and slower army.
• Generally have fewer options of units to pick from at every tech level compared to the Russians, resulting in less versatility.

Overview
The Wehrmacht are a slow but powerful army.  On defense, they favor suppression and forcing battles into choke points.  On offense, they attack slowly but methodically, using superior firepower to punch holes through enemy lines.  They're the right faction for people who like being dominating when winning and are okay with struggling when trying to come back.



Offense
In the early game, the Wehrmacht have a strong advantage in MG42 teams and Grenadiers.  MG42 teams suppress very quickly and have a very wide cone of fire compared to the Russian MGs.  Offensive actions tend to revolve around supporting a single MG in an advance, using other troops to find the enemy and the MG42 to suppress them.

Grenadiers are much better than Conscripts as long as they aren't forced into close range, and can be upgraded with an LMG to deal more damage and act as light suppression.  Rifle grenades can be good in a pinch when you need to force an enemy out of a building or help win an even fight with some conscripts.

Once you progress into the mid game, it'll all be about reading your opponent and having the right units in place.

Company of Heroes 2: German Unit Tactics and Overview

Kampfgruppe Headquarters (Phase 1 = 200 MP, 25 fuel. Phase 2 = 200 MP, 35 fuel. Phase 3 = 200 MP, 50 fuel)

• Pioneers (200 MP, 5 supply)
• A four-man squad armed with submachine guns.  Not ideal for combat but often gets forced into it.  Their SMGs make them more dangerous at close range, but not by much.  When upgraded with a flamer they become a serious anti-infantry threat.
• Upgrades:
• Flammenwerfer 35 (60 munitions)
• This upgrades a single man with a flamethrower. Effective against infantry, very effective against infantry in cover or in buildings.
• Hazard Removal Package (30 munitions)
• Upgrades a single man with the ability to cut Barbed Wire and a passive ability to detect mines.
• Abilities:
• Build Production Buildings (all 4 unit buildings plus the Munitions and Fuel Caches)
• Field Defenses
• Bunker (150 MP)
• Can be upgraded to have a machine gun emplacement, first aid station or reinforcement point.
• Razor Wire (prevents infantry movement)
• Teller Anti-Tank Mines (60 munitions)
• S-Mine Anti-Personnel field (80 munitions)
• Fire Pit (50 MP, keeps infantry warm)
• Repair
• Field First Aid (30 munitions., requires Veteran)
• Heals the target squad (cannot be used on yourself).

Infanterie Kompanie (80 MP, 10 fuel)

• Grenadiers (240 MP, 6 supply)
• The Swiss army knife of the German army.  Used to capture points, cover flanks, attack positions and generally serve as front-line troops.
• Easily loses to specialized advanced Soviet infantry.  For example, they will lose a ranged battle against Guards, or a close-ranged fight against the Shock troops.  Focus on using combined arms with HMGs to support your grenadiers, or have good cover and maybe your own LMG upgrade to even the odds.  Rifle Grenades can also be used to soften the enemy.
• Upgrades:
• MG42 LMG (60 munitions)
• This gives them good long-distance anti-infantry firepower and limited suppression (not as good as the HMG team).  Cannot be used while moving.
• Abilities:
• Field Defenses
• Construct Bunker (150 MP, see Pioneer entry for more details)
• Fire Pit (50 MP)
• Fire Panzerfaust (25 munitions)
• Fires a short-range anti-tank rocket at the selected vehicle.  It's a homing missile and has excellent accuracy.  A couple of these will destroy light vehicles, but tanks can take 4+ depending on which side you hit them.
• Rifle Grenade Shot (20 munitions)
• After a short delay, fires an arcing rifle grenade to the targeted area.  Good range, but there's a minimum distance it can be used.
• Awful against infantry on the move because of the delay.
• Low damage but good area of effect means it's decent against low health infantry (like Conscripts) but poor against more elite squads.
• In a pitched battle, try to use it early.  The sooner you kill of enemy squad members, the less damage they'll do.
• Field First Aid (30 munitions, requires Veteran)
• MG42 Heavy Machine Gun Team (240 MP, 6 supply)
• Extremely effective against infantry, doing good damage and great suppression.  Also has excellent range.
• Basically unapproachable from the front, requiring flanking or armor to flush once they're set up.
• Their slow movement and long deploy and undeploy times can be a huge liability if they're caught off guard.
• Three-man team is vulnerable to snipers or surprise ambushes, and you can lose the gun to the enemy very easily.
• Abilities:
• Fire Incendiary Armor Piercing Rounds (15 munitions, requires Veteran)
• Fires AP rounds for a short time useful against lightly armored vehicles.
• GrW 34 Mortar Team (240 MP, 6 supply)
• Fantastic range combined with excellent damage makes the mortar team great against stationary infantry, whether they're in cover, in a building, or just standing still.
• Three-man team is vulnerable to snipers and surprise ambushes, causing you to lose the mortar to the enemy.
• Abilities:
• Hold Fire
• Mortar Barrage
• Use this when you have the advantage of surprise, or if the enemy cannot move away from your fire (for example, in a building or being suppressed).
• Smoke Barrage
• Used to block line of sight for your troops to advance or retreat.
• Counter Barrage
• Automatically targets enemy artillery that fires in range of this mortar team.
• Sniper (360 MP, 6 supply)

