Whether it’s Band of Brothers or other epic WWII films like Saving Private Ryan or Dunkirk, I’d bet a lot of us get that WWII itch every now and then.
Well if you’re on the lookout for something similar, the game that did it for me was Company of Heroes 2.
There aren’t many options that are as recognizable as the Company of Heroes series (especially in the RTS genre). And that’s simply because they’re great games.
We already covered some of the greatest mods to try for CoH 1. This list is just a nice continuation for the sequel.
Units always play a huge role in what makes any RTS game.
And with the All Units mod by SneakEye, there’s an endless number of options for you to explore.
The mod was actually released back in 2014, adding over 60 new units to the game.
The team then took the time to go over all of the feedback they received from the community – which already tells you that this is probably one of the best mods you can get, and took the mod through another 5 years or so of development.
The end result was released just last year, and there’s really nothing more we could ask for.
The mod gives us access to 170 new units in total, along with smaller upgrades like over 750 custom images, new upgrades and abilities, and new structures to build.
One of the main differences between CoH2 and the first Company of Heroes is the setting.
Instead of focusing on the allied forces like the previous, we’re now taken to the Eastern Front. You primarily take control of the Soviet Red Army across some of the biggest military events in history.
With that, you’re most likely going to want to simulate these large-scale battles to full effect.
In order to do that, all you need is the Population Cap mod.
You’ll now have control over population caps in both Victory Point and Annihilation modes, allowing you to manually set caps to either 125, 150, 200, 250, and 500.
If you’re looking for an even more customized CoH2 playthrough, Infantry Assault is another great tool.
This one was made for those who specifically prefer to play with infantry rather than assault vehicles – as the mod completely removes them from the game.
With that, all assault vehicles including tanks, will no longer be accessible – forcing all players to use only the different infantry types available to them.
This definitely makes for an interesting shift in balance. Which will surely make for an interesting session.
Of course, there are those who consider the vehicles to be one of the best parts of the game – so why not give them some upgrade instead of removing them from the game?
Okay, this might not be much of an upgrade. But here’s an example of what modding can do to some of the textures here.
The Arctic Storm Winter Skin Pack, as you can probably tell from the name, enhances the winter skins for all vehicles in the game.
The skins here look much more realistic than the default winter skins, and can go a long way in enhancing the overall visual quality of your game.
The Company of Heroes commander system is another huge part of what makes the game unique.
Commanders offer unique skill trees that let you unlock certain abilities throughout your playthrough, and ultimately determine how you maneuver your troops through the various scenarios in the campaign.
Puppeteer’s Historical Commanders mod beefs the system up even more, giving you access to a total of 30 commanders, with 6 for each faction in the game.
Abilities have also been increased to 6 from the default 5, and the mod provides many new abilities too – all of which are unique for each commander.
In case you prefer to enjoy a good game of COH2 with some friends, you might like stuff to keep the multiplayer experience going for hours.
DropZone is a great option, as the mod introduces a new mechanic for paradrops.
Essentially, a paradrop location will be identified every few minutes, where multiple planes will drop useful loot for either you or your enemies to use.
Loot value progresses as the game moves forward as well, so it’s probably best to stay on top of those drops.
If you find yourself on the opposite side of the spectrum and prefer to play through the solo campaign instead, this next one just might be exactly what you’re looking for.
Modder Opulent Omega actually created a completely alternative campaign for the game, now letting us play as a group of Axis deserters on their journey to escape the war.
The campaign is quite lengthy as well, and has been split into five different parts.
You’ll be able to access all five on Opulent Omega’s workshop page, linked above.
If in case you’re looking for a more extensive overall, there are loads of options for total overhauls.
Let’s start here!
Advanced Powers is a great example, allowing us to play through a completely alternate history where German scientists have uncovered a way to weaponize dark matter.
As if the concept wasn’t interesting enough, the mod is a complete overhaul of the game.
This means you’ll find completely new weaponry, units, and structures, along with a few new gameplay mechanics as well. Talk about some serious modding.
Anything WWII wouldn’t be complete without a zombie mod. And CoDiEx and Sitatop’s “The Living Dead” is exactly that.
Not only does the mod add zombies into the mix, but you’ll find new units, abilities, buildings, and upgrades as well.
Lots of new stuff to go around.
What’s especially cool about this mod is that it doesn’t just give you the option to fight off zombie hordes, but you can choose to play as the zombie faction as well.
While most would argue that COH 2 improved on pretty much every aspect of the original, it can’t be helped that there are still some purists who will always prefer the first.
Well if you find yourself in that category, then you might want to check out Make CoH Great Again by modders Despe, L4DK | Foxhound, and SneakEye.
The whole concept of the mod is to bring everything good from the first game, back into Company of Heroes 2.
This means that the mod adds all the original COH commanders, along with some completely new ones, redesigned factions, balance changes, and unit classes among other changes.
If you’re looking to spice things up even more, Spearhead is another great option to try.
Spearhead is easily one of the most popular mods for Company of Heroes 2, and is widely considered a fan favourite for sure.
This mod overhauls the combat system to make for a more fast-paced battle experience.
Weapons have been buffed across the board, so pretty much everything in the game does more damage. If you want to look at it from the opposite perspective – all units will die much quicker.
Along the damage rebalance comes a couple new units, a more tactical infantry combat system, and new doctrines to make things even more interesting as well.
Up next we have another historical realism mod, and another one of the most popular mods you can find for COH2.
Wikinger expands the game’s campaign to cover both sides of the battle for Europe.
It also covers all events between D-Day and VE Day, which means you have the option to fight as the Allied troops storming Normandy or the Soviet Red Army in the Eastern Front.
Plenty to enjoy here if you’re really looking for immersion.
Now if you’re going to play through a Wikinger campaign, you’re going to want the Wikinger Win Condition Pack to go with it.
The pack contains a completely custom UI, pre-built bases, and population cap options along with other quality-of-life improvements that are made specifically to enhance your Wikinger experience.
To be blunt: I would rank both at the top spot if possible, because they both go so well together. In fact, for true functionality I’d go so far as saying both are required to get the full experience.
There’s no better way to enjoy Wikinger, so I highly recommend getting both installed.
