COH: Panzer Elite Press Build Order

Lately I have been exploring the RTS game franchise Company of Heroes. I have been playing with the Panzer Elite Army, they seem to fit aggressive play-style in early stages of a match. I have a basic build order that allows me to capture a good area of the map and then quickly save up resources for armor units. This allows me to press the map in my favor. Micromanagement is key with COH since there is no basic resource gathering or finite amount of resources like in other RTS games. Holding munition and fuel sectors on the map gives you more resources quicker, the key is to control the map, but also press the enemy into spending what he has.

You begin the game with a Kettenkrad, a fast moving ATV type unit that is fairly cheap. (165 man power) I build another Kettenkrad and then a Panzer Grenadier Squad in the waxing moments of the game.I use the Krad vehicles to quickly grab a large area of the map, giving priority to fuel sectors. Fuel is important early so I can build a Kampfgruppe Kompanie (220 man, 20 fuel) and a Panzer-Jager Kommand. (220 man, 30 fuel) If the map is large I will use my first Panzer infantry squad to claim territory in front of my HQ while the Krads cover the periphery. On a small map I try to immediately build a Kampfgruppe. Sometimes I will build a Logistik Kompanie at same cost first, but for this pressing strategy I prefer to wait.

The Panzer-Jager Kommand is key to produce a couple Armored Cars as early as possible. (225 man, 25 fuel) Having a Armored Car and a grenadier squad rolling out to the front lines before 6 minutes into the game is good. This vehicle can press enemy infantry and most any other vehicle you will encounter this early in the game. The Kampfgruppe Kompanie will allow you to support Armored cars with Half-Tracks or Mortar Half-Tracks to siege enemy fortifications as the game progresses. It all depends on the situation and to make appropriate units that counter what the enemy has.

With gained experience I select the Luftwaffe Commander for off map support. Luftwaffe Infantry are very useful in an early offensive. The come in squads of 5 troops for 260 manpower. They have the ability to repair vehicles rapidly and can build defensive structures, like sandbag walls, barbed wire, or Flakvierling. Kettenkrads can also use a camo ability that helps scout ahead of the front lines. Later in a game Luftwaffe troops can build Flak 88 cannons, causing further chaos.