In not particularly shocking news, Games Workshop has announced that Kill Team is getting an all-new edition this year. It'll be new rules, a new world, and those old shapes you hated??? They are dead.

Now, thankfully, Games Workshop has?? not launched a full-scale war on geometry in general, just the rather odd shapes system that they used for measurements in the current (last?) edition of Kill Team. You could move or shoot Triangle, or Circle. It made no sense when good old-fashioned inches were right there.

While Games Workshop hasn't gone into any major details on new rules, or even mentioned the fact that shapes are gone, I very cleverly used my eyes to look at an image they posted where you can clearly see measuring tools with inches instead of shapes. Thus, my amazing deductive powers had all the clues they needed to asce?rtain what was happening.

This time, the story plays out on a world called Volkus, where valiant Tempestus will be trying to save the world from invading Xenos. The boxed set will pitch Tempestus Aquilons against Vespid Stingwings, with a heavy theme around flying. Even the terrain plays into this, as the announcement article states that "Many of the ruins are multi-leveled structures, giving the airborne Aquilons and Stingwings plenty of places to? exercise their skills in the skies."

Apparenlty, the rule book has gotten a top-t??o-bottom rework and rewording to make things clearer and easier, with the aim being to make it easier than ever to get into. This has been GW's big push lately, with both Warhammer 40K, Age of Sigmar, and now the smaller-focused skirmish game Kill Team all being made a little more user-friendly. The issue is, frankly, that this has not always?? been a success.

I?? do like Kill Team, although if I am honest, I miss the more malleable first edition and am more likely to fire that one up these days than to play the current version. It will be interesting to see how the next edition plays and if it can drag me back into the fold and away from the never-ending appeal of the dark, more tumultuous edges of the miniature game design space (hello, Trench Crusade, my beloved).

For anyone worried about what this means for your current teams, Datacards are incoming with relevant changes and new rules, although there are no details y??et if free versions will be made available in glorious PDF format. I shall be keeping a close eye on things and will send reports from the front lines as I see more activity around the various manufactorums of Games Wor??kshop.

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Warhammer is going from strength to strength, with a TV adaptation starring Henry Cavill in the works and millions diving deep into the creative, tactical hobby on the daily. Well, if you’re in the crossover section of Warhammer fans who also love cute things, you’re in luck.

On June 21, Warhammer revealed the next set of plushes which will be available to purchase later on in the year. These are in addition to the three currently available from Tomy, br??inging the?? total of adorable little monsters to seven. 

And oh boy are these little monsters adorable indeed. There really is something for everyone, no matter which army you choose to bring to the tab?letop. Let’s take a look at all seven, with a c??omparison between model and plush for each.

Little Unclean One

Available: Now

The plush version of the Great Unclean One is far cuter than the model version, but the model version is one I have a huge soft spot for, as I poured so many hours of my time painting one who I dubbed ‘Betty??â€? 

Spanna Grot

Available: Now

Modeled after the countless Grots in any Ork army, the Spanna Grot comes equipped with his very own adjustable wrench, ready to charge into battle and bash some heads??. I can imagine him hanging off the side of an equally squishy Boomdakka Snazzwagon, yelling obscenities.

Gnasha Squig

Available: Now

Listen, I have a huge soft spot for Squigs of all shapes and sizes, having painted countless for my Gloomspite Gitz army. While my own were an assortment of rainbow colors, this plush Gnasha Squig comes in the standard red, complete with a single ??horn and floppy tongue. 

Tyranid Ripper

Available: Later in 2024

My first Tyranid army was painted in Hive Fleet Leviathan colors, so I’m incredibly excited that this Ripper?? is of that theme. Rippers might be the cutest of? all Tyranids, I mean let's face it, these bugs aren’t about to win any beauty pageants, but they’re about as deadly as they come. Fortunately, the plush version is more cuddly than killer. 

Watcher in the Dark

Available: Later in 2024

??The model for the Watcher in the Dark comes as part of the Dar??k Angels army and is a very tiny, incredibly annoying to paint, little thing. The plush version is also small, though you can see his power armor boots poking out from his robes. He also comes holding a MkVI helmet, though I don’t want to know where he got it from. 

Nurgling

Available: Later in 2024

I make no secret of it - this is my favorite Warhammer plush to ever exist, I love it, and it will be joining my collection as soon as it releases later on in the year. Nurglings appear in huge numbers across the entire Nurgle army, but this one is modeled after one Nurgling in particular, which comes as part of the kit to build a Plague Marine Champion. It’s so sassy, I can imagine it putting me?? in my place.

Sun of Shyish

Available: Later in 2024

I’ve never gotten around to painting my Malign Sorcery set, but it’s been on my to do list for years. Now, even if I never get around to painting my Sun of Shyish, at least I??’ll be able to hug one. While you’re free to paint your own any color you choose, and I’ve seen a lot of really really badass looking paint jobs over the years, the plush version comes in the standard purple coloration.

