The most reliable and time-efficient method is purchasing the “All Out War Edition” or individual “Commander Bundles” on Steam.
As of the 2021 update, Company of Heroes 2 moved away from the old "coin" system and implemented the Supply System. This unified currency is used to unlock commanders, skins, and faceplates.
You can buy single commanders for $3.99 - $5.99 USD via the in-game "Store" button. Given that 45+ commanders cost ~$200 individually, this is a trap unless you only want one specific meta commander (e.g., Soviet "Guard Motor Coordination" or Ostheer "Lightning War"). company of heroes 2 how to unlock all commanders
Many players wonder if they still need to buy DLC to get specific commanders. The answer is complex.
You cannot unlock every Commander purely through gameplay challenges. While many can be earned via "Spoils of War" drops or by leveling up your profile, a significant portion of the roster consists of DLC (Downloadable Content) that must be purchased or acquired via the Steam Market. The most reliable and time-efficient method is purchasing
Here are the three main methods to unlocking Commanders:
Add CoH2 to your Steam Wishlist. Wait for a Summer, Winter, or Weekend Sale. Pay $10-$15. This is the only "unlock all" button that exists. Many players wonder if they still need to
Alexei realized the deeper story. Company of Heroes 2 does not want you to “unlock all commanders.” It wants you to earn the ones that matter.
He stopped chasing drops. He chose two factions (Soviet and OKW). He focused on weekly challenges—those reward guaranteed War Spoils with higher commander chances. He played the “Theatre of War” missions, which give fixed rewards. He saved in-game currency (Supply) earned from duplicate drops and bought the commanders he truly needed: Soviet Shock Motor Rifle, OKW Fortifications Doctrine.
After six months, he had unlocked 14 commanders—not all, but the right ones. And he was winning.