Invasion of Normandy

The Invasion of Normandy campaign is the first and only campaign available in the base version of Company of Heroes.

Overview

This campaign primarily follows the story of Able Company and their participation throughout many of the missions and operations of the real life Normandy Campaign.

Missions

Omaha Beach

The first mission of the campaign, it begins with Able Company's assault on Omaha Beach during D-Day of Operation Overlord - Able must first breach the seawall, then take out German bunkers overlooking the beach, and finally disable the 88mm Flak guns overlooking the beach. The start of the campaign, this mission introduces two of the game’s major characters: Sergeant Conti and Captain MacKay

Vierville

The second mission of the campaign, this mission follows Fox Company as they airdrop behind enemy lines during the early hours of D-Day. Fox Company must first regroup after the chaotic airdrop, before disrupting enemy operations in rear areas, securing vital roads, and preventing the Germans from reinforcing the beaches which could jeopardize the D-Day landings.

Carentan

The third mission of the campaign, having regrouped and stopped the German reinforcements, Fox Company now moves to capture the strategic town of Carentan, which links the Omaha and Utah beaches, from German control.

Carentan Counterattack

The fourth mission of the campaign, after securing the town of Carentan, Fox Company must now keep the town secure and hold out against an overwhelming German counterattack, consisting of infantry, tanks, and artillery until Able Company arrives, bringing reinforcements and armor from the beaches.

Montebourg

The fifth mission of the campaign, The US First Army is marching North to secure the port city of Cherbourg. Able Company and Dog Company have been assigned to capture and defend the roads which will serve as the supply route from Cherbourg, code-named the RED BALL EXPRESS. The mission ending cinematic first shows another of the game’s major characters: Captain Shultz

Cherbourg

The sixth mission of the campaign, with the roads to Cherbourg secure, Able and Dog companies have been assigned to capture the main docks and port facilities of Cherbourg itself, with fire support from the USS Texas. At the end of the mission the German defenders surrender, and HQ gives Able Company a special mission.

Sottevast

The seventh mission of the campaign, by the end of the battle for Cherbourg, the Germans have destroyed the port rendering it unusable by the Allies for months, though secret documents are discovered detailing a V2 launch base hidden in a valley near the town of Sottevast along with V2 schematics. A nighttime airdrop operation is assigned to Fox Company to assault the facility on foot, while elements of Able Company rush to the site with armor support.

St. Fromond

The eighth mission of the campaign, with Cherbourg secure the Allies next target is the city of St. Lô, however the town of St. Fromond, which holds the only bridge crossing the river Vire, must be captured, a task which falls to Able Company. Able Company must push the Germans out of St. Fromond and hold the town, all while weathering constant Nebelwerfer rocket barrages and counter attacks from the Germans.

Hill 192

The ninth mission of the campaign, before St. Lô can be taken Hill 192 must be captured. Charlie Company was assigned to this mission but was wiped out trying to take the hill. Which now leaves the mission to Able Company. There is also a warning given that the Panzer Lehr division has been assigned to defend St. Lô and Panzer ace Joseph Gunter Shultz has been spotted in the area. This mission is the formal introduction of the character: Captain Joseph Gunter Shultz

St. Lô

The tenth mission of the campaign, with Hill 192 taken the Allies can now advance on St. Lô, which the Germans have heavily fortified, turning it into a "fortress city". Able Company must battle through the dug in Germans along with armor support from the Panzer Lehr division and surround the city center, forcing the Germans to surrender. In the ending cinematic Sergeant Conti spots the Panthers of Panzer Lehr division along with the Tiger tank of Captain Shultz though binoculars and alerts Captain MacKay, who comments to Conti "You better call in the fly boys. They won't get far."

Hébécrevon

The eleventh mission of the campaign, with St. Lô surrounded Able Company, supported by the 4th Cav, has been directed to pursue the Panzer Lehr division, which has been forced to withdraw from St. Lô due to heavy losses inflicted by carpet bombing from the 8th Air Force, and knock out their remaining Panther tanks. In the ending cinematic Captain MacKay and Sergeant Conti are spotted while issuing orders to their soldiers by Captain Shultz in his Tiger tank, Shultz has a single shell fired at the leadership of Able Company, the cinematic ends with Sergeant Conti calling for a medic.

