Unsure which faction to fight for? Let’s lay down the basics!

Haven’t decided which faction to play in multiplayer? We don’t blame you - they’re all pretty awesome. But in the interest of saving you from painstakingly combing through guides while your friends yell at you to hurry up, let’s lay out everything you need to know!

Space Marines

Space Marines are on a ceaseless mission to protect the Imperium from the gravest threats across the galaxy. Encased in ancient power armour, Space Marines quickly turn the tide of battle with the element of surprise.

In Dawn of War III, Space Marines have fewer but stronger units and they focus on highly concentrated attacks. When they apply pressure, they do so with staggering strength.

Death From Above

A Space Marine commander calls down a Drop Pod carrying Assault Marines

Space Marines can call down reinforcements in the midst of battle, deploying troops directly onto the battlefield via drop pods - or Thunderhawks for vehicles! - turning the odds in their favour with little warning. Drop pods can be used to cut off escape routes, displace enemy squads, encircle enemy squads, or even deploy automated Deathstorm Drop Pods.

Plant The Standard

Deploying your Chapter’s Standard will inspire your troops in battle. Planting the Standard knocks back enemies in a radius and increases the movement speed of friendly troops.

Plant The Standard at Tier 3

The Standard also has bonus effects depending on the tier of your Headquarters.

Tier 1 : Grants shields

: Grants shields Tier 2 : Targeted orbital strikes

: Targeted orbital strikes Tier 3: Grants healing

The Standard is capturable. If you let it fall into enemy hands, it will no longer provide these effects.

Super Ability: Orbital Bombardment

Death rains down from orbit

Orbital Bombardment is a searing laser fired from orbit onto unsuspecting foes. The laser does massive damage, impacting with such force that it wrenches enemies upwards - turning them to ash. The beam grows in size and damage the more enemies it disintegrates, but this added firepower comes at the cost of speed.

You must place a beacon in order to call an Orbital Bombardment on your foes. If the beacon is captured by your enemies, the Orbital Bombardment will no longer be able to move, levitate enemies, and fire off the smaller beams.

Eldar

The last of a dwindling species, the Eldar are arrogant and proud - but not without reason. They rightfully command awe with their inhuman psychic and martial prowess. Though their empire is a shattered fraction of its former grandeur, they are still formidable.

The Eldar embody speed and agility, and this is reflected in their playstyle. Able to swiftly move around the map, they choose their battles with care, taking advantage of regenerating shields to hit-and-run. Under the right command, the Eldar are masters of striking quick and hard, then retreating into the Webway.

Battle Focus

A Vyper makes use of Battle Focus

The Eldar are in a permanent state called Battle Focus. Battle Focus acts as a shield which depletes before the health bar of the unit. This shield regenerates over time, and this regeneration is quicker while under the influence of Fleet of Foot.

Battle Focus helps the Eldar to perform their signature hit-and-run gameplay. It makes them able to withstand initial hits, tactically fall back, and live to strike again.

Fleet of Foot

A Howling Banshee squad makes a quick escape

All Eldar within range of a Webway Gate gain Fleet of Foot, which greatly increases their movement speed. Often, Fleet of Foot means the difference between a successful retreat and a bloody one.

It’s much easier to poke at the enemy and get away safely when Fleet of Foot is active. Without it, it will be tougher to keep your distance. When playing against Eldar, see if you can find where their Webway Gates are hidden and take them out.

Webway Portals

You can teleport units across the map to any connected structure

The Eldar can teleport their structures around the map. At higher tiers, various buildings can be connected through the webway. Connecting these buildings creates a portal between them, allowing your Eldar to teleport to the other end. Only one webway connection can be active at a time.

Because Webway Gates can teleport to a location, build one close to your Webway Assembly. Once your squads are ready, teleport the Gate behind enemy lines and establish a webway connection. If you’ve pulled this off without alerting the enemy team, your entire army will suddenly appear in their territory - giving you the surprise advantage!

Super Ability: Eldritch Storm

An Eldritch Storm takes Macha as its conduit

A controllable cloud of Eldritch energy manifests, causing damage and a stacking slow to enemies caught within. You can transfer its energy into a living Eldar conduit, creating a storm that slows and calls down powerful lightning strikes in a larger radius. However, if the conduit is killed or disabled, its energy escapes the conduit - reverting the Eldritch Storm back to its original form and preventing that same unit from becoming the conduit again.

Orks

Orks are brutal and cunning in equal measure - the products of a warlike society where bigger means stronger and stronger means MORE SHOOTY!

Orks rely on strength in numbers, so commanding a WAAAGH means you must manage plenty of squads at once. Their battlefield ingenuity provides last-minute backup in hectic fights and lends strength to a final push towards victory.

WAAAGH Towers

WAAAGH Towers are buildable turrets that provide a number of bonuses to the Orks. As an Ork Warboss, you rely on WAAAGH Towers to increase your tech. WAAAGH Towers will also occasionally call down scrap.

WAAAGH!

A Terminator squad teleports in at the worst possible time

The WAAAGH Tower starts hyping up nearby Orks before culminating in a full-blown WAAAAAAAAAGH! This increases attack damage and speed of nearby Orks. While active, the WAAAGH Tower takes increased damage and is visible on the minimap.

Enemies can hear the WAAAGH Tower activating, allowing them to prepare for the oncoming Ork attack - unless the Orks are performing a clever ruse!

Scrap

One of the many scrap upgrades available to Ork players

Orks ain’t Orks without lootin’! Ork squads can loot leftover scrap - which comes from their WAAAGH Towers or are left behind when vehicles are destroyed. Looting scrap gives the squad a permanent bonus, or ability charge, until that squad is killed.

Each unit gains a different bonus from scrap, so be sure to look out for those effects in the Ork unit spotlights!

What’s more, Gretchins can build vehicles from scrap at a hefty discount - so it’s always worth bringing those gitz along. You never know when the enemy’s bad luck will become your opportunity!

Super Ability: Roks

Heads up!

Deploys a traktor beam that calls down Roks from orbit. The roks slow and damage enemies within an expanding radius. At the end of the ability, a huge rok slams into the ground - knocking back, damaging, and stunning enemies caught within.

The beam follows the first unit to interact with it - ally or enemy - unless that unit is killed or otherwise disabled.

We hope this helps outline the different playstyles that the Space Marines, Eldar, and Orks have to offer! As always, join the community discussion on the forums!