Warhammer 40,000: Dawn of War II – Retribution
Encyclopedia
Warhammer 40,000: Dawn Of War II - Retribution is the stand-alone second expansion to Warhammer 40,000: Dawn of War II
, part of the Warhammer 40,000: Dawn of War
series of real-time strategy
computer games
. Set in Games Workshop
's Warhammer 40,000
fictional universe, the single player campaign is playable with multiple races.
Imperial Guard
is introduced as a new race, and all races including the races from the previous game, The Eldar
, the Space Marines
, Chaos, the Orks
and the Tyranids
are now playable in single-player.
There were speculations that the new playable race would be Imperial Guard and/or the Inquisition, due to the Inquisition triple lined "I" used in the word "Retribution" in the game trailer; in addition, the expansion's wishlist icon in the Steam system features a female Witch Hunter Inquisitor
. On December 21, 2010, German
PC gaming magazine Gamestar revealed the new race would be the Imperial Guard
.
A multiplayer beta of the game was launched on Steam on February 1st 2011 and ended on February 25th.
Arriving on Calderis, the player character fights against corrupted Blood Ravens Space Marines operating under orders to purge the planet. After destroying a warp portal on Aurelia, the faction learns of an attack on Meridian ordered by Kyras and arrives there killing the traitor guardsmen and uncovering a transmission from Kyras revealing his location on Typhon.
The player character returns to Typhon Primaris to confront Kyras himself, only to be ambushed by Eldar from Craftworld Biel-tan. Wary of a ritual they are undergoing, the player's character kills the Eldar there. Following this , Kyras reveals that the Eldar ritual was preventing the Imperial Inquisition fleet from arriving at the sub-sector. The Inquisition fleet arrives, beginning Exterminatus on Typhon Primaris. The player escapes Typhon before the Exterminatus finishes. Typhon is reduced to ash.
Finding themselves on the Judgment of Carrion, the player's characters recover and determine to stop Kyras. It is deduced that he is hiding on Cyrene as the planet underwent Exterminatus decades ago and the inquisition will not travel there. On Cyrene, the player characters launch an attack against a joint alliance of Chaos Space Marines, corrupt Imperial Guardsmen and traitor Blood Ravens by using their most powerful unit against them. Kyras begins to ascend into daemonhood. Gabriel and his 3rd Company launch an attack on Kyras but are quickly wounded or killed. The players faction then launches their own attack killing Kyras.
The Last Stand is a stand-alone version of the Retribution version of The Last Stand. The Last Stand was released on April 20, 2011 as a separate Steam purchase for $9.99 (€6.99). Owners of The Last Stand receive a discount on the full version of Retribution.
after release, and all come in the Dawn of War II: Retribution Collector's Edition retail box.
Wargear packs were also released for The Last Stand multiplayer mode. Each pack added new wargear to a specific hero class.
There were also two DLC packs released adding new sub-races to use in multiplayer game with unique models and color schemes for units: Dark Angels Space Marine chapter and Eldar Craftworld Ulthwe. Similar DLC pack adding Ultramarines Space Marine chapter was released on August 16, 2011.
Warhammer 40,000: Dawn of War II
Warhammer 40,000: Dawn of War II is a real-time strategy/tactical role-playing video game developed by Relic Entertainment and published by THQ for Microsoft Windows based on the fictional Warhammer 40,000 universe. It is the sequel to the Warhammer 40,000: Dawn of War video game series...
, part of the Warhammer 40,000: Dawn of War
Warhammer 40,000: Dawn of War
Warhammer 40,000: Dawn of War is a military science fiction real-time strategy video game developed by Relic Entertainment based on Games Workshop's popular tabletop wargame Warhammer 40,000. It was released by THQ on September 20, 2004 in North America...
series of real-time strategy
Real-time strategy
Real-time strategy is a sub-genre of strategy video game which does not progress incrementally in turns. Brett Sperry is credited with coining the term to market Dune II....
computer games
Computer Games
"Computer Games" is a single by New Zealand group, Mi-Sex released in 1979 in Australia and New Zealand and in 1981 throughout Europe. It was the single that launched the band, and was hugely popular, particularly in Australia and New Zealand...
. Set in Games Workshop
Games Workshop
Games Workshop Group plc is a British game production and retailing company. Games Workshop has published the tabletop wargames Warhammer Fantasy Battle and Warhammer 40,000...
's Warhammer 40,000
Warhammer 40,000
Warhammer 40,000 is a tabletop miniature wargame produced by Games Workshop, set in a dystopian science fantasy universe. Warhammer 40,000 was created by Rick Priestley in 1987 as the futuristic companion to Warhammer Fantasy Battle, sharing many game mechanics...
fictional universe, the single player campaign is playable with multiple races.
