Rifle Company

Hello and Welcome! This will be a detailed and in-depth look about one of the mostly commonly played American Doctrines in Company of Heroes 2. I will try and show you the abilties of this Company and try to reveal different kinds of tactics and strategies too boost the already deadly power of this American Doctrine.

Rifle Company General Overview

The Rifle Company is perhaps the most played and sought after doctrine for allied players in all of Company Of Heroes 2. The powerful and useful abilties of this doctrine make it an easy choice to pick when playing any multiplayer game. Furthermore the Company itself heavily relies on use of raw power from its Riflemen and Rear Echelons to smash and annihilate the enemy. Hence the name Rifle Company. But also the crowning jewel of the doctrine is it's ability to call in the amazing M4A3E8 Sherman Medium Tank more commonly known as the Easy Eight! In all I've personally found this Company to be a very strong and offensive orientated doctrine. Always having to probe and aggressively push back the frontier against the enemy and looking for ways to flank them while ruthlessly beating them down into submission.













In all I like to use this doctrine in an extremely aggressive and offensive way against my opponents..

M2 Flamethrowers

60 Ammunition


This is perhaps one of the most useful upgrades that the Rifle Company has to offer to its Rear Echelons. The ability to upgrade any Echelon squad with deadly close range flamethrowers allows the Echelons to actually have a purpose on the battlefield and an advantage to defeating the enemy. The Americans already lacking some anti-garrison abilties (if no grenade upgrade) the flamethrower puts all their worries to rest. Giving every Echelon a flamethrower allows them to clear hostile garrisons and be able to fight enemy infantry off at close ranges. This upgrade adds on to their combat effectiveness ten fold. But when you upgrade those Echelons you have to accept that fact that they could be possibly wiped out by your own doing. As sometimes the flamer fuel tanks can be burst and can explode violently, killing your whole squad. The ability is unlocked for free at the start of a game. I recommand to upgrade all of your Echelon squads with flamers and have supporting Riflemen with BARs accompany them. This will create a deadly combo with long range and short range firepower.




Because of the flamethrower upgrade riflemen squads must be able to close the distance aganist enemy infantry in order to kill them. It is strongly recommanded that you use smoke grenades to cover your advance into enemy positions. Because simply blobing and charging a defended position will leave the Echelons vulnerable to being picked off one by one by the enemy who usually will try to engage you at long ranges if you see you have flammers, or worse be suppressed by hostile MGs.



Being upgraded with Flamethrowers also gives the Echelons squads an aspect that they can exploit. With the weapon the squad can be ordered to attack ground, they can easily burn down buildings preventing your enemy from using them, or burn down fences or heavy cover such as haystacks if you so wished. Denying the enemy cover that they can use and allowing your infantry to have an easier time advancing. Bunkers are also perfect targets to destroy.

Note: That using flammers to attack ground where there is an enemy mine will not detonate it, you need somekind of explosive to do that.

Tips and Tricks of Flamethrower Echelons

• Remember not to blob flamerthrowers as it makes them more at risk of being killed by fuel tank explosions. Spread them out!
  
  
• With the weapon upgrade the Echelons must close the distance and attack the enemy at close ranges moving in open maps are a hazard to them, so its best to use them in close quarters or urban maps.
  
  
• It is possible to upgrade Echelons with both flamerthrowers and BARs making them good in both long range and close range combat. Be sure to upgrade them first with the flamer and then have them grab a weapon from the racks, if you do it the other way around the squad will not be able to upgrade itself because the main guy will already have a BAR.
  
  
• Exploit line of sight cover or corners to your advantage to get the drop on the enemy.
  
  
• Repeating myself, but...use smoke grenades as much as you can to flank or get close to the enemy, nothing more nastier then having a vetted flammer riflemen appear out of the smoke to surprise and burn the enemy alive.
  

Riflemen Fire Up!

15 Ammunition


A standard sprint ability that Riflemen can use on the battlefield. The Fire Up sprint has a duration for 10 seconds that can be used at perfect times to get a quick flanking surprise on the enemy. Or it can even be used to quickly run out of the arch of fire for an MG support team. It can even be used to get Riflemen out of harms way such as running around a building or hedgerows if you want to keep your rifles on the battlefield for longer time without having to retreat them back to base.


