Introduction: CoH Opposing Fronts

Company of Heroes: Opposing Fronts has been an anticipated video game for some time now. Since THQ and Relic have just released the multiplayer public beta, it seemed only fitting that Benchmark Reviews offer a preview. While CoH:OF didn't make it into our Most Anticipated Video Games of Winter 2007 article because it is more of a supplemental add-on than it is a completely new game, it is still considered by many to be one of the best Real Time Strategy video games of the recent past.

Before you begin your tour of duty, the system performance test shows what kind of requirements are needed, as well as where your system stands in comparison. I'm pleased that the Company of Heroes: Opposing Fronts Beta Preview didn't get too picky, since I played the original CoH with the settings maxed out. Here are my system specs for this go-round:

• Motherboard: Gigabyte GA-P35C-DS3R (Intel P35 chipset) with F4G BIOS
• Processor: Intel E6600 Core 2 Duo 2.2GHz operating at multiple speeds
• Memory: Winchip DDR2 1200MHz PC2-9600 2GB RAM Kit
• Cooling: Thermaltake MaxOrb CL-P0369 CPU Cooler
• Video: Foxconn GeForce 8800 GTS 640MB overclocked to 600MHz Core / 900MHz RAM
• Audio: HT Omega CLARO 7.1 C-Media 8788 Oxygen Chipset
• Hard Disk 1: Western Digital WD360GD 10,000 RPM SATA
• Optical Drive: Toshiba Samsung SH-S203 SATA 20x DVD R/W
• Enclosure: Lian Li PC-B20A ATX Case with 2x120mm and 1x90mm cooling fans
• PSU: ePower Technology EP-1200P10 xScale 1200W PSU
• Operating System: Windows XP Professional SP-2 (optimized to 16 processes at idle)

When I first opened the Beta Preview, Company of Heroes: Opposing Fronts MP prompted me to download a 10.43MB update before I could play the game. That was sure fast, since this version of the Beta Preview had been public for less than an hour.

At the splash screen, you can see that THQ was busy creating new single player missions for the Opposing Fronts campaign. There may be a small hint at them in the image above, but Company of Heroes: Opposing Fronts Beta Preview has got them locked down. Maybe someone out there can find out if they exist in the Beta or not?

The multiplayer setup screen looks virtually identical in Company of Heroes: Opposing Fronts as it did in the original. There are three new maps in this Beta version, and this is the total map rotation available:

1. Angoville 1v1
2. Bernieres-Sur-Mer 1v1
3. Etavaux 2v2
4. Rails and Metal 2v2
5. The Scheldt 3v3
6. The Huchwald Gap 4v4

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