- CONTENTS - DOW-CONT

Your guide to the contents of Warhammer 40,000: Dawn of War. Learn about gameplay, factions, modes, plot, and more from an experienced friend.

Alright, let's dive into the core of what makes Warhammer 40,000: Dawn of War tick. This section is all about the game's structure and what you'll be getting into. ### Gameplay Think of Dawn of War as a focused real-time strategy (RTS) experience. You'll be commanding squads of infantry and ground vehicles, aiming to outmaneuver and defeat your opponents. To build up your forces, you'll need two key resources: Requisition and Power. * Requisition: You get this by capturing and holding 'Strategic Points' scattered across the map. Keep an eye on these – your opponent will definitely try to snag them back! * Power: This is generated by building special generator structures, which themselves cost Requisition. Combat is a mix of ranged and close-quarters fighting. Remember, not all units are created equal for every situation. A basic infantry squad might be great against other troops but will struggle against an armored transport. Conversely, a missile launcher is perfect for taking down vehicles but won't do much against a swarm of infantry. Don't forget to use your units' special abilities, like stealth, grenades, or even short-range teleports! Usually, you'll win by either destroying the enemy's main base or by controlling most of the strategic points on the map. Sometimes, especially in the single-player campaign, your objective might be to take down a specific enemy character. ### Factions Dawn of War gives you four distinct factions to play as: * Space Marines: The iconic poster boys of Warhammer 40,000. * Orks: Green, brutal, and surprisingly effective. * Eldar: An ancient and technologically advanced alien race. * Chaos Space Marines: The corrupted brethren of the Space Marines. In certain single-player missions, you'll also get to command a small number of Imperial Guard units. ### Modes * Single-Player Campaign: This is a linear story that spans 11 missions. You'll be playing as the Space Marines in this mode. * Multiplayer: Up to eight players can battle it out, either individually or in teams. Here, you can choose any of the main factions: Orks, Eldar, or Chaos Space Marines, in addition to the Space Marines. ### Plot The campaign kicks off on the planet Tartarus, which is under heavy attack by Orks. You'll start with Colonel Brom and his 37th Tartarus Planetary Defense Force Regiment facing overwhelming odds. Luckily, the Blood Ravens 3rd Company, led by Captain Gabriel Angelos, arrives to help. They push back the Ork forces, and Gabriel is joined by Librarian Isador Akios. Brom seems a bit uneasy when the planet Cyrene is mentioned, but Isador quickly shuts that down, especially with Angelos around. The Blood Ravens then prepare to defend evacuation craft from the remaining Orks. Isador senses Gabriel's troubled mind and tries to comfort him about the loss of his home planet, Cyrene, but Gabriel doesn't want to talk about it, feeling it was his responsibility. After clearing out the Orks, scouts report Chaos activity on the planet. Inquisitor Mordecai Toth shows up and orders everyone to leave immediately, warning of an approaching Warp Storm that will hit in 3 days. Gabriel, however, wants to investigate the Chaos threat, which Toth dismisses as Gabriel's judgment being clouded by his past experiences on Cyrene. Further investigation reveals the Eldar are also present. The Blood Ravens find a Chaos altar, confirming Gabriel's suspicions. They decide to fight the traitors, unaware that Isador is already being manipulated by Sindri Myr, a Chaos Sorcerer from the Alpha Legion. The Blood Ravens track the Eldar to the ruined city of Loovre Marr. After a big fight, the Eldar leader, Farseer Macha, tries to warn Gabriel. During this moment, Sindri steals an artifact that Macha reveals is key to the planet's destruction. When Gabriel asks for more details, Macha is surprised by his ignorance and hints that Inquisitor Toth knows more than he's letting on. She suggests Gabriel and Isador ask Toth directly and then points the Blood Ravens towards the main Chaos forces, as the Eldar are too weakened to deal with them. After a tough battle against the Alpha Legion and some corrupted Imperial Guard regiments, Gabriel and Isador confront Toth in a ruined Imperial Temple. Toth reveals the planet is cursed and holds a Chaos artifact called the Maledictum, which contains a daemon's essence. The Chaos forces are close to unearthing it. Toth also explains that the Eldar were trying to protect the stone...