In the following guide for Company Of Heroes 2, we will be taking a look at the units for the Soviet faction in the game. The Soviet units are generally slightly inferior to their German counterparts, but make up for this by being much less expensive to produce.
For more help on Company of Heroes 2, read our German Units Guide.
Company of Heroes 2 Soviet Units
Here they are, starting from the very basic, tier zero Conscripts.
Tier Zero (Headquarters)
Conscript Infantry Squad
Frontline/Anti-Tank/Anti-Garrison
Abilities: Oorah! (5 Munitions)(15 Seconds), Throw Molotov Cocktail (15 Munitions), RPG-43 Anti-Tank Grenade (25 Munitions)
Veterancy Abilities: Trip Wire Flares (10 Munitions)
Upgrades: Molotov Cocktail Upgrade (at Headquarters), RPG-43 Anti-Tank Grenade (at Headquarters)
The basic Soviet infantry squad, the Conscripts consist of a team of six soldiers and are very versatile and capable of being useful in most situation. They’re more effective than other infantry at short range and have abilities that can increase their mobility.
They can also be upgraded to be effective against Garrisoned troops and armor. They can also place a special mine that grants vision of the enemy unit that trips it at higher veterancy.
Combat Engineers Squad
Support/Anti-Garrison
Abilities: Repair
Veterancy Abilities: Trip Wire Flares (10 Munitions)
Upgrades: ROKS 3 Flamethrower (60 Munitions), Mine Defusal Package (50 Munitions)
This squad of four soldiers is the main builder unit of the Soviets. The engineers can not only build base buildings but is also responsible for forward defenses such as tank traps, barbed wire, sandbags, and mines.
They can be upgraded to be more effective against infantry with a flamethrower or with a kit to enable them to get rid of mines and barbed wire. They can also place a special mine that grants vision of the enemy unit that trips it at higher veterancy.
Tier #1 (Special Rifle Command)
Scout Sniper Squad
Support/Anti-Infantry
Abilities: Hole Fire
Veterancy Abilities: Sprint (6 Munitions)
Upgrades: None
The two-man Sniper squad is used for surgical strikes at sensitive targets. They can effectively decimate infantry, even behind cover, since it only takes one shot to take down a soldier.
As long as they have line of sight and are in range they can kill it.
They can also become stealthed when not firing and in cover, becoming undetectable by all but the closest enemies. Since there are two of them, you are given some margin for error as you can immediately fall back upon losing one man to avoid losing the whole squad.
M3A1 Light Scout Car
Support/Light Armor/Transport/Anti-Infantry
Abilities: None
Veterancy Abilities: Overdrive (20 Seconds)
Upgrades: None
The Scaout car is lightly armored as is therefore susceptible to small-arms fire. You can garrison a squad inside it and they can shoot out the back. It’s very fast, and useful when scouting and capable of suppressing enemy infantry.
Penal Battalion
Frontline/Anti-Garrison/Anti-Building
Abilities: Throw Satchel Charge (45 Munitions)
Veterancy Abilities: Trip Wire Flares (10 Munitions)
Upgrades: ROKS 3 Flamethrower (60 Munitions)
The Penal Battalion is just like a regular squad of Consripts, but better. They lack the anti-armor capabilities of the other, but do have something in the form of a timed satchel charge.
This explodes after approximately 5 seconds and deals very heavy damage, but is best used on buildings due to the long timer. They can also be upgraded to be anti-garrison.
Tier #2 (Support Weapon Kampaneya)
M1910 Maxim Heavy Machine Gun
Heavy Weapons/Anti-Infantry
Abilities: None
Veterancy Abilities: Sprint (6 Munitions)
Upgrades: None
This six man squad has command over a powerful heavy machine gun. They are capable of decimating multiple enemy infantry squads, but need help from other units as they require time to set up.
They have a very long range and a wide firing arc, additionally they are very good at suppressing enemy positions, making them unable to act. They do next to no damage to armored targets, and take time to pack up before repositioning.
They can also be garrisoned inside buildings, making them excellent for holding points.
One thing to note is that if a team is slain on the battlefield, they oftentimes leave the gun itself behind. You can take a regular squad and capture the M1910 to create an impromptu HMG team.
PM-41 82mm Mortar Squad
Heavy Weapons/Support
Abilities: Mortar Barrage, Smoke Barrage, Hold Fire
Veterancy Ability: Precision Strike (60 Munitions)
Upgrades: None
A super-long range six man squad, the PM-41 mortar is used to eliminate stationary enemy positions such as MG42 emplacements due to their inaccuracy and inability to hit anything mobile.
