Balancing the factions within the sprawling universe of Warhammer 40,000 presents a significant design challenge. Developers have found that, depending on the specific rulebook consulted, each faction appears to be the most formidable force in the galaxy.
King Art Games, the studio behind the upcoming real-time strategy game Warhammer 40,000: Dawn of War IV, has been carefully navigating this complexity. Elliott Verbiest, senior game designer at King Art Games, explained that maintaining strict balance wasn’t always the primary goal when ensuring each faction felt true to its lore and tabletop game representation. The game’s approach to the Necrons, for example, features a resurrection mechanic that allows players to bring units back into the fight.
“When you play the single-player version, the resurrection pool feels fantastic,” Verbiest said (via PC Gamer). “Your units get defeated, here’s something that brings them all back. Doesn’t sound super good in a multiplayer setting.”
To address this imbalance for multiplayer gameplay, the resurrection mechanic was modified to allow for unit recovery at a slower rate. “We’ve now mediated that in a way that also gives other players a form of counterplay,” Verbiest explained. “You can destroy the structures, it takes time for the Necron units to come back, so there’s a window where you can do things in the meantime. It’s those kinds of things we’ve been thinking about to get the core fantasy across and especially in the campaigns we’re doing everything One can to get that type of stuff in.”
Early player feedback suggests the changes have been well-received, with Verbiest noting that a common request from playtesters is for battles to last longer, as players are thoroughly enjoying the combat experience.
