Company of Heroes 3: Best configuration.lua for DX12

The primary goal for CoH3 DX12 optimization is Texture Streaming Priority. Unlike its predecessor, CoH3 uses a strict VRAM check that can “gray out” settings. This configuration focuses on manually forcing texturedetail to its maximum value and adjusting shadowfilter settings which are often set higher than necessary by the DX12 auto-detect system.

File Location

There are two possible locations for this file. Check the user-specific folder first, as it takes priority:

%Documents%\My Games\Company of Heroes 3\users\[UniqueNumber]\configuration_system.lua

(Secondary location: %Documents%\My Games\Company of Heroes 3\configuration_system.lua)

Technical Configuration (The 2026 “Force-Ultra” Template)

Open the .lua file with Notepad++. Search for these specific entries. Note that in Lua, 0 often represents the “highest” or “Ultra” setting for texture detail.

-- Company of Heroes 3 DX12 Optimization - GameEngineer.net
-- Target: High-Res Textures & Low Latency

[28] = {
    setting = "texturedetail",
    variantUInt = 0, -- Forces Ultra (bypass VRAM check)
},
[29] = {
    setting = "shadowfilter",
    variantUInt = 3, -- 3 is Medium; 5 is Max. Use 3 to save 10% FPS on DX12.
},
[35] = {
    setting = "antialiasing",
    variantUInt = 1, -- Set to 1 for Low if using DLSS/FSR via GPU driver.
},
[40] = {
    setting = "texturedensity",
    variantUInt = 0, -- Keeps ground textures sharp at long distances.
}

Parameter Breakdown:

• texturedetail = 0: This is the “Ultra” unlock. If the game menu locks you to “Medium” because you have an 8GB card, setting this to 0 in the Lua file forces the high-res assets.
• shadowfilter = 3: DX12 in CoH3 often defaults this to 5 (Maximum). This causes significant frametime spikes. Setting it to 3 provides a much smoother panning experience with minimal visual loss.
• texturedensity = 0: Ensures that the terrain doesn’t look “mushy” when you are zoomed out in tactical view.
• Resizable BAR: While not in the Lua, ensure Re-Size BAR is enabled in your BIOS/Driver. DX12 games like CoH3 see a 5–8% performance uplift with this active.

Strategy for 2026 DX12 Stability

• The “Shader Cache” Reset: If you experience stuttering after a patch, delete the shader_cache folder in your CoH3 Documents directory. DX12 requires a clean “bake” of shaders to maintain fluid frame rates.
• Exclusive Fullscreen: In the Lua, ensure windowtype = 0. Borderless mode in CoH3’s DX12 implementation is known to introduce slight input latency compared to Exclusive Fullscreen.
• CPU Priority: Because DX12 is better at multi-threading, ensure you are not using “Efficiency Cores” (on Intel CPUs) for the main game thread. You can use a .bat file to launch the game with high CPU priority.
• Anti-Aliasing Tip: If you find the game looks “blurry,” set in-game AA to Low and use Nvidia Image Scaling (NIS) or AMD CAS at 10% sharpening via your GPU control panel.

Key Performance Parameters

Parameter	Recommended Value	Impact
Texture Detail	0 (Ultra)	Bypasses the 16GB VRAM “requirement” for Ultra.
Shadow Filter	3 (Medium)	Eliminates the main cause of DX12 micro-stutter.
Physics Quality	High	Essence Engine 5 handles physics well on 6+ core CPUs.
Reflections	Low / Off	Screen Space Reflections (SSR) in CoH3 are very taxing.

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ)

Conclusion and Expected Results

By manually forcing texturedetail and lowering shadowfilter in your configuration_system.lua, you are optimizing the Essence Engine 5 for maximum visual clarity without the DX12 performance penalty. You can expect Ultra-quality textures even on mid-range hardware, consistent frametimes during heavy artillery barrages, and reduced input lag.