Leichte Mechanized Kompanie (120 MP, 15 fuel)

• Panzergrenadiers (360 MP, 9 supply)
• Elite close-range combat infantry.
• Their SMGs make them good combatants on the move and at close range, but significantly less effective at distance.
• Good health per man makes them able to cross the distance against standard rifle infantry to bring their SMGs or grenades to bear.
• Four-man team makes them vulnerable to sniping.
• Upgrades:
• 2x Panzerschrek (120 munitions)
• A very expensive upgrade but well worth it if you need it.  Two of the squad members get Panzerschreks, aka rocket launchers.  While not bad against infantry, their primary purpose is to destroy enemy vehicles.  Excellent against light vehicles and good against tanks, this is likely your quickest access to anti-tank weaponry.
• Cannot be used on the move.
• Note that this makes the squad much less effective against infantry.
• Abilities:
• Bundled Model 24 Grenade (45 munitions)
• Now this is a grenade.  Devastating against infantry and not bad against light vehicles.
• Will typically kill any infantry within range of the grenade, even elite infantry.
• Field First Aid (30 munitions)
• SdKfz 251 Halftrack (120 MP, 30 fuel, 3 supply)
• Excellent support transport unit.  Can move up to two squads quickly and safely across the battlefield.  Vehicle-mounted front-facing MG provides decent anti-infantry damage.
• Most important of all, infantry squads can reinforce directly from the halftrack.  This is huge.  It will easily allow you to win distance battles if you have a halftrack reinforcing.
• Upgrades:
• Flame Projectors (120 munitions)
• Arms the halftrack with two flamethrowers.  Excellent against infantry and structures.  Especially good against infantry in cover or in buildings.
• Prevents the halftrack from carrying troops.  Can still reinforce from it.
• SdKfz 221 Scout Car (80 MP, 25 fuel, 3 supply)
• Lightly-armored, fast-moving car that can provide decent anti-infantry support and flanking power.
• Excellent line of sight makes it a good pair with long-range weapon teams such as MG42s, snipers, mortars and AT guns.
• Can be upgraded to become an early light vehicle counter.
• Very fragile and can be killed with small arms alone.  Watch out for conscripts with AT grenades killing your upgraded car, costing you a considerable amount of munitions.
• Upgrades:
• KwK 2cm Autocannon (70 munitions)
• Improves firepower against infantry, light vehicles and aircraft.
• Especially notable for doing good damage against light vehicles, allowing you to take them down in a couple volleys.
• Abilities:
• Infantry Awareness (10 munitions, requires Veteran)
• Reveals enemy infantry even through the fog of war.
• Cheap cost and excellent range make it very useful.  The only problem is keeping a scout car alive long enough to get to Veteran.

Support Armor Korps (160 MP, 25 fuel)

• StuG III Ausf. G Assault Gun (200 MP, 50 fuel, 5 supply)
• A workhorse tank with no bells and whistles.  Has a fixed anti-vehicle gun mounted to the front which cannot rotate (the whole vehicle must turn).
• Essentially use as a more mobile, armored AT gun.  Poor rotation and movement speed means it's easily flanked, but it has good frontal armor and decent range, accuracy and damage.
• Easily destroys light vehicles that stick around.  Can do good damage against real tanks, but struggles to finish them off due to only average penetration.
• Provides early mobile anti-tank defense, especially if the enemy lacks anti-tank weapons of their own.  Should not be relied on as the game progresses due to the lack of good penetration and mobility issues.
• Upgrades:
• Pintle-mounted MG42 machine gun (30 munitions)
• Provides decent anti-infantry and AA firepower.
• Good upgrade if you fight extended battles with infantry in range of the tank.
• Abilities:
• Target Weak Point (35 munitions, requires Veteran)
• Stuns the enemy crew.
• Flakpanzer IV Ostwind (400 MP, 100 fuel, 10 supply)
• Very effective anti-infantry and anti-aircraft light tank.  Fires quickly with good splash that can shred lightly-armored targets, be they infantry or light vehicles.
• Fast movement and quick-rotating turret make it a deadly flanker and counter-attacker.
• Good range allows it to kite enemy infantry with anti-tank weapons.
• Light armor means that it dies quickly to any serious anti-tank weaponry.  Should be kept away from tanks at all costs.
• Arguably the best anti-infantry vehicle in the game, but the high fuel cost means that you likely have to find a manpower-intensive anti-tank solution such as AT guns if you get a Flakpanzer.
• Abilities:
• Blitzkrieg Tactics (30 munitions, requires Veteran)
• Improves vehicle speed, also making it more difficult to hit.
• Panzer IV Medium Tank (480 MP, 120 fuel, 12 supply)
• The tank equivalent to the versatility of grenadiers.  Good anti-infantry and anti-tank damage combined with above-average mobility.
• Decent armor means that it can shrug off light vehicle cannon fire or AT grenades, but takes a hit from medium or stronger tank fire and AT guns.
• Surprisingly fast with a decently-quick tracking turret enables it to flank and counter flank.
• Due to its less-than-stellar armor combined with its cost, a lucky damaged engine on a P4 can cost you the game.  Losing a Stug is no problem, and an immobilized Panther can keep fighting until the end of time.  But a P4 is in a tricky spot in the middle where it's expensive enough that losing it can be a near fatal blow, but not tough enough to sit out a fight pinned down.
• While it's an excellent mid-game tank, be careful not to overbuild.  In the late game it's overshadowed by stronger Russian tanks.
• Upgrades:
• Pintle-mounted MG42 machine gun (30 munitions)
• Provides decent anti-infantry and AA firepower.
• Good upgrade if you fight extended battles with infantry in range of the tank.
• Abilities:
• Blitzkrieg Tactics (30 munitions, requires Veteran)
• Improves vehicle speed, also making it more difficult to hit.

