Warhammer 40,000: Dawn of War - Winter Assault (PC)

The IG/Eldar or Ork/Chaos SP game story is a welcome addition and I can tell you from playing it, there’s a lot of game hours in the battles to come especially when you’re thrown into the action from the different viewpoints, the shadowy Eldar assisting the Imperial Guard without their knowledge.

The Imperial Guard come with their own units (some argue that the units were already there from DoW and just not playable, I beg to differ in a way – yes some IG stuff was in the game but there’s a lot of new content for this pack), tech tree and play-style that requires you learn how the IG work to use them to their best advantage.

The IG are front-line assault troops that can rush an enemy and overwhelm them with sheer strength of numbers (although its wise to concentrate on defence in the beginning), they have access to older but still reliable technology and their most powerful unit: The Baneblade, is a true terror to behold in combat. This vehicle has at least twelve weapons and enough armour to go toe-to-toe with an army/base wiping it out without much trouble.

It costs quite a lot to bring out that unit however and it doesn’t fare too well against a concerted attack by powerful enemy forces.

The IG can crew most buildings and fire out from the murder-holes/gun ports. They can also move about using a system of tunnels (Not actually shown in the game, but they move from building to building to simulate this). This means you can set up a defence network and quickly reinforce a position that is falling under attack.

IG Commanders can (with the correct research) be reinforced with a number of other units, such as the Commissar, Psyker and Priest.

As you build and learn the nuances of the IG they might appear weak compared to the others, but you’ll soon discover they’re a good all-round and excellent addition to the game, a clever player will exploit the IG’s ability to trundle around in big tanks and fire from the support gun-ports while on board, their reinforcement times and certainly the technology that allows them to upgrade units with a Sergeant and troops that have grenade launchers.

It would take a longer review than this one to give the full low down on the tech-tree for the guard, suffice it to say that the new unit additions are welcome and each one is worth researching, especially for the IG’s Basilisk artillery units which provide excellent cover and support from a long way across the map.

For those of you that are wondering, who know their 40K – yes, the Vindicare Assassin is in and it’s a pretty good unit – but mercifully (for opposing players) you’re only allowed the one.

But it’s not just the IG that gets their units; each faction has a new unit addition to their troop compliment.

Space Marines: Chaplain (New Commander Unit)
Eldar: Fire Dragons (Close combat specialists, armed with devastating weapons against vehicles/buildings)
Orks: Mega Armoured Nobz (Tougher and more powerful version of Ork Nobz)
Chaos: Khorne Berzerker (Strong close combat units)