Following the official reveal at The Game Awards 2025 and the subsequent developer roundtables, we now have a much clearer picture of how these four iconic factions will actually function on the battlefield.
Creative Assembly has emphasized that while the Astra Militarum will feel most familiar to veteran Total War players, factions like the Aeldari are pushing the new “Warcore” engine to its absolute limits.
Space Marines (The Adeptus Astartes)
Lore: The Emperor’s “Angels of Death.” They are genetically enhanced super-soldiers, few in number but capable of toppling entire planetary governments. Battlefield Presence: You will rarely field more than 40–60 models in a full army. They are the ultimate “quality over quantity” faction.
Key Units:
- Intercessors: Your core tactical infantry; heavily armored and armed with Bolt Rifles that shred light armor.
- Terminators: The heaviest infantry available. Creative Assembly confirmed they are “un-kiteable” juggernauts that can teleport directly into the fray.
- Dreadnoughts: Massive walking sarcophagi. The Redemptor Dreadnought was featured in the trailer, acting as a centerpiece unit that provides both heavy fire and melee support.
- Drop Pods: A unique mechanic allowing Space Marines to bypass the “deployment zone” and slam into the enemy backline mid-battle.
Astra Militarum (The Imperial Guard)
Lore: The “Hammer of the Emperor.” These are ordinary humans armed with a lasgun and flak armor, relying on overwhelming numbers and the galaxy’s most fearsome tanks. Battlefield Presence: This is the most “traditional” Total War experience, focusing on frontline discipline and massive artillery batteries.
Key Units:
- Infantry Squads: Massed ranks of guardsmen. Their strength comes from “Orders” issued by officers (like David Harbour’s rumored character) that grant instant buffs like First Rank Fire, Second Rank Fire!
- Leman Russ Battle Tanks: The backbone of your armored divisions. Highly customizable with different turret weapons (Battle Cannons, Executioner Plasma, etc.).
- Basilisk Artillery: Capable of firing from across the entire map, forcing your opponent to come to you.
- Commissars: Unique hero units that “manage” your morale—sometimes by executing a fleeing soldier to remind the others that “fear is for the weak.”
The Orks (The Greenskins)
Lore: A fungal-based alien race that lives only for war. They don’t use logic; they use “WAAAGH!” energy to make their ramshackle technology actually work. Battlefield Presence: Total chaos. Orks grow stronger the longer they stay in melee combat, but they are prone to “infighting” if you leave them idle for too long.
Key Units:
- Boyz & Nobz: Your main infantry. Boyz swarm in hundreds, while Nobz are the elite “bouncers” who can go toe-to-toe with Space Marines.
- Deff Dreads: Crude, lethal walkers equipped with multiple buzzsaws and flamethrowers.
- The Stompa: A “Titan-lite” unit confirmed in the announcement trailer. It is essentially a skyscraper-sized walking idol of the Ork gods, Gork and Mork.
- Weirdboyz: Powerful psykers (wizards) who channel the excitement of nearby Orks into devastating green energy blasts.
Aeldari (The Eldar)
Lore: An ancient, dying race of “Space Elves.” They are faster and more technologically advanced than any other faction but are physically fragile. Battlefield Presence: “Glass Cannons.” CA designers noted that every Aeldari soul is precious; they do not have a standard recruitment pool. Instead, they operate from a Craftworld (a massive ship off-map) and use Webway Gates to strike and vanish.
Key Units:
- Aspect Warriors: Highly specialized squads like Howling Banshees (melee specialists with a sonic scream) and Dark Reapers (heavy long-range fire).
- Wraithguard: Ghost-warriors housed in robotic shells. They provide the durability the rest of the roster lacks.
- Fire Prism Tanks: High-speed hover tanks that use focused light crystals to snipe enemy armor from afar.
- Farseers: The most powerful psykers in the game, capable of seeing the future to “buff” your units’ evasion before an enemy even fires.
The game is expected to launch with iconic leaders like Roboute Guilliman (Space Marines) and Eldrad Ulthran (Aeldari).
