Mission 04 - The Miraculous Winter | The Campaign Mode Company of Heroes 2 Guide

Main Objectives:

1. Deliver a source of heat to the soldiers

2. Recapture the terrain from the German hands

Bonus Objectives:

1. Seize all enemy posts by using snipers only

2. destroy all 10 tanks

This is the first mission in which you will experience winter and its effects on the gameplay. You start this mission with two squads that are freezing and they need to get warm to avoid dying. The cold level is symbolized by the blue thermometer next to the squad icon. When it falls to the bottom, your soldiers will start t freeze and die so, on winter maps you should always watch the heat level. The squads can get warm next to a fire, inside buildings or inside vehicles. Also covers that shield from wind are capable of halting the freezing process.

The blue thermometer signals that the squad is freezing and it needs warming up at fire

1. Go West until you reach a fire. Unfortunately, considering your marching speed, one of the squads will not make it to the heat source. After they get warm, a cutscene will start, and the game proper afterwards.

Marching through snow banks slows down your squad

2. Keep going West, along the path, towards the star that you can see on your minimap. On your way, you will find an MG-42 among the buildings. Equip it to your squad and return to the main route.

After you get there, you will be ambushed by the Krauts. Equipped with the MG-42, you will quickly deal with the threat, especially that soon two squads of snipers will reveal themselves and finish off the enemies.

Set the explosives on the immobile tank to fulfill the bonus objectives

You r task now will be to take over two enemy outposts marked on the map. Do not do directly there, though. Instead, go North along the road. On your way, you will find an HMG that's worth collecting. After a short walk, you will reach a hut where you will find a squad of engineers. They will tell you about tanks hidden under the snow, scattered all around the map. Due to the lack of their teams, they are easy to set explosives on (2). The first one of such tanks is to the right of the hut so, destroy it straight away.

Focus now on the seizing of the outposts. You can do that in two ways - traditionally by launching a direct attack, or silently by using snipers. The latter option is definitely a more interesting one and, additionally, it will allow you to fulfill a bonus objective (1).

Snipers are also immune to freezing so, the latter option will save you trouble connected with finding a fire during the march. Depending on which option you have chosen, hide your units in the hut to save them from cold and set out to the outposts with the snipers only or, warm up inside the hut and go to the outpost with your entire armada.

The camouflaged snipers are capable of dealing with infantry very quickly

Snipers should be able to score one kill per shot (in theory, in practice you sometimes need two shots). They can camouflage behind covers and are excellent at taking out teams of heavy equipment, and for setting traps. Unfortunately, they are not too tough and easy to kill and that is why it is important that they remain in hiding. Set out with your snipers deeper into the map and move slowly with the auto-attack on (H). Once you reach the entrance to the field, take cover and use the flare (F) to light the enemy positions. Start shooting manually (the right mouse button click issues an order to shoot) and take out the oblivious Germans one by one. If there is a squad that approaches you too much, start firing your sub-machine gun (V)to make them fall to the ground. In case of a more serious threat, do not hesitate to use sprint (N) and retreat towards the hut. Most probably, the Germans will return to their positions so, the entire action will be possible to repeat. If you do not want to perform the bonus objectives, you can, of course, use the HMG to support your snipers but, you need to watch out for cold.

So, just like before, keep moving, camouflaged, from cover to cover and kill out another outpost. First of all, take out the HMG team.

Once seized, the outpost will become the HQ where the units will be retreating.

After you have taken over the second star, the area will become your HQ for the rest of this mission. You will be granted the option of enlisting new conscripts, which you should take advantage of to supplement the losses. If you have lost a sniper, there is a truck nearby which, after it is manned, will perform the function of supplementing the nearby squads. Make yourself at home and do not forget to blow up the nearby tanks (2).

The way to the fuel point will be operated by HMGs

IN between the fuel point, which you need to seize, and the HQ there aren't really any fires. It is an open area controlled by several MG-42s so, for the next time, instead of the whole army, it is better to dispatch snipers. Eliminate the HMG teams using, traditionally, camouflage and flares.

On your way, you will encounter a few more of enemy's depots but, the tactic remains unchanged up until you reach the fuel point. There is another "inconveniently" situated HMG (the above screenshot), which cannot be brought under fire from a cover, and only in the straight line. Load your engineers, equipped with a flame thrower, into the truck and unload them directly next to the building, and they will handle the nuisance from the house.

To reach the last point, take the longer route from the South

There is only one last point to capture. Do not go towards it directly and take the road on the Southern portion of the map, where you will find another tank, among others (2).

Mortars can easily wipe out the snipers

Reach the base from the bottom(remember to hold your fire). The situation will be a bit more complicated because of the mortars that can quickly squash the snipers. The problem may be solved in two ways. You can attack the base with the regular units, from the side of the fuel station to draw the enemy's attention, and then use the snipers to the South to eliminate the mortar team. As an alternative, you could snipe the mortar team from the South and retreat as soon as you are spotted and the mortars respond with fire. The mortar bomb makes a high parabola. When it is fired, it takes a lot of time before it touches to the ground. The only thing you need to do, therefore, is retreat the snipers as soon as you notice the shot being fired. Afterwards you can return to your position and repeat the whole action. The whole team should be dead within three such repetitions.

As soon as the mortars are neutralized, the rest of the soldiers should pose no threat

After you seize the HQ, Germans will try to counter-attack. Man the mortars quickly with the infantry. The snipers and the nearby HMGs can be hidden in the nearby huts.

Sinking the tank will finish the mission.

Soon after the attack starts, the enemy tank will appear on the battlefield. Quickly, target the mortars at the ice on the river and fire at the area where the tank is standing, to send it to the bottom. After they lose the tank, Germans will lose all the steam and will retreat. This will complete this mission.