NHC Mod for Company of Heroes

Merry Christmas 2022 and Happy New Year everybody !

As usual the new update of the NHCmod is released for Christmas and with the 2 combiners for Eastern Front and StarWars Frontlines - The Galactic Civil War. I want to thank all the people who have donated to publish the mod on Steam. Special thanks to: WB, WB (a friend of WB with the same initials :p), Snowy, Powman68, Portres, TankedWildBear, Kaien Cross, Ion, proelitedota who have contributed to pay the fees to publish on Steam. I have to say that I was very surprised by their donations and touched by their kind words. I was not expecting to collect enough money before next year but I am honoured to say that we have collected more than enough to pay them and that I have started the process to publish the mod on Steam ! The process is however quite long so please be patient and don't expect it to be on Steam before Christmas 2023 and do not give more money to publish the mod on Steam. Keep your money or buy something nice for yourself or your loved ones instead !

To thank the generous donators, I have hidden more Easter Eggs and hidden units in the mod. To answer one peculiar request to give more reconnaissance to the Canadian contribution in WW2, I want to say first that you can already call-in Canadian infantry in my mod. Actually the paratroopers that you call from the radio are Canadians, they have exactly the same stats as the regular Tommies but have different voices. For the new NHCmod v2.700i they will have another badge on their shoulder. (It is supposed to be the the Lord Strathcona's Horse badge, but unfortunately the quality of the texture make it hard to see). You will also be able to change the Sherman Firefly Ace with a Canadian "Catherine" Sherman Firefly when choosing the right reward.

I also wanted to present you two recipients of the Victoria Cross:

Ernest Alvia 'Smokey' Smith VC, CM, OBC, CD (3 May 1914 - 3 August 2005). He was the only private soldier to earn the Victoria Cross in the Second World War. The action occurred in Savio, Italy, on 21 and 22 October 1944 as a forward company of the Seaforths Highlanders on the German side of the Savio River attempted to consolidate the bridgehead. It was suddenly counter-attacked by three German tanks, two self-propelled guns and about thirty infantry. Despite heavy fire, Smith led his PIAT (anti-tank projector) group across an open field to a suitable defensive position. His men then found themselves face to face with one of the German tanks coming down the road, its machine guns blazing. Smith held his ground, and at ten metres range fired the PIAT and disabled the tank. The group then moved out onto the roadway, firing tommy guns and forced the enemy to withdraw in disorder.

Frederick George Topham VC (10 August 1917 - 31 May 1974). In March 1945, Corporal Topham was serving as a medical orderly in the 1st Canadian Parachute Battalion. At that time, the battalion was part of the 3rd Parachute Brigade of the British Army’s 6th Airborne Division. On the morning of 24 March 1945, parachute and glider-borne troops of the 6th Airborne Division landed on the east bank of the Rhine River, not far from the city of Wesel in Germany. These landings were carried out in support of assault operations begun the night before by the 1st Canadian and 2nd British Armies to cross to the East bank of the river. After the 1st Canadian Parachute Battalion landed just north of Diersfordt Wood, Corporal Topham heard a cry for help from a wounded man who was in the open. Two medical orderlies who went out in succession to treat the wounded man were killed. Immediately afterward and on his own initiative, Topham went forward through intense German fire to assist the casualty. As he treated the wounded man, Topham was himself shot through the nose, but continued to give first aid despite the severe bleeding and pain of his own injury. He was then able to carry the wounded man to shelter through continuous fire. Refusing treatment for his wound, Corporal Topham continued to assist the wounded for two more hours, by which time all casualties had been evacuated to safety. Although he finally consented to have his nose dressed, he refused to be evacuated with the other wounded. Later, alone and again under enemy fire, Topham rescued three soldiers from a burning machine gun carrier that threatened to explode, brought them to safety, and arranged for the evacuation of the two men who survived. For his courageous and selfless devotion to his comrades, Corporal Topham was awarded the Victoria Cross.

To commemorate them, a small notice is written on them in the reward menu and playing with the reward will allow you to unlock them as a hidden squad in the mod.

I wish you all a merry Christmas and Happy New Year ! :)