Camouflage and Detection Explained
As mentioned in my CoH3 Glossary, camouflage (also known as invisibility or cloaking) is a mechanic in CoH3 that helps hide unit presence from the enemy.
However, like many mechanics in CoH, this is poorly explained (if at all) in the game and thus can leave players quite confused.
If you're wondering how camouflage and detection works, as well as what one can do when encountering cloaked armies, read on!
What is Camouflage?
In CoH3, some units have the ability to camouflage. This is essentially going invisible, meaning they cannot be seen at all from the enemy while camouflaged.
Note that while camouflaged units may be hidden from sight or on the map, they still exist in the game world and thus can still for example, take damage from area of effect weapons.
Concealment Passive
Typically, the most common form of camouflage in the game is through the passive ability called Concealment for infantry units. This allows the infantry unit to camouflage when out of combat and staying in cover for at least a short time. So long as these requirements are met, they will maintain invisibility. The camouflage will be broken if the requirements are no longer met (more details below), or if the unit attacks and/or uses abilities.
Note that there is a generous grace period of a few seconds when stepping out of cover, meaning the squad is still camouflaged for a short duration when walking out of cover. This means it is possible to 'leap frog' between cover to maintain invisibility while moving to new locations.
Examples of units who can camouflage by default:
USF Sniper
Wehrmacht Sniper
UKF Commando Section
This is just a short list, there are many more units capable of camouflaging depending on upgrades or veterancy abilities for example. There are also other special cases, typically involving Battlegroup abilities. A special mention must go to the DAK Battlefield Espionage Battlegroup, which is a Battlegroup themed around camouflaging and ambushing - It allows the capability to camouflage any unit in the DAK army. The 250/3 Funkpanzerwagen for example, is capable of granting camouflage to all of the player's infantry units near it, but most importantly it breaks the rules by allowing this camouflage without the regular requirements (no cover required).
Once camouflaged, as mentioned the unit is completely invisible to the enemy, but can be revealed through various means. It is worth mentioning that most units gain an ambush bonus when firing from camouflage, granting them a temporary but significant combat bonus. This info is mentioned in the tooltips for their Concealment passive. Snipers do not gain an ambush bonus.
To help maintain invisibility, many units capable of camouflaging have access to the Hold Fire command. When toggled on, this prevents them from auto-attacking nearby enemy units as usual. This is great for staying hidden as otherwise auto-attacking immediately at max range would remove the invisibility and ruin any grand plans of a well-placed ambush. However, it can be taxing on players as it is additional micromanagement needed for units. Be wary that units told to Hold Fire will literally not auto-attack on their own anymore, even in active combat situations. As such, the player must remember to toggle it off when appropriate!
Dedicated Camouflage Abilities
Some infantry units can gain access to dedicated camouflage abilities. These basically allow them to camouflage even outside of cover, but typically come with downsides while camouflaged. The USF Scout Squad and its variants, as well as the Sniper can gain veterancy abilities that allow for camouflage but at the cost of greatly reducing movement speed, inability to fire, and inability to capture territory while toggled on.
The Wehrmacht Pak 40 Anti-tank Gun Team can gain access to a veteran toggle ability that allows them to camouflage without requiring cover, though with downsides of slower movement speed and less sight range. The LG40 Anti-tank Gun Team has this toggle ability by default.
A special mention goes to the DAK Battlefield Espionage Battlegroup, specifically the 250/3 Funkpanzerwagen unit which can camouflage all of the player's nearby infantry units. This camouflage aura does not require cover.
Camouflage for Vehicles and Structures
Camouflage is typically limited to infantry units, though there are some special exceptions when it comes to vehicles and structures.
Wehrmacht:
The Wehrmacht Kettenkrad Recon Vehicle gains the ability to camouflage while stationary and out of combat after reaching veterancy level 1.
Lufftwaffe Battlegroup can gain access to Luftwaffe Relay Point which is a structure that is passively camouflaged.
