All four armies
Dawn of War 4 Factions: All 4 Armies Compared
Dawn of War IV launches with four factions: the Space Marines (Blood Ravens and Dark Angels), Orks, Necrons and, new to the series, the Adeptus Mechanicus. Here is how each one plays, who leads it and how to beat it.
Last updated Game version: Pre-launch (official info, October 2026)
Each faction has its own campaign, its own Commanders and a mechanic nobody else has: the Space Marines call in Reserves from orbit, the Orks build up a Waaagh!, the Necrons spread a Power Matrix and bring their dead back, and the Adeptus Mechanicus link everything into a Noosphere Network. A fifth faction comes later with the paid Aftermath expansion. The table gives the quick comparison; each faction's section below has the details.
Dawn of War 4 factions compared
| Faction | Plays as | Strong at | Weak spot | Commanders |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Space Marines | Elite army | Elite squads that usually win one-on-one fights | A small army that needs a lot of Power | Captain Cyrus, Chief Librarian Jonah Orion, Chaplain Ezrael, Company Master Astoran |
| Orks | Swarm and aggression | Cheap units and buildings, big numbers, fast Veterancy | Weak individual ranged units; buildings fall easily | Warboss Gorgutz, Guzcutta |
| Necrons | Slow, unstoppable advance | Very hard to kill: healing on the Power Matrix and free resurrection | Most units are slow | Chronomancer Thothmek, Ahmnok |
| Adeptus Mechanicus | Ranged tech and synergy | Speed, range, and a network that makes the army stronger and cheaper | Melee units that reach the firing line; a network that can be cut | Potentia Delta-9, Skitarii Marshal Sek-Ix-23 |
Space Marines: Few, expensive, elite units that you upgrade and keep alive
The Space Marines field fewer units than anyone else, but each squad is tough and usually wins a fair one-on-one fight. You spend each match choosing upgrades and wargear for squads you want to keep alive for a long time. Two Chapters are playable: the returning Blood Ravens and, new to the series, the Dark Angels.
Key mechanics
- Reserves and Drop Pods: Units can wait in orbit as Reserves and drop in by Drop Pod where they are needed, including as reinforcements for a squad under fire.
- Thunderhawk Relay: Units sent into this building can be redeployed elsewhere by Thunderhawk, which helps on large maps.
- Stratagems: Each Commander brings a Stratagem. Two named so far: the Thunderhawk Bombing Run and the Orbital Strike.
- Stealth pair: Infiltrators and Eliminators move unseen while they keep their distance: Infiltrators take points, Eliminators snipe from range.
Commanders
- Captain Cyrus (Blood Ravens): Vanguard leader built around stealth and killing at range.
- Chief Librarian Jonah Orion (Blood Ravens): Psyker who disrupts enemy troops with psychic powers.
- Chaplain Ezrael (Dark Angels): Rides a Raider-pattern bike at the head of fast-moving troops.
- Company Master Astoran (Dark Angels): Slow but very hard to kill, in Terminator armour.
Units named so far: Infiltrators, Eliminators, Redemptor Dreadnought.
How to play the Space Marines
- Use your early one-on-one strength to harass the other player.
- Upgrade squads, reinforce them in the field and pull them back before they die.
- Hold points with fortifications, then move troops with Reserves and the Thunderhawk Relay.
How to beat the Space Marines
- Make them fight in several places at once so their small army is stretched thin.
- Trade units: losses usually cost you less to replace than them.
- Take their Resource Points, above all Power: their units need a lot of it.
Orks: Cheap units, many bases and the Waaagh! to swamp the enemy
The Orks win through numbers and constant pressure. They have some of the cheapest units and buildings in the game, gain Veterancy quickly and want to expand all the time. Their single ranged units are weak, so they rely on mass and on timing the Waaagh!.
Key mechanics
- Waaagh!: A meter that fills with the number of Orks on the field and the enemies they kill. Trigger it and every fighting unit turns stronger for a while.
