Cohen 1939 Boss Guide: Butcher, Train and More

By Rowan Ashcombe · Updated October 2, 2026

Boss fights are the part of Cohen 1939 players argue about most. The Korean and Chinese launch reviews call them gimmick fights that you learn by dying; a few players love them anyway. This page covers what the fights have in common and the specific bosses players have described so far. Boss names and chapter numbers are only given where at least two sources agree.

How every boss fight works

• You walk in empty-handed. Several reviewers point out that you lose your weapon when a boss arena starts, so your first job is to find one.
• Bosses have hearts, you do not. A boss takes several hits (shown as hearts), and some have a second phase. You still die to one bullet.
• Adds bring the weapons. Enemies who run in during the fight carry knives, guns and bats. Killing them is how you arm yourself.
• The arena is part of the answer. Cover, side doors and breakable scenery are placed on purpose. If a boss looks impossible to reach, look for what in the room can hurt him.
• Throws do the damage. In most fights the reliable hit is a thrown weapon, not a melee swing.

Eleckhans (the docks warehouse)

Before the Butcher, the trail leads to Eleckhans, the arms dealer behind Richard’s ambush, holed up in the vault of a warehouse by the docks. In a recorded demo run the fight brings rubble down from the ceiling and puts you on a clock (“One minute. That is all you’re getting.”). Keep moving, stay out from under the debris, and use what the room drops on you.

The Butcher: Bill Bison (Chapter 2)

The Butcher closes Chapter 2. He is Bill Bison, an arms dealer who turns out to be a “cleaner” of bodies and evidence, and you find him at a midnight banquet in an old warehouse after clearing Old Tom’s Abattoir. The game’s own prompt for the fight says:

The Butcher holds exceptionally high health and bleeds continuously when damaged. Melee attacks cannot harm this foe. When wounded and bleeding, the Butcher charges toward the player.

How it plays out:

• Do not melee. Thrown daggers and guns are the only damage that counts. A Chinese reviewer’s best answer is to take a Thompson (the “Chicago typewriter”) off one of his gunmen.
• He slams the table and calls guards. Mid-fight he knocks you down and his guards rush in. Kill them for their weapons, then go back to throwing and shooting.
• Watch the charge. Once he is bleeding he runs at you. Back off and shoot rather than standing your ground.
• The player who recorded the demo found the guard phase rough and the fight in need of balancing; the full release is reported as beatable with patience.

The train fight (Chapter 3, level 3.3)

Chapter 3 includes a fight on a train against the train’s conductor.

• A baseball bat in this fight is needed to clear obstacles. One player reports the bat can get knocked out of the play area, which leaves you stuck. If that happens, restart from the checkpoint.
• The boss’s gun kills instantly with almost no wind-up, according to a Traditional Chinese review. Do not stand in his line; move between cover and only commit when his aim is elsewhere.
• Enemies that spawn here can get stuck on scenery, which is a bug rather than a mechanic.

The turret boss

One boss fires continuously in a clockwise sweep. The way through, as described by a Chinese reviewer:

1. Hide behind the rocks and track the sweep.
2. Grab knives or other weapons from the adds that come in through the side door.
3. Throw them at the boss between sweeps until his hearts are gone.

The boss you cannot reach

Another boss stays behind a butcher’s block or counter where you cannot get to him. The trick is the ceiling: rubble and falling debris knocked loose in the arena can be used to hit him. Keep moving to stay clear of his adds while you set it up.

The forced stealth kill

At least one story mission forbids a straight fight. A player describes reaching the last target in a level, standing behind him with a gun, and still having to wait until he fired wildly, because the level only lets you kill while his own gunfire covers the sound. If a kill will not register, the level is asking for a specific moment. More in the stealth guide.

Chapter 4 difficulty spike

Several reviews name Chapter 4 as where the difficulty jumps: snipers that kill on sight and enemies that only take melee damage mixed together, with doors that block your movement but not bullets. Clear snipers first, and carry one melee option into every room for the ranged-immune enemies.

Tips that help on every boss

• Pick up anything throwable on the way in. You will be glad of a spare knife.
• Kill the adds first unless the boss is wide open. Adds are the ammo.
• Watch one full attack cycle before moving. Dying once to learn the pattern is normal.
• Characters matter: slow time and rage both buy room for mistakes. See the four killers.