Mission 08 - Tiger Hunting | The Campaign Mode Company of Heroes 2 Guide
Last update: 11 May 2016
Main Objectives:
1. Escort the allied tanks
2. Hunt for the Tiger in the village
3. Hunt for the Tiger near the landing site
4. Drive the Tiger to your HQ safely
Bonus Objectives:
1. Finish the hunt without calling for additional squads
1. Follow the tanks and collect any ammo on the road (the above screenshot). The convoy, to all intents and purposes does need no escorting so, you do not really need to stick close to the tanks.
Soon, a Tiger will appear from behind a barn. Panzer VI Tiger. The biggest and the mightiest tank in the entire game. Soon you will learn that fighting the tank is a failed cause. The escorted tanks will soon end up in flames. You will receive a message urging you to retreat. Do this quickly in order not to attract the tank's attention and save the infantry's lives.
2. You will receive measly reinforcements from the South, equipped with AT rockets. You can give up sending the infantry out against the kitten. The rockets will barely scratch it. Instead, you should focus on the explosives and AT weaponry. Leave the main forces South and send conscripts to comb through the village. Around, near the key points, there are two M-42 cannons. These will not save you, because the damage they are capable of inflicting will also be minimal but, it is still a better weapon than the rockets.
The other M-42 is located in the Eastern portion of the map. After you obtain both, send them to the South to meet up with your main forces. Search through the village with the only infantry squad and seize both key points. Any ammo will be of value. Avoid the Tiger and run away if you bump into it. You also have two abilities at your disposal: vehicle detect and conscription. If you want to perform the bonus objective (1), you cannot make any use of the latter. You should also wait with using the second one, for now.
A good spot to set a trap is e.g. the church in the Southern portion of the map. Use your engineers to set explosives around it. Position your cannons on the sides, so they can fire at the Tiger on both sides and, when it starts to attack, keep adjusting their positions accordingly to the side, you get out of the line of fire. In the meantime, from the back, it can be approached with infantry, so they can inflict some damage with rockets. But, as soon as the Tiger targets them, hide them. In general terms, it is a good idea to deploy explosives on the main road. Even if you do not use them up now, they will prove useful further in this mission. When the tank is initially damaged, it will leave to the North. You need to chase after it.
3. The Tiger, although damaged, is still deadly dangerous. It will retreat to the North, to the nearby landing strip. Directly before you reach the airstrip, you will find one more M-42, which you should take care of. Before the showdown, it is a good idea to seize both key points and gather all of the available ammo. You will know where the Tiger is by following the tracks on the snow so, move slowly and carefully. It is a good idea to make use of the sniper's flares here.
Once you are ready, pick a nearby building again and set your cannons there. Try luring the tank there, by using your infantry. Also, do not forget about your engineers and their bombs. Finishing off the Tiger will be a long and arduous task but, it will have to give up eventually.
4. The destroyed tank now needs to be repaired and delivered to the base that the starting point to the South will be transformed into. Man it quickly with an infantry squad and order the engineer unit with the reparations. Before the tank regains its mobility, you will have to protect it from German attacks that do not want to let the tank to fall into your hands. Deploy All of your units around the tank. Position the cannons and the HMGs to the North and to the South. You can use your M5, which you will be granted, to deploy your units. You can also produce one cheap cargo truck, which can hold several squads, but is defenseless.
Produce at least, one Zis at the headquarters and one or two infantry squads. Then, deploy them near the church where you have been hunting the Tiger not too long ago. This will create a small outline of a defense line. Gather the remaining units around the tank and its guard. The entire region between the HQ and the tank will fall into enemy hands but, this is an acceptable loss. After some time, the Tiger will be mobile again but, do not use it yet. Wait patiently for the engineers to repair it in one hundred percents. Only then, start your march to the South.
The region between the HQ and the tank has been cut off and, most probably, built up by the enemy. You still have the Tiger at your disposal, which is 100% functional right now. You also have the entire army around it so, do not hesitate to unleash this power to destroy enemy trenches.
Whenever the Tiger is damaged, make stops and repair the tank. Haste is not required in this mission. It is much safer, and more secure, to wait for the repairs to be completed and attack with the fully functional tank. Once you reach the HQ the mission will be complete.