Creative Assembly is really going all out right now! Another video showcases plenty of battle gameplay, and more details have been revealed.
Warhammer 40k fans are in for a real treat right now! Not only is Dawn of War 4 set to hit the market this year, but Total War: Warhammer 40k is also already in the starting blocks. Of course, we don’t yet know how successful either game will ultimately be—but in both cases, the signs are very promising!
Total War: Warhammer 40k is now showing gameplay from a battle between the Orks and the Imperial Army for the third time. But even though this isn’t the first time we’ve seen the battle, there was still plenty of new information to take in! That’s because this time it wasreal live gameplay, lasting about an hour. Meanwhile, the developers were on the stream, openly discussing everything that was happening on screen.
If you don’t have 60 minutes to spare right now, I’ve summarized the most important information from the livestream for you here. I also recently analyzed the gameplay footage from Bilibili World for you. You can watch it here:
The Most Important New Info on Total War: Warhammer 40k
Seeing the battle again in this form alone was once more quite impressive. Many fans are currently very optimistic and can hardly wait for the strategy game’s release. But the details about the gameplay framework also sounded very promising. Let’s go over the highlights:
Complex Unit Composition
In Warhammer 40k, a unit doesn’t necessarily consist of just one type of soldier. Until now, soldiers in the same unit always had exactly the same equipment. Now you can assemble units in a more customized way. Troops can thus consist of a variety of soldier types, offering the unit different capabilities.
For example, in gameplay, a squad of Imperial Kasrkin (elite infantry of the Astra Militarum) consists of four different entities. Each has its own stats, weapons, and equipment: 16 standard units, 2 Voxcasters, 10 specialists, and 2 sergeants. Depending on the situation, the units switch weapons individually. For example, if someone is carrying a shotgun in addition to their laser rifle, they might draw it first in close combat, while the rest reach for their chainsword.
Ranged Combat in Warhammer 40k
Exactly how ranged combat works in the new Total War was a major topic in the stream. And indeed, a lot has changed compared to before:
- Ammo is now infinite, though units follow a fixed reload routine. As a result, a shot now consists of three stages that can be interrupted and resumed at any point. This makes ranged units more dynamic.
- Soldiers within a unit can now individually change their target. If their line of sight to the intended target is blocked or would result in friendly fire, they automatically select a target they can hit. This means a unit can theoretically target multiple targets at once.
- Units can now move while still firing their rifles. However, their shots are less accurate when moving, though some units—such as Space Marines—specialize in this.
- Ranged units can switch to a sentry mode, in which they focus on a specific unit. This means that while the unit fires at all enemies within range, if the selected unit comes into view, it automatically switches to the previously designated target.
- Units with a very high rate of fire, such as a tank with a machine gun, don’t just fire straight ahead. They spread their fire over a wide area to take down more enemies at once.
Bodyguards for Heroes
Surprisingly, unlike in Warhammer Fantasy, heroes in Total War: Warhammer 40k are once again assigned a bodyguard. This doesn’t apply to all heroes, but according to Creative Assembly, it applies to most. Battles are intended to be on a larger scale, and even skilled heroes aren’t able to take on a small army on their own.
Waiting for the Beta
The stream has further fueled excitement in the community. On social media, many fans are reacting extremely positively to what was shown. However, there’s one thing we mustn’t forget: So far, we’ve only seen battles from *Total War: Warhammer 40k*!
However, the series typically takes place to a much greater extent on the turn-based strategy map. Despite all the gameplay footage, we still haven’t seen any of that. CA still has to prove that the game will meet fans’ expectations.
At any rate, we should know more about all aspects of Total War: Warhammer 40k before the end of the year, as a closed beta is still planned for 2026. Exactly when it will start, however, is unknown.
