DoW DC UPDATE: Demo Released!!

Brother-Captain Gaius · Post by **Brother-Captain Gaius** » 2006-08-08 07:20am

S'what Grey Knights are for.

Hawkwings · Post by **Hawkwings** » 2006-08-08 12:17pm

Eldar get an insta-kill spell eh? That'll be interesting to watch.

SAMAS · Post by **SAMAS** » 2006-08-08 08:59pm

Some information from a guy on Warseer who said they played the beta at the German GD:

http://www.warseer.com/forums/showthread.php?t=44746

NECRONS:

They have a very nice atmosphere. When you build your base, you have the feeling that you not just arrived, but that you have been here long before. It's all about awaken your Monolith, that lies buried and dormant underground.
Very nice technological sounds. No Necron can speak. They all do strange (but cool) techno noises. Not too sure about the Nightbringer. It sounded like he was saying something in a EVIL voice, but then I had to let the next guy in the queue have my place, so i wasn't concentrated. The graphics were lovely.

Necrons use an exotic tech tree. Other than other races they mainly use energy. The amount of requisition you own merely decides about the availability (sp?!?) of some tech and the speed of things being upgraded.

The builder unit was a floating scarab robot (they can not make jumps). It's the only unit that can take control points. Also everyone can be upgraded to platoons of three. The limit is 5.

The Necronlord can't join units. He's not the worst fighter, also not the best. i think his hitpoints were somewhere around 1800. Now something interesting: you can upgrade him with items. Therefore you build a certain building. In this building you can choose between 6 different items. Not all are available at once. The Lord can carry up to three of these. They have some wicked effects. One causes a constant drain of moral for enemies who are fighting the lord, and once their moral's gone, they run away automatically.

You should know Necron warriors by now. Immortals are meant to shoot vehicles and buildings, against infantry their only use is in close combat.

Wraiths are fast and good melee fighters, though very fragile. If you tell them to 'phase out' they are invincible, but also cannot attack.
Flayed ones look lovely. They cause a constant moral drain on enemies in direct contact. Their close combat damage was somewhere around 125.

Pariahs! Wow, those look cool. Much cooler than their tabletop counterparts imo. They're good close combat fighters (maybe more than good, hadn't time to find out).
Crypt spiders. i think they had a limit of 6 or something. They can harvest necron bodies, probably to revive them. Also they can generate scarab swarms if they sacrifice about a quarter of their hitpoints. Scarab swarms are fragile, medium close combat units which use their numbers to win.

Destroyers and heavy destroyers fulfill their expected roles as infantry/- vehicle hunters. It was a little dissappointing that they couldn't jump...

Nightbringer. I'm afraid of him.... though I don't know if I had a good reason, I didn't have time to check his stats...

Monolith: Awww, also didn't make it to check on him...

TAU:

I stood a second time in the queue for the Tau. My impressions on them is even more vague than on the Necrons.
I have to say that the Tau impressed me optically even more than the Necrons. Very much cool stuff.
I'm not sure, but I think they spoke with an asian accent, similar to the current Tau mod.

The builder unit is a (talking) earth-caste builder drone. Can't remember anything special about them. Limit was 3 or 4.

The Tau commander is a strong-shooty guy (surprise!). One special attack allowed him to throw some kind of mine which slowed enemies down...

If you wish, Vespids can jump three times in a row, allowing them to move VERY fast accross the map. Drawback: they can't take strategic points... They make buzzing sounds when clicked.

Tau Fire Warriors. Who doesn't knows them? They have a long fire range, even longer than their sight through the fog of war. Therefore you should have some spotters...

Ghost Teams. ROCK! Once they're built, they're invisible all the time, even when they're firing or taking strategic points. They will definitely be a pain in the ass. I don't think they could jump...

Pathfinders and Crisis suits: Don't kill me, i haven't checked them...

Broadsuites. YEEHAW! First to say, Relic uses the models from Forge World. Second: they lay down a hallelujah firework on the battlefield. Their Railguns look like very big brothers of the lascannon with pulsing dots in the fat, bright blue beams, and their secondary weapons fires swarms of rockets over long range. I think I would interprete railgun-shots in a different way, but it still looks great! They come in groups of three, which can't be refreshed if a teammember dies.
Let me say that it's very cool how they move. You get the impression that they carry very heavy stuff, so they're stomping heavily accross the map. They have a special ability, making them stomp their feet into the ground, becoming immobile but even better in shooting.

Hammerhead and Devilfish: Didn't check. I KNOW, I know, but there was so much stuff and so few time...

Skyray: It's like a whirlwind with the ability to jump. But it also has a nasty special attack. it can lay down a (spectacular) barrage on a single target. It took away the fifth of a Space Marine strongholds hitpoints.

Now to everybodies darling, the kroot. i could imagine that many of you will fall in love with the noises they make, for I had the impression that they sounded very similar to hydralisks (*sigh*).
They are a okay melee unit. Due time-lack, I have not checked the use of their corpse-feasting ability.
I forgot the name of the kroot 'seargants'. It's the same as in the original Codex. They are built separately, and can probably be attached to Kroot units. I imagine they increase the effect of the corpse-eating (which let's me assume strongly that it gives back Hitpoints). You could say they're the Kroot apothecaries.

