Machine guns in Company of heroes 2 are an important part of your army and are mainly intended for defense, holding points and passages on the map, although in skilled hands they can be used to support the offensive. In this guide, I will try to cover each machine gun in the game, its advantages and disadvantages.
Specifications
|
Machine gun |
Fractions |
Firing arc |
Firing arc in building |
Single bullet damage |
Whole line damage |
Suppression |
Set up speed | Pack-up speed |
Squad size |
|
MG 42 |
120° |
120° |
Medium (4 hр) |
High |
Good |
Low | Low |
4 |
|
|
DSHK |
60° |
120° |
High (10 hр) |
Very high |
Perfect |
Medium | Very fast |
6 |
|
|
Vickers |
120° |
120° |
Medium (4 hр) |
High |
Good |
Low | Low |
4 |
|
|
M2HB |
90° |
120° |
Very high (16 hр) |
Medium |
Good |
Fast | Very fast |
4 |
|
|
МG 34 |
120° |
120° |
Low (3 hр) |
Low |
Medium |
Low | Low |
4 |
|
|
Maxim |
90° |
120° |
Low (3 hр) |
High |
Bad |
Low | Very fast |
6 |
MG 42
In my opinion, the German MG 42 machine gun is the best machine gun in the game. It is distinguished by a wide firing arc, good damage and excellent suppression of enemy troops. Almost always suppresses a squad from one line. After the first veterancy, for 15 ammunition, he can activate armor-piercing incendiary bullets for 30 seconds, which increase damage to vehicles and infantry (armor-piercing bullets will not penetrate a tank, but light armored vehicles will be destroyed very fast).
Advantages
- High damage
- Wide firing arc
- Incendiary Armor Piercing Rounds on 1st vet
- Available in Kampfgruppe Headquarters at the beginning of the game
Disadvantages
- Low set up speed
- Low pack-up speed
DShK
DShK is the only heavy machine gun available only in some doctrines. Its main advantages are fast suppression of enemy units and the highest damage in the game if compared to other machine guns. Another advantage of the DShK is its armor-piercing tape, which does not require veterancy to access. The main disadvantage of the DShK is the smallest firing arc, but if the machine gun is in the building, then the firing arc increases to 120 degrees.
Advantages
- Highest damage among all machine guns
- Armor-piercing tape
- Squad size
- High set up speed
- High pack-up speed
Disadvantages
- Narrow firing arc
- High cost
- Only available to certain doctrines
Vickers
Vickers is a good British machine gun. It has several advantages such as a wide firing arc and good suppression. Vickers is available at the Field Headquarters, which allows him to be brought to the battlefield at the very beginning of the game.
Advantages
- High damage
- Wide firing arc
- Veterancy 1 unlocks 'Take Aim!' ability: Improves accuracy by +15%, adds +6 to penetration, and improves range by +7. 30 second duration. 15 munitions. Can be used in garrisons.
- Available in Field Headquarters at the beginning of the game
Disadvantages
- Cannot damage vehicles
- Low set up speed
- Low pack-up speed
- No extra abilities
M2HB
The M2HB is a decent US machine gun. To bring it to the battlefield, you need to dispatch the Lieutenant or choose an Airborne Company, where there is the option to drop the machine gun by air. The machine gun has the highest damage per shot, but it shoots in short bursts. Armor-piercing rounds is available after 1st veterancy. The machine gun has the best set up and pack-up speed.
Advantages
- High damage
- Armor Piercing Rounds
- High set up speed
- High pack-up speed
Disadvantages
- Narrow firing arc
- Requires Lieutenant dispatched
МG 34
MG 34, unlike MG 42, has less damage and worse suppression. If you load an armor-piercing rounds, then the damage to the infantry will not increase (like all machine guns except the MG 42).
Advantages
- Wide firing arc
- Incendiary Armor Piercing Rounds
Disadvantages
- Low damage
- Low set up speed
- Low pack-up speed
Maxim
In my opinion the Maxim machine gun is the worst machine gun in the game. Its main disadvantage is the disgusting suppression of enemy units. Often, he easily misses the enemy squad, which will throw it with grenades and destroy, so he must be carefully looked after. On the first veterancy, it has Sustained Fire ability, thanks to which the maxim is better at suppressing troops and causing more damage, but it is important to know that when this ability is activated, the machine gun begins to reload and at the time of reloading is not able to shoot.
Advantages
- High line damage
- High pack-up speed
Disadvantages
- Narrow firing arc
- Low set up speed
- Worst suppression in the game
- Cannot damage vehicles
- Require Support Weapon Kampaneya