Imperial Guard
Imperial Guard (Warhammer 40,000)
The Imperial Guard are a specific army or faction in the Warhammer 40,000 and Epic tabletop games and universe. The army itself is characterised by being capable of fielding a multitude of lightly armoured, average infantry in combination with some of the toughest and most powerful tanks in the game...
is introduced as a new race, and all races including the races from the previous game, The Eldar
Eldar (Warhammer 40,000)
In the fictional universe of Warhammer 40,000, the Eldar are a race of elf-like humanoids who look into the future via psychic powers. They are one of the most ancient and advanced races in the universe's history, though younger than the Necrons, the C'tan, and the Old Ones...
, the Space Marines
Space Marines (Warhammer 40,000)
In the fictional universe of Warhammer 40,000 setting created by Games Workshop, Space Marines are genetically modified "super human" soldiers created by the Emperor to conquer the galaxy and defend mankind. According to Games Workshop, there are over a thousand recorded chapters of Space Marines,...
, Chaos, the Orks
Ork (Warhammer 40,000)
The Orks are a race from the fictional Warhammer 40,000 universe. They are described as being tall, muscular humanoids, with green skin and a penchant for violence. the orks live for war and constantly fight anything in sight, including each other...
and the Tyranids
Tyranids
The Tyranids are a fictional race from the Warhammer 40000 tabletop game and its spin-off media. They are known to the Imperium generally as Tyranids, because Tyran is the first known planet they devoured and where they were first encountered...
are now playable in single-player.
Development
On September 15, 2010 Relic announced that Retribution would be dropping the Games for Windows - LIVE Multiplayer Platform in favor of using Steamworks as its primary and only platform. This will make the game entirely stand-alone with all the races included (unlike Chaos Rising which required the original Dawn Of War II for the original four races in Multiplayer) however two playable characters have been carried over(Cyrus and Tarkus) from the original two campaigns. New multiplayer match making systems have been made uniquely for Retribution. The addition of Steamworks will also allow the invitation of Steam friends to Multiplayer matches as well as free multiplayer weekends and a much faster patching process.There were speculations that the new playable race would be Imperial Guard and/or the Inquisition, due to the Inquisition triple lined "I" used in the word "Retribution" in the game trailer; in addition, the expansion's wishlist icon in the Steam system features a female Witch Hunter Inquisitor
Inquisition (Warhammer 40,000)
The Inquisition is an organisation in the fictional Warhammer 40,000 universe. They act as the secret police of the Imperium, hunting down any and all threats to the stability of the God-Emperor's realm. In fiction relating to the games, Inquisitors are usually represented by extremely powerful,...
. On December 21, 2010, German
Germany
Germany , officially the Federal Republic of Germany , is a federal parliamentary republic in Europe. The country consists of 16 states while the capital and largest city is Berlin. Germany covers an area of 357,021 km2 and has a largely temperate seasonal climate...
PC gaming magazine Gamestar revealed the new race would be the Imperial Guard
Imperial Guard (Warhammer 40,000)
The Imperial Guard are a specific army or faction in the Warhammer 40,000 and Epic tabletop games and universe. The army itself is characterised by being capable of fielding a multitude of lightly armoured, average infantry in combination with some of the toughest and most powerful tanks in the game...
.
A multiplayer beta of the game was launched on Steam on February 1st 2011 and ended on February 25th.
Campaign
Dawn Of War II: Retribution offers a campaign for every race, including the Imperial Guard. The campaign takes place across different planets in Subsector Aurelia including the jungle world Typhon, the desert world Calderis, the arctic world Aurelia, the hive world Meridian, the derelict ship Judgement of Carrion and the dead world Cyrene.Settings
Dawn Of War II: Retribution takes place ten years after events of Chaos Rising. The sub-sector Aurelia is now suffering from conflict between Ork pirates called the Freebooterz led by Kaptin Bluddflagg to pillage the sub-sector, the arrival of the Eldar of the Craftworld Alaitoc led by Autarch Kayleth to seek about a prophecy and recovering an ancient artifact, a Tyranid Hivelord restoring the remnants of the Hive Fleet Leviathan and to the link of the Hive Mind, the Blood Ravens defending the sub-sector led by Captain Apollo Diomedes to hunt down Chaos as well as investigating their Chapter Master, Azariah Kyras, for being corrupted by Chaos, the return of Chaos Space Marines of the Black Legion led by Eliphas the Inheritor to fulfill his promise to Abaddon the Despoiler to annihilate the Blood Ravens, and the newly arriving Imperial Guard of the 8th Cadian Regiment led by Lord General Castor, performing an Exterminatus under Inquisitor Adrastia to investigate for corruption within the sub-sector Aurelia as well as the Blood Ravens' Chapter Master Azariah Kyras. These events may have been the cause from Gabriel Angelos' actions from the original dawn of war when he destroyed a stone with a hammer "God-Splitter" which held within it the demon Khorne .Plot
The player's character arrives on Typhon Primaris engaging and battling an opposing faction and defeating their leader. Later, the faction leader is given the objective to eliminate Azariah Kyras who intends to use the impending Exterminatus as a sacrifice to Khorne and ascend to daemonhood. The player quickly attempts to reach a means of transport off Typhon escaping a local cult along the way.Arriving on Calderis, the player character fights against corrupted Blood Ravens Space Marines operating under orders to purge the planet. After destroying a warp portal on Aurelia, the faction learns of an attack on Meridian ordered by Kyras and arrives there killing the traitor guardsmen and uncovering a transmission from Kyras revealing his location on Typhon.