- Waaagh! Banners: Banners you raise around your bases as you spread out.
- Free Stratagems: For the Orks, Stratagems cost nothing, so use them whenever you can.
- Fast Veterancy: Ork units level up quickly, unlocking new weapons and extra models early.
Commanders
- Warboss Gorgutz: Returning Warboss in Mega Armour: slow, but powerful, with options for melee and ranged combat. His 'I'm Out of Here' ability teleports him away and leaves a pile of bombs behind.
- Guzcutta (Beast Snagga): Beast Snagga Boss who fights on foot and later rides a Squigosaur in the campaign.
Units named so far: Flash Gitz, Squighog Riders, Meganobz (Kombi-Rokkits or Kombi-Skorchas).
How to play the Orks
- Keep up the pressure with nonstop attacks and big numbers.
- Spread out: several bases, several strongholds and plenty of Waaagh! Banners.
- Use Stratagems at every chance, since they are free for you.
How to beat the Orks
- Ork buildings shoot back but go down easily: chip away at their bases.
- Punish careless attacks and use the gaps their aggression leaves.
- Win with good ranged units, their weak spot.
Necrons: Slow, very tough robots that heal, come back and teleport
The Necrons expand slowly but steadily from their Tomb Citadel, spreading a Power Matrix that strengthens and heals units standing on it. Lost units can come back for free, so they win long fights. Most of their units are slow, which they make up for with teleports later in the match.
Key mechanics
- Power Matrix: Most buildings must stand on it, and each one spreads it further. A bigger Matrix gives more Dominion, and units on it heal faster and grow tougher.
- Resurrection Galleries: Pick a unit type: when one of that type dies, it comes back for free.
- Tomb Citadel: The upgradeable heart of the base, where units are made and Reserves wait.
- Teleports: Canoptek Spyders build Tomb Pylons anywhere; the Translocation Science Stratagem moves up to five units; the Monolith's Eternity Gate brings Reserves to the front.
Commanders
- Chronomancer Thothmek: Bends time with chronomantic powers to slow and confuse the enemy.
- Ahmnok: A brawler who prefers to fight up close rather than from afar.
Units named so far: Scarabs, Deathmarks, Doomstalkers, Canoptek Spyders, Monolith.
How to play the Necrons
- Outlast the enemy in long fights and refill losses with Resurrection Galleries.
- Push the Power Matrix forward step by step and fight inside it for the bonuses.
- From mid game on, use teleports to make up for slow movement.
How to beat the Necrons
- Fight them outside the Power Matrix and go after their strong ranged units.
- Hit weak spots elsewhere while their slow army is busy.
- Focus fire and finish units off: wounded Necrons recover, and many are too slow to escape.
Adeptus Mechanicus: Fast, long-range army that grows stronger through its Noosphere Network
The Adeptus Mechanicus are playable in Dawn of War for the first time. They are quick and best at range, and their Noosphere Network links buildings, defenses and units: the bigger it gets, the stronger and cheaper the army inside it becomes. They work with House Raven, which gives them Imperial Knights.
Key mechanics
- Noosphere Network: Links buildings, static weapons and units. Its level rises with each structure, unlocking powerful units, upgrades and research, and units inside it get stronger and cheaper.
- Auger Vision: Shows a rough heatmap of enemy activity under the fog of war.
- Void Shield: A huge shield that units can walk through but enemies cannot shoot through, good for chokepoints.
- Drop Keeps: How the Knight Castellan arrives on the battlefield.
Commanders
- Potentia Delta-9: Technoarcheologist who scouts with a servo-skull and can be built for melee or range.
- Skitarii Marshal Sek-Ix-23: Buffs every unit around him and fights with bodyguards, the only Commander made of several models.
Units named so far: Skitarii Rangers, Ruststalkers, Knight Castellan, Ironstrider Ballistarius, Onager Dunecrawler, Skorpius Disintegrator.