Use the sprint ability to quick get riflemen into cover to seek protection from the enemy or rush into a building that you are trying to obtain. Sprint can also be used to close the distance against the enemy if you want to get up close and personal against them.

Due note that after the 10 second sprin tability your riflemen will suffer from an exhaustion phase for a few seconds. In that time your rifles will be more vulnerable to an enemy attack.

Tips and Tricks of Fire Up!

• Use the ability to get around MG teams in the early game phase.
  
  
• Sprint to important buildings on the map to make sure you enemies cannot take them before you!

Riflemen Flares

30 Ammunition


Coming around at two Command Points the riflemen recon flare ability is outstandingly useful for this doctrine and the heavy infantry play. With recon flares its pretty much only used to scout the surrounding areas of the map, if you feel that it could be too dangerous to simply scout with rifles. Use this to your advantage, deploy it around hedgerows, buildings, hillsides and woodlands to see what the enemy could have in store for you, or simply advance into territories that have been left unguarded by the enemy. I honestly don't see many people use this ability and they end up getting caught in ambushes, flares can prevent this!



The sight range of the flares is vast allowing you to look deeply into the fog of war and gather intelligence on enemy movements.

Tips and Tricks of Recon Flares.

• Be careful when using flares as it can be used both ways, you can see the enemy from a distance with the flares ability to light everything up, but the enemy can also see the flare glide down in it's bright light. Tipping off to your opponent that you are nearby and are up to no good.
  
  
• When flares are used the enemy can also hear them as well. Be mindful of that.
  
  
• Flares can also be used as a fake prelude to a possible assault. Making your enemy prepare for an attack at one point while you strike somewhere else. (If your up to play mind games with your enemy that is...)

White Phosphorous Smoke Barrage

130 Ammunition


Being unlocked at six Command Points this is a perfect call-in that goes together with the aggressive capabilities of the Riflemen Company. I can think of no other useful ability to call-in when engaging the enemy. The barrage is a perfect tool to use in coordination with armored assaults with Shermans and Easy Eights, as the barrage will slowly drain the health of any exposed infantry unit. Though the Phosphorous smoke may not kill the units it still for one blinds their vision and second if they walk out of the barrage or retreat from it they will be vulnerable to being squad wiped as their total health will be greatly reduced. Whats nice about this ability is that it can be both used for offensive or defensive purposes.



If you want to use it an a defensive matter, you can use it in multiple ways. Such as when you are conducting a spearhead attack and you find out that the enemy has more defensive measures then you predicted, so you can call the smoke behind your tanks and have them drive in reverse or have them turn around drive straight through safely back to your lines. The point of doing this instead of the standard tank smoke barrage, is that the burning Phosphorous will create a temporary barrier that will prevent any kind of infantry counterattack when your retreating armored units. Units like Volks or Panzergrenadiers with panzershercks would be foolish to try and pursue you across the poisonous barrage, even pak-crews are effected.



You can use the barrage in an offensive manner as well. Just like any other artillery ability call it right on top of the heads of your defending opponents, while blinded and disoriented charge in your armor to ensue chaos between their battlelines and pick off any enemy units attempting to retreat or put up resistance.

Tips and Tricks of the White Phosphorous Smoke Barrage

• You can also use the smoke barrage to buy yourself time if your on the defensive while the enemy is attempting to make their own attack.
  
  
• The barrage will slow any infantry units that are caught in its effect radius. Even yours, be careful!
  
  
• Use the smoke cover as a shield for your armor's advance and to get rid of any pesky infantry units that get in your way!
  
  
• Remember that the enemy tanks are most likely to use the smoke to their own advantage as well, so be on your guard!

M4A3E8 Sherman Easy Eight

380 Manpower


140 Fuel


The prime unit that encompasses the aggressive nature of this doctrine the M4A3E8 Sherman is a weapon to be feared and admired. This tank is a bit of a hybrid between the Sherman and the Jackson, it takes the best of both worlds and combines it into one. The great armor of the Sherman being able to take some hits and still survive, and a great gun, something similar to the Jackson's that can fight tanks that are much larger then it. The Easy Eight is a medium tank that can stand toe to toe with Panther tanks, Panzer 4s, Pumas and other medium axis tanks. If you are able to deploy multiple Easy Eights and assemble them into battle-groups they can even take on King Tigers, Jadgtigers or even Elefant tank destroyers if a flank is achieved against these heavier tanks. The Easy Eight also has decent speed that can be used to charge into battle or make a hasty withdrawal.



