Article Concept, Construction and Crafting by Havelock
(Full disclosure: Actually this time the concept was Miker’s)
For the 3 of you who live under a rock, Warhammer 40,000 is a Table Top Wargame, by Games Workshop Ltd, based in the very frightening future of the forty first millennium. The great stellar Imperium of man is stagnant and locked in constant combat against numerous nemesis, within and without of its boarders. Mankind’s best defence are genetically engineered super soldiers called Space Marines whom are clad in adamantium Power Armour and armed with blessed Bolt weapons, constructed ritually as technological progress is seen to be akin to heresy.While the vast and uncaring armies of The Imperial Guard send millions of normal men and women to die in droves to block the guns of the enemy (or until they filled their pre-set “kill limit” and stop).
Daemons: Do not want!
The Immortal Emperor, has been kept alive for over a 100 centuries upon the Golden Throne, an arcane device which feeds his soul in the never ending battle against the capricious and callous Chaos Gods. These unconsciously created creatures of the Warp, an immaterial realm of pure energy, are the greatest threat to all life in the galaxy. Their twisted servants seek to over throw order and collapse the boarders between the material universe and the Warp. These range from misguided and corrupt cultists and fallen traitorous Chaos Space Marines to soulless daemonic entities.
If that weren’t enough, the human race is beseiged on all sides by foul xenos scum, from the once mighty but now fading haughty Eldar and their decadent darker cousins, the expansively youthful and technologically advanced Tau Empire to the roaming infestations of savage Orks whom arebrutally bred for WAAARGH! Worse yet, are the Tyranids, a hive mind species from beyond our Galaxy, set on consuming all organic matter. Recently the antediluvian C’tan and their nigh-on indestructible robotic servants, the Necrons, have woken from their slumber of immeasurable aeons with the intent to once again harvest the essence energy of all sentient life.
Yeah, its kinda like this.
Doesn’t it sound like a pleasant place to live and die? This rich background has been around and expanded upon for over 30 years and is available to be enjoyed via a variety of mediums, the tactical table top, to more in-depth specialist roleplay games and numerous computer games.
Now that we are all up to speed, here is the good news. THQ, a games developer under licence by Games Workshop Ltd, have dropped the price of their RTS/RPG game, Dawn of War II from 20 pound sterling to only 5 (or your Eurodollar equivalent) in their online store here. Although I found the campaign story (which can be played in solo or co-op!) too short for my liking, I wished it would go on for ever and allow me reconquer the galaxy in the name of the Emperor, the multiplayer was really the selling point.
Dropping the often limiting base building and defence system from their first game, they created a very smooth and sexy tactical game. By focusing on front line combat, THQ brought the feel of command in the table top game closer to the computer. This sense is further enhanced by the sensible numbers of troops you are tasked with controlling being rather similar to the size of force one would normally play the miniature based game with. Even in multiplayer there is some RPG choice, as you can decide between three commanders for each race, each with their own advantages and tactics. While some complain about the size and number of multiplayer maps, the expansion Chaos Rising to be released next month is expected to address these issues. The graphics are awe inspiringly awesome and you can zoom in to watch individual combats in cinematic clarity. While almost every element; art, setting and sounds are very loyal to the background canon of the Warhammer 40k universe. For 5 bob, its well worth the go.
I love the smell of Ork blood in the morning!
-Havelock “the Bad”
(Fuller disclosure: I have in the past, worked for Games Workshop Ltd and other companies licensed to use their intellectual properties)
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