Servo Skull

Available: Later in 2024

Servo Skulls are fashioned from the former sku?lls of adepts, who obviously no longer have a need of them for one reason or another, so that they can continue to serve the Emperor of Mankind after death. Thankfully, the plush variety Servo Skull is far cuter and much more unlikely to try and kill you as you sleep.

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The upcoming 4th Edition of Age of Sigmar will be reworking the rules, changing the world, and putting the chittering Skaven's war with the Stormcast Eternals front and center. Thankfully, the new Skaventide boxed set looks like an interesting option?? for new and returning players alike.

To keep us all somewhat happy until we can get our hands on the new edition, Games Workshop has revealed what the new starter box contains. You will get 1200 points of both the Skaven and the Stormcast Eternals, allowing you to have equal battles with a friend immediately. A total of 24 Stormcast models and 50 Skaven models will mak?e up the two sides.

The box will contain the following items:

• 24 Stormcast Eternals Miniatures (Lord on Gryph Stalker, Lord Terminos, Lord Veritant, Knight Questor, 3x Reclusions with two Memorians, 3x Prosecutors, 10x Liberators)
• 50 Skaven Miniatures (Clawlord on Gnaw-beast, Grey Seer, Warlock Engineer, 40x Clanrats, 3x Rat Ogors, 3x Warplock Jezzails, Ratling Warpblaster)
• 4 Terraine Features (Two broken walls, two smaller fallen structures)
• 2 Range Rulers
• Warhammer Age of Sigmar Core Book
• Spearhead: Fire and Jade Book
• Double-side game board
• Spearhead Card Deck
• General's Handbook Cards

One of the standout parts of the new edition that interests me is Spearhead. I have been playing a lot of skirmish games due to space constraints, and the smaller footprint and removed lis??t building is very attractive to me. The Spearhead book will contains rules for 25 unique Spearheads ac??ross the games many races.

Games Workshop has yet to confirm anything price-wise, but we did get a sneak peak of the prices thanks to the terms and conditions of a giveaway that GW will be running. We should be looking at a £160, �?10, ??or $265 price tag. This pretty much lines up with the Leviathan release prices for Warhammer 40K if you add the recent percentages for the price-hikes that Games Workshop are bringing in.

We are still waiting for GW to announce the exact release date, but for now, it falls simply into? "Summer 2024".

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Games Workshop, owner of the Warhammer IP, and Amazon Studios have officially signed an agreement to begin production on bringing Warhammer 40,000 to the world of movies and television. Last year Games Workshop and Amazon Studios announced they were working on an agreement, and a year later it is now a done deal. Warhammer fan and actor Henry Cavill had been linked to the project after it was revealed he would no longer be playing Geralt of Rivia in The Witcher. It now looks like he will in fact be part of the process as an Executiv??e Producer.

According to the community post, everything is still in the early stages but is now officially underway. Creative details are the focus now as the first script is being written and pushed into production. The post goes on to claim that an elite band of screenwriters with their own passions for Warhammer have been assembled to bring the various stories of Warhammer 40,000 to TV and movies. Al??l led by Henry Cavill as Executive Producer who will be "bringing his pen, sword and/or spear to the p??roject."

While it's clear anything tangible is still a way out, this is awesome news. Warhammer 40,000 is an insanely lore-rich IP and I'm honestly surprised it has taken this long. I assume one of the first things we'll see is the Eisenhorn series as it would make for a perfect television saga. What Warhammer 40,000 series do you want to see made into film?

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"World premieres, new trailers, and behind the scenes sneak peeks" on June 1

Although there are many (too many?) chances to get into Warhammer and 40K these days when it comes to video game adaptations, two upcoming titles, in particular, are really speaking to me: the first-person co-op game Darktide from Vermintide developer Fatshark, and Space Marine 2, a long-awaited action sequel. We'll see more of both of them shortly, as Games Workshop is putting together a Warhammer Skulls showcase on June 1.

Warhammer 40,000: Darktide and Warhammer 40,000: Space Marine 2 are the showpiece games here �especially since they're new and they look cool �but the event will also cover the "latest updates and future plans" for some already released games, too. In its announcement, Games Workshop specifically pointed to Total War: Warhammer III, Warhammer 40,000: Battlesector, and Warhammer: Vermintide 2. We'll see what we get.

[caption id="attachment_323256" align="alignnone" width="1920"] _{That's a lot of logos!}[/caption]

When to show up

The Warhammer Skulls event will begin at 10:00 a.m. Pacific on Wednesday, June 1, with "week-long offers" and new game content to follow. You can catch it live on Twitch.

Even if you're only interested in seeing a new trailer or two, you may want to swing by for the wider showcase �Clive Standen (of Vikings fame) will be involved. (If you missed it, he's Captain Titus in Space Marine 2.) Considering how quickly our summer calendar is filling up, though, I don't?? fault anyone for being a bit more choosy with their time.

