Warhammer Warhammer 40,000: Gladius - Relics of War - turn-based 4X from Slitherine

[Lacrymas]

Whether to build book buildings depends on faction and map settings (like everything else), the SM benefit a lot from early research f.e. I think Aeldari as well. I don't see the AM getting much from spamming books because the economy required to get a tank build going is insanely finicky and so the opportunity cost is quite high.

Long range overwatches trip up the AI bad. If you go infantry build as the AM (on a small map obv), it's very easy for the AI to suicide to the overwatches of a Heavy Weapon Squad wall. The AI usually tries to avoid overwatches or at least move its most tanky units to eat them, but it's a different matter if the units who are overwatching are hidden in the fog of war, especially because the AI moves all its units simultaneously, so it doesn't have the opportunity to decide to do something else with other units. This is probably the AI's most glaring weakness, otherwise it's pretty good and it will fuck you up if you let it.

TBH fam it is kinda shocking that the game is still getting new content this long after release. It is somewhat low key, but apparently one of the most successful 40K releases of all time.

3-man development team will do that. It being a very good game (probably the best WH40k game ever) which has garnered a rabid fanbase also helps.

 

[Cyberarmy]

or at least move its most tanky units to eat them

That amazed me yesterday! After all years battling against brain dead AIs, this game is a breath of fresh air.
My Necron enemies push forward with their heavy robots first to soak up the damage! But as you said they can't predict what you have in FoW and died thanks to my Heavy Weapon Squad OW line.

 

[Lacrymas]

There are some things you can do to make the AI even smarter. Fewer neutrals is one thing, less Wireweed is another, less water on the map too. The standard map settings are awful and they not only trip up the AI, they trip players up too. Whether in PvE or PvP. Gladius at its core is a PvP game, though, and it's even better in that context because it plays like a turn-based WC3. I suggest visiting us in the Gladius Discord if you want to try PvP matches.

 

[Jeskis]

Heard a couple of good things about this, gonna give it a go since sale. Any essential DLCs to buy along the base game?

 

[Lacrymas]

There are no essential DLCs. Having said that, there isn't a single bad piece of DLC either. Getting the unit DLCs first isn't a bad idea if you aren't intending to play multiplayer or host multiplayer games (unit selection depends on host). As for faction DLCs, they are what it says they are. If you like any one faction above the rest and it's not included in the base game, get it, there isn't a bad faction. Sisters are op, though, and routinely banned in PvP, so keep that in mind. Hopefully they get nerfed with the coming of the dark elves in a week.

 

[Jeskis]

Played a few hours, it’s a fun game. To what extent do the factions differ gameplay-wise?

 

[Lacrymas]

Played a few hours, it’s a fun game. To what extent do the factions differ gameplay-wise?

A lot.

 

[flyingjohn]

Played a few hours, it’s a fun game. To what extent do the factions differ gameplay-wise?

Let's take the Imperial guards and space marines for example. Both are lorewise part of the same side.
-Space marines have only one city and have the ability to plop down fortress on the map to get more resources or just to defend crucial positions.Guards can build cities freely and can enact edits that give specific bonuses to cities.
-Space marines have a focus on infantry while the guard has a focus on vehicles.

Even swarmer faction like Nids and Orks vary a lot.

 

[Jeskis]

Finished my first SM playthrough and I am liking the game a lot.
Endgame was a bit disappointing because by the time I put my hands on the top tier units the AI wasn’t a threat anymore.

What would be the best settings for a single player scenario?

 

[Lacrymas]

What would be the best settings for a single player scenario?

1v2 on very hard. Ultra hard and impossible are meme difficulties. Games in Gladius usually don't last very long and getting to T10 is rare.

 

[Jeskis]

What would be the best settings for a single player scenario?

1v2 on very hard. Ultra hard and impossible are meme difficulties. Games in Gladius usually don't last very long and getting to T10 is rare.

Meaning 2 AIs are in the same team? What about map settings (except for what you already mentioned in the earlier post)?

 

[Lacrymas]

Meaning 2 AIs are in the same team? What about map settings (except for what you already mentioned in the earlier post)?

Yes, 2 AI on the same team. Water and Wireweed density on low or very low. Region size large or very large. Special resource density high. In PvP, artifacts are disabled if you don't use a mod to turn them all into loyalty ones.

 

[Jeskis]

One thing I wish is that the top tier units were more expensive to buy and upkeep so that low tier units won’t become obsolete as you research the more advanced ones. Maybe even capping some of them. Predator spamming’s felt a bit underwhelming, but there was no reason not doing that.

 

[Lacrymas]

Drukhari release today in approximately 4 hours. There are screenshots now.

 

[Lacrymas]

They are out now

 

[Sinilevä]

Picked this one on sale. Liking it so far, even though for a warhammer game it's a bit of on a blander side. Especially the lack of voice acting is frustrating. Thankfully there is a mod in workshop, that fixed it for some factions.

