Welcome to Hot Keys, where I profile different RTS's that I've played and (mostly) enjoyed. This week, it's all about the blood for the blood god with Warhammer 40K Dawn of War II.

Dawn of War II is unique among the RTS genre because it embraces a totally different style of strategy. Instead of doing the traditional base-building mechanic, it throws it completely out the window in favor of unit tactics and really intense micromanagement. Units cost lots of resources, so keeping them alive is paramount, which is why DoW II is such an impressive game. It manages to make base building feel old and outdated, because you’re able to jump right into the action capturing victory nodes, and resources, all while playing deadly cat-and-mouse with your opponent.

Another thing it does right is the portrayal of the Warhammer 40K universe. I don’t play Warhammer 40K at all, but the setting and the fiction is so appealing that, just like Vinny, I have bought several 40K books (Eisenhorn is badass!), most of which are genuinely good reads.

The devs at Relic took this awesome fiction and made one of, if not the best, RTS campaign ever. Usually it’s no more than several skirmish scenarios with some pretense of a story, but Dawn of War II takes that and wraps the challenging and rewarding squad control in a really cool story. It takes you all over the 40K universe to different sectors and planets, and sees you defending a forge world from a massive Ork invasion, combined with the meddling Eldar and fearsome Tyranids (which Blizzard used as a template for the Zerg faction when making StarCraft). It’s just great.

In the multiplayer, there is no base building at all, except for upgrading your central hub where units spawn out of, and resources are collected by capturing requisition and power nodes along the map, which generate resources over time. This leads to tense tactical encounters that depend heavily on unit position and equipment versus numbers. A standard squad of Space Marines has 3 of them to a squad, and this extends to all other units summoned. Similar to Relic’s previous RTS Company of Heroes, managing your units is vital, especially knowing when to retreat. There’s also a multiplayer mode where you team up with people online and pick a hero unit from each faction, and fight against waves of enemies Horde style. It’s really fun watching your marine jump 50 feet in the air and come crashing down on a group of Ork nobs, and the loot you pick up always gives you a reason to keep playing.

Overall, it’s just a really fun RTS with a unique spin on unit tactics, and all the art, sound, and production values really evoke the horror and beauty of the Warhammer 40K universe. The expansion pack, Chaos Rising doesn’t fail to disappoint. Chaos Rising is a great sequel, in that it continues the already great story of the Blood Angels, and introduces a corruption mechanic that creates a crazy dichotomy between unit powers and loot, whether you remain faithful to the Imperium, or fall into the grasp of Chaos, with each side having compelling powers and loot that force you to make more calculated decisions about which side you go with. There’s also the Retribution expansion that I haven’t played, but have also heard great things about. It’s just a phenomenal package, and I recommend all fans of RTS’s to give it a shot.