Heavy Panzer Korps (160 MP, 30 fuel)

• Panzerwerfer 42 Multiple Rocket Launcher (360 MP, 85 fuel, 9 supply)
• A halftrack that's been modified to fire rockets.
• Free artillery barrage that's excellent against infantry, does moderate damage to light vehicles and structures, but is useless against armored targets.
• Sturmpanzer IV Assault Gun (520 MP, 140 fuel, 13 supply)
• Panther V Medium Tank (560 MP, 150 fuel, 14 supply)
• Only the Germans would call the Panther a medium tank.  Excels at destroying enemy tanks.
• Good range.
• Amazing frontal armor and overall health.  Requires a very substantial dedication of AT firepower to destroy.
• Can face off against an AT gun and win by destroying the AT gun.
• Very limited anti-infantry firepower.
• Upgrades:
• Pintle-mounted MG42 machine gun (30 munitions)
• Provides decent anti-infantry and AA firepower.
• Good upgrade if you fight extended battles with infantry in range of the tank.
• Abilities:
• Blitzkrieg Tactics (30 munitions, requires Veteran)
• Improves vehicle speed, also making it more difficult to hit.

[TIPS] Bioshock: Infinite Stuck in Battleship Bay?

This is where you first end up landing after falling out of the tower.  If you try to leave the area, a photographer is taking a picture with a group blocking the stairs out.  You need to find Elizabeth first before continuing.  She is on a pier leading out into the water on your right, dancing in a crowd of people.

[TIPS] Bioshock: Infinite air shotgun carnival tips

There really is no tip here (I know, what a ripoff, right?).  The game is very random- there are times when it's IMPOSSIBLE to hit 20 targets in the time limit because there simply are not enough.  Just try again!

[GUIDE]The plot of Bioshock: Infinite, simplified

Confused about the ending?  Having trouble understanding the plot and the wiki isn't helping?

Here's the plot of Bioshock: Infinite, done in chronological order (which is NOT the same as the order in the game).

Obviously, there are MASSIVE spoilers coming.  I'm intentionally leaving out minor plot points that aren't super important to the story, which is complicated enough.

In the beginning...
Booker DeWitt was born in 1874, and served as a soldier in the US Army at the massacre of Indians at the Battle of Wounded Knee.

Upset about the massacre, he attended a river baptism by a Preacher Witting.

At this point, realities start diverging.

In one reality, he accepts the baptism, and is reborn as Zachary Hale Comstock.

In another reality, he rejects it and walks away.  This is where the main character's Booker DeWitt comes from.

A bunch of stuff that happens after the baptism:
In the Zachary Hale Comstock reality (who keep in mind is still the same man as DeWitt), he becomes an extremely religious man and acquires wealth and power as an influential preacher.  Comstock also marries a woman later known as Lady Comstock.

Comstock meets a woman, Rosalind Lutece, who is an incredibly brilliant quantum physicist.  Through her research she discoveries alternate realities, and specifically one where a Robert Lutece exists.  Robert is the male version of her in another dimension, doing the exact same experiment.  Comstock funds Rosalind's research (believing them to be able to predict the future) to build a dimensional travel device.  Rosalind manages to bring Robert into her dimension permanently with it.

