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Thu, 02/04/2010 - 7:19pm | by Thunder

GameSpot's Exclusive Multiplayer Preview

A short time ago we put a build of Chaos Rising in front of members of the press. The smack talk started almost immediately and they plunged into some games, yes including multiplayer with Chaos! GameSpot's preview is the first to go live, as they share their experiences playing Chaos Rising:

"We had the opportunity to play through a handful of head-to-head skirmishes and some free-for-all matches as well, and found Chaos to be a faction that seems to benefit from leapfrogging from expansion to expansion, capturing a key strategic point and fortifying it as soon as possible. Although the faction has powerful military units, its basis of support lies with heretic units--these are now used to build supporting shrine structures (best placed near control points), and can then be used to worship at these shrines. Depending on which commander you've chosen, worshipping at a shrine will produce different effects--chaos lord shrines will briefly summon some bloodletter melee daemons that will disappear after a short period; plague champion shrines will heal nearby allies; and chaos sorcerer shrines will cause nearby units to infiltrate and can also fire energy bolts like a turret." - GameSpot

Tue, 02/02/2010 - 12:17pm | by Thunder

Chaos Multiplayer Units – Early Game

You’ve had a look at the Librarian, Wraithguard, Weirdboy, Tyrant Guard and Genestealer brood. They are powerful new units bolstering the ranks of the armies in Dawn of War II. Chaos will also be fighting for control of Aurelia, when the Chaos Rising expansion launches in March, and today we’ll begin a featured series that takes a closer look at the units that have succumbed to the Dark gods of Chaos.

When Chaos players choose their hero before the start of a multiplayer match, they will also be choosing which of three Chaos gods that they will follow. This will effect things like the benefits that you get from your shrines or worshipping Heretics.

Chaos Heretics

Although they are lightly armed, Heretics are incredibly useful unit for the Chaos player. These melee units have a number of key abilities that will support your main force. Shrines and worshipping Heretics are a mainstay for Chaos players and can often be found near parts of the map that are highly contentious.

Availability: Tier 1

Abilities:
Doom Blast – Make a Heretic explode with chaos energy, damaging nearby enemies.

Worship – This ability is toggled on and off. It sends the Heretics into an unholy veneration of a Dark God, immobilizing the squad but granting nearby Chaos allies benefits such as increased hitpoint regeneration or infiltrating them so they are not visible to the enemy. The exact benefits are determined by the hero that you have chosen.

Chaos Shrine – Construct a shrine to one of the Dark Gods. Shrines can damage enemies, heal your units, infiltrate nearby units, or summon units from the Warp to fight for you. Each of the three gods provides different benefits through the shrine and these are enhanced by ordering your Heretic squad to worship at the shrine. Requires Tier 2.

Upgrades:
Aspiring Champion – An Aspiring Champion is added as a leader to the squad. The Champion increases the durability of the squad, and detects infiltrated units.

Grenade Launchers – Equips four squad members with grenade launchers that are effective against groups of enemies and enemies in buildings. Replaces the Doom Blast ability with Grenade Barrage.

Chaos Space Marines

The backbone of the army, Chaos Space Marines are tactically adaptable infantry that can be equipped with multiple weapon upgrades. Their versatility is enhanced by their ability to absorb a great deal of damage.

Availability: Tier 1

Upgrades:
Eternal War – Permanently increases the melee and ranged damage of the squad.

Mark of Khorne – Dedicating your Chaos Space Marines to the god Khorne changes the squad’s weaponry to mighty chainaxes and plasma pistols, which are effective against all targets. Requires Tier 2.

Mark of Tzeentch – Dedicating your Chaos Space Marines to the god Tzeentch allows them to wield bolters equipped with Inferno Bolts, which are effective against heavy armor and vehicles. Requires Tier 2.

Aspiring Champion – An Aspiring Champion is added as a leader to the squad. The Champion increases the durability of the squad, and detects infiltrated units. Requires Tier 2.


Chaos Havocs

Havocs are the heavy weapons teams for the forces of Chaos and come equipped with a Heavy Bolter that is capable of slaughtering and suppressing infantry. They are best used to kill at long range and can lay waste to vehicles or infantry, depending on their loadout.

Availability: Tier 1

Upgrades:
Mark of Tzeentch – Dedicate your Havocs to Tzeentch and gain powerful lascannons, effective against vehicles. Requires Tier 2.

Mark of Khorne – Dedicate your Havocs to Khorne to wield autocannons. This upgrade also increases their rate of fire with each kill. Requires Tier 2.

Discuss.

Fri, 01/29/2010 - 12:34pm | by Thunder

The Last Stand: Tyranid Hive Tyrant

Arriving with Chaos Rising will be two new heroes for The Last Stand. Today we feature the first...

Master of the swarm, the Hive Tyrant is able to summon a host of Tyranid minions to defend him and destroy his enemies. From disruptive Warriors to deadly Raveners, the Hive Tyrant receives specialized support from the units he can summon. This support is a bonus, not a requirement – the Hive Tyrant is perfectly capable of pulling his own gargantuan weight.

Size matters; the hulking Hive Tyrant has naturally high durability, and all his armor grants immunity to suppression and knockdown effects. These enormous benefits come at the cost of speed and agility. While his Raveners can burrow behind enemies to circumvent their cover, the Hive Tyrant is better off letting the swarms of enemies come to him.


Wargear Highlights


Seismic Roar

Acquired at level 1
Accessory

Grants Ability: Seismic Roar
Emit a roar which stuns nearby enemies.