DAK:
Battlefield Espionage Battlegroup can access the 250/3 Funkpanzerwagen which can spend Munitions to deploy the Goliath Demolition Vehicle. The Goliath is essentially a 'demolition charge on wheels' which can camouflage in cover and out of combat.
Battlefield Espionage Battlegroup can access Intel Disruption Beacon and Sector Subterfuge Beacon which are passively camouflaged structures.
Battlefield Espionage Battlegroup can access the Operation Skorpion ability which when activated will camouflage all of the player's vehicles for a duration.
Camouflage for Land Mines, Demo Charges, etc.
Land mines and certain abilities that act like land mines (such as Demolition Charges and Artillery Trip Wire Flares), also camouflage. After a mine or a trap that behaves like a mine is fully constructed, it immediately camouflages.
Unlike units, these are not detected by proximity and instead can only be revealed by units equipped with Minesweepers.
As such, Minesweepers are the only practical counters to land mines and various traps.
An exception to this rule are Demolition Charges, which were reworked in the 1.7 Onyx Shark (July 16 2024) patch to be detectable by enemy proximity, much like an infantry unit. Only the USF SSF Commando Squad can gain access to the Hidden Demolition Charge veteran ability which cannot be detected by proximity.
What is Detection?
Another poorly explained aspect is detection.
The most obvious and easiest way to reveal camouflaged units is through proximity, or in other words, getting close. By default, every unit in the game has a detection range of 12.5. For reference, most units have a sight range of 35.
Once a camouflaged unit is too close to an enemy unit (in other words, enters within the 12.5 detection range of an enemy unit), they will lose their invisibility and can be interacted with as normal. To camouflage again, they will need to meet the requirements again.
Note that if opposing camouflaged units move close enough to each other, even if the players had no idea where the units were, they will still reveal each other when close enough in proximity.
Additionally, camouflage detection respects line of sight blockers, just like regular sight does. This means things like terrain, buildings, smoke, etc. can also interfere with detection.
Detector Units
Some units in the game are designated as 'detector' units. This just means they have a longer detection range, allowing them to reveal camouflaged units via proximity at a much larger range.
As mentioned, the default detection range of most units is 12.5. Detector units can reveal at a range of 25. For reference, most units have a sight range of 35.
List of detector units:
USF:
Scout Squad and its variants (Artillery Observer Squad, Pathfinder Squad)
M29 Weasel Recon Vehicle (exclusive to Special Operations Battlegroup)
UKF:
Infantry Section (only when upgraded with Recce Package)
Wehrmacht:
DAK:
Other Ways of Detecting Camouflaged Units
While proximity is the most obvious way, it is often not ideal as it usually means walking into an ambush. Detector units can be very helpful here as a passive way to scout for your armies, but again this can still be risky as despite their larger detection range, it is still lower than the sight and attack range of every unit.
Recon Flares and Recon Planes
Flares are very helpful in scouting out desired areas for players, and conveniently can also reveal camouflaged units. However, they come with a downside of a very long cooldown.
This is typically an active ability which when used, fires a flare at the target location revealing a large area for a duration. Flares will detect camouflaged units within its full sight range.
Recon Planes are utilized with certain specific abilities, typically Battlegroup abilities. They will detect camouflaged units within its full sight range, while Recon Loiters will detect only within the loiter area.
Each faction has different ways of accessing these abilities.
USF:
Scout Squad and its variants (Artillery Observer Squad, Pathfinder Squad) when upgraded with Utility Package can access flares.
Special Operations Battlegroup can access Raiding Flares ability.
Air Support Center and Airborne Battlegroup can access Recon Plane and Recon Loiter abilities.
UKF:
Infantry Section upgraded with Recce Package, as well as the ML 4.2-inch Heavy Mortar Team has access to recon flares.
Australian Defense Battlegroup can access Artillery Trip Wire Flares ability,
Air and Sea Battlegroup can access Assault Flares ability.