Chambois

Operation Cobra

American forces begin to approach the city of Saint-Lô and Able Company begins approaching from the north. German defenders at St. Fromond hope to stop Able's advance by blowing up the only bridge leading into the town. Able Company is able to repair the bridge under fire from across the river, and drives the Germans out of the town. German defenders regroup and organize several counterattacks with Nebelwerfer support, but all assaults against Able Company are thrown back with heavy casualties.

The Panzer Lehr mauls Charlie Company while attempting to secure Hill 192 at the outskirt of Saint-Lô. Able Company is assigned to take the hill. Hedgerows around the hill and hidden Flak 88 batteries provide a formidable defensive position against the Allies, but Able Company breaks through by employing bulldozer-equipped M4 'Crocodile' Sherman tanks to plow through the hedgerows and flank the Germans.

German defenders at Saint-Lô decide to hold out against American forces by heavily fortifying the city center, but Able Company plans to surround and trap the German defenders at the city center rather than a head-on assault. Although the operation is successful, some German units, including the Panzer Lehr division, manage to escape destruction. Able Company calls in the 8th Air Force in response and the escaping German units suffer heavily due to carpet bombing.

Badly reduced and under constant air attack, the shattered Panzer Lehr division is chased by American forces, and Able Company manages to intercept what is left of the division at Hébécrevon. A raid is conducted with fast moving M10 tank destroyers against the Panzer Lehr's positions, and almost all of its armor strength, including the last seven surviving Panther tanks, are completely wiped out. However, during the course of the mission, Captain MacKay is killed by a Tiger I under Shultz's personal command.

Operation Lüttich

MacKay's death puts newly promoted First Sergeant Conti in command of Able Company as a Second Lieutenant, which has been put off the line and reassigned to relieve Dog Company at Hill 317 near Mortain. Unfortunately, the respite is only short, as Mortain becomes the focal point of a new German counterattack. Surprised and outnumbered, Able Company is forced to hold the hill until reinforcements can arrive in the morning.

Dog Company arrives with armor support and Able Company digs in and consolidates their positions. German forces renew the counterattack in force after their surprise night attack failed to take the hill, but all attempts are beaten back. Able Company successfully forces the Germans to retreat after inflicting heavy losses, including the destruction of a Flak 88 battery.

Falaise Pocket

The last section of the single player campaign deals with the destruction of German forces in the region. After suffering a string of defeats, the German Seventh Army is forced to retreat in order to avoid encirclement. Allied forces are racing to trap the Germans before they can escape. Baker Company is assigned to shut down one of the escape routes at Autry, but Shultz's Panzergruppe, which escaped the destruction of the Panzer Lehr division, annihilates them. Able Company rushes to the scene with an M26 Pershing tank  (although it should be noted that in reality the M26 Pershing wasn't fielded till January 1945, too late to appear in the timeline in which the game is based on) and destroys Shultz's Panzergruppe in return. Shultz's Tiger is among those tanks destroyed in the battle.

Chambois becomes the Seventh Army's last hope for escaping the Falaise Pocket. With heavy air cover, Canadian, Polish and American forces, led by Able Company, secure all bridges around Chambois and close the Falaise Pocket. The German Seventh Army attempts to break free, but they are met with heavy aerial bombardment and are forced to surrender.

The campaign ends with the caption that Able Company had suffered an 80% casualty rate by the end of World War II.

Distinguished characters

• Captain John D MacKay

The commander of Able Company. He appears to be an Army Ranger by his character model, although he commands a regular infantry company. MacKay is killed when hit by a tank shell fired by Hauptmann Shultz.

• First Sergeant (later Second Lieutenant) Joe Conti

The game's narrator, served as the second-in-command of Able Company under Captain MacKay, and is a close friend to MacKay ever since recruit training. Conti is almost killed alongside Captain MacKay, and commands Able Company for the rest of the game. Joe Conti survives through the war.

• Captain Joseph Shultz

A German tank captain commanding the "Tiger Ace" from the Panzer Lehr division. He serves as the personal antagonist of Able company. He commands the Panzergruppe that attacks the Red Ball Express, where his unit first met Able Company. Suffering from heavy losses, he watches Captain MacKay from afar while his unit is busy retreating. He later crosses paths with Able Company while commanding the forces defending Saint-Lô, but manages to escape encirclement by Able Company. He kills Captain MacKay when his unit is destroyed while retreating from Hèbècrevon. Shultz later defends the Falaise Pocket from encirclement, attempting to delay the attacking Americans as long as possible. Able Company manages to surround his Tiger tank and destroy it.