Warhammer 40,000: Dawn of War – Dark Crusade
Seven factions vie for control of Kronus in a non-linear campaign.
Warhammer 40,000: Dawn of War – Dark Crusade is the second expansion to the real-time strategy game Warhammer 40,000: Dawn of War, developed by Relic Entertainment and published by THQ. It introduces two new playable races, the Tau Empire and the Necrons, bringing the total to seven factions. Unlike the previous expansion, Dark Crusade is a standalone release that does not require the original game or Winter Assault to play.
Quick Facts
- Developer
- Relic Entertainment
- Producer
- Jonathan Dowdeswell
- Designer
- Jonny Ebbert
- Programmer
- Nick Waanders
- Artist
- Ian Cumming
- Composer
- Inon Zur
- Series
- Warhammer 40,000
- Released
- October 9, 2006 (NA); October 29, 2006 (AUS); November 3, 2006 (EU)
Facts from the source article.
Gameplay
Dark Crusade centers on conflict over resources, with players starting from a base and winning by completing mission objectives. Technology is divided into tiers, each unlocking more powerful units and upgrades. The campaign is non-linear and sandbox-based, set on the planet Kronus. Gameplay proceeds in rounds with two phases: the world map and the battle map. The world map is divided into territories, each faction beginning with a stronghold territory and an army led by its leader. Each round, the player may move their army to an adjacent allied territory or attack an adjacent enemy territory. Attacking transitions to a real-time battle on the battle map. After the player's turn, NPC factions move and attack; if an NPC attacks a player-controlled territory, the player may auto-resolve based on relative strengths or play the battle. Capturing a faction's stronghold removes that faction; losing one's own stronghold ends the game. Captured territories grant bonus abilities or honor guard units, and each owned territory produces planetary requisition used to purchase honor guard units or garrison standard units.
Plot
After the Eldar on Lorn V break their alliance with the Imperial Guard during Winter Assault, the Guard form a task force under Colonel Lukas Aleksander to hunt Farseer Taldeer. The awakening of Necrons on Kronus draws Taldeer there with Aleksander in pursuit. The Tau Empire, led by Kais, has held Kronus for centuries after wresting it from the Imperium. Warboss Gorgutz unites the Feral Orks, having killed Chaos Lord Crull. Chaos Lord Eliphas of the Word Bearers arrives to conquer the world and retrieve Crull's skull. Blood Raven Space Marines under Captain Davian Thule are tasked by Chapter Master Azariah Kyras to purge the world and recover relics. Thule's orders bring him into conflict with the Imperial Guard. In the Tau ending, they regain control and force humans into reeducation camps. In the Chaos ending, Eliphas ascends to Daemonhood and launches a massive offensive. The Necron ending sees them purge Kronus of all life. The Ork ending has Gorgutz use the planet as a recruiting ground. The Imperial Guard ending has Aleksander become governor. The Eldar ending leaves Kronus anarchic.
Setting
All five pre-existing factions gain new units, and two new races become playable. The Tau excel at ranged combat but lack melee prowess; their commander has no melee attack. Tau units are fragile, few, and expensive, but they fight alongside Kroot auxiliaries. They are the only race with a choice in final technology, selecting one of two tier buildings that provide different end-game units. The Tau have no standalone defensive structures or minefields, but their Broadside Battlesuit can entrench and use its railguns as turrets. The Necrons do not require requisition to build units; only power is needed for research, construction, and reinforcing squads. Capturing strategic points and building Obelisks increases research speed and population cap. The Necron Monolith, their home base, is restored as buildings are built, unlocking new units, and becomes mobile when fully restored. Many Necron units can resurrect, leaving persistent corpses that may self-resurrect or be restored by specialized units, potentially exceeding the population cap. Necrons appeared in Winter Assault but are noticeably stronger here.
Reception
Dark Crusade was praised as an excellent real-time strategy game, with its non-linear campaign, stabilized multiplayer, and additional features. IGN and GameSpot selected it as the best expansion pack of 2006. Critics were surprised by the quality and size, stating the new content breathed new life into the game. The balancing between races was cited as excellent, positively affecting both single-player and multiplayer. Changes to gameplay mechanics, such as reworking the elite unit system, were well-received, forcing players to use combined arms tactics. Weak points included complexity and the need for micromanagement, which some reviewers found detrimental. The learning curve was described as steep due to each race being different. Critics disliked the inability to zoom out the camera, especially noticeable with Tau long-range weapons engaging off-screen. While the single-player campaign was positively received, some found it unchallenging, with weak AI and no random elements in most skirmish missions. The auto-resolve feature for territory control was seen as a downside, and one critic noted the AI rarely attacked the player's homebase. Some felt the Necrons were overpowered. Dark Crusade won Computer Games Magazine's 2006 Expansion of the Year award.
Frequently Asked Questions
What platforms is Warhammer 40,000: Dawn of War – Dark Crusade available on?
Warhammer 40,000: Dawn of War – Dark Crusade was released for Microsoft Windows.
Who composed the music for Warhammer 40,000: Dawn of War – Dark Crusade?
The music for Warhammer 40,000: Dawn of War – Dark Crusade was composed by Inon Zur.
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