Comstock starts using the dimensional travel device to see into other worlds, which is where he sees the floating city (what would eventually become Columbia).  However, use of the device has serious physical consequences, and Comstock begins aging rapidly and becomes sterile.  He sees that his utopia will fall apart without an heir, so he discusses with the Lutece twins how to take an heir of his from another dimension.


In the Booker DeWitt reality, he marries a woman and has a baby, Anna.  The wife dies during childbirth, and Booker sinks into alcoholism and gambling.  In 1893, he meets the Lutece twins and Comstock who offers to wipe away all of his gambling debt in exchange for Anna (see above).  He agrees, then reconsiders shortly after and chases after them.  He spots them escaping through the portal and grabs onto Anna, but loses her as she falls through.  Her hand was outstretched to him as the portal closed and the portal cuts off part of her pinky and leaves it in Booker's dimension.

DeWitt, depressed about losing his daughter, brands her initials onto his right hand (Anna DeWitt).  He further slips into alcoholism and gambling.

Stuff that happens close to the beginning of the game:
Comstock's wife resents Anna, now renamed Elizabeth, who she believes is the product of an affair of Comstock's even though she publicly claims its hers.  LC even has Elizabeth locked up in a tower on her own.  Lady Comstock confronts Rosalind who she thinks is the real mother.  Rosalind explains the truth, and LC decides she has to tell the public.  Comstock has her killed and frames Daisy Fitzroy, his servant, of the crime.

The Lutece twins see Comstock's rapidly crazier society and the murder as a mistake that they have created.  They attempt to fix this by bringing Elizabeth back into her original dimension and returning her to Booker DeWitt.  Comstock has the dimensional travel machine sabotaged as they go through it, which has the exact opposite of the intended effect.  Instead of killing them, it now allows them to travel across all of the realities.


On the DeWitt side, nothing really happens to DeWitt.  He's a boring guy.  He becomes a private investigator and basically wastes his life away.

Let the game begin!
Twenty years after the original abduction, Booker DeWitt is approached by the Lutece twins and told that they will give him an opportunity to get his girl back.  He eagerly agrees and allows himself to get brought (unknowingly) into the reality where Comstock exists.

Confused and having memory loss from the dimensional travel, he starts to believe that the phrase "Bring us the girl and wipe away the debt" refers to a job offer he was given instead of the original deal he cut to give Anna away.  He believes that his daughter died when she was young.  The twins take him to the lighthouse, which he uses to get to Columbia.

Okay, now what happens during the game?
This part is actually infinitely simpler.  Booker DeWitt meets his actual daughter, Elizabeth/Anna, but has no idea it's her.  He attempts to get her out, shoots a bunch of people, etc. etc. etc.

There's a minor sub-plot that happens late in the game where BD sees a reality where he fails to save Elizabeth and one (and NYC gets torched) and the "playable" reality where he does.

Eventually he encounters Comstock and kills him.

And now, for the grand finale and the reveal...
Elizabeth, fully in control of her "tearing" ability, shows BD the many different realities that exist.  She explains that Comstock lives in many of them, and will always continue to live in them.

Booker DeWitt asks that she take him back to when Comstock was an "infant" so he can smother Comstock in his crib.

Elizabeth takes him to the river baptism (the one that BD participated in after Wounded Knee), where it all becomes clear- Booker DeWitt is Zachary Hale Comstock.  Regardless of whether he accepts or rejects the baptism, an alternate reality will still be created where Comstock lives, acquires the dimensional travel device, and then steals Booker's daughter.

Deciding that it is his duty to prevent Comstock from ever existing, he allows the many versions of his daughters to drown him in the river before the baptism happens, thereby eliminating Comstock from all realities.

There's a teaser at the end which suggests that this results in one single reality where Booker DeWitt gets to keep his daughter.


Interesting facts:

• The Preacher that baptizes Comstock also baptizes "our" DeWitt upon entry in Columbia.
• Despite the difference in physical appearances, DeWitt and Comstock are about the same age.  Comstock has been prematurely aged by the dimensional travel device. 
• Elizabeth's "tearing" ability is due to her body existing in two dimensions at once (her pinky got cut off, remember?).
• The Songbird is built by Fink, who gets the idea by looking through another dimension, possibly inspired by Big Daddies.

[TIPS] Company of Heroes 2: Soviet Unit Tactics and Overview

You might also be interested in viewing my beginner's guide to playing as the Russians or a list of all my COH2 guides.

Looking for the Russian Commander overview instead?  Check it out here.

