Company of Heroes 3 - set in the Mediterranean theatre

[Infinitron]

https://www.companyofheroes.com

Spoiler

 

[LESS T_T]

Singleplayer focused pre-alpha preview will be available in less than hour if you sign up for Relic account: https://store.steampowered.com/app/1634500/Company_of_Heroes_3__PreAlpha_Preview/

Introducing COMPANY OF HEROES 3 – Pre-Alpha Preview

This Pre-Alpha Preview focuses exclusively on single player campaign gameplay. Starting in the Italian coastal city of Naples, you will be able to go hands-on with some of our exciting new innovations across core tactical gameplay and our all-new Dynamic Campaign Map.

This Pre-Alpha Preview will be available from July 13th 11:00am PDT / 13:00 EST / 19:00 CEST to August 3rd 19:00 PDT / 22:00 EST, August 4th 04:00 CEST.

We will be sharing our plans for multiplayer-centric gameplay in the near future, so remember to register for CoH-Development to avoid missing out.

How can I join?

Here’s how to access the Company of Heroes 3 ‘Pre-Alpha Preview’.

1. Visit the Company of Heroes website and click ‘Play Now’.
2. Follow the prompts to create a Relic Link account, or simply log in with your existing Relic Link user name + password.
3. With your account created, check your designated email inbox for a confirmation notice.
4. Click the confirmation link in the email and complete your full profile signup to become a registered member of our CoH-Development program.
5. Follow the onscreen prompts and log in using your newly created credentials on our community portal
6. Once logged in, link your Steam profile to your CoH-Development account by visiting the Rewards page and following the prompts to claim the Pre-Alpha Preview.
7. Go back to your Steam library and Company of Heroes 3 – Pre-Alpha Preview should appear there automatically.

 

[L'ennui]

Finally some competition for Total War. Now let's hope Eugen Games makes a Total War campaign for their next Wargame title and we will have a perfect Grand Strategy/Wargame hybrid trifecta.

 

[Maggot]

Hopefully they get rid of CoH2's commander system.

 

[Wirdschowerdn]

I'm disappointed this doesn't have Rommel and Ritchie on the cover.

 

[Hellraiser]

Tactical Company of Heroes 1 Gameplay
This is important to us both as a reference to the gameplay pacing and quality target we are striving for, but also as a response to what our fans are asking for. The core experience of CoH1 has stood the test of time, and we want to bring it back with targeted improvements and some exciting new gameplay mechanics.

Cautiously pessimistic. Never bought the second one despite playing a lot of the first online.

Also it better be Mediterranean and not just Italian. I want Afrika Korps.

Would have preferred Pacific but I also understand it is less interesting from a unit diversity perspective in a game about tactical land battles.

 

[Catacombs]

It's about fucking time.

 

[Alpharius]

Looks like coh 2 with updateed graphics so far, but i don't expect anything good from Relic after Dawn of War 3 disaster.

Best case scenario is it will be like coh2 but with balance being broken anew in every patch and barebones multiplayer features that will be added "back" a few years after release, like coh2. Still, should be fun to stomp noobs during alpha and beta tests.

 

[Mazisky]

I see the game has an overworld map like Total War. Did the previous games had that aswell?

 

[DemonKing]

 

[Murk]

I see the game has an overworld map like Total War. Did the previous games had that aswell?

The answer is "no" but there was a dark crusade style campaign (Ardennes Assault) for COH2.

re: the trailer, this is a great looking pixar movie -- hopefully the gameplay is still there.

I loved CoH1/VCoH, and I loved CoH2 as well (despite the few steps back it took in many areas).

Watching the "gameplay" trailer so far looks like it's on par with the previous games with the core gameplay still being there. Hopefully they fix the commander system.

edit: gonna see if my system can even run the pre-alpha but here's hoping.

 

[Thorgeim]

I get they want to "paint" Italy but why the hell is everything so colorful and saturated, including the troops...

Also seems like no Axis campaign, shame. But with inaccurate symbols or flags it would be a bit lame anyway. COH1 reference sounds good but lets see.

 

[Murk]

Played a bit and while it runs horribly on my system (and probably in general) it "feels" about right.

Didn't touch campaign yet, just did some skirmishes since that's the main gameplay I'm after anyway.

I think the DoW 2/3 trap is avoided, the rest is gonna be hard to predict the specific fine-tuning of but I think it's gonna be pretty good.

As for axis campaign: probably same shit as before where the expansion/DLC adds it in.

 

[Mazisky]

I get they want to "paint" Italy but why the hell is everything so colorful and saturated, including the troops...