One thing I wish is that the top tier units were more expensive to buy and upkeep so that low tier units won’t become obsolete as you research the more advanced ones. Maybe even capping some of them. Predator spamming’s felt a bit underwhelming, but there was no reason not doing that.

Noticed that too. A cap for some units wouldn't be a bad idea.

 

[Lacrymas]

You can limit the technology level if you want to play with lower tier troops for longer. As for spamming high tier units, it depends on the faction. Sisters' infantry are relevant until endgame, only dropping off in efficiency when the others start spamming T10 units only. But you can't expect lowly guardsmen to go up against Necron Tesseracts or Tyranid Scythed Hierodules. It also depends on what exactly we are talking about. Both Leman Russ tanks and Bullgryns are Tier 6, but the tanks are viable until late game while Bullgryns are not due to how AM infantry works and is supported.

 

[Louis_Cypher]

They are out now

• Power from Pain: As pain spreads across the battlefield, Drukhari are invigorated, thriving from the suffering. Their units gain additional bonuses depending on their experience level.
• Corsair Outposts: The Drukhari rarely venture outside the webway, save to loot realspace resources. Their cities have a reduced growth rate, but it can be improved by controlling more outposts.
• Raid from the Webway: The Drukhari strike swiftly from the webway, before vanishing with their plunder. Pay influence to create temporary portals and activate webway gates to move your raiding party across the map.
• Raider Fortress: The Aeldari and Drukhari are forever battling over their access to the webway. Found cities on activated webway gates from which you can unleash your forces on Gladius Prime.
• Soul Hunger: The souls harvested by the Drukhari are an invaluable resource used for their malevolent schemes. Destroying an enemy unit rewards you with influence that can be traded for economic boosts and combat effects.
• Combat Drugs: The Drukhari’s foul Haemonculi render down some captives into powerful stimulants. Infantry units can pay with influence and hitpoints for temporary buffs that allow them to outperform their opponents.
• Betrayal Culture: Drukhari are a vicious race, and only a huge display of riches will convince them to serve—as long as it also serves their interests. Drukhari cities have lower loyalty but gathering influence grants more loyalty.
• Blade Artists: Blades have an omnipresent place in Drukhari culture, and each commorrite learns this from a young age. Drukhari units get bonus armour penetration in melee.
• Raiders tactics: When attacking a new prey world, the Drukhari attack en masse from their specially designed vehicles to land troops as close as possible to the fighting. Drukhari transports are all assault transports and Drukhari infantry units can gain combat bonuses when disembarking.

 

[Sinilevä]

You can limit the technology level if you want to play with lower tier troops for longer. As for spamming high tier units, it depends on the faction. Sisters' infantry are relevant until endgame, only dropping off in efficiency when the others start spamming T10 units only. But you can't expect lowly guardsmen to go up against Necron Tesseracts or Tyranid Scythed Hierodules. It also depends on what exactly we are talking about. Both Leman Russ tanks and Bullgryns are Tier 6, but the tanks are viable until late game while Bullgryns are not due to how AM infantry works and is supported.

Yah, I will definitely play around with various map options, seems like it's quite customizable. I like how you can even choose biomes, so you can play on a 100% desert or arctic planet for example.

 

[MadMaxHellfire]

i fell for you guys' enthusiasm and tried this again. it's still as dull as i remembered it, but now maps are also littered with annoying stuff, on a planet which already made no sense.

 

[Lacrymas]

i fell for you guys' enthusiasm and tried this again. it's still as dull as i remembered it, but now maps are also littered with annoying stuff, on a planet which already made no sense.

Why do you find it dull and compared to what game in this genre?

 

[MadMaxHellfire]

it's dull as an entertainment, it doesn't entertain. it's not complicated, it's not complex, it's not original. it's not fun.

 

[Jeskis]

I find it very entertaining. I didn’t have this much fun since god knows how long. But there’s something indeed that this game is lacking and I can’t quite say what that is. I would say that the end game is a bit not cool, since you either steamroll everything or are being annihilated. It’s hard to find the sweet spot difficulty-wise. The early to mid game is awesome though. It has more than enough of autism to keep me engaged planning the economy. Varying biomes provide different early gameplays and there are seemingly many opening scenarios which I admire the most. It’s also very atmospheric for a game of this genre.

I think that it shares the same problem which TW titles have — it doesn’t scale good. Like it’s very cool to play tactical combat in the beginning utilizing plenty of the special abilities, different tiles and armored carriers to full extent, but upon researching the high tier units you just bang bang. You also can afford several heroes of the same type and that impacts the feel of them being unique. Their abilities also matter in the beginning but in the late game they become obsolete. Obtaining levels with them is also kinda nothing burger as they end up being identical — problem which many of the Slitherine titles have in common.

 

[Lacrymas]

It’s hard to find the sweet spot difficulty-wise.

That's because it's a PvP game at its core.

 

[MadMaxHellfire]

It’s also very atmospheric

that's the weakest part to me. look around: plague bearers with axes, wasp men with laser rifles, huge robots, giant scorpions (which are supposed to belong to a very specific area of a very specific planet), floating energy balls... it makes no sense.