Regimental Field Headquarters (200 MP, 40 fuel)

• Conscripts (240 MP, 6 supply)
• Your starting infantry, these guys are no match for their German equivalent (Grenadiers) but make up for it by being cheap.  Use them to capture and flank the enemy, but avoid straight fights unless you have a squad or equipment advantage.
• Note that the large squad size (6) means that you can safely take advantage of grabbing abandoned vehicles and weapons compared to your opponent's grenadiers (which only have 4 men).  Typically weapon crews are 3 men, which leaves you with 3 left after taking one.
• Abilities:
• Merge: Bring the target squad up to full strength by using Conscripts.  This is useful for reinforcing weapon or other higher-level infantry squads in the field.
• Throw Molotov Cocktail (unlocked at the RFHQ for 125 MP, 25 Fuel): Primarily used against infantry in buildings or clumped behind cover.  Does very little initial damage, but can easily kill men who don't move if they stay put.  Costs 15 munitions to use.
• Oorah (costs 5 munitions, lasts 10 seconds, 40s cooldown): A 10 second buff that "improves combat effectiveness" and significantly improves speed.  The speed bonus is critical, allowing you to flank or charge quickly.  It only costs 5 munitions to use, so don't be afraid to pop it whenever you think you might need it.  It can't be used while being suppressed or pinned.
• RPG-43 Anti-Tank Grenade (unlocked at the RFHQ for 125 MP, 25 Fuel): A short-range infantry targeted AT grenade.  Don't worry about it missing, it "seeks" its target after being used.  Does okay damage but you'll need quite a few uses to kill most targets.  Takes about 3 uses to kill light vehicles, 5 to kill medium tanks and ~8 to kill heavy tanks.  Costs 35 munitions to use so be aware of your supply.  It's much more cost effective to get your own tanks, or AT infantry or AT guns out instead of relying on this.
• Trip Wire Flares (10 munitions, requires Veteran)
• Plants a small anti-personnel mine that also triggers a flare when detonated, revealing enemy infantry.  Area reveal lasts 8 seconds.
• Combat Engineer Squad (240 MP, 6 supply)
• The utility troops of your army, you'll almost always want at least two of them around.
• Can be upgraded with a flamethrower (60 munitions) or a Hazard Removal Package (30 munitions).
• The flamethrower is one of the best anti-infantry weapons in the game.  It toasts enemy infantry, especially in cover, and can wipe out squads in buildings in seconds.  Against infantry in the open field it's not quite as good, but still very powerful.  Just don't lose the squad.
• The HRP replaces the weapon of one of your squad members, but allows them to automatically see and dispose of mines and allows them to cut barbed wire.  Relatively uncommon that you will get this, but if you need it, you'll be glad to have the option available.
• Abilities:
• Production Buildings: Builds your higher tech structures.  You pretty much only want at most one of each building type (this isn't Starcraft, people).
• Field Defenses:  Allows you to lay mines (30 munitions), barbed wire (free) and fire pits (100 manpower).  Mines are great against infantry and vehicles, barbed wire restricts infantry movement and fire pits are (kinda) useful on snow maps.  Note that the fairly high cost of fire pits means you should definitely not spam them.  Fire pits also can't be built when a blizzard is in progress.
• Repair: Repairs vehicles, structures or bridges.  You'll most often be using this against vehicles but don't ignore it's ability to repair key chokepoint buildings in the field.
• Wire Cutters (unlocked with the Hazard Removal Package upgrade): Cuts barbed wire.  Takes increased damage while doing so.  Not advisable to use when under fire.  Free to use.
• Plant Demolition Charge (90 munitions): Kind of an interesting ability, it's like a very powerful remote controlled mine.  You can use it to blow enemies units up, trap buildings, destroy ice, or even destroy the enemy HQ with some halftrack usage.  Takes a while to plant the charge, so plan accordingly.  Costs a whopping 90 munitions to use.
• Trip Wire Flares (10 munitions, requires Veteran)
• Plants a small anti-personnel mine that also triggers a flare when detonated, revealing enemy infantry.  Area reveal lasts 8 seconds.

The Regimental Field Headquarters is the primary command structure, producing two of the core infantry units.  Losing the RFHQ is detrimental to success on the battlefield.
This is your starting building, and is also the retreat/reinforce point for your squads.  Make sure that this doesn't die, as if it does, your manpower income will be significantly reduced.



Special Rifle Command (240 MP, 50 fuel)