Because it is Italy, not UK.

 

[GrafvonMoltke]

Honestly, the Western and Eastern Fronts are so overdone that this will be a nice change of scenery.

Still waiting for nips vs chinks, tho.

 

[Wirdschowerdn]

Still waiting for nips vs chinks, tho.

But who would want to play with insect people?

 

[Heroic Liberator]

Still waiting for nips vs chinks, tho.

But who would want to play with insect people?

East Asians are the protagonists of human history.

 

[DemonKing]

Tried the pre-alpha...the RTS gameplay is clunky as hell but hopefully will be much better optimised prior to launch and sound needs work. There's lot's of placeholder graphics so clearly not a finished product though.

Not a big fan of the campaign map so far - it's basically COH: Total War which misses the point and just gets in the way of the meat and drink of CoH - the RTS experience. Personally I'd far prefer the single player be scenario-based like previous titles.

 

[Valestein]

Honestly, the Western and Eastern Fronts are so overdone that this will be a nice change of scenery.

Still waiting for nips vs chinks, tho.

The China-Burma-India theater is criminally overlooked in gaming. Gimme that w/ with a Soviet August Storm expansion plz.

 

[Arrowgrab]

Honestly, the Western and Eastern Fronts are so overdone that this will be a nice change of scenery.

Still waiting for nips vs chinks, tho.

Special Chinese ability: spawn a ridiculously massive fuckload of crappy infantry, but 95% of them die of starvation before getting to the actual fight.

 

[The Anus Of Discontent]

If I squint I'd argue it looks just like CoH1 and 2. Without side by side comparisons I don't see any graphical improvement. Trailer is giving me strong independent womyn vibes, much like all the previous WW2 bastardization games like.. what was it, Battlefield 5? 1? Don't recall. I have no faith in Relic, whoever was responsible for those early gems like Homeworld, DoW and the first CoH aren't the same people that work there now.
Wasn't a fan of anything they did during and after CoH2, all I can offer is just a shoulder shrug. Wasn't there some kind of controversy over their depiction of Soviets as mustache twirling supervillains?

 

[warci]

A strategy game that's not made by slavs is generally utter infantile trash.

 

[Wilian]

I get they want to "paint" Italy but why the hell is everything so colorful and saturated,

I don't know if you've peeked out of window lately or even walked beyond the Door but during sunny summertime the nature and in general areas, when bathed in sunlight can be extremely radiant and colourful, even up here in Finland. Nothing in the game struck me particulary oversaturated from the gameplay I've seen.

If I squint I'd argue it looks just like CoH1 and 2. Without side by side comparisons I don't see any graphical improvement.

Aside from directing you for eye-doctor and potentially acquiring eyeglasses I shouldn't comment further on this one, one shouldn't mock publicly on defects and illnessses of people.

Trailer is giving me strong independent womyn vibes, much like all the previous WW2 bastardization games like.. what was it, Battlefield 5? 1? Don't recall.

That'd be Battlefield 5 with frontline women with prostethics making battle yes but if this gives you independent womyn vibes I'd first look into mirror and wonder how far into abyss you've gotten at this point because the womyn action in the trailer was distracting and making fancies with guard so the proud white men can infiltrate and then conduct combat. She did hold on a gun yes but I don't think there was single moment she even tried to take aim at anything in that trailer. If that's stronk womyn propaganda to you, welp.

I have no faith in Relic, whoever was responsible for those early gems like Homeworld, DoW and the first CoH aren't the same people that work there now.
Wasn't a fan of anything they did during and after CoH2, all I can offer is just a shoulder shrug. Wasn't there some kind of controversy over their depiction of Soviets as mustache twirling supervillains?

This is reasonable, they've not had good track record since CoH 1

 

[Mefi]

Slitherine's product manager has posted some interesting figures. Pointing out how niche the market is even for a 'big' game in RTS. 48 hours after the announcement only 150k Steam wishlists.

(Source is his Instagram, sorry: https://www.instagram.com/p/CRZE19gMm8P/ )

I'm just going to see where they go. I doubt they'll survive another major car crash. They most definitely have been asking players of CoH1 and CoH2 in advance what they'd like to see so it's, erm, curious to see what they've presented in that Alpha footage.

 

[Endemic]

The China-Burma-India theater is criminally overlooked in gaming. Gimme that w/ with a Soviet August Storm expansion plz.

Core audience wouldn't give a damn about it though, not enough 'muricans. Maybe as part of a Pacific-focused game to keep the appeal?