Darktide isn't too far off with a September 13, 2022 release date, but Space Marine 2 feels much less tangible at this point �Saber Interactive is still listing a TBA launch.

I'm ready to cull the hordes in bot?h of these games. Where are you at with ?them?

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PC and Xbox Series X/S release date locked in

It's coming later than expected, but Warhammer 40,000: Darktide has a (probably final) release date in mind: September 13, 2022. The horde-chopping squad action game will initially be playable on Steam and Xbox Series X/S, and on that front, its inclusion in Game Pass will be a big help in convincing three friends to join up for a bit of grimdark?? fun.

//www.youtube.com/watch?v=Fi87A9EK37o

Admittedly, this release date trailer is very subdued. But at this point, many of us are already "in," given the developer's past games. Vermintide was an absolutely amazing co-op vibe for Warhammer fans �and, honestly non-fans, too. I tend to stay in the 40K lane, but I got really into Vermintide 2; the Left 4 Dead-style co-op format can still pack a punch when it's veering off in wild directions. Carving ?throug??h rat-men with pals is a pleasure.

Coming off of the Vermintide series, expectations are certainly high. "Darktide introduces a deep and balanced gunplay to the mix," according to ??Fatshark. "Master the balance between ranged and melee combat as you fight through a slew of enemies, feeling the impact of each swing of your chainsword or blazing gunfire from your lasgun."

Fatshark seems to be going even harder with Warhammer 40,000: Darktide, and I'd put it up there next to Saber Interactive's Space Marine 2 as one of the main Games Workshop adaptations I'm most stoked to see. A new Dawn of War would make quite the trio.

Stick around until the end of the video for a snippet of gameplay, or poke around the Steam page for a ref??resher. Otherwise, see you on Terti??um this September.

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Creative Assembly didn't want to 'rush to the finish line,' so early 2022 is the new target

There's one more title for the packed "early 2022" video game release schedule, as Total War: Warhammer III needs additional development time. If you were expecting to sink a bunch of late nights into the game this year, your calendar just got a lot lighter.

Creative Assembly announced the delay on Twitter this morning with a note from chief pr??oduct officer Rob Barth??olomew:

"With nearly a decade of development on the Total War: Warhammer trilogy behind us, it feels surreal to see its culminating chapter so close to release. While it's tempting to rush to the finish line as it comes into view, we have made the decision to give it a little more time by moving the launch of Total War: Warhammer III from 2021 to early 2022."

"The wait won't be much longer, and we'll have plenty of new information for you in the meantime. The new date will make for a stronger release and the best first step into a new era for Total War: Warhammer. We don't consider this release the end of our trilogy, but the start of years of content and support as we continue to bring the jaw-dropping scale of Games Workshop's fantasy universe to Total War."

As we've seen with other big games that didn't nail their launches and had to try and juggle fixes with previously planned post-release updates ?and new content, it's best to just get it right �or as close to right �on day one. Easier said than done, of course.

It seems as if many fans had already read the room, and were expecting a?? potential delay given the curren??t rate at which new info about the game was being rolled out. That might soften the blow a bit. Either way, 2022 is going to be a stacked year for games.

Next on the docket, Creative Assembly is filling in a big blank with the "global reveal" of Grand Cathay on Sept. 14. Expect to see an in-engine cinematic trailer with "lots of units."

[Update: Creative Assembly released its Grand Cathay cinematic today, along with some lore tidbits and details about the army, which is led by "immortal dragons who can take human form." Given all of the new elements in play, the studio described the process of building ou?t Grand Cathay with Games Workshop as "exciting and collaborative."]

//youtu.be/033FWxL22A0

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A bounty-hunting FPS from Streum On Studio and Focus Home

[Update: Following yesterday's leak, Focus Home Interactive announced Necromunda: Hired Gun for PC (Steam and Epic), PS4, PS5, Xbox One, and Xbox Series X/S. It's not going to be for everyone, but I'm on-board – it looks fast. And the store page had the date right. Hired Gun is coming out on June 1, 2021.]

There are arguably too many Games Workshop-based video games vying for our attention, but when so many ideas are thrown at the wall, some of them are bound to stick. Streum On Studio, the team behind E.Y.E. and Space Hulk: Deathwing, is back with a first-person shooter called Necromunda: Hired Gun.

I don't always like to bring up Microsoft Store leaks – sometimes, the store pages are too sparse or the games are too uninteresting for me to justify coverage – but that's decidedly not the case here.

This game looks sick as hell.?? You can take on bounties as a merc with a Cyber-Mastiff by your side.

The unannounced game will be published by Focus Home Interactive, and the Microsoft Store lists the Xbox versions of Necromunda: Hired Gun for June 1, 2021. (In case the page is pulled down befor??e the official reve?al, yes, there's an "Optimized for Xbox Series X/S" badge.) PC should be a no-brainer.