How to play the Adeptus Mechanicus
- Build the Noosphere Network early, then extend it to your key Resource Points.
- Raise the Noosphere Level to unlock research and upgrades, and keep units on the best gear.
- Keep enemy melee units away from your firing line.
How to beat the Adeptus Mechanicus
- Send melee units at their strong ranged units.
- Destroy Cogitator Relays in key spots to weaken the Noosphere Network.
- They have cheap units and strong late-game units: do not try to outproduce them.
The fifth faction: Aftermath
A fifth playable faction comes with the paid Aftermath expansion. Deep Silver has not said which one. Aftermath is one of the two paid DLCs on the Year 1 roadmap and is included in the Commander Edition; see Dawn of War 4 editions compared for what else that edition adds.
Unit stats, counters and build orders
Costs, health and damage numbers have not been published, and the closed beta in October was under NDA. We add unit data, counters and opening build orders once the game is out and two different players' matches agree. Until then, see how many days are left on the Dawn of War 4 release countdown: Commander Edition owners start on November 30. Questions about the campaign, co-op and multiplayer are in the Dawn of War 4 FAQ, and whether your PC is ready is on the system requirements page.
Questions
What factions are in Dawn of War 4?
Four at launch: the Space Marines, Orks, Necrons and Adeptus Mechanicus. The Space Marines come as two playable Chapters, the Blood Ravens and the Dark Angels. A fifth faction arrives with the paid Aftermath expansion; Deep Silver has not said which one.
Are the Dark Angels in Dawn of War 4?
Yes, as a playable Space Marine Chapter alongside the Blood Ravens. Their Commanders are Chaplain Ezrael and Company Master Astoran, and the Space Marine campaign has missions for both Chapters.
Is the Adeptus Mechanicus new to Dawn of War?
Yes. Dawn of War IV is the first game in the series where the Adeptus Mechanicus are playable. They fight best at range and grow stronger through their Noosphere Network.
How many Commanders does Dawn of War 4 have?
10 have been named for the four factions: four for the Space Marines (two per Chapter) and two each for the Orks, Necrons and Adeptus Mechanicus.
Which Dawn of War 4 faction is best for beginners?
There is no official answer, and balance will only be known after launch. Going by the developer's descriptions: Space Marine squads are tough and usually win one-on-one fights, the Orks want constant attacks and lots of units, the Necrons are slow but very hard to kill, and the Adeptus Mechanicus depend on building and protecting their Noosphere Network.
Sources
- Official Dawn of War IV website: factions (How to play, How to play against)
- KING Art Games on Steam: Faction Deep Dive, Space Marines (October 8, 2026)
- KING Art Games on Steam: Faction Deep Dive, Orks (January 28, 2026)
- KING Art Games on Steam: Faction Deep Dive, Necrons (July 29, 2026)
- KING Art Games on Steam: Introducing the Adeptus Mechanicus (May 7, 2026)
- KING Art Games on Steam: Release date, pre-order and DLC plans (Aftermath, May 21, 2026)
Checked against the official posts on October 22, 2026. Until we have checked a page in the game itself, it follows the developer's own description; we update it as details are confirmed in play.
Continue reading
Next stepPicked your army? See how many days are left until you can play it.Release Date CountdownDays to the December 3 launch and the November 30 Commander Edition unlock, with the unlock time once Deep Silver gives it.Go there Related guides
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FAQDawn of War 4 FAQ: Price, Modes and MultiplayerStraight answers on price, platforms, the campaign, multiplayer, Last Stand, Crusade, co-op, the closed beta and the DLCs.
PCDawn of War 4 System Requirements for PCWhat Steam lists for Dawn of War IV on PC today, what is still not announced, the languages and how to check your own PC.
Card pictures: Game image: Dawn of War IV © Deep Silver, cleaned up and sharpened with AI