• Scout Sniper Squad (360 MP, 9 supply)
• A two man sniper squad.  Not nearly as damaging or accurate individually as the German sniper, and it's not uncommon for them to not kill a man after landing a hit.  However, your chance of them surviving is significantly higher since you only need one of them to reinforce.
• Primarily used to kill weapon crews and to end long distance stalemates.  Doesn't do enough damage to prevent any opposing infantry squad from just rushing him, so you need to cover him (an MG works nicely).
• Note that his range is longer than his vision, so scout ahead with an expendable unit to allow him to maximize his range.
• Abilities:
• Flare (60 munitions, lasts 35 seconds)
• Launches a parachute from the sky that reveals the target area after a few seconds.
• Hold Fire (Toggleable)
• Sprint (6 munitions, lasts 10 seconds, requires Veteran)
• The sniper squad moves significantly faster.
• M3A1 Light Scout Car (80 MP, 20 fuel, 2 supply)
• Can carry one squad in it, which can also fire at the same time.
• Note that it cannot reinforce squads, unlike the halftrack (though both are able to carry infantry).
• Very commonly used with a flamer engineer to kill machine gun teams, or a sniper to kite enemy grenadier squads.
• Abilities:
• Overdrive (requires Veteran)
• Vehicle will move faster for 20 seconds.  Harder to hit when overdrive is in effect.
• Penal Battalion (360 MP, 9 supply)
• Good close combat infantry with decent durability.  A step up from Conscripts.
• Upgrades:
• ROKS-3 Flamethrower (60 munitions)
• Adds a powerful flamethrower to the squad, improving anti-infantry damage.
• Abilities:
• Throw Satchel Charge
• Throws a very powerful explosive satchel that takes five seconds to detonate. Effective against all targets that are dumb enough to stand still, or can't move away (e.g. buildings).
• Trip Wire Flares (10 munitions, requires Veteran)
• Plants a small anti-personnel mine that also triggers a flare when detonated, revealing enemy infantry.  Area reveal lasts 8 seconds.

Support Weapon Kampaneya (275 MP, 90 fuel)

• M1910 Maxim Heavy Machine Gun (240 MP, 6 supply)
• Provides excellent suppression and damage, able to pin off a chokepoint on its own from enemy infantry.
• Significantly lower "cone of fire" than the German MG42 HMG team, meaning that you have a lower margin of error when it comes to flanking.
• Since it's wheeled and not carried over the shoulder like the German MG, it deploys and undeploys MUCH faster.
• The larger crew size makes it much less likely to be captured by the enemy compared to the German MG, while also making it a bit better at close combat with flankers.
• PM-41 82mm Mortar Squad (240 MP, 6 supply)
• Fires mortar rounds into the enemy.  Useful to clear the enemy out of a defensive position or building.  Also useful against suppressed infantry.  Can fire smoke rounds to cover your advance (or retreat).
• Abilities:
• Mortar Barrage
• Fires four shells in quick succession to the target area.  Useful when you know the enemy will stay put.
• Fire Smoke Barrage
• Fires three smoke shells at the target, blocking line of sight.
• Hold Fire
• Precision Strike (30 munitions, requires Veteran)
• Fires a single shell very accurately at the targeted posiiton.
• ZiS-3 76mm Divisional Field Gun (360 MP, 9 supply)
• Long range anti-tank gun that also can be used to bombard infantry.
• Abilities:
• Light Artillery Barrage (60 munitions)
• Fires six explosive rounds good against infantry and light vehicles.  Range is equal to the AT gun's normal range.
• Tracking (20 munitions, unlocked at Vet 1)
• Significantly increases sight radius and can now track infantry through the fog of war on the minimap.
• Anti-Tank Gun Ambush Tactics (Toggleable)
• AT gun moves slower, but is now invisible unless firing or when enemy units get close.

Mechanized Armor Kampaneya (275 MP, 90 fuel)

• M5 Halftrack Transport (120 MP, 30 fuel, 3 supply)
• Carries up to two squads and allows reinforcing from it.  Useful for flanking attacks or reinforcing in the field after a big battle.
• Upgrades:
• Anti-air Package "Meat Chopper" (90 munitions)
• Upgrades the halftrack with 4 .50 cal machine guns.  Provides good long-range damage against infantry.  Removes ability to carry infantry.
• Abilities
• Overdrive (requires Veteran)
• Vehicle will move faster for 20 seconds.  Harder to hit when overdrive is in effect.
• T-70 Light Tank (160 MP, 55 fuel, 5 supply)
• A surprisingly effective, fast tank.  It's main gun is fairly accurate against infantry, allowing it to snipe men off who don't have AT weapons.  It can easily beat out most light vehicles, though the upgunned German Scout Car can give it a run for its money.
• Abilities:
• Recon Mode (Toggleable)
• Increases vehicle sight radius, but disables the main gun.  Useful for scouting ahead for your long range weapons (like tank destroyers, AT guns, snipers or machine guns).
• Crew Repair (60 munitions, lasts 15 seconds)
• Crew will stop firing and repair the vehicle.
• Secure Mode (Toggleable, requires Veteran)
• Allows the tank to capture points but disables its weapons.
• T-34/76 Medium Tank (240 MP, 95 fuel, 7 supply)
• The mainstay of the Soviet Army, the T-34 is a strong medium tank.  With good armor, anti-tank and anti-infantry capabilities, it serves a jack-of-all trades role.  It can trade shots with Stugs and Panzer IVs, but don't expect even several of them to beat a Panther in a fair fight.
• However, T-34s have the most infamous ability in the game:  Ram.  It damages your enemy's main gun and their engine, rendering them unable to fire and impairing their movement until they're repaired.  However, it will do the same to your ramming tank, and usually immobilizes your vehicle as well.  Extremely useful when you will win the infantry battle or if your tanks outnumber theirs.
• Abilities:
• Ramming Maneuver
• Rams an enemy vehicle, disabling their main weapon and damaging the engine.  Also does the same to your T34.
• Secure Mode (Toggleable, requires Veteran)
• Allows the tank to capture points but disables its weapons.
• T-34/85 Medium Tank (unlocked through a Doctrine ability)
• Same as the T-34/76, but with improved armor penetration of its main cannon.