Even without seeing a trailer, I'm much more into this hive-city joyride than prior attempts. That said, it's too sunny ??outside for me to be tumbling down wiki lore rabbit-holes again.? Release me!

[Thanks, Vesalius]

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Start up a fresh Greenskin campaign for Big Boss

Games Workshop is closing out May with the fourth annual Skulls for the Skull Throne event on Steam. If you're already well-versed in the countless Warhammer PC games, there are new DLC packs and updates to check out. If you're thinking of coming in hot, the event is a chance ??to score some deals.

Most notably, you can pick up Total War: Warhammer II for $20.39, grab the Black Orc Big Boss in a free update, and save on DLC like Rise of the Tomb Kings ($9.49), Curse of the Vampire Coast ($9.49), and The Shadow & The Blade ($6.74). It's not too la?te to get into this all-consuming strategy game.

Better yet, you could nab Total War: Warhammer while it's on sale for $14.99 and use the free Mortal Empires expansi?on to bring the two games togeth??er under one massive, bloodthirsty roof.

_{Here's a stat breakdown for the Black Orc Big Boss, courtesy of Reddit.}

My personal favorite of the bunch, the Left 4 Dead itch-scratcher Warhammer: Vermintide 2, is down to $7.49 – a worthy price. The horde-slaying co-op game also slashed prices on its three main DLC packs, but I'd just stick to Back to Ubersreik ($6.69) unless you're thinking of ??going all-in with a bundle.

The skull-gathering event also covers a new game launch – that'd be Aeronautica Imperialis: Flight Command, a simultaneous turn-based strategy title – and a very on-brand tie-in with Counter-Strike: Global Offensive that includes 17 collectible stickers. ??You can rep ??the Necrons, Tyranids, Orks, Space Marines, and forces of Chaos, assuming you've got enough spare change to cover the cost.

I don't think anyone go??es HAM in the gaming space quite like Games Workshop. That almost-anything-goes approach to the IP doesn't always work out – there are some real duds! – but it's never stagnant.

Skulls for the Skull Throne 4 [Warhammer Community]

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They can... they can do that?

We've seen so many video game adaptations of Warhammer 40,000 over the years, but this one still caught me off-guard. Warhammer 40,000: Dakka Squadron is a third-person aerial shooter about Orks.

Players will "fly Dakkajets, Burna-Bommas, and Blitza-Bommas, equip them with an array of guns, bombs, and missiles, learn special maneuvers, and unle??ash [their] dakka to conquer a galaxy riddled with ancient enemies." The campaign spans 20-some missions, and you'll also take on ground targets.

Based on the official site, it looks like there will be five clans in Dakka Squadron: the Blood Axes, Goffs, Bad Moons, Deathskulls, and Evil Sunz. Depending on which you choose, you'll have different bonuse?s like sturdier planes, higher speeds, faster afterburner recharging, and more explo??sive damage.

I know? my pick! The Deathskulls "have lucky planes and will occasion?ally ignore a hit or will output critical damage." As much as RNG screws me in video games, I can't pass up chance-based abilities.

Who's making this game? That's always the question. Phosphor Games Studio is developing Warhammer 40,000: Dakka Squadron. The team's planning a Q4 2020 release? on PC and consoles.

I'?m not expecting anything too fan?cy here, but the premise alone is fun.

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10 Yard Fight

Classic board game Blood Bowl is getting another run in the digital realm, as BigBen Interactive has announced that Blood Bowl III is coming in 2020. Developed once again by Cyanide, the new sequel hopes to ??bring the futuristic and bloodthirsty mayhem that franchise fans expect.

First launched by Games Workshop as a tabletop title game way back in 1986, Blood Bowl takes the fantasy creatures of titles such as Warhammer and Space Hulk and places them in a ruthless, no-holds-barred variation of the gridiron. Previous Blood Bowl releases have been praised by fans for their?? fun animations, irreverent commentary and adherence to the tabletop's rules.

More information, including platforms and a specific release date, will be coming in the future. In the meantime, budding face-cavers can follow the official Blood Bowl video game twitter for the latest info.

Blood Bowl III announced [Gematsu]

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A starter kit

Trying to keep track of every last Warhammer and Warhammer 40,000 video game adaptation can feel like a part-time job. There's just so dang many of them, even if you cut out the middling?? titles.

This week's Humble Bundle is nowhere near exhaustive, but it does have some gems if you're looking to bolster your Games Workshop collection, from Dawn of War to Vermintide to Battlefleet Gothic: Armada.

Pay $1 or more:

• Warhammer 40,000: Dawn of War - Game of the Year Edition
• Talisman: Digital Edition + Expansions (The Blood Moon, The Harbinger, and The Sacred Pool).