Heavy Armor Battlegroup can access the Recon Artillery and Designate Target abilities, which both utilize a Recon Loiter.
Wehrmacht:
Kettenkrad Recon Vehicle can construct DM-16 Trip Flares.
Jäger Squad when upgraded with Reconnaissance Package has access to recon flares.
GrW 34 Mortar Team has access to recon flares.
Lufftwaffe Battlegroup can access the Reconnaissance Run ability.
DAK:
DAK do not have any units with access to Recon Flares, nor any access to Recon Planes/Loiters abilities.
Damage/Combat and Cover (breaking camouflage requirements)
Camouflaged units will lose their camouflage once their Concealment requirements are no longer met. A less obvious way of removing camouflage is by having the unit take damage and thus, force them to longer count as 'out of combat' status.
Suspected hiding places can be hit with area of effect abilities and weapons, which can force units out of camouflage. Once a unit is revealed, they cannot go back into camouflage without leaving combat for several seconds. This means as long as they are actively fighting or taking fire, they cannot go back into invisibility.
Note that cover is typically a requirement too, and so destruction of cover or creation of cover can alter available hiding spots for units in a match. As more destructive weapons roll out players may need to adapt to utilizing different areas simply because cover was removed in an area. On the other hand, cover can be created in many ways, with the most typical way through constructing sandbags. This is a great way to not only offer cover for units, but double as a good way to create an ideal ambush position especially when protecting key areas. In addition, many artillery weapons can create craters which act as light cover - these are eligible for camouflage and thus could easily create vast areas where camouflaged units can move around freely while remaining invisible.
A special mention for the DAK Battlefield Espionage Battlegroup, particularly the 250/3 Funkpanzerwagen unit: Note that the Funkpanzerwagen does not cloak itself, and thus it can be targeted and destroyed to remove its cloaking aura effect for nearby DAK infantry.
Note that units using dedicated camouflage abilities do not require cover to camouflage, but of course being in combat will still prevent them from going invisible.
Indirect Detection via Position Reveal
All units including camouflaged units can have their position revealed indirectly through special abilities. Indirect being the key word here.
This means it does not actually remove camouflage from said units, nor necessarily provide direct vision of them and the surrounding area. However, these abilities allow for 'pinging' enemy unit positions on the map, by showing them as red icons on the map. Through these icons the player can know the position of enemy units on the map, but not necessarily other details without direct vision.
USF:
1⁄4-ton 4x4 Truck when upgraded with Scout Commander can 'ping' enemy positions in a large radius while stationary.
Wehrmacht:
221 Scout Car when upgraded with Radio Antenna can 'ping' enemy positions in a large radius while stationary.
DAK:
254 Reconnaissance Tractor by default has Signal Detection passive which can 'ping' enemy positions in a large radius while stationary.
Battlefield Espionage Battlegroup can access Intel Disruption Beacon structures which can 'ping' nearby enemy positions around it.
UKF:
UKF have no access to this.
Conclusion
Camouflage generally requires being out of combat and staying in cover.
Invisibility sticks around for a few seconds after leaving cover, meaning camouflaged units can 'leap frog' between cover to stay invisible while moving to new locations.
Most units have an ambush bonus when attacking out of camouflage, granting them a significant offensive bonus for a short duration.
Detection is primarily done by proximity. Any camouflage is broken if they are too close to enemy units.
Detector units have larger detection range, but it is still shorter than the sight/attack range of most units.
Minesweepers are the only reliable counter to deal with land mines and traps that behave like mines.
Recon Flares and Recon Planes/Loiters are the best way to reveal large areas without risking walking into an ambush, though they tend to carry long cooldown and/or large Munition costs.
You can get creative and use area of effect damage to force units into combat status, revealing them and preventing them from going back into invisibility until they are out of combat.
Special position reveal abilities available to very specific units and Battlegroups can be used to indirectly reveal where enemy units are hiding. Remember it is indirect - it just 'pings' red icons on the map, it does not actually remove camouflage or show direct sight.