I've contacted with Gladius developer some time ago, he mentioned that while there won't be hot-seat included in Gladius immediately after release (due to simultanous turns system), he mentioned that they will consider it as later update, if there will be enough interest in hot-seat mode.

I'm definitelly going to "vote" for this option. Really have hope that there would be also possibility to choose between simultanous or "classic" turns at all. I'm not a big fan of simultanous system (I can deal with it, but not with great enthusiasm)


A bit different stuff - there is already presentation of other sides of conflict as well - Space Marines:
http://www.slitherine.com/news/2634/Warhammer.40,000.Gladius.-.Space.Marines.units.preview

Thanks for the heads-up, I really hope it will get patched in at some point this time ;)

Thanks for the heads-up - not a fan of simulanous turns as well (unless implemented with lockdown), playing skirmishes against CPU players (like in Endless Legend) I tend to just wait their move through to later operate on a "stable" situation.

I don't understand a few things about the design though. Why does Astra Militarum fight Astartes (Ultramarines at that, from the look of them)? And why there is khornian Lord of Skulls unit added as a preorder, when there is no chaos forces to command (or are just not revealed yet)? Would it be available to each faction? If so, I'd like to say that's highly illogical and completely out of place...

Looted Lord of Skullz, perhaps?

The Lord of Skulls is a neutral unit that will run around and try to kill anyone it can.

https://steamcommunity.com/games/489630/announcements/detail/1664523682546717158

Also, it doesn't seem to say anywhere on GoG that the deluxe edition is at this price only for the preorder - it will increase later on according to the steam page.

It's the same situation as with Dawn of War series (esp. Dark Crusade and Soulstorm). I've read the explanation from fans of the lore, that conflicts between IG and SM are not something unusual, due to unclear division of competencies and overlapping/conflicted orders without clear hierarchy between decision "sources" (all of this as result of Horus Heresy). I don't know WH40k lore so well to confirm or deny it, but IMO much more convincing are games such as Rites of War or Warhammer 40k: Armageddon, where Imperial Guard and Space Marines are fighting side-by-side. Especially in Rites of War, where we've got one side of conflict - IImperium of Man, containing not only IG and SM, but also Sisters of Battle.

I see that tremere110 already answered about Lord of Skullz.

However, in terms of new sides of conflict, I've found on Slitherine's forum something interesting - on topic with "recap" of Ask Us Anything session , they've admitted that they have plans for additional factions, but didn't decided yet who will be included. Plus this fragment, which probably gives us some chance for Tau in the future:

[i]Q: Why no Tau? They always seem to get left out in these new 40k games.
A: I think what you meant to say was "No Tau yet;)"[/i]

More info in this topic:
http://www.slitherine.com/forum/viewtopic.php?f=499&t=82519

Sounds quite promising, nothing 100% sure or clear, but still.

Ah yes. Dark Crusade (my favourite Dawn of War to date) is a good example, as there their (AM and space marines) goals were conflicting - IG got orders to secure Kronus as an imperial world at all costs, Astartes wanted to collect relics from their alleged past, and leave no trace of their existence. So, bearing the authority of the Emperor himself they told Lord General Alexander to withdraw his forces, which clearly conflicted with the orders from Astra Militarum, which bore the authority of - surprise - the Emperor himself :)
In soulstorm, from what I recall, those didn't - IG was to clear Orks from the system which by chance appears to have held an Intergalactic Weirdo Convention, Astartes arrived there to root out Chaos, so did Sisters. Both Sisters and Blood Ravens are allies to the imperial inquisition (With Blood Ravens it's even represented by the supplement of Grey Knights). No reason really for them to engage each other. I guess they drank heavily in the meantime and got this drunk idea to also hold an interspecies battle royale contest.
But I guess we'll have to wait and see. I only hope the background will hold water. But still I find it weird - IG and Marines fight each another. It smells a mile of Alpharius' doing, yet no chaos forces in sight (would love to see Alphas as a side of the conflict though) :P

The Lord of Skulls still doesn't make much sense though.