Pay more than the average price:

• Warhammer 40,000: Space Marine Collection
• Warhammer: End Times - Vermintide
• Blood Bowl 2

Pay $12 or more:

• Warhammer 40,000: Dawn of War III
• Warhammer: End Times - Vermintide Stromdorf DLC
• Battlefleet Gothic: Armada

Every time the Space Marine name comes up, I feel like we reminisce about that game and wish for a sequel. Today's no exception. If you missed it in 2011, there are way worse wa??ys to spend six bucks.

Humble Warhammer Bundle [Humble Bundle]

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Pre-orders come with beta access on Feb. 28

March 8, 2018 will be a day of slicing and dicing. That's when Fatshark's co-op action game Warhammer: Vermintide 2 will appear on PC, with the Xbox One and PS4 ver?sions coming la??ter.

Along with the usual Skaven horde, you'll ??also have to face ?Chaos in this sequel.

There are five playable heroes (along with 15 different careers for further specialization) and Vermintide 2's Heroic Deeds System will conjure up quests that "dramatically alter enemy composition, level settings, weapon use, and mission objectiv??es." Here's a brief preview of the Bounty Hunter:

This looks like such a good stress reliever!

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Hey, it's about time!

Games Workshop is giving Space Hulk another go this year. The latest adaptation of the board game is Space Hulk: Tactics, a turn-based title from Blood Bowl and Styx maker Cyanide Studio.

As usual, you'??ll manage a squad of hulking Terminators, but there's also going to be a second narrative campaign that lets you play as the creepy-crawly Genestealers themselves. Now we're talking!

In multiplayer, Tactics will offer the ability to form a custom ??squad of units from the Blood Angels, Space Wolves, Ultramarines, and Dark Angels, and Cyanide is planning a map maker as well.

The game is due out later this year on PC, PlayStation 4, and Xbox One. The screens look great, but that's usually the case for these sorts of Warhammer 40,000 adaptations. Fingers crossed.

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The Skaven brought some new friends

We knew Fatshark had started work on a sequel to Warhammer: End Times - Vermintide, but today the studio has much more to show for its four-player cooperative action game. The Skaven hordes are back, as expected, along with another threat: Chaos. The two forces have "formed a pact to plunge the world into death and decay," and you'll need to put an end to those plans as one ??of five heroes.

I like how ?the first part is a standard trailer, then it kicks over to "unedited pre-alpha footage"? in which the person playing stabs the absolute shit out of a bunch of Chaos troops. That'll do.

"We have listened to the community, analyzed hours and hours of online playthroughs, and combined this with our passion for co-op games to bring you the very best experience possible," says Fatshark CEO Martin Wahlund. Warhammer: Vermintide 2 is targeting "PC and consoles" in Q1 2018.

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Waaagh to the future

I've been playing Warhammer tabletop for nearly 20 years, and I've seen what feels like hundreds of games based on the property come and go. Some stick with me, like Total War: Warhammer. Others fall by the wayside and are forgotten like Fire Warrior.

But the Dawn of War series has been one of the most consistent sub-franchises o?f all. Even with some of the missteps in ??the third iteration, it's still relevant.

Warhammer 40,000: Dawn of War III (PC)
Developer: Relic Entertainment
Publisher: Sega
Released: April 27, 2017
MSRP: $59.99

Since there's been a lot of confusion as to whether or not Dawn of War III multiplayer has shifted into a MOBA, let's clear that bit up -- it's not, and I say this as someone who p?lays a MOBA match nearly every day. But seeing as the developers even stated in the past it is "inspired" by them, you're going to see some simila??rities.

Sure there's a core to destroy now in multiplayer matches, but first and foremost, the modus operandi is that of an RTS. There's base building, point capturing, and plenty of micromanaging and control group creation. It's more like the first Dawn of War really, with a few streamlined concepts like enhanced heroes (elites) and stealth brush thrown in -- things that have been done in plenty of RTS games before it, from Command & Conquer: Red Alert's Tanya and beyond. E??lites need to be paid for with elite points, which you speed up by capturing points and building generators on top of said points, which you'll need to constantly defend. There's walkers as well, but their existence feels somewhat cheapened by elites (they can share the same category), as they have less abilities to work with and mechanically provide a lot of the same support.

That's forgivable though as each and every elite is formidable, yet sports few enough skill shots to make them impactful without providing an overwhelming presence like MOBA heroes. It's a delicate balance, but I like having elites, especially some of the more lore-heavy ones, in tandem with the bas??e building system. With that in mind, the lack of variable win conditions in multiplayer (it's always "blow up the core") is something I'd love to see altered in a patch.

Mechanics like mass recalling, interconnected teleporation webways, and timed core invulnerability make for some cool comebacks, but ultimately they just filter back into the idea of destroying the core instead of tactically cutting off each building one by one (which you can still do, but if you're in their territory, you may as well go for the win). I tested out some AI matches in addition to multiplayer pre-launch, across the 1v1, 2v2, and 3v3 modes. Eight maps is just e??nough to? get me by, but after enough time has passed I can see myself wanting more.

