Normally I have no time for cinematic trailers. Show me the game. This one, though, is oodles of bloody fun. Especially the Dreadnaut flambé scene. And what’s that sky-swarm thingy at the end? Could it be? Could it really be… Tyranids? Let there be much rejoicing. (It may just be video blur, but I’m feeling wishful. And ‘oh, it’s Chaos again’ just wouldn’t seem to suit that sort of dramatic cliffhanger. Also, see beneath the cut for further, and very strong corroboration that ‘They’ are indeed our much-desired Big Uglies).
Read on for more ‘nid hints…
I’m a little out of touch with Tyranid lore myself, despite having a small ‘nid 40K army in the cupboard that I’ve never used or painted, so I’ll hand you over to helpful RPS reader Nick Halme to explain all:
The latest 40k rulebook clearly outlines, in handy-dandy chart form, that the first step of any Tyranid invasion is to release toxic spores into the atmosphere. Essentially, they’re acclimatising the planet for themselves, which is not so pretty for the natural inhabitants or…invadees. They then proceed through a number of subsequent steps, most of which involve murderous rampaging, all of which lead to the death of a world.
The end of the Gamespot trailer is a Tyranid reveal, and that swarmy stuff is toxic gas swirling about. The Eldar were no doubt there to try and put a stop to it, or have the Farseer (the chick who got the chainsword to the chest) act as a beacon for something.
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K: Not too good, though. Would have liked the Banshees’ swords to be a bit more electric-glowy. They’re power weapons, after all.
This is absolutely the first stage of a Tyranid Hive Fleet invasion. Nothing else in 40K should look like that, and the OP is correct in the assertion that it would be pathetic to have that big of a cliffhanger only to let everyone down with “it’s Chaos … again!”
One minor clarification … the Eldar psyker in the movie is not a Farseer, as the article suggests. She is a Warlock. You can tell this due to the very simple fact that you can see her face / head … she’s not wearing a Ghosthelm, which all Farseers wear. As trivial as it might sound, that’s a major issue for Games Workshop. They have rejected several amazing Farseer models in the past simply due to the fact that the character was not wearing a Ghosthelm. The lightning-type attack she was using was the Destructor psychic power … it’s a unique ability to Warlocks.
Anyway, the cinema was F-ing mind-blowing. I am ecstatic that we’re finally getting Tyranids … but now I have to decide which of my favorite two races to play. Eldar or ‘Nids? Dammit!
-Sicarius
Yep, if you look closely it has the shape of the tyranid Symbol, and its to organic looking for it to be Chaos…Chaos and Imperial guard might be the addition in the next expansion pack. Hopefully, i <3 Chaos, but i play nids in TT game so…ROCK ON NIDZZZ!!!!
@Sicarius
Ah, that would make more sense, seeing as she was killed by a Space Marine Sergeant! I’m only experienced at getting zapped by Eldar, so thanks for clearing that up.
This is absolutely the first stage of a Tyranid Hive Fleet invasion. Nothing else in 40K should look like that, and the OP is correct in the assertion that it would be pathetic to have that big of a cliffhanger only to let everyone down with “it’s Chaos … again!”
One minor clarification … the Eldar psyker in the movie is not a Farseer, as the article suggests. She is a Warlock. You can tell this due to the very simple fact that you can see her face / head … she’s not wearing a Ghosthelm, which all Farseers wear. As trivial as it might sound, that’s a major issue for Games Workshop. They have rejected several amazing Farseer models in the past simply due to the fact that the character was not wearing a Ghosthelm. The lightning-type attack she was using was the Destructor psychic power … it’s a unique ability to Warlocks.
Anyway, the cinema was F-ing mind-blowing. I am ecstatic that we’re finally getting Tyranids … but now I have to decide which of my favorite two races to play. Eldar or ‘Nids? Dammit!
-Jock
The guy that teleports is a Warp Spider and his weapon is called a Deathspinner. Warp Spiders have portable warp generators on their back that allow them to teleport. In fact it appears the Warp Spider in the trailer is an Exarch (aspect leader) cause he has TWO Deathspinners although he doesn’t have the plume on his helmet.
Josh, even though you are correct about the Ghosthelm, it appears in screenshots of the actual DOW2 game that the character killed in the cinematic is the leader of the Eldar. I guess a warlock could lead the Eldar into battle but it seems more fitting that a Farseer does it. Perhaps the Farseer starts without a Ghosthelm and it must be earned?
Sweet trailer. I love how it shows the intensity of the combat. And fingers crossed for the Templars to get their own scheme this time round.
I think what they could do that would be really interesting, but difficult to balance, would be to add in specific traits for each individual sub-faction. It would be tricky to balance because for Orks they’d probably have to be fairly simple things like Speed Freakz get a higher max vehicle pop cap and cheaper vehicles, have unique research that makes them faster etc. But for the Space Marines you could go a bit more to town, with Templars getting Crusader squads rather than Tactical squads. Codex chapters could have the ability to split their Tactical squads into combat squads. Blood Angels could get Honour Guard, Space Wolves could have Wulfen. With Chaos, you could have the sub-faction decide the Daemons, with World Eaters getting Bloodletters and Bloodthirsters, Thousand Sons getting Flamers and The Lord Of Change, Emperor’s Children getting Daemonettes and the Keeper Of Secrets. You get the idea. And, in light of recent developments, the Daemons could get their own faction, giving you access to Soul Grinders and Juggernauts. I dunno, maybe if I give it some thought, came up with a decent list that was fairly balanced, we could petition it to Relic. I doubt it’d happen for DoWII but you never know, maybe if they make a DoWIII…
Erlam, as to what you said about a 40K FPS… I’ve had quite a few ideas for something along those lines. Again, it’d be hard to actually bring those ideas into fruition but I’ve got a Space Marine skin pack for UT3. That’s a start. Maybe if I can figure out the modding utility for it I could come up with something halfway there. With some custom maps, custom weapons, custom skins and some manipulation of the racial traits system, it could look, and play, the business.
Anyway… I digress. Back to the trailer, I’m pretty sure it’s a sign of ‘Nids. That was my first thought when I saw it. Granted, it could be another Chaos warp storm, here to wreak havoc. But I think Relic know we all want ‘Nids to play with or, at least in my case, slaughter. And looking at the ‘Nids fluff and artwork of ‘Nid invasions, that certainly looks like ‘Nids to me.
Peace.
Ace!!!! I need DOW2!!!!! I’d also love to see more animation like this movie clip.
I love the trailer, my only question is will there be only orks, space marines, tyranids , and chaos? Because i love my necron’s, and Tao is a cool race as well.
It apeers to me that that would be the nids, everyone else has been made playable in the past. It certainly looks liek it and it would give squad war fair more playability. A endless hoard of bugs and u and ur team need to work together to stay alive. Although the question arises why the Eldar? Surly the marines would be aware of an infestation and at that an aproaching hive fleet? But how would an endless Swarm of bugs have teamwork? The hivemind, u would have to have leaders to control ur guys.