Incorrect Sir! The easy answer is this... The Space marines are answerable to only the Emperor while the Imperial Guard answer to the Adeptus Administratum (in other words, regular old human government). While this seems one and the same, the nuance is always what made 40K cool for me anyway... The Original Emperor tried (and succeeded) to squash "religion". I quote this as i dont mean it as in todays version, but in the 40k universe it is perilously associated with Chaos, the Great Enemy. The Space Marines were made in his image and VERY distinctly did not worship him as a God, but rather a Brother/Father figure.

Queue Horus Heresy, mass hysteria, dogs and cats living together... The Emperor is out of action, the Space Marines operate as normal, The Adeptus Administratum rises (and a lot of other organizations, forgive the brevity 40k purists) and begins to worship the Emperor as a god. They create the Imperial Guard and a host of other military, para military organizations that report to them, not direct to the Emperor, seeing as he is essentially comatose.

Aaaaaaaanyway, flash forward a few millennium and the two organizations ideas sometimes conflict. For example, a number of Space Marines Chapters have been exterminated (by both other Space Marines and the Adeptus Administratum) not so much for heresy but mutation, misconduct, not worshiping the Emperor, blah blah. For example, The Space Wolves have been subject to this a number of times but have worked their way around it one way or another. Space Marines are not supposed to have fangs and go berserk in battle, yadda yadda.

Andrzejef is totally correct in why they fight in Dark Crusade. Essentially the Blood Ravens are worried about being caught out as a freak show chapter and exterminated. I am just being nit picky that the IG do not report, but rather worship the Emperor, hence a different command structure entirely than the SM. That, and clearly I have a lot of extra time on my hands.



Side note: All of this story line used to be a 1000 times cooler prior to the Great Rift (otherwise known as GW"Lets forgo 3 decades of story line to make it all millennial-ly!") were everything has been solved by bigger, better, even more supery human Primus Space Marines! Like straight outta "oooh my wand core is the same bird as yours sukka!"

Yes, I could have been a bit more precise. Also than you for your corrections. :)

While SM are a bit more exact extension of Emperor's will (the original one), and treat him more like the honored father, the post-heresy Empire was build around Emperor's cult (based off - mind you - the Book of Lorgar, for which Word Bearers were reprimanded and disciplined when "big E" was still actively around) that is treating him as most holy figure, from which the authority of "governmental institutions" is derived. This way (the way I understand it at least) Administratum operates - theoretically - by his authority (at least that's what's being told to the citizens, and pretty much everyone that thinks otherwise gets a brief face to face quality time with their local Ordo Hereticus representative). So, from IG point of view - brainwashed as it may be - they were in the right, and space marines decided to defy his "most holy" will, thus going all heretical.

I guess also having the Ravens descend - allegedly - from Thousand Sons legion doesn't really help their cause either :)

About that Great Rift, that is apparently causing by itself another Great Rift of sorts (couldn't help it, sorry, Laughing God influece I guess), it seems that Astartes decided to learn from their foes, assimilate and then deploy an otherwise familiar tactic - "By the Emperor, there cannot be enough Dakka", known also as "Astartes is da biggest and da strongest", or "Waaaaaagh!" for short. :P
You think Great Rift is 40k counterpart of Fantasy's Age of Sigmar?

Oh, and the other 8 races in Dark Crusade and Soul Storm to follow... They just lump them into this whole, "If you Dont stand with us..." mantra. Like, I find the SM Commanders comments on the battle Sisters particularly amusing. "Hey, they are loyal servants, but Bat-Sh!t crazy. Sooo...."

Good times! Speaking of which, the entire Dawn of War (original) series is available on another water vapor DRM seller for like 9 bucks or something equally ridiculous. If you dont have it and like RTS or 40k in the remotest of fashions, I highly recommend it.