Thornback

Acquired at level 5
Commander Item

Grants Ability: Charge
Biomorph that allows the Hive Tyrant to charge across the battlefield, knocking over everything in his path.

Evolution

Acquired at level 20
Commander Item

+2.0 Health Regeneration
Grants Minion Trait: Resilient
+50 Health and +2 Health Regeneration

Grants Minion Trait: Swift
+25% Movement Speed

Grants Minion Trait: Combat Expert
+25% Melee and Ranged Damage

 Poison Cysts

Acquired at level 1
Armor
Armor Rating: 160

Grants Ability: Toxic Miasma
Emit a toxic cloud that poisons a large area. Enemies in the area suffer damage over time equal to the Hive Tyrant’s maximum Health over 20 seconds.

Grants Trait: Fearless
Immune to suppression.

Grants Trait: Unshakable
Makes the wearer immune to knockback.

Warrior Nest

Acquired at level 7
Accessory

Grants Ability: Summon Warrior
Summon a Tyranid Warrior armed with powerful Scything Talons and able to knock back enemy infantry.

Heavy Talons

Acquired at level 10
Weapon

Grants Trait: Knockdown
Standard attacks knock down and knock back enemy infantry.

Grants Minion Trait: Unshakable
Unit is immune to knockback.

Developer Load Out

Blake Gilroy (Designer)

    Weapon
  • High-Toxin Venom Cannon

    • Armor

  • Reinforced Chitin

    • Accessories

  • Psychic Scream
  • Ravener Nest
  • Warrior Nest

    • Commander Item

  • Synapse

With this load out I’ve chosen two fairly durable minions that I can summon, both of which are capable of consistent damage output and disruption. My Reinforced Chitin adds an additional 80 Armor value to my minions, and combining that with my Psychic Scream, I’m greatly reducing any damage they take while increasing the damage enemies take.

I’ve strategically decided to stay away from the Hive Tyrant’s array of options for dishing out poison damage to focus more on damage mitigation for my minions. The High-Toxin Venom Cannon is another key component to this load out, providing healing to my minions with every hit. This keeps my warriors alive and knocking down enemies fulfilling a key support role for my entire team.

Keeping up a Psychic Scream and re-summoning any felled minions can be taxing on my energy pool, which is why I’ve chosen Synapse for my Commander Item reducing the energy cost of all abilities by half. This Hive Tyrant load out makes for a long-term indomitable presence on the battlefield.

Discuss.

Thu, 01/28/2010 - 4:16pm | by Thunder

Community Scouting Report

It's been awhile since our last Scouting Report, not that there isn't a lot going on, mostly I've just been very busy. As usual, if there's an event going on that you'd like us to promote, please send me a private message.

Cybot Cup #2 - Dawn of War II tournament, offering a cash prize and room for 256 players. The event takes place this Saturday, January 30.

2on2 Cup - Grab a partner and get ready for this event for players of all skill levels. The fun starts on February 6.

Thu, 01/28/2010 - 1:25pm | by Thunder

GameSpot Reader's Choice Award

Our thanks to all of you who took the time to vote for Dawn of War II for Best Strategy Game of 2009! We came out on top, earning the GameSpot Reader's Choice Award in the category.

As we are in the home stretch on development for Chaos Rising, to be released in March which is coming up fast, it is wonderful to have this kind of support.

Dawn of War II was also nominated for Best Competitive Multiplayer Game, but that award was won by the juggernaut that is Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 2. Congratulations to the guys at Infinity Ward on all the success that they've seen with that title.

Tue, 01/26/2010 - 3:29pm | by Thunder

Unit Profile: Ork - Weirdboy

Every so often an Ork comes along that is a little bit different than all the others. These Weirdboyz are Ork psykers, conduits for powerful psychic energies generated by masses of greenskins and their enthusiasm and excitement for a fight.

Unit: Weirdboy, a long range support unit and caster. Charge his energy by putting him near da boyz and having them Waaagh!!! shout.

Availability: Tier 2

Abilities:
Zzap – Fry an enemy with psychic power. The charge will periodically jump to other nearby units, friends or foes, damaging them as well.

Warp Vomit – Vomit up the psychic stuff roiling in the Weirdboy’s guts, damaging anyone caught in the spew.

Upgrades:

Bigga Brains – Increase the Weirdboy’s health and grants the Over Dere! ability which allows the Weirdboy to fling nearby Orks through the air without causing them any damage. It’s not quite as graceful as teleportation, but it can get the job done.

Warphead – Increase the Weirdboy’s energy and grants the Foot of Gork ability. The mighty foot of the Ork god Gork is summoned to stomp on enemies, stunning and damaging them.

Warpath – Delays the Weirdboy’s death explosion and grants the Warpath ability. When toggled on, Warpath increases the movement speed of nearby Orks and reduces the damage they take.


Alone, the Weirdboy is a vulnerable caster. When he’s with da boyz though, not only does he gain their protection, he also gains energy faster so he can use his abilities more often. If your Orks use their Waaagh!!! shout, the Weirdboy gains a bunch of energy back all at once, so he can get back in action.

In his support role the Weirdboy has a number of ways to disrupt and damage enemy units, including the spectacular Foot of Gork, which is burned into the terrain after it has knocked enemy units in the area flying. It has a massive energy cost, but beware a Weirdboy in the thick of a frenzied Ork mob. As mentioned above, their energy level can go up in a hurry.

When killed, the Weirdboy floats erratically into the air and erupts with psychic energy, knocking over nearby units. It’s an appropriately Orky end for this unit that bestows the green tide with some not so subtle tricks for their sleeves.

Discuss.