Taking a closer look at the armies -- Marines, Eldar, and Orks -- Relic is basically riffing off of the launch choices from Dawn of War II, minus the Tyranids. Stylistically they're very different, and if you were going to go with three choices, these are probably the ones you want. As per the actual lore Marines are basically 'roided-up assholes that re?ly on functional tech, Orks operate with horde-like mentality with shoddy weapo??nry, and the Eldar are prim and proper mystics.

M??echanical differences range from the subtle (a few elites share the same abilities with only slight nuances) to drastic (Orks need to build towers to upgrade their army, and Eldar can warp buildings around at will). All three armies are wonderfully animated, which is a feat given the enhanced unit count. It's always a treat to see the detail that goes into something as basic as summoning grunts, though I do wish you could zoom in a bit more.

Proper cover is gone (it's relegated to a shield buff in certain locations now, though the Eldar can call upon their own version of it), but there's still plenty of micro opportunities for each and every unit. You can toggle stances for melee and ranged attacks, use unique abilities like grenades or jump jets, queue up defensive or hold formations, and issue sequential commands for individual units -- typical RTS staples. Every squad is also explained with a helpful series of tooltips, so even if you don't partake in the 40K universe you can tell the difference between a heavy bolter and a lascannon. The unit build queue is also easy to read, as is creating multiple control groups. Dawn of War III is more accessible than past entries, but it ?doesn't sacrifice its integrity?? to get there.

Multiplayer isn't the only thing on offer, as there's still a campaign mode that sprawls across the three aforementioned factions. You'll jump from mission to mission as it follows the core narrative, spurred by the Eldar's obsession with the Spear of Khaine, a "divine" weapon. Some are elite-centric and that's fine (I liked the Nova missions in StarCraft II for the same reason), but because of that l??aser focus, you could argue that it takes multiple levels until it really ramps up into something exciting.

When it does get good, it can also get frustrating. Some later missions feel cheap in the sense that the CPU is kind of just throwing insurmountable odds your way without the level of tactical depth you'd expect from an RTS campaign. It's also worth noting that when playing t??hrough the story mode I expe?rienced some light glitches -- things like units moving through walls even though they lacked an ability like jump jets -- but nothing game-breaking or critical like crashes.

As far as long term goals go, playing just about any mode will earn you skulls to unlock more elites, which is all part of the rat race. It rubs me the wrong way that some of the more iconic characters are gated behind skulls, as are some individual abilities, but these gates never felt like they were outright ruining the game or even slowing the pace of any individual match since their base kits are well designed. As is the case with any Warhammer strategy fantasy there's always more races and factions on my wishlist, but the deep faction/army painter?? is a good concession for n??ow.

Warhammer 40,000: Dawn of War III takes a few steps back in time to make one step forward. It hearkens back to a lot of older design choices from the first game, and attempts to build upon other RTS conventions in the process. Not everything works (especially the strict adherence to the core conceit), but it's still very much both a Warhammer and a Dawn of War joint.

_{[This review is based on a retail build of the game provided by the publisher.]}

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Coming from the studio behind Mordheim

I'm half writing this so I'll have something to jog my memory of the many Warhammer 40,000 video games in production, but yep, there's another adaptation in the works. This one, the turn-based tactical RPG Necromunda: Underhive Wars, is based on the tabletop skirmish game Necromunda.

It could be cool given the genre and also the premise, in which gangs vie for control of the Underhive, a collective of "derelict factories, rusted metal husks, and forg??otten technologies."

We have some idea of what to generally expect considering Rogue Factor's previous title with Focus Home Interactive was Mordheim: City of the Damned, but as far as specifics, those will have to wait. This artwork is about it for now. Focus Home says it'll have more details about Necromunda on February 1.

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Shield up!

Streum On Studio is onto something cool with Space Hulk: Deathwing, its squad-based shooter adaptation of the Space Hulk board game. There's a sense of weight and intimidation to the hulking Terminator armor that other games have sorely missed, and I love those sudden, surprising bursts of speed. And yes, it's true: I'm also partial to a good Genestealer explosion. Lots of that here.

This extended footage comes after a recent beta, and right before the game's rapidly-approaching PC release. "We haven't been waiting until the end of the Beta to start fixing the issues you've reported and optimizing the game," wrote the developers. "We've al?ready made huge progress, and are dedicated to working around the clock until the last minute to make the Emperor proud of our game on December 9th! We're aware that some of you have experienced major technical issues - it's our number one p?riority to deliver a smooth experience at release."

I doubt my PC will be able to handle this especially well (the game is ru?nning on Unreal Engine 4, for what that's worth), but there are also Xbox One and PlayStation 4 ??ports coming as well.