The M4A3E8 is a strong medium tank but remember, it has its limits do not push your luck with them as they will be the mainstray of your armored force and you will need numbers on your side. I've found a weakness that comes along when you deploy this tank. The Easy Eight is OUTSTANDING when taking on other enemy tanks, but I've always found myself having trouble dealing with Anti-Tank Infantry and Pak Anti-Tank Guns. Its AoE damage with its main gun is rather pitiful, to kill infantry it needs to almost be a direct hit in order to kill any kind of unit and most shots against smaller targets will sometimes miss. Grouped (not blobbed) Anti-Tank infantry is a particular hazard to this tank. Though these threats can be mitigated by upgrading it with an MG. In all I like to call in this tank mainly as a means of dealing with other enemy armor. Lastly remember that the tank also comes with its own defensive smoke ability, you can use it to cover a foward advance or as a protective escape route.

70 Aummunition for tank MG upgrade.



30 Aummunition

Tips and Tricks of M4A3E8 Sherman Easy Eight

• The Easy Eight can be pitted against infantry forces and paks, though I strongly recommand that you accommpany an Easy Eight with a Sherman loaded with HE rounds. The two units will have good synergy together as the Sherman will protect the Easy Eight from Anit-Tank infantry and the Easy Eight can protect the Sherman from Medium tanks such as the Panther.
  
  
• The passive veteran radio ability from the the Shermans and Easy Eights will stack with each other. So all the more reason to use both of them together.
  
  
• Remember to use the Easy Eights in multiple ways, they can spearhead attacks, or better yet they can quickly flank unsuspecting enemies.
  
  
• Use the smoke barrage abilties from both the Easy Eights or Phosphorous rounds to your advantage.

Conclusion

This concludes my detailed review of the Rifle Company. I hope you enjoyed reading the information, and hope you use the advantages of the doctrine to your benefit and to the terror of your enemies!

Creditted source for the doctrinal unit pictures and ammo/fuel/manpower tags: http://www.coh2.org/guides/19066/u.s.-forces-commanders
http://blogs.companyofheroes.com/category/unit-profiles/page/2/

Thank you very much and have an outstanding day!

[MathiasCZR01]

Oh yeah, I forgot the cost got changed awhile ago. Thanks!

[Tommy Gray x Land Raider]

Modify this pls:
The Sherman Easy Eight costs 380 mapower and 140 fuel. Its machinegun upgrade costs 70 munitions.

[omar_uav]

its useless best commander now is tactical support i think

[gucci marty]

jagdtigers, su-85s and elefants can all get beaten by something as simple as a puma, stuart or other light tank. just stay on their rear and they cant hit you.

[[SKR] 68Wanks]

+1 for updating the guide

[NVSFCCB]

Relic ruined this commander. period.

[Lt.Stock]

I do have to say giving the flamers to Rear Echs is a better choice since their rifles are short ranged and fighting positions can now only be displaced with mortars or HE.

[MathiasCZR01]

Hello everyone, I' am announcing that due to the changes of this doctrine over time by Relic I have taken it upon myself to remodify this guide to reflect the current standing of this doctrine in the game.

The Riflemen Doctrine has gone through some major changes from its past. Whether the changes were good or bad remains up to each individual to decide for themselves.

Elite Riflemen have been completely removed. Its replacement is a Fire Up Sprint ability that allows riflemen to have more success when flanking the enemy.

In addition the M2 Flamethrower has been transferred from Riflemen to Rear Echelons, which now actually gives the Rear Echelons to stay in the later phases of the game.

[Erwin Johannes Eugen Rommel]

Elite riflemen removed....GG WP Relic

[Stoss]

If u add the 10% train faster it lowers the cool down js but it only goes down by 5 seconds still worth while doing that though since it can reinforce faster to