They can also be used to suppress enemies and provide support to allies due to their Mortar Barrage and Smoke Barrage abilities. They can also be set to automatically fire in response to enemy artillery or to hold fire.
Mortar teams must have a minimum of two soldiers operating it. If they lose five of their men, the remaining soldier flees the battle. The mortar they leave behind can usually be captured by another squad.
ZiS-3 76mm Divisional Field Gun
Heavy Weapons/Anti-Armor
Ability: Light Artillery Barrage (60 Munitions)
Veterancy Abilities: Tracking (20 Munitions)
Upgrades: None
Consisting of a six man squad, this anti-tank gun does as its name suggests; kill tanks. It is slightly inaccurate, but deals considerable amounts of damage to enemy armor, even from the front.
It’s also resistant to tank main gun fire, so it can sometimes win straight up slugfests if the tank doesn’t have a machinegun and doesn’t move around behind it. In addition to its armor-penetrating rounds, the ZiS-3 Field Gun can fire artillery that is powerful against infantry squads and weapon teams at a targeted location.
The ZiS will be disbanded if reduced down to a single man but, like the mortar, can be captured. The crew of the Pak is always in need of protection and support.
Tier #3 (Tankoviy Battalion Command)
M5 Half-track
Support/Anti-Infantry/Anti-Air/Frontlin/Transport/Light Armor
Abilities: None
Veterancy Abilities: Overdrive (20 Seconds)
Upgrades: Anti-Air Package (90 Munitions)
A useful light vehicle, the Halftrack is effective against infantry due to its natural resistance to small arms fire and mounted machine gun. It can function as a support vehicle due to its transportation and reinforcement capabilities.
Garrisoned squads can shoot out from the back. If there is a squad near the halftrack that has lost some of its soldiers, they can reinforce directly from the halftrack instead of having to go all the way back to a HQ.
It can be upgraded to add powerful anti-air and infantry guns at the cost of losing its garrison capabilities.
T-70M Light Tank
Frontline/Light Armor/Anti-Armor/Anti-Infantry/Heavy Weapons
Abilities: Field Repairs (60 Munitions), Recon Mode
Veterancy Abilities: Secure Mode
Upgrades: None
The T-70 is a light assault tank. It is weaker than most other tanks but can easily destroy other light vehicles such as halftracks and scout cars.
It’s also effective versus infantry and is quite mobile. It’s hull is resistant to small arms fire but cannot take anti-armor punishment. It has the capability to turn off its main gun for a short while to begin field repairs, gain increased sight range or capture sectors.
T-34/76 Medium Tank
Heavy Weapons/Frontline/Anti-Infantry/Anti-Armor/Medium Armor
Abilities: Ramming Maneuver
Veterancy Ability: Secure Mode
Upgrades: None
The T-34 is a highly mobile medium tank. It’s more effective than other medium tanks at taking down infantry, and strong against light armor.
It’s main gun is weaker than other tanks of the same class but it’s mobility allows it to flank these enemies and hit them from behind. If all else fails, it can ram a targeted vehicle in order to destroy both tanks’ main guns at the cost of becoming immobile.
Tier #3 (Mechanized Armor Kampaneya)
BM-13 Katyusha Rocket Truck
Heavy Weapons/Light Armor
Abilities: 132mm Rocket Barrage
Veterancy Abilities: Concentrated Barrage (60 Munitions)
Upgrades: None
While fragile to anti-armor fire, the Katyusha is capable of laying down a significant amount of destruction in a concentrated area. The rocket truck is less accurate than its German counterpart, although it fires more missiles. It’s best used to soften up enemy defenses before an assault.
SU-76M Assault Gun
Heavy Weapons/Support/Anti-Infantry
Abilities: Light Artillery Barrage
Veterancy Abilities: Tracking (20 Munitions)
Upgrades: None
While the SU-76 may look like a tank, it is actually a mobile artillery platform. It’s capable of long firing its shells in order to take out entire squads of infantry and demolish fixed defenses from a great distance.
Usually requiring spotter units, it’s armor is rather weak and it can’t go toe to toe with a real tank. It’s also slow so it requires protection.
SU-85 Medium Tank Destroyer
Heavy Weapons/Medium Armor/Anti-Armor/Frontline
Abilities: Focused Sight
Veterancy Abilities: Tracking (20 Munitions)
Upgrades: None
With a reasonably powerful main gun, the SU-85 is the Soviet medium tank killer. It’s got good penetration, and combined with decent armor and long range means that it can punch through most tank plate and take a bit of punishment as well.