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Smashy smashy

Sometimes, I wonder if we aren't collectively burned out by the incessant Games Workshop adaptations, but then something like Dawn of War III is announced or Total War: Warhammer comes along and clearly, we aren't. I'm more than happy to put up with the clunkers if the good stuff is, in fact, really good. I haven't tried the latter, but people seem to be diggi?ng it.

The license has been working out for Creative Assembly, who is reporting a record-breaking launch for Total Warhammer with "more than half a million sales in the first few days." Those early sales amount to "a franchise record for the fastest selling Total War title on Steam."

In his review, Chris called it his favorite Total War game apart from Shogun 2. "After nearly two decades of historical battles, h?aving the chance t??o command a magical undead army is a breath of fresh air."

I was this close to letting a "fatest-selling" typo slip through in the headline. Still ?chuckling about that.

[Image credit: DiplexHeated]

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That should make some of you very pleased

Not only was that teaser building up to Warhammer 40,000: Dawn of War III as many of us had hoped, but the reveal trailer itself was badass. I'm so happy. Even if it is Space Marines, Orks, and El?dar again for the three-sided story campaign (pending inevitable?? DLC), I need this!

Picking up from the basics shared this morning, PC Gamer has extra details about Relic's real-time strategy game. Bases, and larger-scale skirmishes, are back. I always preferred Dawn of War II's tactical squad-based style over the original game's more traditional battles, but there's certainly room to reach more of a middle ground, and it sounds like that's the plan. ?For players like me, there will still be special elite units to micro-manage in addition to? the hordes of cannon fodder.

Another point of contention has been the recent games' cover system. According to PC Gamer, Relic is taking a "simplified" approach here. "The change makes Dawn of War III's?? big, chaotic battlefields easier to parse, and gives melee units an important role as siege-breakers."

Exciting stuff. I can't wait to see some Imperial Knights, Gorkanauts?, and Wraithknights clash.

Dawn of War 3: inside Relic's biggest RTS yet [PC Gamer]

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Dang it I already got my hopes up

We are ready for another Dawn of War game, but is Relic Entertainment? I sure hope so!

This teaser video and the series' official site both point to an announcement happening tomorrow at 7:00am Pacific. May 3 and Dawn of War III? Could it be that obvious of a connection?

I know Games Workshop has bombarded us with video game adaptions in recent years, but I'll always have room in my heart for more Dawn of War. Another Space Marine, too.

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Play as four Buzz Lightyears and kill a bunch of Genestealers

I've told you before that I know very little about Warhammer, whether it's 40K or the regular universe. But that doesn't mean I'm not curious about Streum On Studio's (the team behind E.Y.E: Divine Cybermancy) Space Hulk: Deathwing.

A first-person cooperative shooter where you get to play as Buzz Lightyear dudes and kill Genestealers sounds like the right amount of ridiculous grimdark to me, but up until now we've only seen screenshots and no action. Today, that changes, and I'm even more excited now. It looks like there'll be some slow moments in between battles, where players close doors to stave off enemy advances and exploring badass ships, which I'm all for. Plus, the name of the game is just really fun to say. Space. Hulk. Deathwing. Mmm.

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An overview of the free and paid content

Creative Assembly is no stranger to DLC for its Total War series and the upcoming Warhammer seems particularly suited for post-release content given how much stuff there is to th??e prop?erty. Thankfully, some of it will be free -- including new units, heroes, lords, and another playable race.

Here's the vague-as-heck summary:

The studio also has plans for paid DLC, of course, and there are general descriptions of what all that will entail in this blog post. Lord Packs,? R?ace Packs, Campaign Packs -- it's a pack overload.

The developer??s say they? have "a pretty good idea of what [they're] aiming to do with new characters and races, but do you have a favourite? What would you like to see next?"

Keep in mind (and this is something I had totally forgotten about), Total War: Warhammer is only the first in a planned trilogy of games. Some of our true favorites surely won't make it in right away. On that note, a quick reminder: the mighty forces of Chaos are a pre-order bonus.

Total War: Warhammer Future Content Blog [Total War]

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These are the latest system specs

Creative Assembly has delayed the launch of Total War: Warhammer from April 28, 2016 to Ma?y 24, 2016 in order to not "rush it," according to creative director Mike Simpson. Always a good thing.

"This could be the best Total War game we've ever made," he said. "It's an enormous game and we also want to make absolutely sure reviewers have enough ti??me to play it thoroughly before ??launch."

The studio has also honed in on the system requirements for Warhammer, including a breakdown of what sort of in-game performance players can expect to achieve with their setu??p.