Tankoviy Battalion Command

• BM-13 Katyusha Rocket Truck (360 MP, 85 fuel, 9 supply)
• Mobile vehicle with only a cooldown (but free) artillery barrage ability as a weapon.  Useful for suppressing and injuring enemy groupings, though the default barrage has a large enough area that you can't expect to get too many kills.  Not great against buildings until Concentrated Barrage is unlocked for the same reason.
• Abilities:
• 132mm Rocket Barrage (75 second cooldown)
• Fires 16 rockets that do decent damage against infantry and also cause suppression.  Note that firing all the rockets takes about 20 seconds, during which the cooldown will tick.
• Concentrated Barrage (60 munitions, unlocked at Vet 1)
• Fires the same barrage into an area half the size, significantly increasing the lethality against infantry in that area.
• SU-76M Assault Gun (160 MP, 55 fuel, 6 supply)
• Decent long-range mobile anti-tank gun.  Main weapon is awful against infantry.
• Light armor, so it's vulnerable to small arms fire and can be killed that way.  Also, dies in only a few shots to tanks that can get into range of it.
• Its barrage ability is quite good at killing infantry that aren't moving due to capturing or suppression.  It is also free to use, which makes it even better.
• Abilities:
• Light Artillery Barrage (60s cooldown)
• Fires 6 rounds that are devastating against infantry in the open field or in buildings.
• Can collide into trees/etc. along the way as it fires in a fairly low arc.
• Tracking (20 munitions, unlocked at Vet 1)
• Significantly increases sight radius and can now track infantry through the fog of war on the minimap.
• SU-85 Medium Tank Destroyer (320 MP, 115 fuel, 8 supply)
• A good long-range tank destroyer with decent armor.   Has a fixed turret (cannot rotate).
• Abilities:
• Focused Sight
• Sacrifices vision to the sides in exchange for a much longer forward sight range.  Can be combined with Tracking for ridiculous forward vision.
• Tracking (20 munitions, requires Veteran, lasts 20 seconds)
• Significantly increases sight radius.  Infantry can be seen through the fog of war.

This building is excellent when you're facing an entrenched enemy.  This could be because you've either fought to a stalemate in the open field, or you've been pushed back and are trying to get back into the game. The artillery capabilities are excellent, especially against infantry, and you can force your opponent to come at you or risk significant attrition every minute as your barrages come off cooldown.

The weakness of the TBC units are against faster, mobile armies.  Close-combat infantry and larger numbers of mobile light/medium armor can render a lot of your strengths useless.