It needs protection from faster units and infantry, as it lacks any capabilities to deal with such units. It’s also cheaper than the German Elefant.
Soviet Commander Units
Guards Rifle Infantry
Frontline/Anti-Armor/Anti-Infantry
Abilities: RGD-33 Fragmentation Grenade (30 Munitions), Button Vehicle (40 Munitions)
Veterancy Abilities: Trip Wire Flares (10 Munitions)
Upgrades: DP Light Machine Guns (60 Munitions)
This 6 man squad is the Soviet infantry answer to the massive armor capabilities of the Germans. The Guards Rifle Infantry squad is equipped with powerful, armor piercing PTRS guns that can actually damage vehicles.
They can be upgraded with light machine guns for more firepower against other infantry and the Button Vehicle ability which can disable vehicles.
Shock Troops
Frontline/Anti-Infantry/Support
Abilities: RG-42 Anti-Personnel Grenade (30 Munitions), RGD-1 Smoke Grenade (15 Munitions)
Veterancy Abilities: Trip Wire Flares (10 Munitions)
Upgrades: PPsH-41 Submachine Gun Package (60 Munitions)
The Shock troops are pretty much the best infantry units the Soviets have.
They’re really bullet resistant and are equipped with the best anti-infantry weaponry at short range, and can be upgraded to be even better. Their ability arsenal allows them to support other units with smoke grenades and take out enemy positions with frag grenades.
They have no way to deal with armored vehicles though, and need other units to cover that weakness.
HM-38 120mm Mortar Squad
Heavy Weapons/Support/Anti-Infantry
Abilities: Mortar Barrage, Smoke Barrage, Hold Fire
Veterancy Abilities: Precision Strike (30 Munitions)
Upgrades: None
A far more power version of the regular mortar team, this squad can launch mortar bombs halfway across the map. Their extreme range allows them to stay safely away from the front lines.
Useful for assaulting enemy positions and entrenched defenses. They can support allies using smake bombs and sometimes fire a single, very precise shot.
ML-20 Howitzer
Heavy Weapons/Support/Anti-Armor/Anti-Infantry
Abilities: Heavy Artillery Barrage
Veterancy Abilities: Precision Strike (60 Munitions)
Upgrades: None
The Howitzer is one of the longest ranged units in the game, capable of firing off massively destructive shells into the battlefield even from your base.
It is notoriously inaccurate and slow firing, though a direct hit can usually ensure the destruction of several high value targets. It is immobile and has a squad of three operating it.
It can be set to target any enemy artillery units that fire within its range, or you can set its targets manually.
ISU-152 Heavy Assault Gun
Heavy Weapons/Heavy Armor/Frontlines/Anti-Armor/Anti-Infantry
Abilities: Focused Sight, G530 Concrete Piercing Round (90 Munitions)
Veterancy Abilities: Tracking (20 Munitions)
Upgrades: DShK 38 12.7mm Heavy Machine Gun (30 Munitions)
Well armored and with a main gun that makes Godzilla turn the other way, the ISU-152 can pack a punch that tears through most enemy armor. The gun is only slightly weaker than the German Elefant, but is capable of decimating enemy infantry as well with a single well placed shot.
IS-2 Heavy Tank
Heavy Weapons/Heavy Armor/Frontlines/Anti-Armor/Anti-Infantry
Abilities: None
Veterancy Abilities: Secure Mode
Upgrades: DShK 38 12.7mm Heavy Machine Gun (30 Munitions)
Best the Soviets have to offer, the IS-2 tank is the strongest unit available to this faction. It can do pretty much anything and deal with pretty much any situation.
Boasting a gun with more power and penetration than the lauded German Tiger, the IS-2 can handle almost any vehicle in a one on one situation. It’s not quite as hardy as the Tiger, but it can certainly take a hit, and then some. You can upgrade it to be even more effective against infantry.
T-34/85 Medium Tank
Heavy Weapons/Frontline/Anti-Infantry/Anti-Armor/Medium Armor
Abilities: Ramming Maneuver
Veterancy Ability: Secure Mode
Upgrades: None
This is basically the same tank as the T-34 given up above, the only difference is improved armor penetration and damage, it still has all the abilities of the original, and costs more resources.
KV-8 Flamethrower Tank
Abilities: Use 45mm Main Gun, Use Flame Projector
Veterancy Abilities: Secure Mode
Upgrades: None
Calling is just a flamethrower tank is a bit of a misnomer, as it can switch between a regular armor piecing gun and the flame spitter. This makes is very versatile, although as a result it doesn’t really excel at either role. It more durable than the T-34 but less mobile.
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