The player character returns to Typhon Primaris to confront Kyras himself, only to be ambushed by Eldar from Craftworld Biel-tan. Wary of a ritual they are undergoing, the player's character kills the Eldar there. Following this , Kyras reveals that the Eldar ritual was preventing the Imperial Inquisition fleet from arriving at the sub-sector. The Inquisition fleet arrives, beginning Exterminatus on Typhon Primaris. The player escapes Typhon before the Exterminatus finishes. Typhon is reduced to ash.
Finding themselves on the Judgment of Carrion, the player's characters recover and determine to stop Kyras. It is deduced that he is hiding on Cyrene as the planet underwent Exterminatus decades ago and the inquisition will not travel there. On Cyrene, the player characters launch an attack against a joint alliance of Chaos Space Marines, corrupt Imperial Guardsmen and traitor Blood Ravens by using their most powerful unit against them. Kyras begins to ascend into daemonhood. Gabriel and his 3rd Company launch an attack on Kyras but are quickly wounded or killed. The players faction then launches their own attack killing Kyras.
Ending
After Kyras' death, the ending of the game will depend on which race the players character chose:- Chaos - Eliphas allows the Exterminatus to continue, thus sacrificing the sector to Khorne. He is thus granted Daemonhood by the Blood God.
- Eldar - Ronahn recovers the soulstone of his sister, Taldeer, and decides to return to Craftworld Ulthwé with her.
- Imperial Guard - Inquisitor Adrastia returns to the Inquisition to suspend the Exterminatus on sub-sector Aurelia by presenting Kyras' psychic hood as proof that the threat has ended while Lord General Castor and Sergeant Major Merrick commend each other for their actions rather backhandedlyBackhanded complimentA backhanded compliment, also known as a left handed compliment, or asteism is an insult that is disguised as a compliment. Sometimes, a backhanded compliment may be inadvertent. However, the term usually connotes an intent to belittle or condescend...
. - Orks - Inquisitor Adrastia attempts to renege the deal between her and Kaptin Bluddflagg with assassination. Unfortunately, Kaptin Bluddflagg catches her off guard and takes her hat which he wanted in their deal. Following that, he claims the Judgment of Carrion as his new Krooza and uses it to leave the subsector.
- Space Marines - Captain Apollo Diomedes contacts Inquisitor Adrastia to halt the Exterminatus. The Chapter is then purged of any remaining chaos taint and Gabriel Angelos, after being brought back to life and rebuilt with bionics is appointed as the new Chapter Master.
- Tyranids - The Tyranids had launched a surprise attack and consumed the entire sub-sector of Aurelia, resulting in a 94% casualty rate for the Imperial Guard forces and the complete annihilation of the Blood Ravens, who refused to retreat.
The Last Stand
The Imperial Lord General will be added to the current selection of The Last Stand heroes as well as new environment and new waves of enemies. It can also update all the previous heroes from Dawn of War II and Chaos Rising by importing the Games for Windows account to the Steam Account.The Last Stand is a stand-alone version of the Retribution version of The Last Stand. The Last Stand was released on April 20, 2011 as a separate Steam purchase for $9.99 (€6.99). Owners of The Last Stand receive a discount on the full version of Retribution.
New units and/or upgrades
Multiplayer will introduce base building to a small degree, as well as every race getting a Global Ability Advance Unit. Retribution is a stand-alone title and does not require ownership of earlier games in the series to use any of the factions in multiplayer.Bonus Content
Specific race packs were released for each of the six races within the campaign, containing special items for that race in the campaign of Retribution, such as armour, weapons and accessories. The Ork race pack is a Steam exclusive and Tyranid pack a THQ online store exclusive, although all were made available as DLCDownloadable content
Downloadable content is official additional content for a video game distributed through the Internet. Downloadable content can be of several types, ranging from a single in-game outfit to an entirely new, extensive storyline, similarly to an expansion pack. As such, DLC may add new game modes,...
after release, and all come in the Dawn of War II: Retribution Collector's Edition retail box.
Wargear packs were also released for The Last Stand multiplayer mode. Each pack added new wargear to a specific hero class.
There were also two DLC packs released adding new sub-races to use in multiplayer game with unique models and color schemes for units: Dark Angels Space Marine chapter and Eldar Craftworld Ulthwe. Similar DLC pack adding Ultramarines Space Marine chapter was released on August 16, 2011.