Called in from Off Map

• KV-8 Heavy Flamethrower Tank (360 MP, 135 fuel, unlocked through Command ability)
• Roughly equivalent to the health and armor of the T-34, but has the ability to toggle between a powerful anti-infantry flamethrower and the normal main gun.
• The flamer is very powerful and the KV-8 can beat even panzerschek equipped infantry as long as it's at full health and not flanked.
• The main gun is only "okay".  While the firepower is nothing to scoff it, it will not be an easy fight against a Panzer IV and will barely scratch a Panther (or stronger!). 
• IS-2 Heavy Tank (680 MP, 300 fuel, unlocked through Command ability)
• Basically the T-34 with more health, armor and gun penetration.  Its high health and versatile main gun (useful against infantry and armor) makes it the focus of a battle.  Note that while tough, it won't beat a dedicated anti-tank force.
• Easily the match of a Panzer IV, it will struggle to defeat a Panther without some other advantage.
• Upgrades:
• DShK 38 12.7mm Heavy Machine gun (30 munitions)
• Adds another anti-infantry weapon to the tank.  Also targets aircraft.
• Abilities:
• Secure Mode (Toggleable, requires Veteran)
• Allows the tank to capture points but disables its weapons.
• Guards Rifle Infantry (360 MP, 9 supply: unlocked through Command abilities)
• Elite Russian infantry that come with PTRS anti-tank rifles.  They're a good source of emergency anti-tank power if you find yourself surprised by a flammenwerfer halftrack or a very quick flakpanzer.
• Anti-infantry capabilities are comparable to Conscripts due to losing firepower with their PTRS rifles.
• The PTRS rifles will defeat light vehicles but won't do much to German frontal tank armor.  Should be used as a supporting AT role, not your primary damage dealer.
• Note that they don't generate suppression and can still be suppressed themselves.  Also vulnerable to elite close-combat infantry up close.
• Abilities:
• RGD-33 Framentation Grenade (45 munitions)
• This is an excellent grenade that will wipe out most infantry in the blast radius.
• Upgrade with 2 DP Light Machine Guns (60 munitions)
• Improves your ability to fight infantry.  Tooltip says that each LMG provides 3x the firepower of a normal infantry rifle.
• Also unlocks the "Button Vehicle" ability.
• Button Vehicle (40 munitions, unlocked when squad is upgraded with DP LMGs)
• Blinds the target vehicle and reduces their movement speed and rate of fire.
• If it's a tank on its own, this will make it stop shooting altogether since it can't see.  If other infantry are nearby to spot for it, it will still fire, albeit slowly.
• Shock Troops (460 MP, 9 supply: unlocked through Command abilities)
• The close-combat equivalent of the Guards, these guys are best when you can get up close and use their automatic weapons to the best extent.  Unlike in previous patches, these now come with their PPsH SMG upgrade, making them especially deadly.
• Abilities:
• RG-42 Anti-Personnel Grenade (30 munitions)
• A strong anti-infantry grenade.  Expect good damage against non-veteran infantry.
• RGD-1 Smoke Grenade (15 munitions, 30 second cooldown, lasts 30 seconds)
• Tosses a smoke grenade that instantly pops up a cloud of smoke at the destination.  Good for blocking line of sight of MGs, allowing you to rush at them to toss RG-42s.
• Trip Wire Flares (10 munitions, requires Veteran)
• Plants a small anti-personnel mine that also triggers a flare when detonated, revealing enemy infantry.  Area reveal lasts 8 seconds.

[TIPS] Bioshock Infinite: Gear trapped behind the metal gate in the cemetery in Memorial Gardens

This is the above ground tomb in the cemetery next to the Lady Comstock coffin.  You get in by casting Devil's Kiss (the vigor that casts fire) onto the torch on the left and right, which opens the gate.

Here's a shot of the torches before:

and after:

The gear inside is the Sky-line Reloader pants, which automatically reloads your weapon when you jump off a sky-line.


There is some false information out there that you can only get this gear later in the game, which is not true.  You can open it as soon as you first encounter it.


Having trouble understanding the plot of Bioshock: Infinite?  Here's a simple explanation, but note that there are major spoilers!

[TIPS] Bioshock Infinite: The Salty Oyster cash register button

In the area approaching the Comstock House, you will likely run into an audio log telling you to go to the Salty Oyster and push a button under the register.  Do that immediately, as you will not get another chance.  The Salty Oyster will be a few rooms back from where you found the log- it's a room that you spend 3 lockpicks to open.  It also has the sign over it.  Inside, there will be a cash register and a button underneath it to push.  The rewards are an infusion and the "Return to Sendor" vigor.

Note that after you enter this area and try to go back, there will spawn four guys outside.  It's a good time to use your new vigor.



Having trouble understanding the plot of Bioshock: Infinite?  Here's a simple explanation, but note that there are major spoilers!

[TIPS] Bioshock: Infinite Keys in the Graveyard Shift bar

In Shantytown, there is a bar called the Graveyard Shift.  If you go inside and head to the basement, there are a set of keys there.  Grab them.

The next area you'll go into is a battle scene outside the police impound.  Once you go into the police impound, on the second floor there is a chest that the keys open.  Inside is an infusion.


Having trouble understanding the plot of Bioshock: Infinite?  Here's a simple explanation, but note that there are major spoilers!

[TIPS]Bioshock: Infinite Finkton code book

When you enter Finkton, there is a lockpicked door that leads to a clock room with a code.  You have to enter the Good Time Club and fight your way through to find the code book.  As soon you get the code book, you can choose to either turn around now and get the rewards, or wait till later (you can step through the tear and still access it afterward, despite what Elizabeth says).  There is an infusion, some lockpicks and a voxphone for your trouble.


Having trouble understanding the plot of Bioshock: Infinite?  Here's a simple explanation, but note that there are major spoilers!

[TIPS] Bioshock: Infinite code book locations

The first Vox Populi phrase you find is in the Hall of Heroes Plaza area.  It's in a bathroom, next to a dead soldier. Go back out of the building, into the courtyard, then across the street into the "Tickets" building.  In there is a cannon in the middle of the room with the code book in its muzzle.  Take the book, go back to the bathroom and hear Elizabeth solve it.  Now, go into the adjacent bathroom and there will be a hat on a coat rack.  Use it.


Having trouble understanding the plot of Bioshock: Infinite?  Here's a simple explanation, but note that there are major spoilers!