CoHO is very fun game even if not balanced- the best way to play it is 4v4 game mode, because in 1v1 usually American Infantry win.
Differences between CoH and CoHO:
1. When you create commander, you must chose one of the doctrines(like in MMO players choses class). Each doctrine now have 8 ONLY active abilities, but you can pick up max to 5 among them. Each ability have 12 options of upgrade- you gain 1 upgrade point each level. Upgrades are very different, like reducing cost/cooldown of abilities, giving extra effects or very powerful nearly gamebreaking mechanics(eg. investing 11th and 12th point in King Tiger allow player to repurchase it any time when KT is destroyed).
2. Heroes- Powerful units with drawbacks(usually) and many bonuses from the start, like having T1 volks with Mp40 and Assault ability or T0 engineers with two(!) flamethrowers.
3. Army items- boosts to troops, like cheaper reinforcement, more sight range, more health, speed, damage, rate of fire etc. Some items are very powerful like +24% HP to pios, Panzerfaust for Pios or rifles instead of SMG for pio/eng. Due to Volks army items- +24% more HP, 30% cheaper reinforcement, cheaper MP40, 30% cheaperPanzerfaust and MG army item +15% damage AND Defensive ability Recoup Losses(Free ability, gives you small amount of resources every time your units are killed/destroyed) Wermacht have now early, mid and end game advantage along with option to make techs faster than allies(you'll gain 3 fuel for every volks killed!) playing non- infantry player as Allies in 1v1 doesn't have a sense.
PS. Now I'm Terror lvl 46, top 5% Terror players. My advice- don't get Terror- excepting 2-3 abilities it's very weak doctrine:/
PS2. Now in Axis side the best tanks has have Defensive- it's only Axis doctrine that have abilities affecting tanks! And yes, there's no Blitz Assault for Blitzkrieg Doctrine(PE Tank Destroyers would have it).
