Warhammer 40,000: Dawn of War III
Three factions vie for a catastrophic weapon on the lost planet Acheron.
Warhammer 40,000: Dawn of War III is a real-time strategy game released in 2017, blending traditional RTS mechanics with elements from multiplayer online battle arenas. Developed by Relic Entertainment and published by Sega, it is the third main installment in the Dawn of War series, following *Dawn of War II: Retribution* from 2011. The Windows version launched on April 27, 2017, with macOS and Linux ports published by Feral Interactive on June 8 of the same year. A sequel, *Warhammer 40,000: Dawn of War IV*, developed by King Art Games, is scheduled for release in 2026.
**Gameplay** Players can command three returning factions: the Space Marines of the Imperium of Man, the Eldar, and the Orks. Non-playable factions include the Imperial Guard and Daemons of Khorne, while the Necrons appear briefly in the epilogue. Multiplayer offers cosmetic skins for each faction—different Space Marine chapters, alternate Eldar craftworlds, and various Ork clans.
**Plot** The story centers on a catastrophic weapon called the Spear of Khaine, discovered on the lost planet Acheron. Three forces converge there: the Blood Ravens Space Marines, led by Chapter Master Gabriel Angelos; the Eldar, commanded by Farseer Macha (both returning from the first game); and an Ork horde under Warboss Gorgutz, making his fourth appearance in the series.
The campaign begins on the Imperial Knight world of Cyprus Ultima, besieged by a massive Ork force led by Warboss Gitstompa. Imperial Inquisitor Holt orders a naval blockade, denying reinforcements to Lady Solaria’s Knight House Varlock. Gabriel Angelos and the Blood Ravens break the blockade to aid her, but not before Gorgutz loots Varlock Keep. Gitstompa uses the stolen parts to build a giant cannon.
Autarch Kyre, leader of the Biel-Tan warhost on Cyprus Ultima, summons Farseer Macha to fight the Orks. Kyre plans to use the planet as a staging ground to reach Acheron when it emerges from the Warp. Obsessed with the Spear of Khaine—said to kill with a single blow—Kyre captures the Spirit Stone of Farseer Taldeer from her twin brother, Ranger Ronahn. Under Kyre’s custody, Taldeer unwittingly reveals a prophecy: the Spear will call forth wayfarers and unite them under a Storm Prince. Believing himself to be that prince, Kyre keeps Taldeer prisoner, using her as a puppet to swell his Swordwind army.
Quick Facts
- Title
- Warhammer 40,000: Dawn of War III
- Developer
- Relic Entertainment
- Publisher
- SegaOriginally published by Sega. Currently self-published by Relic Entertainment after split from Sega.
- Director
- Philippe Boulle
- Producer
- Lee McKinnon Pederson
- Writer
- Kyle Berndt / Adam Bullied
- Composer
- Paul Leonard-Morgan
- Series
- Warhammer 40,000
- Engine
- Essence Engine 4.0
- Platforms
- Windows, macOS, Linux
- Released
- Windows / April 27, 2017 / macOS, Linux / June 8, 2017
- Genre
- Real-time strategy
Facts from the source article.
Lore & Background
The game's plot centers on the discovery of a catastrophic weapon known as the Spear of Khaine on the lost planet Acheron. Three forces converge on the planet: the Blood Ravens Space Marines under Chapter Master Gabriel Angelos, the Eldar led by Farseer Macha, and an Ork horde led by Warboss Gorgutz. The campaign begins on the Imperial Knight world of Cyprus Ultima, under siege from a massive Ork horde led by Warboss Gitstompa. The Imperial Inquisitor Holt has ordered a blockade of the planet, denying reinforcements to Lady Solaria's Imperial Knight House Varlock. The Blood Ravens run the blockade to help Lady Solaria, but Varlock Keep is looted by Lieutenant Gorgutz, who uses the parts to build an enormous cannon.
Autarch Kyre, leader of the Biel-Tan warhost on Cyprus Ultima, summons Farseer Macha to aid against the Orks. Kyre is using Cyprus Ultima as a staging ground to reach Acheron when it emerges from the Warp. He has seized the Spirit Stone of Farseer Taldeer and keeps her prisoner, believing himself to be the Storm Prince destined to unite the Eldar. Farseer Macha does not trust Kyre and secretly builds an insurgency with Ronahn and Jain Zar. The narrative follows the three factions as they clash on Acheron, with the Spear of Khaine ultimately revealed to be a trap that frees a Greater Daemon of Khorne, a Bloodthirster, from the ice where it was sealed by the ancient Eldar.
Reader's Guide
Warhammer 40,000: Dawn of War III represents a significant entry in the Dawn of War series, being the first new release since 2011. The game incorporates multiplayer online battle arena influences into its real-time strategy framework, a notable shift from its predecessors. The campaign brings back three iconic heroes from earlier games: Gabriel Angelos and Farseer Macha from the first Dawn of War, and Warboss Gorgutz, making his fourth appearance after Winter Assault, Dark Crusade, and Soulstorm. The game features three playable factions—Space Marines, Eldar, and Orks—with various cosmetic skins available for each, including different chapters for Space Marines, alternate craftworlds for Eldar, and different clans for Orks. Non-playable factions include the Imperial Guard and Daemons of Khorne, while the Necrons make a brief cameo in the epilogue. A successor, Warhammer 40,000: Dawn of War IV, developed by King Art Games, is set to be released in 2026.
Did You Know?
- The game was released for Windows on April 27, 2017, and for macOS and Linux on June 8, 2017.
- Warboss Gorgutz makes his fourth appearance in the series, having previously appeared in Winter Assault, Dark Crusade, and Soulstorm.
- The Spear of Khaine is ultimately revealed to be a trap that frees a Bloodthirster, a Greater Daemon of Khorne.
- Farseer Taldeer from Dark Crusade appears as a spirit stone, held prisoner by Autarch Kyre.
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