Warhammer 40000 Gladius Tyranids

The official addition to the Warhammer 40000 strategy is Gladius Relics of War, which adds a new Tyranid race to the game. Warhammer 40000 Gladius Tyranids is a turn-based 4X strategy developed by Proxy Studios and released by Slitherine Software on personal computers in July 2018. Gladius Relics of War is the first step-by-step 4X strategy in the Warhammer 40,000 universe. In the story on the planet Gladius Prime, a fierce struggle for domination over resources unfolded, in which the classic factions of the World of War Hammer clashed: orcs, necrons, space paratroopers and the Imperial Guard, now renamed Astra Militarum.

In general, Relics of War is a typical example of a global strategy in the spirit of the cult Civilization. It also has the classic 4X principle: eXplore, eXpand, eXploit and eXterminate. City development and unit battles look very similar to «Civilization», but at the same time the game is different from the hit of Sid Meier: in Gladius there are no features typical of the genre — culture, religion, even any diplomacy. From the very beginning of the game, the factions are doing nothing but fighting with each other. It is possible, perhaps, before the start of the match, to choose an ally controlled by artificial intelligence, who will simplify the player’s life, at first diverting the forces of the enemy.

About This Game

However, we must pay tribute to the game: the races involved in the conflict, differ from each other much more than the peoples in the «Civilization». Each of them is endowed with its own features and limitations. For example, space paratroopers are allowed to build only one base, but they can install small fortified outposts on maps anywhere. And for metal skeletons, necrons for the founding of their metropolis are accessible only to those places under which the ruins of their ancient tomb cities are located, but if a settlement is in danger, they can instantly teleport to it and defend themselves.

An even greater variety is created directly on the battlefield. Each race has a unique set of units, each of which performs its own special role in the battle. For example, Commissioner Astra Militarum shoots individual fighters to «strengthen» the morale of the other soldiers. And in general, the Guard uses its infantry more as a «cannon fodder» to cover its own equipment. However, it is not surprising: its heavy long-range artillery perfectly levels enemy units.

Orcs quickly regenerate from wounds, and then earn, then lose influence points during the battle, which affects the combat effectiveness of their warriors. Destroying enemy equipment, they immediately disassemble it into resources, which strengthen their own troops. And their Dhaka planes, which do not require airfields to take off, can destroy the enemy’s base in several turns.

For a successful outcome of the war, players must study the characteristics of the factions, skills and indicators of units. It is important to explore the randomly generated landscape of the map: remembering ambush sites or placing obstacles that can slow down the movement of troops. It is worth remembering that even with proper planning in Relics of War, epic protracted battles take place, lasting several hours in a row, the course of which even super-units like giant robots and fortress tanks cannot reverse. In this case, even a small loophole in the defense of the enemy can help to win.