Edit: Just saw your question at the end there... Yes, I think they are one and the same from a GW "Hey lets update everything to sell new stuff" aspect. Which I dont begrudge them at all, they are a business after all. But AoS is a complete mess. I dont pretend to follow WH nearly as much as 40k, but I am not ignorant of it and can say it has no appeal to me how they are trying to make them one and the same. Keep with the late medieval European setting in WH and dont bring the grimdark of 40k over there. It just doesnt fit in my head, there is despair to spare over there already.

I have - I think I stated somewhere earlier that Dark Crusade is my favourite DoW to date. DoW1 stands proudly on its special place on my shelf. :)
Ironically though, this was kinda the gateway for me to first getting interested in 40k stuff, then to some nice read from - among the others - Graham McNeill (mainly "Mechanicum", Thousand Sons" and "Fulgrim") and Dan Abnett (mainly "Legion" - wanted to get my hands on "Eisenhorn", but no luck), then to realisation that I really dig so called "Warhammer 30k" (Horus Heresy series) more than 40k, which again made me quite hooked up in the fantasy one, maybe because I like the early gunpowder period in european history, of which it is based off.

Well, but at least now you know where the whole "grimdark" from DoW3 has went - they poured it all into AoS :P
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_-MzNpMD1K8

PLUS - I still hope CA will make a Total War game in 30k/40k realia. :)

On the DoW game sale thing, I just meant anyone else following along in our discourse here.

Thats interesting you prefer the 30k stuff over 40k. I havent met many like that. I do think the Word Bearers origination book is one of the best in the Black Library, The First Heretic. I have all the Eisenhorn and Ravenour books, soft cover of course. They are good reads. I like the idea that not everything is Space Marines vibe they have. Also the Ciaphas Cain series amuses me to no end.

CA Total War style games for 30/40k would be nice. I am hopeful that Galdius is a start of that. But from what I have seen it pales in comparison to Total Warhammer. I have sunk lifetimes into that game...

Do you think that it would make sense a Total War: Warhammer 40.000 game?

About Relics of War, it would be great. Pandora was a letter of love to Alpha Centauri, but the latter was more theme-centric, heavily inspired by The Jesus Incident, by Frank Herbert. In that respect Pandora felt a bit bland in comparison, at least for a part of the public.

So, having a strong theme behind (albeit not very literary), Relics could be what Pandora was not, in that aspect... On the other hand, we may expect to find Relics more combat-centered, probably?

Dunno, I'd like to think yes. After all, "in the grim darkness of the future there is only war". :)

I do realize diplomacy aspect will be somewhat limited, if any. But hell, even in Winter Assault Imperial Guard have sided with the Eldar to fight the looming threat on Lorn V (I think it was). Or chaos and orks temporary alliance (again WA). Haven't Ultramarines even sided with Tau against necrons, and even allowed their escape before exterminatus? Weren't there cases of Chaos corrupted leaders inside and outside of Empre?
And - haven't Blood Angels (of all the others) sided with Necrons (of all the others too) to fight Tyranids?

Though 30k might be better for that purpose I guess - when allegiances were either well hidden or being only defined.

But you might be right. Maybe 30k/40k Crusader Kings would be better idea - Crusader Primarchs? :)

I would love to see a Total War: Warhammer 40K game, and since they did do a Warhammer one, it's certainly a possibility in the "far future" ;-) who knows?

As far as this one, judging by the trailer, and owning and having played Pandora, this looks to be quite a bit Pandora-like. I hope to hell though, that it is it's own game, and not just inserting WH 40K factions and units into Pandora so to speak. Guess we'll see when it finally arrives. If it is basically a Pandora clone with 40K units, I'll most likely just wait till there is a good sale on it someday in the future....maybe far future. If it really is it "own" unique game, after seeing some reviews, and some actual game-play, it will be more of an instabuy for me. I am remaining cautiously optimistic at this point

I am guessing you mean the ranged aspect? I would say yes, take a look at Total Warhammer, plenty of range there and a huge part off 40k is melee. Granted, they will need to do something to keep it balanced, perhaps similar to playing a goblin army in TWH. They could also do smaller scale, more terrain. Something of that nature.