It’s a subtle hint that the British do in fact possess the tools for a more aggressive, mobile style of war.

The first is a seemingly minor choice between the ability to produce rugged AEC armoured cars and a BOFORS AA emplacement that’s also an effective anti-infantry counter. At a couple of stages during a game, you’ll be given an option that will slightly shift the focus of your military development. In fact, although they do still skew towards a defensive approach, Relic’s made sure this new model British army is a lot more flexible than the one that appeared in the original Company of Heroes.

Other units include versatile commandos who can wreak havoc behind enemy lines, a surprisingly deadly Comet heavy tank, and the familiar and dependable infantry section, unflashy front-line infantry who can grab Bren guns and Piat launchers for a little added versatility It’s a nice solid line-up, with a handful of entirely new units that players won’t have seen before. Relic still does explosions better than anyone else, and with a 17-pounder gun on the field you'll be seeing a lot of them. Still, during the early scouting stages they’re a tonne of fun to use. By the mid-to-late game universal carriers begin to lose their effectiveness held together by paper and string as they are, anything more violent than a light gust of wind will see them collapse like a wet cardboard box. Or you could opt for a mounted Bren gun or flamethrower, which offer a deadly anti-infantry option. Its vanilla version has room for an infantry squad, and its high speed means you can shuttle units to contested areas in double-quick time. The universal carrier is a nifty little tracked vehicle that can perform a number of fast-response actions across the map. That’s not to say the British don’t pack a few more nimble toys. And as soon as the enemy gets bogged down? A few dozen artillery shells are an excellent remedy for any cases of ill-advised bravery among the enemy force. It’s best to push forward slowly, keep your supply lines secure, and double down on MG nests and anti-tank guns to put down a withering field of fire. Try to engage more mobile and vehicle-heavy armies and you’ll find yourself outmanoeuvred and often outgunned. If, like me, you’re a journeyman COH2 player, that’s probably how you should play the British – as stubborn, unyielding turtling specialists. British infantry are rugged and difficult to rout once they're dug in, but lack the versatility of Russian, American and German troops.

Company of heroes 2: the british forces