Infantry Weapons

Rifles

Rifles are one of the main infantry weapons used during World War II. While they have a slower rate of fire than some of the other available weapons, they also have a longer range and inflict more damage per round.

It usually only takes one or two hits of rifle fire to kill an enemy. Keep your riflemen back, especially when engaging enemies with submachine guns. Riflemen are better at supporting assaults than they are at making the assaults themselves.

Submachine Guns

Submachine guns have a high rate of fire, but are effective at a shorter range than rifles. As such, they are best used at close range against enemies.

SMG soldiers are great for assaulting enemy positions and clearing out trenches. Since they fire off ammunition at a fast rate, be sure to pick up ammo from dead enemies so you don’t run out in the middle of a firefight.

Pistols

Officers and soldiers can carry pistols. These are weapons of last resort since they do not cause a lot of damage and are only effective at very close range.

A pistol, however, is still better than nothing.

Anti-Tank Rifles

Anti-tank rifles are large caliber rifles that are essentially small, portable anti-tank guns. By World War II, tank armor had improved to the point that it was impervious to anti-tank rifles.

Even though they can’t destroy a tank, if you take direct control of an AT soldier you can aim for the tracks and immobilize a tank (which, at times, can be almost as effective as a kill).

Anti-tank rifles can also be used to kill machine gunners or crews of weapons, and they are still able to destroy scout vehicles, trucks and other unarmored vehicles, as well as some pillboxes.

Machine Guns

Some machine guns are portable and can be carried by a single soldier. These are great weapons for supporting an assault or defending against an enemy attack.

They have a range similar to a rifle, but a rate of fire closer to that of a submachine gun.

Group a machine gunner or two with each of your squads, or put them all together in a smaller squad with a lot of firepower.

Sniper Rifles

Sniper rifles are used to engage enemy soldiers at long range. These rifles have a slow rate of fire, but they are very accurate. In addition, a soldier with a sniper rifle can use aimed fire.

While in direct control, place the reticule over a target. A red dot appears and slowly changes into red crosshairs.

When firing after waiting for the crosshairs, your shot will be very accurate and often will kill the target instantly.

Use sniper rifles to kill gun crews, machine gunners, or even enemies on vehicles. Due to the sniper rifle’s slow rate of fire, avoid letting enemies in close.

Frag Grenades

Frag grenades detonate after a set amount of time, and they are most effective against infantry. Grenades thrown over obstacles can kill several soldiers near the point of detonation.

Enemy soldiers often try to get away from a grenade. To prevent this, take direct control of a soldier and hold down the fire button for a couple seconds before releasing it to throw the grenade.

If you time it right, the grenade will blow up just as it arrives at the target, or even while mid-air near the enemy soldiers.

Frag grenades are effective for clearing trenches or killing gun crews.

Anti-Tank Grenades

Anti-tank grenades are heavy grenades that pack a lot of explosive power. Due to their weight, they cannot be thrown as far as frag grenades. They also detonate on impact.

These grenades can destroy all types of vehicles, including heavy tanks. They can also be used to blow openings in walls or buildings.

In a bind, anti-tank grenades can be used against infantry or gun crews, but they often destroy the gun that you’re trying to capture in the process.

Rocket Launchers

Some German soldiers carry rocket launchers. Russian soldiers can also capture these if they reach the enemy first.

Rocket launchers are great for destroying vehicles, although it may take several hits to take down some medium and heavy tanks with thick armor.

These weapons can also be used against buildings. If an enemy soldier is sniping at you while hiding in an upstairs room of a building, blow away the wall of the building.

Even if the blast does not kill him, at least there will no longer be a wall behind which he can hide. When picking up a dropped rocket launcher, be sure to get rockets from the dead soldier who had it.

Some rocket launchers, such as the Panzerfaust, are only good for a single shot. Once they are fired, they can’t be reloaded and should be disposed of.

Flamethrowers

These weapons can be very effective, especially against enemies in cover. In order to conserve fuel, take direct control of any soldiers wielding these weapons.

Flamethrowers are great for clearing out trenches—you just have to get close enough to use them. They are also awesome for dealing with enemies in buildings.

Use the flamethrower on the side of a building until it starts catching fire, and then move back and let the fire spread throughout the building, killing everyone inside.

Mines

Soldiers can lay both anti-tank and anti-personnel mines. The former will immobilize even the heaviest tank, while the latter kills any enemies who trigger them.

Mines can be placed individually, but they are more effective when laid out in a line across an area through which enemies must advance.

Be sure to place your mines before the enemy arrives. It takes some time to do this, and your soldiers will be vulnerable while planting mines since they won’t be able to return fire.

Other Equipment

Med kits are a soldier’s best friend. As soon as a soldier takes some damage, get them behind cover and use a med kit. This is extremely important if you have a limited number of soldiers.

Helmets and body armor can also help keep your soldiers alive. If your soldiers lose their helmets during combat, or if they do not begin with helmets, pick them up off the ground or off of dead soldiers.

Sometimes your soldiers have access to smoke grenades. These are great for creating temporary concealment.

Throw them in front of enemy units so that they cannot see your movements or fire at you. Smoke grenades are very useful when you need to cross open terrain to get behind cover.