I haven't checked the Krootox. Read on, and you will be indemnified...

Pretty late in the tech tree comes the Tau ethereal. Once he's on the field, all Tau units get Health and moral increases (I think damage too?). If he dies, it all turns to a drawback on these stats, making them lower than they originally have been.
He can summon a unit of better Firewarriors as bodyguards.
He can create holographs of other units. Someone said he thought that these also cause damage, but I highly doubt it.
He can request an air-cast strike. The area is as big as the one of the Space Marine orbital bombardement. It's a big, blue, slowly expanding mighty pulse that rests quite a while on the battlefield. It blows away infantry. That was all I could find out at that time. It surly has a use, and definitely casts damage, but how much to whom, I can only speculate. At least, it looks nice .

I wondered long time, and finally I know the answer.
The Tau super unit.
The greater Knarloc. Although it's not really worth the big introduction I'm giving here.
It's a big, unmounted Tyrannosaurus Duck. A strong melee fighter, though very probably the weakest of all super units. Something around 7500 hitpoints. He costs 400/400.
My advise, don't colour your Kroot bright red, it looks like a balloon from behind

I have to say I'm a little disappointed in the Great Knarloc being the Tau Super Unit. I was personally thinking it would be the Broadsides.

But otherwise, this game is looking real nice.

Brother-Captain Gaius · Post by **Brother-Captain Gaius** » 2006-08-08 09:47pm

I would've preferred some sort of off-map super strike for the Tau super unit.

And I'm none-too-keen on the 'auto-retreat' Necron stuff, especially in regards to Space Marines (who are designed to combat supernaturally fearsome enemies, oi). Though I do hope Pariahs at least have a similar morale-draining ability... being... pariahs and all.

EDIT: And I swear to god if I see that auto-retreat work on a Chaplain or Grey Knight I'm going to go on a killing spree. Mark my words.

Hawkwings · Post by **Hawkwings** » 2006-08-08 10:18pm

yes, the auto-retreat should maybe cancel morale regen for SMs or something. Definitely not drain it.

In other news, the Tau ghost squads are going to be nasty. Now, do they come early or late in the tech tree?

SirNitram · Post by **SirNitram** » 2006-08-08 10:26pm

Brother-Captain Gaius wrote:I would've preferred some sort of off-map super strike for the Tau super unit.

And I'm none-too-keen on the 'auto-retreat' Necron stuff, especially in regards to Space Marines (who are designed to combat supernaturally fearsome enemies, oi). Though I do hope Pariahs at least have a similar morale-draining ability... being... pariahs and all.

EDIT: And I swear to god if I see that auto-retreat work on a Chaplain or Grey Knight I'm going to go on a killing spree. Mark my words.

Can't work on Chaplain; Fearless rule in play. Grey Knights are likely to be the Marines first Fearless squads.

Though Relic kept noises for the Berserker's breaking morale. 'SO MUCH BLOOD! Too much to drink...'

Hawkwings · Post by **Hawkwings** » 2006-08-08 11:37pm

hmm... drain morale vs Guard squad with commisar?

And what tabletop rules are in effect for the PC game anyways?

Brother-Captain Gaius · Post by **Brother-Captain Gaius** » 2006-08-08 11:46pm

SirNitram wrote:Can't work on Chaplain; Fearless rule in play. Grey Knights are likely to be the Marines first Fearless squads.

Though Relic kept noises for the Berserker's breaking morale. 'SO MUCH BLOOD! Too much to drink...'

Chaplain's aren't actually Fearless in WA though (one of many reasons I despise it). So Grey Knights being properly Fearless in DC I am somewhat skeptical on.

EDIT:

Hawkwings wrote:hmm... drain morale vs Guard squad with commisar?

And what tabletop rules are in effect for the PC game anyways?

The latest patch fixes Commissars and makes them only give a morale boost, not Fearlessness. Though if you do get retreat-ified by 'Crons, just execute Guardsman Bob and you're back in the fight.

As for TT rules... Relic's (or at least their rabid supporters on their forums) argument is that DoW isn't TT and that the game draws primarily from the fluff of 40K. Which is all well and good, mind, but they apply it rather obtusely, ignoring the fact that a sizable amount of that fluff is directly tied in with the TT game and vice versa - e.g., Chaplains being Fearless. In TT they have Honour of the Chapter, a special rule that grants them and any squad they join, lead, or are attached to Fearlessness. This is directly tied in to the fluff in that Chaplains are fanatical spiritual leaders of Space Marines and are the very embodiment of the Angels of Death and the Emperor's vengeance incarnate. Yet the typical argument for Chaplains not being effectively Fearless in WA is that "DoW isn't TT, stop crying about it."

Keevan_Colton · Post by **Keevan_Colton** » 2006-08-09 07:04am

it bugs me that marines dont get a decent morale bonus in line with ATSKNF, I recall reading on one board, a breakdown on the numbers that showed over time a guard unit with a commisar would outlast a terminator squad mostly due to the fact guard will maintain morale longer than marines.