PC Minimum Specifications:

[Expected around 15-25 FPS on campaign map and in a 1v1, 20 units vs. 20 units battle, default graphics pr?eset set to "Low"]

• Operating System: Windows 7 64Bit
• Processor: Intel Core 2 Duo 3.0Ghz
• RAM: 3GB*
• Hard Drive: 35 GB
• Video Card: (DirectX 11) AMD Radeon HD 5770 1024MB | Nvidia GTS 450 1024MB | Intel HD4000 @ 720p

(*)PC integrated graphics chipsets require 4GB ram, e.g.? Intel ??HD series

PC Recommended Specifications:

[Expected around 45-55 FPS on ?campaign map and in a 1v1, 20 units vs. 20 units battle, default graphics preset set to "High"]

• Operating System: Windows 7/8.1/10 64Bit
• Processor: Intel Core i5-4570 3.20GHz
• RAM: 8 GB
• Hard Drive: 35 GB
• Video Card: (DirectX 11) AMD Radeon R9 270X 2048MB | Nvidia GeForce GTX 760 2048MB @ 1080p

PC 60fps+ Specifications:

[Expected 60 FPS+ on campaign map and in a 1v1, 20 units vs. 20 units ba??ttle, default graphics preset set to "Ultra"]

• Operating System: Windows 7/8.1/10 64Bit
• Processor: Intel Core i7-4790K 4.0 GHz
• RAM: 8 GB
• Hard Drive: 35 GB
• Video Card: (DirectX 11) AMD Fury X or Nvidia GTX 980 @ 1080p

Looks like I'll fall somewhere in the lower-middle side of things. Keep in mind, these listings are more of a "guide rather than an absolute" and they're subject to change cl??oser to release.

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As seen in this Empire campaign

Creative Assembly is giving us another glimpse at the particulars of Total War: Warhammer. Just like the Greenskins walkthrough ?before it, this video drops us partway into a campaign, albeit with the Empire. It's seven minutes long, but that feels l?ike no time at all for a game of this scope.

Aside from the Legendary Lords, who are taken directly from lore, you'll have the option to rename all of your chara?cters. You totally should. Th??e more ridiculous, the better.

Assuming they keep it up with these clips, I hope the Vampire Count??s are next.

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Free until two months after release

Battlefleet: Gothic Armada is a real-time strategy game in which sprawling Warhammer 40,000 ships blow each other to smithereens. As previewed in today's narrative trailer, there's a story, too! I'm typically not a big fan of animated sequences like this?? in video games, but given the source material, the cin??ematics could work well. There's some cool art here, at least.

Developer Tindalos Interactive also shared pre-order details this week. Folks who pay up front will get access to the Battlefleet multiplayer beta "a f??ew weeks before official launch"? in March.

Whether your pre-order or not, if you "join the community during the? first couple of months following the game's launch," you'll earn another faction, the Space Marines, for use in multiplayer modes and AI skirmishes. If you don't get around to playing until later -- say, once the game goes on sale down the road -- the?n you'll have to pay for that fleet. Something to keep in mind.

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Good genes

In recent years, a bunch of different games have drawn from Games Workshop properties. Some were good. Many weren't. I have long since learned to not get too invested pre-release. It's just easier that way. But there is one title I've kept up with for years now: Space Hulk: Deathwing.

Not to be confused with that other Space Hulk, which more closely resembles the board game, this is being made by the folks responsible for the real weird, real ambitious E.Y.E.: Divine Cybermancy -- not that you'd know it from thes?e images. They look spectacular!

Check 'em out. I've also tossed in a couple older screens that show what Deathwing?? is like in first-person. It's nice to have that contrast.

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And possibly win one of 11 copies!

Hammerfall Publishing, the awesome folks behind Warhammer 40K: Regicide, want to play with you! No, not like that. PUT THAT AW?AY! Sheesh. We have company. These nice folks want to play their game with you silly.

What is Regicide you ask (as you hopefully zip up)? It's about the bloodiest, most amazing take on chess tha??t I've seen. It has two modes. Classic mode follows old-school chess rules, but more murder-y. Regicide mode let's you plan your strategy and utilize tactical abilities (and some crazy powers too) to wipe your enemies clean off the board. Game has online and single player, as well as letting you choose either the Space Marines or the?? Orks! Why listen to my little blurb? Watch the gameplay video below and then go play with the fine folks who made it!

This is all going down from 9pm PST to 11pm PST tonight on the game's Twitch channel here. Join in the chat to play or shoot them an email here, to setup something in advance. I will be in chat (hopefully, my phone is a butt lately) handing out some game codes, but if yo?u'd like to just comment below for chance to win, go ahead.

Leave us a comment telling us your favorite faction and how you'd like to smite your enemies. Winners will be chosen by 11/14/15 @ 11:59 PST

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Asteroid ships!

I'm starting to run out of intelligible things to say about Battlefleet Gothic: Armada, but even if I did have fresh in??sights, I'd be too preoccupied by these screenshots to share them.

Good lord is this game pretty.

Today, it's finally the Orks' turn, and their?? cobbled-together ships are represented especially well here in Unreal Engine 4. I have to wonder how demanding ??????????????????????????this game will be on PCs.

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