Company of Heroes 3: Hammer & Shield is a Battlegroup DLC pack consisting of two Battlegroups for Multiplayer and Co-Op/ skirmish vs AI.
This pack replaced the previous Hammer & Shield expansion, which also included cosmetic and single-player content.
USF - ADVANCED INFANTRY BATTLEGROUP
The elite Rangers are one of the key elements of the Advanced Infantry Battlegroup. Riflemen in the field can be upgraded to Rangers and become an option in the Barracks build menu. These devastating troops can call down their own weapon drops, and can wield up to six upgraded weapons in total, ranging from flamethrowers to BARs.
Advanced Infantry Battlegroup is also heavily focused on artillery support. Upgrade your Scouts into Artillery Observers, who can build Artillery Radio Beacons. These hidden structures can be used to call down light artillery barrages in their vicinity, causing chaos in the enemy ranks.
The 105mm M1 Howitzer provides your troops with dedicated on field medium artillery support, and can even be upgraded to auto fire on the enemy, leaving you more time to focus on the assault at hand.
Finally, if the situation calls for a concentrated heavy artillery solution, the 155mm Rapid Artillery strike will provide exactly that. This ability is perfect to smash the lines of entrenched foes, or to tip the scales in large scale engagements.
WEHRMACHT - ITALIAN COASTAL DEFENSE BATTLEGROUP
The Coastal Reserves Infantry are versatile, and defensive, opening up myriad strategies for cunning commanders. These reservists are experts in field defenses and can build anything from tank traps to concrete bunkers. The Coastal Reserves also gain combat bonuses when fighting from cover or near defensive bunkers, making them an extremely difficult nut to crack.
The Artillery Officer is the perfect unit to punish the enemy as they stall against your fortifications and dogged line infantry. The officer can call down artillery and smoke barrages, supervise production, and inspire nearby infantry to greater feats in combat.
Support Bunkers allow for even more utility in the defensive line. The Anti-Tank Bunker will dispatch enemy vehicles from long range, while the Command Bunker will improve the performance of nearby bunkers, and act as a retreat point for infantry.
The Obice da 210/22 is a heavy howitzer, and a statement piece in any defensive general’s armament. Its ominous boom heralds the impact of 101KG shells that will eviscerate infantry, armor, and fortifications alike. As if the Obice was not terrifying enough, it will fire additional shells when in proximity to friendly bunkers, due to its Rapid Resupply ability.