SAMAS · Post by **SAMAS** » 2006-08-09 08:43pm

Brother-Captain Gaius wrote:
SirNitram wrote:Can't work on Chaplain; Fearless rule in play. Grey Knights are likely to be the Marines first Fearless squads.

Though Relic kept noises for the Berserker's breaking morale. 'SO MUCH BLOOD! Too much to drink...'
Chaplain's aren't actually Fearless in WA though (one of many reasons I despise it). So Grey Knights being properly Fearless in DC I am somewhat skeptical on.

EDIT:

Hawkwings wrote:hmm... drain morale vs Guard squad with commisar?

And what tabletop rules are in effect for the PC game anyways?
The latest patch fixes Commissars and makes them only give a morale boost, not Fearlessness. Though if you do get retreat-ified by 'Crons, just execute Guardsman Bob and you're back in the fight.

As for TT rules... Relic's (or at least their rabid supporters on their forums) argument is that DoW isn't TT and that the game draws primarily from the fluff of 40K. Which is all well and good, mind, but they apply it rather obtusely, ignoring the fact that a sizable amount of that fluff is directly tied in with the TT game and vice versa - e.g., Chaplains being Fearless. In TT they have Honour of the Chapter, a special rule that grants them and any squad they join, lead, or are attached to Fearlessness. This is directly tied in to the fluff in that Chaplains are fanatical spiritual leaders of Space Marines and are the very embodiment of the Angels of Death and the Emperor's vengeance incarnate. Yet the typical argument for Chaplains not being effectively Fearless in WA is that "DoW isn't TT, stop crying about it."

That's just what they tell the rubes. The true answer is:

"We tried that with Guardsmen before the last patch, and you wouldn't stop complaining."

Utsanomiko · Post by **Utsanomiko** » 2006-08-10 12:29am

If the game draws more directly upon the background and not the table-top game, what's with all the building and research requirements and why do I bother bringing more than 30 Marines, 10 Terminators and a Land Raider?

Shinova · Post by **Shinova** » 2006-08-11 11:17pm

New video of Grey Knights!

Much wootage.

Haminal10 · Post by **Haminal10** » 2006-08-12 10:42am

I almost felt bad for those cultists going up against an equal number of Grey Knights.

andrewgpaul · Post by **andrewgpaul** » 2006-08-12 01:37pm

Gah. Stupid Gamespot. Can't be arsed signing up to see it.

Dartzap · Post by **Dartzap** » 2006-08-12 04:34pm

andrewgpaul wrote:Gah. Stupid Gamespot. Can't be arsed signing up to see it.

Gamespot is one of the easiest sites to use, and its not as hutt ugly as places such as IGN, where the big ugly adverts are litrelly in the middle of the screen

As for the GK's... they look damn sweet.

Shinova · Post by **Shinova** » 2006-08-16 01:47pm

Details on the Necrons

From a hands-on play of the demo.

Shinova · Post by **Shinova** » 2006-08-28 02:22pm

Poor quality but long in-game footage on youtube:

http://youtube.com/watch?v=kEwtqy66Cck

Dartzap · Post by **Dartzap** » 2006-08-28 02:58pm

You nitwit, you havent given us the Flash Gitz and Demon Prince vids (The DP isnt very good as they used a stand-in model, but hey)

Get to it, Space Cadet

Shinova · Post by **Shinova** » 2006-08-28 03:02pm

Bah.

Videos for both Flash Gitz and Daemon Prince

Utsanomiko · Post by **Utsanomiko** » 2006-08-28 06:55pm

Stand-in model?

Looks like a newly-rendered, uniquely-animated model depicting the standard tabletop Daemon Prince to me.

Shinova · Post by **Shinova** » 2006-08-28 07:21pm

Utsanomiko wrote:Stand-in model?

Looks like a newly-rendered, uniquely-animated model depicting the standard tabletop Daemon Prince to me.

The one in the video is still holdling the Maledictum in its left hand, from the original DoW. The final version will fortunately not have that.

Brother-Captain Gaius · Post by **Brother-Captain Gaius** » 2006-08-28 07:28pm

Those are some massive fucking flash gitz. They look like nobz FFS.

Shinova · Post by **Shinova** » 2006-08-30 10:18pm

IGN and Gamespot list DC's release date as sept 9.

Maybe they got a lot done earlier than expected and pulled the date forward, but it's probably not true, since although the single player demo's coming out friday, there's supposedly a multiplayer demo coming out in October.

Doesn't make sense to release a demo THAT far behind the game.

Dartzap · Post by **Dartzap** » 2006-08-31 04:08am

Wasn't there some hoo-hah over on the Relic forums about the demo coming out this friday?

Rogue 9 · Post by **Rogue 9** » 2006-08-31 09:19am

Shinova wrote:Bah.

Videos for both Flash Gitz and Daemon Prince

There sure do seem to be an awful lot of busted download links there.